Senior associate,
wealth management, Aspiriant
Fast Facts
- Dream dinner party guests: Cal Ripken Jr., Dave Matthews and Barack Obama.
- Guilty pleasure is soaking up the sun all day at the beach or pool.
- Growing up, he wanted to be a professional athlete.
Mark Cecchini started his financial advising journey 10 years ago when he joined the financial planning track as a sophomore in college. After graduation, he spent almost five years working his way up the ranks at a regional registered investment adviser before moving to Aspiriant to broaden his skills working with ultra-high-net-worth clients and to learn more about business development.
Mr. Cecchini has been very active as an emerging leader in the profession, serving as FPA NexGen co-director for both the D.C. and Los Angeles chapters and coordinating study groups, annual retreats and days of service.
There can be a disconnect between younger and older advisers, he said.
“Younger advisers may have expectations that are too high, especially when comparing with friends in other industries. It’s a slower burn [in advising],” Mr. Cecchini said. “They are also coming from more of a fee-only versus sales mindset. They’re not taught business development or networking.”
What do younger advisers need most?
“A framework, a career path,” he said. “They want to know: How do I get promoted? Get a raise? How or who do we ask? What are realistic expectations for advancements — five years, 15 years? How do I navigate internal firm dynamics?”
— Deborah Nason
