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SUMMARY KEYWORDS

financial advisor, people, insurance, clients, industry, financial, mom, upgrade, learn, years, investment, easy, teenagers, podcast, goal, life, game, listening, mentorship, realized

SPEAKERS

Jillian Vestil, Gwen Lazarito

Gwen Lazarito 

Welcome to the financial planners Southeast Asia podcast, a show dedicated to driving the positive evolution of financial advice specifically within South East Asia, to join a global community of financial advisors sharing and learning with one another to drive the positive evolution of financial advice. Head to x y advisor.com. Hey guys, welcome to another episode of The X Y as visor Southeast Asian podcast. It’s Gwen here. And today, I am with one of the up and coming financial advisors, I would say in the industry because she has started at a very young age. She started when she was 19, and six years after she is now serving 72 clients. So that’s a lot of people, Filipino lives being helped. So please help me welcome. Julian Vestal. Thank you for being on the show. Jill. Hi, Glenn. Thank you for having me. Alright, so I’m very excited for this conversation. Actually, I was really happy when you said yes to the invitation, because I really wanted to talk to you. Because I think I mentioned this earlier that while we were just chatting, yeah, that I would have aspired to be a 19 year old who knew what she was doing. Yeah, that would have been like a big difference to, to the state of my finances to my personal finance and how like my mentality around money was as well. And, and so that’s why I wanted to talk to you about it, because I wanted to pick your brain on how you started. And also like, how we can also help others do the same. Yeah. And I mentioned like, you did this when he was 19. So like,

Jillian Vestil 

How did it happen? Yeah. The origin story? Yeah. Well, basically, um, No, I did not like any other ordinary Filipino. I did not grow up thinking that I want to become a financial advisor. No, I my dreams before were simple, like, become a ballerina, or in the field of art. So basically, so it wasn’t until when I was 17. Something happened to my family, actually. So when I was 17, my dad passed away. Suddenly, he was jogging in our village, and he just suddenly collapsed now, and the doctor said that it could have been an aneurism, so and an unexpected event. Now, my parents were believers of insurance. So even if the Philippine financial market or our What do you call it the our, you know, how we feel about the insurance industry is not atmosphere? Yeah. It’s not as advanced as other companies. But my parents were really believers from the start. So we weren’t super rich. But because of that circumstance, my parents really made sure that we would keep our lifestyle. So yeah, you know, when I was younger, I would see insurance agents come to my house and talk to my mom and my dad. And I would just and I would just to be like, oh, okay, they’re here again. I ended up being good friends with them. One of them being our former branch head. No. Shout out to Tony Ruiz. No, sir Tony. Yes. Sir. Tony is really one of those advisors who help a family you know, so back to the story. So when my dad passed away, suddenly good thing that we had our insurance so I had, I could finish college, you know, I didn’t, we didn’t have to sell off any assets, like our house or a car. We still got to travel. So it was in that landscape when I was living through it. And I was in college that I realized, you know, I, I want to make when I grew up, or rather when I finally got a job, yes, I wanted to, I wanted to I didn’t want to be in a desk job. No, nothing wrong with a desk job. It’s just that I didn’t feel like I was going there. I was there. Calling it wasn’t my calling. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And then my course at that time was marketing. And I said, you know, it would be nice to go in a PR firm. You know, I could go to Manila, the capital country or I could go abroad. You know, there were many possibilities. But in the end, I saw the opportunity with AXA. Now, you might ask me are my blue financial company? Yes, yes. No, that’s okay. Anyway, that company, why I chose that now. I also part of my journey to be why I started at 19. It’s also my mom. So the other part of the story, right? My mom. So my mom, as you know, was a former audit partner for a very big accounting firm. And she really, she decided that’s her story to tell no, but she decided to stop because of her children, not because of me and my sister. So after one year of not working, and the only reason why she got to do that was because of the insurance. Tony approached her and said, Hey, you may want to join us. And then she said, why would I want to join, I’m a backroom worker, you know, I don’t like nails. And then she joined. So the funny thing is, I’ve seen her as an audit partner for years. But I did not become an accountant for a year, in working with AXA, or as a financial advisor, and I said, You know what, I want to become a financial advisor. So it’s, that’s how it started, I saw that I was in an inflection point where I was about to graduate college, I didn’t want a desk job. And here was my mom, working for a financial company insurance company. And I said, Okay, you know what, I’m gonna try it out. So when I was 19, I know it’s a business course marketing is to live business course. But there was still so much to learn. And then yes, yeah, there’s, there’s still so much that I, that my mom has been trying to teach me, but it has fallen into Deaf years. I because I joined that company, I really cannot experience so hence, at 19 even though I was mine, you know, I wasn’t closing cases or making sales for two years, because I was still in college. But I, that I used that time to learn. So that was really my learning experience, about everything about the industry, about insurance about investments, about what a lot of things, so I’m still learning until now, but I started and I loved it. So that’s why I’m still here. So yeah, that’s basically my origin story, and ongoing story. That now is how I ended up being in the industry.

Gwen Lazarito 

Definitely, it’s one of those really good origin stories imagine, like, something good, really does come out of a certain kind of tragedy. So it might be tragic to lose a loved one. But yes, and insurance really helped a lot. And I know that part of the reason why you wanted to do this job is because you know that not every family Filipino family Exactly. had the opportunity to like meet with a financial advisor, understand what insurance can really do for their families. And so a lot of our Filipino brothers and sisters fall into debt. Yes. Right. And yes, exactly. No, but, and we talked about this, like the atmosphere of the financial advice industry here in the Philippines is still Well, now it’s slowly becoming positive. Yes. But I know that when you were 19 it was it was very cold. Right. So I know, I know for a fact that you did go through a lot of like rejections and I right? Yes. Oh, how did you finally overcome that? What was it like a lightbulb moment? Did it Really? Was it a grueling one to two years of being rejected?

Jillian Vestil 

That’s a very nice question. When? What? Well, at my time, my friends, so my warm market as you’d like to call it, yeah, let’s have money. Like you said again about most Filipinos don’t know this and they go into debt, you know, they they think they can do everything out of pocket, you know things. Yep that so that is exactly I think the driving force why I still stayed because I want more Filipino families to be educated in this so they if they ever experienced a tragedy like what happened to my family, we don’t have to go into debt. So I wanted to share this secret quote unquote secret that there really is a solution that we can do the so so what I did with my with the rejection such first so I just educated so in our industry we like to say plant the seed Nah. Yeah, the seed so I just told him you know, when you finally have money, just don’t forget me. No, I you You of course the temptation is always it’s by are the latest gadgets you can find me? which is normal. But just don’t forget, there are things there are adult things or adult logical this like there is an adult level to this game of life. Yeah, you have to fulfill so. So after that, it was just Of course, there were times where I was almost terminated, you know, things like that. I just powered through because for some reason. Even if I didn’t give up there is always a believer, whatever, every what 15 Filipinos, there’s a believer, so I just made sure I put in the number. So eventually, actually, the first person who believed in me, besides my mom, and my sister was up close. We call them Peters here in the Philippines, like on T. So he just listened to me, and she just listened to me and she knew I was okay. You know, she might not even last long in this industry, you know, things like that. But he listened to me, and then she took a chance on me. And it was like the best feeling when you do it by yourself, you know, like if you convince them by your own words by your own experience. So it was feelings like that. cases like that, that even with all the rejections and all the excuses? No, it’s people like that, that keeps you going or that that feeling that’s exciting feeling that? Yes, like, one life save? No, yeah, one life. How many more Filipinas to go on. Yeah, that yeah. So that’s, that was for me. What kept me going?

Gwen Lazarito 

Yeah. And that’s really that’s actually really great to hear that from you, Joe, because you started at 19 and being rejected at a very early formative age is very difficult and it’s easy to say, like I quit because you still have like, a lot of things going on for you. You graduated in a marketing course so there’s like a lot of avenues that you could have gone through and yet you stuck to it because you had your why and I think based on the the number of people that I’ve interviewed so far when I asked them like how did they power through because I I think like some financial advisors who wanted to try in the street would go out of the industry after one to two years right? Yes. Yes that that happens yes that happens because rejection is not something to be taken lightly for you clients out there is not easy being rejected and when you know that in your heart that you are like just giving them the opportunity for themselves you’re not really doing it for for you because you have just gone through a different industry who exactly pays bigger money

Jillian Vestil 

with stable and you know, over the years at first you know, of course you feel bad no should leave me or you know, things like that, or am I not skillful, etc. But it’s really not about us, it’s really about them. They it could be because they can’t afford no there could be that they want to get it but they don’t want to upset you. So they just say you know, I you know after a while, I just try not to take it personally and because of my practice of not taking it too personally. There are actually fruits to that as well. There are some people they take three years, four years, and then they decide, okay, God, I’m ready now to get. Imagine if I just showed that person away and will I’ve never gonna do again because yeah, we get from me or things like that it’s really a patient gave a patient and everything but but in the end, just a good adviser once told me that, you know, if you feel that way, then you lack activity. So just fill in the activity and you’re just gonna forget, you know, you forget that you’re going to forget to who rejected you, you have no time to feel sorry for yourself to be busy. So yeah, I I totally.

Gwen Lazarito 

And that’s actually one of the reasons why it was very difficult for me at times when I started as a financial advisor. What, because when you’re new, it’s actually pretty hard to not take it personally. And like, I thought you were my friend, or my own family member does not take me seriously.

Jillian Vestil 

Yeah, I, you know, I, for those who are listening, I worked with him and for a bit. So I owe her her wins and her losses, I’ve seen her and then she’s, she’s also really good. So I’m happy for her that she’s also now here. So I’m Congrats, grandma.

Gwen Lazarito 

Thank you, thank you. And it was, it was actually for me, this was a certain dip at this moment, because I knew early on that I actually wanted to teach and foreign people. But then when I met Christian, and he was very passionate about financial advice, and you know, financial independence, and I read all of his books about, you know, financial, personal finance management stuff. And then I got hooked into it. And that’s why I became a financial adviser as well. But I realized that there are actually other avenues in this industry that I can go to, yeah, which will enable me to help people as well. But can I can really bank on my strength. And so that’s why I’m here talking to you jails, just so that in the hopes of helping other financial advisors get better as well, you know, overcome their fear of rejection rejections, because it only takes a story, right? Yeah. If you feel down, and if a financial advisor was just new to the field, just here’s your story that wasn’t really easy to begin with. I know for a fact that, and I hope that this like episode helps someone. So that’s really the goal. Yeah. No, I wanted to ask as well, because, like 72 clients is not an easy feat to, to get. Now, how did you learn to embrace risk taking? Because I think that 72 clients is not just what like warm your warm market, right? Like I’m sure you already have, like, you’ve already gone through the deep end of the cold market as well. So how did you learn to embrace taking risk on like, contacting and getting to your cold market in order to get more clients or more prospective people to help?

Jillian Vestil 

Yes. My mom actually gave me an advice, a simple advice. She said, you know, you have to cross the threshold to know if it works or not. So what do I really mean? You know, it’s, it’s never easy to contact people you don’t know, it’s not easier to talk in big groups. Now. It’s easy to approach companies and say, Hey, you know, I offer free financial seminars for your employees, etc. It’s never easy, but I always tried to take off if I crossed that threshold, did I try it? Did I really put my best and if I, if I did it, then I can say, Okay, did it work? So if it didn’t work, okay, what’s the next step? So it’s always about did I try it? Did I cross that threshold? Did I reach that point? So if it’s like, again, you know, when you play a game, there are levels to make and you can’t have the levels unless you have a certain experience, right. So the same with facing reductions and getting more clients, you know, being a risk taker to reach more and more people. It’s always just did I tried this already did I cross the threshold when I meet someone popular like that. I’ve tried this popular affluent family, right? Yeah. Rich. And, and has a good connection. So I’m first I’m shy, like, Oh, she might not like me. But I crossed the threshold by first being a friend. So be a friend first, you know if the level another level. So that’s a new level, I didn’t know her but she became my friend. Another is I see what she’s she or he is interested in. He likes comics. So I tried to learn about comics, like, you know, working out if I share what working out likes yoga likes dogs, so I try to relate to them first. And then when I know that they’re comfortable with me, I really ask like, may I ask for a business meeting with you? That’s very short, then I will help you just pinpoint what are things that you may not have just realized? No. So some of them most of them will, are kind of they already have that mindset. I already know that. So I know that. I know, you already know. But there might be things that you just are not yet aware. So sure enough, when we do get an actual meeting, they are realizing that they are aware. And so you know, it usually goes that they ask for a proposal and discuss the proposal. Now. It doesn’t always mean they close now, it doesn’t mean they always buy, but it doesn’t mean. But it’s actually a win to myself that I I’ve crossed that threshold. At least I try. You

Gwen Lazarito 

know as in you’ve already like cleared that level. Yeah, exactly. Using your metaphor, right. And I think that’s really interesting. And I really like the metaphor that you use, because I believe in that as well. Like, you can’t really clear a level before you’re really good at it. Yes. Because if you still level Yeah, it gets hard. Yeah, yeah, it gets harder. And you might not even be the boss.

Jillian Vestil 

Yeah. No experience in the field is wasted. You never really know that. of some clients are harder, and some are easier. So if you without that experience, it’s really hard also to navigate through the game. So yeah, thank you for also agreeing with me that they’re really certain experiences. So when I’m feeling down, and I say, how come I can’t get a certain thing that I want? It could be the number of cases it could be my mdrt goals know what why can I reach it yet, then I just tell myself, it’s either I lacked the activity, or I just haven’t cross a certain like skill set or multiple this experience set. So I just tell myself that and I know eventually, you know, I can reach it now. I would just like to plug in, you know, all of this thing’s my experiences. ideas that come in, you know, I’m I am from a religious background. So I for sure cannot do this without the help of God. No. So if so, I just want to plug it in, because this really isn’t just me. Yes, that’s really not me. It’s if I wasn’t guided by the Holy Spirit, if I wasn’t, you know, given the strength to continue from God, then it’s really not for me. Now. That’s really like how you how you won’t have that spark that Oh, I love to teach. I know, not financial advice. I will I will play to my strengths. So the same as me that this was all guided, all guided by God. And I just want to mention him because everything is from him. So thank you, thank God, you know. So but yeah, that’s all everything is just patience experience. And let’s keep leveling up. Yes,

Gwen Lazarito 

that’s that’s a great hashtag. And I’m actually very, very, I’m very glad that you mentioned that this was a guidance from God or like, because I know that God uses people to help you. Right. And I know that you have undergone mentorship. Yeah. And So who are these people that that are current have got sent to you to to help you in your journey to become better to reach more clients are currently being mentored right now

Jillian Vestil 

still? Yes. Well, my number one mentor is really my mom. My mom and I work together so she really guides me in because I’m continuously learning and continuing getting better. I recently for 2020 I I recently updated, upgraded myself and became an investment specialist. Yeah. It was a tough year. Yes. Actually, that’s that’s to say it lightly right. I told myself I don’t want to regress, my sales may not be as the same but I want to upgrade myself so I took the time to learn more. So there are still concepts that I’m not so sure. So I asked my mom in an accountant by profession so she really explains to me and we learn together. So now we’re both health and nice.

Jillian Vestil 

It’s a it’s honestly also a fun journey with my mom, where a mother daughter tandem, so she’s also we give each other boosts in the sense that if one feels down other lifts the other one you know, it’s uh, it’s nice. It’s really great to have my mom as a mentor and a co worker. So that’s, that’s for one that’s my mom know, me in life and work and everything. Yes. So another one is also my branch head. Sir Tony, have his well, because he’s my branch had, he always teaches me because he has the most experience in the field. So that’s another one. And the third one, I would say, because mentorship is not only just about being in this industry is also my spiritual life. So there are people there. I’ll mention them. One is father Fidel was kanyon priest. He has really helped me through the journey because he was close friends with my dad. Okay, yeah, he, he just became a close friend. So he said, We don’t talk all the time. But when we do, it’s, it’s really great. So that’s one Father Fidel, and with his sister, Georgie, she’s a counselor. She really also she’s good at giving advice. She’s she she helped me through the process now. And her and her son so they’re really like her family. And her son, I only have mentors and mentors, so I really mentioned them because if it wasn’t also for their patience with me, it’s it’s hard to navigate know, it’s hard for the guidance. So it’s really true that God with the tragedy that happened to my dad gave companions help. helpers. No, he never he never left us alone. So these are the people that he brought, but I can’t really say for sure are my mentors now. Yeah. Yeah. If books that’s another story, but there’s a whole nother a whole nother level but lads that are sure. And I really will mention them here because they’re, you know, you there may be people also in your life that that are like that, too. You know, yes. helpers are not good helpers. And not really but you know that the guide so yes, definitely them for sure. And I have to mention my sister because she’s listening to this, she’ll be like, Oh, yeah, my sister.

Gwen Lazarito 

Because I’m, I ask mentorship from about mentorship from me, because I know that you have a really good support and mentors that have helped you. And because I know that there are some financial advisors here, and even outside of financial advisor, other people with other careers, who doesn’t really have mentors or are already good at their field, but they’re not actually mentoring other people as well. And I wanted to highlight what a great opportunity it is to have a mentor Yeah, and to mentor someone else as well because let’s face it, we can’t we no man is an island. You can’t do this alone. Exactly. And it’s just really it’s like, again, if we’re going to go through like the game metaphor. It’s like having that mushroom if you were Mario, right, yeah. It helps you become a better pastor. So yeah, that’s why I wanted to open up like the the topic around mentorship and I’m really glad that you have a lot of people there to help guide you not just in your career but also in others. Other aspects in your life because let’s face it, in order to become a financial advisor, assault, you have to be like a solid person as well, because as we talked about earlier, rejection is not easy to face. Yeah. And it takes like a really strong person and a really strong way in order to reach like, six years in this industry and actually, in every kind of industry that you really want to excel in, because let’s face it, the best way to, to do a really great job is to excel in it in your industry, right? Yes, yeah.

Jillian Vestil 

Yeah, better way. Yes. And I’m, you know, I, I currently have 72 clients, but I wish for more 100 you know, I want the 100 goals. So after 101 50 So, yeah, I am. Yeah, I may be six years, but I really am still continuously learning. You know, there’s still a lot left to learn. And I really just want to enjoy. No, I want to enjoy the process, as well as of course, earn. Everybody needs money. So, yeah. Yeah. So actually, when we earlier we talked about, right? The Why? Why are you here, you know, about our atmosphere, landscape, in the Philippines, their perception to the insurance and investment. So, you know, as six years has come by, I really do realize there are more and more people that are are asking, they’re asking already the question, yes. How do you do this? What is this? How do we get it? How much is it? No things? Those are crucial questions. So because of that, and I said, you know, what, because of people like Gwen and I, because we’ve been learning and sharing, there is an awakening. It’s not there are other, there are other people doing the job that people are growing. And then I thought about, like, there’s always that they always say, you know, I learned this when I was young, they always say Oh, yes, I would I was made to cetera. So that is why I’m in my works. Right now. I’m really trying to last year I started making financial seminars to teenagers. Teenagers, no, I’m making a sale. You know, honestly, I’m not, but I am practicing. I’m practicing with them as well. But if they get it, I’m sure adults can get it. So I really had to trim it down to three sessions. It’s called financial literacy for teens or finlandia. ins nor that I, I tested it out with my clients, children, so children, and then my sister’s friends. And then I ended up you know, I asked my best friends, you know, what, what can you market for me, like, show your service and then other people started to get, and then eventually evolve, it keeps evolving and evolving and evolving. So that’s what I meant about the experience. I opened that skill, so it opened up for other clients. They may not get now, but they might later. So it’s just a constant. re introduction, you know, everybody knows what basic financial means. Everyone knows about, you know, the needs really, of a human being but you just keep repeating. So repetition is gold. repetition. Key. So yeah, that’s why connect with what you said about mentor mentorship, you know, with, with the repetition and the mentorship. Wow, what the what the combo, right? Like you, you will really, you will really learn?

Gwen Lazarito 

Yes. Because the the problem here as well is that we have this traditional education system. And so financial education is not yet part of that system. And right, like, this is this way, like we have English and elementary, and then in high school and in college. That’s the whole the whole, the whole learning. We still have

Jillian Vestil 

wasn’t a financial being financially fit is not mentioned, but you know, at least we know what the mitochondria of the cell is. We know the parts of a flower but you know, it’s it’s it we evolved. So, yeah, you know, what we’re doing now are supplements of school. Not everything can be yes. But you can always learn Yeah,

Gwen Lazarito 

yeah. That’s what That’s why it’s actually very, it’s a really great idea that I got from you to actually educate as early as teenagers on financial. Because when they’re older, and they’re ready to, to invest, or to insure themselves to ensure their future families, their properties, it would be easier for them to, to know what to do, because someone had already taught them how to do it. Like I’m sure they’re going to recall it, but not all of the things that you say like, Yeah, right. Yeah, as long as you know, you keep posting as well, I’m sure because you’re for you have a marketing background that you’ve utilized social media, yes. it’s eventually going to get into the hurt their heads that I’m going to do this first. And then I have to do this,

Jillian Vestil 

right. Yes, exactly. And, you know, that’s, that’s the saying, right, the day you plant the seed is not the day you harvest the fruit. The same with what are what we’re doing in our industry, the day that we plant, the seed we talk we share is not also the day we harvest the food. So, but regarding again, about the there was this one teenager, she’s so smart. I really had to simplify, right? Everything because yes, teenagers are short, actually, people have a short attention span. So you have Yes, staying and porn and not boring, you know that. So that the pressure on me too, is I have to be fun. But I have to make sensible. So yeah, there was this one teenager? Who told her mom, sure, Mom, sure, Mom, I may not be able to afford yet of my investment, she said, but I’m giving you good grades. So that is how I am earning my keep. Wha. But, you know, it’s funny, because I never knew that they would have reactions, right? That they even go as far as also, like they assess, of course, they love to play video games. So they say, Oh, so meaning to say to like to buy, for example, an insurance, it will cost me like a whole video game a month, things like that. So like that. It’s really simple. You know? So yeah, so that’s why just just some of the things that I talked to them, but they are now having the conversations with their mom, ya know, so hopefully with their friends, it comes and goes, because when I asked teenagers, you know, what do you know about the financial system? And then they’re like, accounting? accounting, right? It’s it’s a whole much more so yeah, I’m just sharing because, because we are here to just educate. And these are the experiences that I encountered. Not just closing sales, no, in a lot of advisors just want to know, how do I close the sale? How do I do that? Maybe sometimes the way to close it is if you want their parents you go through the children,you Yes,

Jillian Vestil 

share first. a skill that, you know, I can teach your children. And then the the parents will always listen. So you never know. Like you can Yeah, that’s true. Yeah. So it starts with conversations. Yeah. So if the if you’re only in the industry, just just to close sales, sometimes you will get burned out. Because yes, some routes are meant to be not for the sales coming, I think upgrade yourself through the skills, or be creative and going through the children going through the grandparents let you know. So I’m just sorry, this is just in, in Filipino Chicka chicka this? Yes. We have. Yeah,

Gwen Lazarito 

that’s true. And that’s really great. Because I agree. It starts with conversations because I know that what happened to me was I never really got insurance, because whenever I would bring that up to my mom, yes, she would push back and say no, insurance is bad, they will just rip you off. And that happened for like 10 years because they used to have insurance. And then I guess the their insurance of financial advisor wasn’t as beautiful as they would have. Yes, so So nothing happened like they discontinue their insurance and never never took another one ever again and created like this negative connotation of what insurance really was. And that’s why 10 years later Christian came along, and we didn’t really, he didn’t really even like talk to me about like, financial financial advice. He was just like being really passionate about it. And we would Converse, like how good I was with money or how awful I was. And again, it just started with a conversation until I realized that, hey, I thought that because I was a solo parent, for how many years? And I thought I was really doing well with my money, because I didn’t have any debt. It turns out that I didn’t have any investments either. Yeah. And that’s, and I didn’t insure myself. So I’m, I was always fearful of what would happen to my family in case I pass on. Yeah. So. And I know that I’m not the only one who has those fears. And I know that, and that’s why we’re here because we need to help other Filipinos, especially Filipinos, because it’s what’s going to help our economy in the future. Yes. Right. And so because if there are lesser families who go into debt, because the breadwinner has passed on, then it’s just going to be a domino effect. And that’s why it’s this is we can’t stress this enough. We really,

Jillian Vestil 

yeah. And the common the common route for some Filipinos, and in case things like that, what you mentioned and I love your sentiment. Exactly. I’m like, Yes, yes. is they either go into debt, because they they borrow from their neighbor in debt. So there’s a very evil, or the out of pocket or, or they loan or they sell. So yeah, there’s really another option there, which is insurance. What are your I just would like to point out what you said about your parents that insurance is bad. I really just had that because my parents also before didn’t really, they didn’t, they didn’t say it was bad, but they didn’t get either. So it’s Well, luckily for us, luckily for so if you’re a Filipino and you’re listening to this, to be living now, in an age where our insurance landscape or our industry has greatly greatly greatly improve. No, yes, yes. Now we can get an investment with our insurance, when before there really was nothing like that. Now we have systems in place, especially with Well, I’m sure most companies have this now. You know, we go paperless. So there is no and there are strict bank protocols. There are strict receipt protocol. So you can an advisor really can get away with it. You know, they Yes, they they put systems in place where the problems of the past cannot be done now. Yeah, that’s why that you mentioned it is great that you mentioned that because now we’re saying, you know, erase it, that that was Yes, or Yes, it’s not. It’s not now. So, of course, everything is again, you know, it’s kind of common sense that you pick a company that that you’ve researched on rhythm has been there for years. You know, that’s that’s really common sense. But it’s just to highlight that it’s a great thing when that now the industry has greatly greatly improved. So which makes our job easier. Yeah, definitely doing better. So and to go back to you that you said that, you know, you didn’t you were you were prudent in your money, but you didn’t. Yes. Nice about the investment insurance portion. So that’s exactly why we have to keep talking, we have to guess if being a financial advisor you educating is because many people just forget that, you know, I always I always tell my millennial friends and you know, you’re never really an adult unless you get yourself insurance. Feel it like you’re an adult until you finally get that and you can really say yep, like volting now there’s alternative VA care. Oh, this is this is really so it’s funny because that’s the comment always the Oh, I guess I’m an adult now like it and and Alternatively, if you’re already someone who’s set in life and has a lot of money, but doesn’t have insurance, it’s still not a smart move for me, right? Definitely. Yes. I’m sure you can pay for off whatever debt you have. Maybe no but, but it’s still not the wisest More of the wise move is that you while you’re earning you still have your insurance so basically the magical component to all of this your peace of mind, you know you feel fearful you know, we don’t want to stress that right? It’s gonna ruin definitely. So here’s insurance that that you may want and I just want to also highlight that my mom and I are also believers that you can always upgrade you know, if 1000 passes passes for us 1000 vessels a month is still too big for you. Then there are others that are 500 600 right? So always get what you can afford an upgrade later doesn’t mean I want it’s really the magic only one you can always buy the most. So are speaking from experience I do have multiple policies but it doesn’t mean they’re all you know the deciding factor is really the best but the budget yes so it really doesn’t mean that you get one and that’s it. You have to constantly upgrade upgrade yes as your lifestyle great. Yeah, exactly. Correct. So you know if you’ve heard about this before, repetition is gold. So it’s Yeah, assign again, I guess that you’re hearing that, you know, this life is a constant upgrade the upgrade from your career. You also upgrade your coverage, you upgrade your skills, then you also upgrade your coverage. So yes, it’s a constant upgrading.

Gwen Lazarito 

That’s true. And again, going back to that game metaphors. Your your What do you call this year? Was that costume? Yeah.

Jillian Vestil 

The gamer? Like, oh, like okay, that’s just a famous game in the Philippines like Dota you know, you get the more experience you have more skills you can upgrade to better armor.

Gwen Lazarito 

Yes. And you don’t really say like, this armor is expensive, but I still want to buy it. It’s like you say it like this is an investment so that I can battle bigger bosses and do other stuff go to other places that I can go to before right? So yeah, the game metaphors like the perfect example.

Jillian Vestil 

Oh, yeah, yeah. Basically, is to any it applies to everyone. And then just not insurance also your investments, you know, yeah. Are you hitting what you like your wealth number? What is that wealth number that you’re gaining? So you know how people ask you like, Hey, how you do a good job. How you see it when people ask you that, is it a better conversation? Hey, what’s your wealth number? Oh, so, um, I know I asked this a lot to my clients know what’s your wealth number and like you What do you mean? Like, for example, what retirement what retirement goal Do you want you see is 500 million by the time you retire? And you’re laying chill? I don’t know. I don’t really know what what that is. And I said, you know, if you haven’t thought of your wealth number then your journey to wealth has not yet begun. Why are you just settling for anything else? Oh, yes, we return a 3 million by the time I retire. Okay, I guess that’s okay. You know, so um, it’s now if you know your wealth number, like for example 50 million by the time I retire vessels, vessels are retired. So you do everything in anything you can to to reach that you either instead of you know you know that phrase pay yourself now pay pay yourself later. First, actually, yeah, do that but investing in yourself buying investments, even if you feel like oh, like why are all my money in investments? Why isn’t there’s also insurance, but, you know, like, how come I’m not enjoying as much as my friends are? That’s a yes thing that my friends can go out to, to travel around or buy the latest things but but you as an investor is also vying for your future self. So yes, that’s why it’s really okay. You’re not alone. No, I’m also in that frame, right? Is like FOMO like financial. Well, yeah, that’s a that’s a that’s the correct term for it, but, but it’s okay because I’m working On my wealth number I am I have a goal to reach. Then as I reach that goal, I also have to increase income. Right. So, yeah, I’m just sharing a little snippet. No, I just realized I look at the minutes. I’m like, Am I making sense? Yes, you thank you for owning that in when Nona Yeah, the game of life? The it’s also a trickier game as an adult.

Gwen Lazarito 

Yes, yes, definitely. And because let’s face it, if you’re not living for a goal, it’s very hard to Oh, it’s very easy actually, to lose track exact. So that’s why a lot of Filipinos like go sidetrack with their finances, because they actually don’t have like this grand goal of what their ideal life really is, yes, it’s important that we, we as financial mentors, let’s say we’re financial mentors, we actually help them realize what those goals are, so that they can keep on track and get there faster, and even, you know, make their life a little better. Because we already know these things. And, you know, financial advisors, I think, actually just want to part, impart that knowledge to other people who don’t really know. Because let’s face it, again, let’s go back to that education system that we don’t have the financial literacy that we have, that we should be getting. So that is absolutely gold to be talking about. And again, it’s going back to the thing that we talked about that it starts with conversation. So I’m really glad that like, there’s people like you for, you know, fighting the good fight. And just, and I’m, and I’m also very happy to, to learn that you’re also like, open to growth, every time you’re upgrading yourself, because that’s how we become better financial advisors, we we have to be better first in order to to help our clients as well. So and which leads me to my next question, which is you achieved, I feel like you achieved a lot of things back in 2020, when everything was going asunder. Now, then, it seems like it’s like, hopefully looking up for the year 2021. Like, what are your goals for this year?

Jillian Vestil 

Well, okay, I just, I just really want 2021 to be way better than 2020 goals. Clear? No, but to be to really actualize it, I do want to hit my 100 target already my 100 client target. If you ask me about what is the priority, it’s the 100 target. And also, I want to upgrade because last year, I had my qualification, so I limited myself. Next is I want to use those qualifications to gain more clients so that I can hit mdrt. So Ah, yeah, it’s it’s an ongoing goal for me. You know, I I keep telling myself, you know, maybe it’s God hasn’t given it to me yet, because there’s still things I need to learn. So but I will, I am trying my best to reach it. And so that’s, that’s for the access side or the finance side. But also, you know, it’s kind of funny. It’s really kind of funny that you invited me to this podcast and I was even able to tell you my statistics in a way because I really got to sit down this year to build the brand to build my brand further. So I do have a like page called firm roots financial. So first roots, financial, why is it called that? Because my mom and I are the first Born’s Ah, yes and right we give the best the first fruits to our Lord. So we tried to give our very best to any liar. Whether the super mega rich client or an ordinary Filipino, it doesn’t it doesn’t matter we give our best. So first fruits, so I, I do want to build the brand and I want to build on my series for the financial literacy for teens. So you know, it’s, it’s, I know what you feel about. It’s really not easy to build a YouTube channel but you know, you have to do it because more and more people are in No, it’s even more now about the about social media, especially YouTube. I have to I just have to jump the gun. So I’m crossing that threshold as well. Or that. Yeah. So I’m sharing that the really thing so that there are many people who do that there are many people on YouTube who do that. But it’s really just about what are what is content that is worthwhile. No one has the content that I want to share. That’s not repetitive, or I’m sorry. But I mean, like, it’s something new. So wish me luck on that. Because yes, definitely goal. That basically, that’s my goal for 2020 ones.

Gwen Lazarito 

Oh, that’s awesome jail. So again, that’s another level up. And I know that actually, I think having a YouTube channel is really great for financial advisors, especially because there are other clients who say no to you know, maybe it’s because they’re like, they don’t have the budget. It’s not really on their mind. Some even like, don’t trust you yet. Yeah, that much yet. Yeah. But having that type of content out there and just being consistent about it. Yes, it actually really helps. Yes, it builds the like, no. Trust in the marketing language is like no trust of the person. Yeah. Or brand. And it’s really helpful. I’m so happy that you have that really, really clear goal for 2021. And I’m sure you nail it. Yeah. Yeah. I hope the Lord gives it to me as well. Yes, yes. All in good time. All in his time. Yeah, that’s very true. Yeah. So Oh, my gosh, Jill, this has turned into a really great, like, one hour.

Jillian Vestil 

I think, you know, for having me and I really had a good time. And, you know, I sometimes I’m like, I thought this comes and I’m just like, when when this has to be mentioned Oops, like,

Gwen Lazarito 

I did, you know, so you know, you’re having fun when you don’t even realize an hour has almost passed. I know. I know. And it’s really it’s really great to have this conversation is it’s always refreshing to hear and I really like your ideas as well on because you are the next generation right? So this is actually really like great ideas that you have a really fresh and and it’s really nice that you’re targeting the newer generations. Right now. What we say in vernacular, the Bhagavad towball Yeah. That’s where it starts. What was that song? It’s like Whitney Houston song. I believe that children Oh, my God, I was about to sing.

Jillian Vestil 

Yeah, yeah. But yeah, that’s true. The they are the future. So and we used to be the we used to be the ones called the futures so yes, future is now we are you know, they’re, they’re stuck but not on honestly, it’s actually easier supposedly easier for us. Because we all have these tools, podcasts, no and everything. YouTube videos mean literally a lot. And then you have to bank on it.

Gwen Lazarito 

That’s what I know. Right? So that’s why I’ve really that was very interesting when it first he said that you you, you do seminars for teenagers, and now you’re planning to start a podcast and that’s really great. And I will definitely, definitely put those details in the description box of our podcast so that people can check it out. But again, thank you so much for being in the show Jill and I really love me Yeah, yes. So much. I’m might just invite you for more podcasts. Oh, yes,

Jillian Vestil 

I’m very open and you’re you’re really a great person when so I’m Haha, yes.

Gwen Lazarito 

Thank you so much. So right. Again, ladies and gents. listening to us today we have Jillian visto. Thank you so much for listening to the x y advisor Southeast Asian podcast. Until then, have a good one. Have a Bye Bye, everyone.