Rona Rafal is a dynamic Consumer Help Specialist and Advisor Assistant with iA Personal Wealth from Vancouver, British Columbia. She has constructed a profession centered round forming robust, long-lasting relationships, and her dedication to understanding her purchasers on a private stage has change into a pillar of her fame.
On this interview, Rona shares her secrets and techniques for turning her ardour for serving to individuals right into a profession in finance, providing insights on how girls can empower themselves to construct careers they love.
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Q: Are you able to inform us a bit about your early profession and the way you developed your ardour for serving to others in customer support?
Rona Rafal: I’ve all the time had a pure capacity to attach with individuals, which I believe comes from genuinely having fun with these interactions and looking for them out. Whether or not it’s a easy dialog in regards to the climate, or a deeper dialogue about their wants, I really like creating a private bond. My expertise in customer support and client-support roles throughout varied sectors gave me the instruments to really perceive individuals and tailor my method to satisfy their wants. Now, at iA Personal Wealth, I take advantage of a client-centered method, actually attending to know every individual I work with. By constructing belief and understanding their monetary targets on a private stage, I will help help them in ways in which transcend simply numbers—it’s about serving to them really feel safe and assured about their future.
Q: Many ladies face self-doubt when turning their hobbies or passions right into a profession. Did you expertise that? How did you overcome it?
Rona Rafal: Oh for certain I’ve had self doubt! Who hasn’t? Once I determined to change into a full time wellness skilled and remodel my love of make-up and styling right into a profession, there have been moments the place my confidence shook, the place I might marvel if I might actually make it work, particularly with so many proficient individuals already within the trade. However these moments of doubt by no means lasted lengthy, as a result of deep down I knew I used to be good at what I did. Optimistic suggestions from purchasers was an enormous confidence booster. Their belief in me was a reminder that I used to be on the proper path, and that helped me shake off any lingering doubts. I discovered to give attention to my strengths and let my ardour paved the way.
Q: Societal expectations usually restrict how girls pursue their skilled targets. Did you encounter any of those limitations, and if that’s the case, how did you navigate them?
Rona Rafal: Being a mother is tremendous vital to me and spending time with my daughter brings me a lot pleasure. However as a mother, and knowledgeable, these two halves of my life have butted heads on a number of events. I’ve had experiences the place I felt that I wasn’t minimize out to be a full time working mother, the place it was difficult to seek out sufficient time to be there for my daughter and my purchasers equally. What helped me overcome my doubts and resolve a lot of these conflicts was a call to be clear. I’m open about my schedule and the place the road of labor and residential begin and cease. I ensure after I’m at work I’m absolutely tuned in and likewise, after I’m with my household that point takes priority over any stresses of the day. It’s not all the time so easy, however I really feel that displaying that stage of dedication to the totally different points of my life can also be a consider my profitable fame.
Q: What recommendation would you give to girls who’re contemplating turning their hobbies or private passions into careers?
Rona Rafal: I might say to belief your instincts and take that first step, even when it feels intimidating. Many ladies second-guess whether or not their ardour is ‘adequate’ to construct a profession on, however the fact is in case you’re genuinely obsessed with one thing and it brings you pleasure, that enthusiasm will resonate with others. I attempted my hand within the Nonprofit realm as a result of I had a want to present again to my neighborhood. I labored in a client-facing position within the household companies division of The Salvation Military. That was a extremely rewarding expertise, and as soon as once more, I favored the interactions, however on the time, it wasn’t the proper step for me professionally. I took my love of magnificence and wellness to the subsequent stage and labored at a magnificence salon for some time, however, wanting opening up my very own store, there wasn’t a lot room for development. That’s after I selected a profession within the monetary companies trade, and inside that framework, discovered the best place for me as a shopper help specialist, contemplating my work historical past and my knack for fostering interpersonal relationships.
With something price doing, it gained’t all the time be simple, so it’s vital to remain affected person and be keen to study and take bumps alongside the way in which. You don’t have to have every part found out earlier than you begin—simply start.
Q: How vital has neighborhood and mentorship been in your profession improvement? What position do you suppose girls can play in supporting one another professionally?
Rona Rafal: I believe supporting girls is important to our collective skilled development and that it’s a fantastic and highly effective expertise if yow will discover your village. All through my profession, I’ve been lucky sufficient to have robust, feminine, mentors in my nook. I keep in mind after I was simply beginning as a supervisor of a Tim Hortons franchise and every part appeared so overwhelming, with quite a lot of new duties on my shoulders alone to make sure my crew supplied the perfect service – but in addition there was stress to make sure that my workers felt supported and rewarded by the group. I reached out to a feminine pal of mine who had been efficiently managing her franchise for a while at that time and requested her for recommendation on prioritizing competing wants and coping with excessive expectations. She gave me among the finest recommendation I’ve ever acquired – she stated “Nobody will keep in mind the precise particulars of on a regular basis with you, or in case you posted the shift schedule at precisely 9 am on the day you stated you’ll. However they are going to keep in mind the way you made them really feel. They are going to keep in mind in case you welcomed them with a smile, in case you took the time to essentially take heed to their considerations and in case you took motion afterwards to enhance their state of affairs. Attempt to depart an enduring optimistic impression and every part else will fall into place.”
Q: What’s one piece of recommendation you’ll give to girls who wish to pursue their ardour however really feel held again?
Rona Rafal: Be daring, and I imply this in life and professionally. Willingness to take dangers is a attribute that I believe has usually been downplayed in girls, but when we are able to begin to embrace this outlook I actually imagine we’ll reap the advantages. Apply for a job you aren’t 100% certain of, step out of your consolation zone in a board assembly, volunteer to steer a committee – no matter you select to do, simply do it with full dedication and take an opportunity on your self.