From a childhood in Albania to playing in the NFL to becoming a wealth advisor, Kristjan Sokoli has paved an unconventional career path — one that ultimately landed him at TD, thanks to a passion for helping others and lifelong learning about building financial stability.
Kristjan grew up in Shkodër in northern Albania, one of the country's oldest cities, where his parents instilled in him lifelong skills and lessons. His father, Gjon, a former shepherd raised on a farm, taught his son about honor, hard work and the fundamentals of wealth building. One early lesson: take practical steps toward building a financial foundation before branching into riskier investments.
"My dad taught me you have to 'buy the cow before the bull,'" Kristjan said.
A physical and financial journey
Kristjan's father worked in monetary exchange in Albania during a time of political and economic instability, eventually moving his wife, Gjyste, and their two sons to the United States in the late 1990s. In America, Gjon earned $30 per day as a maintenance worker in an apartment building in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Despite the change in circumstances, Gjon kept teaching Kristjan about investing.
Kristjan bought his first entry into the stock market for $50 when he was in high school. "Dad instilled in me that it was good to invest and create a return on capital," he said. "I started buying stocks to learn how to do that."
Kristjan played high school and college football in New Jersey and New York before becoming the first Albanian player to sign with the NFL in 2015. He joined the Seattle Seahawks as a center, then spent time with the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants until an ACL tear in the first preseason game in 2018 ended his opportunities in the NFL.
Between 2019 and 2025 Kristjan played in the XFL, Spring Football League, German Football League, United States Football League and the United Football League, hoping for another shot with the NFL. Between seasons, Kristjan returned to his early interest in finance, working in wealth management and banking and earning an MBA from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. In early 2025, Kristjan finally hung up his cleats and helmet and retired from football.
Financial first down
Kristjan used his early experience with the stock market and college finance courses to share a friendly perspective on smart money moves with some of his fellow young professional football players.
"I'd often see young people make the mistake of being what I called 'under-invested but overly aggressive' — putting too little money into a risky asset," he said.
It turns out many of the same lessons apply today in his role as a Financial Advisor with TD in northern New Jersey.
"I really try to focus on the behavioral aspect of finance," said Kristjan. "Money is extremely emotional, and clients who understand this are more likely to build a financial plan that truly fits their risk tolerance and goals.
"The market doesn't always reward being 'right,' but it usually pays off if you can combine staying calm and having a strong plan that matches your lifestyle," he continued. "Everyone wants to position themselves as a sophisticated, seasoned investor. It's similar to sports — as a kid you want to model your game after the all-time greats. As you get older, you realize true strength comes from understanding yourself and your position."
Making finance human
TD's commitment to offering a human touch with its clients deeply resonated with Kristjan. "In northern Albania, your word is everything. I saw how much TD is investing into its wealth program — and is betting on human power instead of turning totally to AI for wealth management. It's really about making a connection with people."
As a financial advisor, Kristjan is assigned to work with specific TD stores. His manager Sal Leone noted that in just one quarter, Kristjan helped turn the TD location in Hoboken into one of the top wealth referrers in the market. Sal credits this success to the relationships Kristjan built with TD partners including Christopher Meyer, Retail Market Manager; Andrew Milikan, Store Manager; and Earl Gillem, Retail Banker.
Kristjan also connected with Earl over their shared love of football.
"Earl is a superfan. People like him are why players stay in the game; we can feel their support," Kristjan said. "I also have high respect for him serving as a banker for 30 years."
Kristjan kept some mementos from his NFL career, including jerseys from his time with the Seahawks. When the team won Super Bowl LX, he had a prime opportunity to give his superfan colleague a unique gift and presented Earl with a signed, game-worn, number 67 Sokoli jersey.
"It was outstanding thoughtfulness from a terrific team player," Earl said.
Grounded in relationships, trust and planning, Kristjan is building his second career around the belief that investing — like football — is ultimately about people just as much as it is about the numbers.
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