Helen Qiang Raleigh, CFA

Denver, Colorado
Charterholder since 2003

Taking no shortcuts in pursuit of excellence and the CFA charter

I was born in China, right at the tail end of the Cultural Revolution Movement, and barely escaped the implementation of the “One-Child” policy. My parents like to call me a “lucky baby,” but I don’t believe in luck. I like to credit hard work, steadfast determination, love, and support from family for bringing me to where I am now and making me who I am today.

While I was a sophomore at Tianjin University of Commerce in Tianjin, China, I met the first American in my life, an English teacher. From him, I was exposed to music by Bob Dylan and Michael Jackson, as well as to old Hollywood movies such as Casablanca. This cultural exposure opened my eyes and increased my curiosity. I asked my professor so many questions that eventually, he suggested that I go to the United States to explore the culture and experience it for myself.

With his help, I enrolled in the Master of Economics Program at SUNY Oneonta. To help me realize my dreams, my family gave me all the savings they had, including my brother’s and sister’s savings for their weddings. My parents also borrowed money from everyone they knew. It took them five years to pay them back.

At that time, China had very strict foreign currency controls on private citizens. My brother was working at a five-star hotel in China. Risking being fired, he asked a couple of regular foreign guests who were staying in the hotel to exchange Chinese RMB into foreign currencies. In the end, all the money my family put together was only enough to cover the first semester’s tuition, room and board. My genius, brave brother was even able to get me some pocket money that included 70 U.S. dollars, 20 English Pounds and a couple of Australian dollars.

I arrived at Oneonta, New York in August 1996 with $100 in mixed foreign currencies in my pocket. That was my net worth. A retired Chinese professor, Dr. Lou, sympathized with my situation. He introduced me to a local Chinese restaurant owner, who agreed to let me stay in his family attic for a couple months. In exchange, I would help out at his restaurant and tutor his two daughters in Chinese.

I believe that when there is a will, there is a way. During my first year of studies, I took two on-campus, part-time jobs to support myself, in addition to working for the Chinese restaurant owner. Based on my good grades during the first semester, I was granted a scholarship, which helped to cover expenses for the second semester. Prior to my graduation, I realized that my career options were limited with an M.S. in economics. I decided to pursue my MBA.

In 1997, I was accepted by the MBA program at the University of Wyoming. I had very little knowledge about Wyoming, and most of that knowledge was based on John Wayne movies. Most of my American friends had never even set foot in Wyoming. Ever the curious adventurer, I embraced this new opportunity.

For my first cross-country trip, I took a Greyhound bus for three days and three nights, making my way across America from New York to Laramie, Wyoming. Two years later, MBA in hand, I joined Citibank’s Risk Management in Englewood, Colorado.

While at Citibank, I learned about the CFA designation. I spent the next three years working toward earning the CFA designation. As the saying goes, “There are no shortcuts to anywhere that is worth going!” To prepare for the Level II and Level III exams, I joined a study group. My study buddies were Bill and Tom, and they each owned a private wealth management practice. We became lifelong friends. We not only helped each other with studies, but also traded our superstitious rituals prior to taking the exams. Bill always slept with his textbooks the night before the exam. I wore the exact same outfit, went to the same restaurant for lunch and ordered the same food for all three level exams. Bill, Tom and I all received our CFA designation in 2003. My father told me later that there were fewer than 10 people in China who had obtained the CFA designation as of 2003.

My CFA designation opened many doors for me to take a different career path. I worked for several Fortune 500 companies and even had a stint at the Colorado Public Employee Pension Fund.

I also became a board member for the CFA Colorado Society, chairing the technology and education committees. In addition, I traveled to college campuses with other board members and talked to business school students about the CFA program.

In 2011, I decided to found my own Investment Advisory firm, Red Meadow Advisors LLC. Many people thought I was crazy to quit a comfortable job at a time when unemployment rate was almost 10 percent. But I saw the business opportunity because many people had suffered significant financial loss during the recession. As the economy recovers gradually, people need professional financial advice to get back on track. I want to be there to help them achieve the financial freedom they deserve.

In the words of Albert Einstein, “If you want to have a happy life, tie it to a goal.” Today, I am not only a successful businesswoman; I am a teacher, public speaker, and columnist. What makes my family and me proudest of all is that I am a CFA charterholder.