When asked what makes our firm stand out, we simply say that Bridgewell Financial is powered by extraordinary people. Their dedication to excellence, their commitment to our clients’ success and their passion for giving back to the community have helped our firm achieve success over the years. No matter their role, our team members are laser-focused on helping clients achieve financial wellness by leveraging the right insurance, wealth and financial planning or group benefits solutions for their needs.
In the third installment of our Meet the Bridgewell Team blog series, we’d like to introduce you to one of our frontline team members—Client Service Leader Jessica Thompson—whose professional expertise and passion are on display with every client interaction. Over the past four years, Jessica has played an important role at Bridgewell as one of our lead client liaisons, handling everything from account management to service coordination with our partner firms. In this interview, Jessica provides an overview of her career path, outlines her passion for giving back and explains why she feels Bridgewell is a unique place to build a career.
Can you provide a few details about your professional background?
I have a lot of experience in different administrative roles. I’ve worked as an executive assistant at a handful of large-sized companies, including a financial services firm where I managed a team of administrative staff. I also served as an executive assistant and office manager at a publicly traded technology company.
Earlier in my career, I worked in retail for about a decade and was able to build extensive management and HR experience. That’s where I really grew to love working directly with clients. I realized that I have good personal skills and can pick up on clients’ needs quite quickly. I was able to carry those skills from retail to management to administration.
What brought you to Bridgewell?
I was in the middle of a career transition during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic when I was presented with an opportunity to meet two of the partners at Bridgewell, so I took it. I was really impressed with the professionalism of the interview; in fact, it was the best interview I’d ever done. I knew what kind of person they wanted, and they were willing to teach me about insurance and other parts of our business. I think they really appreciated my interpersonal and communication skills.
From the time I started with the firm, I noticed there was a general sense of comfort because we genuinely enjoy working with each other. Our partners are open to ideas and let me explore opportunities to give back to the community, which is one of my greatest passions.
By the end of my first year at Bridgewell, it was evident that it was a company where we all strive to make excellence our baseline, enjoy ourselves and work to benefit people that are less privileged than we are.
How do you support Bridgewell on a daily basis?
I started out at Bridgewell by learning the individual insurance side of the business, before becoming the point person for Salesforce, while gathering knowledge and building relationships with case coordinators and individuals across our partner firms. That’s also meant building relationships with clients, providing answers to their questions and delivering support as needed.
I love our industry, my job and the people I work with. It’s very rewarding. I can see how the right professionals and financial solutions can deliver game-changing results. Every day we help our clients navigate subject areas that for them may be challenging—group benefits, insurance and wealth and financial planning—making it approachable and setting up their families for long-term success.
What do you think is unique about Bridgewell’s service offering and culture?
We care about our clients, each other and our community. We really go above and beyond to help our clients take their well-being to the next level by helping them make smart financial decisions. Then as a firm, we try to give back in the most meaningful ways possible. It feels like we’re making a real difference in people’s lives, which makes it a pleasure to come to work every day.
What do you like to do away from the office?
My fiancé Oliver and I are getting married in Ireland in July and we’re currently planning our wedding, so that’s taking up a lot of time. Beyond that, I enjoy spending time with my family, working out, and hanging out with Oliver and our cat, Helen Mirren.
The Bridgewell team
For assistance with your wealth and financial planning, insurance or group benefits planning needs, contact a member of our team today.
