When Kris Liacopoulos was an undergraduate, she wanted to be a teacher.
But through some fateful twists and turns, she’s had a successful career in the world of finance.
Liacopoulos has worked for Fidelity Investments Utah for about 19 years, with a few years in other careers interspersed. She started at Fidelity as a representative answering customer phone calls and worked her way up to her current position of Senior Vice President/General Manager.
She earned her undergraduate from the Eccles School and earned a graduate degree that focused on human resources.
And, Liacopoulos says, she’s realized she has in fact become a teacher — just in way completely different from what she initially planned.
She recently shared advice for women who are thinking about making business their profession.
Network. “The Eccles School helped me clearly understand the power of relationship-building and networking because people from the school have continued to be important to how my career developed,” she said.
Hard work pays off. “The research orientation and the academic rigor, particularly in graduate school, prepared me for everyday life — lots of multitasking, lots of balls in the air without letting anything drop through the cracks,” she said.
Widen your perspective. “Take a broad view of how you can contribute your passion and talent,” she said. Liacopoulos has taken her passion for teaching and applied it to her role as a leader and executive.
Be bold. “Explore options that aren’t immediately apparent,” she advises. “Take risks and you’ll end up with a fantastic career like I have with Fidelity Investments.”
What professional lessons have you learned from your Eccles Experience?