My experience at Frais Capital has been invaluable to my professional and personal development. The opportunities to learn have been endless – from business to finance to public speaking. It has been eye-opening interacting with professionals from a diverse range of industries and hearing their insights and personal experiences.
My key learning so far from the Frais Capital Internship program has been the fact that a career in wealth management strategies, and finance in general, is multifaceted. It is about developing relationships, being aware of individual circumstances and communicating effectively. Being a financial advisor does not end at placing the trade, it is about bringing clients on a journey and helping them gain the knowledge to navigate the financial world. The all-rounded approach carries into discussions in the office. Siobhan and Celeste emphasize the importance of being well read and knowledgeable about the world around us. Not simply just finance or economic news but also what might be happening in politics, arts, culture, and technology. I have discovered different areas of interest to explore simply through discussions of what we are reading and listening to.
Problem-solving and creative thinking is the crux of working at Frais. We are always encouraged to identify areas that the business could develop. Since joining in November, many processes have already evolved with our input and suggestions. A particularly interesting project I worked on has been automating various processes, one of the most challenging projects was converting live data on excel into HTML code. Projects like this, where there was a clear goal but flexibility in how it could be achieved, are the most rewarding as they encourage learning outside of known knowledge spheres.
Frais has provided tailored and intimate learning opportunities that would not be available anywhere else. A highlight has been the Speechcraft program run in partnership with Toastmasters. This 6-week course focuses on teaching the participants the art of communication from prepared speeches to impromptu speaking. As someone who is not the strongest at speaking, Speechcraft has allowed me to work on my weaknesses in a constructive forum.
Getting the most out of any internship requires an inquisitive mind, however, the Frais Internship Program epitomizes this. There are always new and unexpected learning experiences if you are open to the challenge. I suggest to those applying for internships to look for positions that you can be passionate about and businesses you can buy into. It is what has made working and learning at Frais that much more enjoyable.
