Mary Grace Musuneggi
If ever there was an empowered woman, Mary Grace Musuneggi, founder, president and CEO of Musuneggi Financial Group is just that. In addition to her company, she’s a financial educator, motivational speaker and community and charitable leader. But let’s not forget author – she penned “Single Steps: Strategies for Abundant Living” and has also contributed to magazines and been featured on local radio shows. She actively supports Dress for Success and Toys for Tots, and has won a number of awards for her leadership over the years. Musuneggi took time out of her day to tell us how she evolved into the person she is today, what’s important to her and what she’s looking forward to in 2017.
What sets The Musuneggi Financial Group apart from other financial planners?
We tell prospective clients that all reputable financial planners can provide the same products and services. What sets us apart is the relationship between us and our clients – it makes all the difference. We’re a family business, and we treat our clients like part of our family. Because we aren’t looking for thousands of clients, we work with a small, select group that we can do a lot for. We care for what they see as their values and address those areas.
How did you come to start The Musuneggi Financial Group?
By default. Life brings you changes, challenges and circumstances. At the age of 25, I was a widow with a nine-month old son, and teaching at a parochial school wasn’t going to get me to my goal of owning a home. I left teaching to work as an assistant for an insurance agent. After doing the job for nine months, I approached the owner about becoming an agent myself. Initially told that the firm did not hire women as agents, I went on to become an insurance agent and the firm’s first female financial planner, working for them for 24 years. When my son, Christopher, graduated from college, he suggested that we start our own business – leading to The Musuneggi Financial Group.
What unique skills and background do you bring to the business?
At a young age, I was a wife, mother and widow. After some time, I remarried, had stepchildren and eventually divorced. Because we work with a small, select group of clients with a focus on women, I know what it’s like to have been through the life changes many of them are facing.
What is your favorite part of your job? Least favorite?
My favorite part of the job is the time I spend with clients. Finding situations, resolving problems, and creating opportunities – that’s what I do, that’s what drives me and gets me out of bed in the morning.
My least favorite part of the job is government regulations, guidelines and paperwork.
Last year, you won the 2016 Humanitarian Award from NAIFA-PA for your work with various charitable organizations. Why do those organizations resonate with you?
Our family has had many Marines, so we have always supported the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots drive. Single Steps Strategies is our creation, a way to empower women by providing access to resources to help them successfully manage life changes. We also support Dress for Success, as their goal fits our mission of helping women achieve.
Looking ahead, what are your professional goals for 2017? Personal goals for 2017?
Professionally, we’re always intent on doing more, and in 2017 we’ll be focusing on our Starting Out/Starting Over program. Targeted at young people getting out of school and women who are recently widowed or divorced – people who are newly on their own – Starting Out/Starting Over is about providing financial information and education.
Personally, my son and his wife are part of the family business, so carving out time for ourselves to do things we enjoy – like traveling – and keeping balanced are important goals for 2017.
What was your favorite memory from 2016?
An Alaskan cruise that my son Christopher, his wife Christine, my significant other, and I took to celebrate Christopher’s 40th birthday. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate this way because of the lifestyle we created. It was one of the rewards of taking risks! n