Employee Spotlight: Payton Chipley

What is your title at Badgley Phelps?
Associate Wealth Manager

Moving to a new city can be both exciting and challenging. How did you balance studying for your CFA while starting a new role at Badgley and navigating a major move?

Early mornings are the key to ensuring I balance studying with work. I’ve learned the morning is the only variable of my day I can control, and it’s also when my mind is most malleable for learning. 

My weekdays start at about 4:30 a.m., which allows me time to squeeze a quick workout in and dedicate a couple of hours to studying before starting the workday. It clears a path to my workday, knowing I have completed the most technical part of my studying routine. 
Moving to Seattle itself has been an adjustment, but it is a good one! Everyone here at Badgley, including clients, have been welcoming and patient as I’m learning the ins and outs of my new role.

What initially drew you to wealth management as a career?

I wanted to find a way to combine my interests in capital markets and investing with helping people personally. The Wealth Management career path is one I feel cultivates relationships and allows me room to grow in my research interests. 

Outside of work, how do you enjoy spending your time? 

I try to prioritize spending time outside and staying active as much as possible. Most of my free time is spent with my family and friends either at the lake or wining and dining. 

I started boxing a couple of years ago, which has been a great sport for me. I enjoy having something to be competitive at, and it gives me a skill to sharpen outside of work. I also enjoy art (mostly other people’s) but I do paint amateurly.

What keeps you motivated at work?    

I am most strongly motivated by the support of my family. I owe it to them to strive for more and put my potential to use as best I can. It’s easier to work hard when you have people to work hard for!

When it comes to working with clients, what do you believe is especially important in the early stages of the relationship that people sometimes overlook? 

I think seeking a connection with clients personally is increasingly important and sometimes overlooked. A client’s personal life drives their financial picture whether it’s their planning, investment strategy, or both. It’s pivotal to know what clients care about most outside of their finances to truly understand their goals and what drives them. Money is such a personal thing for people; I think clients sleep easier at night when they know their advisor cares about their life personally and professionally. 

Investment research requires both analytical thinking and perspective. How do you approach research in a way that stays aligned with what matters most to clients?

I think it’s important to focus on market fundamentals while maintaining a broad view of the general economy. These days, it is easy to become caught up in headlines. We are navigating uncharted waters with ongoing developments in artificial intelligence, geopolitical shifts, and more resilient markets than I personally would have expected a couple of years ago. Staying grounded in the process and welcoming the perspectives of my colleagues helps me develop my best, unbiased, opinions.

In my experience, what matters most to clients is that we are diligent in our research and equipped to answer their questions about market developments. Client questions come in all forms, but I think being proactive in anticipating these questions while conducting research allows our managers to respond thoughtfully.

If you could have coffee with any historical figure or leader, who would it be and why?

There are several good answers to this question. My contemporary answer is Virgil Abloh. I’d ask him how he managed to turn his artistry into a commercial enterprise. My real answer is Leonardo da Vinci in hopes that some of his pure genius would rub off on me during our conversation.

What’s something on your bucket list you hope to accomplish someday? 

I hope to start a business of my own one day. I have no idea what it will be, but I have an entrepreneurial itch to scratch!

What qualities do you think make for a successful wealth manager-client relationship? 

I think emotional intelligence on the wealth manager’s part plays a huge role in any successful client relationship. The managers I’ve known who can develop a sense of intuition that allows them to anticipate the needs of their clients have a major advantage in fostering longevity in their relationships.

Closing Thoughts 

Payton’s perspective reflects many of the qualities that shape strong client relationships over time: discipline, curiosity, emotional intelligence, and a genuine interest in understanding what matters most to the people she works with. Whether she is supporting research, studying for the CFA, or helping contribute to the client experience, she brings a thoughtful and grounded approach to her work.

We’re glad to have Payton on the team and look forward to all she will continue to contribute at Badgley Phelps.