Whether you recently graduated college or are looking to further your education later in life, there are many paths to choose ahead of you. CFA, MBA, or CFP – what does it all mean? BBH relationship managers Michael O'Connor, Brooke Royer, and John Stevenson break down their experiences pursuing a post-grad financial designation.

Designations at a glance:

Enhancing your qualifications is an excellent way to broaden your skills and expand your network. What drove you to pursue a CFA, CFP, or MBA? Did you have any experience in the financial industry when you decided to take this step?

John Stevenson, CFA: There are three reasons that I chose to pursue the CFA. First, I had a lot of great role models and senior relationship managers in our office who were CFAs. They were the ones who really made me consider it. Second, I thought there would be a direct benefit for career progression by allowing me to speak with more authority about our investment strategies and philosophy. Third, I had heard that it was a difficult test with a low pass rate. I love a challenge, so I thought it might be fun. Prior to taking the CFA exam, I had been working at BBH for three months.

Brooke Royer, CFP: I had been working in the industry for a few years before I decided to pursue the CFP®, and much of the motivation came from seeing senior advisors and mentors I respected hold the designation. It became clear that the CFP® represented both a high professional standard and a deeper commitment to serving clients thoughtfully and comprehensively.

I wanted to build a stronger technical foundation and become more effective in client conversations beyond the knowledge I had gained through my undergrad business coursework and what I had learned thus far in my career. The designation offered a structured way to develop expertise across all aspects of financial planning, while giving me more confidence to effectively communicate my knowledge to clients, grow within the industry, and expand my professional network. 

Mike O’Connor, MBA: I was always personally motivated to pursue further education and credentials. Early on in my career, I knew that I was interested in pursuing an MBA. While I had experience in the financial industry working at BBH since undergrad, I valued the idea of gaining a more holistic skillset across various areas of business and different industries. I wanted to leverage my MBA to further develop in my career at BBH in a variety of ways, including broadening my network and sharpening my leadership and management skills.

Outside of the direct applications to my current role, I valued an MBA as an opportunity to gain exposure to industries of interest to me. At NYU we were allowed three concentrations, and mine were sustainable business and impact investing, strategic management, and entrepreneurship. I am hopeful that, outside of the general management curriculum, I can use these concentrations in my current day-to-day as well.

At the end of the day, I felt that a degree is something that cannot be taken from me as I grow in my professional and personal life – this notion drove me to finally apply to business school.

How did your career change after receiving this designation? What areas of your professional life grew the most?

John: It's a long process. Typically, it's at least three years, so I didn't use it as a career pivot, but more of an acceleration for the path that I was already on. It was helpful in allowing me to speak with clarity and expertise to our clients, who are often folks that have been investors for decades. It helped amplify the experience I was gaining in the workplace.

Brooke: Earning the CFP designation has enhanced my professional credibility and expanded my role within client relationships. It strengthened both my technical knowledge, particularly in investments, tax, insurance, retirement, and estate planning, as well as the trust clients place in me as an advisor upholding a fiduciary standard.

The knowledge I have gained has allowed me to be more proactive and creative in more complex planning conversations, which I find to be the most fun and fulfilling part of the job. I just received my CFP® designation this spring, so I am excited to continue to see how the experience shapes me professionally!

Mike: I think I have grown as a leader, manager, and team player within the firm at BBH. I left NYU with a stronger and more diverse network of peers, and a strong alumni community. Many people say that BBH is a “206-year-old start up,” and I know that my coursework in entrepreneurship has helped me understand how I can raise my hand and help the firm continue to grow. I look forward to getting involved as much as I can as BBH continues to innovate.

Each designation can take hundreds of hours of study. How do you manage coursework while working a full-time job?

John: Some people try to study a little bit before and after work each day. Personally, I took a few months and basically shut down on the weekends. That’s what worked best for me. The CFA program offers a lot of supporting study materials. Focusing on the practice tests was the fastest way to learn.

Brooke: In order to earn the CFP designation, you must complete a CFP Board Registered educational program, pass a comprehensive exam, and meet the board’s work experience requirement. I enrolled with Dalton Education for their 10-month course, where I attended class two nights a week online for two to three hours and dedicated additional time to midterms/exams and a final capstone project. The real work ramped up once I completed the course and had three months to review the coursework and study for the exam.

The honest answer is that the study period required extraordinary self-discipline, organization over my schedule, and commitment even when motivation ebbed. While I mostly dedicated time to the educational program in the evenings after work, I switched to early-morning study sessions before work and this proved to be the single most productive habit. My mind was sharpest in those early hours in a quiet office conference room. Weekends were dedicated to practice questions and full simulated exams to prepare me for the big day. My close friends, family, and team at BBH were so supportive during this time and understood that I had to make studying a main priority in my life.

Mike: I was lucky that NYU Stern offered their full-time MBA curriculum to working professionals who wanted to take the courses at night and on weekends. With the support of my team at BBH, I was able to take on both. For me, a typical week included two three-hour sessions from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as a Saturday course from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. It forced me to hold myself accountable and responsible for my “day job,” my “night job,” and “everything else” (fitness, sleep, family, and friendships).

In addition to the degree, the MBA program taught me invaluable lessons in time management and organization. It also shaped my perspective on intentionality and prioritization.

For someone unsure of the right path for them, can you give us a brief overview of the content you covered in your program?

John: There are lot of ethics, quantitative analysis of asset valuation, fixed income, equity and alternatives, economics, and a few others. Personally, my favorite subject was equity valuation. It felt most relevant to the topics I was discussing at BBH through our internal strategies. That was very helpful.

Brooke: The CFP curriculum is comprehensive by design and intended to certify competency across the full spectrum of financial planning, including financial planning & ethics, investment planning, insurance & risk management, tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning.

What distinguishes the program is its focus on integrating all these disciplines into real-world client scenarios. This is also what makes the designation particularly relevant to professionals in client-facing wealth management roles.

Mike: Most MBA programs have countless concentrations to choose from and you can carve the path that is most interesting to you. I took classes on everything from climate and venture investing, ESG in investing, how to run a business sustainably, organizational behavior, handling conflict, how to run a team, raising capital, and how to start your own business. The latter two topics were most interesting when I think about the work our Corporate Advisory & Banking team does with private businesses.

What advice would you give to an individual who is thinking about pursing the CFA, CFP, or MBA? Be honest: was it worth it? 

John: If you have a natural interest in financial markets and want to deepen your skill set, or if you enjoy a challenge, it's a great program. I look back on the experience very fondly, but I'm also glad I no longer need to find 300 hours to study. It’s worth it, but the sooner you do it, the better.

Brooke: For me, the CFP was absolutely worth it. It strengthened my technical foundation, increased credibility with clients, and expanded the level of responsibility I’m trusted with today. If your work is client facing and planning oriented, the CFP designation is arguably the most directly applicable and recognized credential in the field. I feel more confident and prepared to serve clients at a higher level, and I would encourage anyone that is serious about the industry to pursue it.

Mike: I thought it was worth it! I would not trade the experience I had, the network I’ve started to build, and the knowledge I’ve gained over my time pursuing my MBA. It is a degree that I can carry with me throughout my career, and I am confident it will continue to help me make an impact as a relationship manager and aspiring leader at BBH.

For anyone considering getting an MBA or pursuing any further education, my advice would be to thinking meaningfully about your “why.” Seek out advice from others in your personal and professional life that have pursued these opportunities, then formulate your own pros and cons for this type of decision. Once you have conviction in your decision, go for it full steam ahead!