In the Trenches: On the Road to Becoming a Financial Advisor – Drew Schutt
Imagine a newly hatched bird bound to be soon kicked out of the nest. As you see the foot of mama bird winding up to kick you out, the fear and excitement of entering the world start to set in. This is the position that I am currently in. I am at the edge of the nest right now, looking over hoping that if I flap my wings hard enough I will either fly, or at least not hit the ground as hard as I try to make my way.
I am originally from Greenville, SC and enrolled at the University of Tennessee in the fall of 2022 after graduating high school. Growing up, I enjoyed being around the water. In my free time when I wasn’t swimming, I loved to be at the lake wake surfing, skiing, and hanging out with friends and family. I was a year-round swimmer from the ages of 8-18 and would have annual swim meets at the competition pool on the University of Tennessee campus. Being on campus every year for swim meets and running around between the two pools on campus in nothing but my bathing suit with friends, hoping to beat the cold of January is what initially sparked my interest in it, leading to my enrollment.
In the early part of summer, I knocked on the door of Integrity Wealth Services after leaving a voicemail and asked to have a word with anyone who would take a moment to listen to my story. I mentioned that I was looking for an internship with a wealth management company to learn as much as possible about the industry as I had known that this is what I wanted to do since I was in high school. When I was 15, I began questioning my dad about what he was invested in, resulting in a series of long conversations regarding the little he knew about the industry. This led to me asking if I was able to invest my money with the company he used in Greenville. With his definitive “yes,” I took the measly amount of money that I had and invested it in a Custodial Account. I pulled up to a meeting that lasted only 30 minutes with his financial advisor as he walked me through an investment plan. Leaving the meeting had my interest sparked and had me all but positive that this was what I waned to do as a career.
Over the course of the past 2 months of my internship (May-August 2024), I have learned a few key things. Most importantly, heavy metal music is incredibly deep if you read the lyrics, because everyone knows you can’t understand any of the words in the music. Without the deafening screams and loud instruments, the lyrics are beautiful and poetic. On a more serious note, the biggest lesson that I have learned is that if you treat people well, they will do the same to you. Establishing trust with people and being in the industry for the right reasons (helping others achieve financial stability) will lead to growth in others, ultimately leading to growth and achievement in myself. Being able to watch Paul and Brian's interactions with clients has provided a great model of how clients should be treated. Second, I have seen that although the industry might seem intimidating to most people, being a knowledgeable advisor can help clients, leading to financial and emotional security. Being able to learn as much as possible as an advisor for unexpected and expected client situations adds great value to your role.
As someone who is not from Tennessee beginning to dip my toes in the water, I am hoping to spread my name and begin to build rapport with others in the area. I would love to start meeting new people in a variety of different industries and job roles to both learn small aspects of their jobs that can be translated into mine and establish myself as a reliable resource for future needs. Being in an industry that can allow me to help and interact with people daily, work for myself, and make a flexible schedule to accommodate my busy life are other factors that add to the appeal for me. With the major obstacles of entering the industry lying ahead of me, overcoming looking like a 14-year-old kid (I am currently 20), and building reliable connections are what I believe will take the most time. As I learn and grow, and these become less of a worry, I am confident that I will be the baby bird that flies when getting kicked from the nest, or at least the one that doesn’t make too loud of a thud when he hits the ground.