When did you realize that you wanted to devote your career to personal finance education?

Patrice Washington: To be honest, I realized it in the moment I found myself crying on my bathroom floor, trying to figure out what happened to all my money. I had gone from having a really successful real estate and mortgage brokerage to the point of scraping up change.

I felt like I had done everything the way you’re taught to — I went to school, got a great education, started a successful business, saved. I didn’t have a lot of credit card debt, but I was heavily mortgaged. When the real estate bubble burst, it put me out of business.

I was crying, and I felt this still, small voice tell me to reach for my Bible, and I found Proverbs 17:16, which to me said: What good is money in the hands of a fool if they have no desire to seek wisdom?

I was always chasing more money. There was not that wisdom piece to it.

In that moment, I thought, “Man … maybe this is what I should be sharing with people.” Even though I was broke, it inspired me to create a free site. I thought if I could help one person, that’s enough for me.

Samantha Ealy: Up until college, I didn’t have the best personal finance habits. I hit my lowest point my junior year. I was working, so I had money but I didn’t know how to prioritize needs versus wants. I had credit card debt, student loans, a brand-new car and unpaid medical bills. I was evicted from my apartment and spent a month living out of my car.

This was a huge wake-up call. I realized the importance of financial literacy and became completely obsessed with learning. As I began to learn, I saw friends struggling in the same way. There’s a lack of a conversation, and I wanted to be a leader in making that conversation happen.

Dasarte Yarnway: For me, it was twofold. My parents are from Liberia. When they came here, they didn’t have much. They worked hard and made a living, but still weren’t in the best financial position. You have to have that knowledge or financial coaching to help you achieve your goals.

Then, in 2015, my cousin [who was raised in the same household as a brother] passed away. I thought about my life and what would make it worth living?

Working at a big global bank was an accomplishment. But what made my life worth living was the fact that I was helping people research their financial goals and live their best life.

That’s when I decided to take that leap and [create my own] advisory company.

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