Are you considering a Financial Planning Career? Is JP Morgan Chase right for you?
When Danny Zelaya graduated from university, he wanted to be a pastor or teach religion. He had no interest in working in business, nor did he plan to work in the field. After being a pastor for two years, he moved into the finance field. Fast forward and he has had various jobs working in finance. Currently Market Director and Executive Director at Chase Private Client and J.P. Morgan. He also runs the Advisor Development Program in the state of California.
Previously he has worked as a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, transitioning into Bank of America acquired by Merrill Lynch as Market Manager. He was also Head of Investment Services at Orange County’s Retirement and Investment Services.
So why did Zelaya change his career? Well, he realized that he “always had a desire to help people.” Being a Financial Advisor was the perfect opportunity to pursue this desire. Although within the transition, Zelaya had his doubts, he didn’t want fear to stop him.
He thinks that many are cautious about changing their careers, particularly to be in finance for fear of failing. People get anxious to change jobs when they don’t have a degree in it, or any background from even family members said Zelaya. He too felt nervous about pursuing a career so different from his degrees, but he was determined and confident in his abilities that he would be able to do it. Part of his motivation was knowing that his job could improve someone’s life.
“The wonderful thing about financial planning and being a financial advisor is your ability to relate to people regardless of age, it’s the connection you have with someone. Don’t let fear interrupt that,” said Zelaya.
When Zelaya isn’t working, he likes to exercise every morning. He said it helps give him more energy throughout the day and stay consistently productive. He also enjoys reading fiction to open his perspective and learn more about different interactions between people. Zelaya believes that having a balanced lifestyle helps increase productivity overall in the various aspects of your life.
If you are considering working for JP Morgan Chase, Zelaya says that it is a thoughtful company. It works hard to look after its clients and guide them. In return the company has a strong reputation among the public. This explanation is similar to what Jamie Dimon, Chairman, and CEO said, “the strength of our company has allowed us to always be there for our clients and communities – in good times and in bad times – and this strength enables us to continually invest in building our businesses for the future.”
Zelaya runs the Advisor Development Program in the state of California. The program is nationwide and takes about three years to complete. The goal is to create a diverse and inclusive community of financial advisors. Participants are at various parts of their career in the program; some are at the very beginning, and others in different financial areas seeking a change.
In the first year of the program, participants take exams and learn how to communicate with clients. In the second year, they learn about private client banker roles. And in the third year, they learn about being a financial advisor. All the candidates move forward together, similar to how a university works. JP Morgan Chase is a “company that values their development into their career,” said Zelaya.
So why should prospective students consider this program?
If you have a desire to help others, similar to Zelaya, this program would be an excellent opportunity to fulfill that desire within your career on a day-to-day basis. It is also an honor to follow someone throughout their life; it is meaningful and long term, said Zelaya.
His final advice to students is:“To continually have an optimistic attitude about life. One of the things about being young and being youthful in your career is you always have a sense of discovery about the future. That desire for discovery and being enthusiastic about life of what you can accomplish is something that will lead you to success. Keep that optimism about the future.”
This advice doesn’t just apply to those that are thinking of a financial career. It applies to any student or young adult that is figuring it out. Wherever you are within your career, I think there is a lot that can be said about being optimistic in life and keeping a sense of discovery often brings opportunity.
If you are interested to learn more about the Advisor Development Program, click here. Furthermore, if you would like to learn more about careers in finance and being a Financial Advisor, reach out to the Financial Planning program here at California Lutheran University.
About Danny Zelaya:
Danny Zelaya is the Market Director and Executive Director at Chase Private Client and J.P. Morgan. Before working at JP Morgan Chase, Zelaya was a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, transitioning into Bank of America Merrill Lynch as Market Manager. He was also Head of Investment Services at Orange County’s Retirement and Investment Services before his current role.
About the Host:
Dr. Chia-Li Chien is a succession program director at Value Growth Institute, a succession consulting practice dedicated to helping business owners increase the equity value of their firms. Before her private consulting practice, she held several senior management positions in Fortune 500 companies. Dr. Chien is a director of the financial planning program in the School of Management at California Lutheran University. Dr. Chien is a frequent speaker about succession and retirement planning at national conferences and has published three books, including her most recent publication, “Enhancing Retirement Success Rates in the United States.” Dr. Chien serves on the boards of various national financial service associations. She holds a doctorate in financial planning and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) as well as Project Management Professional (PMP®).
About the Author:
Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University expecting to graduate in May 2021. She is studying communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising and has a minor in Creative Writing.
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