Our Stories

From Mentee to Mentor: A Journey of Growth and Giving Back

Forge Optima has been a cornerstone in my personal and professional growth. My journey with the program began in high school, where I received invaluable guidance to explore my potential and shape my future ambitions. Through consistent mentorship, I was supported every step of the way - from navigating the challenges of college to starting my career at a Big 4 firm. 

Gary’s mentorship was instrumental in helping me ascertain my strengths, align my goals, and develop the confidence to achieve them. He took the time to understand my aspirations and shared constructive guidance from his own experiences, inspiring me to leverage my skill set and achieve more. 

With a degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton, and a solid foundation to my professional journey, I am proud to give back as a mentor at Forge Optima. The support I received has inspired me to help others navigate their own paths toward success.

At Forge Optima, I am committed to providing support during your path toward a career consistent with your personal and professional ambitions. 

Investment Banking and Beyond

I first met Gary as an uncertain freshman at UCLA. From early on, our conversations helped me to discover what I truly wanted to get out of my future career. Upon discovering that investment banking was something I wanted to pursue, Forge Optima played a pivotal role in helping me develop the confidence and charisma necessary to recruit for and eventually break into the industry. I was connected to Dave, who shared valuable insights and experiences about his time in numerous fields which was a massive boost in my professional journey.

What I have most appreciated about Gary as a mentor is his specificity and genuine care for his mentees' success. Unlike others in this position who might offer general advice and move on, Gary was extremely deliberate in helping me define and achieve my goals in an actionable manner. For example, he would put me on calls with various professionals with the sole purpose being to improve my conversational skills, which directly translated to the recruiting process for investment banking. The detailed guidance and unwavering support of Forge Optima have been key to both my professional and personal development throughout college.

Having a mentor is something that everyone at all ages can stand to benefit from, and I believe receiving that mentorship through Forge Optima is an ideal path for anyone seeking professional advice.

Academic and Career Milestones Unlocked

When I graduated from California State University, Fullerton, I had the drive to succeed but lacked a clear roadmap for my career. That’s when I started working with Gary, whose mentorship became a pivotal force in my personal and professional growth.

Gary helped me see possibilities I hadn’t considered before, including his encouragement to return to Cal State Fullerton to pursue a Master’s in Taxation. This decision was a turning point in my career. Balancing the demands of graduate school while working full-time wasn’t easy, but Gary’s guidance gave me the tools and mindset to excel.

His mentorship taught me how to approach challenges with focus, resilience, and leadership. Applying these lessons, I not only thrived in graduate school but also advanced quickly in my career. Within a short span, I earned three early promotions—from staff to supervisor—all while completing my master’s program.

The combination of Gary’s coaching and my enhanced education positioned me to confidently tackle complex challenges and seize new opportunities. Today, I’ve reached a significant milestone: joining the international tax team at BDO, a role that aligns perfectly with my long-term career goals.

Gary’s mentorship didn’t just help me achieve success; it transformed how I define and pursue it. He equipped me with the vision to shape my future and the leadership skills to inspire others. Thanks to his support, I’ve grown not only as a professional but also as someone prepared to guide and empower others on their own journeys—just as Gary did for me.

Empowered Balance

Balancing professional and personal life as a working mother has been challenging. Thankfully, Gary has been instrumental in transforming both my career and personal life. He has helped me align my career objectives with my personal goals, strengths, and family commitments, enabling a deeper understanding of myself and creating a clear plan for the future. 

Gary is more than just a mentor; he is an inspiring role model. His commitment to both his family and career, coupled with his passion and vision, has greatly influenced me. He exemplifies true excellence and leadership by leading through action. 

I am deeply grateful to both Gary and Forge Optima for their invaluable guidance. Their support has not only spurred my professional growth but also taught me how to lead a more balanced, meaningful, and fulfilling life.

Forging a Path: Finding a Future in Finance

Going into a critical year for internships as a junior at UCI, I met Gary at a time when I had to make vital early career decisions seemingly blindly. It was ultimately Forge Optima that gave me the platform to break into the corporate world of Big 4 Accounting, while Gary provided me the guidance to ultimately discover my true passion in Finance. After being connected with Jake, I was able to gain years of critical career insights without the heavy lifting of countless unopened emails and swaths of overlooked LinkedIn messages. To this day, I credit Forge Optima as the trailblazer to my path forward as a young professional.

The key to Forge Optima is its unwavering support; even now, I look forward to optimizing the future of my career with this community. The personal and professional structure, organization, and clarity I now have is my greatest strength as I enter the workforce.

Between the genuine connections and the countless conversations within them, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of mentorship and community for students, young professionals and beyond.

Imposter Syndrome to Empowerment 

Often, the weight of personal expectations and ambitions without guidance can have us feeling lost early in our career. As a graduate from UCLA, I often struggled with “imposter syndrome.” The expectation was set high, but I often looked around and asked the question of “Am I doing enough?” Often, we create ambitious plans based off what we observe around us, but don’t ultimately have the guidance to know where to start. Moreover, our attachment to the idea of success encourages us to focus only on the highlight of one’s career and not the process of shortcomings that they may have experienced which often leaves us questioning our potential.

It is during this time of confusion in my life that Gary’s mentorship shaped me to be who I am now; not only professionally but personally as well. Not only did he mentor me in the direction of my career path in accounting through sharing his extensive experience, but he also helped me identify my weaknesses as well as my strengths. Through our discussions, not only was I able to start believing in myself again, but Gary also helped to iron out the traits I needed to improve on.

Through the mentorship that I was fortunate to have in the early stages of my career, I developed experiences and visions within Tax accounting in both the Big 4 public accounting world and now at a public corporation level. After 8 years of having started my mentorship with Gary, I still reflect on the lessons learned then and hope to continue learning from him as I progress in my career.

Now as I reflect, and look onward, I wish to also develop a mentor relationship with others who may be seeking guidance in their career. I wish to not only provide clarity on a professional level, but also help to identify one’s weaknesses which will lead to greater success. It is through this unique experience I continue to trust myself when faced with new challenges, and envision to empower others in the present and the future.