Fostering Success for Small Businesses and Non-Profits

About Me (and How This All Started)

 

Hi I’m Melinda!

If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I have never taken the straight path. You know that nice,

direct route from point A to point B? I somehow managed to visit points C through Z first.

 

I started my career in the medical world, working at blood and plasma donation centers while studying

pre-med. After graduating college and spending a couple of years working in hospitals, I realized that while medicine is fascinating, it wasn’t something I wanted to do forever. (I still love a good episode of House, though.)

 

From there, I tried on a few different hats. I worked with Traumatic Brain Injury rehabilitation patients and held a few other roles before moving out west, where I had my son. That big life change made me think harder about the kind of career I really wanted. So, I went back to school to study Information Systems Management, with dreams of becoming a cybersecurity pro.

 

I enjoyed tech and even discovered I wasn’t half bad at programming. Was I great at it? Let’s just say I could make a Python script, but you wouldn’t want me building your next app. Unfortunately, cybersecurity jobs in the middle of the prairies were about as easy to find as palm trees, so I leaned into the business side of my education and transitioned into business management.

 

I already had plenty of experience running offices, so it was a natural move. During that time, I discovered (or maybe re-discovered) that I truly love numbers. Math has always been my happy place, so I started taking on more accounting-focused roles, often working with CPA firms that valued my mix of management and numbers know-how.

 

Eventually, I went back to school again (there’s a pattern here) to earn certifications in accounting and finance, strengthening my professional foundation. Not long after, I began freelancing for small businesses. Over time, I realized that my favorite clients were nonprofits. Supporting organizations that serve communities felt like the perfect blend of purpose and profession.

 

Once again, I followed that passion for learning and went back to school for my MBA, combining my management experience with a deeper understanding of finance and strategic business operations.

 

As I built my firm, I also embraced another side of myself: the creative one. I’m a photographer and have a deep appreciation for the creative industry. So, while my primary focus is on helping nonprofits with their accounting and financial operations, I also love partnering with artists, photographers, and other creatives who are building something meaningful.

 

And that is how Wolverine Precision Financial Operations came to be. My goal is simple: to use my love of numbers and strategy to help organizations that give back to their communities and make the world a more creative, connected place.