Get To Know Maria Hernandez
When Maria moved to the Unites States, she experienced “a culture shock.” Born in Cuba and raised in the Canary Islands, Maria’s parents decided to move to the United States to seek better opportunities when she was 12 years old. “I remember how much of an adjustment this move was for my family, essentially having to start from zero. My dad was making $8 an hour, trying to take care of the whole family and I did not know any English, except for a few basic words.” Coming from a country where you see mostly locals, the diversity that U.S. offers was something very unusual for Maria. However, it did not take long to adjust, and Maria started embracing the differences and even felt drawn to exploring new languages and cultures. “I find myself curious about where people come from and what different experiences and skills they bring with their diverse backgrounds.” She is excited that working at Tobias Financial Advisors allows her to experience diversity on a daily basis, whether it is through interactions with our team or clients.
Initially, Maria got interested in finance in high school while working on a project where she had to pretend to live on her own and manage all her finances. Her biggest motivation to excel in finance was the desire to help her parents manage their money. She wanted to return the favor of providing greater opportunities and create a better life for them as well. “I am so thankful for the opportunity they gave me by sacrificing their established lives and moving to a new country just so I could grow and have a better life. They are my biggest inspiration to expand my limits, get out of my comfort zone and break out of old habits.” Maria’s experience taught her the importance of managing finances, taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves, and supplied her with many of the skills necessary to help our clients achieve their financial goals.
Tobias Financial Advisors is excited to have Maria in her role of Tax & Operations Analyst. Her positive energy, thirst for knowledge and willingness to provide the best experience possible for our clients is motivating. “I love the culture that we created at the firm. It is an environment that wants you to grow and pushes you to do better. We are constantly learning, advancing, and encouraging each other to realize our best potential.”
Maria’s wish for Tobias Financial Advisors is to continue growing and offering opportunities to our employees and clients. “Although we are a small firm, TFA does a great job at finding people that truly add value and are willing to go above and beyond to provide exceptional service.” Maria appreciates the firm’s client-focused mentality and the ability to adapt to industry changes. “It is very exciting working for a company that stays true to its vision, acts in the best interest of clients and is proactive in always seeking better ways of doing things.” Maria’s persistent commitment to cultivating the firm’s values is apparent in everything she does, and we are so proud to have her as part of our TFA family.