Member Profile - Karyn Sullivan

Karyn plans on booking a trip to the Greek Islands — once she's done paying for her children’s college!

What's a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it?

Being a pretty driven person and a type-A personality, I was determined post-college to go far. I focused on my individual professional development, constantly looking for ways to grow and gain additional knowledge. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I did learn over a short period of time though, if you focus on helping others achieve their goals, providing solutions and solving their problems, your own individual development comes along with it and with greater satisfaction. Whether it’s helping my boss, colleagues, clients, and the organization as a whole achieve their goals, my own growth can flourish.

If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

I always thought it would be great to be musically inclined. I mean who doesn’t love someone at the party to be able to play a guitar or sing a good tune at the office holiday party? You instantly become the most envied person in the room. I am a numbers person. Finance and accounting is in my DNA. They say math and music go hand in hand. That didn’t work out so much for me!

Which movie have you seen recently or what are you watching on Netflix?

Hidden Figures. It’s not new but it is a must see. I have watched it three times.

What's the top destination on your must-visit list?

The Greek Islands look amazing. I am not sure why I haven’t booked that trip yet. Maybe when I am done paying for my children’s college!

What's the biggest misconception people have about your position?

People think I am out there trading stocks for my clients. You want our talented portfolio managers who use extensive research to trade. My focus is on understanding my clients' goals and objectives and creating a customized plan to achieve those goals. My business owner clients who are selling go through a range of emotions including "will I be okay after I sell?" and "what am I going to do after I sell?" Creating a financial and investment strategy and plan to help answer those questions and achieve those goals is paramount to getting through the sale. Leave it to the experts to stock trade.