When I graduated from Southeastern University, I had a plan.
Like many young soon-to-be graduates entering the workforce, I had mapped out what I believed would be the ideal path to success.
My goal was to spend a few years working for a large national firm, gain experience, and climb the corporate ladder through Wall Street. In my mind, that was the trajectory I was supposed to follow. I worked hard, interviewed for opportunities I believed were perfect fits, and confidently expected that one particular job would become the first step in that journey.
It didn’t.
When I learned that I had not been selected for that position, I was disappointed. At the time, it felt like a setback. However, what I couldn’t see then was that the closed door in front of me was directing me toward something far better.
In 2016, I joined Allen & Company. Looking back now, it is difficult to imagine how different my life would have been had my original plans worked out. The disappointment I felt as a recent graduate ultimately led me to the best professional decision I have ever made.
Allen & Company’s Core Values including “Treat others with dignity and respect”, “Strive to find a better way”, and “Make a profound and positive impact” are truly in the DNA of everyone at our firm. In an industry where integrity can sometimes take a back seat to profit, I was blessed to join a firm where honesty, relationships, and service are valued above all else. I recall talking to my father when I went to visit my parents one weekend early on in my time at the firm, and after describing to him the ins and outs of our firm, he remarked “Son, I’m only a little disappointed you started your career at Allen & Company because it’ll be difficult for you to understand just how good you have it!” An accurate representation of the values and culture that the firm has embraced for nearly 100 years.
Over the last decade, I have had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of clients.
I’m thankful to those who have trusted me during some of the most important moments in their lives and this experience has given me the opportunity to witness firsthand the impact that thoughtful financial advice can have on families across generations. Now as I look back ten years later, the relationships I have built are one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.
Beyond the clients, I have formed close friendships with colleagues whose support, guidance, and encouragement have enriched my life in ways I never anticipated. What began as a job became a community. A community that I am grateful I will be able to be a part of for my entire career.
The older I get, the more I realize that many of life’s greatest gifts come from plans that fail.
We celebrate the doors that open, but we rarely appreciate the value of the ones that close. Yet, sometimes a rejection, a detour, or an unexpected turn is exactly what places us on the road we were meant to travel.
There is a certain beauty in the fortuitous outcomes of life’s disappointments. What feels like a setback in one season can become a blessing in another. As I reflect on what I am grateful for, I’m grateful not only for the opportunities that worked out, but also for the ones that didn’t. Had everything gone according to my carefully constructed plan, I might never have found the career, relationships, and sense of purpose that I enjoy today.
And for that unexpected turn, I am profoundly grateful.
November 2026
