Month: September 2023
Focused on the Future: JC Abusaid: Being Fearless and Defining your NorthStar

Focused on the Future: JC Abusaid: Being Fearless and Defining your NorthStar

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In the latest episode of the new podcast series, Focused on the Future, veteran industry leader Suzanne Siracuse talks with JC Abusaid, CEO of Halbert Hargrove, on the importance of purposeful collaboration, being fearless on culture, clients and teams,  and capturing a client’s loyalty for the long term.

Specifically, JC discusses:

  • How fate and persistence landed his dream job
  • How his “no fences” approach led him to building successful teams
  • Handling conflict through consistent communication and role clarity
  • The importance of documenting your firm’s culture strategy
  • His firm’s unique approach to working with clients. 

Resources:

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect With JC Abusaid:

About Our Guest: 

As CEO and President of Halbert Hargrove, JC is guiding the firm confidently into the future. Execution and operational excellence are his bywords; we consider him our glue. He formally took the helm of CEO in December 2021. For many years, working alongside Chairman and HH founder Russ Hill, JC has had the privilege to be involved in most facets of the firm, and has enjoyed being part of HH’s growth and success.

JC enjoys the dynamic nature of his role: “I like solving big challenges,” he says. He joined HH as Operations Manager in 1996 and was named President and Chief Operating Officer in 2010.

JC earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Finance emphasis from the Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administracion in Bogota, Colombia, and his MBA from University of Redlands School of Business. He was awarded the ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY™ designation by the University of Pittsburgh-affiliated Center for Fiduciary Studies.

In 2016, JC was part of Stanford University’s pioneer cohort in earning a LEAD Certificate in Corporate Innovation from Stanford Graduate School of Business. In 2021, he was again part of an inaugural class, this time in taking part in BlackRock’s first Emerging Leader Lab.

Married to Ruth for more than 30 years, JC is dad to Nico and Isabella – and a Boston Terrier named Lola. After a decade-long odyssey of breaking ground and overcoming an absurd number of obstacles, JC is happy to report that the Abusaid family finally took up residence in their Laguna Beach home in 2021. JC’s commitment to exercising and eating healthy is legendary; call him a health freak, and he’ll take it as a compliment. Outside of the office, you’ll find him running, mountain biking, wakeboarding, and snowboarding.



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Focused on the Future: Lazetta Braxton: Her Advice on Making an Impact by Doing the Work

Focused on the Future: Lazetta Braxton: Her Advice on Making an Impact by Doing the Work

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In the latest episode of the new podcast series, Focused on the Future, veteran industry leader Suzanne Siracuse talks with Lazetta Braxton, Co-CEO of 2050 Wealth Partners, about how she is structuring her firm to serve the investor of the future, why she doesn’t like the term “mentor”, and why we all need to pay attention to Gen Z.

Specifically, Lazetta discusses:

  • Her firm’s business model and how it is allowing people who are income rich and building assets to have access to financial planning and a partner with them on the journey
  • The one important conversation that led her to become one of the leading voices in our industry
  • Why she is leaning into being a “friend-tor” vs a mentor
  • Her advice on working with the media 
  • Why firms need to be paying attention to what Gen Z is saying 

Resources:

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect With Lazetta Braxton:

About Our Guest:

For Lazetta Rainey Braxton, MBA, CFP®, it’s all about doing the work. 

She is passionate about amplifying diversity, inclusion, equality and belonging in the financial planning profession, and does so through financial planning, public speaking, writing, consulting, and coaching. 

Lazetta serves as co-CEO of 2050 Wealth Partners, where she provides access to financial planning to individuals and families who desire financial freedom to influence, experience, give and make a difference for their family and future generations.

Through Lazetta’s business consulting practice, Lazetta & Associates, she employs a “no fear, no shame zone” to help financial services firms nurture culturally aware and hospitable workplace environments that ignite innovation and allocate equity amongst their employees.

A sought-after financial expert, Lazetta delivers keynote presentations and workshops with both care and urgency that invite attendees to nurture and advance human capital.

Recognized for her leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication, Lazetta was named as a Crain’s New York Business Notable Black Leader and Executive, as well as one of the top 10 of Investopedia’s 100 Top Financial Advisors for three consecutive years. Investment News’ honored her as one of its inaugural Women to Watch and Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion recipients. She also received the Association of African American Financial Advisors’ Leadership Legacy Award and the Heart of Financial Planning award from the Financial Planning Association. 

Lazetta’s national media presence includes appearances on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Nightly Business Report, and CNBC’s Closing Bell. She writes on topics related to culture, talent and wealth as a member of the CNBC Digital Financial Advisor Council and a contributor to the Wealth Management to the WSJ Experts blog, WealthManagment.com, and NextAvenue.org.

In all her endeavors, she is on a mission to create wealth for the common good.

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