One beauty of life is that it becomes enriched by experience. As years and even decades go by, our roots run deeper. Our perspective grows broader. We benefit from both wisdom and ambition. From successes and failures. Life’s enrichment creates, by nature, fertile soil for change. And change we do, time and time again – often in ways we least expect.
When I was a small-town Iowa farm girl, I could never have imagined traveling the world, analyzing companies. Nor could I have imagined choosing to leave that career many years later as a seasoned equity analyst. But that’s exactly what happened. While my institutional work was exciting and fulfilling, Foster Group presented the opportunity to build direct, more personal relationships with clients and colleagues.
I realized it’s never too late to change and to grow. (And by the way, it’s nice to meet you!)
We Plant Long Before We See Results.
The work ethic I learned as a child proved helpful in the world of investments, where I devoted myself to research that was both intellectually demanding and deeply rewarding. I engaged with talented professionals around the world. I had daily access to information about earnings, acquisitions, and geopolitical developments that were woven into my decision-making process.
I didn’t know it at the time, but my daily routine as an analyst was planting seeds for the future. I was gaining confidence, clarity, and capabilities.
What seeds might you be planting now that will result in future personal growth?
Every Season Teaches Us Something
No farmer finishes a year without learning something new about their soil, crops, equipment, or themselves. What they learn, they put to work in the next growing cycle.
Plant. Fertilize. Grow. Repeat. What farming can teach us about cultivating change.
As my analyst career progressed, I discovered that I enjoyed meeting clients putting names and faces to the people who were impacted by my work. I discovered a genuine passion for building relationships and sharing what I was learning. With each opportunity to interact, I found myself wanting more of those experiences.
A single conversation or opportunity can provide a moment of clarity that makes the path ahead suddenly clear.
Growth Often Happens Gradually, then All at Once.
Like seeing a field in late spring turn vivid green, career shifts or new beginnings may literally appear overnight.
Between meetings in Tokyo, a phone call let me know that change wasn’t limited to the companies I analyzed. Change could also happen within my own firm. The picture – the mosaic – of my company was changing. And it was time to revisit my personal mosaic, the picture of what I want to accomplish in my career. Seeds that were planted over a shared cup of coffee years before began to take root – seeds that would lead me to Foster Group.
You, too, might find a single conversation or opportunity can provide a moment of clarity that makes the path ahead suddenly clear.
Resilience is Required.
Farmers endure changing weather and markets. But year after year, they return to their fields hopeful and determined.
Resilience comes part and parcel with new beginnings. Everyone encounters setbacks. Not every new class, interview, or idea will flourish. But the spirit of reinvention looks forward to replanting, relearning, and trusting that a new, more satisfying harvest lies ahead.
Change is Invigorating (Pass it on!)
These days, my children look forward to trips to the farm for spring planting and fall harvest. My hope is they are learning important lessons that will influence their journey too.
New beginnings, big or small, are a good time for reflection. If you are taking on a major career shift, launching a transformative venture, or rediscovering long-forgotten passions, embrace the farmer’s mindset: plant boldly, fertilize often, and persevere. Trust that with time, the quiet work you’re doing today will break into visible and satisfying growth.
