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CEO Constance Craig-Mason blends financial strategy with emotional healing

Encourages clients to overcome shame and start fresh with money

Personal history of financial struggle informs her empathetic approach

Founder of Money TALK$ Movement and nationally recognized advisor

How do you help clients balance financial and mental well-being, especially when it seems like there is a lot of negative news on the financial front?

Money can be very emotional. I’ve found in my own personal experience, but also in working with clients over 15 years, that it can be deeply emotional, from good to bad to anxious to worried to elated, even, at times. So I feel that’s one of the things that sets me apart, because I don’t just look at the numbers, the statement, ask you about your goals; I literally want to know your story, I want to know how you arrived to where you’ve arrived. I find myself becoming a financial adviser and a healer, bringing compassion to money. Sometimes that gets lost with people because they’re so excited about rates of return and being able to retire, but there’s a big journey in between and we are constantly shifting, constantly evolving – at least I believe we should be – and your goals change, your values change, your needs change over time.

There can be a lot of shame and guilt related to money, especially when you experience financial trauma. People don’t even know that’s a thing, but something such as the pandemic, going through a divorce, losing your home, these are all things that can traumatize you emotionally and financially. You need to know there are places you can go to talk to people about it, and it’s not just about how much assets are in your brokerage account, it’s really about who you are as you’re going through these things and how you come out on the other side.

What led your work in the direction it has taken, focusing on education and empowerment?

I grew up in the inner city of Baltimore, and I was born to a single mom; my mom had a baby girl at 15 and 17 and I’m the youngest. In a lot of ways, I grew up with my mom. I watched her navigate everything from womanhood, to becoming a wife, to trying to figure out her career and trying to do things in an ethical way, even though sometimes finances didn’t meet the need we had. She really taught us how to make the most of our resources.

I do also feel a lot of the challenges we experienced were traumatic, and when you go through traumatic things, especially at a young age, it can impact how you view money, how you save, how you invest, what you have access to, and of course, how you feel about yourself. A lot of the journey we’re on as adults is finding our place, finding our value, and seeing how we show up in the world. We need people to pour into us, we need people to encourage us, and I find being in the financial field, I’m often listening to people’s story, but I’m also encouraging them along the way, being that person who really has their back. Regardless of what they may be experiencing, I bring hope to their situation. Yes, challenges come, but you don’t have to stay there, put your head together with some other people who are going in the same direction and have accomplished what you’d like to get accomplished.

What do you find is the hardest aspect of financial planning, or the thing that brings your clients in the door?

The hardest thing to do is get started. Oftentimes I find people will feel a bit of guilt and shame depending on where they are in their financial journey, and they may feel like they’ve waited too long to save or invest, or maybe they had been doing it but they had to dip into it when they lost their job or during the pandemic. I tell people you are not your bank account, you are a human being having a human experience and you’re trying to navigate it in the best ways you can. Go get started, even if it’s a restart; it’s where you’re at and don’t avoid that.

After dealing with financial matters all day, what is your favorite free or inexpensive recreation?

I like to binge watch HGTV. I also like to watch crime documentaries, of all things. I do like to spend time with my husband, we watch a lot of comedies on TV when we get down time. You’ll find me at any local women’s events or community support events. I just like simple things; I like to journal, I like to pray, I like quiet time. I have fleece everywhere, from socks to blankets to sweatshirts, all year long. I like my little comfort zone.

Freelance writer Jennifer Botchie-Deinlein

About Constance Craig-Mason

Constance Craig-Mason, 46, is the chief executive officer of Harrisburg-based Concierge Financial Advisory and the founder of Money TALK$ Movement Inc. Her work includes financial planning, social security and investment advising and insurance brokerage. She has been named one of AAAA’s 50 Under 50 and is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants.

Craig-Mason has professional designations as a master registered financial consultant (MRFC) and national social security advisor (NSSA). She was also awarded an honorary doctorate of philosophy in entrepreneurship and financial advancement.

She has been married to Anthony Mason for 20 years and is the mother of four and grandmother of four.