I was a Financial Advisor working for a large firm in corporate America and knew that something was very wrong in our society. I worked with many families that were unable to retire at age 65 and up. I saw the brutal impact of student loan debt and how the epidemic was duplicating every generation. The world is quickly changing.
Very few of my co-workers or clients were black. Of the few African American employees we did have, they always found a way to push them out the door. I saw favoritism and racism in the practices within the organization I worked for. I saw 20 year olds with no experience earn coveted, high-paying promotions as management continually passed over top performers in our practice, giving them no recognition.
Although we had a fiduciary duty to do what's best for the client, when it came down to saving a client money on a recommendation versus putting them into an investment that would make a ton of money for the firm, the bosses always pressured you to make the company the most money. That's how they hit their numbers. That's how they kept their positions and satisfied the shareholders. That's how they kept their fancy cars, nice houses, and bought their expensive suits.
I joined the industry because I wanted to help people and I knew I was much more than a mutual fund seller, an annuity peddler, or an insurance salesman. I wanted to make a real difference and at the end of the day, I wasn't really helping people. Not REALLY helping people. I was simply a pawn in place to sell financial products, helping make one of the most overpaid CEO's on Wall Street even richer.
I got busy and started writing a couple books that would really benefit and impact people. The first: “Financial Empowerment.”
This book is based on my life's work and will help anyone become confident and knowledgeable with their personal finances.
The second book, I partnered with a colleague, an economist and financial educator. For years he’s worked on Empire, the TV series. He currently works with his fiancé, an ex-CPA from Morgan Stanley. Our upcoming title is called: “100 Questions Black People Should Ask Themselves - A Candid Conversation.” This book is going to drive real, much needed, conversations within the black community. My goal is to shift mindsets and elevate the collective consciousness.
I left the firm at the end of 2018 and became a full time entrepreneur. What truly led my mission was to help work toward fixing social injustices in America. It was a bigger issue than workplace discrimination. I could no longer hope that someone else was going to do something to make things better for people that look like me. Thoughts and prayers only go so far.
Almost every day, we see another unarmed black person killed by police. 1 in 3 black males will go to prison in their lifetime. Black households have 10 times less net worth than white households and the gap is growing. By 2053, the average net worth of black Americans is projected to be $0. The black community needs to save itself because no one from the outside is coming. Until we value ourselves, society will not value us.
I'm here to teach people the fundamentals of finance, saving money, entrepreneurship, building your credit, making good investments, how to protect your assets, creating passive and residual income, lowering taxes, and we must teach others to do the same.
I'm building Wealth Legion and I'm asking you to care enough about seeing people lifted from poverty and lack of resources so you will join us.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be the leader in financial education and personal development for communities of color.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to build the next generation of leaders and accelerate economic growth in communities of color.
Our Promise
Our promise is to deliver a solution to the issue of income inequality, by providing clear steps of how to take personal responsibility and control your financial future.
*Wealth Legion is 100% inclusive and is specifically geared toward beginners in personal finance. We have supporters, partners, readers, donors, subscribers and fans of diverse colors, races, ethnicities.