Tag: American Dream

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Transparency With Diana B.: From Riches to Refugee

Transparency With Diana B.: From Riches to Refugee

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Many people tend to dwell on horrific experiences, making it difficult to move forward and live their lives. Others embrace the trauma, using it to build strength and a thick skin. 

In this episode of Transparency, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Kashif “Kash” Ahmed, founder and president of American Private Wealth, an advisory outside of Boston. In 1990 at the age of 17, Kash and his family found themselves at the center of Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait by Saddam Hussain’s forces, over oil pricing and production disputes. Hussain led Iraq with an iron first for several decades, and Kash’s family, including his father who was instrumental in building Kuwait’s oil industry, was at the top of his list of people to take hostage. Kash went from riches to refugee in a matter of hours. 

In this episode, you will learn:

  • About his six-week journey out of war-torn Kuwait into Pakistan
  • How Kash at a young age learned the importance of sticking to his principles
  • How he learned to embrace these traumatic experiences and be grateful for what he has
  • How he turns his adversity into strength
  • What led Kash to become a financial advisor, and how he dealt with biases against Muslims 
  • And more

Tune in now to learn how to embrace adversity and use it to build strength. 

Editor’s Note: This podcast was recorded before we found out that Kash had contracted COVID-19. Our editors have been in touch with him, and he’s recovering with no extreme symptoms. As with his experience fleeing Kuwait, he’s got a positive attitude, saying on Twitter “#COVID19 – You will not defeat me!” 

Resources:   WealthManagement.com | Diana Britton | Contact Diana | American Private Wealth

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Transparency with Diana B.: A Top Advisor’s Immigration Story

Transparency with Diana B.: A Top Advisor’s Immigration Story

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As a young girl growing up in Egypt, Laila Pence was very well off; her family lived in a seven-bedroom mansion in Suez. But all of that was taken away in almost an instant, when the Israeli army bombed her village during the Six-Day War. Struggling to survive, her family decided to emigrate to the U.S., but only Laila and her mother were able to go at first. The transition would not be easy; Laila grappled with drastically different weather, not knowing the language and making friends in a foreign land.

In this episode of Transparency, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton, is joined by Laila Pence, president of Pence Wealth Management in Newport Beach, Calif., who shares her life journey, how she overcame adversity and how her struggles shaped who she is today. Her family lost everything in terms of wealth, and as an immigrant, a woman and English-as-a-second-language speaker, she felt she had three strikes against her. But she is, perhaps, the poster child of the American Dream. Now, she manages an advisory firm with over $1.5 billion in client assets. She achieved it by working hard, focusing on her passion, and not listening to the biases out there.   

In this episode, you will learn:

  • The story of Laila’s childhood and experience as an immigrant in New York.
  • How Laila was able to overcome adversity and rise above.
  • Who supported Laila in her journey to becoming a financial advisor.
  • Laila’s struggles being a woman and having a child in this industry and how she overcame those.
  • Her advice for other folks struggling to adapt to a new country.
  • And more.

 Tune in now to hear how Laila used her perseverance and grit to become a top financial advisor in the U.S.

 Resources:   WealthManagement.com | Diana Britton | Contact Diana | Pence Wealth Management

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