For our latest Member Spotlight, WIN is proud to feature Tracy Rogers, Chief Administrative Officer at Dakota and WIN Board Member and Co-Chair of Sponsorship. Tracy shares her journey with WIN and how it has influenced her career in the investment industry.
What inspired you to become a member of WIN, and what has kept you actively involved over the years?
From the start of my career, I have always been a big advocate of meeting new people. Being in the investment industry has provided me with multiple opportunities to meet a lot of interesting individuals, those who have inspired me personally and professionally. When I first came upon WIN, I was very intrigued as it is a group formed by women, for women, with a keen focus on the investment industry, which is rare in a more male-dominated space.
The more I read about and learned about WIN, the more I liked it. I was initially drawn to WIN because of the opportunity for growth. I am always eager to learn new skills, take on new challenges, and build my professional network.
My involvement with WIN blossomed from there when I volunteered to be a part of their events committee. I was eager at the chance to help WIN build its already insightful programming calendar. After attending a few committee meetings and keeping myself involved, WIN Leadership approached me to become a member of their board. It was a great opportunity to be a part of an organization that I truly believed in 100%.
WIN has provided me with and continues to provide me with an impressive cohort of professionals who not only want to learn from one another but also support each other.
Could you share your journey into the financial services industry and how you’ve navigated your career path up to this point?
I began working for my boss, our current CEO, back in the fall of 2007 as a Director of Client Services. At the time, we were a small third-party marketing firm raising money for boutique asset managers. Dakota has grown significantly since 2007. To date, we have over 70 employees and multiple business verticals; however, our third-party asset-raising business is still a core focus of what we do and who we are as a firm.
Having the opportunity to start with a company from the ground up, be a part of its growth, see it change, develop, and become stronger is incredibly unique. I believe this perspective gave me a valuable vantage point in my career. There was no handbook for me to study when I started, no processes or procedures for me to learn – I had to create them all myself, I had to teach myself. I was in the position to make my career my own, to mold my role into the best and most efficient version it could be. Yet, most importantly, I have continued to look for ways to improve, ways to learn more, ways to become better and to increase my knowledge – I never settled.
After digging my heels in, studying articles and blogs, and becoming an expert in what it takes to create a world-class Client Service approach, I was promoted to Chief Administrative Officer in 2012. By then, the Client Service Program that I had created was operating smoothly, I was the face at the forefront of our company’s client interactions with Investment Firms, allocators, and industry professionals. Over the succeeding years, my role at Dakota grew even further, where I now run all our new employee training and onboarding, our mentorship program, assist with our summer internship program, and serve as compliance support for our RIA, Dakota Investments.
Reflecting on your experience, what key skills or attributes have you found universally applicable across industries and roles?
Reflecting on my experiences, I feel that two skills are universally applicable and beneficial no matter what industry or role you are in: organization and Flexibility.
Being organized in your job is critical. When you’re organized, you’re seen as reliable, responsible, and capable. Having this skill can lead to more opportunities, promotions, and growth in your career. You can also work more efficiently and effectively when your day and week are planned out. You’ll have a clear outline of those tasks that must be accomplished today and those that can wait until tomorrow. That way, you are able to focus on what matters most, get that completed, and move on to your next task. Organization will maximize your time and effort, which will ultimately increase your productivity.
The second is being flexible. When you start a new job, typically, you have a huge learning curve. You’ll spend time learning the ins and outs of your new role, the dynamic of your team and your new teammates, and how your firm operates. During this time, you’ll no doubt have a lot of information thrown at you all at once, so the more flexible you can be to “jumping in headfirst,” the better off you’ll be. Take that time to listen, be a sponge, and soak up as much information as you can; write down questions and ask your teammates. When you are flexible, you are able to deal with unexpected challenges quickly, calmly, and efficiently. When you’re flexible, you’re versatile, resilient, and responsive to change. You can adapt to unexpected demands in your job.
Could you share a personal or professional accomplishment you’re particularly proud of and how it has shaped your career?
I’m particularly proud of my accomplishment of becoming a mom, which is both a professional and personal goal. While parenthood is one of life’s most amazing journeys, it’s no secret that the role of a parent can present a distinctive set of challenges, particularly for those who navigate the delicate balance of being a working mom in the corporate world.
As a working mom, I developed a heightened sense of time management, realizing that each moment in my day holds immeasurable value. Juggling the myriad of tasks that encompass work, household responsibilities, and tending to my child’s needs can be overwhelming. Yet, by understanding the importance and art of time management, I was able to unlock an ability to prioritize effectively, delegate responsibilities, and gracefully assert myself by saying “no” when necessary. Working to make this skill stronger has empowered me to optimize my productivity, enhance efficiency, and still meet career deadlines, ultimately bolstering my professional prowess. The mastery of multitasking empowers working moms to be even more efficient and productive, ultimately propelling their careers to new heights.
Not only has becoming a parent helped me strengthen my time management, but it has allowed me to show my son what it means to balance work life and family life. I strongly believe that it’s important for my son to see me go to work and to see his Mom work hard, not only at home but also in my career. I hope that seeing both his Mom and Dad go to work begins to teach him the value of time and how to make the most of it and encourages his own independence, a sense of responsibility, resilience, and adaptability.
If you could offer advice to your younger self, what would it be?
This is a fantastic question, one that I think about a lot, and my response has changed over the years. One piece of advice that I received from my boss (who’s also been an amazing mentor to me) several years back is, “Focus on What Matters Most.” Just that, very simply stated, but can be applied both personally and professionally.
There’s no balance in life, just priorities. You’ve probably heard before that “life is a balance”, but as you get older, you realize that it’s barely impossible to reach that true “balance”. From a personal perspective, mostly because it’s subjective, what may be “balanced” for you may not be for someone else – we all just have different priorities in life. But what you can do is find out what your own priorities are and the importance that each has in your life: family, career, friends, hobbies, self-care, fitness…the list can be quite personal and will change over time. Decide what your priorities are and what’s most important to you, and focus on those things.
Thinking about it from a professional perspective, I start and end each day by reviewing my list of priorities and asking myself, “What are those tasks that must be completed today, and what can be done tomorrow?” By having a plan in place each day, you can set yourself up to be the most productive and efficient. Prioritizing and focusing on exactly what matters most are essential to helping you set expectations for yourself and setting yourself up for success. You’ll spend less time being overwhelmed with a list of tasks and spend more time meeting deadlines, completing tasks, and getting results.
Do you have a favorite WIN event? If so, what made it so special/memorable?
I loved the Pickleball Event we hosted at the Merion Cricket Club. We’ve had that event twice now, and both years it’s been a sold-out success.
It was a really fun event, very light-hearted yet engaging. I feel bringing people together who are all like-minded and looking to build their network creates a great atmosphere. Then add in the fun of learning a new sport, being outside, laughing, doing something physically active and having fun makes it an ideal situation.
What emerging topics or industry trends would you like WIN to address in future events, and why are they important to you?
I’d like to hear more about Generative AI. We have had an event centered around AI already, it was very well attended. However, I believe that Artificial Intelligence will only become more and more present in our daily lives and professional careers. Where do we see this going in the next 10 years? Will it affect our jobs more than we think? Are there areas or industries people feel may not be affected at all by the use of AI? Honestly, I don’t know much about AI, so the more I can hear and learn, the better!