NYC Mom Helping Your Children Rock Their Financial Future: Rosanna Guardavaccaro | NYC Family Photog

As a New York City family photographer, nothing thrills me more than meeting and photographing moms who are not just amazing moms, but who are also fiercely passionate and knowledgeable in their field of work.

As such, Rosanna Guardavaccaro, Financial Advisor and children's book Author, is an absolute powerhouse of knowledge, passion and inspiration. Listening to her speak about the importance (and ease) of teaching our little ones about their financial future, and about saving for financial success, makes me wish she and books like her 'Peter Saves for a Rainy Day' had been around when I was little.

Luckily, I did get to meet Rosanna now (it's never too late to learn about our financial future!) - and am so very happy to learn from her about teaching my kids about the importance of saving and planning financially. Because, as she explains, sometimes we as parents, we think giving our kids the latest gadget or the most frufru/rad thing out there is making them happy (and making us successful as parents) - when in reality, giving the tools, knowledge (and a little frugality) will help them in the long run not just get to go to that better college, or buy that house, but also be ready for all that life throws their way, including their retirement (while helping us prepare for ours).

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Rosanna, it's so amazing to meet you and to learn from you. Thank you for finding me and deciding to allow me to photograph you. What initially inspired you to hire a professional photographer for our family portrait session together?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "I looked to hire a professional photographer because I wanted to capture sensitive moments between my son and I. I had gone a very long time without being photographed, and I thought Andreea B. Ballen Photography was the prefect person to capture such moments due to your artistic view of photography."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: You are a financial advisor and a children's book author, and worked with your son on your book, 'Peter Saves For a Rainy Day.' How did the idea for the book come about? What was your process?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "Along with becoming a financial advisor, I was lucky enough to become a mother. Over time, I soon realized that my son was listening to financial advice that I was giving my clients. He would sometime repeat it back to me, grasping certain financial concepts even at his young age."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What were the challenges and the rewards of the book and of working on it with your son?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "I feel like the book definitively brought us closer together. Some of the challenges included making sure everyone was on the same page between me as the author, illustrator, editor, and printer."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What do you think you learned from this experience?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "I learned that children are extremely bright, that they learn in a similar fashion that adults do."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Why (or why not) would you recommend for other parents to embark on similar creative projects with their children?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "I would highly recommend projects to other parents like the one I’ve done with my son because, it really gives you a chance to witness the creativity, and opinions that our children have to offer. I also think it is important to educate your child on financial literacy."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: You've very much made me a believer, but explain it in your own way: why is teaching kids (from a young age) about saving important?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "Just like children learn their abc's, it is important to teach them the concepts of financial literacy. So when they find what they love to do and start earning an income it is important for them to start learning the fundamentals of saving."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: How do your books make it easier for parents and educators to show financial concepts from a young age?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "I have created a story line around Peter making him relatable to our young readers. I have also color coordinated the financial concepts in the book making it easy for children to understand."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What is one great piece of financial advice you can give other parents?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "The one piece of financial advice that I would offer to any parent would be to make sure you have created a few different saving vehicles for you and your child, also creating financial balance in everyday life. We all want the very best for our children, but it is important to save for them as well."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: There are so many financial advisors out there. What makes working with you unique? Who is your ideal client, and who are you the ideal financial advisor for?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "I am a Financial Advisor for the company “Strategies for Wealth.” What makes me so unique is my holistic approach to financial planning. Focusing on wealth accumulation, and wealth protection. Also creating a one stop shop for clients. Clients can come to me with any financial concerns."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Speaking in kind, there are so many child and family photographers out there. What makes working with Andreea B. Ballen Photography unique, in your experience?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "Andreea’ B. Ballen Photography's approach to combining photography with art, and being able to capture the most sensitive moments you can have with your loved ones makes her unique.

And when it came to it, my family portrait session with Andreea was impressive - she was able to get my son to sit still and still capture breathtaking moments between us. Working with Andreea B. Ballen Photography exceeded my expectations."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What was your vision for the images from our family photoshoot?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "My vision was to capture moments with my son that we can have for the rest of our lives, and it was most definitely accomplished."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Tell us a little bit about the heirloom art pieces and professional prints that you chose from your portrait session: where in your home will they live?

Rosanna Guardavaccaro: "The photos are hung all through out my home."

Click here to contact Rosanna Guardavaccaro about planning for you and your children's financial future, or to schedule her for a speaking engagement at your children's school. Or, click here to order 'Peter Saves For a Rainy Day' and other books in the series for a child you love and want to teach how to save.

Want to capture the beauty and love or your family and turn it into the heirloom art pieces that you can enjoy and pass down for generations? Contact me today to book your Andreea B. Ballen Photography family portait or child portrait session.

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