DEI in 401(k)s: Real Talk on Diversity & Belonging

[0:10] JD: Hey, welcome, everybody, to yet again, another episode of Retireaholics coming to you live from the One Digital Evolve 2023 conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Said that three times today. We're psyched to be here. And like I said, it's probably. [0:31] Chad: The energy is high right now [0:36] JD: because I'm acting to have low energy. Like, it's just an axe. [0:40] Kristen Eskew: Okay. [0:40] JD: Like every show. [0:41] Chad: Bait and switch. [0:42] JD: Justin's gonna give an intro of our guest. Take it away, Justin. [0:46] Justin: We got a first timer here. In fact, she's so new, she didn't even know what the robe was. Broke Roby's heart. He's offended. You're gonna have to work through that. [0:55] Kristen Eskew: Okay, okay, okay. [0:56] Justin: She is without a doubt the worst plunger thrower at the conference in the history. [0:59] Kristen Eskew: Not quite. [1:01] Justin: But there's still plenty of daylight left for you to redeem. [1:03] JD: Go. [1:04] Chad: All right. Time. [1:04] Kristen Eskew: That's right. [1:05] Justin: She's a VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging with One Digital. [1:10] Kristen Eskew: What's the acronym for that? [1:11] JD: Damn it. So good. [1:13] Kristen Eskew: You got one. [1:14] Chad: You got one, though. [1:15] Justin: Everybody, Mrs. Kristen Eskew. [1:18] Kristen Eskew: Yes. [1:18] Justin: Welcome to the show. [1:19] Kristen Eskew: Thank you so much for having me, guys. I'm excited. [1:27] JD: By the way, Kristen. [1:28] Kristen Eskew: Yes. [1:29] JD: This is our show. You don't tell us what to do. [1:31] Kristen Eskew: Okay? Okay. Okay. Okay. Well, I'm the lady of the hour, so. [1:34] JD: Yeah, you are. The coffee beans in that. [1:37] Kristen Eskew: No, that's disgusting. [1:38] JD: Is that what's wording in there? Coffee beans? I had no idea. [1:40] Kristen Eskew: Garnish. [1:41] JD: We're going to get headlines. We're going to kick it off with a quick word. [1:44] Chad: Any acronym? [1:46] JD: Headlines. Headlines. Did I just fail? All right, I'm going to. I'm going to put this on you. I wanted to talk about this a few months ago. I was too scared to get canceled. [1:57] Justin: We're still scared. [1:58] Kristen Eskew: Maybe. [1:59] JD: I don't know. I wonder what this is we should dive into whether. What was my fear? Is it to get canceled or not? But so Broadridge, which is a big company, we actually were just at their conference recently. FI360 broad. This is back in January, Broadridge launches an initiative to gift fiduciary training to women and people of color in the financial professions. So Broadridge does like a. Are you familiar with them and all? FY360. Just think about that like a training tool to build up your education and stuff, because I think that's relevant. [2:32] Kristen Eskew: So they're like, giving scholarships and credentials? [2:34] JD: Yeah, they're going to give. So the designation. Training for the investment fiduciary designation that they do Excuse me. Accredited investment fiduciary designation. They're going to be provided at no cost to 100 financial professionals. I'm going to read it. [2:51] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [2:51] JD: In the underrepresented groups that I mentioned. Yeah, here I go. [2:57] Justin: Still super nervous about this. [2:58] JD: Yeah. Well, when this came out, my first. And I want to get your thoughts more important, my first thought was, is that nice or is that kind of rude? Like, do they need this, like, freebie? Like, I almost feel like it was, in a sense, like, disrespectful to some of these people that are in this profession. Like, they get a handout or someone else does. Now, mind you, that's me kind of stretching. How do you feel about this? [3:24] Kristen Eskew: Well, I mean, we are not a monolith. Right. I'm one person of color. But yeah, I think that that's their way of trying to increase representation within our industry. And I'm going to assume that maybe these people come from. What's the term I want here? Can I be real or do I have to say? I'm just going to say they probably can afford. Cannot afford. Is this like an expensive designation? [3:48] Chad: It's not too bad. No. [3:50] Kristen Eskew: But is there anything in there about that? [3:52] JD: Like under 40 bucks? [3:54] Chad: I would have said 600. [3:55] Kristen Eskew: Well, is there, Is there anything in there that says this is specific to unprivileged minority? [4:00] JD: Yeah. Is it a first come, first serve? [4:02] Chad: I don't know. They're picking 100, so maybe they're. [4:05] Kristen Eskew: Listen, I targeting. We're all trying to figure out how to make an impact within our industry. I'm with it. It doesn't bother me. Doesn't bother me. [4:14] JD: You're right. I mean, that's. That's the part. Go ahead. [4:15] Kristen Eskew: What were you so scared of? About that? [4:17] JD: No, no, no. [4:18] Chad: I just felt. [4:19] JD: I can't speak for a black man, but I was thinking, like, kind of. I was an advisor and a suit and tie, and I went to the conference like, hey, okay, well, if it's like that, if you're. Shame on me, I can't speak on that behalf. [4:31] Kristen Eskew: Wait a minute. If you're telling me they have a table or a booth like we do here, and they're like, where are the black people? Like, that's a whole other thing. Okay. [4:40] JD: But you were right. Your answer was more mature. Good for them. They see that's what we're going to talk about here today. They see that there's a need. It's underrepresented. We would be a better industry if we had more so why not grease the path a little bit? Right. Make it easier. [4:54] Kristen Eskew: So do you guys believe in that? Are we all on the same page when it comes to that? We need more mercy. [5:01] JD: Absolutely. [5:01] Kristen Eskew: Love it. [5:02] Chad: You think you're good. You're good. [5:05] JD: You think white, pale and stale is like the best way for us to go forward? [5:09] Kristen Eskew: Well, we call it pale, male and stale. Yeah, yeah. [5:12] JD: No, I'm saying, listen, we don't want that. [5:14] Kristen Eskew: Let me throw this in. I'm half white. My husband's white. I love all people, but I'm not so direct. Like, let's call it what it is, you know? [5:21] JD: Yeah. [5:22] Chad: But so here would be. [5:23] Kristen Eskew: I'm gonna get in trouble. [5:24] Chad: Positive vibe. Jd Here would be the thought on the other side. [5:27] Justin: We like 20 people watch the show. [5:28] Chad: We are. We are. Watches Male Pale on sale. [5:32] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [5:34] Chad: We need better representation. It's not happened. The efforts that we put for so far have not worked. [5:40] JD: Yeah. [5:40] Chad: So let's try some new. [5:41] JD: Yeah, I love that. Let's go. [5:43] Chad: Let's see if it allows more people to join the space, to, to get licensed, to get accredited, to feel like they can go out and win new clients, that maybe they didn't have the, the education to do so before because they didn't attend these types of, of credentialing. [5:56] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. But that's just going to be one piece of it. Right. Like you said, still have to have some allyship. You still have to have an in, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, there's just so many things we could go down. [6:06] Chad: But do you remember years ago, Marcel. I don't even remember his last name. [6:11] JD: Yeah. [6:11] Chad: Marcel wasn't even working for you. He was new when we first met him at one of these conferences. And Marcel came to me and he said, oh, yeah. Oh, my impact in the space. I want to teach other people of color how to be an advisor because, like, that's, that's what I want to do. Because there's. When you look at all the folks on stage talking, it's usually not a representation. [6:29] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [6:30] Chad: It's a representation of what the industry is made up right now. And we've acknowledged that. I want to be the guy on stage because I want to teach. [6:36] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [6:36] Chad: Other people. [6:37] JD: Is that your job at One Digital is to actually, like, impact the numbers and have. [6:43] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [6:43] JD: Is that what you're doing? [6:44] Kristen Eskew: My job is to make sure that the workplace shows up the same for everybody, but also that D I N D is driving. [6:51] JD: There goes that mug. [6:58] Kristen Eskew: But that diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is also Driving our strategy financially. Right. I mean, it's winning us business. We are. The world is changing. We're soon to be minority, majority. We all have to account for that. Whether you like it or not. [7:14] JD: You're not afraid to say that we. I love the business side of that. That's going to sound really controversial, but will look cooler and better if we're more diverse, because the Wall street image is not one that the consumer likes. [7:29] Kristen Eskew: Let's just be real. Biracial people are the most beautiful people. [7:35] JD: I think our consumers will trust us more if we're more diverse. [7:40] Kristen Eskew: But, like. Yes, but let's not just throw the diverse faces on all the things. Let's actually be that. [7:46] JD: Yeah. [7:46] Kristen Eskew: Be genuine about what you were saying. Because I said earlier, you know, like, my thoughts are not pervasive to all minorities. However, we all are all sort of united by the fact that our industry has historically excluded women. It's historically excluded. I mean, these are things that are not. [8:01] JD: Do you know. Do you know some numbers at all, by the way? I'll put you on the spot, like, women here at this conference. [8:09] Kristen Eskew: And I don't want to be 65. Female. [8:12] JD: 65. Okay. [8:13] Kristen Eskew: Which, by the way, some people tell me that's reverse discrimination. So it's like, what I know about DI and B. [8:22] Chad: Yes, you did. [8:23] Justin: Wait, what'd she say? [8:25] JD: She said it again. [8:26] Justin: So what'd you say? [8:28] Kristen Eskew: Nothing. [8:29] JD: Don't say it again. [8:30] Chad: So there you go. [8:31] JD: 65%. The. The evolution of women in financial services. I kind of feel like I've seen it in my career. [8:42] Justin: I mean, this is without a doubt the most women I've seen in a. [8:44] JD: And I don't want to be all optimistic. I don't want to be. All right, we've accomplished it. It's done. You definitely walk through a conference now, and there's fucking women everywhere. And that wasn't the case 15 years ago. [9:00] Justin: Yesterday. I can't forget what event we were at. And you're like, looks like. Like a white dude. Sausage. [9:07] JD: So there is some progress happening, but [9:09] Kristen Eskew: remember, it's bigger than just recruiting people. You know, we had a women's breakfast this morning. [9:16] Chad: Yeah. [9:16] JD: What's up with that? I would like to come [9:20] Chad: and said I would love to come, but I. I wasn't sure if I could. I stood outside the door for a little while. [9:25] Kristen Eskew: Of course, we. This is. Welcome to everybody. But listen, we all still feel the barrier. Like, you know, we have our stories, our experience. [9:33] JD: Because you're here doesn't mean. [9:34] Kristen Eskew: Yeah, it doesn't mean, like, exactly. [9:35] Justin: Well, the fact that you have to have that is not. It's not a problem itself, but it also is. Right. Like you. [9:41] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [9:41] Justin: You have to do that to actually bring acknowledgement to the issue. [9:44] Kristen Eskew: Right. [9:45] JD: So I love that, though. That's a great point. That opens my eyes. I'm not just saying that, like, just because you're all here doesn't mean that you have the same experience. [9:52] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [9:53] JD: Doesn't mean you're getting the same amount of respect. [9:54] Kristen Eskew: Yes. [9:55] JD: Doesn't mean you're getting the same amount of business deals. Doesn't mean, you know, like. [9:58] Kristen Eskew: So there's a quote in diversity, equity, inclusion, and Belongings that says it's one thing to be invited to the party, but it's another to be asked to dance. And it kind of speaks to that. [10:13] JD: Can we not talk about dancing right now? That was. That's why it's a penalty. [10:22] Chad: It gets worse. [10:23] JD: Trouble last night. [10:24] Kristen Eskew: That might make me sick. [10:26] JD: We're going to. We're going to play a game, and then we're going to come back to some serious content. But right now, we're going to play a fun game. It's the totally original, best game in the world. It's a no for dope game. [10:40] Kristen Eskew: No for dope. Okay, easy. [10:43] JD: I feel like coffee beans in my throat. [10:46] Kristen Eskew: You're not supposed to be drinking. [10:51] JD: The way this game works is I'm gonna give you, like, a pop culture kind of thing, just regular life. And you're gonna tell me if you think it's dope or. Nope. Right. And then tell us why you think so. Okay, first one is, this comes from personal experience. You're in your hotel room, it's 8am you feel the pressure of the house cleaning coming. You can hear the thing coming down the hallway. And so you want to put on your do not disturb on the door because you want some more sleep. But if you're like me, you get up, you're going to be awake, naked. And so I go to the door, I'm naked. I crack it a little bit. I'm behind the door. I'm not exposing myself to the world, and I just need to put the thing on. It's an awkward moment for me. Is this okay to do dope? [11:39] Kristen Eskew: I did that today. I forgot [11:42] Chad: we share rooms. [11:44] Kristen Eskew: Oh, don't [11:47] Justin: like, Jamie gets his own room. [11:48] JD: You did that? [11:49] Kristen Eskew: I needed to remember what my room number was. I couldn't find my key. Why did they ask you when you call in room service? What room are you calling from? [11:57] Chad: Don't they show. [11:58] JD: They know. [11:58] Kristen Eskew: I had to go take a little quick peek. I mean, no one's. [12:00] JD: I see. You gotta go see what room you're in. [12:02] Kristen Eskew: Yeah, dope. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [12:03] JD: Okay, fair enough. Fair enough. [12:04] Justin: I mean, the smart thing to do would be to put it on the door before you're naked. [12:08] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. My situation is a little bit different [12:10] JD: when you go to bed. I was on the phone. [12:12] Kristen Eskew: I had to be quick, you know? [12:13] JD: Well, yeah, he could have thought of it. [12:15] Justin: I'm just making fun of him. [12:16] Kristen Eskew: Thank you. [12:17] JD: It's hard to put it on before you go to bed when you're drunk as a fucking skunk. [12:20] Kristen Eskew: And you don't. [12:21] JD: You don't remember that. Okay, next one. And I think I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go to you first. We typically go to you first. Having your name. I'm gonna drink for this. Having your own name. URL. Like your website is your fucking name. Let me ask a question. Hey, hey. Are you. Are you like, Brad Pitt or something? Like, do you really have the audacity to go like, fucking godaddy.com and be like, I'm gonna have my own website of my own name? Is this dope or. Nope. [12:58] Kristen Eskew: Well, okay. I hired a marketing firm, and they were like, it needs to be your name. [13:04] Justin: So I'd fire that marketing firm. [13:08] JD: How do you feel about that? [13:10] Kristen Eskew: I haven't done anything on that website in over a year, so. [13:13] JD: Sounds a little pretentious to me. [13:14] Kristen Eskew: You know what? It depends on the person. And I'm gonna say that I'm dope. [13:18] Chad: Hey, you. [13:18] Kristen Eskew: Do you. [13:19] JD: Chad, are you okay with this? Your own. [13:21] Chad: I'm 100 in. [13:22] JD: Do you have Chad johansen.com? [13:24] Chad: i have chad.johansen.com. like, my email address is my name. Why can't I have a. A website with my. [13:33] JD: Oh, I should. Good idea. You should. [13:36] Chad: That's not my name. Do you call me that. [13:39] JD: But would I ever have a website with my name? Would be. No, because no one would ever go to it. But I would have something cool like Rob Guy. Mark. [13:45] Chad: I'd go to it. [13:46] JD: All right. I thought it was also. Did you know, pretty kind of. Oh, yeah, I live there. [13:52] Chad: Oh, yeah, he did. [13:53] JD: It's actually a pretty cool website. [13:54] Kristen Eskew: Thank you. See, the website's done minus five minutes. [13:56] JD: Your name, lots of attention on quality pictures of herself. [14:02] Kristen Eskew: So you have to market your name. That makes sen you. [14:05] JD: You spend a lot of time with photographers taking pictures. [14:08] Justin: I did. [14:11] JD: Okay, last one, last one. And Justin brought this one to my attention. Apparently this frustrates Justin. A lot of things frustrate culture right now of tipping. I. I walk up to the deli, whatever, I need a bottle of water. I put my $25 bottle of water on. They flip the little iPad screen, and I'm presented with a 15, 20 or 25 tip. [14:36] Justin: It's gonna ask you a couple questions. Do you think it's gonna ask me? [14:40] JD: So do you feel like we're getting out of hand in the world with tipping? How do you feel about this? [14:44] Kristen Eskew: No, for dope, I don't feel like we're getting out of hand. But here's the thing. I waited tables. To me, 20% is the minimum even for bad service when you're waiting chair in this situation. If it's a place I go to all the time I'm tipping. If I'm like, literally running, getting a bottle of water, depends on how I feel, how nice they were. Like, I mean, maybe that's shitty to say, but it's the truth. [15:06] Chad: The problem is, in that walk of life, dude, they're paying those folks less in the expectation that they're going to. That's the point he's bringing up is it's still on those registers and it shouldn't be. [15:18] Justin: And they're just playing to the guilt factor. That's going to weigh. [15:21] JD: I do it every time. Like, you're saying you go to somewhere and get a bottle of water and it's $3, and then it comes like 20 and it's like 60 cents or whatever. Like, isn't that offensive how rich I am? I am so upset with doordash. Like, I feel so bad that someone is gonna go pick up my food and bring it to my house. That's what you're doing. When I custom amount that. [15:55] Justin: That's fine. [15:56] JD: That's what you do. [15:58] Justin: We're serving you perfectly fine goes to yogurt land. And I do all the work. [16:04] Chad: All right? [16:05] Justin: And they put the on the scale and they're like, hey, do you want to tip me? [16:09] Chad: That was a great example. [16:12] Kristen Eskew: You did all the work. Yeah. [16:14] Justin: But hey, I'm 100 fine tipping if it's a place. [16:17] Kristen Eskew: Like, it's a coffee shop. When you go there all the time, are you tipping? [16:20] Chad: Yeah, absolutely. [16:22] Justin: My problem is, like, the stuff where I'm doing all the work. Hey, look, you are paying to make my Subway sandwich. We were both sandwich our teeth. You're like, we get it. Like, we don't get tips. [16:30] JD: I haven't told you guys this yet. Guys, this is My sales team. [16:33] Chad: Sexy. [16:34] JD: Okay, so I haven't told you guys this yet, but we're gonna start asking our clients for tips. [16:38] Chad: Hey, I don't know if you. [16:40] Justin: You told me I was getting. My salary was increasing three times last night. [16:43] JD: You guys aren't keeping the tips. I'm sending them a thing. Hey, tip us, and I'm keeping it. Those Lamborghini payments are expensive, you know. [16:51] Kristen Eskew: Oh, my gosh. [16:52] JD: Okay, okay, we're done with this. Let's. Let's talk your job, biggest challenges. [17:00] Kristen Eskew: Oh, my God. [17:02] JD: Like. Like, tell me. You wake up Monday morning. What. What are your goals? What. [17:06] Kristen Eskew: What needle are you trying to interview? I guess I am. [17:10] Chad: Yes. [17:11] Kristen Eskew: Let's see. Depends on the day. What my biggest hurdle is leading. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Not gonna say the acronym there. It depends on the day, man. All I can tell you is what I've learned is it takes a grace that's not always easy to give and a patience that's not always easy to have. I will say some of the things that have surprised me the most. Like, I anticipate sort of like the far. The far right or the people who are like, oh, this is what, like, I anticipate. [17:40] JD: I was gonna use that word here. [17:43] Kristen Eskew: Shouldn't hurt me. But what gets to me is when my people are, like, pointing their finger because I'm putting everything I am into this. Right? And so sometimes, yeah, but that. That one hurts. But I'm getting a tougher skin. [17:59] JD: Wait, I need to understand this. Do you think that we're this woke society? I thought because we're so woke these days that you would walk into a room and they would be like, okay, whatever she tells us to do, we're doing. [18:16] Kristen Eskew: I'm trying not to use the word because it's fake. [18:18] JD: It's fake. [18:19] Kristen Eskew: It is. [18:19] JD: You're not being. [18:20] Kristen Eskew: But I think it has this connotation now that can completely turn people off another hurdle. You have to have such a finesse and to the end goal is to get people to just at least be curious. You gotta be so careful with your words. [18:34] JD: Let's get gnarly on this. So why do you think that when you get somebody who pushes back against wokeism or whatever it is, what is their motivation? They think that you're up the efficiencies of business. Like, things aren't like. [18:49] Kristen Eskew: I think there's different levels of wolf. Like, let's look at what's happening in Florida, right? I mean, they're not teaching the Holocaust. You can't. I mean, there's all kinds of things. [18:59] JD: Don't say gay thing is what you're talking about. [19:00] Kristen Eskew: Yeah, like D I and B. You can know, like, all that. [19:09] Justin: I got a question here, though. Isn't there a stark difference between woke and kind of what you're doing and raising? [19:17] Kristen Eskew: We're not trying to be super anything. We're trying to line whoever you are. Like, it's cool. Not just it's cool, but like, we're depending on you to be who you are. Because we are so invested in what all your magic that we're going to align it with the growth of our organization. And if you show up as anybody but who you are, it's not good for us. [19:38] JD: I have a great question for you. [19:39] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [19:40] JD: So I own our company. We got about 35 employees. It was about shameless. It was about like eight months ago, nine months ago. I forget whether it was one of your guys. [19:50] Kristen Eskew: How diverse is your company? [19:53] JD: It's one of your guys's prospects. Was it? You came to me and wanted to know our diversity. They wanted to know from me who I had on my staff and what it looked like. You want to be real? You want to be real? I was pissed. [20:08] Kristen Eskew: Why? [20:09] JD: I was like, what the. You like. What do you need to know? I do. [20:14] Kristen Eskew: You do. [20:15] JD: Oh, my God. My HR guy. [20:20] Kristen Eskew: We'll take this one together. [20:22] JD: Hispanic slash black man. Raul, I loved him. He was a solid human resources. [20:27] Kristen Eskew: Wait, wait, like, how? Give me a percentage. Okay. [20:38] JD: Why were you on the color but we have Asian and Indian and different? [20:42] Kristen Eskew: Why did that excite you? [20:44] JD: Because I felt like, look, I hire and I want to try to be all, yeah, yeah, yeah. I hire people based on whether they're the right fit. And this is. [20:53] Kristen Eskew: As you should. [20:53] JD: This is going to be a great discussion because this is like, should I be looking in different ponds to hire people? But. And I don't. I'm a small business. [21:00] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [21:00] JD: I hire people based on whether they're a good fit. I don't give a fuck. So if it's a gay, Hispanic slash black man, I hire Raul because he's Raul. I don't care. And so. But no, what you're going to tell me is because I wish I had my demographics of everyone. [21:16] Kristen Eskew: That's fine. [21:17] JD: I need to be looking somewhere. But then do big companies need to be looking out in different places? [21:22] Kristen Eskew: Okay, well, first of all, to this guy you're interviewing, if I was in the market right now, let's just be real. Black women are a hot freaking economy. Right? Like, black women Are we got commodities, Hot commodity. Yes. All tipsy now. Thank you. I'm gonna ask the same questions. I want to know that if I'm to work at your company, like I can be who I am and it's, [21:50] JD: you want to work there. [21:52] Kristen Eskew: But I also want to know that I'm not your token. You have to understand that we're coming from like a culture, a norm of being tokenized. My first job in financial planning. In the interview process, I saw two people of color. One was the janitor, the other person was answering phones at the front desk. Us both females. I'm sitting there waiting to be called back, looking at marble and hunting dogs and stuff on the wall. I'm like, I'm not gonna get this job. Right. So like we're, we're, we're almost. And I can't speak for everyone, like assuming that that's going to be the case. Now to the latter part of your question. Yes, if you care, you are all saying you care about this. I'm not saying that you lowered the bar of expectation. [22:32] JD: You want excellence, that would be rude. [22:34] Kristen Eskew: But what I'm saying is that you're gonna go find the best of best talent there is in places that you've never looked before. [22:40] JD: Yeah. [22:41] Chad: J.D. i will tell you, this is a discussion of my family often and it's around the female side specifically my sister in law has been. She's a 25 year college softball coach. And her argument back for that discussion, JD Is that females have not had enough of an opportunity to build up the reputation and the prior history and the experience to get that head job somewhere. And they keep giving it to men because men have always had that opportunity. And so, and I get it, maybe that maybe they're a little less qualified. Let's say you have a candidate that's a little less qualified, giving them that opportunity. [23:17] JD: A little less qualified. [23:18] Chad: Giving them that opportunity now might allow them to, to then teach their kids to then teach the next generation. [23:26] JD: A little less qualified. I think she's saying the best just find a different. [23:34] Chad: He's not a little like you're misinterpreting what I'm saying. I am saying if you had two candidates side by side and one was a little less qualified. I'm not saying they're female or of color or anything else. I'm saying if you had two side by side. [23:47] JD: So if it was you and then [23:49] Chad: Justin, the normal response would be you hire the one that is most qualified. [23:52] Kristen Eskew: Wait, it depends on how you define that. Maybe one has like the knowledge and the other super personable. [24:00] Chad: That's my exact point is that maybe they're less qualified because they have opportunities to get the designation to get hired by another firm. That is what my sister [24:12] Kristen Eskew: and I want you all to answer. [24:13] JD: I think what she was saying was, I need. If I'm not seeing enough diverse candidates, then I need to look. Great. I just had to go find them [24:27] Kristen Eskew: from a different space. [24:28] JD: There's no way to misinterpret that. [24:29] Chad: It means what it means, Chef. [24:31] JD: Question. [24:32] Kristen Eskew: So you guys missed my presentation. [24:34] JD: Yes. [24:34] Kristen Eskew: I will tell you one of the things that I asked Mike Sullivan, who you guys also chatted with our co founder. So I work a lot with M and A. We've got some girls around, [24:49] JD: By the way. Go. Wine. Let her ask your question, please. Don't mind. Get rid of it. Okay. [24:54] Kristen Eskew: I thought that's why I was there. [24:56] Chad: No, [24:58] JD: keep going. [24:59] Kristen Eskew: He was asking me, you know, how can Di and D drive in the name. [25:07] JD: You're not just speaking later, are you? [25:09] Kristen Eskew: The first question I asked him was like, wait a minute. Let's backtrack. Have you ever been the only in the room? Have you ever been the only. [25:15] Chad: No. [25:15] JD: Mike brought this up on you. [25:18] Kristen Eskew: Have any of you. [25:18] JD: Wait, wait. Do I look like an only in a room right now? [25:22] Kristen Eskew: No. You can seek that opportunity out my Pat. Neither. Let's. Why don't you guys commit to doing that and having me back on? I want you to go do that and then let's talk about it. And I don't mean go give some kind of charitable. [25:34] JD: He talked about. He talked about going to a. To a big conference. I want you to go be around. Does it count? [25:42] Kristen Eskew: Wait a minute. Are you going to do it? [25:44] JD: When I was a would. I would. No. [25:46] Kristen Eskew: Can we do that? I want you to do it and then let's talk about it. [25:49] Chad: Can you help me, like, find. [25:51] JD: So you want me to do the work? [25:53] Kristen Eskew: Jesus Christ. You have Google. [25:54] Chad: Obviously there's not enough representation because I've never come across. [25:59] JD: Can you help me? [25:59] Kristen Eskew: Well, get on Google. [26:00] JD: I was drunk. I was drunk dancing on the dance floor by myself last night. I will go anywhere and feel uncomfortable. [26:06] Chad: Yeah. [26:08] JD: Yes. I'll make that commitment to you. [26:10] Kristen Eskew: Okay. [26:10] JD: Of course. [26:11] Kristen Eskew: I will look forward to the phone call when you're ready to chat about it. [26:14] JD: Check my social. I'll give you all pictures or whatever. I'll show people how woke. I am kidding. [26:22] Kristen Eskew: That'll change how you feel about a lot of what you're saying. [26:25] JD: Feeling like, oh, I'M not. [26:27] Kristen Eskew: I want you to feel that heaviness in your chest. I want you to feel like you're sticking out. And I want you to be uncomfortable. [26:31] JD: It's not a fair. It's not uncomfortable all the time. Just in general situation. This is not fair. [26:38] Kristen Eskew: I love that she's shaving her head because she gets it. [26:40] Chad: Yeah. [26:40] JD: This is not a fair reply, but we do kind of get a lot of stares, you guys. [26:47] Kristen Eskew: It's just completely different. [26:49] JD: The stairs are more like, look at those idiots. So it's not like we don't stick out like a sore thumb at these things. We kind of do, but I know that's not the same. [26:57] Kristen Eskew: It's like in a cool factor kind of way. I'm talking about something different. [27:01] JD: Oh, I like that. [27:03] Chad: What? [27:03] JD: She thinks that it's cool that people are staring at us. Okay, let's try to wrap. This is good conversation. So financial services, there's so many pathways that people could take. I mean, one, digital is a prime example of this. Like with the group health, the retirement, the wealth management, like, there's so many avenues. I think our industry is such a cool place for a young person to build a career. Like, they have so many ways to do it. You can make a lot of money. You know, Wu Tang up. We do this on the show. [27:39] Kristen Eskew: Love it, Love it. [27:43] JD: So there's that opportunity, but there's also the opportunity to, like, help people at workplace stuff, help people that need it. It's just such a cool industry. So is this an initiative for one, Digital is to, like, get into places. I said ponds, earlier. Neighborhoods, cities, whatever. And like, recruit people from different backgrounds to get into it or. [28:05] Kristen Eskew: No. Yeah, absolutely. But that's. That's like everybody's mission, though. But like everything you're saying, I mean, to recruit new talent, young talent, diverse talent. I used to run on the line. Well, next gen, focus firm. And at the time, it was before, you know, it was like right at the beginning of that. And the heck was I gonna say? [28:25] Chad: I missed that. [28:26] Justin: What? [28:26] Chad: What was I gonna say? [28:30] Kristen Eskew: Oh, yeah, I'm just saying it's. Well, we all aspire to do. I don't think that's a deimb thing. [28:36] Justin: Oh, buddy. [28:37] Kristen Eskew: I know what I was gonna say. Let's not paint the picture that it's easy. You know, it takes a long time to make money, especially if you're like, fully commission based. It takes a long time to make money. It takes a long time to build the network. [28:48] JD: I mean, I don't know. For me it was pretty easy. [28:51] Kristen Eskew: Lucky you. [28:52] JD: That sounds like my dad started the company and I took it over. Seen that hard. I'm like the definition of R. Dr. 1. [29:07] Chad: I said this last night. For a firm that acquires a lot of practices, I would have expect the average age of the person here to be much older. This is a very young. [29:16] JD: In terms of starting to skew. [29:18] Chad: Very young crowd. [29:20] Kristen Eskew: 20 years. The industry will be that way younger how we. [29:24] Chad: It needs to be. [29:24] JD: But do you think it will be? [29:26] Kristen Eskew: It has. It will be. I mean, they can't live. [29:28] Chad: Is it just. [29:29] JD: Are you just running this? You have a team. Is there. [29:30] Justin: No. [29:31] Kristen Eskew: I've only been in this role for a year. [29:32] JD: Okay. [29:33] Kristen Eskew: It's a brand new role. So kind of creating it as we go. But the work has been going on for a long time. Our chief people officer, Elizabeth Crane is amazing. [29:42] JD: 3800 people like you're the whole growing. [29:44] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [29:44] JD: Wow. [29:45] Kristen Eskew: But we will build a team. Listen, One Digital, the exciting thing about us is that we are constantly innovating, constantly growing. I love being in a space where I'm not giving up corporate script that says this is who you are. I love that I get to run DI and B and acquisitions. [30:11] JD: We do this every week. We have a lot, a lot of words like that. You want to acronym that so I get it. [30:16] Kristen Eskew: It's a very long time. [30:17] JD: Can I ask, was this. Was this your profession and role before one Digital? [30:24] Kristen Eskew: So when I came to One Digital, I was working in a regional role again. I kind of created that. I networked with. With a great guy at our firm, Mark McLean. He was like, just come. [30:33] JD: So that sounds like a white guy [30:34] Kristen Eskew: kind of dabbled in deep diversity. Equity, inclusion and belonging, business development, talent, sort of. And then this opportunity happened. And candidly, I'm real skeptical to take it. I mean, it's like a. [30:47] JD: What my question is like beyond being a black woman. [30:54] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [30:54] JD: Did you have a background in this? Had you studied it? You did it. [30:57] Kristen Eskew: Background. It's not like this old and like this does not go back 100 years. Right. I spearheaded, I would say I initiated our deep diversity. But. But did I grow up thinking this is what I wanted to do? Did I? I think I had. [31:16] JD: What did you want? I wanted to be an actress. [31:19] Kristen Eskew: It's a running joke in my family [31:21] JD: that I'm even in actress. You still could be an actress. [31:24] Kristen Eskew: Thank you. Do you need a co host? Huh? Do you need a co host? [31:27] Justin: Yes. [31:28] JD: We need to get more diversity on this show. [31:32] Justin: Yeah. [31:32] Chad: Justin, you're out yeah. [31:35] JD: You want to join? [31:35] Justin: How good can you do intros? [31:37] Kristen Eskew: I'm pretty damn good. [31:38] JD: You're in? [31:38] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [31:39] JD: Get the job. We should have you on a Thursday night. We're doing, like, on a zoom thing. You're in, I'm in. That would be phenomenal. [31:46] Chad: An hour long would be. [31:48] JD: And our chat bar goes off the chain. [31:50] Kristen Eskew: Like, oh, my God. [31:51] JD: We could probably have the same discussion. Although they're watching it recorded now. Hey, guys. But it would be cool. You get some chat bar that we can dive into. [31:59] Kristen Eskew: How diverse is your following? You think, oh, white, pale, and square. [32:04] JD: Bro [32:08] Kristen Eskew: going to have my back. You. [32:12] JD: I hope they're not that. [32:16] Chad: We did. We just introduced her to Will. [32:19] JD: Yeah. [32:20] Chad: One person. [32:21] JD: Why? [32:21] Chad: What they say in very inappropriate things. [32:24] JD: Oh, it. It was sexist stuff, right? Yeah. See, we. We. [32:28] Kristen Eskew: You have a line. [32:29] JD: We. We think across the line, like, bro [32:31] Chad: should have kicked off the line usually doesn't include us. [32:34] Kristen Eskew: Us. [32:34] Chad: It includes things people are saying. [32:36] Kristen Eskew: But is that rare to have? [32:38] Justin: Yeah, [32:41] Chad: it's nerdy stuff. [32:42] JD: Yeah. [32:43] Chad: They're like, oh, I know this stuff. [32:44] JD: Really good. Here's an answer. [32:46] Chad: Like you. They're not afraid to share their opinion. And that's what we want in this. Like, yeah, go, go. This is how you feel. [32:53] Kristen Eskew: I know when I'm at my company conference and I'm, like, feeling a little like I should be maybe a little filtered, so. [32:59] Justin: No, not at all. [33:00] Chad: Completely. [33:00] Kristen Eskew: They know who I am, too. I really don't put up the filters. Let me tell you this. When Mike asked me, whatever I asked him was the only. The first thing I told him was like, I really want you to be, like, a part of M and A. Yeah. All right. I said, let me just finish that. One counts as two. I said, okay, but don't make me the token. I'm not only gonna meet with businesses of color women in the. You know what I'm saying? Like, I think you just have to, like, at some point, we have to realize that I'm not the problem. I'm gonna be who I am. And if y' all can't accept it and you're gonna be who you like, we should all be who we are. And if whoever the y' all is doesn't accept it, they're the problem. [33:38] JD: Oh. [33:38] Kristen Eskew: And when you know 100%. [33:42] JD: You know what sucks, too, is I. I live in California, and I think sometimes California is like this little cocoon where you're like, california. [33:52] Justin: We've been exposed to it our whole lives. [33:54] JD: Yeah. It's not a thing. And you think like, well, everything's fine. Women, black people, everything's good. Hispanic, like, it's all fine. And then you go other places and [34:03] Kristen Eskew: you realize, wait, well, that's interesting. [34:05] Chad: Then you go to Missouri. [34:07] JD: Not to say that California's got all figured out. [34:09] Kristen Eskew: I came on stage one time, and a guy from California was like, man, because I was sharing my story, which I'm raising the south, lots of racist things, whatever. And I'm sharing my story. I'm not a victim. But he's, like, from California, and he's like, so good to hear that. Because we don't have racism. [34:30] Chad: You just said diversity, though. There's a lot of racism in California. [34:33] JD: You know what's the one of the most racist sports on the planet? [34:36] Chad: It is everywhere. [34:39] JD: Surfing's all white people. Fair. [34:42] Kristen Eskew: I'm surprised you haven't asked me if I know how to swim. I mean, let's just be honest. Do I tan? Yes. No, I'm kidding. Y' all just got real. [34:51] Justin: I didn't hear what you said. [34:55] Kristen Eskew: You never heard that? So, like, some of the stereotypes is that black people can't swim? That we don't tan? [35:03] Justin: Yes. [35:03] Kristen Eskew: And yes. [35:04] JD: Ice hockey. Again, I would never ask that question. [35:08] Chad: Swimming happens. [35:14] Justin: You don't know who PK is, do you? [35:16] JD: Did you just acronym twice? [35:17] Justin: Oh, my God. [35:22] JD: Sir, I want to continue this conversation. Our Thursday night show. [35:26] Kristen Eskew: I'd love to. [35:28] JD: I have to tell you, I'm not trying to kiss your ass. [35:30] Chad: Yes, yes. [35:31] JD: When I met you first, and then the second time here at this deal, I was blown away. No, no. By your charisma and your. I guess I am kissing ass right now, but I mean this, like, from my heart. Like, you're like, honesty and kind of like, thanks. Made me feel like I could tackle this conversation with you. It's probably why you have the job that you have. [36:00] Kristen Eskew: Oh, my gosh. [36:00] JD: Because I told you I wanted to talk about this on our show several times in different ways. Was I afraid of getting canceled? I don't know. [36:08] Kristen Eskew: I get it. I get it. [36:09] JD: And with you, I was like, wait one. This is gonna be gnarly, because this chick seems like a powerhouse. [36:16] Justin: But. [36:16] JD: But also, at the very same time, you gave me this kind of ease of, like, okay, I can just be honest. [36:22] Kristen Eskew: Yeah. [36:22] JD: And we can have this conversation. And I really, really thank you so much. I think that's something special. And you. And so take it with you. Not that you need my motivation. [36:31] Kristen Eskew: I love it. I have a lot of imposter syndrome. [36:34] JD: Do more. You have imposter syndrome oh God yes. I think I should be running the world. [36:43] Kristen Eskew: You said it. [36:45] JD: I'm a narcissist so with that thank [36:50] Kristen Eskew: you for being on the show thank you guys so I am about the [36:53] JD: lower shots not sorry here's what I'm going to do I am going to get you a mug are you going [37:01] Kristen Eskew: to go to my Christmas rescue website my we'll find the head shot and [37:06] JD: we're going to make her her own retire mug because you're such a throw guest. For sure I'll have my own at my house too I want you all [37:18] Kristen Eskew: to freak out of this [37:22] JD: having us here in our final year at the conference because of everything we up over the years [37:29] Justin: don't lump us in with [37:30] JD: you oh you guys come back I can and thank you to everyone for tuning in what camera don't know we love you guys you little 401k freaks. And we're the retireholics we're changing the retirement plan industry 1 Margarita espresso thank you.