Abby Sheehan
PLANADVISER: Tell us about your role at your firm and how you contribute to its growth and progress. How did you end up there?
Sheehan: As director of operations, my role is a little bit of everything. I’ve been called a traffic director, firefighter, cat herder, Swiss Army knife and occasional therapist. Each day brings new challenges, and that’s what makes the work fulfilling.
I joined SRBG in early 2023 after several years at a wealth management firm. It was a great place to learn, but I hit a ceiling and knew I wanted more. I reconnected with Michaela, who I had worked alongside previously, at just the right time. Her firm was growing fast and needed someone to help lay the operational foundation.
When I started, there was no CRM, our processes lived in outdated Word documents, and our file system (not-so-fondly known as “the black hole”) was messy and inconsistent. Since then, I’ve implemented a firmwide CRM, overhauled our file system and built internal resources/SOPs. I’ve also helped evolve how we present ourselves externally, including a rebrand of our website, logo and messaging. These efforts have all helped improve client relationships and driven new business growth.
On a team of visionary “what” thinkers, I take pride in being a “how” person by bringing clarity, structure and momentum to turn ideas into action.
PLANADVISER: How do you define success in your role?
Sheehan: Success in my role is when things feel easy. Not because they are, but because I’ve put in the work behind the scenes to make things clear, organized and manageable—both for our clients and for our internal team. Operations isn’t always the flashiest part of a firm, but when it’s done right, it creates space and everyone feels the difference.
To me, success shows up in the small moments. When someone doesn’t have to second-guess a process, track down an old email thread or recreate something from scratch. When they say, “this used to be so frustrating, and now it’s just easy.” That means I’ve removed a barrier and made their day-to-day smoother and more efficient.
That mindset led us to establish our team motto: We get you, we guide you, and we make it easy. While this was initially our outward promise to clients and partners, I also see it as a commitment to other members of our team. The way we operate internally should feel just as clear and supportive. When our team feels focused, confident and able to operate in their unique abilities, that’s success to me.
PLANADVISER: What have you done that you are most proud of at work? Personally?
Sheehan: At work, I’m most proud of helping shape a culture in which people feel clear, supported and motivated. How we show up for clients starts with how we show up for each other. It sounds cheesy, but a great culture really does make everything work better, and most of us have seen what happens when that’s missing. It’s harder to stay aligned, engaged and excited about the work. I’ve structured roles in a way that promotes our values and clarifies expectations. I’ve helped design compensation plans that reward performance and created systems that encourage people to go above and beyond for each other, including a peer recognition program.
Personally, I’m proud of supporting the launch of a foundation in memory of my uncle, who passed away from ALS. I helped bring my family’s ideas to life by building the website and leading the creation of our first major fundraising event. Turning something personal into a way to raise money and awareness has been a meaningful outlet for my family.
Professionally and personally, I’m proud of being someone others can count on. When someone tells me I’ve made their job or day easier, that’s the kind of impact that sticks with me.
PLANADVISER Emerging Leaders issued by PLANADVISER on 8/5/25 for the year 2025 recognizes those in the retirement plan advisory industry. The individual was nominated for the recognition. PLANADVISER editorial team evaluates eligible nominees that have been in industry for at least 3 years but no more than 15 and selects individuals based off nominee questionnaires. 60 people were considered for this honor and 60% were selected. No fee was paid for the nomination, receipt, or promotion of the award. Third-party ratings are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client’s evaluation.