From Teller to AVP: Julia Boutchie’s Rise in Banking & Nonprofit Impact

Summary

Podcast Summary

Next On Scene: The Human Behind The Brand

Episode: From Teller to AVP: Julia Bucci’s Rise in Banking & Nonprofit Impact
Host: Jaclyn Zukerman Delory
Guest: Julia Bucci, Assistant Vice President, Retail Banking, Hingham Institution for Savings
Date: January 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the professional and personal journey of Julia Bucci, who rose from bank teller to Assistant Vice President at Hingham Institution for Savings. Host Jaclyn Zukerman Delory guides listeners through Julia’s path in banking, her impact in the nonprofit sector, her leadership mindset, and the human side of her success—including her story of coming out and personal growth. The conversation is practical, honest, and full of actionable advice for those interested in legacy-building, leadership, and authentic self-expression.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Julia’s Red Carpet Song Choice

• [02:24–02:41]
  Julia is asked what her “confidence” or red carpet entrance song would be:

  "Oh, it’s probably something Avicii... Maybe 'Hey Brother' and I don't know why. Probably because it annoys my girlfriend. She hates it. But it’s just so fun and like, mindless." – Julia Bucci

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Julia’s Career Journey: From Teller to AVP

• [02:44–03:35]
  After attempting college and realizing it wasn’t for her, Julia took her father's advice to try banking:
  • Started as a teller right out of high school
  • Progressed through roles: Customer Service Representative, Supervisor, Assistant Manager, Manager
  • Now AVP, managing branch operations and business development

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Day-to-Day Responsibilities & Community Engagement

• [03:38–03:57]
  • Split between managing the Cohasset branch team and community business development
  • Actively networks, strengthens client relationships, and raises Hingham’s brand visibility

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Working With Nonprofits

• [04:02–04:29]
  Julia emphasizes how she and her team support nonprofits beyond traditional banking:

  "The relationships we form with them are outside, you know, their banking transactions. ...We support them, whether it’s attending their events, helping plan them, kind of whatever they need us to be. And I love that piece of it." – Julia Bucci

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Advice for Starting Nonprofits

• [04:29–05:27]
  Julia’s practical advice:
  • Talk to people who have done it before; lean on partners and resources.
  • Step One: Apply for your EIN and get documents started.
  • Next: Find a banking partner early—as soon as donations are expected, secure a place to park funds.

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Defining Vulnerable Moment: Coming Out

• [05:44–06:22]
  Julia shares her personal journey of coming out as a lesbian:

  "I came out later in life... and I hid that part of me for a long time. I was afraid of what people would think... I realized that people didn't care, and the ones who did, I don't need in my life. So now I’m open about it. I'll talk about it. I don’t hide it at work or anywhere I go. I just—I am me, and it took me a long time to get there." – Julia Bucci

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Pursuing Further Education: The MBA

• [06:32–07:12]
  • Finished undergrad in 2020 with SNHU
  • MBA in Leadership before age 30 is her goal; timing felt right this year
  • Coursework strengthens her work in organizational leadership and change

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Consultative Banking Approach

• [07:33–08:37]
  • Relationships start with research and human connection—not generic outreach
  • Focus is on mutual fit, understanding a client's day-to-day, mission, and goals before business decisions are made

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Supporting Small Businesses & Startups

• [08:43–09:33]
  • Hingham guides new businesses in banking set-up and educates them on services (like online banking, cash management)
  • No pushy sales—products suggested only as truly needed; many services offered free

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On starting a nonprofit:

  "Do your research and then know what you want, that vision, and then just lean on the people around you to get there." – Julia Bucci [04:35]

• On personal growth:

  "You have to shed old parts of you to really step in." – Jaclyn Zukerman Delory [06:22]

• On career learning:

  "Always be open to learning... Things are always changing. So it’s important to kind of be nimble and be open to that and really have that gray area within reason." – Julia Bucci [11:20]

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Rapid-Fire, Games, and Personal Insights

• [09:39–12:23]
  Jaclyn plays a “This or That” and quick-fire questions segment:
  • Night owl over early bird; South Shore over North Shore; beach day over city weekend
  • Vision board wins over spreadsheet; sneakers over heels; playlist over podcast
  • Loves “splurging with reason”; chooses logic over intuition; prefers mentoring others
  • Quote: “Find the good in every day” [10:57]
  • Surprising fact: Actually an introvert [11:06]
  • Best career advice: Stay open and flexible [11:20]
  • Power move before a big meeting: “Definitely music. Hype up. ...Try not to overthink it.” [11:39]
  • Leadership style, if a song: “Maybe like Noah Kahan. Something simple.” [12:18]

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How to Connect with Julia

• [12:36–13:00]
  Find Julia on LinkedIn or at hinghamsavings.com (Cohasset location page)
  • Open to networking, business, and personal conversations
  • Hingham Savings has branches in Hingham, Hull, Cohasset, South End, Nantucket, D.C., and San Francisco; satellites and virtual availability for clients statewide and beyond

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Conclusion

This episode is a blend of professional insight, actionable advice for start-ups and nonprofits, and authentic storytelling about overcoming adversity and building a visible, positive legacy. Julia’s resilience, consultative approach, and commitment to real human connection—both in banking and beyond—shine through as inspiration for listeners seeking to make an impact in their own fields.

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Transcript

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[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Are you looking for a snack with clean ingredients, 12 grams of protein and high fiber options? I love Trubar's glazed donut and chocolate chip flavors and they even have fun new flavors and kid friendly options. Grab yours now and get 15% off your next purchase with code Jackie Zook. Treat your body, fuel your day and I will put the link in the comments. Welcome to Next on Scene. The Human behind the Brand. I'm Jacqueline Zuckerman delaure award winning publicist, mom and media visionary. I believe visibility isn't just about being seen, it's about being of service. Each week we are going to uncover real stories behind success. The breakthroughs, the heartbreaks and the moments that made you who you are. Because the truth is, the more we allow ourselves to be human, the more powerful our impact becomes. This is where visibility meets legacy. This is Next on Scene. Welcome to Next on Scene where we go behind the highlight reel and meet the human behind the brand. Next up is Julia Bucci, an assistant Vice president of retail banking at Hingham Institution for Savings, where she focuses focuses on identifying and cultivating business banking opportunities, strengthening client relationships and supporting the financial goals of a diverse range of commercial and professional clients. With over 10 years of experience in banking, Julia brings a strong background in business development. So first I would like for you to pick a red carpet song. If Julia were to be on the red carpet, what would be her red carpet choice? Because I'm creating a playlist.

[Julia Bucci]

Okay.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

For some confidence song.

[Julia Bucci]

Trying to think of what I listen to lately.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Don't ever think it. What's like one of your favorite songs that you feel like gets you empowered and going?

[Julia Bucci]

See, I listen to so much different music. You're stumping me already.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

I love this. But don't overthink it. Like, what's one of your favorite songs that gets you like going and excited? And when you're getting dressed to go to something you're really excited to do. Like what's one of your go to songs?

[Julia Bucci]

Oh, it's probably something Avicii.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Oh, I love Avicii. Right? Totally. So get. Let's get more specific.

[Julia Bucci]

Maybe. Hey brother and I don't know why. Probably because it annoys my girlfriend. She hates it. But it's just so fun and, like, mindless.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So cool.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Great choice. I'm a big Avicii fan over here.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah, right?

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Yes. Okay, so I wanna talk about your amazing role and what you do for a living. So you're the assistant vice president, correct, At Hingham Savings Bank. Amazing. You've been in banking for 10 years.

[Julia Bucci]

I have.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

This even come about for you?

[Julia Bucci]

I got into banking right out of high school. I tried to go to college. It wasn't for me. I knew that right off the bat. And so my dad's been in banking my whole life. My family owned a restaurant up in the North Shore, so I was in the restaurant industry.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

What was it? What restaurant?

[Julia Bucci]

The Village in Essex.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Cool.

[Julia Bucci]

So. And my cousin's own Woodman's right down the street. So I knew that that wasn't super sustainable either, long term. So he said, just, you know, try banking. Go be a teller and see if you like it. And I loved it right off the bat. So I worked my way up through the retail side. Teller, customer service representative, supervisor, assistant manager, and now manager in retail banking.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Amazing. So what is your day to day like?

[Julia Bucci]

I do about 5050 business development and then managing our Cohasset location. So I have a small team of three that I manage in the branch on the day to day. And then the other part of that is going out in the community, meeting business owners, doing networking events, just trying to get Hingham's brand out there.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Amazing. And you do stuff with nonprof. I mean, you and I really bonded on that. So can you talk about that a little bit?

[Julia Bucci]

Absolutely, yeah. We love nonprofits. We love to go above and beyond. There's one that I'm working with on the South Shore that I'm actually going to be helping them plan their fourth annual gala in the spring. So just really goes to show that the relationships we form with them are outside, you know, their banking transactions. We really get to know them, we support them, whether it's attending their events, helping plan them, kind of whatever they need us to be. And I love that piece of it.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So I feel like there are a lot of people in our network that have or want to start nonprofits. Like, what advice do you have for them?

[Julia Bucci]

I would say talk to some people. I'm actually working with a couple that is just starting a nonprofit, and I was able to refer them to a couple different partners, Melissa Pond being one of them, just to talk to them. I referred them to that nonprofit that I work with very closely so that they could get a sense. So I would say do your research and then know what you want, that vision and then just lean on the people around you to get there.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So can we get more specific? Because I think think people get overwhelmed when they're like, oh, my God, Step. What is actually step one?

[Julia Bucci]

I would say, if you know, you 100% want to move forward with that nonprofit is apply for the EIN and get your documents going and then find a banking partner. Because as soon as you get your mission out there and you start getting those donations, you're going to want a place to park it. And funding is the biggest thing in the beginning to really get you going.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Thank you.

[Julia Bucci]

Absolutely.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So obviously there's more to Julia that most people probably don't know. And to be visible, we have to be vulnerable. So can you. Are you open to sharing a story that kind of would resonate that you kind of were like, wow, this really was a change in my trajectory?

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah, absolutely. So I came out later in life. I came out after high school, identified as lesbian, and I hid that part of me for a long time. Just was afraid of what other people would think about that. And as I started meeting new people and kind of opening that part of myself up to others, I realized that people didn't care. And the ones that did, I don't need in my life. So now I'm open about it. I'll talk about it. I don't hide it at work or anywhere I go. I just. I am me, and it took me a long time to get there. Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

And I always say, like, you have to shed old parts of you to really step it. I love that you hit it on the head, Julia. I love it. Like, so good.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Thank you for sharing that.

[Julia Bucci]

Absolutely.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So good. So what would you say for you is. Is next, like, so you're getting your mba, right?

[Julia Bucci]

Yes, I am.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Amazing. So tell me more. Tell us more about that.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah. So I finished my undergrad back in 2020 through SNHU, and I always kind of wanted to go back to school and finish my MBA. My personal goal was before 30 life got in the way. And then in the spring, I realized we're coming down to the wire, but it actually also ended up being the perfect time for me to go back. Just aligns kind of everything I'm doing right now. So I am in SNHU's NBA for Leadership program.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Amazing. So how do you think that that's going to help you in your role?

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah. So a lot of the courses really focus on organizations, leadership and change within those organizations, coaching, smart objectives, just really everything that we focus on on the back end at Hingham, they're always investing in our growth and our career. So there's a lot behind the scenes that customers don't know that we do outside of just kind of handling their trans.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So, okay, that was the question that I had. I'm so glad you're bringing this up because people think because you go from such a consultative approach, like banking is all about money. Right. So how do you actually approach conversations? Yeah, from a banking perspective.

[Julia Bucci]

Absolutely. So when I'm reaching out to someone, you know, warm introductions are always easier. But if I'm reaching out to someone on a cold call, cold email, I try and find something to relate to them. So do my research first. See whether I can find, you know, an article or something on their LinkedIn or just something that kind of gets you in the door so that they know, hey, she actually took the time to research us. Like she's not just email blasting a hundred businesses that actually it takes time to do that research. So I want to find that connection because if you find that connection, it's more likely that it's going to be a better fit. Not every business is right for us and we're not right for every business. So the first step is really learning about them and you know, their day to day, their mission, their long term goals so that we can see if we'll be a strategic fit throughout their entire, you know, career.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

And I'm assuming you help a lot of small businesses as well, right? Because there's. Okay, so can we walk through that briefly as well?

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah, small businesses and startups. So, you know, we help, we kind of learn about where they are now, where they see themselves. We bring in a member of our cash management team usually right off the bat, just because they are the gurus of like our online banking and those services. So they get to know kind of how those businesses are doing their banking now or if they don't have an account yet, how they think they want to. And we kind of advise on that as well. Offer them services that they may not even have thought of just because, I mean, they've got a million other things on their mind. They're starting a business, they're not thinking about whether they're going to need mobile deposit or bill pay. So that's where we come in and we don't try and give them anything that they aren't going to need. We also don't charge for any of the services so they can trust that we're not just trying to product push on them.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Huh?

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Insightful learning. All the things. I love this. Okay. I want to play. Game time. Okay. This is fun. This is our fun part.

[Julia Bucci]

Awesome.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Okay, so I do this or that, and then we have some rapid fire questions.

[Julia Bucci]

Right?

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Okay. So are you an early bird or a night owl?

[Julia Bucci]

Oh, neither. But if I had to go, probably night owl.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Okay. Love that. Well, if you like a Vichy. I mean, we're probably night owl.

[Julia Bucci]

Probably night.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Okay. North shore, south shore. Because I know you now work on the south shore, but you're from the north shore.

[Julia Bucci]

Oh, I'm gonna go south shore.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Wow. So it did change on you, huh?

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Okay.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah, I do love it down there. Amaz dismiss. The northshore beefs fair. Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Fair y. Okay. Beach day or city weekend?

[Julia Bucci]

Oh, beach day.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Good choice.

[Julia Bucci]

Yep.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Spreadsheet or vision board?

[Julia Bucci]

Vision board.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Great. Heels or sneakers?

[Julia Bucci]

Sneakers.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Look at you. I love it. Podcast or playlist? Playlist. Ooh, okay.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Saving or splurging with reason?

[Julia Bucci]

Splurging with reason.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

I love it. Within reason.

[Julia Bucci]

Within reason.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Intuition or logic?

[Julia Bucci]

Logic.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Ooh, I'm really. I love this. Okay. Mentor others or be mentored?

[Julia Bucci]

I love both. But right now I'm gonna go mentor others.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Networking event or a quiet dinner with clients.

[Julia Bucci]

Networking event.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Ooh, yeah. I love it. I could get that. I get that vibe from you.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Okay. Rapid fire. Okay. A quote or mantra that keeps you centered.

[Julia Bucci]

Find the good in every day.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

No, I have a quote. Today's a good day. So good.

[Julia Bucci]

I love that.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Okay. One thing most people wouldn't guess about you.

[Julia Bucci]

I am actually an introvert.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Really?

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Interesting. Because you. You're. You have a. Such a front facing business. Yes, interesting. The piece. Your career advice. Oh, the best piece of career advice you ever received.

[Julia Bucci]

Always be open to learning. We're always learning. We're always growing. Things are always changing. So it's important to kind of be nimble and be open to that and really have that gray area within reason.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

I love it. Julia, these are so good. Okay. Your go to power move before a big meeting.

[Julia Bucci]

Oh, definitely music. Hype up. Just kind of do some breathing and try not to overthink it. You can only prepare so much, and at some point you just have to let it go wherever it goes.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

So are we listening to like a beachy or are we in like calm state, like meditation music?

[Julia Bucci]

No, we gotta go Avicii. I love mindless. Gotta get myself out of my head.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

I love it if your leadership style were a song, what would it be?

[Julia Bucci]

O a song. It's got to be something more calmer and relaxed because I'm just kind of chill. Yeah, yeah.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Like Dave Matthews or like not that bad.

[Julia Bucci]

Maybe like Noah Khan.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Oh, I like him a lot. Yeah, good one.

[Julia Bucci]

Something simple.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

I love it. Okay. And to be honest, we're almost done, which is so exciting. So you are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing today. All your amazingness and how can people get in touch with you, how can they follow you? All the things.

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah, I would say LinkedIn is probably the best way. Or if they go to hinghamsavings.com, all my contact info is on the website under the Cohasset location. But I can come to them, they can come to me. But just happy to have a conversation and I love meeting people, whether it's for networking, business or even personal.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Amazing. Yeah. And I feel like there was another follow up question. Oh, there's other locations. There is. So where are they?

[Julia Bucci]

Yeah, so we have our main branch in Hingham. We have a location in Hull and Cohasset, the South End and Nantucket. We actually have a branch in the Linden Pond retirement community as well for the residents and employees. And then we do have some satellite branches in D.C. and San Francisco. So we are all over the place.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Are you traveling a lot or are you mostly local?

[Julia Bucci]

Mostly local. We can do a lot virtually. So I do have clients, you know, outside of Massachusetts that we can hop on a zoom and do everything via DocuSign.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Amazing. Julia, you are awesome. Thank you so much for coming on today.

[Julia Bucci]

Thank you for having me and thank you for tuning in.

[Jacqueline Zuckerman]

Stay tuned for his next on scene. Are you looking for a snack with clean ingredients, 12 grams of protein and high fiber? I love Trubar's glazed donut and chocolate chip flavors and they even have fun new flavors and kid friendly options. Grab yours now and get 15% off your next purchase with code. Jackie Zookeeper. Treat your body, fuel your day and I will put the link in the comments. I'm here to give you your red carpet moment so follow us on all our podcast channels on any stream from iheartradio Spotify. If you just type in Nexon Scene, the human behind the brand or you can also follow us on all our social media channels at Next on Scene. Can't wait for you to come on this journey with us. Your say is very impactful as an audience member. So come along for the ride and we are going to all of us together. And we can't wait for you to see who's next on scene.

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