The interview of Ben Coombs contained numerous insights into the life of the financial profession. His initial education background that consisted of a history in UCLA and Occidental College in Los Angeles was influential in shaping his career. After graduation, he chose to follow his father’s example and joined the finance career. He was soon appointed the President of Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP), one of the top financial consultancy companies in the United States. His struggle in the process of seeking certification indicates the need for people to have a strong understanding of their desires. Ben Combs noted that he had no wish to work in the formal sector. Instead, he chose to build his
own company and forge his way from there. For Ben, it is evident that he was bent on pursuing financial planning as his career. Even within his own company, he shied away from the administrative duties such as human resources and legal matters. This is an indicator that prospering in a specific career demands determination and focus on the exact need. It was relatively easy for Coombs to fit in the industry. His progress is also evidence of the massive role of perception in marketing. He noted that after changing his clientele base, he was able to acquire new clients that could pay better. Eventually, he sold the company for a greater value. Financial planning is a career that s best suited for people who want to be their own boss. They can do this by seeking out mentors. Similarly, they can also learn public relations and interposal communication methods that will assist in dealing with customers. His approaches and recommendations were very direct and basic. An option was to start the occupation and struggle to survive until they were stable. The other option would be to join a financial planning company as an intern. Associations such as ICFP play a major role in creating a practical environment for budding financial planners as they are home to experienced mentors.