Glenn E. Atkins, CFA, MBA

I caught a couple of breaks in life and for that I am very grateful. Yet, on some subconscious nature-versus-nurture level, I also believe to a large degree that you make your own luck. A lot of it is just showing up, being where you're supposed to be, doing what you're supposed to be doing. I didn't fully appreciate the value of an education until a couple of years out of undergrad.

As hard goes, the CFA wasn't even close...it was beyond excruciating...took me five years...the average is four. My undergrad GPA was less than stellar. I did the MBA for me, really just to prove to myself that I could. If I had known that it was going to be as rigorous as it was, I might have had second-thoughts (top 25 school).

The marketing shtick for the program was "classes one Saturday a month and work-life balance." They lied. For me, it was one Saturday a month and three to five hours every night after work, plus most waking hours on the weekend.

I have an extraordinarily supportive wife and kids. There was a time in my life when I never would have even attempted it. In the end though it's much like the CFA. Once you get it, you want them to make it harder.

I lived at home when I went to college because we didn't have any money...many sacrifices made on my behalf...again very humbled. When I was being less than academically focused one morning my mom gave me the best piece of advice I've ever heard - "get up and make something out of your life." Well I did, I guess, but I'm still not sure I know what it is.

Some of the advice I give our interns at work is, do the right thing every time, call your mother, and stay out of jail.