Story & Lesson Highlights with Mando Sallavanti III of Scranton, PA

We recently had the chance to connect with Mando Sallavanti III and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Mando, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Just this past weekend, I married my high school sweetheart after almost 13 years together. The whole experience has been filled with moments that made me both laugh and feel incredibly proud.

What made me laugh was realizing that even on my honeymoon, I genuinely enjoy what I do so much that I’m still posting on LinkedIn – and I had to preemptively address the ‘LinkedIn police’ who would inevitably tell me to get off my phone! There’s something funny about having to defend enjoying your work even during downtime.

But what really made me proud was the response from my clients leading up to the wedding. After posting about the crazy two weeks I had – 72 meetings in 14 days while preparing for our wedding – my phone blew up with congratulations and messages like ‘Thank you for everything you’ve done for our family’ and ‘You deserve this happiness.’ In five years of building my business, I’d never had a response like that. It reminded me that we’re building something meaningful, helping real people, and doing it the right way.

The proudest moment though was standing there with Mattia in front of our closest friends and family, officially becoming the Sallavanti’s. She’s been with me through everything – high school, college, building my career – and she brings a joy to my life that I honestly can’t put into words. Marrying your best friend after 13 years? That’s something worth being proud of.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Mando Sallavanti is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and the founder of Freedom Path Wealth, a firm that helps high-earning sales executives and business owners design lives they do not need a vacation from. Known for his straightforward approach and ability to simplify complex financial strategies, Mando focuses on cash flow management, tax efficiency, and wealth acceleration :all with an emphasis on protecting and providing for family.

A self-made advisor who built his business almost entirely through LinkedIn, Mando has grown a following of over 40,000 and generated millions in revenue without paid ads or cold calls. His work blends modern financial tools with a deep understanding that success is not just about numbers on a spreadsheet, but about creating time, freedom, and security for the people who matter most.

When he is not working with clients or coaching other advisors, you’ll find Mando with his wife Mattia, traveling, enjoying great food, and building the life they once only talked about. For him, business and family are not competing priorities – they are part of the same vision.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that has most shaped how I see myself is with my wife, Mattia. We met in high school, and she has been by my side through every chapter of my life since. She has seen me at my best and at my worst, and she has never once wavered in her belief in me.

Before her, I measured my worth almost entirely by achievement – how much I could produce, earn, or accomplish. Mattia showed me that my value is not just in what I do, but in who I am. She has a way of making me feel seen and appreciated in moments when I do not see those things in myself.

Because of her, I have learned to slow down, to be present, and to actually enjoy the life I am building instead of constantly chasing the next goal. She has helped me become a better partner, a better advisor, and a better version of myself. Most importantly, she has taught me how to love myself, which has made everything else in my life stronger.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Early in my career, I came very close to walking away. I had been in the business for four months and had only made $360. I was working hard but nothing was clicking, and I started convincing myself that maybe I just was not cut out for it.

Around that time, I picked up Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I read about his “Six Steps to Riches,” which focused on defining exactly what you want, setting a clear deadline, creating a plan, and committing to it with unwavering belief. Something about those steps hit me differently. They gave me a framework, but more importantly, they gave me hope.

I wrote down my goals, spoke them out loud every day, and kept them front and center. It lit a spark that has never gone out. Within months, I started getting traction. Within years, I had built the business I once thought was impossible. Looking back, that moment taught me that the biggest breakthroughs often happen right after you are ready to quit… if you choose to keep going.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would tell you that what matters most to me is not just succeeding, but succeeding in a way that brings other people with me. I believe that wins feel bigger when they are shared. Whether it is in business, family, or friendships, I want the people around me to grow, to win, and to feel like they are part of something bigger.

For me, success is not measured only by what I accomplish, but by how many others I can help reach their own goals along the way. That mindset drives how I lead my business, how I show up for my friends, and how I approach life as a whole.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Right now, I am reinvesting almost all of my profit back into my business so I can hire the right people and build the right infrastructure. It is not the fastest way to put more money in my pocket, but it is the surest way to create something that can grow without depending entirely on me.

Bringing on great employees means I can serve more clients at a higher level, expand into new areas, and eventually step further into my role as a CEO. The payoff will not be immediate, but in 7 to 10 years, I expect to have a business that is not just larger, but stronger, more efficient, and capable of impacting far more people than I ever could alone.

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Image Credits
Maggie Kraser

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