We're All Essential

It wasn't until we knew they were essential until we had to sit up and take notice.  As we brave through a worldwide pandemic that has taken the lives of thousands and growing it's time we get real and start talking about the state of the world at this time.

It was less than 90 days ago when those in the service sectors of our world were just seen as people who had jobs that were needed, plentiful and would be there because people relied on them.  We never knew that whole industries would be shut down for a period of time while others were losing people because they simply didn't have the answers that would keep people alive.

At the time of this writing we're still in the thick of things. The only thing that has changed is how much the mainstream media is allowed to tell us.  By far, we never thought that life would come to a near halt and that cities such as Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin and others would see so few people in them going to work; eating out and going about life.  Now we know...just like that a deadly virus would be unleashed on the world and we'd be relegated to curfews, mandatory face masks, temperature taking and just plain staying indoors to take matters in our own hands.  To know that the deadliest place you could go was/is a hospital and the places of worship would be off limits.

To date, we are learning who are the essential people who make life sustainable; who make the world go around and who in their own way KEEP THINGS RUNNING for those who often take it for granted.  The Restaurant Worker, The Nurse, The Doctor, The Security Guard, those in the Fire and Police Departments are all the people who we overlooked, but now see how vital they are to our communities.

I am proud to say that yes! The teachers and parents are having to figure it out so that the children are still taught and the Pastors, Imams and Ministers have had to find creative ways to connect with their congregations.  All in all we've had a total shift in our thinking and our way of life.  One where a hug could be deadly and to breathe the same air as others could have you gasping to clear your lungs.  What an awful time we're living in and as it looks we'll be living in it for a long time.

So where does that leave us now?  I'll tell you....it leaves us having to think of more ways to sustain life as we know it while also keeping ourselves safely tucked away in our homes.  It leaves us also wondering as a food shortage is looming and natural disasters are hitting that the global impact is still on it's way.  Though painful to see and to know what's coming it's in our best interest to stay as connected as possible and to also take heed to the warnings.

Lastly, we must LISTEN TO SOUND JUDGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN THIS HOUR IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE, GENDER, COLOR, RELIGION OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.  We are in it TOGETHER!

We’re NOT Looking For Independence

As time moves on and our dollars shrink; it’s as though the entire world, especially those in “The Greatest Country On Earth”(sounds like a Barnum & Bailey slogan)are reaching new economic lows like never before.

The winds of financial change are happening as we speak and for the most part there are those who have been driven by fear to give in to this most critical time.  So, let’s begin…

Do you remember that horrible year when our 44^th President came in to office and the country was in dire straits?

Do you remember that there were companies(those that we thought were solid)that went out of business(BEAR STEARNS)and those that were quoted as, “TOO BIG TO FAIL”.

Ok, well how about the all too familiar Real Estate Crash/The Sub-prime Loan Market that went belly up as well as the lay-off’s, homelessness and people just unable to see themselves coming through. 

Well, we did and as we approach year 10 and counting it seems that we have even more financial repair to continue doing.  You see, when the greater part of the population, the working “poor” and shrinking middle class were nearly wiped out it left America hanging in the balance.  Many of those who once kept the country moving either by being in business for themselves or those who were contributing their highest tax bracket money in to a system that no longer circulated in the economy like it once did….when the light of day seemed nearly out and that it was pure economic darkness in came industries that are now making it possible for those used to having a decent lifestyle, to now grow even faster….TOGETHER!

Now, I am not going to name any companies here, but I am going to explain the new economic paradigm shift that is opening doors for the nearly extinct Middle Class.  There were those like myself who were in massive debt: facing the daunting task of going to work & not knowing if I’d still have a job when I came back the next day, still at home with mom, car payment, student loan payment and the list goes on. It was during this time that we had to dig our heels in a little more and push harder through this time and guess what? WE MADE IT!  We made it to see that this shift was taking place.  One where the working person now could see from the same vantage point as the wealthy.  The places that seemed non-existent were now opening and revealing themselves to us because just getting by was not what it used to be. People began to shift because the economy had shifted nearly overnight and the wonderful thing that was happening was that anyone who had time could grab ahold of the opportunity.

Now, many of these concepts and strategies were not new.  It was that they were new to us who were functioning in jobs that were downsizing.  The near death of the employment system was birthing new entrepreneurs in the process.

The concept was nothing new, but it meant something to those of us who had gotten used to not having a network; who were living pay check to pay check and certainly it was new to those of us who had never been in business, but who needed a way out.  A way out of this terrible time.  We were all at a crossroad. FINANCIALLY.

The new rule was about creating a network of people who do business together consistently, if not, exclusively.  We began to see the power of networking. The power of creating spaces for ourselves that would continuously help us in good and not so good times, but more importantly it made us look at each other differently.  Not just neighbors, friends and relatives, but true business men and women who were destined to make a lot of money together and who would also know that LONGEVITY is the goal.

Well, here we are, almost 10 years understanding and functioning within this new paradigm and it is daunting yet still doable.  The battle is to try and separate ourselves from the fear of owning a business to actually moving in a direction TOGETHER achieving that goal for the good of the network and our personal growth.  Financially we are making strides like never before and the manifestation of it all are the discussions going on daily about the economic rebirth and strength that communities of color are rallying  each other to move forward on.  While there is yet still more work to be done….WE ARE MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO SEE THE LIGHT & LIFE taking place as we speak.

Until next time……Let’s make it happen!

HOW DO YOU INTEND ON GETTING AHEAD?

Education Never Stops

When the opportunity arose for me to open a business I thought of every dollar that I'd SPEND! I thought of all the many lives I'd touch and the cities, countries and great states I'd touch ground in and just CHANGE THE WORLD! Little did I know there is this one thing called, PREPARATION.

See, for many of us, going to school, getting a job, saving a few dollars, eventually come up with a great idea for a business and then getting a loan to open that business is a noble path.  However, how many of us actually get on that path and continue the process?  We're so unprepared in this system of education that it takes a hefty heart, a willing mind and some really keen focusing along with a tight network to really get us going.  Now, I propose that we take the best road forward despite all the obstacles.

A NEW EDUCATION is needed because there are so many pitfalls that often happen not only outside of ourselves, but also from within.  With all the systems, networks, businesses and platforms are numerous, but just how to use them often is where people get stuck and eventually quit.  But, what if we understood how this all works.  Yes, the money would be great to have, but without the map on how to access the wealth we are no closer to it than the dream of having it.

I propose that there is a different kind of EDUCATION that's needed.  One that takes the blind person who wants to start a business to a definitive road map that brings the success closer and closer to themselves that gives the light they desperately need.  There's no such thing as MAKING AMERICA GREAT without helping those who are the true backbone and foundation of this nation becoming secure. FINANCIALLY SECURE.  Make no mistake, we are living in the most dangerous and greatest times in the history of America and the world.  We have the awesome responsibility to either lead or follow, but most of all we have the door that is open for opportunity.  Therefore, what we do today WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR YEARS TO COME!

We're making the change through education....THE RIGHT KIND OF EDUCATION vs falling to the naysayers who accept that things will change eventually without our input.  LET'S BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE!

When Will It All Make Sense? Your Finances & You In The Advent of A "NEW AMERICA"

*Insurance.
*Investments
*401K
*Student loans

When is the last time you took inventory of your money? When was the last time you questioned a financial professional who has an interest in your money how your account with them is doing? How often do you check your statements and literally understand what it reflects?

These are just some of the questions we often cover with people when they come to us about their financial needs.  There are many who already have an Advisor, but how many of those who have an Advisor are actually going to them with questions rather than just advice?  In fact, how will a person know what questions to ask if they honestly don't know what questions to ask?

We often will know what bills are due and the fact that we have to make many everyday financial decisions, but do we honestly believe that we are aware enough about our financial lives to control our financial destiny?  These and many other questions are what we look to tackle with every student who sits down with us who WANT TO TAKE CONTROL!  At this late stage in the financial game when our pensions, salaries, tax structures and overall financial lives have been under attack that we cannot waste anymore time trying to figure things out.  We have to include Financial Educators and Coaches to our Money Teams.  People who have the right tools, resources, energy, outlook and most of all HEART to help us cut through the bull and get to the winning side of a seemingly unsolvable problem.  People, people, we have answers, but for many, the answers seem like more work than the lesson is worth learning.  But ask yourself this question: If I Had A Proven Path To Follow That Would Get Me To My Overall Financial Goal/s, Would I Take A Look?

This is an age in which we have to look at our money problems from every angle with the meticulous eye of one who's going to take enough directed action to solve those problems.  Let's face it, alot of companies we either worked for in the past or that we currently work for can no longer afford to offer you options, it's now up to us to make our own decisions.  There was a time when you looked at both your salary and benefits package as a reason to take a position, but as time has moved forward we're being curtailed in gaining in both areas.  See? The problem is not the company, the problem is us giving them the control they no longer have shown they can handle.

Your job NO LONGER has the accountability, responsibility or acceptance enough to help you map out financial solutions to your everyday or retirement needs. Think about how they empowered financial companies that risked your 401k or other investment accounts.  Then we found out during the great financial crisis of 2007-2008 that many of our investment portfolios had been compromised and depleted by 40%-60%! Now, can any of us afford to let that happen again if in fact we're all getting older & the workforce is shrinking to a point where many of us reading this will not even have Social Security as a fall back to support us during retirement?

With the stroke of a pen the President of the United States of America Donald J Trump has changed and is changing life as we know it. Whether you like his politics or not UNDERSTAND that we all have to pay attention to what is happening and how his decisions could be the fatal financial decisions to affect more than 70% of the country for decades to come.  This is just a small step of things to come.  WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS we once thought were only to be made in voting booths or with those who could direct our financial lives for a few generations.

Ok, so now that we've received a wake up call in this post. IT'S TIME TO TAKE SOME ACTION! This is not a time to be afraid to look at your financial life in the face and meet it with open arms because you know you're going to WIN!  With that being said here is my personal phone number to get us started in the RIGHT DIRECTION: 201-503-5339'

Why You Owe It To Yourself To Retire The Debt You Thought You'd Never Get Over

Recently I was asked by a dear friend to help them come up with a strategy to get out of debt and to start saving to buy a new house.  My first answer was, "well, sure!" Then my heart sank to my feet because I was then thinking exactly what resources could I share with her that'd make her know that her troubles would some day be over, but that she'd have to work just as hard on following her plan as she did making the mistakes that led to her debt.

I really wanted to help her first clear her mind of the "I CAN'T DO IT" syndrome or the "OH NO, I HAVE TO SACRIFICE THAT?" question in order to achieve her result of getting out of the seemingly crazy debt.  Well, it wasn't too far for me to reach out and begin processing exactly what I wanted to reveal to her and that's when it hit me.

When people who are in what they believe MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF DEBT come forward to get help it's not just the help getting out that many need, but also how to boost their income so that they can work faster through the process of becoming debt free.  It takes a lot of courage to come up with a plan to become debt free and in order to make strides in accomplishing that financial success we also have to implement some financial strategies to into being.

There are countless debt solutions companies that are helping people obtain the freedom from debt that they need, but how many of them also will let you gain a referral fee for bringing others like you to them?  That's exactly what I'd like to encourage each of us to do as we're increasing our streams of personal revenue.

About three years ago I was approached by a mentor to join his company.  At the time, he was in search of Real Estate networking teams to help bring people out of foreclosure and into saving their home.  That, I can say, started me on a journey of honestly looking at who I do business with because I want to know that they want to do business with me too.

If you can locate programs, services, projects, etc that you do business with that will also buy from you, then you've definitely got a win-win situation.  The days of exchanging goods and services that others need in order to circulate money in the economy while building a customer base is becoming the norm. As more and more people search for ways to increase their income, they'll come looking for people like me because I'll have a network to tap into where they won't have to spend tons of money to be a part of while they can in turn profit in big ways.

DEBT is NO LAUGHING MATTER

Just thinking about being in debt for many people sends them into some type of sickness.  However, there are people everywhere making it their business to change how they deal with it to get over it and start moving on with LIFE!

STORY: It was 2006 and I needed a new car.  No credit cards, no extra cash, no one to borrow from and certainly in need of a car to do business as well as to get to work.  What was I going to do? A good friend took me to an Auto Mall and therein begins my first understanding of just how past debts unresolved can affect you over the length of your life in "credit world".  You see, many of us are in debt long before we know what debt really means and we work ourselves into a frenzy to get out of it, but many of us are saddled with it year after year.

Okay, so here I am….I've looked at the car that I want, but now is the moment of truth, "how much car can I afford?" or better yet, "how much interest am I going to have to pay for having such terrible credit?"  The second question is the one that is the all too important one.  With $500 in hand and a great  need, so went my next journey into a SIX YEAR relationship with CHASE BANK.  An otherwise affordable purchase ended up being one of the most expensive purchases to date.  The finance charges took me $10,000 deeper into debt and although I was able to pay that car loan off, it took a toll on my pockets.  So, I want to get at the heart of the matter for countless people who may be saying that they just don't have an answer to the debt they are in.

Here's what I was in search of:  After going through years of debt producing activities and having to live life too I was looking for answers or at least one specific answer.  It wasn't until I began to be honest with myself that this could be solved without me feeling that I was less than the people calling me for their money that I got serious.  I kept working at finding an answer.  I kept talking it up and praying about it, but more importantly I did not stop SEARCHING.

Well, in 2015 I received an answer that changed my life and one that I could share with others.  I began to learn about how networking with others to solve their debt could also open up an extra source of income too.  How could this be?  How could I help myself and others overcome something that completely marks my life in a negative way while at the same time keep my head up through the storm. As fate would have it a blessing opened up and now it has become a way to help YOU, the hardworking, average, everyday person who cannot seem to make ends meet or who is trying to get out of the debts that keep weighing you down.  This is our TIME to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR OURSELVES! Here is a serious plan with serious people who are making strides to REMOVE DEBT as a way of life so that you can go on accomplishing the dreams and desires you have.

Lastly, WE'RE HERE TO HELP! Don't suffer in silence when you can get an answer.  1) We look at you as an individual! 2) We are in this TOGETHER 3) We offer a FREE application process 4) We take care of the most essential part of getting you help which is a FREE assessment before you make a decision.  So, what are you waiting for? Other than to call our information line to at least hear how we look to help you: 641-715-3900 ext 835609 and just check it out for yourself…..Then let us know if we can be of assistance: 201-503-5339

2015! The Year of The New Business Explosion!

2015 is definitely a year worth remembering especially for those of us in the business world.  Independently speaking, new businesses popped up for Middle to Low Income families with the increase of Social Media and more Work From Home Programs.   Now, more than ever we're finding ways to make money aside from a traditional 9 to 5 setting and becoming increasingly more competent, confident as well as prosperous because we're understanding with independence comes FREEDOM!

More "middle income earners" are staking their claim to the millions made in being in their own businesses and as such we decided it was time to help re-direct our thinking as independent business owners to begin carving out how we're going to stay afloat; survive against the odds and more importantly GROW our businesses.

First off, gone are the days of having to spend thousands or millions of dollars to go into business and then struggling alone to make ends meet until you reach some sort of profit.  The prevailing thought these days are to spend less getting into business coupled with a lot of support, but more importantly network with others to share the responsibilities associated with growth so that we can be successful.  There are businesses with start-up capital as little as $25 and who provide training online to give you maximum help so not only the individual can succeed, but also the network that they create!  This has sot truly be the most revolutionary time to be in business.

We'd love to feature your new business on our blog! So, if your business start-up was started for $100 or less we're here to let others know about you!

Email Us: MSBIandAssociates@gmail.com