Nick Tran

What are you passionate about outside of work?
Lately I’ve been focusing more on my overall wellbeing by trying to be more intentional with just about everything in my life. One of the most impactful behavioral changes that I made was simply waking up earlier. By doing this I’ve built a morning routine that helps me feel grounded and more ready for the day’s challenges. My routine typically includes running, reading, and providing my body with nutrients. This sounds simple, and it is, but for someone who lacked a strong foundation it’s been extremely beneficial. Running in the quiet, dark hours of the morning provides me with a sense of solitude I can’t get anywhere else. Reading helps me better understand how the world works. And proper nourishment helps me feel more focused and energized. Other things that contribute to my wellbeing include connecting with family and friends, rock climbing, biking, and visiting coffee shops.

What is your daily life like at Vanilla?
As an associate marketing operations manager, I’m responsible for the technology and processes that power our marketing program as well as performance measurement and data analytics. Generally, my daily life at Vanilla can include a combination of cross-functional collaboration, process management, marketing system configuration and maintenance, campaign management, lead management, data management, and a few other things. Everyday is different but the goal stays the same, which is to optimize marketing processes for increased efficiency and effectiveness.

What gets you excited to keep coming to work every day?
I was lucky enough to join Vanilla in 2020 and have been a part of many company milestones since then. Some highlights include experiencing the growth from a small startup to a growing organization, getting a unique perspective on how our product has evolved over time, and attending our first ever company-wide off-site, where I got to meet my team for the very first time after working with them virtually for so many months. Throughout these years we’ve achieved many great things, and one thing I’ve found consistent amongst that growth is having the opportunity to learn from incredibly thoughtful and talented people. Getting to collaborate and learn from people smarter than me not only excites me to keep showing up, but it’s helped me grow in ways I wouldn’t have otherwise.

How does Vanilla help you to have a healthy work/life balance?
Vanilla is a remote friendly company with a central office in Salt Lake City, Utah. And thanks to this remote friendly work model I’ve learned to live more intentionally. By saving commute time and having the flexibility to set my own schedule, I feel encouraged to fill gaps in the day with things that matter to me, which can be connecting with family and friends, searching for solitude, and other behaviors that help me feel grounded.

How did you end up in estate planning?
Like most people in their 20s, estate planning never crossed my mind, and the idea of working at a company that builds estate planning technology certainly wasn’t in my future plans either. However, I was looking for something new, and someone suggested I check out Vanilla. I was really intrigued by what the company was doing, and I’ll always be grateful for that initial nudge. Special thanks to that individual and the founding team for believing in my ability to grow with the company. Not only was I lucky enough to join a pioneer in modern estate planning solutions, but by working in this industry I’m able to learn why estate planning can be so impactful and take action in my personal life.

What do you see in the future of estate planning?
Unfortunately, most people aren’t aware of the impact of estate planning until it’s too late. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Thanks to modern estate planning solutions, more advisors adding estate planning to their service offerings, and increasing education and awareness about its impact, I see end-to-end estate planning being simpler for both advisors and their clients. I can also see a dramatic shift from advisors having to initiate the estate planning conversation to clients already aware of its value, and vetting advisors based on whether or not they offer this as part of their service.

How do you see estate planning impacting people’s lives?
I believe that proper estate planning not only brings peace of mind to individuals and their families in some of life’s most difficult times, but also enables them to reflect on their legacy. Having estate planning conversations can prompt individuals to consider what matters most to them, leading to a deeper understanding of the kind of legacy they want to leave behind. Legacies can take many forms but I think ultimately reflects the individual’s impact and contribution to the world, which can give a sense of purpose to one’s life.