I had an interesting conversation with a colleague the other day about the difference between being a consultant and a trusted advisor. 

There’s been a lot of ink spilled over the difference. Increasingly, companies have marketed advisory services as a replacement or supplement to consulting services. Although the distinction between the two can seem unclear, there is separation.

What makes data “bad” or difficult to work with? For actuarial consultants, data from clients is crucial to a comprehensive analysis. Although that data may arrive with any number of issues and challenges, solving those puzzles gives actuaries the opportunity to demonstrate our ability to adapt, innovate and communicate.

As far as I can remember, I have always been drawn to numbers. Throughout my early education, I gravitated to all the various “toys” designed to instill a tactile knowledge of mathematical tenets; there were number chains, peg boards, puzzles (some were even three-dimensional!), to name a few. This attraction has always been founded on one notion, or cliché: “numbers don’t lie.”

I recently had the exciting opportunity to travel to Europe for two weeks with some family and friends. It was breathtaking, eye-opening and sometimes exhausting. Spanning eight countries, the journey left us with many fantastic and unforgettable memories. It also helped me realize how many of our experiences are connected with my daily work as an Actuarial Analyst.