2022 Summer Interns Launch Their Careers

The first step in any journey is a definitive one as it sets the tone for the path forward. We are honored to be the first step that many of our interns take to launch their professional careers. Our internship program gives interns the opportunity to collaborate with the greater #oneteam,  gain hands-on experience with meaningful projects, and relish in the joys of community service.

We enjoyed our summer alongside more than 15 interns, and each one graced us with their passion and curiosity regarding what we do for our clients and how we do it.

Describe a typical day in the life of a Brighton Jones intern.

Austin – Wealth Management Intern, D.C.: Each day started with a check-in with my Intern Champion, followed by generating margin and cash balance reports for client accounts. Afterwards, I would map out which projects needed attention based on priority, and that made every day different which was exciting.

Olivia – Wealth Management Intern, San Francisco: After rushing through the San Francisco Financial District to get to the office, I would check emails and comprise a to-do list, orienting my attention towards any urgent projects. The time I didn’t spend on projects and tasks was used for shadowing analysts, observing meetings, and taking full advantage of the Nespresso machine.

Noah – Tax Intern, Seattle: As a Tax intern, a typical day in the life consisted of preparing tax returns, attending meetings and trainings, and eating lunch at a Tax team favorite, Michou!

What project(s) did you enjoy most during your internship?

Isabel – Wealth Management Intern, Scottsdale: The project I enjoyed the most was working with Tama Smith and two interns from other offices on the Women Living a Richer Life (WLRL) research. I learned more about the WLRL program, which is unique to Brighton Jones, and was able to present a project to Tama at the end. It was a huge accomplishment for me, being able to showcase my hard work on the project.

Korey – Wealth Management Intern, Scottsdale: My favorite projects were the “MR Xtravaganza”, where we looked at snapshots of client finances, and the “VFA Xtravaganza”, which required using the Monte Carlo simulation to determine the probability of financial freedom for our clients. These projects were put together by our Intern Champions so we could experience the largest parts of their jobs and develop skills necessary for our future careers. These projects let me practice analyzing bank statements and client notes, working with financial models, allocating cash balances to asset classes, and working on presentation skills.

What surprised you most about the Brighton Jones work environment and culture?

Andres – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: What surprised me the most was how caring and supportive everyone was. It went beyond the people on my team. If I was walking down the hall and there was someone I didn’t know, they would stop and introduce themselves, and they would always offer their time to chat and get to know me.

Bella – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: The most surprising aspects of the work environment and culture was certainly how genuine it was. I met the most inspiring, friendly, and caring people here at Brighton Jones. I truly appreciate how welcoming everyone was to me and the type of culture presented, as I was able to tremendously grow as a person.

Helen – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: From my very first day in the office until the end of my internship, I was absolutely blown away by how welcoming and friendly everyone was. Each person I met genuinely wanted to get to know me on a personal level. The office felt so upbeat and supportive, and I never felt afraid to ask a question or reach out to someone to get to know them better. Hearing laughter around the office definitely boosted my mood and made me happy to be there.

Did you come away with any insights about the wealth management industry that defy conventional wisdom?

Elise – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: Wealth management goes beyond the balance sheet, and when we are truly helping our clients live a richer life that is driven in purpose and passion, we go beyond their assets and liabilities. Wealth management should be a holistic approach that helps align clients with their values, and that is something that I had not been shown before working at Brighton Jones.

Rosa – Tax Intern, Seattle: A major insight I got from working at Brighton Jones was the importance of emotional intelligence. A main takeaway I noticed was how clients and employees were happier when there was mutual empathy and understanding towards each other. Brighton Jones’ MESI program really emphasized this matter.

Kirby Bryant – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: One unconventional insight I came away with was regarding Tax Loss Harvesting as a loss-minimizing tool. Taking something that is usually negative and making it work for you was something that impressed me.

What was your favorite fun activity with the team?

Hogan – Tax Intern, Seattle: The get-together at Golden Gardens was a blast! Meeting people from a bunch of different teams and at different points in their careers made the event fun and informative at the same time. Plus, nothing beats free Chipotle!

Tyler – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: My favorite activities consisted of the volunteering events and the pod meetings. I loved the fact that I was able to give back to the community, whether it was volunteering at Food Lifeline or helping build a tiny home with Sound Foundations NW. Pod meetings were also a fun activity as it allowed me to see what it was like for everyone to come together as a team and tackle the problems people were running into. It was interesting to se how the collaboration between team members unfolded.

What advice would you pass along to next summer’s interns?

Madison – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: My advice is to fully understand from the get-go what it means to be the “owner of your schedule” and the “CEO of your own career”. For me, this meant continually challenging myself to schedule additional coffee chats and asking to be invited to various meetings that sounded interesting. This also meant having open and honest conversations with everyone here about their own journeys and how Brighton Jones has impacted them.

Nilay – Wealth Management Intern, Seattle: Keep an open mind and be comfortable with the people you work with. Everyone is excited to help you and wants to do so. Stay calm while also working hard!