Who are you, and what do you do?
My name is Frank D’Angelo. I am a Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor
and Branch Manager for D.A. Davidson.
What has been one insight or lesson that has been most helpful in your career?
Make connecting with others a priority. It is important to network with both individuals within your organization and those outside your organization. Networking allows you to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, or a way to help others succeed.
What has been your favorite mistake? A mistake that in retrospect led to a great lesson and progress.
As a young manager, I would tend to include my emotions during the
business planning process or hiring staff. Your emotions can crowd your
judgement, therefore remove them.
Project forward ten years. How will your industry or field be fundamentally different then? What opportunities do you see?
New business models are emerging that play into the evolving needs of
customers, and as such, traditional investment management products are
becoming more innovative. Client service models will need to do a better job
of explaining the “value add” of services. In addition, a more holistic view of
people’s investments and financial planning needs will be key. Also, fee
compression will affect compensation and therefore the Financial Advisor will
have to manage more assets to maintain the same level of current
compensation.
What are some bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?
Over-concentration in certain securities or financial products is one that
comes to mind. Clients can lose a majority, if not all, of their net-worth if
they are not properly diversified.
In the last two years, what have you become better at saying no to?
I have limited my volunteerism to a very few select organizations that I am
passionate about. In the past, I would say “yes” to most or all of the
opportunities that were presented to me. It is better to focus on one or two organizations and be fully committed than to try to be all things to all organizations.
What is the one book you recommend most often and why?
“How to Win Friends and Influence People”. I like the book because it
teaches you 4 fundamental principles you should abide to:
Principle 1: Become genuinely interested in other people;
Principle 2: Smile
Principle 3: Remember that a person’s name is to the person the sweetest
and most important sound in any language;
Principle 4: Be a good listener.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
Treat everyone with respect; make connections, always stay
knowledgeable in your field, be open to change, and most of all BE
PROACTIVE!
What is your favorite quote, one you aim to live by?
“When In Charge, Take Charge”