A Bit About Me

My name is Melissa Mittelstaedt (pronounced Middle-Stat), easier said than spelled. It is my married last name, so I didn't have to deal with it when I was young, thank God. My sister-in-law, on the other hand, no wonder she’s so smart. Her last name, growing up, contained half the alphabet.

I am the Founder of MelissaMitt. I'm an Accredited Financial Counselor® & Coach. I am also a certified sign language interpreter. Fortunately, I'm bilingual thanks to some amazingly patient and kind members of the Iowa and Minnesota Deaf communities, incredible teachers, out-of-this-world mentors, supportive classmates, and top-notch colleagues.

I grew up on a farm in a small town in Iowa. I had 44 kids in my class and graduated either third or fourth. (I can’t remember if I've been lying to myself for the last [ahem] years about graduating Top 3 of my class or if it's true. 🤷‍♀️) I have a BA in Business Administration and an AAS in Sign Language Interpretation. I got my undergraduate degree in Iowa. I went back to school to become an interpreter and moved to Minnesota.

Other than talking about money and interpreting, here is a list of things I love in no particular order: spending time with my three incredible nieces (okay, maybe that is number one!), baseball, traveling the world, playing volleyball, dancing, singing in my car (NOT karaoke), trying new restaurants, paragliding in the Swiss Alps (petrifying but O.M.G), being on a lake, playing cards, shooting darts, laughing with my best buds, writing poetry, high-end vodka (yes, I budget for that)… I could go on and on. But I'll keep it moving.

I'm a reality TV junkie. My faves are Queer Eye, Big Brother, Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Love is Blind. I used to be a member of The Bachelor Nation, but in my mid-thirties, I started questioning why any 35-year-old man would want to invite 22-year-old women on a show about marriage. We all know the prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed until ~25… stop acting like we don’t. But the Golden Bachelor–loved!

I'm the eldest sibling of three girls. I think there's a self-help group for recovering perfectionists filled with oldest daughters. 😂 🙈 Don’t worry… I’ve worked through my control issues. But I’m still overprotective.

My husband and I bought an RV (a Fifth Wheel for all you camping nerds out there) and started traveling around east of the Mississippi. We have dreamed of being snowbirds since we got married, and now we are!! We still call Minnesota home but love our life on the road. New places to visit, new restaurants to try, and... ahhhhh, the warm weather. One thing that has been harder than I thought is finding buds to hang out with. I need to find a 40-something camping club (but not with tents; those kinds of people are way too serious about nature for me!). If you have any insider info, I'd be forever grateful!

I’ve held various jobs over the last twenty-odd years. I have worked in service industries, in education of all levels, in interpreting agencies, in video relay service, I’ve worked a 7a-4p, 9 to 5s, freelancing from 4a-midnight. I’ve loved it all. Now is the time for a big transition.

I started MelissaMitt because I struggled with money early on in my career. It had this power over me. I wanted to be free and found a path that has worked for my family. If I can prevent anyone from being overwhelmed by financial stress… hell, yes, I’m in.

Here’s to you!

Melissa Mittelstaedt

Money Coach | Accredited Financial Counselor®

www.melissamitt.com

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