Grow Your Career: A 30-Year Journey of Impact, Growth, and Giving Back.
By: Beau Hombach, Sr. Content Manager
A 30-Year Career, Built One Conversation at a Time
Leslie G., Sr. Manager, Financial Planner (PL) at Schwab, reflects on decades of change, impact, and growth — and how she’s helping shape the future of financial planning.
When you think of career longevity, it’s easy to picture a straight line: one job, one path, one trajectory. But for Leslie G., a Financial Planner and leader in Schwab’s Centralized Planning Group, the reality has been anything but linear.
Her 30+ years with the firm have spanned eras—from paper stock quotes and phone-in trades to digital portfolios. She’s worked in branches, supported traders, advised everyday investors, mentored early-career professionals, and now leads a team of Certified Financial Planners®. But it’s not the résumé milestones that stand out when she reflects. It’s the people, the moments, and the decision to grow with the company, instead of away from it.
“I’ve never needed to leave Schwab to keep growing,” Leslie says. “At every life stage, Schwab has had something for me—professionally and personally.”
Starting with a Smile and a Steep Learning Curve
Leslie’s career in finance began at a mutual fund company, where she earned her Series 7 and fell in love with the work. But it was Schwab’s values—and a surprisingly personal connection—that drew her in.
“My dad was a client in the early ’80s. I grew up in the Bay Area seeing Schwab on TV. The brand was familiar, but it also stood for something.”
In the early 1990s, she landed a role at the San Jose branch. It was a time of change: the internet hadn’t arrived, trading was still conducted by phone, and Schwab was just beginning to build out service centers. On her very first day, she was thrown into the deep end.
“There was a line out the door, and my boss said, ‘Just go help someone.’ I didn’t know what I was doing. I’d ask the client what they needed, run to the back for help, come back out with the answer. It was chaotic—but kind of beautiful.”
Training in those days, she explains, was more experiential than structured. It was trial by fire. But it taught her something foundational: that human presence and empathy matter just as much as technical knowledge.
“Clients just wanted to feel heard. Even if you didn’t know all the answers, showing up with a warm smile meant something.”
A Company That Grew as She Did
Over the next two decades, Leslie moved across roles and teams. She supported active traders. She worked in the Portfolio Solutions Group. She advised clients of all asset levels, from modest retirees to high-net-worth families. Each new chapter challenged her in different ways, and each one was possible without ever leaving Schwab.
Along the way, life happened. She relocated to Arizona to raise her family in a more affordable setting. She worked part time when her son was young. She pursued new certifications. Schwab remained a constant through it all—not just as an employer, but as a support system.
“I always felt like I could have both: a growing career and a full personal life. Schwab backed me through every chapter.”
She began mentoring younger planners and noticed something shift in herself. After decades of high performance as an individual contributor—multiple Chairman’s Club wins, trips, and accolades—Leslie felt called to a new kind of impact.
“I asked myself; how can I serve more people in the last 25% of my career? And the answer was clear: lead.”
That realization led her to become a people leader, managing a team of 12 CFP® professionals who guide clients through major life decisions every day. It was a shift from individual results to collective impact—and one she embraced fully.
“I see myself as part of a legacy now. The interns, Advice Academy grads, and new planners I mentor—they’re going to be the future VPs. I want to leave Schwab better than I found it.”
Planning That Changes More Than Portfolios
When Leslie talks about financial planning, she lights up—not because of the numbers, but because of the human stories behind them.
“The plan is the roadmap. It helps people navigate forks in the road, rough patches, new beginnings. It’s not just about investments—it’s about peace of mind.”
Her team starts every client conversation with the plan. Whether someone is getting married, navigating inheritance, retiring, or launching a second act, the process is the same: understand the full picture, build a flexible strategy, and provide guidance that evolves as life does.
One client story stands out. A woman in her early 70s came in with a few hundred thousand dollars in an IRA, Social Security, and a pension. The initial plan showed she might run out of money in her late 70s—unless she adjusted her monthly withdrawals.
“I said, ‘If you can cut back by $150 a month, you’ll be okay.’ She didn’t panic. She said, ‘Let’s start by reducing $50 and see how it goes.’ A few months later, she called back and reduced it again.”
That conversation—simple as it seemed—may have changed the course of that client’s life.
“Somewhere out there, I believe that woman is still financially okay today because of the plan we built together. And that matters more to me than the biggest account.”
For Leslie, that client embodied Schwab’s founding spirit: serving the everyday investor with the same care and attention as anyone else.
Growth Isn’t Just Encouraged—It’s Built In
When Leslie decided to pursue her Certified Financial Planner® designation, she knew it would be a heavy lift. The coursework was intense. The exam was rigorous. But Schwab covered the costs, encouraged the journey, and made it achievable.
“Becoming a CFP® transformed how I thought about my work. It gave me deeper expertise, more confidence, and new opportunities.”
She’s continued to learn through Schwab’s dedicated career growth platform and professional development days, which give employees space each quarter to explore areas they’re passionate about—whether technical or professional.
“Every time I do a professional development day, I walk away energized. Whether it’s brushing up on tax strategies or learning new coaching techniques, it keeps me sharp.”
This ongoing access to learning and development is something she sees as critical to her career longevity—and to Schwab’s ability to retain great talent.
Mentorship as a Mission
Leslie has participated in a formal mentorship program at Schwab that matches mentors and mentees across business units. One mentee reminded her of home.
“He was the same age as my son. He’d failed the CFP® once, and I encouraged him to sit for a second try. A few months ago, he sent me a note—he passed. I cried.”
The program, she says, is unique not only because it connects people—but because it teaches them how to be mentors.
“I’ve mentored a lot of people informally, but that mentorship program gave me structure. It helped me be better at giving back.”
That ripple effect—mentoring someone who mentors someone else—feels like a career multiplier to Leslie. It’s also part of how she sees her legacy continuing, even after retirement.
Culture You Can Count On
There’s one story Leslie shares that says more about Schwab’s culture than any brochure could. In 2012, her husband—then only 45—suffered what’s known as a “widow-maker” heart attack. He survived, but the experience was life-altering.
Leslie had already used up her sick time earlier that year while supporting her son through multiple surgeries. She had no more paid leave. A manager quietly nominated her for an internal program at Schwab where employees can donate PTO hours to those in need.
“I got a letter saying someone donated hours. I figured, maybe a day or two. Weeks later, I got a check covering my entire leave. Coworkers—some I barely knew—gave me time.”
Even now, more than a decade later, the moment brings her to tears.
“They showed up for me when I needed it most. That kind of empathy—that’s what Schwab is built on.”
She paid it forward. And now, as a people leader, she carries that ethos into every 1:1 conversation, every team huddle, every mentoring session.
“It’s not just about leading with your head. It’s about leading with your heart.”
What She Tells the Next Generation
When asked what advice she’d give someone just starting out in financial planning, Leslie is clear: it starts with people.
“Be curious. Be present. You don’t need to be the loudest person in the room. But you do need to care.”
Financial planning, she says, is more art than science. The real magic is in the trust clients give you—and how you choose to honor it.
As for what she wishes she’d told her younger self?
“Don’t wait until you feel ‘ready.’ Growth happens when you say yes to something a little scary.”
What Career Longevity Really Looks Like
After 30+ years, Leslie isn’t just still here—she’s still energized. Still learning. Still making an impact. Still mentoring future leaders. For her, career longevity isn’t about coasting to the finish line—it’s about reinvesting, recommitting, and evolving.
“I’ve changed roles. I’ve changed locations. I’ve changed perspectives. But I’ve never changed my belief that Schwab is where I belong.”
Her story also reminds us that careers—like financial plans—aren’t fixed. They’re flexible. They have unexpected turns. And with the right support, they can lead to something truly meaningful.
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