Giselle

“It was great to have Fresh Start’s support, and they gave me an idea of what to expect during an unexpected time.” 

In 2010, Giselle was a mother of six children, two of whom were still in the household, when her husband had a change of heart and wanted to explore marital separation.  

To be proactive in case the separation advanced to divorce, Giselle reached out to Fresh Start for its Family Law Support services. 

“I was thankful for Fresh Start back then as they guided me through the legal preparations I would have to encounter if I ended up facing divorce. Everything was step-by-step and understandable, and it got me going in the right direction.” 

Giselle was extremely grateful for Fresh Start when the divorce proceedings moved forward. She knew what to expect in a difficult situation she anticipated might happen.  

At the time, Giselle worked for a non-profit that supported the Native American community in the Valley. When she and her children had to leave the home she shared with her ex-husband, Giselle was provided housing through her employers to get back on her feet.  

Fourteen years later, Giselle once again returned to Fresh Start at a time when she needed support. With her children out of the house and starting families of their own, Giselle wanted to revamp her career.  

“Fresh Start had continued to be a support system for me. I love that once we’re in a program we have the staff members to back us up, encourage us, guide us, and tell us, ‘You can do it!” 

Giselle reintegrated Fresh Start into her life by first enrolling in the Techie Lab to grow her computer knowledge. After completing the six-week program, she was inspired to keep learning. Intrigued by Fresh Start’s Women in Finance program, she wanted to apply but unfortunately, the next cohort was already full. Fresh Start’s staff suggested that Giselle apply for the Security Industry Essentials (SIE) cohort instead since she had some experience in the financial industry working as a bank teller.  

After being accepted into SIE in Spring 2024, she was excited to begin a new chapter of her life.  

“Fresh Start was always advocating that there is no limit to what we can do when we set our mind to it. Fresh Start opens the door so you can pursue it.” 

Giselle felt challenged during the advanced program, especially when working to learn and understand entirely new securities industry concepts in the accelerated course timeline.  

“Some of the material felt way over my head because it wasn’t something that I was familiar with at all before. I had heard some parts, but I wasn’t ever into it or thought about it seriously.” 

She found support from her classmates and instructor when she needed further explanations or a deeper dive into course materials. She was very encouraged by the guest speakers, including former SIE students and representatives from companies in the financial sector.  

At the conclusion of the SIE course, Giselle continued to take practice tests in anticipation of the FINRA SIE Exam. While she was preparing to pass the exam, she remembered to celebrate her accomplishments and relish her success in completing the course, even when it felt unattainable.  

“There is success for our class already because we overcame the hurdles of inhibitions that we had.” 

Confident and equipped with everything she’s learned; Giselle has updated her resume and is currently interviewing for a new career in the financial services industry. 

She hopes that other women wondering if they can take a Fresh Start course that puts them out of their comfort zone, see her as example. 

“If I can do it, so can they. Fresh Start will try its best to get you in the spot you need to be in your life. Everyone has an opportunity to excel beyond what they dreamed.”