This story is part of a series that spotlights our employees here at GreenPath. We hope these stories will give you a behind the scenes glimpse into their daily lives, and how they strive to make an impact through financial wellness.
Mariel Cauchi, Bilingual Manager of Client Advocacy, has created a life she envisioned by visualizing, prioritizing and setting realistic goals for herself.
Moving to the United States is not a simple feat for anyone, and can sometimes be accompanied by a variety of challenges. Mariel found a way to overcome this obstacle by learning to not only accept change, but appreciate and embrace it.
She now goes out of her way to help others embrace any changes they come across as well.
Hispanic Heritage
Mariel was 16 when she left Mexico City to come to the United States with her family.
Along with a new country came a new high school and friends. She studied English in Mexico, but she still had to overcome a language barrier because she was never taught conversational language. Nonetheless, she overcame this.
Mariel has carried on a strong sense of hospitality from her Hispanic background. She also learned strong family values and this has carried on to her professional life as well.
“My team often tells me we feel more like family than coworkers,” she said.
Goal Getter
Mariel started at GreenPath as a Bilingual Financial Counselor.
She also worked as a Project Manager. She then worked in Quality Assurance and then Talent Development, which focuses on company attraction, recruitment and retention. Mariel was one of the first workers in the company to balance Quality and Talent at the same time.
Her ultimate goal, however, was to become a manager and she made that happen.
“When you place something in the forefront, you begin attracting things that will get you there,” she states. “Visualizing your goals is important. If you place them in a spot where you can see them often, even your subconscious begins to pick up on them.”
Mariel has a whiteboard in her room that serves as a daily reminder. She sets one, five and even ten-year goals. Mariel’s most recent accomplishment was receiving a Master’s degree in Business Administration while working full-time and taking care of a family.
“Having control of your time is important. We are all given the same amount of time each day,” she says. “It’s all about what you prioritize.”
Physical and Mental Strength
A lot of Mariel’s motivation she attributes to the fitness routine she acquired from becoming a bodybuilder.
This is something she has stuck with and it has taught her to push herself to her limits. She has competed in two bodybuilding shows, winning first place in one and placing second in the other. She admits being able to deadlift 245 pounds at a slender 110. Maintaining a super-strict diet taught discipline, but her mentality seems to be equally strong as well.
Mariel is happily married, has a two-year-old son and a baby girl on the way.
Mariel’s ‘Purposeful Why’
Through working at GreenPath Mariel has learned how to better her own finances. Her ‘Purposeful Why,’ something that is often discussed within the company, is the sense of satisfaction she gains from helping others make better financial decisions. Most importantly, she has learned how to become a better saver. She explains how saving money, similar to bodybuilding, takes a lot of discipline.
“I once had a professor explain the metaphor of a butterfly and caterpillar,” she informs. “The goal of the caterpillar is to become a butterfly. The goal of the butterfly is a little less obvious. The butterfly’s goal is to become the best butterfly it can be and then its goal is to help other caterpillars…I am just being the best butterfly I can be.”
