Julie-Ann

Tathem, M.A.

“Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith” and “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” are two sayings that continue to inspire me. Particularly as I made the transition from a successful yet stressful career in investment banking (equities) to launch a career and company focused on business and life strategy. This venture is a product of delving into my passion for psychology, addressing my need for meaning and life balance and applying the professional experience gained from the banking industry. I found an alternative avenue and a new approach to solving the often asked question of how does one find meaning, life balance and success and I offer clients this new edge in business.

I worked in several investment banks in London, San Francisco and New York for 13 years and loved the alluring lifestyle and the adrenalin high. I realized though I needed to fulfill my dream in a career that also gave voice to my passion. Business class flying and 5 star hotels made nights away from home easier, but it was always followed up with a late night taxi ride from JFK and weekends spent recuperating physically and mentally from week-long roadshows. I wanted to be honest with myself and yet I wasn’t ready to take a big risk, so while working I decided to do further training in psychology. This was pivotal in that it reinforced my initial intuition and my self-belief. I was able to interact with a diverse group of like minded people who were on the road to self improvement or who just needed to raise their game by understanding the spiritual and psychological components of one’s life.

Building my business reinforced my original idea; that my experience in listening, understanding, and assimilating the thought process of some of the leaders in the corporate world (an opportunity I feel extremely blessed to have), gave me a unique skill. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I have a bond with my clients, some of whom I have worked with in the financial world for many years. The bond is built on mutual respect at an intellectual level and also from knowing the personal side and using my ability to listen and advise without judgment, and in the strictest of confidence.

I have always had an interest in human behavior and psychology and studied Gestalt Psychotherapy while in London. Later I completed a Masters in Spiritual Psychology in California. My personal library has always been eclectic. I have read extensively and taken courses in topics as diverse as metaphysics, body oriented-psychology, addiction and trauma, co-dependency, meditation, spiritual response therapy, family constellations, intergenerational healing, kinesiology and brain spotting.

Intellectual ability, hard work, and integrity are the cornerstones of success in any business. My experience in finance and my interaction with CEOs and senior portfolio managers, convinced me that rising to the top required more than this. The pinnacle of success and personal happiness was only achieved by the few who were adept at managing both perception and expectation.

If the service business, including banking and finance, is “all about the people”, then surely understanding human psychology and spirituality is the fourth cornerstone to success.