Ask an Advisor: What would you tell your younger self?

Published July 21, 2026 5:38 PM

Updated July 21, 2026 5:44 PM

1 Min Read

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It is said that life can only be lived forward, not backward. Advisors with a few years of experience under their belts, however, have gathered knowledge that would have been useful to their younger selves.

Rather than reflect with regret or make a wish to change something entirely on the journey from eager newbie to seasoned vet, a look back can prove to be both a cathartic and amusing exercise.

In this installment of Ask an Advisor, we asked advisors: What would you tell your younger self? Here's what they told us.

Be willing to evolve

Robert S. Jeter II, financial advisor at Back Bay Financial Planning in Bethany Beach, Delaware

I started at an insurance broker-dealer and remember looking up to the budding XYPN at the time, big RIAs like Ritholtz, etc., and just thinking to myself what a career mistake I had made. The reality was, that was a great first job. I wouldn't have traded it for anything. The lessons I learned were invaluable and have shaped me as a practitioner and the practice I own today.

To put a fine point on it, there is no bad first job in this industry. It's just the first step of many.

Never stop learning

Monica Dwyer, financial advisor at Harvest Financial Advisors in West Chester, Ohio

I came into this industry late and learned so much starting in my 40s. I think to myself that had I found the industry much earlier, I would have been a better investor and saver. I will be working longer because I didn't start saving early enough.

I would have also told myself to be more confident and to like myself more. The thing I fear right now is my lack of confidence when I get to retirement about pulling the trigger. I have spent many years seeing lots of bad things happen to my clients, from being disabled to dying. My fear now is the anxiety that I will always feel that my retirement plan will not go the way I want it to and things beyond my control that will cause me to not have the life that I have been building for and dreaming about.

That is not to say that I don't enjoy life now. I do because I realize that every day is a gift, but that nagging voice is still in the back of my mind.

Speak up

Patrick Yaghoobians, founder and financial planner at Noor Financial Services in Los Angeles

My No.1 tip for my younger self is to not be afraid to give my input on a situation. For the longest time, I bit my tongue and didn't say anything to a colleague or a senior planner because I felt I wasn't experienced enough.

I didn't start feeling comfortable enough to express my opinion on topics like investment allocations and financial plan recommendations until I had almost five years of experience. As soon as I began providing my input, I noticed more opportunities opened up, and I found myself in situations I had been dreaming of years earlier.

That would be my advice to newer advisors or people in the industry, too. This profession is all about perspective and looking at things from different angles, so if you are younger and feel your input can provide value, don't be afraid to speak up.

Ponder first careers, relating and listening

Ellen Johnson, founder and financial advisor at Thistle Wealth in Corvallis, Oregon

On a first career being an asset:

A first career for me was a real advantage. I owned an engineering firm designing food processing plants before this, and I brought skills into financial planning I never would've had if I'd stayed in one lane my whole life.

On relating to clients:

I've been through the retirement transition myself. That's something no textbook or class can teach you. Living it beats studying it.

On listening:

Early on, I thought my value was having the answer. Now I know it's asking the right question and actually listening. Clients tell you what they need. You simply need to stop talking long enough to let them."

Think longer term

Kyle Ray, founder and wealth manager of Ridgeback Wealth Management in Peachtree City, Georgia

I'm a career-changer, a former professional poker player turned financial advisor, and the advice I'd give my younger self is simple: think longer term.

In my early 20s, poker was booming and I had tunnel vision. I was making good money, but I assumed it would last forever. I would tell my younger self to save and invest more aggressively, work with a fiduciary advisor and focus on simple, low-cost index investing rather than chasing complexity.

I'd also tell myself to finish school. At the time, I didn't appreciate the value of having options or how much my goals and interests would change over time. More than anything, I wish I had understood that the person you are at 22 is not the person you'll be at 32. Building flexibility into your finances and career is one of the best investments you can make.

Focus on relationships first

Corinna Rose, advisor at Bell Investment Advisors in Benicia, California

Technical knowledge gets you in the door, but relationship skills build the career. The best advisors aren't the ones who know everything. They're the ones who know how to listen, ask better questions and keep learning. Clients won't remember your best spreadsheet. They'll remember how you made them feel during one of the most stressful financial decisions of their lives.

Balance work and life early

Zachary Bachner, advisor at Summit Financial Consulting in Sterling Heights, Michigan

The first is a reflection on a piece of advice I received during my senior year in college. One of my professors suggested finding a firm that would allow me to train and learn underneath an advisor and then grow alongside the firm. I was lucky enough to find a position that fit this description, and I am very grateful for the advice I received.

The second piece of advice has been a more recent reflection and something I learned after having our first child. Life seems to go by very quickly, so it is important to slow down and enjoy the time that we have. There will always be more time and more days for work, but there may not always be more days for fun and for family. I have definitely spent a lot of time working over the years and sometimes wish that I would have learned to log off the computer a bit more often. This is definitely something I am trying to implement for the future.