Please describe your role at the Firm.

I am an Associate on the Consumer & Retail Investment Banking team at Guggenheim Securities. Being in an industry coverage group allows me to work on a diverse set of mandates, including whole business securitizations, M&A, debt financings, equity offerings, and capital structure advisory assignments. Most of my time is spent supporting senior bankers with our longstanding clients, many of whom we have been advising for several years on numerous transactions. I also support our team with new business endeavors, including pitching new clients and attending industry conferences.

Tell us about your career path at Guggenheim.

I was a Summer Analyst in Guggenheim’s Investment Banking Generalist program. After graduating from college, I returned to the Firm as a first-year Analyst and was placed in the Consumer & Retail group. Throughout the past several years, I have worked with clients across various sub-verticals within the sector, including restaurants, fitness, specialty retail, and direct-to-consumer, among others. Most, if not all, of the transactions I have worked on have been executed in partnership with our product groups, which is a great example of the Firm’s collaborative culture.

What are the most valuable lessons you learned from your mentors?

The Consumer & Retail group structure is particularly conducive to mentorship given the lean nature of our deal teams. The group’s leadership has always encouraged me to start building relationships with clients at the junior level. Even though every interaction with a client may not be with a C-suite executive, it is still equally important to develop strong connections with people at every level.

What is the most valuable lesson that you learned throughout your career?

Take the time to be self-reflective. It is an invaluable exercise to identify your strengths and weaknesses and find ways to improve upon them. It is easier to solve problems with a well-equipped toolkit and it’s up to you to make sure you carry the right tools. Some skills may come with experience, but others may require time and effort to learn.