For over 40 years, Fisher Investments has engendered internal loyalty through its commitment to building out the breadth and depth of each employee’s career.
To learn more, Built In met with leaders at Fisher Investments for an in-depth conversation about the company’s system of support and growth. Included in the discussion was Matt, the Vice President of CRM Platforms, as well as Amir and Marc, both CRM Platform Team Leaders.
In talking to these long-time Fisher Investments employees, there was a clear buzz of excitement about the direction of the company and positive trajectory of their careers.
What Fisher Investments Does
Fisher Investments is an investment adviser with a 40 year history of helping clients reach their investment goals. The firm strives to “better the investment universe” by always putting clients first and tailoring their investment approach to meet each client’s unique needs.
Amir, Matt and Marc appreciate the collaborative leaps the company has made in response to a world transformed by the pandemic. But, as these Fisher Investments employees made clear, the firm is equally committed to employee training and development.
Built In sat down with these three leaders to discuss the company and how Fisher Investments’ commitment to growth has kept them playing the long game.
Why were you drawn to Fisher Investments?
Matt, Vice President of CRM platforms: Fisher’s transformational change drew me in. Going through the interview process, I realized it’s really special to be on the ground floor of something so transformative. That excitement drove me to take the leap. Being here and seeing the firm’s growth has really validated that decision.
Amir, CRM Platform Team Leader: I joined Fisher a little less than 10 years ago after I was referred by someone I worked with at a previous company. What intrigued me was the opportunity to change industries. I was in the Semiconductor Industry for all of my career prior to Fisher.
In addition to the opportunity to change industries and the better benefits — some of the friends that I already had here really attracted me to join. Starting at Fisher was night and day from what I was used to, and provided me with a better work life balance.
Marc, CRM Platform Team Leader: This was my first job out of college. I was attracted to working for a fast-growing, innovative financial services firm. At the time it was a very small company — about 100 people. I was impressed with the people at Fisher and knew I could gain great experience, contribute to growth and have an impact.
“It’s common to ask, ‘Where do you see yourself in five years?’ ‘How does Fisher make itself the place you see yourself?’”
Marc: I’ve had incredible opportunity after incredible opportunity here, across multiple roles and multiple departments. It’s been great to be a part of the fast growth that we’ve seen. I’ve worked in Sales, and Client Services as an Investment Counselor, an individual contributor and a manager. Growth is very merit-based here. People move into positions based on a track record of success.
From all positions, I’ve seen the company repeatedly step up and do what’s right for employees and clients.
Part of that is investing in our technology to prepare for the long term.
Amir: When I joined, there were plenty of opportunities to innovate. That was a big part of the appeal to join. We’ve gradually placed more emphasis on our multiple digital transformations. Being involved from the ground up lets us really see the fruits of our labor.
Matt: I like to see things through. I’m one who digs their heels in and makes something positive out of the journey. I’ve been that way through most of my career. I love how Fisher is on a large transformation journey; ensuring the use of new technology platforms and needs across the enterprise continues to support our clients, users and growth as a firm. This is an intriguing opportunity, and I am excited to participate in this change.
What makes training and development unique at Fisher Investments?
Marc: We like to build breadth and depth. Working from a breadth standpoint means being able to take on new roles, sometimes in different departments. The depth piece means becoming more proficient in your current role and developing your skills there. The firm offers and encourages opportunities along both lines.
There are all sorts of self-paced online learning courses available as internal resources and external resources. We can pair up with mentors. The firm brings in consultants and vendors to run focused training sessions. There are certification opportunities, constant internal opportunities and new roles.
Matt: Our current project is a great opportunity for upskilling folks in the newer platforms and technologies that will carry the firm — and their careers — forward. As long as they’re willing to learn and take some initiative, Fisher can offer growth, not only through classes, but through the technologies we’re using. We’re not expecting everyone to come in and be 100 percent proficient on day one. They’re going to be mentored through on the job training by senior members of the department.
Amir: I would add that we’re making huge strides weekly, if not daily, through the training and the standards that we have at our disposal. This includes our Corporate Learning & Development organization and the Learning Center software platform. Not to mention the newly created Technology Training Program to focus even more on Technology-specific training needs across our organization customized for teams, projects and programs.
ROOM FOR COLLABORATION
Asked about a unique element of Fisher’s work culture, Marc is quick to point out the company’s open office space setup. “There’s collaboration, communication and transparency among people and across teams,” he said. “Our open office space and collaborative culture make it easy for multiple people or teams to quickly huddle up, resolve an issue and keep driving forward.”
What project are you most excited about? Which projects are bringing you joy in your day-to-day work?
Marc: It’s exciting to be part of the implementation of a new technology that will provide value to clients. Being able to streamline those business processes and consolidate the number of applications into a smaller number really improves their ability to deliver value for internal and external clients.
Matt: The things that excite me are getting Fisher into standardized tools and practices, through our CRM technology and through aligned development practices. It’s not always perfect. There are challenges, and we have to adapt. But they’re fun hurdles to overcome.
Amir: Matt hit the nail on the head with the new technology, the new software, the new architecture, the integrations that all of those bring. It’s a fantastic time to be here to learn new technologies that you might not be familiar with.
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