We’re thrilled to welcome Rosa Chalekian to In The Suite. Rosa Chalekian has that X-factor, that something special. You could say she’s a triple threat, but she’s more like a quadruple or quintuple threat. When she’s not on camera for her YouTube channel, writing wine reviews on her blog, or practicing for her sommelier test, Rosa is Vice President of Operations at Lake Avenue Financial, a mother to three teenagers, and a wife to Alex Chalekian.
She’s proof that you can be a fashionista, you can be a blogger, you can be creative and have fun, all while knowing about money and having conversations around it. Rosa radiates a kind of female empowerment that shouts “You can do whatever you set your mind to!!!” Because that’s pretty much what she did!
She’s Vice President of Operations at Lake Avenue Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that provides a proactive approach to comprehensive wealth management based in Pasadena, California. Rosa’s glittering personality and love for providing outstanding customer service, enables her to build long-standing relationships – which is fundamental to her role with Lake Avenue Financial clients.
Prior to her life at Lake Avenue Financial, Rosa started out in the world of banking. She was Operations Manager at Wells Fargo, then went on to spend 10 years at Executive Suites. She managed operations for over 130 clients and that’s where she met her husband Alex.
Together, Rosa and Alex Chalekian have a beautiful blended family. They have two kids in college and one who just started as a high school freshman. They aren’t one of those perfect families you see in Hallmark movies, they’re real. We can see their interactions, their banter, their charisma.
Rosa says she’s camera-shy, which comes as a surprise because she’s an absolute natural. That’s where trial and error comes in. “Pushing yourself to do it is just going to make you get better and better.” You can apply this technique to anything, from finessing your way in the kitchen to making smarter financial choices for your family. But you also need to allot solo time.
“We need time for ourselves, we need some sanity, we need to be selfish a little bit,” says Rosa. Don’t feel guilty about allowing yourself time to decompress, find yourself, have some quiet.
After a glass of wine, we also talked about Alex’s Viral Tweet , yes that viral Tweet and the need to call out inappropriate behavior out towards women and minorities when it happens. His Tweet opened up the dialogue in such a meaningful, welcome, and public way. No smoke and mirrors. It was a call for real change.
When Alex is asked to speak or narrate a panel, he wants to pick his cast in order to integrate more diversity. He wants to make sure he has females, different nationalities, and be inclusive of who to include. Male allies make a difference!
Don’t miss Rosa’s fantastic insights in her episode of In The Suite, a podcast that shares amazing stories of women in business in the financial services and the wealth management industry. Listen to Rosa’s episode and utilize these three ideas to help you live a happier, more fulfilled life.
- Calender in time for yourself. Whether you enjoy getting a massage or hiking or having a glass of wine, you need to add it into your calendar every day. Schedule 30 minutes to an hour for yourself every single day. A little time to yourself goes a long way.
- Talk to your kids/partner about money. A lot of people don’t share their finances until it’s too late and someone’s in tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Talk to your spouse or children and get them involved. Be a part of the discussion and bring on the conversion at the dinner table, rather than sweeping it under the rug.
- Teach independence to your children. Teach your children how to be prepared for the future. Teach them how to make breakfast, do the laundry, and take care of themselves. By teaching them independence, you can at least know you taught them life’s essentials.
Show Notes:
Today’s episode of In The Suite with Rosa Chalekian is a can’t-miss. Rosa and I have been friends for years, always crossing paths since we’re in the financial circuit. Rosa is a blogger, lifestyle fashionista, future sommelier, wife, mother, and Vice President of Operations at Lake Avenue Financial and co-host of “The Chalekians” on YouTube along with her husband Alex, Founder and CEO at Lake Avenue Financial.
Rosa does a bit of everything, with her own beautiful and dazzling personal style, and brings us into her daily life as she does it. It’s an episode that is both delightful and fun. Rosa has fantastic insights on a lot of subjects including parenting and how she and her husband Alex educate their three sons to make wise choices with their money in order to establish a foundation for independence and a strong work ethic. We also talk about Rosa’s unexpected origin story into the world of finance #WaitForIt at Alex’s invitation.
Join the conversation to hear about:
- Rosa’s origin story on how financial services unexpectedly found her (6:45)
- What it’s like working with her husband at Lake Avenue Financial (12:40)
- Raising a blended family: two college-aged and a high school freshman (16:00)
- The genesis of creating “The Chalekians” YouTube channel with her husband Alex (20:20)
- Learning Mexican family recipes and home cooking (24:20)
- Alex’s viral Tweet (yes, that viral tweet) calling out inappropriate behavior out towards women and minorities (27:00)
- How Rosa and Alex teach the value of money to their children (41:15)
- Why community college is an excellent option (45:50)
- What Rosa’s superpower is! (52:15)
- Rosa’s favorite wine and goals to become a sommelier (53:05)
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