I’ll never forget when my father came home from work and my parents sat us down to tell us that he had been laid off. I think I was around 8 years old. From the time I was born, and long before that, he worked at the big building downtown, and was supposed to be a “career man.” They had paid for his bachelor’s in accounting from a prestigious university, and now…had laid him off.
This was a spiral of events that would eventually lead to my ultimate path—someone who is committed to helping people succeed in business and in personal life, so that they can learn to pivot through setbacks.
Eventually, my father pivoted to a new career, as a consultant where he and his business partner consulted with banks and insurance firms in the area. In addition to this, he got his real estate license and began to sell real estate, also working as a freelancer for a local real estate agency.
It was here that I can really pinpoint where my entrepreneurial spirit came from…watching my father pivot when faced with a setback, and for future work, he learned from his layoff always making sure that there was a diversification of income streams.
This is something we can learn from today.
We are living through some epic times—and it all happened in one year. We are dealing with a pandemic, systemic racism, and political unrest and division within America and around the world. The markets and economy are on a rollercoaster ride. Millions around the world are out of work.
So what does this all mean for us? At this moment in time?
What I am about to say may shock you, but I strongly believe this is the perfect time to diversify your income stream and get yourself on the path toward financial flexibility.
More and more, companies are laying people off and slashing retirement funds. The world is changing, and it is no longer a world where staking your career in one organization for income, healthcare, and retirement is a secure option. It is possible to set up these systems for yourself—to become financially flexible, so that you become your own boss, with the freedom to work, or not to work if you choose. To work in a job that brings you joy and happiness without worrying about income.
I hope that this blog will be able to help you on your journey. I’ve been the founder of successful businesses, serving in leadership roles in the for-profit and non-profit sectors for the past decade. I’ve also made my own share of financial mistakes along the way, that I will share in the hopes that you do not make them as well.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have not completely reached my own goal yet for financial flexibility, but I am farther than I was yesterday, and I hope that I can share what I learn along the way.
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