Chia Yang

What sparked your interest in financial planning? What fuels you every day in your work?
For as long as I can remember, I have always been the bridge between my parents and their finances because of the language barrier. Along the way, my research became habitual, and my eagerness to learn about finance grew. I did not realize my true passion of helping others with money until I was in college. Many of my peers would come to me for advice about financial aid, student loans, building credit, etc. Instead of viewing their questions as a burden, I found myself enjoying the conversations and that sparked my interest in a financial planning career. Being able to help people better understand the world of money fuels me every day.

What’s the one thing people say you’re best at?
I think people would say I’m really good at active listening. I care deeply about the people and relationships in my life. I listen to understand them better. Sometimes that can mean asking tough questions or reflecting with them on what they share. I think in some cases listening is all a person needs to help work through an issue or process something and I’m more than happy to engage with them. Sometimes you can say a lot when you say nothing at all.

How do you do good in your community?
Since the start of my college career, I have volunteered more than 850 hours through various non-profit organizations and events. These include, but are not limited to, the Adult Enrichment Center, Fort Lawn Community Center, Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at Winthrop University, and the Humane Society. I also interned for a non-profit foundation where I assisted in helping them better understand their community needs. I also helped them host a community food distribution event during the early days of COVID-19. Beyond that, I have traveled abroad to Costa Rica where I spent a day at an orphanage learning about their process, playing with the kids, and donated new clothing items. In Costa Rica, I was also privileged to be a small part of preserving their natural landscape by helping them bag dirt for their reforestation efforts.

When you retire you’re going to…?
When I retire, I am going to volunteer around the world and become a steppingstone for children to excel. I have always had a passion for giving back, and I want to give as much as I can before I leave this world. I also want to travel the world and experience different cultures, cuisines, traditions, and ways of life. I want to give hope and dreams to underprivileged children. If I am able to accomplish these two things before I pass, then I think I will have lived my life to the fullest.