By Dynamic Staff
From selling candy in fourth grade to betting on herself as an independent advisor, Melissa Stewart’s story is one of grit, calculated risk and building a business on her own terms.
At a Glance
Melissa Stewart, CFP®, AIF®, CPFA, Founder & Senior Financial Advisor
ClearVista Advisors, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Firm founded: 2021
Years in industry: 20+
First business: Candy sales (4th grade)
Known for: Meticulous financial planning and clear client communication
Career highlight: Surpassing prior wirehouse earnings five years after going independent
Fun fact: Passing the CFP® exam as the mom of a six-month-old
Business philosophy: Every client deserves a plan and methodical tracking
From the outside, Melissa Stewart’s career looks carefully plotted: finance degree, years of experience, industry credentials and finally, ownership of her own advisory firm. But the instinct that drives her — spotting opportunity and betting on herself — showed up long before she ever opened a brokerage account.
In fourth grade, Stewart ran a candy business.
Armed with a hot pink fanny pack and a spiral notebook, she bought candy in bulk and sold it to her classmates. Fireballs, Warheads, Jolly Ranchers, gum, anything that would move quickly. She knew the cost and profit margin on every piece of candy, and she was laser focused on her goal: a first-generation Nintendo Game Boy.
By the time a teacher shut her operation down, she had nearly reached her $85 target. But more importantly, she had learned something that would stay with her for life: Money could be managed, multiplied and made to achieve something meaningful.
Learning Early, Working Constantly
Stewart grew up in West Michigan with limited financial resources, which made self-reliance less of a personality trait and more of a necessity. That mindset followed her into adulthood. While many of her peers followed a traditional college path, Stewart took a longer, more demanding route.
She attended community college, then Grand Valley State University at night. During the day, she worked full time. It took six years to complete her degree, but when she graduated, she held a bachelor’s in business administration with double majors in finance and business management.
Stewart’s entry point into finance was a teller position at Lake Michigan Credit Union. But curiosity quickly pulled her elsewhere. She job-shadowed in the investment department and discovered that financial advising wasn’t about stock tickers and day trading. It was about building portfolios and helping people make sense of complex decisions.
“I was hooked right away,” she said.
Raising Her Hand
Stewart’s career advanced because she doggedly, and sometimes creatively, pursued her goals and consistently raised her hand.
Stewart’s approach is meticulous. At ClearVista Advisors, every client receives a financial plan. Meetings are followed by detailed recaps and planning topics are tracked methodically over time.
After being turned down for an assistant position at Lake Michigan Credit Union, Stewart wrote up a resume and witty cover letter and distributed it to all the financial firms in town. She got a call back for a receptionist position at Oppenheimer & Company, which she accepted while attending night school. Another assistant position came up at Oppenheimer, so Stewart quickly earned her licenses and stepped into the role. When the firm’s operations manager left, Stewart volunteered for the position. She earned her Series 9 and 10 and took on compliance oversight for the office, an experience that taught her how the business worked from the inside out.
But compliance wasn’t her end goal. “I looked at what the advisors were doing,” she said, “and thought that’s really what I’d like to do.”
After five years in administrative and operational roles, Stewart transitioned into an advisor role during a move to Raymond James. She stayed with the firm for a decade, earning her Certified Financial Planner certification and becoming an Accredited Investment Fiduciary and a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor — all while raising two kids (she took her 10-hour CFP® exam when her daughter was six months old).
Choosing the Harder Path
In 2021, Stewart decided to make the leap into independence by leaving the wirehouse world and founding her own advisory firm, ClearVista Advisors.
“I learned financial advising was about building portfolios and helping people make sense of complex decisions — I was hooked right away.”
The early years were demanding. She took a significant pay cut and added new responsibilities, everything from compliance to billing to technology decisions. But while building her client base and rebuilding her income was challenging, she knew independence would allow her to serve clients with a foundation of transparency and trust.
ClearVista Advisors will celebrate five years this July.
A Partner in the Background
Stewart is quick to note that independence doesn’t mean going it alone.
Her partnership with Dynamic Advisor Solutions began at ClearVista’s inception, providing critical support during the transition out of the wirehouse environment. From compliance guidance to operational infrastructure, Dynamic helped fill in the gaps between what Stewart knew and what she needed to learn.
“In the independent space, you don’t know what you don’t know,” she said. “Dynamic was incredibly supportive during that transition.”
That partnership continues to shape her business today, giving Stewart the freedom to focus on clients while relying on a trusted back office and a responsive support team. The difference, she notes, shows up in how easily she can educate and communicate with clients.
“From compliance to operations, Dynamic helped fill in the gaps between what I knew and what I needed to learn.”
Stewart specializes in working with retirees and retirement plan consulting, often guiding clients through the transition from accumulation to income planning. Her approach is meticulous. Every client receives a financial plan. Meetings are followed by detailed recaps. Key planning topics, such as beneficiaries, estate plans, tax strategies and long-term care, are tracked methodically over time.
Stewart is also quick to credit her team, especially her relationship manager, Jenni Carpenter. “She’s the wind beneath my wings,” Stewart said. “She makes me look good. I couldn’t do what I do without her support.”
Full Circle
This past year marked a milestone. Five years after going independent and absorbing a steep income drop, Stewart finally surpassed her previous earnings level. And she did it on her own terms.
Now, she’s focused on streamlining, scaling and doubling her assets over the next five years. The same instinct that once tracked candy profits in a notebook is still at work — just applied to a larger vision.
“I get to solve the problems,” she said. “That’s the good and the bad of being an entrepreneur.”
For Stewart, it’s mostly good. And clients notice.
One Google review from a newly onboarded client, Stewart said, “made my night.” It validated what she believes sets her firm apart:
“I had a page full of questions, all of which were fully and clearly answered,” the reviewer wrote. “My wife and I have complete confidence in Melissa’s knowledge, experience, integrity and judgment.”
This is an unpaid solicited client testimonial. The client has had a financial relationship with Melissa Stewart for two years and is providing his/her opinion. A client testimonial does not guarantee future investment success and should not be that any client or prospective client will experience a higher level of investment performance. This may present a conflict of interest as this particular client’s experience may or may not be the same as another client’s experience.
Investment advisory services are offered through Dynamic Advisor Solutions, LLC, dba Dynamic Wealth Advisors, an SEC registered investment advisor.
