Exploring Life & Business with Gail Perry-Mason of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gail Perry-Mason

Hi Gail, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey started out when I became a single mom in college and needed a job…Back in the day we sent out resumes and a brokerage firm called me in for an interview. It was a blessings because I was broke and they asked me to work at a brokerage firm….I had no idea that it was a financial firm. Fast forward I was the receptionist and everyone was coming in the door that didn’t look like me and and investing money with people that didn’t look like me. My goal was to learn the what, when and why…What……Wealthy people invest in Trust Funds and I only knew about In God We Trust $….When… Wealthy people invest for the long term….Why…. Wealthy people invest for generational wealth and leave a legacy. Thank God I was promoted to a an assistant and started going into people accounts to see what they owned (stocks)…. My goal was to teach women and my community about investing, but I was turned down over 20 times to be promoted to an advisor. One evening I copied the study guide and another assistant paid for my test and eventually passed and became a license assistant and was still turned down until I hosted a seminar and had over 200 people of color attend and they decided to give me an opportunity but decided not to pay for my training because they thought I would never make it….Thank God I became VP and brought others with me as I climbed the ladder that others built.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Many struggles and it’s not many African American women in the financial industry. I face challenges daily.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. ?
I specialize in investing for others and human capital….when I leave the office I invest in others teach our youth financial empowerment.

I am most proud of mentoring women to be part of the financial industry and teaching over 7000 youth economic empowerment.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Being raised in Foster Care to Caring for Others made my life different than most….. I was shy and now I reach back and give my support to youth in foster care. I couldn’t walk or talk at the age of 4 and then an older woman took me in and the doctor prescribed love….I currently speak all over the county. Love is always the answer. .

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.moneymattersforyouth.com/
• Instagram: gailpmason
• Facebook: gail perry-mason
• LinkedIn: Gail Perry-Mason
• Twitter: gailpmason

Image Credits
Robin Gamble