Through the “Wine, Women and Wealth” series she founded, Wilke likes that “there’s no judgment in that room. We don’t want money to be taboo. We want women to understand the why behind their wealth.”
“People become stronger contributors to the community when they understand money.”- Melinda Wilke, CFP®, RICP®, WMCP ®, CLU®, ChFC ® Wealth Management Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
Q&A with Melinda Wilke
How are you a force within your community?
“Many people talk about work life and personal life as if they are two distinct things. Without thinking about it, I usually end up blending the two together. Whether I am talking with a friend about their side business and the best way to organize their money, or relatives asking about how they can plan ahead for retirement, I become the knowledge transfer. I have found that the more information people are exposed to, the more they want to know, and the better they are with their life and financial choices. I want our clients to be great contributors to the community, but also love their wealth management plans. My work is truly a ripple effect.”
What is your life purpose?
“There are fewer female financial advisers in this industry. I have become an ambassador for encouraging those, who are interested, in pursuing a career in this sector or even becoming a client. There is a large population of women who are untapped, and I love to light a fire around this topic. My goal is to engage with women in the setting that they are most comfortable in: talking about a career, client meetings, workshops, or learning sessions. It usually only takes a spark for women to become engaged. I have found that with a little knowledge transfer, I get to see an evolution of confidence and intentionality in the women I serve, which is the ultimate reward.”
Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM) and its subsidiaries. Melinda Wilke is an Insurance Agent of NM. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
