Member Spotlight: Erica Mellone
With 6 years on our Board, 8 on our Leadership Team, and 9 as a Member, Erica Mellone is FINALLY sitting down for her Member Spotlight. If you haven’t had the chance to meet her, you’ve seen her at our professional events and benefited from the work she does behind the scenes.
As a Financial Planner who often works with young professionals and entrepreneurs, Erica’s business acumen and strategic thinking is credited for both our growth as a community and how we stayed on our feet during an 18 month shut down; emerging with more members than we had in 2019. While we’re always thanking our sponsors, we rarely give credit to the person that brings it all together. Erica likes to say that she has a magic wand, but it’s more than just magic. Now passing that Presidential baton, but still an integral part of our Leadership Team, let’s get to know Erica Mellone and how we can support her business!
Did you grow up in Boston? If not, what led you here?
I grew up in Connecticut (the “good” side). When I was in college my parents moved to South Carolina. I visited and knew it wasn’t right for me. After graduating I moved to Boston with friends and now it’s home.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Or a mantra you live by?
“Charm School doesn’t take transcripts”.
Why did you pursue a career in your industry? What do you like most about it?
In school I double majored, focusing on Finance and Economics, thinking that I was going to build investment portfolios. As exciting as that was, when I stepped out into the real world, I realized that I wouldn’t be working with people, or meeting who I’d been able to help with my knowledge.
Financial Planning allows me to work 1:1 with clients, and be there as they work towards goals and achieve them. Even though there are similarities between my clients, each client brings new facts and goals, so I always have a new strategy to build. I get to witness it come together, and watch my clients become more confident in their outlook - feel good moments like that don’t come with portfolio analysis.
Is there a specific niche you focus on?
There are two! The clients I’ve chosen to focus on allow me to blend my personality and who I connect with best with the areas of financial planning that I enjoy.
The first is young professionals, because I believe having guidance when you’re starting out is incredibly important, and the effect of good decision making will compound over time. I’ve developed an option that makes me accessible for advice, even when there is not any money to invest, which has been a barrier in my industry. I can be a resource to those that need to consult on their employer provided retirement accounts, company stock options and RSUs, student loans and other topics.
My second focus is in empowering women in their finances - either because of a transition due to a career change or loss of a spouse, or a desire to plan for the future and be educated on how to achieve their financial goals.
What advice would you give to someone starting in your industry?
There’s so much. How about we grab a coffee?
Have a vision, create the path to get there, and understand that it will take time. Create systems, and get into optimal habits and workflow, even when you aren’t busy. I timeblock, which really helps me focus on and balance different responsibilities.
For women specifically, there is a lot of opportunity yet supply and demand formulas seem to fail us when we don’t realize what we bring to that table. I’m not your competition, so really, let’s get that coffee!
In the BostonYPA Community
When/how did you become involved with BostonYPA? How has this affiliation helped your career?
I actually joined BostonYPA for social reasons. I thought that there would be several other financial professionals in the group (there are), and wasn’t counting on business growth. During my first year, after a social outing, I was introduced to a great client, and that seems to happen every year organically.
It was the same with joining the leadership team - volunteering would help me meet people. I’ve made some great friends - the people that have my back when it’s nothing to do with BostonYPA - and built relationships with people in other areas of expertise.
What do you enjoy most about being a member?
The variety of events! From looking at other organizations, we offer a lot more to our members. Our incoming President has an event planning business, and I’m excited to see the bar get raised again.
On the leadership team I’ve also had the opportunity to develop skills I’ll use professionally and I have a creative outlet too.
For those young professionals looking to possibly join, why should they join?
We’re a local community, led by those committed to the organization with a vision for what’s ahead. You’ll make great friends, while having opportunities to learn and advance your career.
We’ve evolved quite a bit over the years, but I think we really showed our strength over the last 2. We rallied, worked with what we had, and found ways to deliver what we said we would - a lot differently than planned, but shutting down never crossed our minds.
There are some professions that are heavily represented at one event, but not as active members. If you’re going to attend regularly and are looking to build relationships, this is the community for you. Passing out 100 business cards in one night won’t get you anywhere; I usually forget mine. It’s that one conversation with the person you least expect that will bring the value.
What would you like BostonYPA professionals to know about your business?
Please follow my new Instagram page, @ericamellonecfp I’m excited to share financial education on topics that are important to those I work with. I can’t DM on Instagram, but if you’d like to know more about how I work with clients you can email me at emellone@centinelfg.com or schedule a Discovery Call so that we can introduce ourselves.
