Meet the Experts: Cecily Smith

Cecily Smith

Consultant

Read our showcase with Cecily Smith to explore her career evolution from actuarial intern to O3 Edge and operations leader.

1. What do you find most unique about working at October Three? 

I've only ever worked at October Three, so I don't have much to compare it to, but the people are what make it unique. They're what have kept me here for more than a decade and continue to keep me motivated. 

There's a certain type of person that October Three hires, and everyone works well together. People are respectful, easy to get along with, and it's okay to have different opinions. That collaborative, supportive culture is what I enjoy most. 

2. How did you get into this industry? 

I went to college to study actuarial science and started taking actuarial exams, but once I joined October Three, my career path expanded in ways I never expected. Whenever there was a new project, I was always eager to jump in and help, which led me to opportunities far beyond traditional actuarial work. 

I actually chose October Three because of the people. I was deciding between consulting and the insurance actuarial route, and after interviewing, I knew this was the right fit. At the time, I didn't know much about the retirement industry, but I'm so glad I ended up here. It's also made me much more intentional about retirement planning at a younger age. 

3. What's one project or achievement you're particularly proud of? 

One of the projects I'm most proud of was serving as the Product Owner for O3 Edge. It's a role I never expected to have when I joined the company as an actuarial intern. I started by helping test the platform and gradually became more involved. I eventually helped shape its product roadmap by working with the development team, participating in tech committee meetings, and creating project charters for new features and data enhancements. 

More recently, I worked with our AI team and internal data scientist on a project that extracts investment fund information and interest crediting rates from unstructured auditor notes. Bringing that capability into O3 Edge was one of the most exciting projects I've been a part of. I've also been excited to take on more operations-focused responsibilities recently. 

I've also been excited to take on more operations-focused responsibilities recently with the acquisition of Broker Educational Sales & Training Inc. I was responsible for evaluating the company's operations, identifying opportunities for improvement, and helping develop the integration strategy. It has been a great opportunity to contribute to a meaningful transformation while expanding my own skills in operations and business integration. 

4. What's one thing you wish others could know about your role? 

While many people associate me with Edge, I've worn a lot of different hats over the years and have had the opportunity to collaborate with teams across the organization. I've worked across actuarial consulting, client work, product ownership for O3 Edge, and now operations. I'm also pursuing my Enrolled Actuary (EA) credential.

5. What's a book, podcast, or other resource you'd recommend to others, and why? 

I'd recommend The Effective Manager by Mark Horstman. The book focuses on practical leadership skills, like getting to know your people, communicating effectively about performance, delivering results, and retaining great employees. Many of the ideas seem like common sense at first, but understanding the reasoning behind them made me think differently about leadership. 

6. What's a skill or hobby you have outside of work? Have you applied any lessons or knowledge from your skills or hobbies in your role at October Three?  

As a mom of two, I feel like my communication skills have become a natural part of work. I've always enjoyed team sports. I played basketball in college, grew up playing soccer, and now play tennis. Those lessons carry over into my work every day. I often find myself acting as a project manager by bringing the right people together and helping to keep projects moving forward.  

Click here to read Cecily's bio on our Meet the Team page.