Personal Insights from Avery:

As I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life after high school, my mom told me to make a list of the things that are most important to me—my “non-negotiables,” as my dad would say. Of course, this list was composed of things related to my future career and not necessarily my personal life, though the two share many commonalities. My list looked something like this: nothing gross or dirty, absolutely nothing to do with the medical field, no science or engineering, I want to be able to help people every day, and most important of all: I want to make a difference.

I soon concluded that I wanted to pursue the financial planning field. Now that I am here, living in the career field that I studied for, I know I chose right. This work meets all my non-negotiables. I work in a clean office, where nobody is wearing scrubs. I haven’t seen a beaker or a pair of safety goggles. I get to play a role in helping people feel secure in their financial position and watch everyone else here do the same. The client-centered mentality here at Sequoia paves a way for me to make a difference. For me, it is not about changing the world, just about changing someone’s world.