Dennis Long graduated from York College of Pennsylvania in 2018 with a B.S. in Finance. Since then, he has been a Financial Planner for Equitable Advisors/Karr Barth Associates, a financial advising institution in Bala Cynwyd, PA, where he was promoted to Vice President in April 2021.
What Made You Choose to Pursue A Degree in This Field?
My personal interest in the stock market and the impact money has on people's lives. I wanted to pursue a career where I could help people financially but do it the right way; I unfortunately lost my father suddenly as a junior at YCP, and learned firsthand what happens when a family doesn’t plan properly financially.
Describe A Typical Day on The Job.
As a Vice President, I am actively building a team of advisors who I coach, mentor, and develop into the next generation of top advisors here at our company and within the industry. I am also very active as an advisor, and work closely with families helping them navigate areas such as retirement planning, strategic investing, insurance planning, tax management, and much more.
I prospect new clients, work on existing client cases and strategies focused on financial planning, coach new advisors, and help to run the day-to-day of the organization.
How Have You Used Your York College Education Since Graduating?
I’ve applied the leadership skills I learned in and outside of the classroom in the organizations I was a part of, including Karr Barth Associates. Time management and leadership qualities learned being in leadership roles in both my fraternity and the Student Managed Fund at York have also aided me.
What is Most Challenging About A Career in This Field?
Stepping into the uncomfortable 'unknown.' We are responsible for building our practice with the help and support of the parent company and organization of Equitable, but your success comes down to your productivity, discipline, and execution. It can be difficult, yet very rewarding.
What Do You Like Best About Your Career?
The relationship building. I've always been a people person, and the ability to put those strengths forward every day and see a real impact on people's lives—both clients and advisors—is really incredible.
In a world that’s flooded with so much information around finances, things get cloudy and people are often blindly sold products. In my role now, I can guide and consult with my clients to make sure they’re making the right decision. As a leader, I also really enjoy being able to coach new advisors as the person I used to be—making sure they reach success with their own clients and reach their fullest potential within their careers.
What Advice Would You Have For A Student Who is Just Starting Out in This Major?
Continue to think about yourself in five years and make decisions based off that. Do not let society, even friends and family to an extent, dictate what is right or wrong for you. Only you know that path, and you may need to gain some uncomfortable experience to learn what is best for you and your future. While they may be right in a lot of cases, you have to become engaged and connected with your own passion and trajectory you see for yourself for the long haul.
