Who is Asha Forde? I am a courteous, meticulous, ambitious, innovative 28-year-old young lady, who is personable, yet introverted. I was raised in St. Lucy and I am passionate about creating an environment where financial planning is just as effective as family planning; educating one millennial at a time, of the importance to avoid being a “sandwich generation.”
What does a typical day for you entail? There is no such thing as a “typical day” But I do know people who plan their days get the most done. To give a clear picture, a weekday for me usually starts around 6am (the early bird catches the worm), as soon as I wake, I give thanks to God and read a page from “Encouraging prayers for every need”, have breakfast while listening to a finance or motivational based podcast and pack my lunch bag with everything I’ll need that day for the office. I then get ready and go through the door about 9 am…. Yes 3 hours later :D LOL! Sis enjoys being prim & proper every day!! However, the workday really begins when I see my first client.
My first scheduled appointment is generally 10 am, and I try to make the last one at 6pm; sometimes I go earlier or finish later in the event I need to be of convenience to a current or potential client. The morning slots maybe scheduled appointments outside of the office, such as meeting up with clients at locations convenient to them. This case maybe a young professional who has just began their first job and is in need of financial guidance on budgeting and starting their own retirement fund. In office appointments are usually after lunch, which may be a single mom or dad setting up life insurance to financially secure their children; God forbids anything happens to them. Another example maybe, a gentleman, 10 years away from retirement and is now looking to commence his retirement plan, which would require a sense of urgency because of the late start.
At the ending of my scheduled appointments, I never leave the office until all paperwork is completed. I further plan tomorrow’s tasks and confirm all appointments. I try to get in at least an hour of my favorite gym class, “Boxercise.” This is followed by the preparation of a healthy dinner, shower, catching up on my shows and bed by 10pm.
What do you love most about what you do? I love to hear about people’s past, what’s important to them and where they are headed. This keeps me on my toes! Case by case, Goals are unique, facts and figures are different and priorities change. Dishing out nuggets of wisdom, explaining how life insurance can be a wealth creation tool, it is the only financial vehicle that creates a guaranteed lumpsum of money.
Tell us about your career journey. Where I am currently in my career journey was unpredicted, I always had a chic presence and meticulous personality; which I’ve learned is needed in this field. Post completion of my BSc. in Economics and Accounting at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus, my first position was an Accounts Receivable Clerk at Tiami Catamaran Cruises, where I spent approximately 4 months gaining a ton of on the job experience and knowledge. Following my time at Tiami, I became a Junior Accountant at ASK Real Estate and Financial Services where I spent 1 year. While working at ASK, I ran into one of my primary schoolmates, we had a quick chat and she invited me to meet her manager at Sagicor. That same day, I went over to her office, as we were situated in the same building, from the first time my manager and I met, we meshed. There is something about ‘being at the right place at the right time’. She enlightened me about the benefits of the career, including the rewarding nature and it caught my attention and the rest is history. Here I am almost 6 years later, and I wouldn’t trade it for ANYTHING! Sometimes, where you end up is nothing like you’ve envisioned, it’s better!
How important is it for career professionals and entrepreneurs to plan financially? I think it is very important for career professionals and entrepreneurs to plan financially because you really don’t know what tomorrow holds; I think Covid-19 has really shown us just that-The unexpected. Whether it is death pre-maturely, disability, losing your job or a pandemic, preparing for the unexpected gives you a sense of comfort and diminishes the feeling of anxiety. Building a solid financial foundation is something all should yearn towards. A solid financial foundation includes: An emergency & retirement fund, Short term savings account (3-5 years), Health, Critical Illness and Life Insurance. Retirement is the time in life, known as your golden years, where you no longer work to receive an income but financially survive off what you put aside or invested while you were working. At that golden time, now that we are better educated on financial planning, I’m sure you would prefer living those days golden!
How do you manage tough days? You may expect me to say I manage my tough days by treating myself to a mani, pedi or lunch at my favorite spot, but I have managed to include such things in my monthly budget. I manage my tough days by Sleeping, whether in the office or at home, as soon as it starts to feel overwhelming, I take a nap. Something about giving the body and mind a bit of rest, gives a sense of anew. Tell us about your most memorable achievement to date. In my career my most memorable achievement thus far was Sagicor’s Diamond Club and Club 100- this was achieved by assisting 100 individuals in 1 year commence or add to their financial foundation.
How can our readers connect with you? Readers may connect with me on my Instagram: @asha.a.forde, LinkedIn: Asha .A. Forde BSc. Hons or email: ashaforde01@gmail.com.
