LG: Leading with Depth in Finance

With a career spanning financial planning, law, and executive leadership, LG has cultivated a path that reflects both strategic foresight and grounded experience. Now the CEO of a privately held multi-family office, LG oversees a dynamic team and offers personalized financial services to a select group of high-net-worth families. Her journey, however, did not begin in finance—it started with literature, hospitality, and a talent for seeing patterns others missed.

After graduating with a degree in comparative literature, LG moved to New York City and explored the restaurant industry, hoping to turn her love of entertaining into a career. But she quickly discovered a different calling. “All my friends were calling me to help allocate their 401(k)s,” she explained, realizing that financial planning came naturally to her. This intuition led her to study for her Certified Financial Planner certification while also taking the LSAT. She landed her first role at US Trust, where she would spend a decade rotating through roles in client service, process improvement, and risk management.

LG’s success has been marked by an unrelenting curiosity and willingness to evolve. Her move from New York to Portland gave her the opportunity to lead a family office founded by George Russell, gaining intimate knowledge of investment management, tax planning, and operational finance. “That was when I knew I wanted to run a business,” she said. Her blend of experience and drive eventually caught the attention of her current firm’s founder, and after a year and a half of thoughtful conversations, she joined the firm—first in client service, then as president, and finally, as CEO.

Her leadership style was forged in the crucible of both success and failure. “I’m the person I am today because of all the stumbles,” she shared. The challenges, particularly those that required making decisions under pressure or dealing with public failures, shaped her ability to reflect, recalibrate, and lead with intention. When asked what she wished she had known earlier, she replied with simplicity and perspective: “It’s all going to be okay.”

Among the most resonant advice LG has received is not to make decisions until absolutely necessary. “Sometimes the problem isn’t ripe to be solved,” she noted. That patience—knowing when to act and when to wait—has become a cornerstone of her leadership.

Navigating the finance industry as a woman has brought both obstacles and unexpected advantages. There have been moments of being overlooked, such as being mistaken for a secretary in meetings, but also opportunities to work quietly and effectively behind the scenes. “You have to acknowledge the difficulties of being the only woman in the room, and also value the benefits,” she said. Her ability to reflect on both sides of that experience demonstrates a level of self-awareness that has undoubtedly contributed to her resilience.

To students exploring finance or leadership, LG emphasizes the importance of broad exposure, strong mentorship, and humility. “Go big early,” she advised, noting that structured training programs in larger firms offer foundational experience that smaller companies often cannot. She encourages young professionals to seek feedback, even if it stings. “If someone gives you feedback, at least one person believes it’s true, and you probably need to work on it.”

She also recommends working in customer-facing roles. “Selling coffee in New York City taught me more about client service than anything,” she said, pointing out how critical empathy and communication are in wealth management.

LG defines success not by titles or wealth but by the quality of one’s work and relationships. “It’s about intellectual challenge, working with people you respect and trust, and wanting to come to work not for the money, but for the experience of it.”

The 6 Degrees team extends its sincere thanks to LG for sharing her candid and compelling story. Her journey, from literature to leadership, underscores the importance of curiosity, adaptability, and authenticity in shaping a fulfilling career in finance.