When asked what drew them to the G2 program, many applicants call out their familiarity with Philip Palaveev, the CEO of The Ensemble Practice and leader of the Leadership Institute. His reputation piqued their interest: Whether they heard him speak at an industry event, listened to him on a podcast or read one of his recent articles or books including, “G2: Building the Next Generation.”

And if you ask any G2 graduate what they took away from the program outside of relevant job skills, they will likely share a laugh about Philip’s Bulgarian proverbs and boxing anecdotes. The best and the brightest in the industry seek out the G2 program because of his gift for storytelling paired with his decades of industry knowledge.

But the success of the program is built on a strong team of respected coaches – not one person alone. The G2 Institute is like any great team. Philip is the head coach surrounded by industry leaders with an abundance of knowledge, experiences, and insights to create a winning team.

Introducing the G2 Learning Institute coaches:

We had the opportunity to sit down with our coaches so you can get to know a bit more about them for yourselves!

What is the best piece of career advice you ever received?

Tim: It was only implicitly “advice”; it was delivered as a complaint.  Many years ago, early in my career, I presented some planning advice, with (in retrospect) incomplete and only flimsy support.  The very savvy, and very important client said, tersely: “Not good enough!”.  I think I simply fell silent, and my pause indicated that the message registered.  I deserved that 3-word response but was NEVER going to deserve it again.  I would always be driven to go deeper and further, until all the potential alternatives were considered, and all the addressable obstacles were put to rest.  That pursuit of excellence…not just “good enough” …permeated the culture of the entire firm going forward.

Susan: A professor in one of my graduate programs said, “there is no such thing as work if you love what you do.”  These words have served as a litmus test throughout my career.

Stacey: When choosing leadership vs. a career as an advisor, I was asked if I want to directly impact 150 clients or indirectly impact 1000's. My role now skews towards indirect impact through training and development of team members who take excellent care of our clients. I've never regretted that choice!

What is your favorite part of being a G2 coach?

Susan: I received my Doctor of Education EdD. in 2011 and, by night, was teaching Strategic Leadership in the MBA program at Dominican University of California.  While I absolutely believe an MBA is worthwhile, I realized that the Ensemble Practice G2 Leadership program was going to be a great way for the next generation of people in financial services to get a similar education focused directly on their industry.  From that moment on I was “in.”  There are many things I really enjoy about being a G2 coach, but I think my favorite is interacting with the next generation of people in our industry and realizing how incredibly talented they are!  The future is in good hands!

Stacey: I love the concept of "paying it forward" and am very grateful for the impact this program had on my career. Being "G2" myself, I feel I can truly relate to the participants and in many cases, I'm growing side-by-side with colleagues in the program.

Tim: Learning from the participants; getting energized by their enthusiasm.

Outside of work, you’ll find me…

Stacey: I love to paddle board. There is nothing like being in the middle of a lake with mountains surrounding you and nowhere to be.

Susan: Skiing, biking, traveling, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and giving back to my
community wherever I can.

Tim: I love to travel, make and appreciate art, read, write, study history and science, run, bike, spend as much time as possible with my wife and friends.

So, whether you heard about the G2 program because of Philip or a co-worker, rest assured that you will be in the presence of a winning team who will impart wisdom and experiences to help drive your career forward along the life lessons you will pass on to the next generation.

You can learn more about the G2 program here.