← Keep it Positive, Sweetie
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- [00:00]
A
Keep It Positive Sweetie is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search Keep It Positive Sweetie. That's sweetie with an ie to listen. Hello and welcome to this episode of Keep It Positive Sweetie. I'm Krystal Renee Hayslett and as you can tell, I am not at home. I am taking over Los Angeles, catching up with some of my favorite people straight from 13 Loon right here in Los Angeles. It is owned by Nikao Graco and 90% of the products sold here are BIPOC founded. Thank you so much, 13 loon. Today we have Ashley Fox. Ashley Fox, a Philadelphia native who possesses a competitive drive and an unwavering commitment to success. Her journey began at Howard University's School of Business where she secured internships annually including prestigious roles at Johnson and Johnson and leading Wall street investment. Graduating magna cum laude, Ashley achieved a significant milestone as the first college graduate in her family. She embarked on professional path at JPMorgan Chase, specializing in asset management within the private bank. There she skillfully managed assets for high net worth individuals. Driven by her passion for financial education, Ashley eventually departed from her lucrative Wall street career to empower others through financial literacy. Women with a particular focus on underserved populations.
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B
Hey guys.
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A
On this episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie, I have with me none other than Ashley Fox. Ashley, thank you so much for just stopping by.
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B
Thank you for having me. I'm excited.
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C
Yes.
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A
We're in LA and we both live in Atlanta, but since you flew, you was like, I'm coming. Yes, I appreciate that.
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C
Thank you. Yes.
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A
I'm excited to have you. And I have a foundation and one of the pillars is financial literacy. So when your team hit me and I was like, oh yeah, we definitely need to have her on because I know I can learn some things, but I also want to make sure that our community learns some things as well.
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B
Yes.
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A
So tell us a little bit about you.
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B
So born and raised in Philadelphia. Two parent household. Always wanted to. Well, I always liked math and I liked business. So I figured I'd major in finance. But I always wanted to work on Wall Street. I wanted to be a profound African American woman on Wall Street. And so I went to Howard University, four internships, graduated with honors. I did everything I could to be on Wall Street. Graduated. I'm landing my dream career working in one of the biggest banks in the world, managing money for individuals that had at least $25 million.
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C
Wow.
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B
So I saw everything.
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C
Yeah.
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B
I saw from where they were shopping, where they were traveling I was in their bank account. I saw everything. But when I would go home to Philly, people thought I was rich. And so I'm making six figures. I'm in my early 20s, but I felt like for something we're using every day in our life, why are we not taught about in our school system? We're not talking about at a dinner table. And you shouldn't have to major in finance or work on Wall street to really get exposed to this.
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C
Yeah.
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B
So about maybe nine months in, I realized I wanted to do something more. I didn't know what. So I stayed there for a while and realized that I deserve to be the client. And when I did the math, when I did the math, like if I stayed for 10 years, I would not have been on track to be like our clients. And one of the biggest things I learned was that wealthy people either invested in their own ideas or somebody else's idea idea. And so I felt like, why not teach this to the world? Let me become the translator that translate the Wall street knowledge for the everyday person. Did not know how, just knew why, and knew that I was going to be the woman to do it. So I left July 12, 2013 with no idea I had $30,000. I thought I was rich. I was never gonna get a job, I was never gonna wear a suit. Ended up getting kicked out my apartment, max out credit cards, negative bank accounts. I think we have this preconceived perception of just entrepreneurship. And I thought money came in every two weeks like it did at work. So. So I lost everything, moved back to Philly, and I created this word called empathy, which is the word empower and modify merge together. Because when I thought about what I wanted to give to the world, it wasn't about money. It was about shifting the mindsets and the hearts of people so that they feel like they deserve to be that Wall street client. So that's good.
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C
That's good.
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B
So yeah.
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C
So.
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B
But I made up the word empathy.
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A
I like that.
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B
Didn't make any money though. And so I was a financial advisor for a while, targeting low to moderate income people and really just fig it out. In 2016, I got unhappy again. By this time, I built a financial advisory business, moved out my parents house. But I was serving individuals and I wanted to serve the world. And when you're an advisor, you can only talk to so many people.
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C
Yeah.
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B
So I ended up letting go my financial advisory business and I started to teach in the school system for free because I felt like, you know, I'm Dealing with adults and adults, you can't change. They have to want to grow financially to want to change. But a child, I wanted to prevent them from making the same mistakes that they I did with money.
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C
Yes.
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B
So we teach in the school system. 2017 was the first year amplify made any money. So I made up the word years before. But in 2017, we made our first. We had our first contract with school district of Philadelphia. We were in 26 different public schools. So I'm traveling all over, teaching middle school students, high school students, how to invest the basics to financial literacy. And I think everything kind of took off from there. Now 2020 hit. So when 2020 hit, schools didn't know how to operate right. And the beauty of that is the market crash. And I was on Wal after the market crash. So in 2008, I was in college, so I watched the market tank, but I also saw on Wall street how people made money as a result of the 2008 crash. And so I said, I'm not missing a market crash because I know what comes from a crash. Eventually the market goes back up. So I brought the Internet on me with that journey and we launched what is known today as our wealth builders community app, which is the tech arm to what we do. So this allowed me to scale our education. And now we have thousands of people from all over the world, over 22 countries, and we're like the Netflix of financ. And so adults have access to financial tools and resources from investing, retirement planning, passing down your wealth, debt, all types of resources. And I'm essentially becoming the company that I used to work for, but for the everyday person. So I would say I always wanted to be a teacher, and I always liked math and business. And so I think getting into finance was something that I wanted, but I really wanted to be a teacher, and I really love psychology. And I think in order for emplify to really serve the audience that we serve, it's not just about teaching you how to buy a stock. It's helping you to understand you deserve the mindset.
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C
Yeah.
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B
And so I spend more time loving on the people that we serve, getting into their hearts and getting into their minds and show them, hey, it doesn't matter what you look like. Wealth doesn't have a color. Therefore it looks like all of us. Let me show you what you can do, how you can do it, and let me be by your side to get it done.
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A
I love that. Oh, my goodness. One thing that we always focus on here in the Kipps community is the journey and you, a lot of people. I actually said this in your bio, but you graduated Magnum cum laude from Howard University. But I said, yeah, Howard University. But then you said you got a job and then you lost your apartment, got kicked out in debt and everything. A lot of times people will look at you now and be like, she's had it all together all her life. What was that moment, like, where you had to go back home to Philadelphia?
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B
I think. All right, so this is pre therapy, Ashley.
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A
Let's talk about it.
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B
Yeah, so this is pre. Pre therapy.
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A
That's a difference.
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B
Was driven by her accolades, having the grades, having, like, I was an athlete. I had to be number one. I had to. I cried when I first got my first beat at Howard. So having the grades, got the prestigious job. Hi, I'm Ashley Fox. Like, you know, like, I was that girl. And I think when I lost everything, it was one of the best things that happened to me. One, it allowed me to connect with the audience that I served. And so I grew up in a middle class family. I was making more money than both my parents by the time I graduated from college. But I didn't struggle growing up. We were okay. Right. It wasn't until I lost everything that I could understand the doubt, the fear, the shame, the guilt that comes with how much we identify with things and how money is a mere, you know, identifier of who you are.
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A
It is, yeah.
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B
And so it broke me. But. But the one difference that I think kind of helped me together was that I was around billionaires every day. So my level of what was possible was what I saw.
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A
Exposure.
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B
Yeah. Like I was already traveled the world. I was making money, I was investing. What I saw a billionaire do, I did on a smaller scale. So you could not tell me I wasn't on track to become a billionaire.
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C
Exactly.
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B
I just had a hiccup in a row, you know, So I think the best thing also about is that because I lost everything. I had to figure out who Ashley was. Who was Ashley when she didn't work on Wall Street? Who was Ashley when she hadn'? No money, Negative bank accounts, memorizing bill collectors numbers and not answering the phone because I couldn't pay them, you know, so when. When you have that behind you, it forces you to come out. Come now, granted, nobody knew I was getting kicked out. So I tell people, I will always tell you my story after I get through it. Because if I don't have the answer to figure it out. To give you clarity, I can't help You. So while I was getting kicked out, nobody knew I was getting kicked out.
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A
Absolutely.
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B
But I think in that moment I cried a lot, I drank a lot of wine and I was just really broken on the inside. And so like I had them, you know, by this time, even as a financial advisor, I moved out my parents house, bought a bins, like got my own place. But I wasn't happy. And so I think Wall street took leaving Wall street, losing everything, removed the identifier that I'm something more than just my accolades and my resume. And I think as a financial advisor, I learned more about success. Was no longer identified either because I could, I had a whole mask on. Like I was, I mastered the art of not crying. I mastered the art of just being successful. And like I was always successful. I was all this is how I wired.
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C
Yeah.
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B
But being on Wall street took. Leaving Wall street and losing everything took a lot out of me. But also as a financial advisor because even when I left my financial advisory business to go teach kids, I lost 50% of my revenue. But I also was. I'm really focused. Like I've learned this about me. I follow my heart. So if it feels right, then I do it. I don't operate off of logic. Something inside of me, my higher self, God, however you want to describe it, I follow that process. And I think Wall street was chasing the money, chasing the accolades, and I left to do what felt right. I had no idea how, but I knew it was going to work out. So it was a rough time. But I now don't hide behind that pain. I kind of share that story.
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A
I love that. And I feel that when we do share those stories once, like you say, once we made it through and we have the answers to help other people make it through those same situations, it shows people that they're not alone, you know, because a lot of people feel like failures and they feel like nobody else goes through that, you know, because people don't talk about it, you know. So I love when people can be transparent about their shortcomings, you know, in life. You talked about your childhood and one thing that I saw and I think is super dynamic about you is that you are a first generation college graduate in your family. Do you feel like that had a lot to do with your drive and how competitive you were growing up?
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B
So yeah, I think it's a culmination. I think I've been. I started therapy in 2017. So like I have two executive coaches, a therapist, a spiritual advisor. I spend a lot of money on the development of Ashley, I think it's a combination. So being a first person, even that the desire to go to college, be the best. I think my father was very rough. And so as a girl, I yearned for love. I yearned for. I'm proud of you. My dad was rough, so he was a provider. And so I think the success in me then, not now, and the desire to overachieve was to be seen. And so you have the pressure of being. I'm also the oldest of three, so I'm being the firstborn. But I want to see. I want to do exactly what my father did. I want to be successful. Not necessarily what he did because he worked in law enforcement, but I wanted to be successful. I wanted to work hard. I wanted. My dad at that time was the richest person I knew up until Wall Street. I wanted to be like my dad, you know, Like, I wanted to be successful. So I think it's a culmination of traumas of, you know, wanting to be heard, wanting to be loved, wanting to be seen. And also the pressure that comes with being the oldest, being that person in your family. But I think more of it came from just being an overachiever, wanting to know, hey, you know, hey, world, I'm here. Can you love me?
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C
Yeah.
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B
And just doing, I think. And I learned that through therapy. And so now I don't operate with that. I still have pieces of that in me, but it doesn't lead my decision making anymore like it did before.
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A
That's so good.
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C
That's so good.
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A
You talked about how your father was rough and you just wanted to be seen and loved. Did that translate in your romantic relationship as well? Absolutely, girl. Because, you know, girls, we deal with it. I know for me, even like starting therapy, I was like, oh, my goodness, no wonder I'm not in a relationship. You know, when you start to unpack all these things, how did that affect your life?
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B
Okay, so all of my. So one up until I would say I'm 35 now, up in all of my 20s, I never put myself in a relationship. There was always somebody close to me, but I never let you close to me. And for me, I just was okay with that, you know, Like, I always. I used to have these feelings of like, I'm gonna just be the successful rich girl.
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A
And I'm like, I'm be like Oprah and send me a statement. I'm be fine.
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B
I didn't even think I'm gonna have a Steadman. I was, I was just going to be successful. And someone was going to be there because someone was always in my life. Like, even if I love that person, they were always there. And so. Okay. So as I started to go to therapy in 2017, a lot of stuff started to come up. Yeah, a lot of. And so a lot of anger towards my parents, experiences. I started to remember things. And at towards the end of my twenties, I noticed that every, I guess, relationship you want to call it ended with the same feeling.
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A
Wow.
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B
That I would have with my father. That I'm not loved, I'm not seen. You're emotionless. But I also realized that they were a mirror of me. I was emotionless. I wouldn't let you in. I. You know, like, so once that happened, it was like, I don't want to live my 30s like this because it's not them, it's me. And all the guys were just like my dad. All of them, all of them. And so I noticed the pattern, and it was like, I don't want to live my 30s like this. Because I realized I didn't let you love me because I didn't love myself. I didn't think I was worthy of love. So I pushed you away. I'd rather push you away than you come close and don't love what you see.
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C
We do that.
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B
So 30 hit traveled to. Traveled the South America for 30 days for my 30th birthday.
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A
Really?
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B
I traveled for the first time by myself. But once I noticed the pattern, it was like, okay, I need to focus on loving me. I would do things like go out every Friday or all throughout the weekend because I didn't want to be alone. I just would go out. And so I learned how much I did not love Ashley. And so it was like, okay, this is. But I'm seeing how I'm creating this in my life. I don't love Ashley. Therefore, it always ends as if you don't love Ashley or I'll push you away. And I said, I don't want that. So I kind of just went on this, let's love Ashley. What does Ashley like? What does Ashley want? Who is Ashley? I started to write to my inner child. I was meditating, doing my sessions, my spiritual advisor, every single week. I was still going to therapy. And I learned how to figure out, well, who do you want? You know, like, who do you want to be and who do you want in a relationship? So, boom, I would say, I don't remember when it was, but a little after that year and a half, it was like, I just want to love On Ashley, I got into a relationship. I felt the discomfort of love because at the time, this person was. Loved me, like, and it was someone I knew for a while. But here's the thing. I got into this relationship and this person was everything my dad wasn't. So I realized how I created. Because I used to have this, like, saying in the mirror of, like the type of guy that I want. Like, I am a partner to a man. I would just say all the things that I wanted of all, you know, from my experience.
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C
Yes.
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B
And that relationship ended up not working out. But I realized all the things I loved about my dad, all the things my father could not be, and all the things that he was. And it's like, okay, how do I. I want that.
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C
Yes.
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B
But I saw how I got the last relationship because I was only in a couple of years relationships in my whole life. And I saw how I got that relationship. It's like, okay, let me rephrase what I'm saying to myself in the mirror to get the guy that, you know, it's a balance between the emotional piece, but also the firm and the protective piece. And then that's how I kind of got connected to. Well, I won't say I put myself in a space to align with the partner I have now. And so I think. But I think the partners that I had in my life throughout the duration of my life loved me, how I loved me. Like, they treated me, how I treated me. And so when I got really good at loving Ashley, it was an expectation that you need to love her. Yeah. Like, but I can see how I wasn't always like that. So I think I. I think just period. Just knowing who you are in the root of what has created who you are and the experiences you've had, you then can have the power to write your story now. I unlearned a lot to then relearn, but now it's not my parents story, it's not successful society story. It's Ashley's story.
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A
It's Ashley's story. It's so beautiful.
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B
And I'm able to write that. And to this day, I'm still writing my story. Because catching things in business and just even in relationships, it's like things will pop up. It's like, okay, Ashley, you're safe. I love you. It's okay. He loves you. It's okay. You know, So I got really gentle with Ashley over the years.
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A
I love that because I feel like as successful women, it's one. It's hard to find love and Then when we don't love ourselves, it is like, you put this guard up, and then until you realize, wait a minute, it's me. And when I started therapy, I was like, oh, it's you, girl. We need to fix all of this, and you'll see a change. And I remember I started praying, like, God, I want somebody to share this life with. Like, I'm ready. And then God would send me somebody. I'm like, lord, this ain't what I asked for. And I was like, maybe I need to be more specific, because you gave me someone that was kind and someone that was gentle. But I need to add to this list.
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B
Cause some other things you learn more about you. And I also think, too, everybody comes for a reason in your life, you know, Like, I learned that the previous relationship, it let me know that I'm damn good at being in a relationship for somebody who wasn't in one for years. I'm good enough to love me and you, but it's hard to be in a relationship with somebody when they don't love themselves. But I also learned a lot just from the experiences it didn't. You know, regardless of how it ended up, I learned a lot. And I realized, like, it prepared me for this next version of Ashley. Because that relationship could not have worked with the version of Ashley I am today. But it did serve that version of Ashley then. So I'm appreciative of every relationship, every experience, every person in my life. Because I always ask myself, you know, why is this happening? You know, what is this supposed to teach me? I don't always catch it in that moment, but when I dig a little deeper, like, hey, my external world is a reflection of what's going on the inside. If I dig deep on the inside, it'll explain what's going on outside. If I want to change the outside, then I got to change the inside. And so I think I started to hold up a mirror a little bit more. It was never, hey, you're a bad person. How can I be better for Ashley? And what does Ashley deserve? And I think I didn't always know what I deserved. I didn't always know what I wanted. I could tell you what I didn't want, but why put out what you don't want? Let's talk about what you do want, what you do deserve. And so I think I started to treat myself a little bit different. And I treated myself as if little Ashley, like, little Ashley, what do you need? You know, like, let me, before I go, ask a guy to Be there for me. Let me take care of you. Let me support you. Let me hug you. Let me love you. And now in a relationship. And that's exactly how my partner treats me. Exactly. And I didn't have to teach him that this is how he's wired. And I think. But it took some growing within me to get there.
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A
That's amazing. I love that. You also talked about how at the dinner table we don't talk about. Get back on the financial literacy part. We don't talk in our homes about finances, and we literally have to get out our own and fall in our face. That was my truth. You know, my father was. Both my parents worked very hard, both college educated, and they taught me, if you don't have it, you don't need it. So, like, I didn't even get a credit card until I was in my 30s. Like, I didn't know the importance of building credit. 30s, yeah.
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B
I guess that's a good thing. Some people get it too soon.
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C
Yeah.
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A
See, like in college, like, do not get. You don't want no credit card debt. So they like, that was embedded in my head at a very young age. But then when I moved to D.C. out of college, I didn't have. It was just, if I don't have it, don't spend it. But then also I didn't have any money management skills. So I was still trying to live like my mom and dad could, how I could live under their roof, but not thinking this is a 2 right to income household. And I'm trying to live off the way they live in Washington D.C. and we know how D.C. is. So I soon found out, girl, you're living way above your means. But what are some tools that you can give to our black families that they can have conversations with their kids? Because you have empathy where you're in schools and you're teaching children about financial literacy. But also a lot of this starts at home. What are some conversations that they can kick start at the dinner table or just in normal conversation with their kids?
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B
I think as an adult, the first thing you have to understand is who you are, what you do and what you say. Your child carries that. So how many times have we told ourselves we can't afford that? Chances are you probably heard that a lot growing up. So I think it's separating how you feel about money and saying, with my child, especially if they're young, I can create a new narrative now because I learned so much through my mistakes, I can become the person that I wish I had as A child growing up. So first thing I think we need to do regardless, like, I have a niece. I'm not a mommy. I have a niece. The moment she got a Social Security number, I open her a brokerage account. And that's the account you use to start investing in the stock market. Granted, I worked on Wall Street. I saw how their kids. Kids. Kids were set up in my mind. No generation after Ashley Fox and this Fox family is going to have to take out student loans. It's going to get kicked out of their apartment to start their business. They're going to live off of a credit card to trying to figure out how to build her business. So I thought about all the mistakes that I made for Ashley. And what I wish my parents knew because they did phenomenal. They did what they could. But what if I could be that parent for Ashley now? What if I can do that for, you know, my niece now? So one, getting a brokerage account. Because even if you're setting aside $10 a month, think about the moment you were born.
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C
Yes.
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B
If somebody set aside $10 a month and invested it, what it could have been by the time you went to college or when you got your first car, when you went on promotion or when you got your first house. Like, we. We train ourselves to think because we've made so many mistakes. We talk ourselves out our own greatness. And we think that starting small is something that's embarrassing. I always tell people, be more embarrassed that you didn't start at all.
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A
Come on.
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B
Oh, that's good. Really thinking about what can I start with? Because you can't. You can't build a mansion unless you lay the first brick. Yeah, let's lay the first brick and keep building. Because in the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years, life will be totally different if you started today. So I think it's stop talking ourselves out of what we could not do or did not do. And let's talk about what we can do. Can you invest with $5? You can open accounts of Fidelity or Charles Schwab and buy pieces of stocks. Now, you can buy a stock for $10. $10 your way to your next million. But you gotta believe you can get to that next million. And I think that's where we doubt ourselves because of past experiences versus let's let go of that story. Let's let go of who you used to be. Let's talk about who you're going to become. You have that pen. You have that paper. What is that next chapter of your financial life, of your child's financial life and do it with your child. That's the other thing I would say, too. You have the parents who. Who don't invest at all. The parents who set money or invest for their kids, but then you had the parent who does it with their kids. What if we're having a conversation about stocks together? What if I'm showing you how to invest and we're doing it together? What if you're taking a portion of the money that your child gets for their birthday, for Christmas, for whenever, and saying, hey, you can spend some, we're going to save some. You might give some away, you know, foundational or tithe.
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C
Yeah.
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B
And also invest. We don't want you to have to financially struggle because, you know, mommy and daddy did. Or in this case, Titi, as my niece, you don't have to go through. You don't have to go through what I went through. Let me do what I wanted someone to do for me now and for me. Granted. Again, I worked on Wall street, so I saw what wealthy people do, and I think that's why Amplify was created. Let me take. You don't have to be on Wall street to get exposed to what I saw. You have Ashley, you have emplify. And let me take that and translate it in a language. Because they started with 100 million, I started with a hundred dollars. And over the years, I've built my portfolio. I was able to start my company, amplify that 30,000 I had when I quit. It wasn't in the savings account, it was in my investments. I had to sell my investments to make sure I survived. Years later, I lived in Paris off of my stocks. I had a whole Eat Pray, Love trip, but my stocks got me through my trip. As I figured life out, so and so it's really about letting these companies work for you because they're making money because you exist.
- [25:21]
C
Yes.
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B
So challenging your thought process to say, okay, I made mistakes, but I can do this. Ashley said I could do this. Everfile said I can do this, and she's doing it with me. And I'm not embarrassed to start small because I know if I keep focus and I keep going, I can put anything, do anything I put my mind to.
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A
That is incredible. My brain is already working on ways that my foundation and empathy can collaborate.
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C
Yes. Let's do it. Because. Yes.
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A
No, I'm like, oh, this okay. Because even I would. I would love to get a consultation with you and just like, talk off books about some things and pay you, you know, What I'm saying pay people. Supposed to be like, you, my friend, so, man, it's gonna cost you. But now that's incredible. I feel like in our. In our community, especially because I'm from a very small town, and in our community, we are not taught anything about any type of money management or. I know we used to have. What do they call it? It was some type of commerce class where we learned about taxes and welfare.
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B
I mean, that's better than nothing. But we're not taught how to grow, protect and preserve our wealth.
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A
I didn't learn that until I started making real money. Then I was hiring people and they're like, well, this is where you should be putting your money. I didn't know about a SEP ira.
- [26:34]
B
Yeah, but you, you have no reason to. Because if you think about how the school system is designed and it's not, it works exactly how the system was supposed to work. I just think now we live in a different day and age. We have to let go of who we used to be in this new world. Like, I mean, you can make money on the Internet now. There's so many ways, but it's so much. Again, shame, lack of belief, doubt, fear and worry. And I understand it's all justified. But if that's all we're focusing on, we're going to get the exact same thing we've always gotten. So we have to change the story, change our actions, change our thought process to create a different outcome. And that is more internal than taking a stop class.
- [27:13]
A
No, for sure, for sure. I want to talk about empathy and how people can get like, is it an app or is it. So how do people get onto it? Because I know this can be a worldwide thing. If it's on their phone, tell people how they can get on it and what they can learn and tap in with you.
- [27:29]
B
So I would first go to Amplify.com EMP if Y.com there's free resources that we have free classes helping you learn how to build passive income in the stock market, how you can start investing with real estate with small amounts of money. And we have a ton of more resources coming out. But when it comes to getting on our platform, one, I always tell people, you don't want to come on this platform if you don't want to work. I value my graduation rates. I don't want you to come and quit on yourself. Because if I look at empathy as the Harvard of finance, what makes Harvard Harvard is not because they find great people. What makes Harvard Harvard is that they don't let great people fail.
- [28:04]
A
Wow.
- [28:05]
B
So. And inside of our app, we have a no member left behind policy. You can't quit on Ashley, because I know you don't. You can't get this anywhere else. You can't walk to a bank and say, hey, I want to learn how to buy my first stock. I only have $10. That's not how it works. Right. So our Wealth Builders community app, you can download it in the App Store. It has a monthly or annual subscription, but it's literally like the Netflix of finance. So you come in, you don't have a brokerage account, probably to take stocks 101, or take our passive income boot camp. Some people are over the age of 50. They're thinking about retiring. Some people are parents. Parent investing boot camp. So there's a lot of different programs in schools. So when you look at it like a university where you can matriculate through education. But we have, like, our book club. We have an annual conference coming up. Like, there's so many things in a community, like safe environment, because where do you go to talk about starting school small?
- [28:51]
A
Right.
- [28:51]
B
Where everyone's celebrating you.
- [28:53]
C
Yes.
- [28:53]
B
And nobody's. Nobody's doubting you. You're not trying to convince someone to invest inside the app. We're all investors.
- [28:59]
C
Yes.
- [28:59]
B
So it's really getting us into a space where it is okay to start small. Literally. Literally. Last year, we invested close to $3 million collectively as a unit. Just our members alone. These are people that never had investment accounts, people making 40, $50,000 a year. Working professionals, entrepreneurs. And I want to get to a million dollars in a day. What does it look like if our community. We have a platform of 90% of our members are African American. What does it look like? We have a group of African Americans from all over the world coming together. And in a day, we invest a million dollars collectively in your portfolio. What? You decide what works for you, doing your research, and we do it together. So we're becoming the Harvard of finance. That is the middleman between everyday person and Wall street. Because it's not that Wall street is bad. They have the financial accounts, the resources that we need. But can they speak our language Right? And. And do they have to? The banking system does not have to survive if. If all of our community doesn't invest.
- [29:54]
C
Yeah.
- [29:55]
B
They just need you to bank and take out debt.
- [29:56]
C
Yeah.
- [29:57]
B
That's what keeps this country going.
- [29:58]
C
Yeah.
- [29:58]
B
But what if we can become the client I used to serve? What if we had a place where you shouldn't have to have $25 million to know how to grow your money to know how to properly pass it down so that we don't have GoFundMe accounts to take care of our families. Yeah. Like, it's like, why do we have to start over every generation? Because we weren't educated. And I think it's us saying, it stops with me. Like, it stops for me and it starts with me. It's not easy. Nobody around you is going to be doing it. Until Amplify gets way bigger and we reach billions of people. The world is just starting to adapt to financial literacy. You have phenomenal companies and people talking about, especially in our community. But when I left in 2013, there was no real Instagram. Nobody was talking about it. So I think the world is ready to learn financial education and empathy is a company to help you do it. So you can go to wealthbuilderscommunity.com, see all the programs we have in our app. You can go to emplify.com. there's a lot of stuff that we do, events that we have all over the country and members and all over. All over the world, learning how to start with what they have to achieve, what their financial freedom looks like, what their financial success looks like for themselves and their family.
- [31:04]
A
I love that. Ashley, that is amazing. I'm proud of you.
- [31:07]
B
Thank you.
- [31:08]
A
From where you started to everything that you've achieved, and then to having the wherewithal and taking a leap of faith to start your own business is incredible because I know entrepreneurship is not easy.
- [31:18]
C
Yeah.
- [31:19]
A
So I commend you for that.
- [31:21]
B
Thank you.
- [31:22]
A
Seriously, thank you so much.
- [31:23]
B
Thank you.
- [31:24]
A
Thank you for taking the time to sit down with us. I know that this is something that is near and dear to my heart and I really want to spread knowledge in any way that I can, especially in this financial literacy area.
- [31:34]
B
Yes.
- [31:34]
A
So I'm super excited for this episode and I hope that you've already helped me. You got my. My wheel's turning, girl. So I'm excited for sure. Before we get out of here, if you got a second, we do this thing called positive outcomes where our listeners write in and we give them advice.
- [31:51]
B
Okay.
- [31:52]
C
All right.
- [31:53]
A
So this one says, hi, Crystal. I hope all is well. Thank you for the kids platform. Your episodes have impacted my life in so many positive ways. I'm a 30 year old teacher with a 6 year old child and a fiance who has 32 jobs. We do not overspend, nor do we live a lavish lifestyle. Yet we can't seem to get it right with our finances. It has been bothering me for the longest time, and I really feel like I don't know how to start saving. Whenever I set some money aside, there's always an issue that comes with me dipping into that fund. Can you please shed some light on this area as I desperately need it? Thank you. This is definitely a question for you.
- [32:29]
B
Okay, so first thing, if you keep dipping into your savings, chances are it's too close to your checking account. That's it.
- [32:35]
A
I'm guilty of that.
- [32:37]
B
You'll just transfer it back and forth. When you're not accustomed to saving and investing, you have to create the habit of a wealth builder.
- [32:45]
C
Yes.
- [32:45]
B
You have to trick your mind 1. So whatever you're setting aside, it should come out automatically. If you're taking money out and you're doing it on a consistent basis, that means you're setting aside too much money and you're not accounting for what you actually need money for. So I always tell people do this. How much money can I say? So you do it to thinking about it. How much money can I do it?
- [33:05]
A
No more. But. Because I got people that make.
- [33:07]
B
No, no, but just think about it right now. If. Pick a number that I can set aside every month. Right.
- [33:12]
A
Okay, got it.
- [33:13]
B
Like, I'm not gonna feel like I'm overdrawing my account. Right. I know I can set this aside. I'm okay.
- [33:18]
C
Yeah.
- [33:18]
B
Cut that number in half. That's what you should start setting aside.
- [33:21]
A
Oh, got it.
- [33:22]
B
Yeah. And again. It's. Again. That's the feeling you want when you think about setting money aside.
- [33:25]
A
All that was good.
- [33:28]
B
It's just. Shouldn't be a strain, right? It should be. I could do it and be in doing it automatically where it's in an account. Recommend an online savings account. So I use Marcus by Goldman Sachs. Vanguard has some really good online accounts. But look, just Google Online High yield Savings Account. Because what happens is I like to look at it like it's like a cloud account.
- [33:46]
C
Yeah.
- [33:47]
B
It lives there. You can't go to the teller, ask them to take the money out.
- [33:50]
C
Right.
- [33:50]
B
And it takes at least one to two business days for you to get your money. Therefore, it's not easily accessible. So it's not easily available to you.
- [33:57]
C
Yes.
- [33:57]
B
So I would say open up. Open an online High yield Savings Account. Do that. Exercise that number. That's what you set aside every month and just let it build. And then the other thing I do, I used to always. I still do this when you open these accounts Open. I would say maybe two, maybe three different accounts under the platform for different purposes. So I have a. I'm built for this fund. So anytime, God forbid, something happens, it's not an emergency fund. Nobody wants to save for an emergency. I want to set money aside in my. I am built for this fund. Because no matter what happens, I'm built for this.
- [34:28]
C
Yeah.
- [34:29]
A
Oh, I like that.
- [34:29]
B
I have a. I'm a world traveler. Right. I have. I want to get a mansion in Atlanta. So I have my mansion expansion account. Right. So set money aside for the things that you want. Because saving, the word saving is like budget. Like, it's like, I gotta cut back. Or it's like diet. No. I want to eat. Like, I don't want to be feel constrained.
- [34:48]
A
So it was like, yes.
- [34:49]
B
So. So in this case, that's real. We can set aside. We can create a spending plan. We can set money aside for what we want. You know, things might come up. I'm built for this fund. You know, you want to get that new home. You know, I'm a homeowner. You want to look at that account and be happy that it exists.
- [35:03]
C
Yeah.
- [35:04]
B
And want to put money aside, and it makes the process just a little bit easier.
- [35:07]
A
I love that. That's good. I love. I'm going to take that, too. That was for me as well. But I did used to be one of those people. Like, my savings account was, like, right there, and I'd be like, I wanna go do this. Let me pull this out. I'm like, it's too accessible. It's way too accessible. But, yeah, they had to, like, no, Krista, we gonna put this over here. So you can't touch it at all.
- [35:25]
B
But that's good that they treat you like that. Not everybody has that person. Sometimes you have to be that person.
- [35:31]
A
Yeah, that's so true. So that's great advice. I love that. Thank you. We also like to ask our guests what you are going through and what you're growing through.
- [35:42]
B
Okay.
- [35:42]
A
Is there anything that you're going through and growing through in this season in your life?
- [35:47]
B
So one thing I learned about entrepreneurship. So when I left Wall street to create empathy, there was no blueprint to what I wanted to do. There is no Harvard of finance. So I'm creating a blueprint. Right. With that, there's no syllabus to life. So therefore, your goals and your intentions are what guide you. So I kind of struggled my way through figuring out how to get the world to want. We started to generate revenue. We became very Successful and you need help in business.
- [36:14]
C
Yeah.
- [36:15]
B
But there was a point where I didn't have the money for the help. So you learned to become everybody in your business.
- [36:19]
A
Oh, yeah, yeah.
- [36:20]
B
And so I'm being everybody. I'm figuring it out. We started to make more money. Now I'm in a place where we have the money.
- [36:27]
C
Yeah.
- [36:27]
B
But I'm so used to doing everything, but I physically can't anymore.
- [36:30]
C
Yes.
- [36:31]
B
Now you have to rely on people. You have to trust, you have to find, you have to train, you have to lead.
- [36:38]
C
Yeah.
- [36:38]
B
It's a. Where I'm used to, you know, being actually making the money where now I have to become the leader that created the billion dollar business that changes the world financially. And so I would say what I'm going through and what I'm growing through is what does it look like to find the best talent?
- [36:52]
C
Wow.
- [36:52]
B
To hire the best talent, to lead the best talent, to create the best culture for the company. And. And again, I have no blueprint. Right. I don't. And I have Grant. I have coaches and things like that, but they're not in my office every single day. So I think hiring talent, firing talent, that's what literally what half of my time is. And so that is the phase I'm in right now. I want to get so good at finding. I mean, Grant, I heard that you don't ever get it perfect, which is fine. I just want to get it a little. Like, my coach asked me the other day, if you grade yourself on a scale of 1 to 10, how are you with, like, hiring and finding talent? I said, I'm at three. And he said, good. What do we need you to get? You 3.1. I'm like, okay. So I think embracing that process to grow from a three to a four, a four to a five, to really understand that we are one of the best companies that exist. We lead with our heart. We just so happen to learn how to make money.
- [37:42]
C
Right.
- [37:42]
B
We grow when our community gets educated the most. The better our education, the better our product, the better our company, the more people we serve. How do I allow the world to know that?
- [37:51]
C
Yeah.
- [37:52]
B
How do I embody that as a CEO? And how do I attract the right talent? The way I can create the boyfriend or the relationship I want, how can I create the environment and the company with the talent that I have? And so that's one of the biggest things that's. It's a struggle for me because I don't know what I don't know.
- [38:07]
C
Yeah.
- [38:08]
B
And this is Something I've never done. I've been here before in this, with this feeling.
- [38:13]
C
Yeah.
- [38:13]
B
But it's really hard. It gets very discouraging at times because I don't know if it's me. Is it them? Am I right? You know, I just don't know. And you burn through so much money trying to find the right talent. So I think that's the, that's the. I think once I get over that, I'm sure it'll be something else I'm gonna go through. But for me, I think we're finally good. Like, we're not. We don't have money problems. I'm not living on my parents couch anymore. It's like we have the resources, we got the benefits. Where do we go to find the best? How do we attract the best? How do we provide the best? And so I think that's one of the. It's so interesting because I'm. The way I'm articulating it, it's like a, it's like a beautiful experience that I'm growing through.
- [38:54]
C
Yes.
- [38:55]
B
But when I'm at home, it's. It don't feel like this.
- [38:58]
A
Don't feel so cute.
- [39:00]
B
But yeah. I think that is the. As an entrepreneur learning how to let go.
- [39:04]
C
Yeah.
- [39:04]
B
And lead, because that is the only way you can. I mean, I want to build a billion dollar business. That's what we're on track to do and become. I can't do that. Trying to do everything you cannot. But I have to. I have to learn how to be everything I can for the people that we serve and for the team that we have. And every day I'm figuring that out.
- [39:23]
A
I love that. I love that. Thank you for your transparency.
- [39:26]
B
Thank you.
- [39:29]
A
We also do this thing called keep it blank, sweetie. Where we fill in the blank.
- [39:33]
B
Okay.
- [39:34]
A
And I'm gonna say for this one, keep it open minded, sweetie. Because when it comes to finances, a lot of times in our culture, it's because we don't have the exposure or the open mindedness to see that, oh, this can be bigger than where I am right now.
- [39:46]
C
Right.
- [39:47]
A
Yeah.
- [39:47]
B
What would you do as my title?
- [39:50]
A
Keep it blank. To fill in the blank. What would you do?
- [39:52]
B
I was gonna take yours. Keep it, keep it, keep it.
- [40:00]
A
I know it's tough. I'll put you on the side. It's tough.
- [40:03]
B
I'm doing good. Keep it, Keep it aligned, sweetie.
- [40:10]
A
I like that.
- [40:11]
B
That's good. That's good.
- [40:14]
A
I love that.
- [40:15]
B
Keep it aligned, sweetie.
- [40:16]
A
That's amazing. Thank you so much. Ashley. Oh, my gosh. This was amazing. Thank you guys for tuning in to this episode of keep it positive, sweetie. If you want to write into our positive outcomes listener letter, you can write in to keepitpositive, sweetie gmail.com, and that's sweetie with an ie. You can follow me on all platforms at lovechristalrenee. And that's L U V Ashley, tell the people where they can find you.
- [40:37]
B
So our company, emplifi empify.com on social media, I am underscoreashleym. Fox, tick tock, the ashleym fox and all over Twitter, all the accounts we have. But again, on social media, Instagram, Ashley.
- [40:50]
A
And Fox, I love it. Thank you so much, guys. Thank you for tuning in. In the meantime, in between time, you know what to do. Keep it positive, sweetie. Love you guys. Bye.