Q&A WITH Dan Griffin
Why did you decide to practice finance?
My parents love to tell the story of a 5 year-old Dan who marched into the kitchen the day after Halloween to probe the family. "Why do I only have 35 pieces of candy when it was clear that I had 38 pieces last night?" You can only imagine how that conversation went. Honestly, that has always been my mindset. I get really frustrated by the lack of clear and transparent financial guidance that is commonplace in our industry. It is that, more than my own bean counting, that inspired me to become a financial advisor. I want to help my clients by clarifying the process to achieve their life goals.
You're not at work, what are you doing right now?
When I am not at my desk, there is a 90% chance that I am with my family. I have two sons and an amazingly supportive wife (who helped edit this). Just being with them is my favorite activity. Together, we love to visit museums, go on hikes, attend community events and explore local stores and restaurants.
After hours I am known to brew my own beer. In fact, I made a special lager to celebrate our wedding years ago and it was a big hit! I try re-live that glory when I can get a few minutes of free time.
What is your favorite professional experience?
When I was in public accounting, I used to love teaching and training others. I would coach large incoming classes of interns and new staff, and always felt that to be a really great and rewarding experience. I think that I most enjoy helping people to answer questions and make people better at what they do. It can be tremendously rewarding to have that impact.