#WomenCrushingWednesday with Madison Carter

Madison Carter is a wealth management advisor and senior vice president at The Cherry Creek Group with Morgan Stanley.

She has dedicated much of her practice to helping women achieve their dreams through thoughtful financial planning. She believes in the importance of simplifying complex planning so that her clients can focus on expanding their business, pursuing their passions, and spending time with those who matter most.

We asked her a few questions to hear more about how she is #crushing it…

The Why: why do you do what you do? Why are you passionate about your work and/or community contributions? 
This job is incredibly rewarding. I am honored to have the opportunity to develop a uniquely close relationship with my clients. I truly feel like part of their family, and I am honored to be on their team as they strive to make their dreams a reality. It is incredibly motivating knowing I can have a big impact on a family’s life for generations to come.

My career also provides me a platform to be involved and give back to my community. I am so grateful for the opportunities I had in my life, but I know not everyone is that lucky. I am fortunate to have found a career that I love, and I cannot imagine overcoming the challenges I faced to get here without the education and support from my family and community. This drives me to help others through my work with organizations that support our youth such as STEM Generation, Shape Up US, and Young Americans.

What is one of the biggest challenges that you have overcome, and how did you overcome it?
I started out in this industry by joining a team at the age of 21. It was 2007 and shortly after, we hit the biggest financial crisis in decades. This undoubtedly put the team on a shaky foundation, and at the age of 23 I found myself in a position where I would have to forge my own path. Having just become a first-time homeowner in the midst of a worldwide crisis, I was faced with three tough choices: Build my own wealth management business, find another team or leave the industry entirely.

I chose to stay at the same firm where I got my start, I decided to go at it alone and build my own practice. I was filled with uncertainty and fear but, looking back, it was the best decision I could’ve made. I found myself taking deep breaths and repeating the mantra, “just act like you belong here, and one day you will”. This was often overwhelming in an industry where I didn’t fit the standard mold, but I pretended to have no fear and just kept going, even when I faced challenges and setbacks. I didn’t listen to the people who doubted me and didn’t think I would make it in the industry. In fact, they made me stronger. It was like drinking from a fire hose. but having the weight of my future all on my shoulders made me the person I am today. After 9 years of growing my own wealth management practice, I joined forces with my now business partner, Financial Advisor, (full name) in late 2018 to form my own team, the Cherry Creek Group at Morgan Stanley. All the years of dedication to my clients and hard work have really paid off, and I was reminded of this last year when I reached a major business milestone as my contribution to our team surpassed one million in revenue. While it is truly the relationships with my clients that inspire and drive me, accomplishments like these remind me that the belief in myself and support I received along the way made my mantra a reality.

What is your personal motto or favorite quotation?
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” – Marie Curie

Advice for others in business based on what you have learned on your journey?
It is so important to believe in yourself and remember why you started in the first place. That “why” will help get you through tough times and keep you moving towards your goal. Be open to advice, but also know your value and trust your instincts. Lastly, be authentically yourself. In business, there are so many moving parts out of your control, but what you can control is the way you show up and your reactions and responses to the situations you face.

What are you most proud of from the last year?
It has been an incredible year both professionally and personally. I am very proud that I received a title promotion again for the third year in a row and reached my goal of surpassing $1 million in revenue from my portion of our business. I also made great progress in a personal goal to become fluent in Spanish, and completed the four-year process to become a permanent resident in Mexico. This goal required me to stay dedicated to meeting with my Spanish tutor once a week and finding any other opportunities I could to practice my second language even when I had a million other things going on.

Madison has been with Morgan Stanley since 2007, where she specializes in developing comprehensive financial plans, retirement planning and implementing investment strategies. Madison is a Certified Financial Planner ™ and serves many families in the Denver community and beyond.

She graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a BA in Economics. Madison is incredibly involved in the community and serves on the board at several local organizations.

Thank you, MSU Denver, for sponsoring the #WomenCrushingWednesday series!