From Physics to Financial Planning: Craig Lemoine on Building Careers, Curriculum, and Talent

In this episode of Journeys to the Summit, Ilya Zlotnik sits down with Craig Lemoine, Director of Financial Planning at the University of Illinois, to talk about the real evolution of wealth management and why the next generation of talent is entering the profession differently than ever before.Craig shares his unconventional path from physics major to financial planning, his early career inside a high-volume planning team, what the old GDC “grid” sales culture taught him about incentives, and why today’s students can build a real career in planning without starting in pure sales.They also break down how Illinois grew its program from 82 students to ~240, why Craig pushed to make estate planning required (“everybody dies, not everybody retires”), and how electives like Money & Happiness are preparing students for the human side of advice. Plus: why firms increasingly prefer candidates who have already passed high-stakes exams like the SIE/Series 65.If you’re building a firm, hiring advisors, or starting your career in wealth management, this one is packed with practical insight.#FinancialPlanning #WealthManagement #FinancialAdvisor #UniversityOfIllinois #AdvisorRecruiting#EstatePlanning #Leadership #JourneysToTheSummit