Meet the Team: Mila Lavoie

Mila Lavoie joined the Yeske Buie team at the end of June as Project Administrator in our San Francisco office. As Project Administrator, Mila oversees a variety of internal projects and provides support to our growing team in pursuit of our goals. Prior to joining Yeske Buie, Mila worked for Standard Pacific Capital LLC as a Research Assistant to multiple investment analysts. Mila is passionate about being her best self at work every day to provide exquisite service to our team and our Clients. In this edition of Meet the Team, Mila shares the unique strengths she adds to the team and how she has connected with the Yeske Buie culture in her first few months with the team.

In your role as Project Administrator, how do you assist Yeske Buie’s Clients?

• As Project Administrator, I assist our Clients on the backend by making sure things in the firm run smoothly. One project I enjoy helping with is managing our sports ticket program. I help to ensure everyone who wants to go to a game gets to and that the tickets are received on time. I also help greet Clients and make sure they feel comfortable in the office. If a Client calls in, I help answer their question to the best of my ability or help direct them to someone who can answer their question. I also support Elissa and Dave in making sure they have all of the tools they need so that they may assist our Clients on the financial side of things.

What would you say are some of your biggest strengths in your role as Project Administrator?

• I would say that my organization and the way that I choose to tackle things is one of my biggest strengths. My previous job was at a hedge fund company which is a very fast paced industry as you’re always racing the market. From this, I learned to have the mentality to work efficiently so no one is waiting for you. Also from my background in being a dancer, I want to be my best all the time. As a dancer, you never think, “no, I’ll wait to practice”. Rather, you are constantly improving to be your best. This is a mentality that I bring to Yeske Buie which encourages me to get my work done to the best of my ability.

What has surprised you most about working with Yeske Buie?

• In my first few months at Yeske Buie, the training and the communication at the firm have surprised me the most – and both of those I am in love with! The training is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been and it is similar to teaching ballet to a student: instead of a syllabus, there is a schedule and there is no waste of time because everything has been laid out perfectly. I’ve also loved how everyone has been so available. Also, the communication that goes on internally between employees and externally to Clients is really important. I like that the firm has an open line of communication regarding what I can do better and what I’m doing well. I had what I thought was good communication prior to joining the team, and coming to Yeske Buie, I realize this is what communication should be. I love that the team works on communication intentionally and it happened to be something I was trying to work on actively in my personal life. Both the training and the communication give me the tools to be successful in the office, but they can also be applied at home, as well.

What do you think those outside of Yeske Buie should know about the firm?

• I feel that people outside of Yeske Buie should know about how serious we are about the way that we take care of our Clients and the way that we serve them. We value having a genuine relationship with our Clients and I feel that makes the Client feel very special. We emphasize the little things that remind Clients how much we know about them or want to know about them. We approach our work in a way that’s not just giving a Client financial advice, but rather we have a relationship. And our goal is for our Client to think they’re not just paying us to do something for them but we hope they know we care about them. Similarly, the relationships between individuals in the firm are just as meaningful as the relationships with our Clients. Overall, we place a lot of value on genuine relationships in the firm.

What Yeske Buie worldview resonates with you most and why?

• Honestly, they all resonate with me because I think they’re all great things to live by. I feel that learning is important, servicing our Clients and anyone you care about is important, and Being Big and being the best version of yourself is important. The one worldview I strive towards aligning with more is Live Big. Being a young adult in the Bay Area, everything is quite expensive and the work environment is go-go-go which means there’s not as much time to Live Big and achieve my personal goals like traveling and remodeling. As I strive towards living big, I have a “vision board” in my head that includes being a mom, traveling, getting around South America and Europe, and more! I love that Yeske Buie encourages people to Live Big and I hope to embody that and achieve my goals.

What is one of your Live Big^® goals?

• My primary Live Big^® goal is to travel. I traveled a lot across the United States and Canada for dance which was fun, but when you’re dancing, you’re also working 12 hours a day so you don’t have time to spend touring the cities. Internationally, I want to travel up and down both coasts of South America to experience all of the different cultures, the food, and learn about the way people live. And eventually, I hope to travel over to Europe – I don’t have a specific list of countries I want to see, I just want to see all of them

What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t working?

• When I’m not working, I love being outdoors and outside of the city of San Francisco. My favorite place to go is the beach – you can always find me in the water no matter if it’s cold or hot. I also love spending time with my dog, Casee Jones, who’s always with me. Recently, I’ve enjoyed being inside and working on a remodel for the in-law unit at my home which has taken a lot more time than I expected! For the past month, I’ve spent more time inside with paint chips and trips to Home Depot and Ikea than outside. In your head, you plan to do one section and complete it quickly but it’s much more than that. However, the work is absolutely worth it because you make your space feel like your home.