Why Should Rappers Have All the Fun?

25 Jul

So, you guys already know that I work as a financial advisor to professional athletes and entertainers.  I really enjoy what I do, but sometimes, it has unintended consequences.

I speak to lots of kids, and when they find out what I do, all of their concern and attention shifts to “Wow, how much money does [that celebrity] make?” or “What kind of car do they drive?” or “I bet [that celebrity] has a HUGE crib, right?” Now, all of those things are valid questions, especially given that TV has conditioned us to be enamored with the “lifestyles of the rich and famous.” But, focusing on the lives of prominent athletes and entertainers can give our kids an incomplete perception of what success really looks like.  Even worse, it may lead them to believe that if they can’t rap, act, sing, dance, or shoot a basketball, then they may not be able to live the type of life that they desperately want to live.

I mean, these kids can’t really think that “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta”, “UnReal Housewives of Blah Blah Blah” or “Kim and Kourtney Take Acting Lessons” really tells the entire story…do they???

That’s when I had my epiphany.  I realized that as a financial advisor, I have also come into contact with, and have as clients, a plethora of doctors, lawyers, accountants, architects, business people and entrepreneurs that are living fabulous lives.  In fact, many of these individuals live lives that are far more enriching than a number of these celebrities, because of the fact that, due to their inability to manage their money, the average celebrity’s “high life” is short lived.  However, the stories of these wildly successful “non-celebrities” has largely gone untold…until now.

Enter “The Best Kept Secret.”  I’ve developed this online show to expose viewers to individuals that have become very successful in fields other than sports and entertainment.  And I mean REAL success.  Not the sort of “I’m on a reality show, so I will make it look like I’m rich, but my home is getting foreclosed on next week” type of (fake) success.  In the coming months, I’ll introduce you to and tell the stories of people that look like you, sound like you, came from where you came from and found a way to make it big.  I’ll also give you the blueprint so that you can do it to.

Check out the video above which sets the stage for why I decided to put this project together.  When you see the looks on the student’s faces, you’ll know why.  I’m also certain that you too, will enjoy learning how to get closer to living the life of your wildest dreams.

Because after all, why should rappers have all the fun?

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P.S.

Do you know someone that should be featured on “The Best Kept Secret?” Email me at rob@robwilson.tv!

Special shoutout to @Emmai_Alaquiva, PNC Bank, the Heinz Endowments and Urban Pathways Charter School for getting this project off the ground!!!

MoneyMonday – Reading is FUND-amental

3 Jun

Sure, you want to get a great tan this summer, but I’m sure you’d like your bank account to look better too!

Here are my suggested items you should read if you’re interested in spending your summer getting Healthy, Wealthy & Wise.

 

 Eat This, Not That – David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding

Your health might not be the first thing you think about when you decide to improve your finances, but trust me,you should.  60% of personal bankruptcies in the U.S. can be attributed to health problems i.e. huge medical bills or job loss due to illness.

The journey towards a healthier lifestyle starts in the kitchen.  Eat This, Not That, will help you swap unhealthy foods for more nourishing ones that will still satisfy your cravings.

You can’t cut everything out of your diet, but you can make better choices.

 

Lean In – Sheryl Sanderg

Sure, there’s been a lot of talk about important a book this might be for women who are trying to find their way to the top of their industry.  However, I believe that many of the principles in the book apply to men as well.

Much of the book Lean In is about channeling your ambition and leveraging your network and other tools to get to the place that you want to be in life.  That certainly isn’t gender specific advice.

Plus, since it’s been confirmed that women are now the primary breadwinner in 40% of American households, men would do well to read this book in order to be good, supportive partner to their wives.  This book helps put women’s unique challenges into focus, and offers ample advice on how to forge past them.

 

The 5 Love Languages – Gary D. Chapman

We’ve already talked about the #1 cause of bankruptcy…health issues. Do you know what #4 is?  Divorce.

Yes, 50% of marriages end in divorce, and there is an ample amount of attorneys waiting to siphon off your marital assets while you two argue over who gets to keep fluffy. Divorce can wreak havoc on a financial plan.

Enter The 5 Love LanguagesIf you’ve been having trouble communicating with your mate, this book might be a godsend. Not everyone expresses their affection in the same way, and this book will help you translate the love language your mate speaks.

Because it’s much better to get on the same page voluntarily, than be forced to get on the same page…as in your signatures on the divorce papers.

 

 

MoneyMonday – How To Freshen Up Your Finances

8 May

Now that the weather is getting warmer, you probably ready to spend time cleaning out the garage, painting and other typical spring cleaning activities.

But, don’t forget that you also have a financial house that deserves to be in order as well.

Here are a bunch of tips to help you spring clean your finances and feel more in control of your financial life.

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How Long Will You Wait to Start Saving?

3 May

Check out this article on retirement planning from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that I’m quoted in.

A few of my thoughts on what to do if you’ve waited to start seriously saving money for retirement.

Piggy Bank with savings message

By Tim Grant / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Many people have surrendered to the idea that they will “work until they drop,” especially if they haven’t saved enough money to retire. The problem with that strategy is that a high percentage of people who are retired today had to leave the workforce before they planned due to failing health, layoffs and family issues.
Government data show by age 70 most workers have been pushed out of jobs they may have wanted to keep. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2011 only 32.3 percent of men and 18.7 percent of women age 70 or older were still listed on employer payrolls.

Postponing retirement planning isn’t a wise idea, but it is common, says Jane Bryant Quinn, a bestselling author and columnist for AARP Bulletin.

Besides paying bills and putting children through school, “some people genuinely can’t save because their incomes are low, which means they will depend on Social Security when they retire,” she said.

“If you ask retirees what they would have done different, if they had a chance, they say ‘save more money.’ ”
Ms. Quinn, author of “Making the Most of Your Money,” said workers should look at their savings in terms of how much lifetime income it will produce when their working days are done.

“If you saved $100,000 and invested in a balanced stock and bond mutual fund, you can probably take $4,000 a year [4 percent] for 30 years,” she said. “Add that to Social Security and a pension, if you have one, and that’s your retirement income. If you saved $200,000, you can take $8,000 from the nest egg every year.”
Even if someone starts saving for retirement at a late age, it is still possible to accumulate a sizable nest egg, although it will require more heavy lifting.

Rob Wilson, vice president of South Side-based Blazer Capital Management, said a worker age 50 starting at zero can still retire at age 65 with $1 million — as long as he or she put away $3,100 a month with an annual appreciation rate of 7 percent each year.

“By waiting that long to get started, you put yourself behind the eight ball a little bit, but this is something that is achievable if you put your mind to it,” he said, adding that someone in that situation may need to work an extra job, do freelance work or start a side business to accumulate the extra savings.

“At some point, folks wake up and realize they will need to retire at some point and they really need to do something radical or dramatic to get ready for it,” Mr. Wilson said.

Check out the entire article here: http://www.robwilson.tv/retirement-happens

It’s Time We Had…The Money Talk

21 Apr

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CjXFEr6B8k&w=480&h=315]

moneytalk-1

Movers&Shakers – How this amazing Mompreneur raised $6 million for her babysitting startup

29 Mar

Some people have dismissed Sheryl Sandberg’s message because they think she is too “privileged” to push women to take control of their careers and their businesses.

So, I thought you would like to hear from someone just like you, that is absolutely crushing it in Silicon Valley.

Check out this episode of #Movers&Shakers where I interview Lynn Perkins, the CEO and founder of UrbanSitter about her $6 million capital raise, dealing with doubters, and being a woman in the Valley.

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MoneyMonday – How to Save More for Retirement

26 Mar

A new study states that 60% of Americans have less than $25,000 saved for retirement. Who can live on that?

Check out this week’s #MoneyMonday where I discuss the reasons we don’t save and tips you can use right now to jump start your retirement savings.

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MoneyMonday – Women, Wealth & Sheryl Sandberg

11 Mar

Women face a number of unique challenges when it comes to money, starting with issues in the workplace. Women still make 80 cents on the dollar compared to men, and on 4% of fortune 500 CEOs are women.

So what can women do about this? Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg shares a number of her thoughts in her new book “Lean In”

Check out this week’s #MoneyMonday for a few salient points from the book, and my 3 tips that women can implement TODAY to begin taking charge of their success and ultimately their wealth.

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MoneyMonday – The ’13 Benji Awards – The Stocks You Wish You Bought Last Year

26 Feb

Daniel Day Lewis may have won an Oscar for his role as Lincoln, but around here, we’re more concerned with the Benjamins, as in Franklin and the $100 bills with his face on them.

Here is my annual installment of the Benji awards. All of the stocks you wish you would have bought last year.

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MoneyMonday – How to Talk to Your Mate About Money

12 Feb

You’ll get a free pass on Valentine’s Day, but if you want to stay happy for the rest of the year, you’re going to have to be able to talk about money.

Here’s how to handle the three way relationship between you, your money, and your mate.

MoneyMonday – Use Your Network to Increase Your Net Worth

29 Jan

Although the job market is improving, there are 70-80% of available jobs that go unadvertised. Here’s how to create and use your network to find the job or business of your dreams.

Let me help you improve your financial life in 2013 by joining my Financial Personal Training program at http://www.financialpersonaltraining.com

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