How long have you been involved with MLP? I started with MLP in December 2021.
What do you do for MLP? My official title is Investment Strategist I am a part of our Investor Relations team. We service our investors for our current projects. My work includes working with investors, web design, marketing, content creation, and analyzing past and prospective RE transactions. I get pulled in on many things, and that’s exactly how I like it!
How and why did you become involved with MLP? I first started working for Morgan Franklin Fellowship in December 2020. MFF is the Private Foundation of MLP, many of us are interwoven between the two organizations. As we all got to know each other better, it became apparent that I could contribute at MLP with my interest in and experience in Real Estate. I love MLP’s vision for creating affordable housing for tenants.
Tell me about your work history and how you got to where you are now. I have a background in finance, real estate, sales, investing, and entrepreneurship. I formerly worked as a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones Investments. Their training program was incredible and helped me have success there and in starting several other businesses. At the same time, I joined a team to found a startup in Manchester, NH to promote locally owned businesses called Couptopia. I eventually left Edward Jones to go full time for Couptopia. I bought my first home at that point which was a 3-family investment property.
The experience of founding companies and investing in real estate was fun, challenging, and rewarding to solve problems for customers/tenants. I went on to start a few other e-commerce companies that gave me a lot of great experience in marketing, web design, and making business decisions. I also became more interested in Real Estate. I got certified to close real estate transactions and began working for law offices and title offices throughout the country closing real estate. This was a great experience learning the in’s and outs of RE transactions. I also got licensed to broker Commercial Real Estate. With my experience working with business owners and investors in the past, it was a great experience helping them find Real Estate for their business or to invest in.
Throughout the years, I had been interested in personal finance, but there weren’t many organizations that helped people with getting out of debt, budgeting, and taking control of their financial lives. One day I was on Linkedin and saw two of my friends worked for an orgnaization called Morgan Franklin Fellowship right in my home town that did exactly that. I reached out and said I just wanted to help in any way I could because I loved what they did. I volunteered at first, began creating courses, became part of the staff, and I am now the Executive Director of MFF. A year after starting at MFF, I also began at MLP. It’s been a lot of fun working in both capacities as they both have a collective mission in helping others reach financial independence.
What interests you the most about your current role with MLP? I find Real Estate very interesting. We work directly with it every day in many different capacities. I love the variety of projects and people I work with. I like focusing on a project for a period and switching to something completely different. I’m particularly enjoying brainstorming ways to grow MLP right now. We have so many talented people in our organization, it’s great to learn from them and see everyone’s contributions.
When you are not working, what can we find you doing? For the last 7 months, we’ve been renovating an old farmhouse for my family and I to move into. My Wife and I have 3 young children that keep us very busy. We love to go on adventures. We’re often hiking, riding bikes, or taking them to new places.
Tell us a fun, random fact about yourself! My Wife and I are Steve and Kelly. My parents are also Steve and Kelley. Family parties together can sometimes get confusing.