Meet Melanie
Hi there! I’m Melanie, your Financial Coach! After having my own transformative experience with money, I am passionate about helping others overcome their money stress and achieve true financial confidence. Yes, this is actually possible! Here’s a bit about my background.
I hold a BS in Education from Appalachian State University. After teaching for 2 years, I moved into the corporate sector as a supervisor in the financial operation of Circuit City in Richmond, VA. In 2010, my husband and I opened Chandler Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab in Winston-Salem, NC. I manage our credentialing, finances, and HR needs. Most recently, I’ve trained to be a financial coach through the Financial Coach Academy.
Why did I become a financial coach?
Though I thought I was good with money, I was the one who needed a financial coach the most! In our 20s, my husband and I lived frugally to get him through PT school debt-free. But by our 40s, our income had grown, and so had our spending—without the clarity or systems to manage it all. With raising 4 kids and running a family business, I stopped being dialed in to where all the money was going.
Even though I sometimes tracked our expenses, it always made me feel bad (“We spent HOW MUCH on eating out??”) and then I just got sloppy. This looked like occasionally missing a bill being paid, putting everything on a credit card and having to pull from savings to pay some of it, making decisions based on what we “should” be able to afford instead of having a clear and tangible way to decide, and realizing even though I technically could pay our credit cards each month, there wasn’t anything left to fund the next month. I was always looking backwards, never forward.
As my kids got older and 2 went off to college, I realized I needed to focus on this area of our life. I dove into learning all I could about personal finance and applying what I learned to our lives. I discovered simple, effective systems that eliminated the roller coaster ride of money I once felt. Stress and chaos were replaced by a calm confidence around money. As I applied what I was learning, my husband and I saw our savings increase by 60% in just six months—enabling us to give more and plan an awesome family vacation, all without feeling deprived or being overly restrictive.
Now, I’m passionate about helping others find calm and clarity in their finances. I believe managing money doesn’t have to be stressful or shameful—it can actually be enjoyable! My mission is to help you create a financial plan that works for you, so you can feel confident, relieved, and empowered to make the most of your money. No more guilt. No more stress. Together, we’ll make your financial journey as fulfilling as possible. Whatever the problem, we’ll find a solution. We’ve got this!