Meet Melanie Hurt
Founder of Sound Accounting Solutions
I didn’t take the traditional path to becoming a financial advisor—and that’s exactly what allows me to connect so deeply with the business owners I serve.
I joined the Army straight out of high school—not for structure, but for freedom. I needed to get out of the small town in Minnesota where I grew up. Over six and a half years of service, including deployment in all three Gulf War campaigns, I learned discipline, resilience, and how to show up when it matters—values I carry into my work every day.
When I transitioned to civilian life, I wasn’t handed a career—I built one. I started as a receptionist at a custom home builder and quickly gravitated toward the numbers. That curiosity turned into a calling. I earned my bachelor’s in accounting by 30, my master’s in my 40s—all while raising two kids, working full-time, and moving up the ladder.
After 17 years helping lead a company through significant growth and eventually to acquisition by private equity, I reached a turning point.
I was working 80-hour weeks for a salary that wouldn’t change if I worked 40. If I was going to give that much of myself, it was going to be for something I owned.
That’s when I started Sound Accounting Solutions—a firm built for job-cost-based businesses like construction companies, service contractors, and creative firms. Why job cost accounting? Because it’s where I started. I’ve lived in the day-to-day of project-based work, and I know how poor job costing can quietly destroy profitability. I also know how to fix it—with systems, structure, and real strategy.
Clients come to me overwhelmed—by cash flow issues, unclear profitability, and decisions made on gut instinct. I help them move from reactive to proactive, turning messy financials into clean, actionable insight. My goal isn’t just clarity—it’s confidence.
I’m not your typical financial expert. I’m bold, direct, and just as comfortable in jeans as I am in a blazer. But behind the edge is a commitment to real strategy, honest conversation, and practical guidance. I break down financial walls, cut through the jargon, and meet my clients where they are.