Alan O'Brien's determination to put people first led to a prosperous new profession in a new country
“Get up early, get your work done, then the rest of the day is yours.” This simple quote is one that has guided Alan O’Brien, one of Nicola Wealth’s wealth advisors, throughout his career.
“I learned at a young age that you have to wake up and complete the tasks at hand – there just wasn't the option not to do the work,” O’Brien told Wealth Professional in a recent interview.
This work ethic, along with some serendipitous timing and good fortune, allowed O'Brien to traverse a career interrupted by the global financial crisis to find his real calling in a new nation and on a new professional path.
It didn't take long for his work ethic to catch the eye of a coworker, who suggested he apply at Nicola Wealth, where he discovered a more meaningful profession. After starting on the trading floor, he eventually opted to retrain and focus on two activities he had always liked: financial planning and assisting others.
He attributes most of his success in wealth management to John Nicola, the CEO of Nicola Wealth. O'Brien took advantage of every learning opportunity that came his way while working directly with him.
“To get the chance to work directly with a firm’s senior partners or chief executives is practically unheard of in our industry,” he said. “There’s no way I would be here if I hadn’t met John. I don’t know what I would be doing, but I wouldn’t be working in finance.”
Nicola Wealth seeks entrepreneurial advisors who want to create a business together, and O'Brien's ambition to learn constantly and find new methods to better serve his customers and the community was a great fit.
“There’s always a pathway to where you want to go, and Nicola Wealth will try its best to get you there,” said O'Brien.
Wealth Professional Canada’s full interview with Alan O’Brien can be viewed here.
