James Burns ‘04 and Mitch Eisenstein ‘05 spoke to students interested in careers in financial planning, accounting, and sports management on March 15 as a part of CC’s Career Conferences series. 

During their presentations, both alumni discussed their career paths and touched on what to study in college, providing recommendations on the best ways to secure a job in their respective fields post-graduation.

After graduating from CC in 2004, Burns went on to receive his Bachelor’s Degree from Hillsdale College. After working at Plante Moran and earning his CPA, he served as a financial advisor for Vintage Financial Services and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management before becoming a Partner and the CIO of OnTrack Wealth Management, a firm he helped create. 

Burns shared valuable insights on the wealth management industry and how to best go about getting a job in financial planning after college, stressing the importance of being a well-rounded individual. 

“It is not just being good with numbers, but you also need to communicate clearly, write with proper grammar, speak effectively, or no one will want you to manage their money,” said Burns, “That is why the things you learn here at CC are important. They may not seem important to you now, but you are building habits that will serve you for the rest of your life.”

Eisenstein graduated from CC in 2005, received his Bachelor’s from Michigan State University, and went on to graduate from California Western School of Law Summa Cum Laude. After law school, he went on to work in sports marketing. Today, Eisenstein is the President of The Franchise Agency, a full-service talent agency specializing in NFL Player Contract negotiation, athlete brand development, and endorsement procurement. His clients include Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, Kam Chancellor, Darius Slay, Casey Hayward, Cliff Avril, and Bob Menery. 

When asked how he got into the world of sports management, a field known for its exclusivity and difficulty breaking into, Eisenstein shared how he worked with career guidance counselors in college to help him network with valuable connections.

“Go and speak with your counselors; they are there to help you. Tell them what you want to do, and they will guide you and help open the right doors for you,” he said. 

Einstein also spoke on how CC impacted his professional development, crediting the school to helping him advance in his career.

“The CC name holds so much weight that for a lot of people, it means more than where you went to college. It shows work ethic, morals, values, and it is so important to stand by these values you learn while you are here.”