Claire Thornton

In her “scenic route” career path, Claire Thornton discovered that financial planning was her “Goldilocks” fit, having found RIAs and wirehouses to be either too hot or too cold.

Now Thornton, 29, has crafted a career stepping stone that speeds aspiring advisors’ own Goldilocks moments.

She’s quick to say that the idea of a “resident” is being piloted at a few other firms, too. The position is modeled after medical residency: Associate planners join the firm with the expectation that the three-year program will give them a structured cycle of developmental experiences in the process of supporting a senior planner.

In a way, she’s crystallizing some of the career role modeling she observed in her father and two brothers, who all have careers in finance. “I saw how much joy my dad had in his career,” Thornton said. “Sometimes you have to learn what you don’t love to find that what you do love exists.”

To make the Inspired Financial residency best in class, Thornton weaves in current best practices for advancing underrepresented talent. For instance, residents are paired with firm leaders who look for capabilities that merit advocacy within the firm and with clients — in corporate terms, executive sponsorship.

The residency program demands a lot of firm leaders, too, because they’re investing in individuals, not necessarily in the firm’s own talent pipeline. “We’ll put everything we have into you and we’ll help you land a role that you’re excited about,” Thornton explains. “Even if that isn’t with us.”

—Joanne Cleaver