Solution-oriented Camille Steer loves life

CAMILLE Steer, senior corporate manager, JMMB Fund Managers, talks this week about her life, career, and her purpose.

AW: How would you introduce yourself to the world?

CS: I am jovial, solution-oriented person who loves life. I believe I am here to serve with passion, love and lots of heart. I believe that a part of my purpose is to cause positive change in my community, Jamaica and indeed the wider Caribbean, by educating and uplifting people through financial literacy.

AW: Describe your first job?

CS: My first job was as a management trainee, which saw me being exposed to several facets of banking operations including client care, capital markets, loans, frontline and back office support. I later transitioned to being a client relations officer for a trust company, where I managed a portfolio of superannuation (private pension arrangement) funds for companies. This is where I was introduced to the world of pension and my passion was cultivated.

AW: How do you define success?

CS: Success for me can be summed up by the popular statement made by John F Kennedy, a former US president, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”. Underpinning this concept of success for me is the foundation set by my parents who consistently taught me a sense of purpose and how to operate with integrity, love, kindness and faith. Therefore, my success is defined by my why (purpose), whereby I aim to leave a positive impact on each person I interact with, while living intentionally about achieving my goals and genuinely appreciating every moment of life. Success therefore shows up in my appreciation of the simplest of activities, such as going for a walk with family, volunteering and social activism.

AW: What would you say is the root of your resilience?

CS: The solid upbringing of my parents laid the foundation for my resilience, combined with my passion to make a positive difference. My father always said, “the heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they while their companions slept were toiling upward in the night” and my mother complemented him by reminding me that each generation has to be better than the previous one, so that our country will be better. Therefore, even when the journey is challenging, grit unlocks the best in me to keep pushing to fulfil my purpose with passion.

AW: Tell us about a work project you’re most proud of, and why.

CS: I am most proud of leading the development of the ABC retirement planning framework, which is a roadmap for people to help individuals achieve their retirement planning goals through simple, targeted financial education that meets their needs. I am in the process of adding the final touches with the support of my JMMB team, to an online platform that will also enhance the retirement planning framework that is in place. Admittedly this has been a very exciting, though challenging project, with even more to come. I look forward to seeing the impact that it will have as we roll out this additional piece of the puzzle.

I am truly delighted to also lead a team of dedicated professionals in delivering the importance retirement planning message in a dynamic way through several mediums, whether financial education articles, videos, workshops and more, which form a part of the JMMB retirement planning approach.

AW: What do you love most about your work?

CS: In my role as senior corporate manager at JMMB Fund Managers, I love interacting with clients and seeing them grow, I get personal satisfaction when I see them get that ‘light bulb moment’ and I know that I have touched at least one person. Equally important for me is the great team I have, especially my immediate team, JMMB Fund Managers (JMMBFM), which has been dubbed, the “Big Deal” team, because we have a culture of possibility thinking everyday, their support makes the role more enjoyable. Additionally, I appreciate the personal growth that is fostered at JMMB, allowing me to be creative and use my love language of service to others. Every idea I have taken to my JMMB FM team has been met with a willingness to explore and examine what is possible. It is an environment that has encouraged me to bloom and grow.

AW: What is your advice to young women to succeed in a career in your field?

CS: For success in the field of retirement planning and sales, it is critical that you have a vision of the impact you want to have, write down your goals, plan and execute. Additionally find a tribe, whether family, friends or your team, that will support you along your journey because the results may not always be immediate, but it will be worth it. As a bonus, the right attitude will determine your altitude, complemented by genuine care, as this endears you to people.

AW: Why do you have a passion for retirement planning?

CS: I have a passion for retirement planning because the numbers from the Financial Services Commission and the wider Caribbean speak volumes about the gap in our population and I know the debilitating impact of failing to adequately plan. To put this in context, there is low pension coverage, with less than 12 per cent or no more than 144,000 Jamaicans of the 1.2 million in the workforce being a part of a private pension plan; despite public and private financial education initiatives. As a society, we do not prioritise the later years and this is reflected in a lack of focus on retirement planning and the way we treat elderly people in our communities. Structural and significant policy change is required if there is an economic or social mandate to improve the quality of lives of our citizens, and it needs to be done with a sense of urgency. It is against this background that my passion is fuelled for retirement planning, because I want to actively play my part by adding my voice to improve financial literacy for Jamaicans and increase the body of knowledge through my doctoral thesis, in an effort to help to influence policy and other programmes that can improve the quality of our lives during retirement

AW: What does your role as senior corporate manager entail?

CS: As senior corporate manager, I focus on client partnerships for all pension clients, engagement and client education for our unit trust clients, in addition to property management for JMMB FM real estate projects. My most satisfying, challenging and motivating role is leading a team of dynamic sales and service officers in serving the needs of our clients. My team inspires me to do more and grow, and I am humbled to serve them and lead with heart.

AW: What is one of the biggest myths about retirement planning that you would want to dispel?

CS: The biggest myth I would want to dispel about retirement planning is that you can put this off and wait until later, after you have accomplished your other goals. The time to act is now, no matter how small your contribution, so that you can take advantage of the “compounding effect” of increasing your return exponentially over time. Delay is danger. I also want to remind individuals that retirement planning is probably the only financial goal that you are not able to borrow to achieve, therefore it is critical to invest in your future now.

AW: What message would you give to your younger self?

CS: I would tell my younger self to worry less and be patient with your progress, whether in your personal or professional life. The mission and timing is guided by God and when you work hard, work smart and have faith, it will unfold in due course.

AW: What do you do when you’re not working?

CS: When I am not working, I am focused on completing my doctor of business administration at the Mona School of Business and Management, UWI. My thesis is focused on the impact of pension savings on financial development and economic growth. In my downtime, I also enjoy exploring hidden gems in Jamaica and just basking in the beauty of this little island I call home, or on occasion I travel.

AW: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

CS: I am a simple girl whose appetite can be satisfied with chicken, prepared in any style, rice and peas, topped with vegetables, slice of pear and paired with a glass of lemonade.