"This has truly become very important for building relationships," said this employee at the management level of KKR and also an infrastructure investor, to Business Insider.
Thereafter, Casey became a regular participant in this sport. This 32-year-old professional enjoys the fact that the sport combines strategy and luck; it satisfies her analytical side while also leaving room for chance. She even convinced her husband to join her in the activity.
In the highly competitive world of Wall Street, free time is often in short supply. However, in an industry where networking is of paramount importance, even hobbies can become another path to advancement. Business Insider interviewed several individuals from their "Wall Street Rising Stars" list to learn about the hobbies and habits they developed during their career progression. Some of them, like Casey, found new hobbies that not only satisfied their interests but also helped them build their network; others integrated their existing hobbies into their professional lives. Still, there were those who developed habits that allowed them to temporarily detach themselves from work.
Develop new hobbies in sports
"The environment in which I grew up determined that it was unlikely for me to come into contact with these hobbies, so learning about them for work has been of great help to me," says this 33-year-old data center investor.
She's also trying to play golf, but her progress isn't that smooth. "I've managed to master one of the two things that Wall Street people like to do," she joked.
Another “rising star” found that learning a new sport is very helpful for building connections, although it still takes time to really get the hang of it.
The head of corporate loan mortgage bonds at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (CLO), Mussie Tizazu, has started playing tennis in a competitive format and plans to organize some customer events around this sport. However, he says he is still working hard to break the habits formed while playing squash.
"I can't say that I play exceptionally well yet, but it's very interesting, and many customers have also started to engage in this activity," he said.
Evercore Bankers like Jim Tilson have also started playing squash, as this sport is easier to fit into their busy schedules.
“If I could play golf every day, I would,” he said. But having a one-year-old daughter at home means that spending several hours on the golf course isn’t always feasible. As for squash, he said, “You can finish a game and leave in just an hour.”
Bring your “whole self” to work.
Goldman Sachs Managing Director Mike Washington told Business Insider that he has started to "deeply" learn about wine, and earlier this year, he even combined a conversation by the fireplace with a wine tasting.
"People joke about me developing new hobbies," says this 32-year-old stock sales broker, "but for someone who deals with clients every day, what could be more effective in truly bridging the gap between people than a hobby?"
He views this as a way to bring “the whole self” to work every day. However, combining work with hobbies has also come at a cost. Three years ago, this individual, who used to play for Princeton University’s basketball team, injured his shoulder and had it torn while playing basketball with a client, which led to surgery. That experience prompted him to look for a hobby that was less likely to result in injuries.
"It was during that process that I discovered golf," he said.
A 30-year-old Allie Becher has also found a way to bring her personal interests into the workplace without having to develop any new hobbies. This Citadel Securities sales trader told Business Insider that she has always enjoyed hosting others, and now she applies this to her work. She initiated a series of macro-themed dinners, and the portfolio managers who participated "now have a very good relationship with each other and have established solid connections."
She also organized the Barry's Bootcamp training course, with participants including clients, team colleagues, and the heads of her own business department.
Finding time to disconnect from work
There is another group of people who manage to squeeze out more time for themselves by developing new habits and interests.
At the age of 35, David Oppenheim made a significant adjustment to his daily routine: he turned himself into a morning person.
Oppenheim claims to be a night owl. He says that he has started to get up early for exercise and to get into the rhythm of the day earlier, which was completely unimaginable for him ten years ago. This Evercore Managing Director has even set up a gym at home, which makes it easier for him to maintain this habit even in winter.
"My wife jokes with me, saying that I now don't even have an excuse not to exercise," he said.
The Cody Kiechle from Bank of America started running regularly during the pandemic and has continued to do so, treating it as a way to escape the stress of daily work.
At the same time, Maya Venkatraman indicates that running has remained consistent throughout her entire career, especially during periods when work demands are particularly high, as it helps her maintain a clear perspective. This 34-year-old Managing Director at Morgan Stanley says that running is also one of the times when she is most efficient in her thinking.
“Many times, that is the period when I am best at solving problems,” she said, “I will take a slight distance from the problem in front of me, and then, for some reason, the solutions often come to me at that time.”
