Often we have this perception of “woman at the top.” They don’t have kids. Or if they do, they must be willing to sacrifice so much of it for their career.

What if that wasn’t how it had to be? Well, it’s certainly not the case for Jean LaTorre. Jean talks about her rise from a family that had trouble making ends meet to becoming the Chief Investment Officer for a Fortune 50 company. And how she did that while remaining true to herself and her family.

Erin Hatzikostas interviews Jean LaTorre, former Chief Investment Officer and Corporate Economist of Aetna and the current Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Guardian.

Erin asks Jean how she started her career, and what she was like when she was younger. Jean talks about how she grew up “more than modest” in New York, sometimes struggling for rent or surviving on food stamps. After a poignant moment when her mom wasn’t able to pay for Jean’s health care incident, Jean decided she would make sure she could always “make ends meet.”

She went to college and although English was her passion, she coupled that degree with a major in business. It was “practical”, she says.  She then started her career in the investment world and continually worked her way up the corporate ladder, progressing from one strong position to another.

Erin reflects on a time Jean inspired her with a speech at a women's conference, with words that have stuck with Erin to this day, “I like being a girl.”

Erin asks Jean to discuss tough managers and colleagues, and share some advice on how to deal with the more difficult of your work acquaintances.

Have you ever been passed by for an opportunity because your boss thinks you would be too stressed to handle the kids and the work? Or maybe you were in a car accident and your bosses only reply is "get here and get your head in the game".

Well, that happened to Jean. So yeah, she has a few tips and tricks on how to handle it.

Next, Erin asks Jean to give some advice for the working moms out there - what kind of boundaries to put up between work and home. Jean says, “Stop beating yourself up, there's no one right way to do something.”

They move on to discuss what drives Jean to work with different organizations, such as PRIDE, the LGBTQ+ Community at Guardian.

She reminisces on when she became Chief Investment Officer... in January 2008, so, that was a hard year. Then she gives her take on the current economic and social situation.

Erin talks about writing her book, and how to get around telling truthful stories without hurting the people involved. This opens an opportunity for Jean and Erin to share funny stories they’ve both experienced as it relates to the workplace that they think would go well in a book.

Connect with Jean on Linkedin

If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie  

To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: [email protected] 

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DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.

Tweetable Comments

• "I had this fear. I had to always make ends meet."

• "You have to leave your comfort zone. You could stay in your comfort one, but then you won't expand."

• "No matter where I was, I thought I was at the top of my game."

• "I really like being a girl."

• "In family responsibility, more than 50% lies with the woman."

• "Don't assume."

• "When I'm at work I need to be present at work, and when I’m at home, I need to be present at home."

• "Stop beating yourself up."

• "When I'm gone someday and my children talk about me, I want them to say 'my mother loved me.'"

• "An important part of being involved in communities you're not a part of is that you can serve as an ally."

• "What breaks my heart is the story of a child that doesn't feel loved."

• "Is she the pretty one or the smart one? I still don’t know which one I was to this day."