Mover and Shaker: Felicia Hanson Ofori-Quaah, Senior Associate, Milbank, LLP

Felicia Hanson Ofori-QuaahSuccess is very much a subjective concept, says Felicia Hanson Ofori-Quaah.

“To my mind, success means that you have found a true balance that works for your individual circumstance, but in order to reach that equilibrium, it is absolutely necessary to devote a significant amount of time for self-care, making physical and mental well-being an absolute priority.” To that end she finds that using vision boards is invaluable as they offer a sense of purpose, direction and achievement in all aspects of life—including personal, family, financial, social and professional. And, she adds, it is important to realize that one’s perception of success can change, so it is important to reflect often and ensure that at any given time, you are heading in the direction of your most current iteration of the definition of success.

Finding Success Of Her Own

Hanson Ofori-Quaah’s educational career was impressive—she read law as an undergraduate at the University of Bristol, then studied for the Legal Practice Course at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice and trained to be a solicitor at Norton Rose LLP, where she qualified as a corporate lawyer focusing on mergers and acquisitions within the mining sector. After a year in that role, she decided to transition to the area of finance law, focusing on project, energy and infrastructure finance. She moved to Milbank LLP seven years ago and is currently a senior associate with a practice that predominantly focuses on financing energy, infrastructure and mining projects in Africa and the Middle East, including advising on cross-border, multi-sourced financings that involve commercial lenders, export credit agencies and development finance institutions.

Seeking Gender Balance Should Be The Industry’s Ongoing Mission

One of Hanson Ofori-Quaah’s first realizations when she joined corporate law was that the gender balance in the legal profession would not reflect what she had experienced in the lecture theatre, where there were as many, if not more, women enrolled. She found most of them to be incredibly ambitious, having set their sights on the highest prizes in the legal profession, that of being Queen’s counsel, an equity partner or general counsel for a top-tier company.

However once she started her career, she quickly realized that although a large number of women were entering the profession, only a very small minority were making it to the “top,” whether they had chosen the path of parenthood or not. And, she has also witnessed the under-representation of black female lawyers in senior positions in law firms in the city.

Hanson Ofori-Quaah had assumed that, as it was in law school, working hard and getting good grades would assure your success. But in the world of law, she has found that while hard work, diligence and dedication are important, it is also equally important to be aware of and practice effective internal and external self-promotion in order to stand out from the crowd, raise your profile and be in the best possible position to achieve promotion through the ranks. And, having a mentor, or even better, being backed by the support of a sponsor, has a significant positive effect on a person’s career trajectory.

“In my experience, for a person to truly thrive and succeed in an organization, you need someone in a position of seniority who is ready, willing and able to put their name and resource behind your advancement,” says Hanson Ofori-Quaah. “Working hard so that you are brilliant at what you do is the first step, but I think it is also vital that you have someone advocating for you when decisions that impact your career progression are being made.”

Unfortunately, her experience has been that more often than not, women tend not to have this benefit, which can have a significant impact on the success of their career progression.

As in any area where there is the potential for bias—either conscious or unconscious—the key to improving this situation starts with those in senior management positions within their respective organizations taking steps to review the decisions they are making. “I encourage them to regularly consider the profile of the people they tend to sponsor, and challenge themselves to widen this pool for the benefit of those who are able but underrepresented,” Hanson Ofori-Quaah says.

Role Models Can Lead the Way

While she still seeks the benefit of a sponsor, Hanson Ofori-Quaah has been fortunate to have two “absolutely phenomenal” women whom she considers as professional role models: Lisa Opoku and Paulette Mastin. She first came across Opoku’s profile in another GlassHammer piece, when she had recently returned to work from her first maternity leave. Having read Sheryl Sandberg’s book and eager to put the advice into practice, she plucked up the courage to send her an email, and to her amazement she responded. She was drawn to Opoku’s story; while she is currently a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, she began her career in the legal profession and like Hanson Ofori-Quaah is of Ghanaian decent with two children.

“Lisa has provided me with the type of invaluable and practical advice that every working parent needs,” Hanson Ofori-Quaah says. “I also admire her passion to develop and promote talent, especially in women in her organization, and I believe others in leadership positions should aspire to emulate that as it would undoubtedly lead to higher retention and promotion of women across many organizations.”

Her other mentor is a counsel at the Magic Circle law firm Linklaters and as Hanson Ofori-Quaah says, “I do not exaggerate when I say she is the ‘matriarch’ for numerous lawyers of color, particularly female lawyers of color, in the Square Mile.” In addition to her day job as counsel in a very demanding role, Mastin is the chair of the Black Solicitors’ Network and a mother of two, yet always makes time to mentor others.

Seeking any opportunity to continue to learn, Hanson Ofori-Quaah has found the Milbank@Harvard program to offer a tremendous impact on her career to date, as it has given her the opportunity to be taught by leading professors at Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School on four separate occasions, each time building on the previous session. The program, which includes intensive interactive courses on finance and accounting, leadership and team management, strategy, marketing, negotiations and macroeconomics, have been important in helping her enhance her position, equipping her with skills and expertise she has found to be invaluable to her career.

“I constantly search for avenues—whether through mentors or educational opportunities—to find professional and personal advice that can build my expertise.”

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The Power of Resilience

power of resilience

Guest contributed by Aleksandra Scepanovic

According a report by American Express, “Behind the Numbers: The State of Women-Owned Businesses in 2018,” as of last year there were 12.3 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. alone.

This is an incredible accomplishment, considering there were just over 400,000 back in 1972. Women are increasingly becoming more prominent in the business world. However, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

While it is encouraging to think that these numbers have risen because women are gaining new opportunities to follow their dreams and pursue career paths they love and enjoy, the harsh reality is that this is not always the case. While there are many factors as to why women are apt to start their own business, the decision could also be a result of work-life imbalance, gender discrimination, or the pay gap women often face in corporations. Growing up, women are told that they are equal to their male counterparts, that they can be whoever they want to be; but just past the childhood days exists an undeniable level of pressure that all women face, no matter their journey.

As women, we are used to society’s expectations of what and who we should be, both in our personal lives and in our careers. This pressure may lead to the feeling or need to be successful in ways different than those experienced by men. We are often faced with pressures to look a certain way and act a certain way, and we experience ageism differently than men. Resilience is defined as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness” – something women know a little about. Resilience is a quality that is not only important in your personal life, but is also pivotal to being a successful business owner and leader.

Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston, conducted a study called the Shame Resilience Theory: A Grounded Theory Study on Women and Shame. The main purpose of the study was to determine how and what makes women feel a sense of shame, or what makes them feel unworthy of acceptance. While there is no universal trigger or answer, the study concluded that, “The sociocultural expectations are narrow interpretations of who women are ‘supposed to be,’ based on their identity (e.g., gender, race, class, sexual orientation, age, religious identity) and/or their role (e.g., mother, employee, partner, group member). These sociocultural expectations are often imposed, enforced, or expressed by individuals and groups (e.g., self, family, partners, friends, coworkers, children, membership groups).”

This feeling of “shame,” as Brown describes, does not stop in the workplace, and can even amplify. Women often have to work harder and work smarter than their male counterparts. On average, a woman will earn about 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man – a disappointing statistic that many of us have heard time and time again. Unfortunately, one which doesn’t always change for women entering the entrepreneurial world. In many cases, gender discrimination may not only affect your paycheck, but might also affect the funding you receive to start your business in the first place. A study by Boston Consulting Group found that “Investments in enterprises founded or co-founded by women averaged at around $935,000, less than half of the $2.1 million on average invested within those founded by men.”

Women face many challenges they need to overcome throughout the course of their careers, challenges that can significantly differ from those men encounter. A report by Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire titled “Tackling the Gender Gap: What Women Entrepreneurs Need to Thrive,” indicates that the three greatest struggles female entrepreneurs face are lack of role models and mentors, the gender pay gap, and unequal access to funding and venture capital.

While this may seem disheartening, there can be light at the end of the tunnel. With each year that goes by, more women are showcasing their resilience and becoming successful business owners and leaders, proving the upward trend in female-founded firms is a result of hard work and determination to thrive.

According to the same previously referenced study by Boston Consulting Group, “For every dollar of funding, startups founded by women generate 78 cents, while startups founded by men generated less than half, at only 31 cents.” While proving that companies founded by women are typically more capable of thriving than male-founded firms, the number of female-owned businesses has doubled in 20 years, as has their revenue. Still, while vast improvements have been made over the last century, there is even more room to grow.

Throughout history, women have had to prove their worth and their place in leadership roles, but the power of resilient women is that we are not deterred by unfavorable statistics, or by being categorized as “successful” or “unsuccessful” based on old school ideals. Though the word resilience can be easily defined, the act of resilience cannot. It is a practice that we must work at each day, and continue to strive for to pave the way for some even more resilient women in the future.

Aleksandra Scepanovic is Managing Director of Ideal Properties Group, a leading residential real estate firm specializing in premier Brownstone Brooklyn and Manhattan neighborhoods in New York City.

The opinions and views expressed by guest contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of theglasshammer.com

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Voice of Experience: Carol Schleif, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Abbot Downing

by Cathie Ericson

Carol Schleif Building the right team entails all types of diversity, including cognitive diversity, says Carol Schleif.

“I want people who come from different experiences,” she says, noting that even if the team looks diverse on paper, they are looking at problems the same way if they all come from the same school, for example. She realized this when she recently enrolled in an MBA program and came to appreciate how everyone approaches business problems differently depending on their age and experience, which she has found to be a proof point for the importance of diversity of thought.

Recently, for example, she was working with a church budget committee when she realized that the majority were CFOs, yet she was the only one in finance, while the remainder were from social service. “I saw you needed these different skill sets to come to the best decisions,” she says.

Building A Career in Finance

In college, Schleif earned a dual degree in equestrian science and business as she had expected to be a horse trainer, but she found she enjoyed her business classes so much that she ended up pursuing that as her field. The economy was not on her side when she graduated in 1983, as it was “the pit of the 1983 recession,” as she describes it. However, she had the good fortune of starting as an administrative assistant in a small brokerage firm where she frequently interacted with the research department. When she relocated to Minnesota, she parlayed her fascination with the markets into a position as a junior analyst.

She subsequently earned her CFA Charter, then spent the next several years working for investment firms in research and analyst positions, ultimately running a research department and then becoming partner and investment principal at the predecessor firm to Abbot Downing.

Currently she focuses much of her attention on the firm’s forays into sustainable investing issues as well as immersing herself in both women and wealth and women in wealth.

Women And Wealth And Women In Wealth

Regarding women and wealth, she finds that in traditional relationships, often one partner is the breadwinner, while the other accomplishes the tasks that facilitate their lives. By default, though, that person—almost always the woman—doesn’t spend as much time thinking about the structure of their finances. Therefore when an emergency happens, such as a death, divorce or retirement, they are dealing not only with the accompanying emotional issues, but also financial issues. “At that point it can be too traumatic to handle so our goal is to get women involved earlier,” Schleif says.

To help with education, Abbot Downing has developed women’s forums for clients, featuring both internal and external speakers who highlight planning, family dynamics and culture and values. “It creates a great environment for women to learn from each other,” Schleif says.

The other side of the coin, women in wealth, relates to helping with career development.

Schleif has found that very few women come to the industry directly through business school so she is always wondering how best to get women interested in finance. Part of it, she says, could be a function of pop culture. “The fields of law and medicine have cool TV shows, but the entertainment industry typically serves up negative examples of finance, which I believe does a disservice to many women who would thrive in a career like this.”

In fact, she has found it to be positive for balancing work and life, noting that she had three kids in three years and was able to work throughout. “It’s an industry that’s conducive to leading a balanced life and also doing something impactful and important to society,” she says.

That’s a key reason that her professional accomplishment that stands out most is the mentoring and coaching she does while helping contribute to the culture of learning and development at the firm. For example, her boss encouraged her to start an asset management mentoring program, which they are in the third year of hosting, and she also sits on the board of CFA Minnesota, one of the largest local branches of the CFA Institute, where she leads the career development committee. The group is also focused on diversity and inclusion, with a “Changing Perceptions” program, and she has been attending regional meetings on panels and partnering with different entities on a Women in Wealth initiative.

She also works at the college level to get more women interested and champions internships for women through regional business clubs. “As a lifelong learner and advocate, it’s satisfying to help people find the skill sets they might not even know they have and connect them to a career that works for them,” Schleif says, adding that someday she may even end up working for some of them. “It awes me that people will come and ask my opinion,” she says. “I find the ability to turn around and ask good questions, as my best coaches have done, is preferable to just giving advice.”

Internally Schleif helps lead a monthly call on career perspectives. “I find it’s very impactful for those early in their careers to find mid-career professionals who will share tactical and practical advice to see their next step,” she says.

Her experiences have also showed her that there’s a place for everyone in an organization when you play to their strengths. For example, the tendency is to turn your top-producing sales person into a manager, but the skill sets are entirely different.

“Some people are idea generators; others want to take them and mold them so you have to coach them intentionally. That’s how you will assemble a top-performing team.”

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Voice of Experience: Kim Youngberg, General Counsel of Screenvision Media

Kim Youngberg says that one of the professional achievements she’s most proud of is that, having served as a guide through digital revolutions in the entertainment industry, she no longer fears change or the unknown.

Kim Youngberg But as impressive as that is, she can’t help but note another, possibly more fascinating, professional achievement—the cultural impact she made by getting her husband’s band, Lotion, on “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” for a pivotal episode in which Seth Green first turns into a werewolf.

Blending Her Love of Law With Entertainment

While she began her career in international litigation, an early layoff showed Youngberg that you never know what other, better opportunities are around the corner. “In retrospect, it was the best thing that could have happened to me,” she says.

At the time, she was living in the East Village among a creative group of musicians and managers who had lots of legal questions for her. Her interest in the music industry sparked, she joined noted music law firm Davis Shapiro. For just over six years, she worked with artists, publishers, managers, mixers, engineers and more, while also working for record labels, which allowed her to see both sides of the industry and learn more about different techniques and negotiations.

Eventually, she decided she needed more responsibility and moved to Wind-Up Records, an independent record label distributed by Sony, where she worked with bands such as Creed, Evanescence and Seether. She started in 2002 when the industry was on the cusp of the music technology revolution—MP3s and Napster were just coming along—and she rode out the transition from analog to digital during this exciting and interesting time.

Next came iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify and more, and while they were fascinating, pioneering concepts, it became harder to make money in the field as album sales diminished. She then joined Screenvision Media, a leading cinema advertising company, as general counsel overseeing all legal matters for the company.

Youngberg has thrived at Screenvision Media, due to the targeted nature of the product and the creativity that clients are afforded. They know that advertising at movie theatres is a safe, stable option, compared with the TV broadcast and online content worlds, and they know that moviegoers are there to be entertained and engaged. Once again, she has been able to help an industry transform from analog to digital, witnessing and participating in the transition as movie studios have stopped releasing movies on film and theaters have pivoted to broadband delivery.

Savvy Advice Propels Her Career—And Others

Youngberg has been fortunate to work with incredibly big personalities, all of whom made their mark on her and imparted advice she uses to this day. For example, she learned early on that “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar”—in other words, no one will do you any favors if you’re being a jerk. She also realized that earlier in her career, she was too focused on making sure she got everything exactly right, eventually realizing that not everything is going to come to fruition and it’s best to prioritize needs and wants.

Youngberg has also found networking to be invaluable to her career growth; looking back, she wishes she had nurtured her own network earlier, long before she needed it. Now she finds many opportunities to meet other professionals and build those connections, whether it is through continuing legal education events at the New York In-House Counsel Meetup Group or through groups like ChIPs, Women in Music and The Fourth Floor.

Over the years, she’s found that it’s easy for women to be characterized as “worker bees” rather than “rain-makers,” which can hold them back and inhibit the chance to advance. Because the entertainment industry can feel so male-dominated, Youngberg is active in women’s networking groups like the Women’s General Counsel Network, where people can give referrals and recommendations. She is also active in She Runs It, an advertising-related women’s networking group. As part of her mentoring and networking efforts, she encourages women to ask for more money and ensure they are being fairly compensated for the value they bring to their workplace. “I tell my daughters that if you don’t ask, you don’t get,” she says, noting that women in particular need to maximize their salaries during peak earning years.

With two girls in middle school, Youngberg has plenty of opportunity to serve as a role model. He girls are extremely athletic—they play volleyball and lacrosse and enjoy trapeze. The family is also part of the first class in a brand-new public middle school where, as founding co-secretary of the PTA, she helped the school get their lacrosse program up and running, establishing the second lacrosse program ever in Manhattan public schools.

These many avenues help Youngberg find the work/life balance she needs to keep all facets of her life running smoothly and to continue finding joy and meeting challenges in her professional and personal life.

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Resume Anxiety? Just tell your story.

By Nicki Gilmour

Nicki GilmourMany people, despite having amazing experience in their career, have anxiety when writing their resume.

Especially if they have not had the resume out in circulation for a while or have always gotten a job via their network.

There are certainly rules of the road and I enjoyed this article on the practical things to do when prepping your resume. But, the bigger issue is why is putting together your resume such a big deal for most of us? Or, rather, a task we would really like to put off until we really have to do it?

I think the intense focus I have observed in my coaching clients who are thinking of moving jobs, and therefore have the question of a resume update, is very much linked with having to feel perfect. It makes sense to feel vulnerable to rejection as we put ourselves out there after many years at a firm. And so many of us reading this are overachievers, but some of us are what is known as ‘insecure overachievers’ whereby we strive for the best for our own validation and we are very hard on ourselves. We can go overboard when we just need to step back and think “What is my career narrative? What do I do well that I want to continue doing?” and finally “What context is provided for this next potential job that I can take my vast experience and apply specifically to it in a version?”

Ultimately, the person reviewing your resume probably doesn’t know you well. Make it easy for them to understand the story so far.

Taking my own advice to show you how we fall in the pitfalls.

As a coach when I am often asked to review my client’s resume to which I say:

“I am happy to do that with the caveat that that I am not a resume expert.”

Now, the coach here has to take her own medicine as I just did and continue to do is what so many really talented women do, negate actual experience with self-deprecating self talk de-authorizing ourselves from the job.

What did I do? I had a thought that led to a familiar personal (and cultural, hello Brits!) behavior.

The truth is, I am actually pretty qualified to look at resumes as I have seen many since I was head of efinancialcareers back in the early job board days and launched the product from one job posting and one resume up. I have run start ups and hired probably 100 people myself with a resume as the starting point. I am an executive coach who has seen probably 100 resumes this year!

See how I just put out to the world that somehow I could not help them with this simple task? I did not think about what I could do in terms of what I have done quite formally and informally for the past fifteen years.

How does this play out in your story? Has your brain gotten so used to a task that you have told yourself that somehow something you do very often and well, isn’t a skill? The narrative we tell the world can be very different to what we have actually got experience in. We think of who we are through the lens of the narrative we have been telling ourselves very often.

The coaching process will be a distilling process for you to know who you are, what you want, what mental models are stopping you such as confidence, avoidance, fear of rejection or being seen as x, y or z only as examples.

You are in charge of your story and coaching can help figure out how to tell it. You have the answers, let me bring the questions.

If you are interested in a free exploratory chat to understand if coaching is for you, and to find out more about how Nicki works ( methodology, price etc) and to see if there is a fit, book a call here.

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Nell Hutton, Partner, Securities Division, Goldman Sachs

Nell Hutton“Be passionate about your role and responsibilities – always apply yourself with energy, enthusiasm and commitment,” recommends Nell Hutton, a partner and head of the Securities Division franchise in Australia and New Zealand at Goldman Sachs.

A native Australian, Nell Hutton traveled to the UK to pursue postgraduate studies at Cambridge University. From there, she joined Goldman Sachs’ debt capital markets (DCM) team in London, where she aimed to infuse those three core traits – energy, enthusiasm and commitment – to her projects.

“I worked extremely hard in DCM, and during that time period I learned an incredible amount and received a lot of great client exposure,” said Hutton of her time working in bank capital transactions.

After several years in DCM, Hutton was in search of a new challenge and joined the derivatives corporate team, where she covered corporate clients from a risk and liability management perspective. From there, she transitioned to the Financing Group, supporting Nordic and Dutch clients in the derivatives space. “I really enjoyed my time working with these clients because I built strong relationships with them, and we developed some innovative financing and hedging solutions which really differentiated Goldman Sachs at the time.”

Leveraging Mobility Across Regions

After nearly a decade at Goldman Sachs in the UK, Hutton explored moving back to Australia. “In 2006, I began to talk with my managers about potentially transferring to a role in Sydney, so I could be closer to my family.”

Although she was moving more than 10,000 miles, Hutton was able to take on a similar role in Sydney, covering corporates, financial institutions and pension funds within the derivatives space. However, Hutton soon recognized differences between the London and Sydney offices: “As a vice president, I realized I was one of the few senior women in Australia, and I had to figure out how to reinvent myself and build a business – but I surprised myself by how quickly I was able to build relationships in the local market and translate my experience from Europe to bring innovative financing and hedging solutions to Australian and New Zealand clients.”

Navigating Parental Leave

After having her first child and taking 12 months of parental leave, Hutton experienced trepidation about returning to the office. “In the moment, I thought taking off so much time was a career-ending decision, but I really enjoyed the months I was able to spend with my daughter at home. Ultimately, I came back to work part-time, which my bosses in Sydney were very supportive of and in the long run I think that had limited impact on my career at GS.”

In 2009, Hutton had her second child, and again her managers were supportive of her coming back to the office on an initial part-time basis, which later morphed back to full-time given the exciting opportunities Hutton was offered in her role leading the derivatives business within the financing group.

Looking back, and after having her third child, she says: “I wish I had been more open-minded and had trust that I would have the firm’s support navigating these inflection points in my life.”

In addition, Hutton recommends that individuals considering parenthood keep in mind the following Lean In adage: “Don’t leave before you leave.” She cautions, “If you’re planning around potentially needing to take time out of the workforce, then you’re already making decisions that are holding back your career. Don’t worry about how you might navigate things in the future – assume you will find whatever balance you seek and focus on the present.”

Pursuing Opportunities for Growth

In 2014, Hutton was named head of Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Sales in Australia and New Zealand, overseeing more than 15 people. “We set about trying to grow our market share and find new business opportunities, and it was exciting to cover a broad client base.”

Today, Hutton is focused on growing the firm’s Securities Division in Australia and New Zealand and engaging more clients. “The firm has laid out a clear strategy, and in Australia we have the opportunity to grow wallet share in existing businesses, as well as new business lines.” Hutton cites the development of a corporate cash management business in-house, as well as opportunities to engage superannuation funds across the country, as clear areas of growth.

For young women focused on their own careers, Hutton stresses that when individuals are passionate about their role, “people notice and doors open.” She notes: “When those doors open, you have to overcome fears of failure, be agile and take risks to succeed. It’s not always easy, but if you can navigate the difficult times and learn from them, then you’ll come out with greater strength and resolve.”

A Full – and Joyful – Life Outside of the Office

“When you work at Goldman Sachs and have three young kids, life is full but it is also joyful,” says Hutton. She notes that “family time is incredibly special” to her, and she loves reading to her children each night. “I’ve had the chance to go back and read with my children all the books I loved growing up – those moments are precious.”

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Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day in the USA and happy start of summer everywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere.

4th of JulyEvery year at this time, we take a publishing break here at theglasshammer to spend time with our friends and family.

We will return with great content on Monday July 8th and in the meantime enjoy all our great pieces (over 8000 to read in our archives) that we have written diligently for 12 years to help you navigate and advance in your career.

Last week, I announced that after 12 years, we are ready to sell the site. This work is so important and we hope to find the right buyer to continue it in 2020.

Change happens in many ways, and empowering individuals via career advice is one piece of a very big puzzle. Coaching is something that I personally feel is a “supercharged” way to get what each individual wants and needs quickly and specifically.

We are all different (thankfully!) and yet all of us share one common feature which is we form thoughts and feelings about things that we experience. We have an operating system in our head that is based on what we have been told and have absorbed culturally as the framework to put all of our experiences against to create thoughts about what we can and cannot do and what we deserve and do not deserve. The self talk is real, but not necessarily true. I have trained as a coach and an organizational psychologist (both at Columbia University) to help my clients figure out what are systemic challenges or issues in their teams or organizations and what is individual and addressable. This has been my greatest gift on this wonderfully interesting twelve year journey. Let me help you.

So if you have the time and money this summer, invest in yourself to be a better, happier executive and person. We are running a summer offer of $999 for 3 sessions (90 mins long) to help you decide what you want out of life and work.

Book a 15 minutes exploratory chat here with Nicki Gilmour to see if we can help you.

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Voice of Experience: Michelle Nyberg, Vice President, Services Division, Goldman Sachs

Michelle NybergIn our final profile covering Pride voices this June, Michelle Nyberg comments on the importance of diversity, her role as co-head of Australia & New Zealand affinity network Gays, Lesbians and Mates, and managing Australia and New Zealand’s Services footprint.

“Diversity is an asset and a valuable contribution to a large organization such as Goldman Sachs,” notes Michelle Nyberg, a vice president in the Services Division at Goldman Sachs’ Sydney office. “Junior women should not be swayed by misconceptions that the financial services industry is searching for ‘cookie-cutter’ candidates – it’s important to be yourself because everyone brings something new and different to the table.”

Over the course of her 16-year career at Goldman Sachs, Nyberg has sought to share her own unique views during a tenure that has spanned both the Operations and Services divisions. In 1997, Nyberg joined the Operations Division in Melbourne as an analyst. During that time period she worked for JBWere, an Australian and New Zealand stock brokerage firm that later formed a joint venture with Goldman Sachs and was fully acquired by the firm in 2011. Within six months, her manager was reassigned, and she took the initiative to express her interest in a leadership role.

“I didn’t have any experience managing a team, but I raised my hand to lead the team for a period of six months – to my surprise my request was approved,” says Nyberg. “What I learned through that experience is if you’re prepared to work hard and take risks, people will support you and provide you with new opportunities.”

Providing the Best Work Experience and Environment for Colleagues

Nyberg, who went on to lead the Operations team in Sydney before moving to the Services Division, then transitioned to overseeing a range of projects, including the JBWere integration and the renewal of the firm’s corporate leases in Sydney and Melbourne. “The opportunity to renew corporate leases for a firm like Goldman Sachs only occurs about every 10 years,” notes Nyberg. “I feel lucky to have been involved in such a complex project that affects our people’s day-to-day experience.”

Today, Nyberg’s role has expanded further and she is involved in evaluating and enhancing the region’s environmental, social and governance framework to support responsible operational practices and supply chain while increasing building efficiencies. This is in addition to real estate-related projects, such as providing Goldman Sachs people with modern workspaces. “My team is making tangible changes in people’s work environment, while fostering a culture of risk management to adjust business practices and driving commerciality, and it’s really exciting to lead these efforts,” says Nyberg. “Our division’s mission statement is to create the world’s best work experience and environment for the people of Goldman Sachs. I take that to heart and approach all my projects with that mindset.”

Furthering Diversity and Inclusion in Australia & New Zealand

In addition to managing the firm’s Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) real estate footprint and corporate services, Nyberg has served for the past eight years as co-head of the Gays, Lesbians and Mates (GLaM) affinity network in ANZ, which brings together members and allies of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community.

As co-head, Nyberg has overseen the growth of the network to include 55 percent of Goldman Sachs’ ANZ people, helped provide leadership with tools to develop inclusive teams, offered training for LGBTI allies and reverse mentoring and organized numerous educational external speaker sessions featuring individuals in the LGBTI community, including Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe. Nyberg notes that she is not afraid to push the boundaries to ensure challenging topics are discussed in order to educate Goldman Sachs people in ANZ, and says that one of her proudest professional achievements has been “seeing GLaM grow by fostering a sense of community for members and allies of the LGBTI community.” She also notes that Goldman Sachs’ receipt of the 2014 “Employer of the Year” award in the Australian Workplace Equality Index Awards was another exciting moment.

To that end, this year Nyberg was nominated for the Australian LGBTI Inclusion Awards “Network Leader of the Year” by senior leaders in Australia in recognition for her leadership of GLaM. “It was a big honor to be nominated for this award,” says Nyberg. “As someone who was not out at the office for more than a decade, I know how important it is to bring your whole self to work to perform your best.”

She notes that she was initially inspired to come out to her colleagues after attending a firmwide townhall that celebrated the launch of Goldman Sachs’ diversity program in ANZ. During the event a video was played featuring a female managing director in the Securities Division, who was openly gay at work. Nyberg ultimately connected with her over coffee, and as a result of their conversation says: “I felt comfortable enough to come out in the workplace however, there is still more work to be done. Today, I aim to serve as a role model and be accessible to folks across the firm as they navigate their own journey.”

Outside of the Office

Outside of the office, Nyberg enjoys wine tasting, and has installed a wine cellar in her basement. In addition, she loves to be active, making every effort to carve out time throughout the week to visit the gym. Nyberg, who recently married her partner of 15 years – after Australia allowed same sex marriage –is looking forward to honeymooning in Italy and Croatia this summer with her wife.

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The GlassHammer Is For Sale

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Dear Readers,

After 12 years of providing career advice and a platform for amazing women to tell their career stories, glasshammer2.wpengine.com is for sale.

This online career advice site and events business continues to stay loyal to the original mission stated as “inform, inspire and empower professional women.”

Editorially, we have tried to help women to navigate the terrain optimally by dissecting research, calling on experts and creating a platform for people to tell their story. Our past events have been truly interesting, educational and have served to connect women with each other and with allies and champions.

We would like to see someone else take the baton and run with it for 2020 and beyond as this is important work. It continues to be an important time for gender equity and inclusion in the workplace.

Nicki Gilmour, the founder and CEO, is continuing her work as an executive and organizational coach and consultant and comments:

“I am really grateful that this journey of founding and publishing glasshammer2.wpengine.com has taken me to a place where I can do deep work and affect individual and organizational change via coaching and consulting. The time has come to dedicate myself to one, not two, businesses. It will be a pleasure to see the next generation of advocates for equality publish this well-read and much-loved resource for professional women. Fresh energy and commitment from a new person/firm will no doubt take this website to new heights.”

If you interested in acquiring the site and you are a qualified prospect to buy the site, contact Nicki Gilmour, CEO and Founder of the site, at nicki@glasshammer2.wpengine.com or call 646-688-2318.

Learn more about our coaching business www.evolvedpeople.com

 

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Voice of Experience: Margie Archer, Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors

When Margie Archer attended the Wells Fargo Advisors Women’s Summit the first year she joined the firm, she watched in delight as the Spirit Award winner Marcia Tillotson, a branch manager in Charlotte, brought out her family, including her female partner.

Margie Archer “That just reinforced to me that I was in the right place,” Archer says. “I met her later, and she instilled in me the importance of being authentic.”

Building a Career on Advice—And Finding a Niche Serving LGBTQ+ Needs

Archer began her career at a regional firm and then moved to Smith Barney for 18 years. At that point she decided to move into a firm that she believed was more focused on planning, and found Wells Fargo Advisors to be a good fit, both professionally and personally. “I’ve been here 10 years and hope to stay here for many more,” she says.
A problem solver by nature, Archer joined the business to help people, but she’s learned that her financial background is not enough; it’s also crucial to be a good listener and know the right questions to ask.

“It comes down to knowing your clients and helping them achieve their goals and dreams,” Archer says. For example, with a quarter of her high-net-worth clients identifying as LGBTQ+, she focuses on creating strategies customized to the financial challenges of this underserved segment.

On that note, she worked with Wells Fargo Advisors to develop a certification called Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor℠ (ADPA®). The firm partnered with the College of Financial Planning® to launch the program, which certified advisors who wanted to work with the community of LGBTQ+ clients to offer advice on topics such as beneficiary designations, trusts and more. While the marriage equality act helped level the playing field, Margie has continued her commitment to offering special guidance to LGBTQ+ clients as many issues specific to this segment persist.
Among the outreach and support, Wells Fargo Advisors offers regional roundtables and summits that allow its financial advisors to connect and share best practices, as well as bring in speakers to update advisors on the legal landscape, family planning or any issue that’s on an LGBTQ+ client’s mind.

“The firm does so much research on this topic, which I am fortunate to have access to, and while I work to understand needs across the board with all my clients, I am in a unique position for this segment, based on this commitment Wells Fargo Advisors has,” Archer says.

She uses her experience to speak at conferences and publish on the issue and has helped create a seminar about what to consider before you say “I do.” And she is passionate about helping financial advisors learn how to better communicate with LGBTQ+ clients.

Promoting Diversity in All Ways

Helping LGBTQ+ clients is not the only area where Archer is involved in diversity. She is excited about what the firm is doing to show that solving for this issue is not a “nice to have,” but a “must have.” And that is true for clients, too; as women are inheriting money in a huge wave, it’s important to see more women in the industry, given that the numbers haven’t changed significantly over two decades. Wells Fargo Advisors has been devoted to being a leader with its NextGen Talent program, which has strong diversity in age, gender and ethnicity. “This speaks volumes to the firm’s commitment,” Archer notes.

She wants young women to understand what an excellent career it can be, and says she wishes she had been more confident early on that women could excel as advisors. “Women want career paths that can be more autonomous, so it’s important to create a way for them to see the way forward,” she says. “There is so much opportunity, and while a financial background can be important, what this job entails is listening, and women shine at that. It also allows you to reap the benefits of flexibility as you juggle other responsibilities,” she notes.

Archer particularly sees doors opening for women as advisors as the field shifts from investment management to investment planning, which she believes makes excellent use of women’s skillsets.

Finding Time for Herself

A former college tennis player, Archer still loves a good match and also plays golf. With two dogs of her own, she says she will rescue any animal on the planet, but believes they rescued her with their unconditional love. She also loves to travel and has a big map in her office where she marks each new destination with a pin. She has an upcoming trip planned to Africa to help build wells which will provide clean water for towns without, which she predicts will be life-changing for herself as well.

Closer to home, Archer finds she gets some of her best ideas from visiting the mountains, hiking and recharging. “The business is rewarding but can be tough, and you’re always on, so you have to take care of yourself.”

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