A few years ago—not long after the arduous process of studying for and obtaining my licenses to act as a financial adviser had ended—I encountered something my training hadn’t prepared me for. I had just taken a leap from a steady consulting career with a reliable paycheck to a path with greater long-term potential, and eventual work-life balance, too—if I could slog through the initial years of long hours and slim wages. It was a risk. My wife and I discussed it for weeks, going back and forth on the pros and cons. The biggest question was whether I had what it takes to “make it.” When you’re starting out in financial advising, as with any entrepreneurial role, your first few years on the job are all about building a pipeline of clients as quickly as possible, establishing and maintaining relationships with them. It’s very much a sink or swim situation.