Katie Wei

When I was ten years old, I knew that I would like to be a teacher or singer when I grew up. Even though I did not end up pursuing a professional teaching or singing career, the essence of teaching and musical pursuit is always part of my life. Teaching is a form of knowledge sharing and I have always enjoyed knowledge sharing and idea exchange with others. In terms of musical pursuit, I was in school band and choir from elementary school through high school and formed my own band after developing a successful career in finance. I have functioned as a coach to my direct reports at work and also through my mentor role at a non-profit career accelerator in New York. Throughout my career in finance and investments working across global macro investing, portfolio management, derivatives, and more recently hospitality investments at firms such as AQR, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, I learned how to make decisions under pressure, think strategically, and navigate highly competitive environments. While I genuinely enjoy the intellectual side of investing, I have also always known that work alone was never going to define me completely. Outside of finance, music has been an important part of my life. I write and compose pop and jazz fusion music because it gives me a different kind of energy and fulfillment, that is creative, emotional, and deeply personal. For me, music is not separate from my professional life as it is part of what keeps me grounded and connected to who I am outside of titles, performance metrics, and career milestones. Moreover, the creativity and intuition I have developed through my musical activities have helped me solve challenging problems at work. Taking a step back from a situation and reconnecting with a creative mental flow often brings greater clarity and leads to solutions naturally. That combination of logical thinking and tapping into subconscious and creativity really shapes how I approach coaching. I understand what it feels like to pursue ambitious goals while also trying to build a life that feels meaningful and authentic. A lot of people, especially those on Wall Street, feel pressured to fit themselves into one version of success, but I believe people are far more multidimensional than that. Through coaching, I want to help others navigate their careers with more confidence and clarity while also giving themselves permission to pursue the parts of life that make them feel fully alive.