Heather Fortner: Moving towards impact

This is a guest blog by Heather Fortner, CEO at SignatureFD, ahead of Wealth Management EDGE, May 31 - June 3 in Florida. 

I was named the first female CEO of our wealth management firm in October 2020. As I stared down the barrel of the pandemic, volatile markets, continued racial injustices, and a polarized political nation, to say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. But it wasn’t simply being overwhelmed by the volume of work or issues. It was a deeper, more poignant, soul-piercing realization of the humanness of the issues we faced, not only as a firm but as people. And one of those areas was arguably one of the hardest – but most important – topics of all, diversity.

A couple of months before I was named CEO, my husband and I moved homes. I remember standing in the kitchen on moving day, surrounded by a sea of boxes, and getting a text: “Check your email.” As I sat on the stairs and read an email that had been sent to the firm about the racial injustice that was happening in our nation, I knew in that moment that I no longer had the luxury of remaining a bystander to the larger conversation playing out in our nation and our city. The conversation of racial inequity and injustice had arrived at our doorstep, and it was intense. Emotional. Raw. People in our organization were hurting, and I was responsible for responding.

Can you authentically lead this organization to a place of true diversity, equity and inclusion if you have not done the work?

My reality at that moment was that I didn’t fully understand the breadth and depth of the racial issues in our society because, quite transparently, I didn’t need to know. Of course, I was aware, as a bystander, an observer. But the truth was that it had never been my intention to question, be curious, learn more, seek to understand, be educated because it wasn’t my daily existence. Simply put, I had the luxury and the privilege of not having to engage. I recognized, at that moment, sitting on my stairs, that there were many others in our firm, and the world, who did not have those same luxuries. These issues were in their forefront, in their minds, in their hearts, and in their homes. And if we espouse that we are a place where people can bring their whole selves to work and be celebrated for that wholeness, that uniqueness, and their personal Net Worthwhiles™, then I could no longer authentically not engage.

That was the beginning for me. I immediately had to ask myself, “Can you authentically lead this organization to a place of true diversity, equity and inclusion if you have not done the work?”  For me, the answer was no. The next, quickly following question was, “Why does this matter for our firm, and is it even possible for us to “make this matter” to everyone?”

Here is what I have come to believe. Change leadership is anything but easy. It requires vision, strategy, empathy, finesse, and a relentless will to continue pressing forward in difficult circumstances. It demands authentic and vulnerable leadership, conviction, compassion, and a belief that anything is possible. It demands a “why with teeth.”

Do I believe that everyone in your organization will agree with your why? No. That’s simply wishful thinking. But I do believe that if your “why” is grounded and aligned to core values that are for the good of all people, of all backgrounds and perspectives and life experiences, then you have a real chance of effecting lasting change in your organization.

Change leadership is anything but easy. It requires vision, strategy, empathy, finesse, and a relentless will to continue pressing forward in difficult circumstances.

At SignatureFD, our brand tagline is Net Worthwhile™. It’s a trademarked set of words that speak to a promise to our clients and our people that SignatureFD will anchor all that we do in what matters most for each human – because everyone’s journey is unique. Every person’s road has been etched and engraved with its own set of lessons. And, how each person thinks of wealth and wants to use their wealth for a life well lived is tied to the values and beliefs that have developed because of those lessons. That journey is influenced by how each individual experiences the world, which is a derivative of many factors, including race, gender, and sexual orientation. It is why we don’t believe in “out-of-the-box wealth solutions.” It is why we have six different client communities catering to everyone from athletes to doctors and veterinary business owners. We understand that being a wealth management firm means more than consulting. It means partnering with each client on their unique life journey, so they can use their wealth to live their Net Worthwhile.

Leaders everywhere are asking, “How do I get an organization that has never thought about DE&I to lean into it?” For SignatureFD, it came from starting with who we are – who we’ve always been. A firm that celebrates individual Net Worthwhiles for exactly what they are – worthwhile.

May you be encouraged, be authentically curious, and be grounded in the impactful values that create good for all people, and out of that, may you lead well.

Hear more from Heather during her session, the RIA All Star Panel at Wealth Management EDGE this June.