Justin Fletchall, RBC Wealth Management, The Droster Team

IB’s Professional of the Week is the premier way to meet Dane County’s professionals. This week features Justin Fletchall, financial advisor, RBC Wealth Management, The Droster Team.

What are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your job and why?

The most rewarding aspect of being a financial advisor at the RBC Wealth Management office on the square in downtown Madison is setting up a plan for clients and joining them on the journey of watching and revising the plan over many years, and then seeing the plan come to fruition and the joy they feel with being able to meet the financial goals they have set out before them. The most challenging aspect of being a financial advisor is counseling clients to stick to the long-term plan even when markets and headlines in the news are scaring them into making decisions that could get them off track.

Who do you look up to or admire in business and why?

Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. They have built a very large business over many years by being shrewd investors, but even more important, they have continued to stay humble and active into their late 80s and 90s.

What has been the high point of your career so far?

Despite being in the financial management business at RBC Wealth Management for 17 years, I still feel like the high point for my career is set anew every day. I was recently promoted to partner and financial advisor on The Droster Team at RBC Wealth Management, moving up from senior financial analyst. I wake up with enthusiasm for what I do every morning! I can’t imagine a time I would feel nostalgic for some better time in the past.

Thinking back on your career, what advice would you give your 21-year-old self?

Ten two-letter words: “If it is to be, it is up to me!” In my career, and in life, very few things are given. It’s up to each of us to make our lives what we want. Many times, early on, I would wonder why things were a certain way when I thought they could be improved. Most of the time, I’ve found if I’m willing to put in the effort, things will start to change the way I want them to.

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What would you say are the best things about living and working in Dane County?

There are so many things! I’ve lived in Dane County my entire life and have always appreciated the unique mix of a medium-sized city with an abundance of surrounding countryside to explore. It’s been a wonderful place to raise a family, with many opportunities to enrich our lives. Being able to work with a very diverse group of people with a wide array of careers and life experiences has been very rewarding, as well. The only thing I don’t appreciate is the weather in February!

Do you have any secret talents or abilities that people would be surprised to discover?

Most people don’t think of financial advisors as particularly handy around the house, but I would like to think I have a talent for remodeling and have done quite a bit on my own. From taking out walls, replacing floors, tiling, plumbing, electrical work, and woodwork, I’ve developed a pretty diverse skill set. Though I’m certainly more of a jack of all trades and master of none in this regard!

What are your guilty pleasures?

One of my greatest pleasures has become running, and I’ve often felt guilty about it when it takes time away from my family. I resolved this past summer to start running very early in the morning when the rest of the family is asleep so as not to interfere with family or work time. That led to a rather odd circumstance where I ended up running a marathon around Madison from 2 a.m.–6 a.m. in the morning on Halloween this year. I’ve been hoping to run the New York City Marathon with my brother, and had an opportunity to get in the race this year, but the catch was that I had to run a marathon distance between Halloween and Nov. 2, 2019 to get in. I knew I couldn’t miss work or trick-or-treating with the kids on Halloween night, and there wasn’t going to be a good opportunity the couple of days after. So, I got up at 2 a.m. on Halloween morning, ran through our fresh snow all around Madison for four hours, and then went home, got the kids ready for school, and went off to work. That night after trick-or-treating, I joined the kids in collapsing in bed after a long day! This year the whole family will be spending Halloween in New York and then I will get to run the New York City Marathon with my brother the next day!

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