What inspired me to want to help you?
Do you want to know what inspired me to start this business? Back when I worked in collections, I saw so many people that could have used some good financial advice. I couldn’t exactly give it to them at that point, all I could do was help them find a solution to solve the problem at hand. The majority of these people were not “deadbeats” or people who weren’t smart. These were people who were smart and successful, but lacked the knowledge or skills to organize their financial lives.
Every story was different. Some were simply overspending in small amounts, some were taking huge risks and losing everything. But they all had one thing in common; they did not have a financial plan, there was no organization. They were just flying by the seat of their pants.
I knew I could help because I used to live the same way. I have overdrawn my account, paid bills late and even had debts sent to collection agencies a time or two. And I had the same issue, a complete lack of organization.
It took a few years, but seeing these struggles combined with an almost complete lack of education involving financial planning and organization in any school led me to the decision to start this business and help people.
So you started a business to help people, but you have made that your job – what else do you do to help others that doesn’t help you?
I’m glad you asked. 🙂
I didn’t have the easiest time in school. Right from the start I didn’t want to go and then in Jr. High, things got very rough for me with my friends. There was a little bullying, and that stopped, but then we just weren’t friends anymore. Going into high school, I had no friends, and I was way too shy to make more at that point. It was really hard on me and my mom especially, trying to convince me to even go to school. I went from being in the top 10 % of my class academically to being on the top 10 list of absences. I ended up quitting high school and getting my GED when I was 17. I graduated from college, so it hasn’t made a big difference in my professional life (in fact, I could have easily done with LESS college, but that’s another subject).
Getting through that struggle and building self esteem was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It took a really long time. Decades. In fact, it’s still probably a work in progress, but I’m proud of how far I have come.
My former employer partnered with several mentoring organizations, and I found a perfect fit with Teammates. I was matched with a student who shares common interests with me, and I meet with her once a week for lunch during the school year. It has given me the chance to offer support to a girl going through school and give the advice I should have taken back then. Now whether she takes my advice, that’s out of my hands!
What does this have to do with my financial well being?
A friend of mind recently shared a quote with me, which I could not find anywhere on the internet, so she may have invented it, but it’s the absolute truth. “When we feel low, we spend high.” How many times have you heard somebody refer to shopping as “retail therapy?”
There is nothing wrong with a good shopping trip once in awhile, but if you are feeling down, it can quickly turn into a cascading effect. You overspend. You don’t feel like paying bills and let things slide, incurring late fees. You avoid looking at statements. Things get worse. You feel like you are drowning. You get more depressed. Been there, done that, would have bought the t-shirt but my credit card was probably maxed out and I couldn’t afford it.
Use the things that have made you strong and find a way to help others going through the same thing. Helping others absolutely improves your overall wellness, and wellness leads to success in all other areas of your life. It’s a cascading effect up instead of down.
If you aren’t already helping others in your life in some way, I hope this inspires you to take a look at your strengths and start exploring ways you can use those strengths to help others.
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