1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Hey, hey, hey, ba fam. It's Mandy here and we 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: want to wish you guys a very special Thanksgiving. To 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: celebrate the holiday, and just to sort of regroup, take 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: a pause and look back at some of our favorite 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: moments from twenty twenty one. We thought we would start 6 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: with this amazing throwback to our guest co host Jamila Soufrant. 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: Back in May, Jamilla joined me and you may have listened, 8 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: but have you heard the full conversation since Jamila joined? 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: If not, I really hope you take time to listen. 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: Jamilla is the founder of Journey to Launch, which is 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: a platform and podcast all about helping people reach fire, 12 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: financial independence and retiring early. I think you guys are 13 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: really going to be inspired by Jamilla's story of how 14 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: she went full time as an entrepreneur. She's a mommy 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: of three. She really started building wealth when she bought 16 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: her first condo in Brooklyn in the early two thousands. 17 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: I hope you guys enjoy this little look back at 18 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: our conversation with Jamila. Heyba fam, I can't believe we've 19 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: already passed the halfway mark to June. How have I 20 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: survived this long without my girl? Tiffany I'll tell you what, 21 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: these guest co hosts have been phenomenal. Everyone has been 22 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: so gracious, so game to chat with me and open 23 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: up about their financial journeys, and today's co host, I 24 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: have to say, is no different. Jamila Souffran is the 25 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: founder of Journey to Launch, which if you have not subscribed, 26 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: stop this podcast. Okay, fine, you can probably multitask. So 27 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: go to Apple or to Spotify or wherever you get 28 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: your podcasts and go find her podcast and subscribe and follow. 29 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: Jamila founded Journey to Launch in twenty sixteen after she 30 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: decided during her three hour commute yes from Brooklyn to 31 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: New Jersey to her corporate six figure job, that she 32 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,079 Speaker 1: was done capital d done. She eventually quit her corporate 33 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: job after having her third beautiful child and went on 34 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: her journey to retire early. It was along the way 35 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: that Jamila realized, you know, retiring early didn't have to 36 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: be something that was put on the back burner for ten, twenty, 37 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: even thirty years. She decided to build the lifestyle today 38 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: that would not only help her get to a place 39 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: of financial independence, but actually help her find a career 40 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: in a professional platform that would fulfill her in wayte 41 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: that her nine to five job just never could. I 42 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: hope you guys enjoyed my conversation with Jamila and getting 43 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: to know her a little bit better. I honestly think 44 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: between the stories about her husband and my husband, and 45 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: her journey to motherhood and the fact that she left 46 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: Corporate America, I just felt like Jamila and I were 47 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: talking to each other at the exact right time that 48 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: I needed it. Please enjoy my conversation with Jamila, and 49 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:05,959 Speaker 1: if you haven't yet, go check her out on all 50 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 1: social media. She's at journey to launch. And while you're 51 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: at it, I have a little tiny additional request for 52 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: you guys. Whether you've been enjoying Brown Ambition for the 53 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: entire six years we have been on the air, or 54 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: even if you just found our podcast six days ago, 55 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 1: we would really appreciate if you went to Apple Podcasts 56 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: and left us a five star review. Right now, Brown 57 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: Ambition honestly is not sitting where it deserves to be sitting. 58 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: I'm just going to go ahead and say it on 59 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,679 Speaker 1: the podcast rankings, not by a virtue of downloads. We 60 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: get amazing downloads from our loyal listeners. Honestly, what's hurting 61 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: us right now is the lack of fresh review so 62 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: it only takes a couple of seconds. Find Apple podcasts 63 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your wherever your smartphone or your 64 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: desktop computer is. Leave us a fire star review. Doesn't 65 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: have to be long, can be five words, ten words, fifteen, 66 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: one hundred words. If you're feeling, you know, very verbose, 67 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: leave us a review and show your love for Brown Ambition. 68 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: Let's get us to the top of the chart arts. 69 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: Y'all know, I know, be a fan will not let 70 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: us down. Okay, that's it for me until we come 71 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: back in a brief moment with today's show featuring Jamila 72 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: Souffrant of Journey to Launch. Hey, Hey, hey, everybody, I 73 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: am so excited to introduce you to this week's guest 74 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: co host. I have to say this whole guest co 75 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: host situation has been a little well, first, I was 76 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: a little bit nervous to have someone in the chair 77 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: besides Tiffany, But it has been so amazing to talk 78 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: to these these wonderful personalities, these wonderful personal finance nerds, 79 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 1: people who have made it there's their life's mission. Just 80 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: like we have to really encourage folks to build wealth 81 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: and take control of their finances. And today's co host 82 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: is no different. Jamila Soufran, Thank you so much for 83 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: joining Brown Ambition. 84 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 2: Hi Mandy, this is so exciting for me. So I 85 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 2: can't even tell you. 86 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: Hey, you're finally here. Yes, podcast sisters from Afar, So 87 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: tell me everything about out you, Okay, So first and foremost, 88 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: I know I'm gonna do your little intro separately, but 89 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 1: your podcast is called Journey to Launch. What came first? 90 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: Was it your was it your blog? Journey to Launch? 91 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: Was it the podcast? 92 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 2: You know? 93 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,679 Speaker 1: Did you? Did you discover financial independence, retire early movement 94 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: and then launched a podcast? Tell me everything I want 95 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: to know about the Jamila origin. 96 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 3: Well, it's like what came first? A journey or the launch? 97 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 2: So okay, for me, it's always a journey, is the 98 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 2: first part of the process. I really discovered financial independence 99 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 2: and this idea about financial freedom and just optimizing your 100 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 2: finances because I was not happy at my job. I 101 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 2: had a nine to five, a crazy commute and was 102 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 2: commuting from Brooklyn to New Jersey every. 103 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 3: Day and I was doing that for years. 104 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 2: So yeah, in my early twenties, I that's what I did. 105 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 2: I graduated from school, got full time job, and it 106 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: was always a commute from Brooklyn to New Jersey. But 107 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 2: that was when I didn't have any kids. That was 108 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 2: when I was single, you know, it was I had 109 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: more capacity for that. But I always had these dreams 110 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 2: that I'd be free, like I was one of those 111 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 2: kids that I grew up and I just felt like 112 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 2: I thought differently. I just didn't like following the rules, 113 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 2: and so I never imagined myself working in a corporate 114 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 2: environment forever, Like even if that was going to be 115 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 2: the case, I was going to be done by thirty. 116 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 2: That was my goal when I started to work full 117 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: time at twenty two. I'm going to find a way 118 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 2: to escape this cubicle life by thirty years old. And 119 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 2: then life happened. Started to make a little bit more 120 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: money in my career bills, and I couldn't really figure out, 121 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: how am I not going to work and pay for 122 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: the lifestyle I want and live like everyone around me 123 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 2: works until they retire. Everyone around me is not happy, 124 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: So who am I to like want more? And it 125 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: was really when I was commuting again in my early thirties. 126 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 2: So now I've been working in corporate America for a while, 127 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: I missed this deadline of quitting my job by thirty. 128 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 2: Now I'm thirty one, pregnant with my first son on 129 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 2: this commute from Brooklyn failure. 130 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,359 Speaker 1: You know, I. 131 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I'm listening. I'm ambitious, I have that 132 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 2: brown ambition. Yeah. So I was like, okay, thirty one, 133 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: non pregnant, and this commute usually it takes me an 134 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 2: hour and a half, two hours one way driving. Okay, 135 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: this commute one way. When I was pregnant with my 136 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: first son, it was like three four hours, no lie 137 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 2: of just traffic everywhere, and I remember like breaking down 138 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 2: in the car, you know, just crying, hormones raging, and 139 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 2: I was like, I'm not doing this. 140 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 3: I can't do this. 141 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 2: So the those feelings of wanting to be free really 142 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 2: swallowed up in me again. And I feel like I 143 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: awoke in from the sleepwalking life that I was living, 144 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 2: and I said to myself, there's no way that I 145 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 2: want to do this rest of my life. I have 146 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 2: to figure out something else. And so I started to 147 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 2: when I got home, when I got to work. You know, 148 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 2: over the next couple of months, how do I quit 149 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 2: my job? How do I retire? Early all these catchphrases 150 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 2: that you, you know, put into Google when you may 151 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 2: not be happy with what you're doing. And I came 152 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 2: across podcasts and blogs talking about financial independence and freedom 153 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: and I said, wait a second, if there are people 154 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:58,679 Speaker 2: out there doing this, I can figure out a way. 155 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 2: And so that's essentially how I started to become aware 156 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 2: of this as an option financial independent. And then I 157 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 2: started to listed to the blogs and podcasts on my commute, 158 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 2: which then shaped me into starting my own blog, Journey 159 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 2: to Launch, which eventually became the podcast and brand and 160 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 2: what I do full time. 161 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: Now, Okay, wow, that was a great summary, but it 162 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: made it sound like it was just like, look at 163 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: it split. I was pregnant and then I had a 164 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: blog and a podcast. But what year was it? I 165 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: like to I like the timeline of things. So when 166 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: was this? When was this breakdown in your car? By 167 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: the way, my pregnancy hormonal breakdowns usually happened during an 168 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: Ed Sheering song whenever Ed Shearing came with it, something 169 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: about his ginger voice. It just really touched my soul. 170 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: But anyway, yeah, so when was that breakdown? And then 171 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: when did you actually launch the platform? 172 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 3: Great question? 173 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 2: So let me try to remember all the dates now, 174 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,079 Speaker 2: but I was so I gave birth to my first 175 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 2: in twenty fourteen, and so this would have been about 176 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 2: twenty thirteen at some point, and I would say this, 177 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 2: So I told the story, and it seems like I 178 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 2: just you know, jumped and skipped and everything worked out 179 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 2: and it was clear. 180 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 3: But it wasn't. 181 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 2: I didn't start journey to launch as a blog until 182 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 2: a couple of years later. So you know, I sat 183 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:03,320 Speaker 2: on it for a while because I didn't know what 184 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:04,719 Speaker 2: I wanted to do with it, and I didn't want 185 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: to be like the face. I didn't know that this 186 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 2: would be my thing, like my business, my brand. It 187 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 2: was more, hey, i'm listening to these people do it. 188 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 2: I'm going to start doing it myself and then let 189 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 2: me share how I'm doing it. And so it wasn't 190 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: I think the blog officially started. I always get this 191 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 2: mixed up, like two thousand and sixteen, I want to say, 192 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:23,719 Speaker 2: so it did take a couple of years for me 193 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 2: to actually like put pen to paper or is this, 194 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 2: you know, make a blog post about it. 195 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 3: Hey, this is how. 196 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 2: I'm going to quit my job and reach financial inpendance 197 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: by forty that was like my timeline, and I had 198 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 2: I was with my second kid by then, so I 199 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 2: have three kids all together now. So there were a 200 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 2: lot of you know, things that happened along the way 201 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: that even encouraged me more to figure things out than 202 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 2: the podcast though became the Well, the blog became the 203 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: podcast officially in twenty seventeen, so it took a couple 204 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 2: of years for that to all happen. 205 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: Wow. Well, from one solo, h I was what was 206 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: I trying to think of, like the people in the 207 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: slobbal chairs at work, you know, using the company Wi 208 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: Fi LAUNCHERR side hustle, Like I really, I see you, 209 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 1: I feel you. That was me when I launched Brown Ambition. 210 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 1: So that's amazing. And you also had three kids along 211 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: the way. All right, so that's your goal then to 212 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 1: retire officially by forty. 213 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 3: Well okay, so here's the thing. 214 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 2: This is the beauty of what I call the unfolding 215 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 2: of the journey is because when I started Journey to Launch, 216 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 2: I said I'm going to reach financial independence my version 217 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 2: of it, by the way, which meant I didn't have 218 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 2: to work in corporate America. I can literally choose what 219 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 2: I wanted to do. We can live off our investments, 220 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: I will say, because I don't like when people leave 221 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 2: things like this out. I do have a husband. He 222 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 2: did intend to still work. He's a teacher, and so 223 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 2: it was like a combination of him still working but 224 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 2: also us living off our investments and or me earning 225 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 2: money however I wanted to. But the premise was that literally, 226 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 2: if we didn't want to work, or if I didn't 227 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 2: want to work and bring in any money, we didn't 228 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 2: have to. And then eventually, like my idea of what 229 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 2: financial freedom and independence meant to me changed because I 230 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 2: started to have this thing on this side, Journey to Launch. 231 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 2: I had a very demanding corporate career, was having more kids, 232 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:06,719 Speaker 2: and I said to myself, there's no way I'm not 233 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: even going to sacrifice the next four years juggling this 234 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 2: all and being unhappy, this two hour commute one way, 235 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 2: these kids, this job, this business on the side. Something 236 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 2: has to go. And you know, the kids weren't going 237 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 2: to go, the cousband wasn't going to go, and I 238 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 2: love Journey to Launch, so it was the job. And 239 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 2: so I actually made the big decision for myself and 240 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 2: the family that I would leave my job right after 241 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 2: giving birth to my third child in twenty eighteen, which 242 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 2: would change everything about my journey because I could have 243 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 2: stayed working in corporate America kind of getting this so 244 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 2: called guaranteed income, you know, climbing the corporate ladder, and 245 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 2: just it's all about the money. 246 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 3: I don't care how stressed I am. 247 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 2: Like, I'm going to make this money in this short 248 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 2: amount of time, save and invest as much as I can. 249 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 2: Then we reach our financial goals. And along the way, 250 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 2: I said to myself, you know what, it is not 251 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: worth it. I'd rather have a more sustained and balanced 252 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 2: journey to freedom. So if that means making less because 253 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 2: this business is not coming, you know, having a lot 254 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: of mine. You know, my husband's a teacher, so his 255 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 2: income was not going to cover everything when I left 256 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 2: my job, So that meant dipping into our savings and 257 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 2: not investing, it was all worth it because for me, 258 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 2: it was about freedom in the now. 259 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 3: I didn't want to wait. 260 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 2: To me, it was like, you know, some people say, oh, 261 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 2: I'll just work this job until I'm sixty five and 262 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 2: then I'll be happy. And I said to myself, while 263 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 2: I find myself on this path to financial independence. The 264 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,319 Speaker 2: one thing I didn't say is when we started out 265 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 2: and we were both working in our jobs, we were 266 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 2: able to save a lot of money because I had 267 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 2: a high paying job. My husband was a teacher, and 268 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 2: so we in two years saved and invested one hundred 269 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 2: and sixty nine thousand dollars. Now, of course that is 270 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 2: a function of our income and just how kind of 271 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:40,719 Speaker 2: hard we went in the paint. 272 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 3: To do that. 273 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 2: But I said to myself, it's okay if we don't 274 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 2: ever do that again, because right now, as a mom 275 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 2: of going on three kids and wanting freedom, finding my 276 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 2: passion finally with journey to launch, I this is what 277 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 2: matters the most, not the money. And so I always 278 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 2: say that me quitting my job and jumping into entrepreneurship 279 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 2: full time either has delayed the number side to financial independence. 280 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,200 Speaker 2: So maybe it will take longer now that you know 281 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,319 Speaker 2: there's no guaranteed income. Anything can happen, or it can 282 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 2: accelerate it, which I actually think it's accelerating it at 283 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,679 Speaker 2: this point because I am working in my strengths and 284 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 2: passion and I do believe that with that flow comes money, comes. 285 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 3: All the things that you do want. 286 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 2: So yeah, my version of financial independence and how I'm 287 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 2: getting there has changed, and I'm excited about it. 288 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: Manifested, I love this. Yeah, well, okay, there's so much 289 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: to unpack with what you just said. But the most 290 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: the key thing that my heart is just you know, 291 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: growing ten times at size as you're talking, is the 292 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: concept of weight like that that analogy of someone who 293 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,839 Speaker 1: wants to you know, just thinks of themselves. Okay, I'm 294 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: just going to keep working. I'm just I got this job. 295 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: There's a pension in twenty maybe if you're lucky, there's 296 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: a pension, or you know, you'll get your Social Security 297 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 1: in come. I'm just going to keep working until I'm 298 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: sixty two or sixty five. But what like that time 299 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: isn't promised. And what I love about you know, your 300 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: message and what it seems like you've chosen for yourself 301 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: is let's let's build the life that we enjoy, that 302 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: fulfills us. Now that also is a financially fulfilling life 303 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: as much as it is you know, mentally fulfilling life. 304 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: And then you know, whatever happens happens. But like she like, 305 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,079 Speaker 1: it's it's like not waiting to be happy, it's making 306 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: it's taking risks and making decisions today to get to 307 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: where you want to go, but to actually enjoy the 308 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: life that you're living now. I just I love that 309 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: and I've that's exactly sort of how I've approached my 310 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: career as well. It's like time isn't promise. Something about 311 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: having a baby just makes you think of death all 312 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: the time, and I don't know, like like what happens, 313 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: Like their life is so you know, their childhood is 314 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: so short, and you know, it's it's like, why let's 315 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: not wait, let's let's make it happen. 316 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 2: And you know, I find with being a parent too, 317 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 2: you just you want to be I want to be 318 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 2: a living example of what I want for them, and 319 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 2: you know, I want them to be happy. I want 320 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 2: them to be self sufficient. I want them to be 321 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 2: all these things in the world. And I can't really 322 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 2: tell them to go out and you know, follow their 323 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 2: dreams be self sufficient if I can't do that, you know, 324 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 2: if I'm not a walking testament to that. So that's 325 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 2: kind of like one of my main reasons is I 326 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 2: want to show them what's possible. 327 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: So you also got invested in property, so I know 328 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: you mentioned you and your husband saved one hundred and 329 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: sixty nine thousand dollars or invested rather, that's phenomenal. But 330 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: I read a little bit about you. I know you 331 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: and I have chatted before, and I've google stocked you 332 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: just a little bit. And I know that you bought 333 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: property when you were super young. Can you talk about whether, 334 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 1: like what that decision was like for you and kind 335 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: of walk us through how you were able to buy 336 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: property young? And you know, I don't know how many 337 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: years it's been since then, but a chunk of time 338 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: has gone by, and certainly a few kids have gone 339 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: by since then, and how that investment is working out 340 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: for you today. 341 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. 342 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 2: So I put down on my first property at twenty two. 343 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 2: So it's a condo in Dumbo, Brooklyn. So anyone who's 344 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: not from New York City, that sounds for down under 345 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 2: the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. 346 00:15:58,080 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 3: So it's to academics for Dumbo. 347 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 2: And it came about because one, I was interested in 348 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: real estate from a fairly young age, like in my teens, 349 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 2: because of examples in my own neighborhood and in my 350 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 2: real life that owned real estate. Now I got to 351 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: just step back a little bit, So I am Jamaican. 352 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 2: I was born in Jamaica, the island, not Queen's nothing 353 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 2: wrong with the borough queens. But I was born on 354 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 2: the island of Jamaica and came here when I was 355 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 2: two years old and born into a single mom who 356 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 2: had me at twenty And that's important to say because 357 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: she had to come here first and kind of like 358 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 2: establish herself and leave me behind at like eight months old, 359 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 2: which I can't even imagine how she did it, but 360 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 2: I kind of can as a mom, you know, she 361 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 2: just had to forge and figure things out to have 362 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 2: a better start for me. And with saying all that, 363 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 2: we came to this country with nothing, and the eventually 364 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 2: she got her education, got her college education, and then 365 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 2: her education was really important for me, you know, as 366 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 2: most immigrants like that is like the way, the path 367 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 2: to something more. So I focused on education. And while 368 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 2: growing up, I saw my grandmother who really came like 369 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 2: as older Jamaican woman, typically you can't really do much, 370 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 2: you know, like other than wash you know, clothes or 371 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 2: take care of children like that's what typically the older 372 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 2: generation did. And she came to this country with nothing 373 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,199 Speaker 2: and ended up being able to buy a home in 374 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 2: an area that also was like up and coming in Brooklyn, 375 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 2: and so I kind of saw that happen. I saw 376 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 2: how Hardshoe worked, I saw her herd, my mom worked, 377 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 2: and so I had this idea, wow, real estate, like 378 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 2: if my grandmother could do this with the little that 379 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 2: she had, I maybe this is something I can do. 380 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 2: And so that was important for me to see because 381 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 2: people asked me, how did you know at such a 382 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 2: young age that you wanted to buy something? It was 383 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 2: because of these living examples in my life. And so 384 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 2: at twenty two I had this really bright idea that 385 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 2: I wanted to own a brownstone in Brooklyn, and I 386 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 2: was really going for things like in Bedstide Fort Green, 387 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 2: but at the time, being twenty two, like I could 388 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 2: not afford any of that stuff, and I saw an 389 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 2: advertisement for this new development. It was preconstruction, actually condominium 390 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:50,679 Speaker 2: units in Dumble, Brooklyn. So this was before Dumbo is 391 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 2: what it is now like now it's like one of 392 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 2: the most expensive places like in like Brooklyn and New 393 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 2: York City. And before back then, when I was looking, 394 00:17:58,440 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 2: it was just like a pile of dirt. There was 395 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 2: no thing there and no development, but it was like 396 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 2: condos raging studios from like the low three hundreds to 397 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 2: like upwards of you know whatever. But in comparison to 398 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 2: the Brownstones I was looking at it seemed like a deal, 399 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 2: even though it was like such a small studio apartment. 400 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 2: And so I went there with my mom and I said, 401 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 2: you know what I want. I believed in the vision 402 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 2: that the developers had for the area and for the building, 403 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 2: and so I put down ten percent to hold that 404 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 2: unit while it was being built, and so the property 405 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 2: it took like two years. 406 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, how old were you? 407 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 2: I was twenty two when I put the money down. 408 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 2: And I always got to give props to my mom 409 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 2: because she gave me a little portion of the ten percent. 410 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 2: And I say that's important because this woman came here 411 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,360 Speaker 2: with nothing before she even owned property. 412 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,880 Speaker 3: She gave me money to help me buy my property. 413 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 2: And so that ten percent held the unit, and then 414 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 2: I had two years until it was completed to come 415 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 2: up with the next ten percent the closing costs and 416 00:18:57,760 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 2: to cover my. 417 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:00,880 Speaker 1: Son was so you can be given it a number 418 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: of points. 419 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, So the unit was three hundred and eighty five 420 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 2: thousand dollars, so ten percent was thirty eight thousand dollars. 421 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 2: And I had to We had to put down ten percent, 422 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 2: and at that point, like that was like literally everything 423 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 2: I ever had. And the reason why I had any 424 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 2: money was because I had an internship at with Inroads, 425 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 2: which I put minorities into Fortune five hundred companies, and 426 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 2: I was worked. I was doing that in summer, making 427 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 2: decent money for like an eighteen nineteen twenty year old 428 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 2: for the last three years. And I was a saver 429 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 2: because my mom and grandma. Grandmother always taught me to save, 430 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:31,959 Speaker 2: so I had some money to save up for that. 431 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 2: My mom also gave me money and so that helped 432 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 2: with the first ten percent. But it was not done 433 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 2: like that's not like, oh, we have the property, We're 434 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 2: good now. It was now you need to come up 435 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 2: with the next ten percent in two years to you know, 436 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 2: close on it and the closing costs and also technically 437 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 2: my income. So one of the saving graces was that 438 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 2: I knew when I was graduating from college I would 439 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: get a full time offer from the company that I 440 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 2: interned with, so I knew i'd had like a job. 441 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,439 Speaker 2: But when I did the calculation, my income at that 442 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 2: point was going to barely come for like the mortgage 443 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 2: when we calculated it. But in my head, I'm like, well, 444 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 2: if I can save up and if I like save 445 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 2: up for the next two years while this thing is 446 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 2: being built all my money, if I live in a home, 447 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 2: which I was able to do with my mom, God, 448 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 2: like I said, God bless my mother, then I could 449 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 2: maybe have a fighting chance to like actually close on 450 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 2: this and not lose our ten percent and like live there, 451 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 2: and then I should make more money and hopefully this 452 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 2: place appreciates and will be okay. And I will tell you, Mandy, 453 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 2: like all the stars aligned the grace of God, that yes, 454 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 2: it worked out because in the two years that it 455 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 2: took to build, I was able to save up the 456 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 2: additional money to close on it, the additional ten percent, 457 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 2: and then extra to cover my mortgage because my literally 458 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 2: my my checks were like just covering the mortgage. And 459 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 2: I will tell you this just like the last thing 460 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 2: about this is, you know, with the collapse of with 461 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 2: the collapse of the markets back then, so this was 462 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 2: like around twenty fifteen, you know when the markets Wait, 463 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 2: what year was it that the market is? Two thousand 464 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 2: and eight? Yes, I was humanizis yeah the housing Christ Okay, 465 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 2: so yeah, I need to go back further. Lists go 466 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 2: back further two thousand and eight. They were doing no 467 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 2: loan doc closings at that time, which is why so 468 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 2: many people got in trouble right because they bought things 469 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 2: they couldn't afford. I was one of those people, Like 470 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 2: if they would have checked my salary stubs, they would. 471 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: Have like just about to ask, how did you get 472 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: this loan? 473 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 3: Exactly? 474 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 2: So I'm telling you, like the stars aligned, the grace 475 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 2: of God, all these things worked out in my favor 476 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 2: because literally I was not really supposed to be able 477 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 2: to close on that, but I took the risk because 478 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 2: I said to myself, listen, like the worst case scenario, 479 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:32,359 Speaker 2: like look where you come from, Look where your moms 480 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 2: come from. Like the worst yes, you lose like your 481 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 2: down payment, but maybe like at the end of the 482 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 2: day you can sell it before you have to close 483 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:41,679 Speaker 2: on it, like but without any risk, there's no reward. 484 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 2: And so I really did go into this like almost 485 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,719 Speaker 2: like with everything that I had, and it worked out. 486 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 2: So by the time I ended up closing one, I 487 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 2: was able to close because for no loan mortgage document process. 488 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 2: And then also it did appreciate, so I knew at 489 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 2: the end of the day once I moved in, like 490 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 2: let's just say I couldn't cover the mortgage after a while, 491 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 2: like I could sell it or rent it out, but 492 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,120 Speaker 2: the real estate market had to bounce back a bit, 493 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 2: and so we were I was in a good place. 494 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 2: And I still own that property today. And I will 495 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 2: say that that is the riskiest but most rewarding thing 496 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 2: I've ever done. It's changed the trajectory I feel of 497 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 2: my confidence and my family's like wealth because I plan 498 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: like to keep it forever. It's more of an emotional purchase. 499 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 2: And I have small kids and there's not there's not 500 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 2: too many people who look like me that own in Dumbo, 501 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 2: in that building, and so I'm just excited for my 502 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 2: kids to be able to one day, you know, share 503 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 2: it because they'll probably fight over it, but share it 504 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 2: in terms of baby to live as their first starting 505 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 2: place or maybe when they have going they're going to 506 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 2: college if they're local. 507 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 3: So I'm excited to have it. 508 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 1: They get to be those kids that other kids hate. 509 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: Oh no, their mommy not hate, but like, oh, their 510 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: mom has a studio in Dumbo, Like, yeah, you don't 511 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: have to work that hard. 512 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 2: Well no, but I get it because somebody and I 513 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 2: get like I have had and I was like to 514 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 2: acknowledge like my privilege in a way, like there's a 515 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 2: lot of things like I didn't have growing up, but 516 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 2: I did have some privileges, and I think it's important 517 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 2: to acknowledge that and see that like for what they are. 518 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 2: But then I think about my mom who had nothing, 519 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 2: and so maybe someone can't relate they don't have a 520 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 2: supportive parent, they don't have a parent that can give them, like, 521 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: you know, a couple thousand to help with their down payment. 522 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 2: But then I think about like where my mom came from, 523 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 2: as like literally a single mom with nothing, and I'm like, wow, Like, 524 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 2: but you can change your family's trajectory. 525 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 3: You can't do something else. 526 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 2: And I just feel like if my mom was able 527 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 2: to do it, not even me, Like if my mom 528 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 2: was able to do what she did, I'm like, you 529 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 2: are my inspiration. 530 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 3: I can do anything. 531 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,920 Speaker 1: Wow. Well, I have a soft spot in my heart 532 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,120 Speaker 1: for Jamaican mamas because I feel like I have three 533 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:41,400 Speaker 1: Jamaican neighbors and they like before I was a little 534 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 1: freaked out because when I was pregnant with my son, 535 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago. My especially one neighbor, Paula, 536 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: who I love her so much. She basically started calling 537 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: him her son and called me her daughter, and I 538 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 1: was like, who is this nice lady? But like she 539 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 1: is all she is. But they they just care so 540 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: much like they care and they love. So that is 541 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: my That is my shout out to all Jamaican mamas 542 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: out there because it. 543 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 3: Was such a Jamaican name to it. 544 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 1: Yes, oh, she's got a whole I should have paul 545 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: Ott in the show one day. She's like one of eleven. Anyway, 546 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 1: I digress. Yeay Jamaican mama's But no, that that's really 547 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 1: extraordinary and listen and it's it's one of those things where, oh, 548 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: to be twenty two and to have the to have 549 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 1: the the audacity and the bravery, the courage to make 550 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: a huge decision like that, and that's just amazing. It's amazing, 551 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: and you could never like recreate that time in your 552 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 1: life before kids, before a husband, like when you are 553 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: just doing things for yourself and you you just believed 554 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 1: in yourself so much, like you at the end of 555 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: the day that was really you. It feels like taking 556 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: a bet on your own cap, like your own human capital. Yeah, 557 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:51,679 Speaker 1: I'm going to even And you were like the mortgage 558 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 1: lender in a sense because even though they weren't checking 559 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: your income like you were doing it and you knew 560 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: what you were getting into, and you said, I know 561 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: this is a sticky situation, but I know me, I 562 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: know my prospects, and I know that I can do this. 563 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: And you've really did. You took a chance on yourself 564 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,360 Speaker 1: in a really beautiful way. 565 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 3: Yeah. 566 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 2: I mean I think this is a thing like this 567 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 2: is why personal finance, Like on paper, if you would 568 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 2: have listed everything, all these things out, it'd be like, 569 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 2: this is not a good idea. And I think personal 570 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:20,360 Speaker 2: finance and these decisions that we have to make, it's 571 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: really about having this almost belief in yourself that even 572 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 2: when things go wrong, Because I did think of the 573 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 2: worst case scenario, and I said to myself, will I 574 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 2: be able to recover? 575 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 3: And I was like I will, Like I won't die. 576 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 2: I do this soll even now when I'm coming up 577 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 2: with big decisions, I'm like, what's the worst that can happen? 578 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 3: And will you be alive still? 579 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 2: You know, other than something outside of your control, And 580 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 2: most likely it's yes, And so I'm able to take risk, 581 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:43,640 Speaker 2: and I still take risk like this, like leaving my job, 582 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 2: like all these things, because I'm like, I'm going to 583 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 2: bet on myself, and I'm telling you like I would 584 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 2: not be and have what I have today without obviously 585 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,679 Speaker 2: standing on the shoulders of my mom obviously, and then 586 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 2: also just like this belief in myself and going after it. 587 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:01,199 Speaker 1: So you mentioned your your husband, your husby. Everyone's got 588 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: a husbane. I call my husband husby. Listen. I feel 589 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:06,439 Speaker 1: like we have a lot in common, just in the 590 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: way that our relationships maybe have played out. But you 591 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: tell me if I'm wrong. But my husband works for 592 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: the government and he's always been our you know, he 593 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: likes to call himself the stable one. You know, I'm 594 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 1: going to keep my job. I'm gonna get my pension. 595 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: You know, it's very secure his his job, and he'll 596 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: get his little raise every once in a while. But 597 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: it's not the you know. The way I approached my 598 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: career was sort of like I didn't think of it 599 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 1: as like a corporate ladder. I pretended like every three 600 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: rungs were just empty and I had to skip a 601 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: few rungs to get to the next one, and I 602 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: would just hop all over the place, and he, you know, 603 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: he has been you know, we have very different approaches 604 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: to I would say career into finance, but it's been 605 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 1: it's been a pretty good balance. Although there have been 606 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: those times when I have the next big idea, or 607 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: I have I'm going into a salary negotiation and I'm 608 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: asking for way more money than he ever thought was possible, 609 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 1: and we have these different Yeah, there's just fundament ways 610 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,199 Speaker 1: that we approach our finances were a little bit different, 611 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 1: but it is a good balance. I wanted to ask about, 612 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,719 Speaker 1: you know, you and your husband's dynamic because you had 613 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,199 Speaker 1: this ambition to retire early and to you know, you 614 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 1: left your job and all of that. What was what 615 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: were those conversations like for the two of you and 616 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: was he always on board with it from the jump 617 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: or was that something that you guys kind of had 618 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 1: to grow into together. Especially for couples who are listening 619 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: or people who have partners who are listening and aren't 620 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 1: really sure how to like match their two long term 621 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 1: plans together. 622 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,439 Speaker 2: This is so important because he was he looked at 623 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,360 Speaker 2: me like I was crazy, because he is a very 624 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 2: simple man and he's very easy going right. So, and 625 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 2: you know again, when I came to him a few 626 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:49,760 Speaker 2: years ago and I'm telling him about all these stories 627 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 2: on podcasts I'm hearing people retiring and quitting their jobs, 628 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 2: He's just like, really, because I don't what are we 629 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 2: going to do? 630 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 3: Like what are you talking about? 631 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 2: And it really took some conversations to get him him 632 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 2: to kind of see. And one of the things I 633 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 2: always say with couples is like, don't like I had 634 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 2: to show him one the numbers, the numbers for him, 635 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 2: even for me, like I had to believe the numbers, 636 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 2: meaning I had to map out, really is this possible? 637 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 2: Will I be able to one day quit my job early? 638 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 2: How much money can we save and invest if we 639 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 2: aggressively do this, if we cut back, if we become 640 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 2: more optimized in our finances, how much money can we have? 641 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 2: So I literally when I came home and told him 642 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 2: the first time, he looked at me like, what are 643 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 2: you talking about? And then over time what I did 644 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,680 Speaker 2: was I didn't push him to this is really important. 645 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 2: Just because you come up with a realization or have 646 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 2: an epiphany doesn't mean like your partner will they have 647 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 2: they have they're on a whole another timeline. So I 648 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 2: respected that, but also started to show him, like the numbers, 649 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 2: Like I created this spreadsheet and it showed like, if 650 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 2: we do this, like, first of all, step ba from 651 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 2: the spreadsheet, what does a life look like now that 652 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 2: we enjoy and what does the life look like now 653 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 2: in like twenty years, right when the kids are this age, 654 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 2: and like they're at the house and we can travel, 655 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 2: and how can we balance that now? So we started 656 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 2: with the dream of our lives, what they are now 657 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 2: and what we want them to be, and then we 658 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 2: like did numbers around it, and I showed him, well, 659 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 2: if we do this, make these changes in our finances, 660 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 2: save and invest this much over time, we can have 661 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 2: you know, over a million dollars in twenty years, and 662 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 2: we can do all these things. And that started to 663 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:19,960 Speaker 2: get him excited because instead of me just saying it 664 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 2: and talking, he saw the numbers. And then the other 665 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 2: thing I really was important to say was yeah, I 666 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 2: want to do this, so I quit my job. But also, 667 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 2: like you know, I'm the mom. I'm I'm the one 668 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 2: giving birth and having three kids. I also have the 669 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 2: crazy commute. See my husband his job is maybe like 670 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 2: ten minutes away from our house. So he also knew 671 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 2: the pressure of just like my life, and he wanted 672 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 2: me to be happy, and so I made sure that 673 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 2: like own, not only like we were going to pursue 674 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 2: what I wanted, like in terms of our career or 675 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 2: quitting my job, but what is it that you want? 676 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 2: So I definitely we made sure that include his wants 677 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 2: and hopes like into what we were doing. You know, 678 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 2: I don't really care about having a nice car. We 679 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 2: used to have nice cars, quote back in the day 680 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 2: before kids and getting a little bit more optimized with 681 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 2: our finances. But I say, look, if I can, I 682 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 2: want to buy you a car, you know, Like it 683 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 2: was things like that that got him excited. 684 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 3: So that way we both were. 685 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 1: That was my way into baby. I said, save for 686 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: a Tesla. Let's for a tesla. Yeah, let's investing for 687 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 1: a Tesla. 688 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 2: It's so important because he is a little bit more 689 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 2: like fancier, I would say, than me, right, like I'm 690 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,959 Speaker 2: good with kind of just like bare minimum, but sometimes fancy. 691 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 2: He's like, if I could do it fancy all the time, 692 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 2: I would, So talking about it in that term really 693 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 2: helped to let him know that this is a team effort. 694 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 2: It's not just about what Jamila wants. And also like 695 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 2: if I'm miserable because I'm working and driving all this time, 696 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 2: like those whole family is not going to be like happy, 697 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 2: So let's work to a place that we can get to. 698 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 2: And so he eventually got on board with that. But 699 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 2: he's very easy going and laid back. Thank God for 700 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 2: that in terms of he pretty much trust me. We 701 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 2: have the open conversations about it, and even when it 702 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:56,960 Speaker 2: came to quitting my job, because that was huge, like 703 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 2: my income was more than half of the family's combined income, 704 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:02,239 Speaker 2: and so if like it would almost been better if 705 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 2: I was a teacher and then he had his career 706 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 2: because then like you know, he can kind of stay 707 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 2: on his trajectory. But for me to walk away was 708 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 2: like a big step because what does that look like 709 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 2: as a family. 710 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 3: We have three kids, We have a mortgage. 711 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 2: Like, so we literally had to save up enough money 712 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 2: to cover our expenses while journey to launch like started 713 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 2: to you know, become more stable, and that was scary, 714 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 2: but we did it together. We had the conversations and 715 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 2: it's it's working out so far. 716 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: So that's no, that's wonderful. I also have always been. 717 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 1: It's so funny how the you know, in no shade 718 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:37,720 Speaker 1: to your husband. I always talk to my husband. I'm like, dude, 719 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 1: you work for the government and you have the boogiest 720 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:41,960 Speaker 1: taste of like where do you come off with this? 721 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: Like what he's like, I must he has like this 722 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: very specific T shirt brand. He gets custom shirts. I'm like, 723 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 1: I'm the one shopping in the clearance track at H 724 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 1: and M. But the same as you I I was. 725 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: I was earning probably like two three x what he 726 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 1: was earning at the at my peak earning career in 727 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: you know, America, so to speak. But that's so that's 728 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 1: so funny. And it's also you know, shouts out to 729 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: shout out to partners. You know, I don't put genders 730 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 1: on and but partners who are willing to maybe maybe 731 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 1: they have their doubts, but they just you know, have 732 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: those in the shower alone. They they support and they 733 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: you know, have faith in their partners to to really 734 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: bet on themselves and to take their career to a 735 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: different place. That's really wonderful that he's been supportive to you. 736 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: And I appreciate you talking about the whole the values, 737 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, and how you as a partner. I've struggled 738 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 1: with this too, probably a little bit more than it 739 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: sounds like you did. But I was like, it was 740 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: very hard for me to start to share in the 741 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 1: values based investing. Like so, for example, you know, I 742 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,719 Speaker 1: had no problem spending money on values or experiences that 743 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:53,560 Speaker 1: I particularly wanted to have, but when it came to 744 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: a you know, if it was a car or you know, 745 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: I don't know, concert or something that you know, Enrique 746 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 1: really wanted it was, it was like, hmmm, and it's 747 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: not really worth it, And I had to had to 748 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: learn to share in that. It was. That was probably 749 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: my one of the more difficult challenges for me financially 750 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 1: and like mentally as a spouse was bringing them in 751 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: and being open to you know, they're what they value 752 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,600 Speaker 1: and not not discounting it and making that a part 753 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: of the overall plan. 754 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know, it's important, just like and 755 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 2: for me, I think as growing up without really you know, 756 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 2: I didn't have a father in my life, or I 757 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 2: had father figures, I didn't really have a close relationship 758 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 2: with them, and so I was like, for me, the 759 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 2: value based things like the simple even though I say 760 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 2: he's fancy like the other things that he's about, which 761 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,479 Speaker 2: is like family, and he's very grounded and supportive. Like 762 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 2: it's like one of the first signs like I saw 763 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 2: in him, like when we first started dating years ago, 764 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 2: that I said, like, out of all the things I 765 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 2: want in someone, it would be the opposite of what 766 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 2: I knew my dad to be. And so I think, 767 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 2: whatever that is. I know some people meet people like 768 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 2: that and they do not they don't turn out to 769 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 2: be this way eventually. 770 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 3: But he that's what he is and who he is. 771 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 2: And so even as an entrepreneur now, like I know, 772 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 2: like having three kids, like he's an equal. 773 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 3: Partner in the house and in parenting. 774 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:08,960 Speaker 2: I still feel like I do a little bit more, 775 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,280 Speaker 2: but I feel like he is as much equal as 776 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:14,160 Speaker 2: outside of my controlling self he can be in terms 777 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 2: of how I like things done. And it's been when 778 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 2: people say how do you do this? Like how did 779 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 2: you manage all that stuff when you were working and 780 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 2: commuting and the kids, and how do you even do 781 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 2: it now as like a business owner with the kids, 782 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 2: It's like what, Because I he's an equal partner in 783 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 2: this and that has a lot to do with I 784 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:33,320 Speaker 2: think how it allows me to make money and be happy, 785 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 2: and how our household lives and how we choose to 786 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,160 Speaker 2: spend money. So I'm proud of the fact that I 787 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 2: chose I chose him as my husband. 788 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: Oh what's his name, Woody? Oh that is adorable. Yeah, 789 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 1: that's really adorable. So let's talk about them babies, as 790 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:51,319 Speaker 1: black Carry says, let's talk about the kids. So what 791 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:52,839 Speaker 1: are their ages? I have to ask. 792 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:55,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, Oh my gosh, so all the birthdays are coming 793 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 2: up or have passed. So one just turned three, one 794 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 2: just turned five, and one is turning seven tomorrow. 795 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 1: Oh wow, three to seven. So they all still are 796 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: just like attached to mama and they don't. 797 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're like, look, they don't care about anything but themselves. 798 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 2: It's like you should see this house, like every morning. 799 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 2: It's like it's crazy. I have seen the destruction that 800 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:17,720 Speaker 2: one tiny human can create. 801 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:20,880 Speaker 1: Jamila. I do not Like there are days when I 802 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 1: just want to. I close the door to the zenden, 803 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: which is my basement, and I just come down here 804 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: and I just like take some deep breaths because I 805 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:31,640 Speaker 1: just pots and pans, Jamila, like all the utensils, dog toys. 806 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: It's insane. It's never actually toys, it's like everything in the. 807 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 3: Cabinets, and they feed off of each other. 808 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 2: Sometimes if one works up before the rest, it's like, okay, 809 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 2: we can, I can do this. And then like when 810 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 2: they all like get up and they're just feeding off 811 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:44,600 Speaker 2: each other, I'm. 812 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,319 Speaker 3: Like, all right, okay, I got it. 813 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 2: I got it, and I'm definitely I was my mom, 814 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:50,920 Speaker 2: She jokes with me, because I was never like that 815 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,759 Speaker 2: nurturing like I had. I have many siblings, but my 816 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 2: mom has I have a little sister and I was 817 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:58,479 Speaker 2: about fourteen when she was born, and I never changed 818 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:00,480 Speaker 2: the diaper. Like that's the kind of like big sistar 819 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,799 Speaker 2: I was. So she's like, now as a parent, I'm like, 820 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 2: I need my space. But it's hard at this age 821 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,720 Speaker 2: because they really all just fight to give me hugs, 822 00:36:08,719 --> 00:36:09,279 Speaker 2: which I love. 823 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 3: But it's a lot. 824 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: It's a lot. But I wanted to talk about that 825 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 1: because we just were Is the pandemic over yet? I 826 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: can't tell, but it feels like so at least a 827 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 1: solid year of pandemic life has gone by, and that 828 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,879 Speaker 1: wasn't that far into you launching your business. So talk 829 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 1: to me, like what happened in y'all's world. And I'm 830 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,239 Speaker 1: assuming you guys you're not in the studio apartment. Please 831 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: say no in or oh no, thank god, but paint 832 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 1: a picture for me. So do you work from home? 833 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,760 Speaker 1: You got the three kids at home with you, your 834 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:42,160 Speaker 1: your husband, I imagine doing virtual school at home? What 835 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:45,840 Speaker 1: has that been like? How have y'all? And congratulations for 836 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: surviving it, but kind of talk to me about how 837 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 1: did that change the dynamic of the household and your 838 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:51,719 Speaker 1: business while that was all going on. 839 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 3: Oh, it was really rough for me. 840 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:56,439 Speaker 2: So I like, I quit my job right after giving 841 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 2: birth to my third in twenty eighteen, so I would 842 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:00,799 Speaker 2: say two as in nineteen was my first full year 843 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:02,920 Speaker 2: in entrepreneurship, so I count that as the first year 844 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:06,520 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen kind of twenty twenty now, hello pandemic. And 845 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 2: so it was hard because I was just feeling like 846 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:10,960 Speaker 2: I was getting into the groove of being at home 847 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 2: by myself on the day and working and then so 848 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 2: this happens and I'm just like, okay, and virtual learning 849 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:19,800 Speaker 2: and they're all at the age where they need assistant. 850 00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 2: They're not independent like you can like go go, you know, 851 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:23,880 Speaker 2: just go over there and chill kind of and do 852 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:28,160 Speaker 2: your work, and so it was really hard emotionally mentally. 853 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:30,399 Speaker 2: You know, the good thing about is we did have 854 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,279 Speaker 2: living help. So my aunt, bless her heart, she was 855 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 2: staying with us and helping out with the kids. So 856 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 2: she would help mostly with the baby, my daughter. But 857 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:40,800 Speaker 2: the boys wanted nothing, like they if they know we're upstairs, 858 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:41,880 Speaker 2: They're like, I'm. 859 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 3: Going to hang out with mom. 860 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 2: And so it was really hard because at first everything 861 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:46,919 Speaker 2: I felt like more of it was on me because 862 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 2: you know, so I had to almost like OK to 863 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:50,359 Speaker 2: my husband, like we're going to take turns with its 864 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:53,239 Speaker 2: virtual stuff, right, and so we took more of a 865 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 2: shared process while he's still virtual learning him like teaching himself. 866 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,120 Speaker 2: So because I also work, it wasn't like I didn't 867 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 2: have work. We both had work, so to kind of 868 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,920 Speaker 2: like have that kind of shared responsibility helped. And then 869 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:07,279 Speaker 2: you know, the other thing that really helped me was 870 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 2: getting back into fitness because I needed to get out. 871 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 2: So when I did feel safe to go take a 872 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:14,359 Speaker 2: walk and to run, I started to do that and 873 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 2: that helped tremendously because I just needed something for me 874 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,360 Speaker 2: outside of work, outside of the kids, outside of the husband. 875 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:24,960 Speaker 2: And that definitely was helpful in my in what it 876 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:26,640 Speaker 2: is my recovery from this whole thing. 877 00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:32,799 Speaker 1: I want to get there. I had gotten a peloton 878 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: last fall, and it's been wonderful. Look at me. I 879 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:38,920 Speaker 1: just did the thing where they say if they if 880 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 1: someone has a peloton, they'll tell you. Anyway, my point is, 881 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 1: forget the peloton. I really got into a good exercise 882 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:47,840 Speaker 1: groove last fall, and I was starting to feel so 883 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 1: much better just mentally and physically. But then I left. 884 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:55,120 Speaker 1: So I left. I started my new solo predewer path. 885 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,919 Speaker 1: I guess now, I don't know. A couple of months ago, 886 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:02,160 Speaker 1: my fitness routine has gone out the window. It's I 887 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:06,200 Speaker 1: how any advice because it's almost like not having that 888 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:09,120 Speaker 1: that I'm going to be working from nine to five 889 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 1: and having more of this I build my schedule every day. 890 00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:14,439 Speaker 1: Thing has given me the sense of, oh, I can 891 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:16,200 Speaker 1: work out whenever I want. But the problem is that 892 00:39:16,239 --> 00:39:19,319 Speaker 1: I just don't do it. Any advice, I feel you. 893 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 2: So the thing about this is, I probably so. I 894 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:23,239 Speaker 2: used to be more fit before the kids. I was 895 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 2: like into CrossFit, doing all this crazy stuff. I felt 896 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,120 Speaker 2: out and then the kids, you know, and then I 897 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 2: had like developed something called diace DISTRECTI you know, the 898 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 2: separation of the abs that a lot of oh moms have. 899 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:35,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, So for. 900 00:39:35,520 --> 00:39:37,359 Speaker 1: That was the stuff of nightmares that I would read 901 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 1: about before I had my baby. 902 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:39,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, so it was hard. 903 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 2: It was hard, and so I was like at this, 904 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:42,959 Speaker 2: I was I gave up. I'm like, well, I feel 905 00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:44,960 Speaker 2: like my body will never be back. And I didn't 906 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 2: expect it to go back to what it was, but 907 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 2: something that I felt like because I identified so much 908 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,360 Speaker 2: of being fit. So I would say all this because running, 909 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:54,520 Speaker 2: that's one thing I do now, and I say I 910 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:56,440 Speaker 2: hate it, but I still do it because I like 911 00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 2: the results and I like the feeling afterwards. 912 00:39:58,320 --> 00:39:59,640 Speaker 3: But I have to. 913 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:02,520 Speaker 2: Schedule in and I have to remember how I feel 914 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:05,960 Speaker 2: after because if I only think about the feeling like 915 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:08,200 Speaker 2: right before, I don't want to do it. And so 916 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:10,640 Speaker 2: I give myself grace. So for the times where I'm overwhelmed, 917 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:12,400 Speaker 2: I need a nap, I take a nap. But for 918 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:14,080 Speaker 2: the times where I know you will feel so much 919 00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:15,680 Speaker 2: better if you just go out there and even just walk. 920 00:40:15,719 --> 00:40:17,799 Speaker 2: Maybe you don't run today, or if you do go 921 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:21,000 Speaker 2: for that run, do it because you will feel better 922 00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 2: because of it. And so for me, it's literally just 923 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 2: remembering the joy of the afterward and the results that 924 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:30,400 Speaker 2: I'm seeing in terms of feeling better, having more energy, 925 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:33,120 Speaker 2: feeling more like my old self. And I literally do 926 00:40:33,160 --> 00:40:35,239 Speaker 2: look at it as like me time, Like it's what 927 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,560 Speaker 2: I'm doing for myself. So that's kind of what keeps 928 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:39,640 Speaker 2: me motivated. And to my husband is kind of fit, 929 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:41,480 Speaker 2: and I'm just like, I'm sorry, there's no way you're 930 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 2: going to keep like running, working out and looking like 931 00:40:44,239 --> 00:40:46,160 Speaker 2: it's bad enough you never had to like get birth 932 00:40:46,239 --> 00:40:48,239 Speaker 2: and you don't have to change in the body. I'm like, 933 00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:50,400 Speaker 2: you're not going to leave me behind, Like I'm sorry, 934 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:53,839 Speaker 2: I'm gonna also do my best for me because I 935 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:55,160 Speaker 2: want to feel good about myself. 936 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:56,279 Speaker 3: So that's kind of what motivates me. 937 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,160 Speaker 1: Oh that's nice. My husband's the one who can just 938 00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:02,440 Speaker 1: never gain way but eat all the donuts, and he 939 00:41:02,680 --> 00:41:04,800 Speaker 1: is like, just come have a donut. What's the big deal. 940 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:09,319 Speaker 1: I'm like, biologically, my it's we're not the same. Get 941 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 1: out of that. That's awesome. Oh well, I feel like 942 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:16,319 Speaker 1: this conversation has gone way too fast, but I guess 943 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,920 Speaker 1: we should take a break. Really quick, and we'll come 944 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 1: back and answer some some listener questions and then we'll 945 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: have our special don't forget the brown Boost Brown Break 946 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:27,040 Speaker 1: at the end, be thinking about what your brown Boost 947 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:29,879 Speaker 1: and brown Break could be. And I will be right 948 00:41:29,920 --> 00:42:07,040 Speaker 1: back with today's co host, Jamila's toufront. Okay, we are 949 00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:10,200 Speaker 1: back for questions again. You guys can reach out to us, 950 00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:13,560 Speaker 1: hit us up on Brown Ambition Podcast on Instagram or 951 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:17,080 Speaker 1: headever to our website Brownambitionpodcast dot com and click ask 952 00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:20,160 Speaker 1: us anything to submit your question. All right, Jamila, are 953 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:23,279 Speaker 1: you ready to shake up? Okay? Sweet? All right, we 954 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,879 Speaker 1: have a couple of great questions from our listeners. First 955 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:29,480 Speaker 1: question comes from someone anonymous who's expecting a little bit 956 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:31,200 Speaker 1: of an inheritance and wants to know what to do 957 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:35,720 Speaker 1: with it already. So they say, I have about forty 958 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:39,319 Speaker 1: two thousand dollars in credit card debt and only five 959 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,480 Speaker 1: thousand dollars in my emergency fund due to a loss 960 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,560 Speaker 1: in my family. I'm expecting an inheritance of about fifteen 961 00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:47,960 Speaker 1: thousand dollars. Should I use that money to put a 962 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:50,400 Speaker 1: dent in my debt or to beef up my emergency 963 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: savings or even try to grow it through investing. I'm 964 00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:56,360 Speaker 1: leaning towards putting it toward my debt, but I was 965 00:42:56,440 --> 00:43:00,759 Speaker 1: curious what you would suggest. Thank you, So, Jamila, Before 966 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:02,239 Speaker 1: we take this one, I have to remind y'all, we 967 00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:06,759 Speaker 1: are your financial girlfriends, not your financial planners. So we're 968 00:43:06,760 --> 00:43:10,399 Speaker 1: gonna give you some advice. We'll give you some opinions, 969 00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:13,000 Speaker 1: but ultimately you have to do it's best for yourself 970 00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:16,800 Speaker 1: and definitely seek out a professional financial advisor or planner 971 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:20,120 Speaker 1: or other expertise if you know, really want to get 972 00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:24,880 Speaker 1: the best advice for your situation. Okay, disclaimers aside, forty 973 00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:27,920 Speaker 1: two k in credit card debt. My stomach is turning 974 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:31,600 Speaker 1: in nods. Yeah so, but this has been a wild year, 975 00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:35,680 Speaker 1: and fifteen K from an inheritance is not a small 976 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:38,200 Speaker 1: amount of money. What are you feeling about this, Jamila? 977 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:38,799 Speaker 3: Yeah? 978 00:43:38,840 --> 00:43:40,719 Speaker 2: So all right with these questions, you know, I wish 979 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:42,000 Speaker 2: I could just like talk to the person to get 980 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 2: more background. 981 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:43,640 Speaker 3: By no, we don't have time for that. 982 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:46,680 Speaker 2: So it looks like the five K things that if 983 00:43:46,680 --> 00:43:48,600 Speaker 2: you're listening to this or anyone in this situation, I 984 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:50,920 Speaker 2: would ask, Okay, how long does that five K take you? 985 00:43:50,960 --> 00:43:54,239 Speaker 2: If there is an emergency or loss of income on 986 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:57,080 Speaker 2: your beer Bon's like kind of budget. And so if 987 00:43:57,120 --> 00:43:59,320 Speaker 2: you tell me that can take you through the six months, 988 00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:01,839 Speaker 2: I don't know, depending on what that looks like for you, 989 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:05,040 Speaker 2: then I'd say maybe put another one two thousand another 990 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:07,319 Speaker 2: month or two on top of it, depending on how 991 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:09,239 Speaker 2: much your cash flow is like to live your life 992 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,880 Speaker 2: bear bones. And then I would look at your debt 993 00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:16,200 Speaker 2: and then make sure you are looking at your highest 994 00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:18,080 Speaker 2: interest rate debt. So you could either look at the 995 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:20,839 Speaker 2: highest interest rate or lowest balance. But if you want 996 00:44:20,840 --> 00:44:23,880 Speaker 2: to do the be like math wise, you'd pay off 997 00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:26,920 Speaker 2: the highest interest rate first. If it's not all on 998 00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:29,239 Speaker 2: one card, but it's almost like, I would put a 999 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:31,640 Speaker 2: couple thousand in emergency fund, depending on if it doesn't 1000 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:34,439 Speaker 2: take you out for three to six months, and then 1001 00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:36,439 Speaker 2: put the rest on your credit card. 1002 00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:40,319 Speaker 1: What do you think, Mandy, this one's hard. Forty two 1003 00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:43,239 Speaker 1: thousand dollars in credit card debt is a lot. I mean, 1004 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:47,319 Speaker 1: if you're thinking about the average APR, I mean, even 1005 00:44:47,360 --> 00:44:49,080 Speaker 1: if you have like perfect credit, what would it be 1006 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:52,720 Speaker 1: like seventeen eighteen nineteen percent is double digit? Yeah, credit 1007 00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:56,200 Speaker 1: interest rate and that that forty two K it can 1008 00:44:56,280 --> 00:45:00,080 Speaker 1: just balloon so quickly. And fifteen thousand dollars debt. I 1009 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:02,880 Speaker 1: don't really know the particulars of what happens with inheritance, 1010 00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:05,800 Speaker 1: how it gets taxed or not taxed. Is it fifteen 1011 00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:08,480 Speaker 1: k entirely or is it like you know, when you 1012 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:11,360 Speaker 1: get a bonus and then it becomes ten K instead 1013 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:16,839 Speaker 1: of fifteen. But my gut is saying, put a debt 1014 00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:19,520 Speaker 1: in that debt. But what concerns me most of all 1015 00:45:19,719 --> 00:45:22,640 Speaker 1: is the fact that you know, you've gotten that big 1016 00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:25,759 Speaker 1: of a credit card hole to begin with, and what 1017 00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:29,520 Speaker 1: might be like that's a pretty strong symptom that there's 1018 00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:33,239 Speaker 1: something off kilter and your either your cash flow or 1019 00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:36,600 Speaker 1: your expenses. You know, it's just not lining up. So 1020 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:40,799 Speaker 1: and without having more information, I would say, definitely look 1021 00:45:40,840 --> 00:45:42,640 Speaker 1: at you know, where did this forty two K and 1022 00:45:42,680 --> 00:45:46,680 Speaker 1: credit card debt come from? What caused me to accrue 1023 00:45:46,680 --> 00:45:49,360 Speaker 1: this debt? And this is no judgment, like shit happens. 1024 00:45:49,520 --> 00:45:53,799 Speaker 1: I believe me. I'm no stranger to debt myself, but 1025 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:56,799 Speaker 1: you know, figure out what was it and if it was, 1026 00:45:57,120 --> 00:46:00,040 Speaker 1: you know, I never really had enough money in my 1027 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,000 Speaker 1: emergency fund, and maybe it was medical bills, or it 1028 00:46:03,040 --> 00:46:06,040 Speaker 1: was an unexpected expense that you know drove you to 1029 00:46:06,400 --> 00:46:10,719 Speaker 1: wrack up that credit card debt that honestly, by not 1030 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:13,840 Speaker 1: putting cash away for your emergency fund, you could just 1031 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:16,279 Speaker 1: be like, what I'm trying to get at is if 1032 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:18,839 Speaker 1: you put that entire money toward your credit card debt 1033 00:46:19,239 --> 00:46:22,240 Speaker 1: and you still have a very small emergency fund, will 1034 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:26,080 Speaker 1: you be quickly racketing back up that debt because you 1035 00:46:26,120 --> 00:46:29,719 Speaker 1: don't have that that buffer of cash. You know, so 1036 00:46:30,840 --> 00:46:34,200 Speaker 1: I'm leaning toward more. I don't like, put put maybe 1037 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:36,920 Speaker 1: half of that fifteen k in your emergency fund and 1038 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:39,240 Speaker 1: use the other half to start shipping away that credit 1039 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:42,520 Speaker 1: card debt. But then say, okay, I'm putting this money 1040 00:46:42,520 --> 00:46:44,880 Speaker 1: in my emergency fund. It is on lockdown. That is 1041 00:46:44,960 --> 00:46:47,799 Speaker 1: for you know, that is for my own financial security, 1042 00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:50,840 Speaker 1: to be sure that you know, my family and myself 1043 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:53,800 Speaker 1: are taken care of, and then get really aggressive about 1044 00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:58,200 Speaker 1: attacking that that remaining credit card debt balance. Looking into 1045 00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:02,520 Speaker 1: options like I love talking about debt consolidation loans. For example, 1046 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:05,080 Speaker 1: you know, you can take out a personal loan through 1047 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:07,320 Speaker 1: a credit union or through an online bank or something 1048 00:47:07,360 --> 00:47:10,480 Speaker 1: like that at a reduced interest rate, then you're how 1049 00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:13,080 Speaker 1: much the credit card debt is costing. You get that 1050 00:47:13,719 --> 00:47:17,000 Speaker 1: all consolidated under one loan, and then you have a 1051 00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:20,920 Speaker 1: fixed payment monthly that you know how much a cost 1052 00:47:21,040 --> 00:47:24,520 Speaker 1: and you also can live, you know, without the crazy 1053 00:47:24,600 --> 00:47:27,560 Speaker 1: high interest rates accruing over your head that would accrue 1054 00:47:27,680 --> 00:47:30,120 Speaker 1: with a credit card. TIF and I talk about balance 1055 00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:31,920 Speaker 1: transfer cards. I don't know if you've ever used a 1056 00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:34,759 Speaker 1: balance transfer offer from a credit card umala or not. 1057 00:47:35,160 --> 00:47:38,120 Speaker 1: We didn't even talk about credit card debt, but I have. 1058 00:47:38,360 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 3: I have, and it's smart. 1059 00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:41,240 Speaker 2: And I love that you're going back to like the 1060 00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:43,919 Speaker 2: behavior and habits that got her into the debt because 1061 00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:45,799 Speaker 2: that you're right, that does matter in terms of what 1062 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:47,839 Speaker 2: you do with this money that you're getting now. 1063 00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:51,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, And I would say, like if it was 1064 00:47:51,160 --> 00:47:52,560 Speaker 1: if it was fifteen K and that was going to 1065 00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:54,200 Speaker 1: knock out your credit card debt and you could start 1066 00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:57,040 Speaker 1: from scratch, I might say, Okay, go on and do it. 1067 00:47:57,080 --> 00:47:59,319 Speaker 1: But it's just such a big total. And after the 1068 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:01,440 Speaker 1: year we've had, I just feel like people need to 1069 00:48:01,440 --> 00:48:04,000 Speaker 1: put their own safety, you know, life vests on first 1070 00:48:04,440 --> 00:48:07,319 Speaker 1: and have a little bit more cushion in their emergency fund. 1071 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:10,440 Speaker 1: But then listen, there's no getting out of that forty 1072 00:48:10,440 --> 00:48:12,760 Speaker 1: two thousand dollars in debt. That's not going to involve 1073 00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:16,960 Speaker 1: really looking at either how much you're spending or really 1074 00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:20,560 Speaker 1: pursuing increased earning. So I think twenty twenty one, this 1075 00:48:20,640 --> 00:48:22,719 Speaker 1: new post pandemic year, has got to be the year 1076 00:48:22,719 --> 00:48:25,160 Speaker 1: where you really sit down and, you know, think about 1077 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:27,680 Speaker 1: how can I bring an additional income to chip away 1078 00:48:27,680 --> 00:48:31,319 Speaker 1: at this debt. And I don't know anything about your life, 1079 00:48:31,320 --> 00:48:34,160 Speaker 1: and I'm really I'm sure there may be circumstances that 1080 00:48:34,239 --> 00:48:37,560 Speaker 1: prevent you from taking on a side hustle or or whatever. 1081 00:48:37,600 --> 00:48:40,719 Speaker 1: This is a no judgment zone, but if you're capable 1082 00:48:40,760 --> 00:48:43,879 Speaker 1: of it, I would, I would really try to start 1083 00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:45,800 Speaker 1: looking at ways to increase your income so that you 1084 00:48:45,800 --> 00:48:48,480 Speaker 1: can get that debt off your back and truly be 1085 00:48:48,560 --> 00:48:51,279 Speaker 1: on your way toward investing, which it sounds like you 1086 00:48:51,320 --> 00:48:55,319 Speaker 1: know you're thinking about investing as well. That is, that 1087 00:48:55,400 --> 00:48:59,280 Speaker 1: is an amazing goal to have, but it's it's difficult 1088 00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:01,320 Speaker 1: to get there when you also have such a huge, 1089 00:49:01,560 --> 00:49:03,439 Speaker 1: you know, credit card debt balance at the same time. 1090 00:49:03,640 --> 00:49:06,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, last thing I'll add on this is that you know, 1091 00:49:06,080 --> 00:49:08,640 Speaker 2: I'm not a fan of overthinking. Sometimes we can paralyze 1092 00:49:08,680 --> 00:49:11,760 Speaker 2: ourselves with like doing so much research, we don't do anything. 1093 00:49:11,800 --> 00:49:13,319 Speaker 2: But don't think that as soon as you get the 1094 00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:15,600 Speaker 2: money you have to make an instant decision. 1095 00:49:15,719 --> 00:49:16,319 Speaker 3: I love that one. 1096 00:49:16,360 --> 00:49:19,160 Speaker 2: You're like listening to this podcast and you're setting in 1097 00:49:19,160 --> 00:49:20,920 Speaker 2: the question because that means you're aware, you know you 1098 00:49:21,680 --> 00:49:24,800 Speaker 2: are doing the work upfront, but don't be pressured into 1099 00:49:24,880 --> 00:49:27,200 Speaker 2: having to make a decision right away. Continue to think 1100 00:49:27,200 --> 00:49:29,160 Speaker 2: about all the things that Mandy and I just said, 1101 00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:31,480 Speaker 2: but make a decision. I do think you should, but 1102 00:49:31,520 --> 00:49:32,640 Speaker 2: don't rush to do it. 1103 00:49:33,360 --> 00:49:37,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's it's important too. Yeah exactly. It's not like 1104 00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:39,120 Speaker 1: that money you can just clunk it in your savings 1105 00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:41,680 Speaker 1: account and see how that feels for a bit while 1106 00:49:41,680 --> 00:49:43,640 Speaker 1: you're figuring out how to how to tackle that credit 1107 00:49:43,719 --> 00:49:46,160 Speaker 1: card debt. Just don't you know. I mean, the one 1108 00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:47,879 Speaker 1: thing I would say don't do is maybe don't buy 1109 00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:50,600 Speaker 1: bitcoin with it. Well that that would buy you like 1110 00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:52,319 Speaker 1: a third of a bitcoin these days, I don't know. 1111 00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:55,400 Speaker 1: All right, Well, I hope that this what's helpful for you. 1112 00:49:55,480 --> 00:49:57,879 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for leaving us your question Again. 1113 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:00,560 Speaker 1: Y'all hit us up at Brandon Mission podcast on if 1114 00:50:00,600 --> 00:50:36,279 Speaker 1: you have more questions for us? All right, Jamila, it 1115 00:50:36,400 --> 00:50:38,680 Speaker 1: is the time we've all been waiting for. It is 1116 00:50:38,680 --> 00:50:41,440 Speaker 1: the all important brown boost brown break. At the end 1117 00:50:41,480 --> 00:50:43,480 Speaker 1: of the show, what are you going to boost or 1118 00:50:43,520 --> 00:50:44,080 Speaker 1: break today? 1119 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:50,040 Speaker 2: I'm going to break the expectation that we, as women 1120 00:50:50,120 --> 00:50:52,000 Speaker 2: or leaders in our family who are in this role, 1121 00:50:52,080 --> 00:50:56,360 Speaker 2: have to do everything. I think our lives just waking 1122 00:50:56,440 --> 00:50:58,200 Speaker 2: up by yourself, even if you don't have kids, okay, 1123 00:50:58,239 --> 00:51:00,560 Speaker 2: It's like life is hard, okay. And so I think 1124 00:51:00,760 --> 00:51:03,560 Speaker 2: this pressure on us to be perfect moms and to 1125 00:51:03,760 --> 00:51:06,759 Speaker 2: be fit and to you know, to send all the 1126 00:51:06,760 --> 00:51:08,880 Speaker 2: thank you notes and have just all these things. I 1127 00:51:08,920 --> 00:51:13,440 Speaker 2: think we need to really rebelegance and know that you're doing, okay, 1128 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:15,560 Speaker 2: the best you can. And so it's really important to 1129 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:19,240 Speaker 2: prioritize yourself and be selfish. And I know that sounds crazy, 1130 00:51:19,280 --> 00:51:21,719 Speaker 2: but for some people not anymore. You sound crazy to me, 1131 00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:24,560 Speaker 2: but I know that if I am happier than everyone 1132 00:51:24,560 --> 00:51:27,040 Speaker 2: else in my family is happier because I can give more. 1133 00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:28,719 Speaker 2: And so I want to break the expectation that we 1134 00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:31,319 Speaker 2: have to be everybody to everyone else, and we need 1135 00:51:31,400 --> 00:51:33,720 Speaker 2: to be what we need for ourselves first. 1136 00:51:34,480 --> 00:51:36,560 Speaker 1: I love that, and I feel like that is that 1137 00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:39,759 Speaker 1: message and that thought process is so evident on your 1138 00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:41,919 Speaker 1: social media. I really love following you because I feel 1139 00:51:41,920 --> 00:51:43,799 Speaker 1: like it's so positive. So if you guys don't follow 1140 00:51:43,880 --> 00:51:47,160 Speaker 1: Jamila yet, go to follow her you twice. First follow 1141 00:51:47,160 --> 00:51:50,080 Speaker 1: her at her personal handle Jamila's Uffront, and then second 1142 00:51:50,080 --> 00:51:52,720 Speaker 1: go follow her at Journey to Launch on all social 1143 00:51:52,719 --> 00:51:55,600 Speaker 1: media platforms. It just feels like, Yeah, it's a breadth 1144 00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:57,960 Speaker 1: of fresh air. And thank you for that positive message. 1145 00:51:58,000 --> 00:51:58,520 Speaker 3: Oh thank you. 1146 00:51:59,040 --> 00:52:00,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, let me and the show with a quick 1147 00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:06,040 Speaker 1: boost myself. We just celebrated the first official Juneteenth holiday 1148 00:52:06,080 --> 00:52:08,799 Speaker 1: on the federal calendar. It happened so quick, and I 1149 00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:10,600 Speaker 1: know that there was I don't know how you feel. 1150 00:52:10,640 --> 00:52:12,400 Speaker 1: We only have time to get into it, but there 1151 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:15,440 Speaker 1: are some feelings about Juneteenth. Is it enough? Is it 1152 00:52:15,480 --> 00:52:18,520 Speaker 1: not enough? But you know what I decided. Of course, 1153 00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:20,279 Speaker 1: there's still so much work to be done. This is 1154 00:52:20,320 --> 00:52:22,480 Speaker 1: not it. You can't just give us a holiday and 1155 00:52:22,520 --> 00:52:24,839 Speaker 1: then call it quits. But I'm like, for one thing, 1156 00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:27,719 Speaker 1: we got something in the summer, y'all, Like it's not 1157 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:31,319 Speaker 1: the dead of winter. That's nice to have a chance 1158 00:52:31,360 --> 00:52:34,560 Speaker 1: to celebrate, to blackness. And so what I decided to 1159 00:52:34,600 --> 00:52:37,440 Speaker 1: do this weekend was the weather was going to be okay, 1160 00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:40,320 Speaker 1: So I threw a last minute barbecue for my neighbors. 1161 00:52:40,640 --> 00:52:43,040 Speaker 1: And just in my neighborhood is, like I said, we 1162 00:52:43,080 --> 00:52:45,000 Speaker 1: have a lot of diversity. Mostly it's like a largely 1163 00:52:45,000 --> 00:52:48,719 Speaker 1: black neighborhood here in my county outside of New York. 1164 00:52:48,800 --> 00:52:51,400 Speaker 1: And I just invited the neighbors over. I got a 1165 00:52:51,400 --> 00:52:54,960 Speaker 1: big ass cake that said Juneteenth Freedom Day on it. 1166 00:52:55,360 --> 00:52:57,960 Speaker 1: We made burgers and hot dogs, and it was just 1167 00:52:58,000 --> 00:52:59,719 Speaker 1: a I don't know, it was just an opportunity to 1168 00:52:59,800 --> 00:53:02,880 Speaker 1: just come together as a community and to to heal 1169 00:53:03,040 --> 00:53:06,240 Speaker 1: a little bit from the trauma, the trauma of a lifetime, 1170 00:53:06,239 --> 00:53:10,080 Speaker 1: but especially this past year. So I just wanted to say, 1171 00:53:10,280 --> 00:53:14,160 Speaker 1: you know, unapologetically, you know, celebrate these small pockets of 1172 00:53:14,560 --> 00:53:17,680 Speaker 1: positive time that we've been given. And if Juneteenth is 1173 00:53:17,719 --> 00:53:20,359 Speaker 1: an opportunity to do that, I would say, do it 1174 00:53:20,400 --> 00:53:25,000 Speaker 1: without apology. It was. It was really beautiful, and the 1175 00:53:25,120 --> 00:53:27,520 Speaker 1: work continues. You know, we still got to fight for 1176 00:53:27,920 --> 00:53:31,520 Speaker 1: voting rights and police law enforcement reform and all of 1177 00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:33,600 Speaker 1: the things, but you know, it was it was a 1178 00:53:33,680 --> 00:53:37,160 Speaker 1: nice opportunity to just sit back and just celebrate ourselves. 1179 00:53:37,280 --> 00:53:39,000 Speaker 2: And if I can add something there, I'm with you 1180 00:53:39,120 --> 00:53:41,600 Speaker 2: Mandy on that we need to lean into joy and 1181 00:53:41,680 --> 00:53:45,080 Speaker 2: choose joy, especially for those of us we have little 1182 00:53:45,080 --> 00:53:47,160 Speaker 2: ones watching us, and so for me, you know, we've 1183 00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:49,399 Speaker 2: been celebrating birthdays all for the last six weeks since 1184 00:53:49,400 --> 00:53:51,600 Speaker 2: they're all like kind of lumped up together. And so 1185 00:53:51,640 --> 00:53:53,520 Speaker 2: we went, we had fun, we went to Coney Island, 1186 00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:56,200 Speaker 2: and I'm just like, we deserve joy, we deserve rest, 1187 00:53:56,800 --> 00:53:59,800 Speaker 2: and we deserve to know we we can also earn money, 1188 00:54:00,120 --> 00:54:02,359 Speaker 2: be good with money, and have the freedom we want 1189 00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:03,359 Speaker 2: and without money. 1190 00:54:03,360 --> 00:54:04,360 Speaker 3: I know money is the baseline. 1191 00:54:04,360 --> 00:54:06,640 Speaker 2: I know that, but you know there's so much other 1192 00:54:06,760 --> 00:54:09,840 Speaker 2: untapped currency in our relationships and enjoy. 1193 00:54:09,920 --> 00:54:10,880 Speaker 3: So let's lean into that. 1194 00:54:12,120 --> 00:54:14,960 Speaker 1: I love that. Well, jamilastuf Front Journey to Launch, thank 1195 00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:17,319 Speaker 1: you so much for joining me in the co host chair. 1196 00:54:17,400 --> 00:54:18,240 Speaker 1: I hope it was fun. 1197 00:54:18,600 --> 00:54:21,839 Speaker 3: Oh, this was so amazing and exciting. I I can't believe. 1198 00:54:21,880 --> 00:54:24,319 Speaker 2: I'm like, you know, Tiffany, like I got a chance 1199 00:54:24,360 --> 00:54:25,600 Speaker 2: to like kind of step in for her because you 1200 00:54:25,600 --> 00:54:27,600 Speaker 2: know I love her and you, So this was awesome. 1201 00:54:28,080 --> 00:54:30,040 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. All right, Well, best of luck 1202 00:54:30,080 --> 00:54:32,759 Speaker 1: with the as the journey continues, and thank you so 1203 00:54:32,840 --> 00:54:35,200 Speaker 1: much for joining us, Thank you for having me