Advisor Journeys: From Insurance Sales to Building a Community Rooted Firm
Advisor Journeys
Profile Snapshot
Name: Vicki Brackens
Role: President & Financial Planner
Firm: Brackens Financial Solutions Network, LLC.
Firm Type: Hybrid RIA
Years in Industry: 21+ Client Focus: Emerging Wealth (Mass Affluent), Community-Based Professionals
Location: Syracuse, NY
From Biology to Financial Planning
Vicki Brackens didn’t take a traditional path into financial advising. She started with a biology degree, transitioned into education, and later real estate. But it was during economic disruption the oil and gas crisis in Houston that Vicki found herself at a professional crossroads. The move to Syracuse and a role with MetLife marked the beginning of a decades long career in financial services.
Her career officially launched in insurance sales just before Black Monday in 1987. From day one, Vicki learned to adapt, evolve, and root her work in community needs traits that would shape her success and influence for years to come.
Breaking In: Finding Opportunity in Crisis
After relocating to upstate New York with no existing network, Vicki leaned on her real estate clients to kick start her business offering insurance protection tied to their home purchases. But it was her early pivot into serving nonprofit employees through TSA (Tax Sheltered Annuity) plans that opened the door to a wide and underserved market.
“That gave me daytime activity and access to talk to many people in one place. To this day, I still work with some of those original clients and now, their kids.”
Early Challenges: Capacity and Loneliness
Two core challenges marked Vicki’s early years: building operational capacity and managing emotional isolation.
“I was focused 24/7 on the business. I missed family events. I didn’t realize how lonely that would be until I reflected back.”
She encourages young advisors today to use technology to delegate early and create space for balance and warns against sacrificing too much for the sake of career progress.
Career Breakthrough: The Power of Public Relations
A serendipitous airport conversation led Vicki to a public relations training journey an inflection point that elevated her local and national visibility. Media placements in outlets like Black Enterprise and PBS’s Financial Fitness cemented her reputation as an experienced professional.
“It created a public persona of who I was. And it changed everything.”
The Client Today
Vicki’s client base has evolved to include mass affluent professionals nearing or entering retirement, as well as younger professionals connected through family relationships or community impact.
“Many are the children of clients I’ve worked with for decades. We’ve grown together.”
Advice for the Next Generation
Master Your Craft: “Study, study, study. Never stop learning.”
Evolve Rapidly: “What works now won’t always work tomorrow. Stay adaptable.”
Stay in the Game: “If you’re going to do this, commit to doing it for real for the long term.”
Vicki also emphasizes the importance of building a strategic network early and planning for the long game.
“Strategic thinking isn’t about just this year it’s about knowing where you want to be in 5, 10, 15 years, and making tactical changes to get there.”
Final Wisdom: Human First, Always
“You’re not just handling money. You’re carrying people’s anchors what matters most to them. Their dreams, families, futures. You owe it to them to stay sharp, take care of yourself, and always act with integrity.”
The GenZ Takeaway
Vicki’s story reminds us that success in wealth management isn’t always linear. It’s about evolving with purpose, leaning into your strengths, and building a life not just a book of business. Her journey from biology to building am interconnected financial network shows that what matters most is staying in the game and honoring the human side of this work.
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