By Justin DeFreece
NFL Player Engagement
This month in our “Players Who’ve Leapt from the Sidelines to a Suite” feature, we sat down with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT Ellis Wyms, who has translated an eight-year NFL experience into a career as a Financial Advisor at one of the top-five Merrill Lynch complexes in the country, located in Woodlands, TX. Ellis gave us great insight into how he got his start in the financial sector, what it takes to win, and advice for other NFL players exploring a career in the financial space.
PE: How did you first get involved in the financial sector?
EW: I was first exposed to the finance world during a visit to a friend who was a portfolio manager at Merrill Lynch. We were speaking about what his daily role was and how he assessed his client’s current finances, what their ambitions were, and then helped them connect the dots. We soon both realized I had a knack for it and the rest was history. He recommended me to his colleagues, I met with various team members and Human Resources and eventually I was offered a job.”
PE: Did your attendance of the Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program in 2007 spark your interest or provide any insight into this arena?
EW: Overall the BM&E program helps you think of different skill sets and start to think about what you’re going to do next, when your NFL experience is over. When you’re always on the field, it’s hard to get your mind off of football.
PE: What was your transition like? Were you actively planning and pursuing a career in financial services while you were still playing?
EW: While still playing I was focused on football, but the BM&E program helped remind me that this will end. You ask yourself, what are you going to do afterwards? Coach Marinelli (then of the Buccaneers) always told me to “be where you are at that time,” but as soon as I was off the field I began exploring my options.
PE: Did you previously perform any internships?
EW: No internships previously, but I was fortunate in that Merrill Lynch has an incredible open-door policy. You are literally given access to top executives, even the multi-million dollar producers. They really want to see you succeed, and you are encouraged to check in with them. Your trainer walks you through the process of getting certified, performing the role step-by-step, and stays on top of you on a day-to-day basis, much like a coach would.
PE: What are some of the barriers to entry you faced?
EW: The biggest barrier is getting back in “study mode” from being an athlete. You have to get your Series 7 and Series 66 financial certifications, which were the hardest tests I had ever taken in my life. That was the biggest adjustment a player would have to make, is the certification process.
PE: What skills that you developed as a former football player transferred into the corporate world, specifically as a financial advisor?
EW: There is a resiliency that players have which is essential. Many face difficulty in securing clients. Coming from a background as a defensive lineman, I’ve always thought about having success as completing one tackle at a time, one step at a time. You have to keep at it.
PE: Have there been any moments of personal or professional satisfaction that stick out since becoming a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch?
EW: The high for me so far has been getting through the certification process. People from all walks of life have trouble passing them (the certs). The tests are completely quantitative with no room for interpretation, no grey area. If you pass, you continue on. If you don’t pass, you may not get to continue. As you’re learning and studying, it’s literally like drinking out of a fire hydrant. There is so much information coming out and you have to absorb it all.
PE: What are some of the challenges that you face in your day-to-day job?
EW: One of the biggest challenges that I face is mastering the platform. Merrill Lynch is great at giving us all of the resources necessary for us to succeed. Afterwards it can be a little daunting to master all of the services available to clients. But mentors lay the platform out to us in ways that are comprehensible. Everyone is open to help you.
PE: What made your transition to the financial sector easier? Friends? Acquaintances via networking? NFL/club level services?
EW: Honestly, the NFL BM&E program was foundational in my growth. It helps a player transition in his mindset from being a player to being in the workforce and starting a different career path. It’s a lot different out here. In the private sector you are asked to contribute to the table. The BM&E skillset was very valuable. Many of the skills we were taught to use translate over.
PE: Any advice for players whom are committed to getting involved and taking this career path?
EW: Make sure that this is something you want to do and make sure that it’s a company that is going to support you. Merrill Lynch has been so supportive in making me successful, but at the end of the day you are responsible for your own and your client’s success. If you’re willing to put in the work, take care of your clients, and do good business, you can literally be as successful as you want to be.
PE: What is the last book you read?
EW: Chazown by Craig Groeschel. This book helped me find direction and purpose. When you come out of football, it’s been everyday of your life since you were little and then when you’re out, you struggle to find direction. This book helped me to find purpose and realize what’s really important to me. I was able to understand where I was, where I wanted to be, and how to get there. Reading this book with the men in my church and my pastor helped me to become grounded, and set me on the path for where I am now.