MAWUENA ‘MAWE’ TAKYI, 34
Financial adviser, Dent Asset Management
This Ghana native found his way to Baton Rouge to attend LSU, and is now a certified financial planner with Dent Asset Management, where he co-manages $180 million in assets. His passion, though, is teaching financial literacy to disadvantaged families and exposing young people to careers in finance and investment management. He is active in Boys and Girls Club, Family Road of Baton Rouge and Forum 35.
Inspiring book: The New Financial Advisor
This was the first book I read when I entered the industry and it has been a guide and helped shape my career.
Major professional accomplishments: Manage, along with a team of three others, a financial advisory practice of about $200 million in assets.
Volunteer and community involvement: Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, Forum 35, Board of Trustees; Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Baton Rouge, Board of Directors; Family Road of Baton Rouge
PROFESSIONAL
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? An Actor. I won best actor for playing Oberon in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? One summer in high school I sold a specialty brand paper towel and toilet paper for a wholesaler to local shops. It taught me perseverance and humility as I got rejected quite often.
What is your favorite place for a business lunch in Baton Rouge? Sullivans
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Helping families achieve their goals over multiple generations.
The old saying goes, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Specifically, what are you “being” to make Baton Rouge better? I believe that your actions make the change. Thus I’ve been involved with various community endeavors’, such as being on the board of my neighborhood civic association or being the co-chair of “A Day to Be” an event with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge that lets kids shadow professionals and exposes them to different careers.
How many times will you try something before admitting it doesn’t work? Third time’s the charm.
What did you learn the hard way? There is no substitute for hard work.
TECHNOLOGY
Mac or PC? PC
What’s your preferred mode of communication: text or phone call? Phone call. I still like the old-fashioned sound of another human’s voice.
How low will you allow your remaining battery life to get (in %) before you have an anxiety attack? None. I have a Mophie battery case to prevent that catastrophe from happening.
How many unread messages are in your inbox right now? None.
What app gets you through the day? Bloomberg.
Are you quick to adapt to new tech, or did you hang on to that flip phone way after it became obsolete? I am a Beta tester. I have an electric graveyard in my garage with items that range from a Palm Treo to a Microsoft Zune.
PERSONALITY
How many times do you hit the snooze button? I tend to wake up before my alarm.
Breakfast at home? Breakfast on the go? Breakfast at your desk? No breakfast at all? Breakfast from Main Street Market downtown.
Is the glass half empty or half full? What’s in the glass? Half Full. Carrot juice.
What’s your most treasured possession? My grandfather’s stamp collection. It features many cool stamps from colonial Africa.
What do you miss most about the ’90s? The music. I only listen to 90s music.
LOOKING AHEAD
What would be your advice for future Forty Under 40 honorees? Take a look at past winners and see what you can do to follow in their footsteps to make Baton Rouge the next great American city.
Do you plan to be in the Capital Region five years from now? Absolutely.
Have you peaked, or do you think you’ll still have it when we launch our hypothetical “Forty Over 40” awards years from now? I hope to be listed in the 40 under 40 greatest hits.
