Summary: <br> Joined today by Jessica Merino from Merino Wealth, we’re continuing the conversation on women, money and the building blocks we all need to build financial independence and long-term success. From negotiation to charitable giving, from choosing ESG funds to taking risks, Jessica covers the finance topics you need to consider in your life today.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Our Guest Today: Jessica Merino, CIMA®, CFP®, President and Founder, Merino Wealth<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Jessica’s interest in finances started back when she was about 9 years old, long before she knew what financial planning was. For birthdays, she passed up the usual doll and board game requests and instead asked for shares of stock, as she was fascinated with the stock market. While in high school, she began investing her own money after receiving 1 share of Walmart stock from her grandparents. This led her to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Investments, & Banking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She took a position as a financial advisor at a large firm where she worked for 11 years before starting Merino Wealth in 2016. <br> <br> <br> <br> Jessica has helped clients in all walks of life and has built up a specialty working with high income earning female service professionals like attorneys, consultants, and women in tech who are in their 30s and 40s. She understands their challenges so her goal is to help them feel more confident and less stressed as they pursue their financial goals. Jessica loves her work and is passionate about helping women work towards financial equality.<br> <br> <br> <br> Jessica’s a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, providing financial planning services as a “fiduciary”—acting in the best interest of her financial planning clients. She was also awarded as 2019’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. She also received the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA) certification through the Investments & Wealth Institute™. Since only 17% of financial advisors are women Jessica’s also passionate about mentoring and collaborating with other female financial advisors.<br> <br> <br> <br> In her free time, Jessica volunteers with Step Up, mentoring young women in under-resourced communities. She’s also a member of the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Professional Women’s Club of Chicago, TIC’s Women Advisor Group, and the Fairway Network. Jessica lives on the Near North Side of Chicago with her wonderful husband Mike and their adorable dog Finnegan. <br> <br> <br> <br> Follow Jessica Online:<br> <br> <br> <br> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/merinowealth/">Facebook</a><br> <br> <br> <br> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/merino-wealth-management/">LinkedIn</a><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Listen now:<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>
