“I grew up here in Atlanta and have been here all my life, with the exception of a couple of years when I lived I Germany. Initially, when I went to college, I majored in liberal arts, which is, you know, worth a cup of coffee today. But anyway, I went to work at my church in the food service department. I wanted insurance and didn’t have any. It was a safe place for my young children. So I worked, and goodness – I loved it from the first day I walked in the door. I was food service director for 25 years, and then the last 10 years, wedding director and events planner. It was a wonderful, wonderful experience. I wouldn’t take anything for it, but 35 years of anything is enough.”

Meet Carolyn Clayton – a tiny dynamo and natural-born storyteller. In fact, she turned her years of food service experience into a book, “It Started with the Apple.” As Carolyn explains, “It’s about the relationship of food and your faith journey, and how it all started with the apple in the Garden of Eden.”

Now that Carolyn is semi-retired, she might write a book about her years as a wedding planner. Or maybe she’ll turn her love of English mysteries into her own novel. One thing is for sure: Carolyn Clayton is not likely to sit back and do nothing.

When I visited Carolyn at her home, she led me to her upstairs office and logged into Schwab’s Client Connection community – a group of about 300 retail clients who provide candid feedback and comments. Carolyn participates in online discussions several times a week, “so it’s not something I do and forget.”

Schwab is part of Carolyn’s day-to-day life, and she’s given a lot of thought to the whole “Talk to Chuck” invitation.

“I think the tone at Schwab is set by Chuck,” Carolyn said. “He’s just a regular ordinary guy, and I think that tone starts there and filters down.”

And by “filters down,” she means that the Schwab difference is evident from the minute she walks into her local branch.

“When I have an appointment at Schwab, the telephone rings but it’s never answered by my broker,” Carolyn said. “No one ever comes and knocks on the door and says, ‘Excuse me for a minute.’ It’s very impressive that you’re so important that this person is totally focused on you. The branches are that way as well. It’s almost as if – have you ever seen a military movie, and the general walks in and everyone snaps to? I get that feeling when I walk into a Schwab branch…

“My daddy wasn’t anybody important, and I’m not anybody important until I walk in there.”

Hear Carolyn Clayton's story about being “somebody at Schwab,” and tell us: How does your broker make you feel?

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IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

Brokerage Products: Not FDIC Insured • No Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value

The experiences herein have been edited, may not be representative of the experience of other clients and are not indicative of future performance or success. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice.

The Charles Schwab Corporation (“Schwab”) provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management and financial advisory services through its operating subsidiaries. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member, SIPC), offers investment services and products. Deposit and lending products and services are offered by Charles Schwab Bank, Member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.
 

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