INTERVIEWER: Three adjectives that best describe you.
LISA MIHELICH: Thoughtful, calm, and confident.
INTERVIEWER: I like it. And that was a very confident way to answer that question. What is your go-to small-talk topic?
LISA: I ask the person questions about themselves.
INTERVIEWER: How long have you been working with independent advisors?
LISA: Almost 29 years. I've been in a unique role, in that I've been always on the customer service side. I can relate to the service professionals, and I know what they do. It's very rewarding for me to work with advisors, help them problem-solve.
INTERVIEWER: How do you see through clients' eyes?
LISA: I like listening to other people, learning about other people versus the other way around, which is why this is so hard.
INTERVIEWER: Who is your personal hero, how about that?
LISA: My dad, because the things that he role-modeled in his career are things that I emulate today. He worked at a shoe company, and he would come home at night, and he'd have these shoe magazines. And that showed me that it's important that you really truly understand your industry.
INTERVIEWER: What makes you hopeful?
LISA: The diversity that we're seeing in our industry. I know I don't have all the ideas myself, and I really like different perspectives.
INTERVIEWER: What does great service look like?
LISA: Being available for our advisors when they need us, providing quality, accurate information. And then when the unique, complex things come up, we're there to help partner and consult with advisors to provide a great solution.
INTERVIEWER: And what does it feel like to you and your team?
LISA: Rewarding. You go home, feeling like you've accomplished a lot.
INTERVIEWER: I kind of like that.
LISA: Yeah?
INTERVIEWER: You just get right to it.