You cannot put a dollar value to this

Here's a story about the ever-growing respect I have for my colleagues.

We've just wrapped up the biggest Asian Conference in Europe, and we ended on an extreme high. I definitely would not trade the experience for any other thing in this world nor could I expect it to be any greater than it was. It was just perfect. Definitely worth the fever and sleepless nights, and I'll do it again a million times. 

My Managing Director. I believe the firm has hired only the perfect fit for that position. Take it from me, he is just out of this world. He's there with a goal and a purpose, leading a subsidiary that has potential to grow. And if you could go through his head, you'll fall in love with his determination to turnaround a Bank that is not (very) known in Europe, to one that is ranked as one of the top picks for Investors today. In a year! Just how?! 

He has the best and only the greatest team with him. He is one who would make sure the team works hard and plays hard all at the same time, a team he connects so very well with. If anything, he had brought in a team that is driven to aim super crazy high, ready to go through anything with him and get work done in an aggressively-professional (is that even a word) way.

I work for a team that is never ever short of acknowledgement, and of course comments when things aren't done right. Trading is an aggressive world I once thought was only suitable for guys, but after 5 months, I've not only fallen in love with the team, but also with what I do. I wake up everyday, eagerly excited to face the team that I look up to and have so much respect for. I have a team who believes in me more than anyone else I've worked with and encourage me to strive up that corporate ladder although I know I'm not even a quarter the superstar sales(traders) they are. Coming from a person so high up, I must have done something right somewhere, even if it's small. I'm just grateful he opened my eyes to see it and made sure I knew it too so that I won't miss the moment.

Past 3 days, my respect for each and every one of my team member sky rocketed to a whole new level. They gave me an experience that no money can buy and showed me that a team, no matter how very small, is able to host and organize the biggest Asian conference in Europe and make multi million dollar trades** within that time span if you want to make it happen. You won't be able to do it alone, but my Boss taught me that it is possible if you have a team with the right work traits:

1. Intelligence/Smart (comes in many forms, from knowledge to your ability to adapt to different situations)
2. Hard work
3. A team player

When you have teammates with these traits, size does not matter anymore. We're an Asian brokerage based out here in London and on our tiny trading floor we have only one Korean expert, one Taiwanese expert, one Indian expert, one Asean expert, one Australian expert, one Middle east north africa expert, sales traders and corporate access experts. They covered it all with just a small team. I look at them and I am grateful to be a part of the team, to be a part of their journey and to be able to learn from the best. To be a part of an awesome team that truly believes in me and is always generous with priceless advice. Thank god I got through that scary interview, as this that I have right now is definitely worth any interview. Indeed I have a lot to learn from these guys!

I could go on to write every detail from my meetings with the corporates, clients and my team throughout the conference. But I reckon, some things are best left for a special happy place in my memory. My main purpose was to make sure I document it because today is a day I woke up feeling so very blessed and overwhelmed, and I truly missed them.

WELL DONE AND CONGRATULATIONS TEAM ON THE AMAZING CONFERENCE!! YOU GUYS ROCK! 

Sigh. I just love my colleagues and my job. 

**Disclaimer: Only an expression, with no relation to any actual figure