Unlock the secrets to financial wellbeing with Brett Heaton Juarez, a maestro in the art of money management, who joins us for a transformative conversation. From the pivotal moments of his career switch to the profound insights in his book "Change for Your Dollars," Brett's journey from nonprofit youth work to finance is nothing short of inspirational. His commitment to the principle of starting with the end in mind challenges the usual financial advice, and we'd bet our bottom dollar you'll be rethinking your own approach to spending, saving, and investing after tuning in.
Ever wondered why some people seem to have a sixth sense for financial success while others struggle to keep their heads above water? Our chat with Brett sheds light on the ideal profile for financial coaching and how it starkly contrasts traditional financial advisory services. We promise you'll be equipped with a toolbox of strategies to navigate the choppy waters of financial literacy by the time you reach the end of our discussion. Plus, you won't want to miss the lighthearted moment where a name mix-up reminds us that we're all human, even when talking dollars and cents!
As we wrapped up our time with Brett, we explored how the power of authorship and mentorship in the finance world has the potential to revolutionize not just individual lives, but entire communities. If you're ready to take actionable steps toward realigning your financial trajectory, let Brett's insights guide you toward making moves that count. Don't forget to subscribe and join the enriching dialogue we foster here at the Forever Podcast. Host Jamar Jones and the insightful Brett Heaton Juarez eagerly await your company for an episode brimming with life-changing financial wisdom.
Unlock the secrets to financial wellbeing with Brett Heaton Juarez, a maestro in the art of money management, who joins us for a transformative conversation. From the pivotal moments of his career switch to the profound insights in his book "Change for Your Dollars," Brett's journey from nonprofit youth work to finance is nothing short of inspirational. His commitment to the principle of starting with the end in mind challenges the usual financial advice, and we'd bet our bottom dollar you'll be rethinking your own approach to spending, saving, and investing after tuning in.
Ever wondered why some people seem to have a sixth sense for financial success while others struggle to keep their heads above water? Our chat with Brett sheds light on the ideal profile for financial coaching and how it starkly contrasts traditional financial advisory services. We promise you'll be equipped with a toolbox of strategies to navigate the choppy waters of financial literacy by the time you reach the end of our discussion. Plus, you won't want to miss the lighthearted moment where a name mix-up reminds us that we're all human, even when talking dollars and cents!
As we wrapped up our time with Brett, we explored how the power of authorship and mentorship in the finance world has the potential to revolutionize not just individual lives, but entire communities. If you're ready to take actionable steps toward realigning your financial trajectory, let Brett's insights guide you toward making moves that count. Don't forget to subscribe and join the enriching dialogue we foster here at the Forever Podcast. Host Jamar Jones and the insightful Brett Heaton Juarez eagerly await your company for an episode brimming with life-changing financial wisdom.
Pretty much the only message that I got growing up was don't spend money you don't have.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, which is a good message, but not the whole story and fortunately my parents were in a place where they didn't have to spend money they didn't have. Some people are all about risk reward, swinging for the fences. Some people are very disciplined and withdrawn and like. So it's. There's more than one way, but the mass market message is either like the very technical like nerd wallet accounting article and was like you know, or it's the, the day trader on YouTube like I will show you how to make 20,000 dollars, and it's like what.
Speaker 2:Nothing in between, yeah.
Speaker 3:What's up everybody? What's going on? We got another episode for you and you know, every single time we do this forever podcast. We give you Tips, actionable steps. We give you things that are gonna really help you in the position that you're at today, and today is really no exception, as we got an amazing guest Speaker. Author, business owner, I would say financial literacy Experts, guru Can we use the word guru?
Speaker 1:You can use the word guru, I'll take it.
Speaker 3:We got my man Ben Heaton.
Speaker 1:War is right, so Ben's my brother-in-law, oh sorry, brett. We were just talking about Ben.
Speaker 3:I'm gonna do this again. Oh, so we got. Yeah, that's why we just talking about Ben. And now I just got that stuck in my sprick.
Speaker 2:And I said everything else right right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah yeah right, oh man, you know it's never a dull day on the front of our pockets. So you know, we love to give those, you know, actionable tips. We love to give you guys the resources and the tools to be able to really help you with your life that you're at Right now. Right now and today is no exception, as we have Brett Heaton Warres In the building on the forever podcast. I would say he's a speaker, he's an author of financial literacy guru. We can go with.
Speaker 1:you can say guru, I can say guru, you can sing a, okay, okay.
Speaker 3:So I think he's a guru, is he's gonna give a lot of tips and tricks. His book Change from your dollars is available on Amazon. Definitely go grab it. So if you hear something impactful here today, definitely go on Amazon and grab his book. But we're about to get into some really interesting conversation, because I love financial literacy. I love helping people with this stuff. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 1:It's great to be here, thank you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, thank you for coming out to the studio. Yeah, it's. It's great having you here and you're from Milwaukee.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've lived here since. Oh wait, yeah, and I'm from Chicago land.
Speaker 3:Okay, yeah, are you Packers? Fan, bears fan. Where are you the?
Speaker 1:bears are so bad that bit by bit they have lost my allegiance okay, okay, so slowly, you're like yeah.
Speaker 3:You're going over and putting a cheesehead on every not that far.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I'm pro packers.
Speaker 3:Yeah, okay, yeah, okay. Are you a bucks fan? Yeah, bulls fan.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I mean, when I was growing up it was 90s bulls Jordan, pippin, rodman, yeah, and they were so good Like I have a tendency to root for the underdog, yeah, so like I was going for like penny hardaway and the magic, because I was like well, the, you know the bulls are gonna beat him anyway. So I'm like so anyway, but you're a fan of like. Big honest fan. Big yeah, no, I yeah.
Speaker 3:But you like, but you like players, it's.
Speaker 1:I think I'm more yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, more player focus and kind of rooting for certain players.
Speaker 3:Yes, go through their career. Yeah, that's cool. Yeah, if you meet people, it's either they're like die hard on the team, uh-huh, or they kind of just follow players and then have interest. Maybe they've seen him from college going to, yeah, nba, like to see where their career goes. That's cool. That's cool and what's been as a business owner. So let's talk about what you do. What's been one like key takeaway that you can give to the audience that, just as a business owner, in almost a nearly a decade of running your business, yeah, I would say Start with the end in mind.
Speaker 1:But one key takeaway I'd start with the end in mind because If you don't like where you end up, then what was the point of starting? And so when I got into finance, I was coming from nonprofit youth work.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:I used to run a summer camp. I, and you know, wore a t-shirt to work, and then this was in 2014, when I started in finance, and at that time it was like you show up at 730, you're wearing a tie. You know, it was such a.
Speaker 1:It was such a culture shock in so many ways, but I always wanted to be a coach and a counselor since I was 16, and so that's what allowed me to make the switch successfully is like the money Okay, I can learn that, I can, I can learn that but long-term coaching relationships is what's always got me going.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and what and why finance? Let's talk about that. Why, I mean what? Do you have a passion?
Speaker 1:No, I I laugh because some people really are financial Nerds yeah, in a positive way, and so sometimes people think that that's like I've got the five screens, you know, like the big short, like, and it's like I don't, I don't do that yeah.
Speaker 1:I am a relational coach, okay, and I help people come to terms with their money and make choices based on context, like well, what are you worried about? What are you hopeful for? I was recruited, so that's the short answer. I met with a financial advisor at a time when I was in my late 20s and knew nothing about anything. Yeah and he said I think you should do this. And I said and then, a year later, I I went for it and what were you doing before before that?
Speaker 3:so like in your late 20s?
Speaker 1:so I was a senior level director for a non-profit youth program. So we had like 150 kids ages nine to 18, 40 staff in our residential summer program. We do events, all kinds of stuff. So I was across all that and what was interesting is that I was getting to a point where I was like I'm really an administrator and I want to be a counselor. Yeah, so I think that happens to a lot of people. Is you identify with a profession? But then the better question to ask is do I actually like what I do on a daily basis? You know, and by the end of that, Simple question yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, a lot of people do it right, you know like, I want to do this.
Speaker 1:It's like, well, you're gonna like that and often that a lee, yeah, and often that's rooted in like there An identity or a status or what they think it's gonna be. But that's not what the work is right.
Speaker 3:Right. And what were you doing before the nonprofit?
Speaker 1:the youth work um. So I had started that organization as a 19 year old summer camp counselor.
Speaker 3:You started it.
Speaker 1:Well, I was, I was, I didn't start it. Yeah, I was 19 during their first year. Oh, okay, yeah, ground floor right there, yeah yeah, and I mean I write about it in the book, that experience I did a year of AmeriCorps, did habitat for humanity, building houses, and I write about that too and kind of like entitlements and those relationships. Mm-hmm, that was. I did that for a year.
Speaker 3:Okay, seattle and what and what you know cuz on this, on this show we love to kind of dive into the backgrounds, right, but what made us who we are today. So what got you into that purpose Driven work early on, like, I mean, I think, back when I was 19. I was, yeah, I definitely wasn't purpose driven. I mean, I was about creating change, but definitely my mindset wasn't like, yeah, I'm gonna go work here, I'm gonna do do this stuff. Yeah, where did that come from?
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I think part of it is my my parents really like instilled a message of fairness in me is like and I'm grateful that you know I didn't lack for anything Material when I was growing up. Mm-hmm but I also was never led to believe that I was like special or better than anybody else, and I really got that message yeah, and in it, and so I'm grateful them. Team sports was part of it. Okay, what's in like soccer basketball?
Speaker 2:lacrosse Okay.
Speaker 1:Because I realized that I was never gonna be the most talented player in any of those, but I could be. I could coordinate, I could fill gaps, I could have a leadership role, and that's what kind of made me realize that I really liked coaching People okay, so that's.
Speaker 3:That was like the first probably yeah experience of it probably, you know kind of being around a team being on how to get from here to there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know, and I was good at it. Yeah like I think that's something that sometimes people don't want to say out loud is like if you're good at something, you're way more likely to continue doing it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and so.
Speaker 1:I was like oh, people respond like I said this. People listened To that feedback. Yeah, okay, maybe I, maybe this is my thing.
Speaker 3:And what about then? So let's the fast forward. So what about finance at that time that the financial advisor kind of recruited you, yeah, what about finance then?
Speaker 1:peaked your interest well, I realized that Pretty much the only message that I got growing up was don't spend money you don't have.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, which is a good message, but not the whole story. And Fortunately, my parents were in a place where they didn't have to spend money they didn't have. Then, when I got into the working world, I had some encounters with you know the financial system where I was like, oh, maybe there's some education that I need. I also remember Talking about college access with teens In non-profit work and I'm standing there on Saturday morning Using some financial literacy curriculum. Oh, and this is compound interest. And they're like this idiot, like if he knew that, like why is he here with us? Like I just wasn't taken seriously. Teenagers, right.
Speaker 1:But, so I kind of got some clues, just like how people at the end of the day it comes down to money People would leave my program, our program, if they needed a scholarship. Can't fault them for that. We didn't have one. So money's kind of ground zero for a lot of things and like a hierarchy of needs.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I was like boy.
Speaker 1:if I could really get to the heart of that. I could really have an influence on people in a positive way.
Speaker 3:And then who's your ideal person that you coach Kind of through that like yeah. What kind of position? What kind of?
Speaker 1:Sure, Well now it's probably someone who tends to be more creative, tends to be successful, professionally responsible, but has some baggage with money.
Speaker 2:Okay, or is like I don't want to just you know, like there's something that's not.
Speaker 1:It's blocking their energy, because the typical financial advisor 95% of their training and what they're interested in money.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And then the 5% is relational. So I'm trying to flip that on its head and say like, look, if you can feel good, if you can actually understand what you're doing you're way more likely to follow through.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so businesses, particularly. Yeah, like, yeah, I like business.
Speaker 2:Or can it be individuals as well.
Speaker 1:Individuals, yeah, so individuals, families, small businesses. I'm doing more work with nonprofits around the book because like hey.
Speaker 3:Well, it's naturally your space. Yeah, that too yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah that's cool, that's cool. And so why do you think that financial literacy is not often taught in society? It seems like a lot of times the entry to learning about money is often starting with your family, you know, depending on what that family dynamic is and what your parents know about money, and then kind of tell you about stuff. But why don't you think, why do you think it's not? You know within the system, you know as far as, just like, as you go through schooling, as you go through different programs, I feel like I mean, it's out there, but you gotta like, really look for external ways to learn about it if you don't have it directly, just in your circle of influence, in your life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3:I know it's a loaded question, but that's the point, no, no it is a loaded question.
Speaker 1:So part of it is there's too much money in politics. A brutal reality is that there is no money in expanding financial literacy. So, in terms of a business model, what we often get is someone who represents the financial system goes and does a talk. There's no ongoing relationship, there's no follow through, there's no implementation, there's no accountability or liability, so it's just like hey, I feel good, I went and did that, they said it was good, and then everyone's back where they started a month from now, because the compensation in finance, no matter how you slice it mortgages, investments, anything it's always proportional to the amount of money going in.
Speaker 1:So, like when COVID happened, maybe these PPP loans, you remember that and so, like the LA Lakers, get the loan before the mom and pop corner store, because 2% of 20 million is a lot more than 2% of 20,000. So that's a reality, and I think the other part is that so often it's presented as like well, if you just the kind of bootstraps thing, it's like yeah, there's something to be said for grit and hard work, and most people aren't able to budget their way out of poverty.
Speaker 2:Got you.
Speaker 1:So it's like hey, with your $10 of leftover income, put $2 here and $1 here, Like well, that's not gonna add up, you know. And then I'm short 20. Yeah, so like yeah, that's part of it too. So in the book, like I talk about four behavioral pathways, and that way it's like a young person can be like well, which one sounds most like me? And I'm gonna try to take that pathway, because when I see people and talk to them confidentially, Some people are all about risk reward, swinging for the fences. Some people are very disciplined and withdrawn and like so it's, there's more than one way.
Speaker 1:But the mass market message is either like the very technical, like nerd wallet accounting article, and I was like you know, or it's the day trader on YouTube Like I will show you how to make 20,000 dollars and it's like well, I don't want to do that either.
Speaker 2:There's nothing in between.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's true, that's true and it's so interesting. That's why I love having you know conversations around the financial issue. I mean because obviously you know I'm learning so much as I go, you know, and just kind of becoming a bookworm over things, and it's just so interesting the whole conversation. When you say, and that there's no money in learning financial literacy, at least as a business, you know, like it's just for me, my mind goes to like it's an economic. You know it should be an economic help for everybody.
Speaker 3:The more you learn about money, the more that they're able to make better buying decisions, which then should feel the economy of you know of things. But then on the flip side, the less you know, the more that you're willing to spend and you know and kind of just be loose, you know, with the money. That's super interesting.
Speaker 1:Well, and like I think a lot of people think of finance like ordering anything else, like a point of sale transaction, when it's really a process, and so like it's hard because the financial system is incentivized to find someone who's already arrived. Like oh, jamar, you read all the books. Like oh, this, now you have five studios. Like hey, I'd love to help you out with some of the things that you're ordering on your mind. You try to like swoop in at the end, but it's really hard to plant and grow and nurture those seeds over time. Right, and so that's, and we're just such a a fast moving, short attention span. Like that's part of it too.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, for sure. And what parts do you specialize in? So, within financial literacy, just so everybody understands. So, like I mean, there's tax, there's real estate, there's budgeting, there's business, there's personal. You know, you have your Roth IRA accounts and like you know. So, like, what do you specialize in? Is it a holistic approach of how you're tackling it, or is it like, hey, I just want to get you in this area?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's definitely holistic.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:Because coaching is my value proposition, right.
Speaker 3:Gotcha.
Speaker 1:So it's like I'm trying like, especially with couples. It's really funny because you'll ask a question. You're like what do you think the biggest concern is right now? And I'm like well, I don't know, I just feel like we need to get the house done. The other person's like you know, they're like are they just talking about it?
Speaker 3:So like, Brought up for the first time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, right. And so I think, like some of us, I tell people like I will help you figure out what to do first and why, because most people are like yeah, I generally get the idea.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But it's just not happening. And it's often not happening because the first step is the hardest. Or like you're 90% sure, like there's an anecdote in the book where I'm not handy, like I can't fix things Right Okay, not really. And that's like I get that way when I'm entering on a home DIY project where I'm like I'm 90% sure that if I just take this off, I'll be able to put it back on, but if I'm wrong I might really screw something up.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And that's how people are with finance. It's like they're almost there, but that last like shred of doubt is holding them back, and so that's why I like holistic planning. So it's like all types of insurance is in the kind of defensive, all types of investments is in the offensive, and then the operating system is cash flow.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:Which includes like borrowing and all that stuff.
Speaker 3:So how those things fit together is what I'm into, nice, and so what's something that somebody can do today to like, whatever their kind of current situation, is what's a good, starter, actionable thing that somebody can do like. Hey, I listened to this podcast.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3:What's the first step?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Besides hitting you up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, or reading the book, or reading the book. So one step is to just try to become aware of what's actually happening. A lot of people have never really done like a reflection exercise, so some of the things that you're familiar with with being a business owner, that's applicable to everyone. So a lot of times people will be like well, I have a salary, this is my paycheck, I don't need to pay attention, my company does that.
Speaker 1:Well they probably do some things, but maybe not other things, things like vision planning, mm-hmm. And if, like, I've never seen a budget work without a compelling goal, because otherwise you're just denying yourself like eating out.
Speaker 2:Right which sucks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like most people don't do that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So having a goal in mind at the end of why you're budgeting or why you're doing these things, instead of just being like, well, we only have $100 of money to spend for eating out this week and we're at 99. Yeah, so we're not gonna do that, but you have no path of like. Why are you doing it?
Speaker 1:Right, and if your way, we as people our goal like we're designed to achieve goals biologically so someone and one of the hardest parts for me is code switching in meetings right, I'll talk to someone at 10 am. I'm like, oh, we're remodeling the second bathroom and it's just it's not going well and I'm so stressed out. I'll talk to someone at two. Well, you know, I'm supporting my parents and now you know there's an issue with, like, their legal status and I need to be, but in their mind the stress is equal, right? Yeah, so a lot of it for me is translating where someone is at into some type of tangible, meaningful progress.
Speaker 2:And that takes time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3:So the first thing I'm hearing is look at where you're going instead of goal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, short term retirement is not a compelling goal. It's way too abstract.
Speaker 3:It's way too long it's like especially somebody starting in their 20s Exactly. We used to be thinking a lot of it, but it's like man, so that's boring.
Speaker 1:Don't do that. Yeah, I mean, what are you going to spend next year, like are you going to take a vacation? If so, what is it going to cost, whether it's $1,000 or 500 or 5,000, like, if you can't backwards plan, you're either not going to have the money or you're going to put it on a credit card which is going to be issues later. So yeah, like you know, that's something people can do now. Oh man, I could talk all day. Jamar, you want to ask another question? Yeah?
Speaker 3:I mean yeah, I mean, I think, yeah. So setting a goal, making sure that you have a good vision where you want to go. It sounds like start the conversation and start learning about this stuff. It sounds like another kind of good first step of like especially if you have a spouse or you're in a business like, start just spending an hour or two and have those conversations. Yeah, focus on what do you want.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and like have the conversation with somebody. Yeah, it doesn't have to be your partner, it could be a best friend, because money has energy. Yeah, I describe money throughout the book in terms of water as a metaphor right, you have the puddle that will evaporate if you don't. You know, collect. You've got raging rapids, all these things.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so it's not going to get easier if you wait. And oftentimes when I meet people, there were things that they could have done upstream that would have a pretty big influence on their present situation, but they put it off. Oh, it was doable. So it's like you know, the example is like if you get on a plane from Milwaukee, you're like I want to go to the West Coast. We don't know if it's going to be Seattle or LA. Yeah Well, the longer you wait, the harder it is to turn the plane and the longer it's going to take to get there. So it's like, yeah, you can just it's important to just get going, like get to the airport, you have a general direction, so get going, but you can't wait forever because then it's really hard to change course.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, that's good, that's good tips, and so let's talk about the book real quick. So the what was that process like right in the book I know we were joking off camera that I mean he's got quite a, quite a read, you know, but like it's packed with information right and with writing a book. So we have a lot of like entrepreneurs, other people that are inspiring to be which doesn't fall inspiring to be authors themselves. So, like, what was that process like writing the book and how long did it take you?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So it took me seven years. The first four were kind of like oh, the business is okay, like I've got an hour. As I'm just like over December 26th, I'm like I'm just going to write for four hours. Count it out. The last three years, more intentional. When the idea came to me, I knew that I had to do it. I didn't really enjoy writing a book.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm proud.
Speaker 3:That's what he talks about it I?
Speaker 1:believe in it. I'm proud of it. The process it was, it was so hard, yeah, and so my editor was really helpful in helping me remove any deviation into like more technical stuff. So it's very I mean, it is long, it's not like hey it's packed with content. Though, it's packed with content.
Speaker 1:That's right Packed with content, but it's it reads like a conversation. It really moves quickly and each chapter has a takeaway that you can share. You can you can digest it. But, like people have read it out of order, they've looked at the table of contents. Oh, that's interesting, you know you can come back to it. I just felt like, in terms of my value proposition, I didn't have a business background. I had a lot of background in education. I got a masters in educational psychology, like how people learn, the way the brain works.
Speaker 1:I was like I have to. I have to write something that isn't technical, because there's more than enough of that already, and it also puts our relationship with the money in the context of our community.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And it touches on things like this country was built with slave labor. A lot of people are. Their energy is blocked.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because they can't speak to that. And so someone who's hearing someone say, oh, just do this and this and this, or someone who's reluctant to invest Well, yeah, we have to acknowledge what's already. We stole land right and generations of immigrants have made this place what it is. And we are a free society. Like when people complain about living here, it's like it could be worse somewhere else. It is worse. I always tell people perspective Totally.
Speaker 3:They're like we're to travel, start to see other ways, how things are done and gain a little bit of appreciation. It's also because, like you know, all you've known is whatever the environment that you're seeing or the people that you're talking to, but when you really start to see what else is out there, you start to say, ok, you know, yeah, there's things, a lot of things we can work on, right, right, and it's not as bad as what I'm thinking. You know, it is because somebody else is like looking over their shoulder literally every waking second. Right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And perspective is so key and, like that's, a lot of times, what individuals struggle with is, like people aren't talking about their money, so all they know is this little box of my lived experience and maybe my childhood the good, the bad and the ugly, whatever that was like. And so, to talk with someone who's talking with hundreds of other people, it's easy for me to say, well, you're actually on track in this area. I understand you're stressed about it, but this is not bad. Yeah, a lot of things I've heard. Yeah, I mean, do you just see the stress leaving their body? Or you know, like, have you looked into this? No, what's that? Google it, I think it would work for you.
Speaker 1:Like you know, the internet can only answer the questions you ask.
Speaker 3:Oh, for sure, yeah, for sure, yeah. And then so about the. So now what has the book done for you? You know, now that it's out, go grab a copy. But now that it's out, what has it done for you? So now people kind of know what the you know, you kind of express like hey, it was kind of a. It's not as easy going as people think. You know, whatever writing a book is or the process is going to be super enjoyable, all that stuff. But you seem you know very proud about what you've accomplished. But now, what has it created for you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so as a licensed financial planner, there's there's a lot of liability that comes with that, and so you know you have to define am I working with you or not? We were joking beforehand about like 2021, when crypto was big, like people I'd never met before. We would call in and be like, should I buy crypto? And I'm like I don't know, I don't know anything about you. Have you? Have you done any research? All right, so what it's done for me is it's given me a way to speak and I'm doing workshops with nonprofits around town. The first one I did was with the brand labs. Yeah, you know them.
Speaker 3:Well, is it the brand lab, or is it?
Speaker 1:brand labs. The brand lab, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, kweku, yeah, you talked to him. Yeah, shout out brand lab.
Speaker 1:Yeah, shout out brand lab, you know. So they're trying to get more representation into an industry that typically doesn't have much BIPOC representation, and they're doing it by like getting actually in the game. Yeah, so yeah, you can book me for a talk. I've started to do some like author chats where I'm unpacking some of this stuff because the book is all autobiographical.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And a lot of times the barrier to someone who's to an expert is like, okay, that's what they did, but how am I different? And so you know, like I had a reader say, well, you know, sounds like you grew up pretty comfortably and I didn't. So I wonder if, yeah, but then you know, when I'm in my twenties, like a lot of other stuff happened. So not everyone's going to relate to everything. But, boy, is it personal? I'm like boy, it's all out. My wife is like man, you wrote about that, yeah.
Speaker 2:Sorry, yeah, it's all, or nothing.
Speaker 3:You know, I was like I was a confidence telling you that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's in the book.
Speaker 3:Yeah, hey, it helps people. It's like you know you're not transparent. You can be, or you know because you never know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you gotta learn from your mistake, yeah.
Speaker 3:You can't be all, just all highs and being like this is what you gotta do you gotta show the lows in it so yeah, and then so like as as an author, it sounds like you know you not only just put out the book, but now you're creating these other moments to also, as, like, extensions of the book. You know workshops, yeah, speaking, that's great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the challenge in the in the finance, the personal finance industry as it stands, is that in order to earn more, you have to prosper, you have to follow the money, and so my dream is to get more entry level practitioners where I can mentor them and I've already done a lot of the work. To say, hey, this tends to work this way in wine, I've got resources and I've got a book to give them a runway to build their own practice, so that's another thing we can follow up on is like if you're interested in getting into the field, you know, message me because, I want to expand horizontally.
Speaker 1:So you know, in some ways my goal is to grow the middle class, and that means lifting people up but also not chasing high net worth clients, because there's a lot of people doing that and I've, like, I've had these moments where, like, boy, that would be great, like why can't you just, you know, lighten up and just like, do things the way that everybody else is doing them. I just can't you know, and so that this is what really gets me up in the morning.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's cool, man. I mean I mean from your, from your story kind of, even how you got started. It it shows you know just purpose driven, care about community, care about you know kind of the underdogs even set it within sports, like I mean, dude, it's, it's within you throughout, it is. I can't.
Speaker 1:I can't get rid of it.
Speaker 3:You can't hide it, that's right, I know I can't get rid of it, you can really set it through every piece, like it's like you know it's all there, so you know that you know working with you and and definitely reading the book like you're going to get that honesty you know, through it, which is which is dope, because it's um, you don't always get that with people.
Speaker 3:You know a lot of people put on the facades and show you all this. You know the great things with it, but you want somebody that's honest and open, especially with a coach, because you know coaches have this, you know this thing where they kind of are up on this pedestal, like especially when you first start with the coach right, then uh, but the more that they can kind of be there at the ground level with you and share some of the hardships or, you know, be vulnerable, the more it actually builds the trust, you know, because you're like, oh, like you're, you've gone through this or right, you've been to my spot or you've gone through the you know. So that way it's, it's easier actually to talk.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is and, and, and that's. I'm convinced that that is usually the biggest barrier.
Speaker 1:It's not that people don't want advice. It's like why would I get in my car and go and meet with someone who clearly is doing well and then they'll tell me that I am not doing well? Yeah, and I'll be embarrassed and it's like I don't want to have a long term relationship with them. So for me, um, bringing more people into this career I'm passionate about because a near peer is the best teacher. Yeah, Right, I used to be able to get through to the 23 year old. I'm getting old.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So, like, with every passing year I'm gonna be that old. Oh, yeah, thank you, appreciate that. Um, come on. But, like you know, with every passing year it's like I'm more and more like the old, you know dad guy with the dad energy and like, but if you have a young person who's like, hey, I'm gonna be with you, like I'm just three years ahead of your lived experience, oh god, you come from the same. Yeah, like that is a great, that's the ideal person.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know and you can have more reach that way.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly, yeah, yeah, that's great.
Speaker 3:So how can people get connected with you? Um, because, like every time on this, on this podcast I always talk about the people that I have on here are reachable. Yeah so don't think that they're just. You know, like you can't talk to these people Right Um, how can people get connected? How can they reach out?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so changefromyourdollarscom is there's. There's some content on the book. You can book me for speaking. You can send me a message directly. Um, that's the main way you know. The book is available on Amazon. It'll soon be available in some local bookstores Not yet. I'm working on that. Had to learn a little bit about the publishing game, um, and uh, yeah, if follow me on socials, so I'm on LinkedIn primarily. And uh, yeah, that's probably the best one.
Speaker 3:Cool, cool, all linked in. That's another good way. So, if you're going to shoot you a DM, yep, um, yeah, hit them up on LinkedIn. Definitely get the book. Guys, uh, the book is on Amazon, mm, hmm, um, and so definitely go ahead and grab it there. Uh, hit him up See if he's got any workshops or anything else that's going on that you can participate in. And, um, yeah, just know that these, you know these people are reachable. So don't, it's crazy. I mean, people like love what they hear, but then they won't take that first step of just like, what's the action? Okay, reach out, grab the book.
Speaker 3:You know, I mean, there's, there's things that, um, you know you can do today to change the trajectory of where you're trying to go. So, um, appreciate you. Uh, being on the show. Oh, my pleasure, um, on the podcast and being open, and, um, everybody kind of knows you a little bit better now. Yeah, you know, because of this, which is which is dope. Um, if you're listening, definitely subscribe to the podcast. Uh, if you're watching, comment, like, share. You guys know the jam by now at the forever podcast. I'm your host, jamar Jones, and we'll see you in the next one, peace. Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe. And don't forget to hit that notification bell for more amazing content that we're going to be putting out. And don't forget you can change your circle to change your life.