Tell us about your career and what you like best – and least – about it.

I love what I do! I love meeting and connecting with people. I enjoy their stories and their thoughts. My job allows me the opportunity to do this. Through this interaction, I am able to assess what strategies, concepts and products can help my colleagues meet the needs of the clientele that they are servicing, in achieving their investing and retirement goals. It’s rewarding to know that you have brought solid information and solutions that can benefit all parties.

A tough part of my job can be the social aspect, as it requires a great deal of engagement and energy; the greatest challenge, however, is the travel. It can be exciting and a great opportunity to immerse yourself in your career role, but for me, it also means time away from family and friends on a regular basis. Being away from your own bed regularly is exhausting, so you really need to work on maintaining balance between work and life.

What has been your most successful investment strategy?

Pay yourself first. I have always done that and always will. It’s the easiest way to start building wealth.

What was the best advice you’ve ever received (personally or professionally, or both)?

My Dad always said to me when I was growing up: “You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be in life. You just have to believe in yourself and go for it.” I remember sometimes rolling my eyes, but he was bang on. You have to be your biggest fan.

What’s something women may not know that you think they should know?

We are truly the financial power sex now, controlling up to 80% of the family income. Women have to educate themselves on what’s best for the financial well-being of the household. We have to stop the insanity and reel it in! We have to live for today and invest for tomorrow!

What worked for you succeeding in a male-dominated industry?

Just being myself. I have never allowed myself to feel that I need to project a false image or overcompensate because I am a woman. Quite honestly, I do not see being a woman in my industry having any negative bearing on my opportunities.

If you were asked to give a speech to graduating high-school students, what types of careers would you tell the young women in the room to follow and why?

The financial industry is an exciting and dynamic place to work with a great deal of opportunities, but I also feel that accounting can be a much more interesting and worldly profession than one might first think. Nursing is another career that has great merits and opportunities. Students gain the knowledge to care for people and can truly make a difference. It also affords a person the opportunity to take those skills anywhere in the world. That’s pretty cool.

If you could have dinner with any one person within the financial community or business world, who would it be and why?

There are many fascinating and intellectual people whom I would love to have the privilege of sitting down for dinner with, but I would have to say Warren Buffett stands out. He has had and continues to have such success in his life, but has remained grounded and true to himself and his mantra. His philosophies boil down to the basic principles of investing, and he has proven that investment success doesn’t have to be complicated.

What is your favourite business/finance book or film, and why?

“The Wealthy Barber” is a book that has been around forever, but it promotes the simple idea of paying yourself first, which is something I firmly believe in.

Do you think women are still at a disadvantage as compared to their male counterparts, as it relates to their careers?

The world isn’t perfect, and I think that there can occasionally be some pay discrepancies in the corporate world as a woman, but that is not always the case. Overall, I don’t think being a woman impedes the opportunities available. Women have substantially proven themselves to be strong players in the business world, and as such, I believe are afforded equal billing.

If yes to the above, what would help change the situation?

N/A

Let’s say someone reading this relates to you and would like to do business with you. How would she go about doing that?

I can be reached at tammy.shaw@standardlife.ca.