Danielle Garson W'12

Email: Feel free to contact Danielle at dgargs89@gmail.com

What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate?

I graduated from Wharton in 2012 and I concentrated in Finance and Marketing.

What were you involved in as an undergraduate?

I was involved in Wharton Women, the Undergraduate Real Estate Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Tridelt. 

What advice do you wish you had known when you were an undergraduate?

Put things into perspective and don’t worry or stress so much. I definitely studied very hard and to some extent it did get me where I am, but it didn’t matter whether I had a 3.9 or a 3.6 GPA. I think the focus can often be misplaced when you’re in school- I worked hard for the grade and not the learning, and if I could go back and change that I would. While you determine your career and your choices lead you down one path or another, I think there is definitely an element of fate and luck in where you end up and where your career takes you.  I spent far too much time agonizing over every decision (from what classes to take to what internship to pursue) and how each choice (even a totally insignificant one) would affect my future.  I wish someone had sat me down and told me not to worry so much (and to have some fun) and focus on what would make me happy in that moment, and that things have a way of working themselves out.

What do you do now and where are you based?

In the summer before senior year, I interned at J.P. Morgan in investment management in New York. I received a full time offer in the real estate group after senior year in LA, and I’ve been there for my whole career. I worked my way from analyst to associate to VP. I’ve been based in LA since Penn. 

Why did you choose to go into finance? How did you know you were interested in it?

I actually started in the College and I wanted to be a doctor. During my freshman year, I took lots of STEM classes and realized that I never actually liked it- I was just good at it. I could have continued, but I did an internship after freshman year in a lab and I knew it wasn’t the career path for me. I decided to apply to transfer into Wharton the day before the deadline, and got in.  At first I recall Wharton and finance not being for me. I remember going to a career fair and seeing all these booths in Huntsman filled with recruiters from banks and PE firms, and I felt so overwhelmed and unprepared. I didn’t own a suit nor had I heard of any of these firms, whereas all of my peers seemed to have grown up around this industry/culture and fit right in. It wasn’t until my junior year summer when I interned at J.P. Morgan that I could see myself pursuing a career in finance; it opened my eyes to jobs/careers that involved finance but weren’t solely numbers-based. I made friends with some interns who worked in the real estate group (real estate asset management), which combines finance with other interests of mine (real estate, architecture, design, urban planning, marketing/branding), which was incredibly appealing to me. I fought hard to get a full time offer in that group, which brought me to LA.

What advice do you have for our members as they begin exploring careers and internships? 

Don’t give up on what you want. I knew I wanted to be in the real estate group, but I was told by ten different people that there was no way I could get a full time offer in that group because they already had 11 interns for two spots. I kept pushing and pushing, and I actually went to the top of asset management and told him that I would go anywhere. Less than 24 hours later, I got a call from their LA team and that they had an opening. 

I would also remind people that being a woman is so valuable in the workplace these days. A lot of companies are so focused on diversity, and you’d be surprised how many doors might open for you (even if you don’t have prior experience or a very different resume/background) simply because they are looking for diversity.  Use it to your advantage!

Do you think being a woman has affected your career trajectory?

I think it has had some positive impact in some ways and less so in other ways. On the positive side, I think people remember me, focus more on what I have to say, and give me more of their attention because I don’t look like everyone else in the room. But on the other side, the industry is definitely a boys’ club- sometimes I don’t feel as comfortable as I would like to and some may not gravitate to me as they would to another male. I don’t always form some of the same connections that my male colleagues do, which is unfortunate. On the flip side, I’ve noticed that women do really want to propel/help each other so I’d encourage you to find those female mentors; they have been some of my best advocates and supporters.

What is the worst career advice you have received?

Keep your head down and don’t pay attention to what happens outside of your work.  When I was first starting out, I had people tell me not to speak up when I noticed a problem or felt uncomfortable. I had encountered something inappropriate from a boss and was advised to ignore it and that it was a joke. Luckily a senior female came to the rescue and spoke up (quietly) on my behalf, and I have always admired/respected her for that.  I would say age/experience level doesn’t matter; if you ever feel uncomfortable, you should speak up not just for you but for the people after you.

What’s your go to show at the moment?

Schitts Creek.