Berries to Benchmarking

Coming out of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I feel refreshed for the sprint to the end of the year. Yes, I had seconds of pie and watched football, but most importantly, I had a chance to connect with friends and family in meaningful ways.

When at their best, such gatherings reinforce your purpose and remind you of the opportunities you have to impact things. This feels good, and I am thankful for it.

I am also thankful for all the jobs I have had in my life. Each in its own way provided purpose and opportunity to impact things.

My first gig was picking raspberries in the 5th grade. The purpose was funding a 4th of July fireworks cache and getting candy from the Minute Mart, but not much opportunity to impact things beyond that. I am thankful for the limited financial independence my first job gave me at age 10!

The jobs that followed in junior high, high school, and college were largely physical-labor-oriented. Here, the purpose broadened from just getting cash to include teamwork and not being afraid of doing hard things. These jobs also allowed me in some ways to impact organizational success. I am thankful for the work ethic these jobs helped wire in by necessity.

My first professional jobs were at a trust company and small RIA. Here, the purpose was to be a key and relied-upon employee in a professional setting, with my contributions increasingly impacting both organizational success and the well-being of institutional and individual clients alike. I am thankful for these foundational experiences and the chance to impact those beyond my walls.

In terms of current work, I have been with Fiduciary Decisions for the last 18 years, benchmarking retirement plans among other things. Here, our purpose has been clear: to do things the right way in support of participants, plan sponsors, advisors, recordkeepers, and the industry. Our offerings have allowed us the opportunity to establish meaningful client relationships to help enhance and grow their businesses. And, while doing so, we have had a chance to improve the outcomes of folks and businesses we touch.

Summing it all up, my current job has aspects of each of my prior jobs, but differs in one important way: it gives me the opportunity to have the biggest impact on others. And that opportunity exists because of you.

To those folks who believe in us and use our services, which in turn allows my colleagues and me the opportunity to strive for greatness in our space, I will forever be thankful. We will not let you down.