We’re proud to introduce you to Winnie Sun, the Managing Director and Founding Partner of Sun Group Wealth Partners! We are honored to pick Winnie as our June Future Friday Honoree because, in addition to her pursuit of her ambitious career passion and goals, she’s also built a reputation for being the most “social” financial advisor in her industry – and we think that’s pretty cool!
Winnie has a weekly tweet chat (#WinnieSun) and is a podcaster (Renegade Millionaire Show) who interviews entrepreneurs, high profile CEOs, and the nation’s top trailblazers in business and entertainment. With more than 16 years of experience in the financial services industry, she is featured as a “top advisor” speaker at national industry events and media channels.
A ROLE MODEL FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF GIRLS WHO DREAM BIG
A Pioneer is a woman who takes control of her career and finds ways to overcome the unique obstacles that only women face.
I think of myself as a person who doesn’t accept that life ‘just has to be’ a certain way – Winnie Sun
We first heard about Winnie when she spoke about Millennials and their financial habits on Deirdre Breakenridge’s WomenWorldwide podcast. On the show, Winnie discussed how she went from a career in entertainment – working on America’s Funniest Home Videos to financial wealth management and launching her own firm. Having worked on a nationwide Millennial Study focused on the spending habits of Millennials, Winnie shared several surprising results and misconceptions. Check out the podcast to gain more insight into her research.
Winnie also pointed out her own business and personal challenges as she built her career, and she provided advice on how to create success and happiness in life. As we listened, we just knew we had to hear more!
Facebook – winniesungroup | Twitter – @sungroupwp | LinkedIn – WinnieSun
We reached out to Winnie to ask her to look back into her past and share a few insights about how her life evolved to where she is today —
Q: Knowing what you know now, what would you say to your 14-year-old self to help your path be less stressful and/or more successful?
This is an interesting question. Age 14 was my favorite age growing up. It was a personal “rite of passage” from a quiet, shy introvert to who I am today. I think as young people, we are so focused on fitting in, being socially accepted, and we are thinking about the present vs. the future. With time and experience, we see things so differently. Today, I would have told myself to be happy, enjoy the simplicities of being a young person, focus on the experience, while still being smart about building social capital for the future. I think I did a good job with much of that, but would have loved to have kept in better contact with teachers, mentors, from that time.
Q: Who was your role model/mentor growing up, and how did that relationship help you become the professional you are today?
Growing up my Mom was my role model. She was far from the “model” business person as she just had a different perspective of the world. She had her ups and she had her downs, but what carried her through everything was pure hard work. She never gives up. She taught me to be self-sufficient, to save, to nurture business relationships, and to always push myself. These lessons have been very helpful in our highly competitive industry.
Q: When you were a young girl, what was the one thing that you feel helped to shape your pioneering attitude towards your career?
If you were to ask my teachers and parents what type of child I was, they would tell you that I was very observant. I spent more time listening and watching than ever talking. When most children were living in the moment, I was honing my ability to connect with people, listen, and earn their trust. In many ways, being a financial advisor comes naturally to me.
Q: What is the greatest professional obstacle you have had to overcome, and what would you recommend other women do in order to overcome it?
The greatest professional obstacle I’ve had to overcome is surviving and thriving in a highly competitive male-dominated industry. My early days in the financial brokerage were hard. The clients, the business, and work was fine, it was the environment that was brutal. I highly recommend other women join our industry as we are making such a difference in the lives of our clients, and spending time building relationships with other advisors who can serve as mentors and friends for when you need support.
Q: What does being a “pioneer in your career” mean to you?
I think of myself as a person who doesn’t accept that life ‘just has to be’ a certain way. My mindset is, there is always a way. It might take me longer to figure it out, but I don’t give up easily. Life is short, so I try to live my version of having it all. I love my work, my clients, and my team, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be just as happy at home. My first happiness is my family, having a wonderful husband, three beautiful children, and being energized by both my home and work. To me, this is true wealth. And I believe when you are truly content, clients and opportunities gravitate to you. Know where your values lie and have the commitment to see things through.
YOU can Nominate a #FutureFriday Candidate
Are you impressed with what a colleague or friend is doing in her career? Is she an inspirational example of success? Do you know a woman who has shown “what’s possible” to the women around them? Have they overcome gender barriers or figured out how to change the game of career advancement? Well then — nominate her by contacting our producers!
