March Member
Spotlight

Trisha Cram

What 3 pieces of advice would you give women in this industry?

Do not be afraid to say yes. I know there are times in all of our careers where we are approached to take on new projects or additional work, expand coverage areas, consider a new opportunity, sit on a board, etc. When those opportunities come up it, can be easy to play it safe and give a reluctant “no” based on not having enough time or feeling like you don’t have the full skillset needed to effectively do the work. Don’t be afraid to say “yes” to those opportunities. Even if you don’t feel ready for what’s in front of you, each opportunity will add to your value, and you just never know what doors that “yes” will open down the road.

Always have a mentor. No matter where you are in your career, I firmly believe you can benefit from a mentor. A mentor gives you someone to bounce things off of and helps round out the skills you are trying to build. I’ve had a handful of mentors over the years and each has brought different advice and insights that were valuable to where I was on my path at the time. Mentors can help at every stage, from building early career goals to fine-tuning soft skills such as developing as a leader. Most importantly, when you’re ready, be a mentor yourself and share everything you’ve gained with someone else.

Continuously learn and build your network. Never stop developing professionally. Our industry is constantly changing and growing and we should be, too. Every so often, seek out a new certificate or designation, or subscribe to industry-related newsletters and attend industry webinars. One of the easiest ways to continue growing is to join professional groups, such as SWIFS. Professional groups provide many development and training opportunities and help grow your support network. The connections you make are invaluable resources and really do become a part of the overall value you bring to your firm or company. These connections can also often lead to friendships that just may present those “yes” opportunities or mentorships down the road. 

What is your greatest professional accomplishment?

My greatest professional accomplishment is the journey that brought me to where I am today. I began my career working in the mailroom of a local financial company straight out of high school and with zero financial experience. I made a commitment to myself to complete college and eventually obtained a degree in accounting and my JD, all while working full-time. During that time, I also advanced my way up from the mailroom to Chief Compliance Officer of the firm. While continuing to work and advance my career in compliance, I studied for and passed the Florida bar exam. That experience allowed me to collaborate with and meet numerous wonderful, talented, and smart individuals, and eventually led to my career at Raymond James. I am incredibly proud of what I accomplished and am so thankful for those mentors I had that guided me and championed for me along the way. 

What has been your greatest professional challenge?

I have been lucky enough in my career to have several opportunities to lead people. I enjoy leading a team, and each team I’ve worked with has come with its own set of challenges and vastly differing skillets. My greatest professional challenge was recognizing those differences and learning that it is ok for everyone to have their own unique work and/or operating style. As I’m sure we’ve all heard at some point, you don’t want to surround yourself with people that think and work exactly like you do. Differing viewpoints challenge your way of thinking, help encourage creativity, and actually make a team stronger and more successful. When hiring new associates I now actively seek out those differences and am excited by what each new perspective brings to the table.