What a Business Development Representative at William Blair Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Finance Industry
Ramon's career path was unplanned, evolving from a pre-med track to a successful career in investment management after a fortuitous opportunity at Goldman Sachs; the most valuable advice they would offer aspiring professionals is to "grab a coach, grab an amazing mentor," emphasizing the priceless value of mentorship and guidance, particularly given their unique background and lack of early exposure to finance.
Mentorship, Career Development, Overcoming Challenges, Networking, Financial Markets
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ramon Gonzalez
Business Development Representative
William Blair Investment Management
UCLA '00
n/a
Economics
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Sales and Client Management
Video Highlights
1. Having a mentor or coach early in your career can provide invaluable guidance and support.
2. Building a network of advisors (3-5 people you esteem) can help with your development and provide different perspectives.
3. Understanding the importance of patience, teamwork, humility, compassion and civic responsibility for long-term success is crucial.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
That's hard because if someone had told me what this role is today, I probably wouldn't have appreciated it as much. I think things have happened for a reason, and that's what makes my particular experience kind of special.
I went from thinking I was going to become a doctor. I was a UCLA physiology major; I thought I would be an MD. Then, I accidentally stumbled across a phenomenal opportunity as a contract assignment at Goldman Sachs, one of the premier investment banks in the world. And then I started to run with my career. So, I wouldn't change anything.
If anything, it would have been great to just have had a mentor or a coach early on to guide my development. Whether it be in a different role, right? Just the virtues of patience, teamwork, humility, compassion, civic responsibility – all these things that are just for a greater good with a greater purpose. It's not just about me and my success.
I think it would have been great to have had a mentor. Being of Mexican descent and in the Hispanic community, we don't really know about markets. If you think about North America, it's not the most developed in terms of capital market structures and investment opportunities. So, I think not having that language or knowledge growing up, or maybe in a household with highly educated parents who were well-versed with markets or finance, was a missing piece.
So, I think there have been some challenges, but overall, no regrets. I just think every individual early on, I would stress, wants to have a great coach, a great mentor, and a council of advisors. These are going to be three to five people that you really esteem.
Hopefully, they're not just your age, but people who are maybe 10 years older, people who have the role you want. You want to create a partnership with them, a viable relationship for the longer term. These are people ready to help and raise their hand because they understand your position, they went through it, and they can sympathize with your development.
So, I would say grab a coach, grab an amazing mentor, but commit to them. Because at the same time, they also have the expectation that you will get there. Some of this guidance is so invaluable that it's truly priceless. That's what I would conclude with.
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