Over the course of her professional career as a financial advisor, Melanie J. Housden, AAMS®, has been on a continual journey to provide better opportunities with lower cost to clients. The ability to finally do business as Melanie J Financial, LLC, has been a long-time dream.

“My clients are everything to me, like family,” Melanie says. “Going independent was something that I did with their best interests in mind. As an independent, I can better provide personalized, impartial investment strategies based on my clients' individual needs and goals. There are no quotas, no hidden fees and no pressure to sell a firm’s products for the sake of the firm instead of the needs of the client.”

Melanie started out many years ago in the employee benefits department of a large organization. She then became a representative of a large, nationally-known financial institution. When it became clear that her vision was not fully aligned with this large firm, she set out to find the best solution for her clientele and became affiliated with a well-known financial planning firm based in the Midwest. Today, her ongoing due diligence has led to the creation of Melanie J Financial, LLC, an independently owned and operated practice located in Hamilton, Texas, and her affiliation with Raymond James Financial Services, through whom she offers financial planning and investment advisory services.

Watch this short video interview from August 2019 in which Melanie shares some of her mission and motivation for helping people from all walks of life plan for a brighter financial future. - Recorded live at the Advisor Thought Leader Summit, Rockhurst University (interview conducted by Pam Krueger, producer of PBS MoneyTrack)

This rebranding and alignment ties beautifully into one of Melanie’s slogans, “Stronger Together.”

STRONGER TOGETHER

“Learning what is important to my clients enables me to devise a plan that will help them pursue financial freedom through all aspects of their lives and will allow their legacy to continue on in their families' lives,” Melanie says. “I keep their goals and needs at the forefront of every decision. My clients are successful people – typically they are pillars of the community. But they worry that they might not be making the very best decisions when it comes to living a rich and full life. If I can take the financial worries away from my clients, then I am successful. My clients are like a part of my family and I treasure each and every one of them. Truly, we are stronger together.”

ROOTS AND WINGS

Melanie learned the secret to success working alongside her grandfather at his hardware store in McLean, a small town in the Texas Panhandle where she grew up. “My success in developing lifelong relationships with my clients comes from the skills my grandfather taught me,” she said. "You’ve probably heard the old saying: ‘There are two lasting things we give our children. One is roots and the other is wings.’ I was so blessed to have a family that supported me through all the challenges I’ve faced over the years – and I hope to bring that quality of mentorship and support not only to my own children but to my clients and their children as well.”

Melanie’s rallying cry in this inspirational video is that you are stronger than you know, and smarter than you think. But the reality is, we are all stronger together.

“Melanie has shown incredible courage and determination to do what’s right by her clients, to the extent that it guides every decision she makes as an advisor,” says Marie Swift, one of summit organizers. “I was moved by her story and reached out to her after reading about her in financial planning publications. That’s one of the reasons I invited her to deliver a Thought Leader Talk. She is a great example of a professional who is guided by exceptional standards -- trust and transparency being at the center of the work she does for the clients of her firm. Her principled approach raises the bar for other financial advisors.”

A CREDENTIALED PROFESSIONAL

After obtaining a business degree from Wayland Baptist University, Melanie gained experience as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments, where she worked for 15 years before transitioning to her independent practice in 2015. Melanie holds her FINRA Series 7, 63, 66, Insurance License and the AAMS® – Accredited Asset Management Specialist designation.

Melanie has achieved success through best-practices and cultivating client relationships. Her journey to independence fueled her passion to advocate for the rights of clients and advisors. She has been interviewed by Matt Ackermann with InvestmentNews and in 2019 Melanie was profiled by tenured biographer and journalist Jane Wollman Rusoff for ThinkAdvisor.com. She is currently writing a book about her journey and will continue to be a voice in the world of finance and Christian stewardship.

Melanie currently resides in Hamilton with her husband, Rick. They have two daughters: Alexandria (and husband Reagan) and Abbie.

Outside of work, Melanie loves spending time with her family, including their five dogs (yes, five!), Polar, Dixie, Lily, Sassy and Dude. She loves to travel and shop. An advocate for her community, Melanie has volunteered and served on numerous organizational boards. She is currently a board of director member for the Hamilton Economic Development Corporation.