WEBVTT - The BA Q and A is Back! 0:00:16.079 --> 0:00:20.160 Aba, fam, we are back with another episode of Brown Ambition. 0:00:20.760 --> 0:00:23.960 Thank y'all so much for all of the lovely messages 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:28.160 and soft welcome backs ever since we started doing these 0:00:28.200 --> 0:00:32.000 guest hosted episodes. As you guys know, Tiffany is still 0:00:32.040 --> 0:00:34.560 on hiatus and we send her all of the love 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:38.120 and virtual hugs and kisses and all that stuff. Maybe 0:00:38.120 --> 0:00:41.640 not the kisses that would be weird, but anyway, shout 0:00:41.680 --> 0:00:44.680 out to Tiffany, and we continue to miss you a lot. 0:00:44.920 --> 0:00:47.880 But today I thought it would be fun to bring 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:51.040 back the BAQA. We have not had our regular Q 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:53.880 and A segment in so so long, and I thought 0:00:53.880 --> 0:00:55.720 today would be the perfect day to bring that back. 0:00:55.880 --> 0:00:58.400 But I couldn't do it alone. I thought about it 0:00:58.440 --> 0:01:00.680 for a hot minute, me sitting here in this chair 0:01:01.240 --> 0:01:06.920 and my therapist Tan Turtleneck talking to myself as the 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:10.199 question and the answerer, and I decided that that would 0:01:10.240 --> 0:01:13.320 just be silly. So we have a very special guest today. Hey, 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:15.240 Amber Jones, what's up? 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:17.880 Hello? Hello? Thank you for having me. 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:21.280 So you guys have never had the pleasure of seeing 0:01:21.440 --> 0:01:25.360 Amber's adorable face, but you have seen her handiwork all 0:01:25.400 --> 0:01:29.080 over Brown Ambitions Social channels because Amber is our social 0:01:29.160 --> 0:01:35.160 media manager. Yes, and her business is called My Social Gourmet, 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:38.160 So tell Amber, so just say a quick hi, Hello 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:39.160 to be a fam. 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:42.119 Hello, be a fam. I'm so excited to be here. 0:01:42.200 --> 0:01:44.959 I am brown and ambitious, so I'm just excited to 0:01:44.959 --> 0:01:45.560 get started. 0:01:46.440 --> 0:01:49.240 She's on brand, and thank you Amber for all of 0:01:49.240 --> 0:01:52.480 the great content you create. And Amber and I are 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.920 always collaborating on social media and she's like, Mandy, give 0:01:55.920 --> 0:01:58.880 me your notes, Mandy, where are you? What's going on? 0:01:59.680 --> 0:02:01.960 But she does a phenomenal job, and I know that 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:05.840 she is going to do a phenomenal job today. So Amber, 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:07.720 not to put you on the spot, but did you 0:02:07.720 --> 0:02:10.720 listen to last week's episode? Majority of it is yes, 0:02:10.919 --> 0:02:12.800 because oh yes, it's right. You have to do the teaser. 0:02:13.160 --> 0:02:14.760 Look at me trying to catch you in a lie, 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:17.000 like you don't listen to the show that you do 0:02:17.160 --> 0:02:21.000 social media content for so last week. If you guys 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:24.320 haven't heard last week's episode with Chris Browning from Popcorn Finance, 0:02:24.560 --> 0:02:28.160 Wait now I'm having flashbacks of the social media Like 0:02:28.360 --> 0:02:30.800 I had the bright idea because we make you guys 0:02:30.800 --> 0:02:32.919 guess our co host. I was like, instead of doing 0:02:32.960 --> 0:02:35.359 Chris's silhouette because he's just like it has a bald head. 0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:38.200 He wouldn't mind me saying that. You guys see, I 0:02:38.240 --> 0:02:40.440 was like, let's do a silhouette of a popcorn bucket 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:44.840 and can you make the popcorn colonels pop? And Amber's like, 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:48.639 it's called my Social Gourmet, not my social magic show. 0:02:50.600 --> 0:02:52.000 So that didn't work out. 0:02:52.240 --> 0:02:54.760 It did. It helped a little bit though, because you know, 0:02:54.800 --> 0:02:57.160 they kind of knew as soon as we posted the silhouette. 0:02:57.200 --> 0:02:59.520 I don't know how, but yeah, I think it. 0:02:59.520 --> 0:03:02.320 Was attention to the shapes of our heads, apparently in 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:04.160 a way that I did not know they were doing. 0:03:04.360 --> 0:03:07.360 Oh man, Well, that episode last week touched in a 0:03:07.400 --> 0:03:09.840 good way, touched a lot of you guys. And it 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:12.840 was me and Chris literally putting everything on the table 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:14.679 about what it's been like for the two of us 0:03:15.160 --> 0:03:18.640 in our own separate lives to transition from nine to 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:22.840 five workers to full time entrepreneurs. And Chris is like 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:25.799 ninety five percent of the way independent now. He's still 0:03:25.800 --> 0:03:27.840 working a couple days a week at his previous nine 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:30.600 to five job. And I've been independent for eight nine 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:32.640 months now. So if you haven't go back and check 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:35.000 out that episode, but I didn't want to share this 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.840 sweet message that we got from listener Sherry, who said, Hi, Mandra, 0:03:39.040 --> 0:03:41.560 Yes you can call me Mandra. I really enjoyed this 0:03:41.560 --> 0:03:46.360 week's episode. I have recently begun my entrepreneurship journey. I've 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:48.840 sent you messages about that before, and you and Tiffany 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:51.200 gave me such great advice, and so much of what 0:03:51.240 --> 0:03:54.640 you guys discussed resonates with me. I definitely also found 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:58.120 myself hoarding my business income, and I was in a 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:00.880 rut about starting my self employed retirement fund. But I'm 0:04:00.880 --> 0:04:03.720 going to work on that in Q one, please please 0:04:03.840 --> 0:04:07.520 keep the small business discussions coming. She also asked if 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:10.400 you wouldn't mind sharing resources like your bookkeeper or how 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:14.800 you found them, lessons you've learned maximizing profit using business 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:17.560 expenses to the greatest good. Thank you so much for 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:20.279 taking us along on your journey. That is so sweet, Sherry, 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:22.560 It's so nice, And of course she wraps it up 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:25.479 saying praying for Tiffany and her family, We thank you 0:04:25.560 --> 0:04:28.240 for that. Yeah, A couple of people reached out, they 0:04:28.240 --> 0:04:30.360 want to know my bookkeeper, So how did I find 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:32.600 I think, first and foremost it's more important to talk 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:35.680 about how I found my book my bookkeeper, because obviously 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:37.880 we all have to go on that journey Amber. Do 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:39.640 you have a bookkeeper or do you keep it? 0:04:40.240 --> 0:04:42.479 I do it myself. But someone told me the same 0:04:42.480 --> 0:04:44.680 thing that you were saying, like five hundred dollars just 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:46.000 to get it all along, and I was like, I 0:04:46.120 --> 0:04:46.400 need this. 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:50.520 Yeah, so I maybe I cheated a little bit. So 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:53.919 the same accountant who's worked on Brown Ambition for years 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:57.160 and he's been Tiffany's accountant for a long time. So 0:04:57.160 --> 0:05:00.360 that's how I found Carlos. Shout out to Carlos. His 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:04.200 wife Tianu, has a bookkeeping business on the side, so 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:06.280 they are like a power couple. All it is in 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:10.120 their household is just spreadsheets. They love it. It works 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:12.839 for them. It keeps a relationship exciting, I guess. But 0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:17.599 so I work with Carlos's delightful wife, Tianu, and her 0:05:17.839 --> 0:05:22.839 business is called nil Tech Finance nill Tech Finance based 0:05:22.839 --> 0:05:26.719 in Jersey. But the point of this story is not who, 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:29.520 but how So the way that I found my bookkeeper 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:32.320 was through a referral of who we all know and 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:34.640 love Tiffany. But if you forget about Tiffany being the 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:37.719 Budgetista Superstar and also co hosted Brian Ambition. She's a 0:05:37.760 --> 0:05:39.960 friend of mine. She's a friend of mine in my circle. 0:05:40.080 --> 0:05:43.800 So I always say, asking friends of yours in your 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:47.920 circles who they work with to get personal recommendations is like, 0:05:48.040 --> 0:05:50.800 there's no better way. I think word of mouth. And 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:55.200 I also interviewed another accountant and she was wonderful And 0:05:55.240 --> 0:05:58.600 I actually found her because I asked Jenny's Torres Rodrigez 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:01.440 from Jokio Dinero, who we've had on the show. She 0:06:01.480 --> 0:06:03.960 and I were just chatting up after the episode about 0:06:04.320 --> 0:06:06.719 you know, I was new to this and just as 0:06:06.760 --> 0:06:08.960 a newbie, I was like, who do you go to 0:06:09.040 --> 0:06:12.840 for your accounting advice? So and I interviewed that accountant 0:06:12.960 --> 0:06:15.720 and she had a team of bookkeepers that she worked with. 0:06:15.800 --> 0:06:20.080 So maybe even interviewing with one accountant can help you 0:06:20.160 --> 0:06:23.760 find a bookkeeper because typically they work like closely together, 0:06:23.960 --> 0:06:26.400 you know, or you can do you like Amber and 0:06:26.440 --> 0:06:27.680 what do you do then? Do you have like quick 0:06:27.720 --> 0:06:28.440 books or something? 0:06:28.720 --> 0:06:31.880 No, Well, see I've been using wave app Like okay, 0:06:33.680 --> 0:06:36.600 I have never heard of it. I don't think you 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:38.440 like it? Yeah, well we tried to use it one 0:06:38.440 --> 0:06:40.760 time and we didn't like it. But I used that 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:44.160 and I use like an ex sale sheets. I had 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:46.200 one of my friends he would like he was an 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:49.039 accountant for like a business or whatnot, and so he 0:06:49.160 --> 0:06:51.000 just did my exceale sheet and I just been kind 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:52.680 of like keeping up with the numbers. But I know 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:56.119 it's wrong, so I need to get it done. 0:06:56.640 --> 0:07:01.920 Get it. You have to know other entrepreneurs in your 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:05.040 circle you could ask. And also I feel like I'm 0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:08.479 going to post a link to the main the the 0:07:08.480 --> 0:07:11.640 there is a national organization for accountants and book keepers. 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:12.920 I'm going to post a link in the show notes. 0:07:12.960 --> 0:07:14.960 I'm going to go find it after the show, just 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:16.880 as a starting point for you guys, because you can 0:07:16.880 --> 0:07:19.040 at least look in your own like zip code or 0:07:19.080 --> 0:07:22.440 whatnot and find but I recommend it. Tianu has been 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:24.800 wonderful to work with, and thank you Sherry for that 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:26.680 sweet note. All right, Amber, are you ready? 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:27.840 I am ready? 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:31.200 Are you ready for the task of reading questions out loud? 0:07:32.320 --> 0:07:33.800 We're going to see We're going to see what my 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:39.400 skills are. Okay, all right, Juliata as our first question 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:42.760 of the day, So oh my gosh, did you ladies 0:07:42.760 --> 0:07:46.240 hear about the Navy settlement today? Am I saying that correctly? 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:46.920 You are? 0:07:47.360 --> 0:07:52.600 I think na Navian okay settlement today? I am shook 0:07:52.680 --> 0:07:54.640 and I am trying to call a Navy now to 0:07:54.640 --> 0:07:57.400 get an update. Can you discuss this on the show? 0:07:57.760 --> 0:08:01.880 Absolutely? So this happened when a couple of like was 0:08:01.880 --> 0:08:03.560 it a week a time? Is so weird right now. 0:08:03.640 --> 0:08:07.040 Recently it was announced that Naviant, which is one of 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:10.880 the largest student loan servicers in the country, will be 0:08:10.960 --> 0:08:15.200 canceling the debt of sixty six thousand student loan borrowers. 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:18.280 And you're so right, Julietta. I mean, I think if 0:08:18.400 --> 0:08:20.840 whether you're a Naviant customer or not, your question is like, wait, 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:22.320 how can I get on that list? Please? 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:23.200 Please? 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:27.239 Can I refinance into naviatet loans? So the good news 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:30.560 is that you don't really have to do anything to 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:33.080 find out necessarily if you are one of those sixty 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:37.040 six thousand borrowers. As per it settlement, Naviant is in 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:39.720 charge of reaching out to those borrowers. But what I 0:08:39.840 --> 0:08:44.040 like about your question, Julieta. Julieta, is that you said 0:08:44.080 --> 0:08:47.720 you were calling them directly because Honestly, I would be 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:49.079 on the phone with them right now if I had 0:08:49.080 --> 0:08:52.400 a Naviant loan, just to see if I qualify. It's 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:54.800 my understanding, like I was just doing some googles, and 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:58.120 you have to have a particular type of loan taken 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:01.400 out within a particular period of time. And I don't 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:04.640 want to get y'all confused by sitting here and reading 0:09:04.679 --> 0:09:08.240 out the list of eligibility requirements. What I can do 0:09:08.360 --> 0:09:10.280 is put a link to the articles that I have 0:09:10.360 --> 0:09:13.120 been reading that have that information and just tell you guys, 0:09:13.160 --> 0:09:16.640 to call Naviant. If you see that you may qualify 0:09:16.800 --> 0:09:21.120 based on these eligibility requirements, then I would say, pick 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:23.480 up the phone and call. If not, they've got until 0:09:23.559 --> 0:09:26.760 July of twenty twenty two to call you or reach 0:09:26.800 --> 0:09:29.040 out to you in some form or fashion. So if 0:09:29.040 --> 0:09:30.440 you just want to hang out and chill and wait, 0:09:30.559 --> 0:09:31.040 you can do that. 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:33.160 Yeah, who's waiting? 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:37.240 Though, I mean, listen, I would be if I had, 0:09:37.520 --> 0:09:40.400 you know, Navvy a loans. It's it's really disheartening. I mean, 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:42.960 I feel like we're at this time now where you 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:46.960 were two years in since Biden was elected, and you 0:09:47.080 --> 0:09:51.280 do you. I was hoping that by now there would 0:09:51.320 --> 0:09:53.720 at least be an announcement of some debt cancelation. And 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:55.319 I mean, I know there was all this like back 0:09:55.360 --> 0:09:58.000 and forth about what he wasn't going to do the 0:09:58.040 --> 0:10:00.880 full amount that progressives wanted me he would do like 0:10:01.120 --> 0:10:04.280 ten thousand something like that. But there's been nothing, you know, 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:06.760 so something is better than nothing. But in the meantime, 0:10:07.600 --> 0:10:10.320 this news, which is a whole different like case. This 0:10:10.440 --> 0:10:14.400 is a lawsuit that was filed by several states against Naviant, 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:17.000 So this is a settlement from that lawsuit. This is 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:20.959 an entirely non government related, you know case right now. 0:10:21.800 --> 0:10:24.640 But at least sixty six thousand borrowers will get some 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:28.520 relief for their loans. So call your call Naviant up 0:10:28.559 --> 0:10:31.959 if your loans are from Naviant and find out if 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:33.559 you're one of those or like we said, you can 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:36.320 wait until you know, check your inbox, check your mailbox 0:10:36.400 --> 0:10:36.840 till July. 0:10:38.320 --> 0:10:40.360 I'm going to be checking for sure because you still. 0:10:40.120 --> 0:10:41.280 Have student loans, are you? 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:43.440 I do, but I don't have that much. 0:10:43.440 --> 0:10:47.800 It's only like thirty k, only thirty k compare. 0:10:47.520 --> 0:10:49.559 To everybody else. I was like, that's not that bad. 0:10:49.600 --> 0:10:52.000 I thought it was bad, But no, that's true. When 0:10:52.080 --> 0:10:54.920 is your graduate I still paying down twenty nineteen? 0:10:55.400 --> 0:11:01.920 Okay, I know, baby, full ten listen, you're right though 0:11:01.960 --> 0:11:04.199 thirty k is not as bad as it definitely could 0:11:04.240 --> 0:11:05.559 have done. So you'll get them done. 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:07.640 I don't have to pay right now. We're still good 0:11:07.720 --> 0:11:08.480 till May. I think. 0:11:09.520 --> 0:11:12.319 I think you're right. Yeah, payments are I know payments 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:15.840 are paused until May. At least that's something. Yeah, alrighty, 0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:18.120 let's so now we can get to miss Irene if 0:11:18.160 --> 0:11:21.040 you want to read a question. The next couple of 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:24.480 questions are career questions, which are my favorite. 0:11:24.120 --> 0:11:28.640 Miss Irene. I'm currently an active duty military member living 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:31.880 in Maryland with an enlistment ending in August of twenty 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:36.920 twenty two. But I'm applying for a clinical psychology program 0:11:37.040 --> 0:11:39.200 that would allow me to stay in the military for 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:42.079 at least twelve more years and provide me with a 0:11:42.160 --> 0:11:46.840 doctorate education without student loan deb The issue here is 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:49.520 that if I do not get into the program, I 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:53.160 will have to join the civilian workforce without any experience 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:56.120 in the field that I will be entering, and the 0:11:56.160 --> 0:12:00.560 field is industrial organizational psychology. I will have my masters 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:04.360 in this field, but yet again, no experience. How do 0:12:04.400 --> 0:12:08.360 you suggest that I make myself desirable for employers? That's 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:11.080 the first question. Is it worth my time and money 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:14.880 to get related certification from learning platforms to show my 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:18.960 willingness to use valuable resources and to learn and develop myself? 0:12:19.160 --> 0:12:22.720 Ooh, this is a ticy question, so forget all the 0:12:22.720 --> 0:12:25.200 details for a second. I get this question so often, 0:12:25.880 --> 0:12:28.240 as you guys know, through Mandy Money, I offer money 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:30.840 and career coaching, and I have been doing it pretty 0:12:30.880 --> 0:12:34.640 much NonStop since July, and so so often I'm listening 0:12:34.720 --> 0:12:39.360 to women who want to know do I need this certificate? 0:12:39.440 --> 0:12:42.400 Do I need that certificate? I'm wanting to break into 0:12:42.400 --> 0:12:45.400 this new industry and I don't necessarily have a ton 0:12:45.440 --> 0:12:48.480 of experience, So how can I make myself more like 0:12:48.520 --> 0:12:51.800 she says, desirable to employers and show them that I've 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:54.600 got at least the training, if not the on the 0:12:54.600 --> 0:12:58.200 ground experience. So we're all start right now. Is by 0:12:58.240 --> 0:13:03.120 saying education matter? You know you have the education here 0:13:03.200 --> 0:13:07.079 and the field industrial organizational psychology. I'm hearing more and 0:13:07.160 --> 0:13:10.520 more about this, but basically this we're talking like the 0:13:10.559 --> 0:13:15.200 operations of companies, like human resources departments. How how companies 0:13:15.240 --> 0:13:18.680 and their people work together. So this is a fast 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:24.040 growing industry and it's fascinating to me in general. As 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:29.480 far as like certificates from online learning platforms, do I 0:13:29.559 --> 0:13:32.480 think that those are necessary? I struggle with this because 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:34.640 I have heard from so many of my clients who 0:13:34.760 --> 0:13:38.440 have gotten those certificates. Whether it's what's popular right now 0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:45.160 is like project management certificates, there are product product management certificates, 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:49.760 DE and I like diversity, equity and inclusion certificates. Like 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:53.040 they sell them through platforms like Coursera. They also sell 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:56.120 them through like Google has on like a Google Academy 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:58.160 or something like that, where you can get these certificates. 0:13:58.720 --> 0:14:01.600 I wouldn't necessarily put my money up for those types 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:05.319 of certifications unless I had examples of people in my 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:10.560 field that had success getting opportunities through having those certificates. 0:14:11.480 --> 0:14:14.040 I mean, these certificates like not only the money that 0:14:14.080 --> 0:14:17.080 they take, they also take time because often there'll be 0:14:17.200 --> 0:14:20.800 a multi week or multi hour commitment for you to 0:14:20.800 --> 0:14:23.120 take the course and then do whatever is required of you. 0:14:23.920 --> 0:14:25.640 So I wouldn't want to invest that much time and 0:14:25.680 --> 0:14:28.000 money unless I knew I was going to potentially get 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:31.280 their return on my investment right. So I think the 0:14:31.800 --> 0:14:35.520 key here is for you to make connections with people 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:38.880 who are in that field and ask their specific opinions 0:14:39.520 --> 0:14:42.560 or look for examples from them of people who were 0:14:42.600 --> 0:14:46.520 able to break into it by getting these certifications. In 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:50.320 my personal opinion, I think way far and above in 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:54.080 terms of value for getting experience is a personal connection 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:58.080 to someone versus a piece of digital paper or a certificate. 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:00.880 I think the more personal connecttions you can make, so 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:04.560 that can be through your program. Like right now you 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:06.960 say that you're in a clinical psychology program, it could 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:10.840 be making connections within that program, with your with your instructors, 0:15:11.080 --> 0:15:15.120 with alumni. I tell people a lot of times when 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:17.600 I sit across from my coaching clients and I ask them, 0:15:18.120 --> 0:15:20.800 you know, have you reached out to any of your 0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:26.360 peers from your college or from your you know, master's program. 0:15:26.840 --> 0:15:29.120 So often the answer is no, you know, it's been 0:15:29.160 --> 0:15:32.000 a few years since you graduated, maybe longer you've lost 0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:36.280 those connections. I think that's really important for you to 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:40.080 maintain or rekindle those personal relationships because that can be 0:15:40.200 --> 0:15:43.840 a great source of knowledge for you when it comes 0:15:43.880 --> 0:15:45.760 to how do I get my foot in the door 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:50.680 and I think for anyone who's entering into a new 0:15:50.720 --> 0:15:54.400 field with relatively little experience, you do have to accept 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:56.880 the fact that it may take a little bit of 0:15:56.920 --> 0:16:01.680 extra time for you to find that opportunity, especially given 0:16:01.760 --> 0:16:04.560 right now what we are in with our labor market. 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:06.520 I'm sure you and or even know it's a lot 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:09.360 of people like hiring right now, but it's also a 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:14.120 lot of people applying. Competition is fierce, it really is, 0:16:14.600 --> 0:16:17.080 and some of my clients have been applying for jobs 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:21.760 for months, months and not able to break in. It 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:24.000 genuinely may not have anything to do with you not 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:27.760 being qualified. It just is that there is a ton 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:30.640 of competition out there, you know what I mean. So 0:16:30.760 --> 0:16:33.120 that's why I'm saying, you know, trying to connect with 0:16:33.160 --> 0:16:36.120 people who are in that space and ask them, hey, 0:16:36.160 --> 0:16:38.960 did you find that this certificate gave you an edge? 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:43.080 I would be genuinely curious to hear what you hear back, 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:44.920 And even more so, what I think will give you 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:48.000 an edge is any kind of personal relationship you have. 0:16:48.120 --> 0:16:52.160 There is so much value in having people in rooms 0:16:52.440 --> 0:16:55.960 with decision makers who say your name like there is 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:58.440 that is where the power lies. So how can we 0:16:58.480 --> 0:17:02.000 get Irene on the radar of people in those rooms. 0:17:02.240 --> 0:17:06.199 Anyone who's like, I know someone Irene. She's amazing. You know, 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:10.320 she's in this program. She's potentially gonna get her doctorate. 0:17:10.400 --> 0:17:12.560 But you know I would vouch for her. That is 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:15.360 really going to be a game changer and potentially give 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:25.879 you that extra like push that you're gonna need. All right, 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:27.800 let's get back to these questions. 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:31.400 Alrighty, So our next question is from one of our listeners. 0:17:31.440 --> 0:17:35.320 We're gonna call her Jasmine, and she states the following question. 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:39.280 I currently work for a pretty stable company on communications, 0:17:39.600 --> 0:17:42.560 but it is a nonprofit and it's a career area 0:17:42.680 --> 0:17:46.199 that I'm not particularly interested in. I'm just beginning the 0:17:46.280 --> 0:17:50.040 interview process for two communication jobs with a newer tech 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:53.399 company that admittedly have had some growing pains lately, but 0:17:53.440 --> 0:17:55.760 it still seems like a good fit. I assume I'll 0:17:55.800 --> 0:17:57.960 get more money if I take on this role. But 0:17:58.280 --> 0:18:00.320 this is where it kind of gets messy. I have 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:03.560 a six figure student loan debt, and my current role 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:06.400 seems to be covered by the forgiveness program that I've 0:18:06.440 --> 0:18:09.280 been with for five years. However, my husband and I 0:18:09.320 --> 0:18:11.600 are trying to have a baby and I know that 0:18:11.640 --> 0:18:14.560 the maternity leave at the tech company is better in 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:17.240 addition to making more money, that would allow me to 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:20.439 quit my side hustle and work from home full time. 0:18:20.640 --> 0:18:22.840 So on the one hand, I have the chance to 0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:25.479 clear myself of all of the debt in five years, 0:18:25.720 --> 0:18:28.720 but at the cost of making more working from home 0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:32.719 full time, having one job, having enough time to spend 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:36.520 with my future child, and potentially enjoying the job more. 0:18:36.880 --> 0:18:40.000 What should I do? Also, I'm not even sure how 0:18:40.080 --> 0:18:43.119 to negotiate to make sure that I maximize the most 0:18:43.160 --> 0:18:44.720 of my potential career switch. 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:49.679 Okay, miss jazz Man, not your real name, but JAZZMN. 0:18:50.680 --> 0:18:54.720 I love this question. So a lot of you guys 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:59.480 like Jasmine are working in jobs that could potentially qualify 0:18:59.520 --> 0:19:02.760 yoursuent loan to be forgiven through the Public service Loan 0:19:03.119 --> 0:19:05.920 forgiveness program. I get that. So she's been in there 0:19:05.920 --> 0:19:08.200 for five years. I think in total, you've got to 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:10.800 be in that job with the right types of loans, 0:19:10.880 --> 0:19:13.080 in the right type of job, and you have to 0:19:13.119 --> 0:19:17.159 like reapply each year for ten years. So she's saying, 0:19:17.200 --> 0:19:19.440 do I give this job? Which, if I go back 0:19:19.440 --> 0:19:21.840 to the beginning of her question, she says that she's 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:24.439 not particularly interested in it. Should she stick with that 0:19:24.520 --> 0:19:26.840 job for five years just for the promise of maybe 0:19:26.880 --> 0:19:31.280 having her student loans forgiven and give up the opportunity 0:19:31.320 --> 0:19:33.960 to work for a tech company that could pay her more, 0:19:34.080 --> 0:19:37.760 give her more time off for her maternity leave, let 0:19:37.760 --> 0:19:42.040 her work from home full time, and most likely pay 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:42.480 her more. 0:19:42.640 --> 0:19:43.359 What should she do? 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:47.840 I mean, this seems like a really difficult question, but 0:19:47.960 --> 0:19:51.600 I'm going to make it simple. You and your career 0:19:51.960 --> 0:19:55.680 are what really matter here, and you and your family 0:19:55.720 --> 0:20:00.160 are what really matter here. And when I lead from 0:20:00.160 --> 0:20:02.119 that place, like when I lead from a place of 0:20:03.200 --> 0:20:05.000 is this the best for my family? Is it the 0:20:05.000 --> 0:20:08.560 best for my career? The money will follow? Okay, So 0:20:08.960 --> 0:20:12.840 I honestly wouldn't worry so much about you missing out 0:20:12.840 --> 0:20:16.880 on this public service loan forgiveness boat necessarily when you've 0:20:16.880 --> 0:20:19.879 got an opportunity to make what could be a really 0:20:19.920 --> 0:20:22.919 amazing career move for yourself. You're not even enjoying your 0:20:23.000 --> 0:20:25.520 job right now. You gave you said one of the 0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:28.080 words that whenever I hear it in my coaching clients, 0:20:28.160 --> 0:20:32.639 I just cringe. You said stable oo. Stable. Stable is 0:20:32.720 --> 0:20:35.760 for horses, Stable is for when you mount your TV 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:39.639 the wall, you want those brackets to be stable. But 0:20:39.840 --> 0:20:43.480 stability in a job, it's it can be sexy. I 0:20:43.600 --> 0:20:46.320 get it like stability, especially if you've had you know, 0:20:46.440 --> 0:20:49.520 financial insecurity, if you grew up in that space, or 0:20:50.440 --> 0:20:52.919 if you're just a human being, like we all like 0:20:53.040 --> 0:20:55.240 to know what we're going to get in our paychecks 0:20:55.280 --> 0:20:58.679 week after week, and there is a sense of Okay, 0:20:58.680 --> 0:21:01.000 it's one less thing for me to have to worry about. 0:21:01.320 --> 0:21:05.080 But it's a lie. Even that quote unquote stable job 0:21:05.119 --> 0:21:08.520 in communications. They could fire you tomorrow, Jasmine, Like they 0:21:08.520 --> 0:21:11.520 could lay all off. They could decide that they want 0:21:11.600 --> 0:21:14.200 you to work in a different state, and you don't 0:21:14.200 --> 0:21:16.560 want to move, so we're gonna let you go. Like 0:21:16.600 --> 0:21:19.400