Listen Now

Have you seen the rough estimates that you should have saved at various ages?These rough targets are useful, but may not be entirely accurate to you and your unique circumstances.I cover the importance of at least being aware of targets for the amount of money you should have saved in retirement accounts.Good excuses why you may not be on track early on in your careerWhy the older you get, the more relevant the targets become.And how to catch up if you feel you are not on track to hit your retirement goals.

I have Jason Humphrey on the show and I met Jason online originally because he creates a ton of value-packed content on LinkedIn. And when you create awesome content, people tend to like it and share it. And that's how it came across my feed. Jason helps coding Bootcamp, students to land their first high paying job as a professional software developer. And in this episode, Jason talks about his own personal journey where he wasn't as career-focused early on in his career. And how advice from one of his mentors transformed his career! He also shares tips on prepping for your interview and how crucial emotional intelligence is in your career.  Driving value in communicationPower of one good questionCoaching's impact on Jason's careerUnderstand what the market is telling you (market analysis)Mine LinkedIn for DataWhat words to use on LinkedInHow to be confidentControlling the 24-hour window before an interviewThe importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in your careerjason@codingcareerfastlane.comhttps://www.facebook.com/jasonhumphreyofficial/(5 places spending time will drive results)https://www.linkedin.com/in/meet-jason-humphrey/

Do you struggle with your finances during the holidays? I cover 6 tips to take control over the holiday season.This episode was originally created for a live video challenge I'm doing on my social networks, but I wanted to share it with you!Set a limit (budget) ResearchFree ShippingMake somethingBe presentExperiences over things

Arnold Morales is the son of two immigrants from Honduras. He started his career with a GED and working at a warehouse where he is wasn't happy. Looking for more he pursued a community college and took an aptitude test that steered him towards mechanical engineering. He co-founded his community college's first Engineering Society. Since then he's earned a Masters Degree and is currently working for his dream employer, Boeing.It wasn't a straight shot to Boeing though, he was rejected 5 times before finally breaking in.Importance of taking feedbackNavigating tech as a HispanicThe power of reputationWhy representation mattersThe value of mentorshipThe benefits of volunteeringConnecting with followersWhy he started his podcast, Nontraditional College SuccessHave fun while getting better every dayNot allowing anything to get in your way.https://nontraditionalcollegesuccess.buzzsprout.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnoldmorales/

Justine is a UX/UI Designer and UI Developer on a mission to create a meaningful impact on people’s lives through her craft.She was born and raised in the Philippines. In 2008, she and her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and received her B.S. in Entertainment Engineering and Design.In the summer of 2012, she was accepted in the internship program at Cirque du Soleil, where she honed her skills as an Automation Technician at the show “The Beatles’ LOVE”. Shortly after her internship, she became a full-fledged Automation Technician for another Cirque show, “Mystere”.She moved to Texas with her husband the following year so he could pursue his career as an officer of the US Army. During their stay there, she worked as an AutoCAD designer for a civil engineering firm in Temple, Texas.They returned to Las Vegas in 2015, where she was once again able to pursue her career as an Automation Technician at Cirque. This time around, she worked at the show “KA”. She had a magical 3 years at the show, but the late nights and working on weekends and holidays made for a lifestyle that was not sustainable for her. So in 2018, she decided to pivot careers and pursue one that would allow her to chase both passions in art and technology, and that is UX Design.Beyond her skills and experience in human-centered design and UI development, she possesses a drive for learning, creative problem solving, and making a difference in peoples' lives. Outside of her UX/UI work, she is a wife, a mother, and a writer. She also enjoys good food, good whiskey, good music, and puppies.Summary of the interview topics:UX Design is humanizing technologyMaking a career change for balance.Navigating unemployment during COVIDHaving a job offer rescindedGetting clear on what you want in your careerImportance of community supportA designers advice for developersNormalizing balanceCoping with TraumaThe power to choose how we move forwardRemember you are not alone https://twitter.com/justinechlorine

When it comes to your financial life, it's very easy to rely on the guidance of others, especially since most of our generation were not taught these important topics in school.This episode is to warn you of the financial advice you should BEWARE of as you start to build your financial strategy guide and financial confidence.People and sources who offer advice solicited or not.FamilyFriendsCoworkersSalespeopleSocial MediaNewsBooksPodcastsExpertsFortune cookiesWhy not all advice is created equalLimited experienceDunning Krueger EffectMost people are starting from a different pointDifference goalsMaking the most money/quality of lifeTimelines of goalsBiggest areas where bad advice can really be damagingWhat your goals should beCareerTimelines and MilestonesGet rich quick - scamsTax planningProper tax planning should look at more years than just this year.Tax law is constantly changingInvestment adviceMost people don’t have a grasp of riskTalk about investments the same way gamblers talk about winsDebt managementNo debt everHome purchaseGood debt and leverageCredit card rewardsUse advice as a starting pointLevel Up education, confidenceLook for additional education and resources

Josh shares his awesome story on his path into tech. Early on Josh showed an interest for tech and started taking college courses, but a conversation changed his career trajectory.Josh decided to not pursue a tech career and bounced around with different jobs and ended up getting into trouble. He talks about the challenges of finding a job in tech with a felony.Even with the hurdle of having a felony, Josh shared his story on Twitter and it became a really great experience for him.He also shares a fun and awesome project that he and his wife are working on to bring smiles to everyone in hopes of improving mental health.https://twitter.com/smiledailyushttps://twitter.com/joshbuchea

I share my personal story of quitting my job to start my business, Level Up Financial Planning.While working in a position many would consider a dream position, with a 6-month-old at home, I quit my job. It was the scariest decision I ever made.In addition to my story, I share a few of the financial steps I took before quitting and a couple of things I wish I had done differently.Job huntingLeaving your teamReducing expensesBuilding a planImportance of spouses supportHealth insuranceBeing smart about side hustlesCreating contentChoosing a niche

Leo Yockey is a Software Engineer, Writer, and Speaker from Los Angeles. He runs a digital agency called MangoBass Consulting and is an advocate for underrepresented people in the tech industry.Leo shares his unique story and perspective as a transgender black man in tech.Making a career changeSelf-taught and coding bootcamp resourcesImportance of a mentorReal-world example of systemic racismCreating multiple streams of incomeMonetizing your expertiseUnlearning money mythsBreaking the cycleBurning out and tips to navigate ithttps://www.leoyockey.comhttps://twitter.com/leovolvinghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leoyockey/https://www.mangobassconsulting.com/https://www.techbychoice.org/

Credit Cards Are Awesome!Regardless of what you may have heard, credit cards are pretty awesome financial tools. It’s one of the best forms of credit that you can access and use to help you reach your financial goals.Unfortunately, credit cards can also be one of the biggest culprits of financial chaos. Credit cards are a tool. They are not evil, though you’re open to criticize credit card companies and other financial institutions.Maybe not an expert level, but being able to maximize the benefits of credit cards and limit the potential downside takes a strong understanding of your finances.Downside: spending more than you shouldPaying interest (as high as 25%!)Can weaken your credit scoreRelationship tensionThe amazing benefits when you do know where your money is going and have financial control are very generous:Sign Up AwardsCashback & Travel MilesNo payment for a monthBuild a strong credit scoreNever pay a cent!Tips:Annual fee may make sense if you spend a certain amount. Do the math to see if your expected spending would benefit from the additional boostCalculate the best sign up award based on your NORMAL spendingNever spend more than you need for REWARDS still a percentage.Automatically pay in full every month. Don’t try to do this manually.In case you have a few different cards or accounts, use something like Mint or my clients have a Wealth Management portal to see everything in one spot.Can optimize for spending categories (dining out, entertainment bonus points)Can optimize for rewards (travel, cashback)If you’re not ready, don’t try. Like I mentioned you have to have good habits of understanding where your money is actually going in order to maximize your credit card benefits and not have things backfire on you.Supposed to be helpful, but if it’s going to be stressful don’t bother.Review credit cards with annual fees regularly. If you have multiple credit cards with fees that may take away from the benefits.We run everything through one.Don’t pay the minimum!Carrying a large balance owed relative to the credit line can hurt your credit score

Will Johnson is a self-taught developer who broke into tech using Twitter. As you can imagine, his path to break into tech wasn't easy. He used a lot of different ways to learn and work towards his goals of becoming a developer so that he could create a comfortable life for his family.Here are the topics we cover in Will's interviewWill's path as a self-taught developerRepeating courses to solidify knowledgeThe struggle of having no experience (being destroyed by lost opportunities)Knowing where to focus your energyUnderstanding what language is in demand in your areaHow he built his network both online and offlineUsing social media to break into tech Break Into Tech With Twitter E-BOOKhttps://anchor.fm/infinite-loophttps://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjohnson85/https://tinyletter.com/willjohnsoniohttps://twitter.com/willjohnsonio