Please describe your role at the Firm.

I’m a Vice President in our Investment Banking Consumer & Retail group with a specific focus and expertise in restaurants and franchised businesses. I help lead our coverage efforts with our existing core clients. Additionally, I’m responsible for spearheading and managing our new business outreach efforts to expand our Restaurants practice and capitalize on new opportunities for the Firm. Beyond client coverage responsibilities, my role as a Vice President also entails executing transactions for our retail and restaurant clients across all products, including securitization, M&A, equity, and leveraged finance.

Tell us about your career path at Guggenheim.

I started with Guggenheim Securities as a first-year analyst directly after graduating from college. Shortly thereafter, I joined the Consumer & Retail group where I began supporting our senior bankers with our restaurant and franchisor clients. I worked with companies handling transactions across debt, equity, and M&A. Given that our group employs a client-based staffing model even at the junior level, I was able to focus on a full-service approach to a smaller group of core clients very early on in my career. This has been critical to the development of my relationships with our clients and has helped me become a better advisor to them.

I’m very appreciative that the Firm and the Consumer & Retail group hires full-time analysts with the hope to promote from within the company. This was one of the biggest draws when I was choosing which firm to join as a full-time investment banking analyst. As such, I’ve been able to continue developing my career here and expand my responsibilities and skill set.

What is the best career advice you have received?

Firstly, be cognizant of, and lean into, your strengths — they are what make you an invaluable member of your team. Similarly, recognize each person’s differences when leading a team, whether it’s a group or a specific transaction team. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to leadership; everyone responds differently to particular management styles, and it’s up to leaders to modify their style as necessary.

Lastly, be confident in your ideas and share them with conviction. Don’t shy away from your opinions and perspectives because people want to hear them.