EmpowerYou Financial

Come celebrate our 100th episode of the EmpowerYou Financial Podcast! Listen in as Eva welcomes four amazing Lions to share all their wins over the last year of being in the Lions Club. In their stories you can hear how they have been able to follow the game plan Eva set for their personal finances and personal credit and live out the EmpowerYou Financial tagline, "live life on your own terms."

Listener Perks:

How do we best support our kids when it comes to money and finances? Whether our kids are younger or older, all of our kids tend to need some type of support financially at several points in their life. But how do we best support them? Do we give them what they need simply because they need it or do we make it a life lesson and try "teach our kids to fish?" Listen in as Eva shares her approach to supporting her kids so they can live life on their own terms... 

Listener Perks:

While many of us understand the functionality of a credit card, a financial tool that allows you to pay now and pay later, but not many of us understand the advantages a credit card can provide in the form of leverage. Leverage can be defined as using debt (borrowed capital) in order to undertake an investment. The goal would be to multiply the potential returns from the investment while, at the same time, leverage would also multiply the potential downside risk in case the investment does not pan out. In layman's terms, you use other people's money to grow your money and just in case the investment doesn't work out, you aren't out all of your own money. Listen in as Eva breaks down leverage and how she uses credit cards to her ultimate advantage...

Listener Perks:

Financial Freedom Friday| Network Marketing Secrets

Listener Perks:

With inflation rising, wages relatively stagnant, and a recession looming. Some people may soon be accepting the reality that they may not earn enough money to cover all of their expenses each month. When this is a persistent reality, the option of bankruptcy can feel like the best solution. Listen in as Eva breaks down what bankruptcy is and how to best recover from it...

Financial Freedom Friday| Income Producing Activities

While many of us have heard of the car shortage, not many of us truly understand how the car shortage has impacted the cost of new and used cars. In this market, car dealerships have most of the leverage and can charge a premium on new and used cars, especially those cars that were already in high demand prior to the change in the market. So how do you win in this market, despite it being harder than ever to purchase a car? Listen in as Eva shares her strategies for winning in the car game in this current market and hear from a current Lion as she shares her recent amazing car purchasing experience using Eva's advice...

Financial Freedom Friday | Speaking things into existence

With a recession theoretically around the corner, how do we best prepare ourselves? Should we stock up on stationaries and save all of our cash? Should we alter our investment strategy and lower our risk tolerance? Or, should we look for opportunities and do our best to thrive despite whatever the economy is doing? Listen in as Eva shares what she has done during economic downturns and what she plans to do during this looming recession...

Financial Freedom Friday | Throwing Down To Level Up

Are you unsure of where to start when it comes to business credit? Or, do you have some business credit but need more and keep getting denied but don't understand why? How many of us are aware of what the banks may be looking for as they review our applications for business credit? Do you know all the do's and don'ts? Listen in as Eva breaks down how to best prepare your business for building lending relationships with the banks...

Financial Freedom Friday | Tough Times Don't Last

The bible says that, "...the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." While many of us have heard this scripture before, few of us routinely tap into its power. As we go through the ups and downs of life, sometimes we get so wrapped up in trying to survive and work towards our goals that we forget to consistently check-in with God and we unintentionally underestimate the power of prayer. Listen in as Eva shares her belief in the power of prayer and why she has made prayer a cornerstone of the EmpowerYou Community and Lions Club...

Financial Freedom Friday | Creative Financing for purchasing a home

Everyday that we wake up we are blessed with the opportunity to work towards our dreams and goals. No matter how big or how small our steps, we have the ability to make progress. To that end, while most of us understand that Rome wasn't built in a day, we often underestimate the daily work thats required to build something so significant. Too often we take this daily gift for granted. Listen in as Eva shares the importance of doing all the necessary things to properly prepare and work towards all our financial dreams and goals...

Financial Freedom Friday | What is Financial Freedom

Some say the housing prices will stabilize and stay flat; some say the housing prices will drop. Some say these prices are the new normal while others say this price increase can't continue. All of these conversations are happening while the interest rates continue to stay relatively high. So, with all of this going on and it being increasingly more difficult to purchase a home because of the banks, how do we know when is the right time to buy a house? Listen in as Eva shares her thoughts on buying a home in this current market...

Financial Freedom Friday | Exploding Business Credit

As a continuation from last week's episode titled, Conquering Our Fears, Eva brings on two Lions Club members that also attended the Phenomenal Life Conference at Hotel Xcaret in Cancun, Mexico. Listen in as these two special quests share their experiences with conquering their fears... 

Financial Freedom Friday | The Power of Business Credit

F.E.A.R., False Evidence Appearing Real. How often do we limit ourselves because of our fears? Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain. And, if allowed, this fear can cripple us and stop us from experiencing life to the fullest. Whether it be a fear of heights, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, fear of success, or fear of failure, all of these fears can stop us from moving forward. But, should this be the case? It is amazing how a simple a change in perspective can shift your beliefs around what is possible and help you overcome your fears. Listen in as Eva and Charles reflect on all the events of the week and lessons learned coming back from their visit to Hotel Xcaret in Cancun, Mexico...

Financial Freedom Friday | Playing The Credit Card Game

If you have been paying attention lately you would know that we at EmpowerYou Financial have been going through some transitions and changes. These changes are all positive because they are a result of our community growing more and more. We now have three ways for people to connect with us and join the community or better yet, the club. Listen in as Eva breaks down the three different levels we have and how we are able to meet you where you are and help you reach the next level in your personal finances and personal credit...

Financial Freedom Friday | House Hacking

According to Urban.org, "Most American adults—227 million, or 89 percent—have a credit file. Using a random sample of deidentified, consumer-level records from a major credit bureau, we estimate that in 2019, 30 percent of them, or about 68 million US adults, had debt in collections reported in their credit files." And our guess is that this percentage increased as a result of the pandemic. To that end, while this may not be a topic that most people talk about, the reality is collection accounts impact quite a few of us everyday folk. So, what's the best way to handle the harsh reality of collections on your credit report? Do we ignore it, dispute it, or settle it? With all credit gurus online it's hard know what's best. Listen in as Eva shares her approach to dealing with old debts and why she believes her approach is the best approach for her clients...

Financial Freedom Friday | How To Get Free Flights

Every day we are faced with different choices around how we should best spend our money. Beyond the necessities of life like food and shelter, if we are savvy we are constantly looking for opportunities to invest in things that make us more money. But with so many things being volatile like the stock market, crypto, the housing market, etc. how do we know what is a good investment and what is not? How do we know when to jump in and when to hold out? Listen in as Eva shares her process and rationale for making big decisions around large investments...

"The Room Where It Happens" is a song from the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, which is based on the life of Alexander Hamilton. The song's writer and composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, explained, "'The Room Where It Happens' [is one] of the best songs I've ever written." The song outlines a secret dinner between Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison who agree upon an unprecedented political compromise, which still impacts us today. Aaron Burr, the narrator of this story bemoans being on the outside looking in and begs to be in the room where all the big decisions are being made. So what does this have to do with EmpowerYou? Well, Eva often talks about being with the right people and the power of networking. Oftentimes, the only way to reap the benefits of networking and leveraging relationships with the right people is to be in the same room as them when they are making their moves. Listen in as Eva shares her experience of being in a room filled with Lions Club members from our Dallas meetup...

So often when we are on the journey to level up ourselves personally and professionally we come across individuals that may not understand why we are working so hard to change. They may say things that feel like attempts to slow us down and discourage us. They may even project their own fears and insecurities on us under the guise of showing concern or looking out for us. While these things may be will intended, they often leave us feeling alone in our pursuit of a better tomorrow. However, while it may feel like we are all alone, we often are not. We just have not found our community yet. Listen in as Eva reflects on the highlights of the recent NorCal Lions Club meetup and what having a strong EmpowerYou community has meant to her and other Lions... 

Television and social media are fascinating platforms. If you are not careful, television can have you thinking it only takes 60 minutes or less to cook a gourmet meal, restore a vintage car, or fix and flip restate. And what we often don't see in the highlight reels of social media when folks quickly show you their wins, are the hours, days, weeks, and months of ups and downs, set backs, challenges, hurdles, and disappointments they had to go through to get to the finish line. And why won't they share these things with you beyond a short mention? Well, truthfully, it's just not that sexy. Who's want to sign up for something when part of the process of winning is enduring a good measure of suffering? Would people still think it's worth it? Listen in as Eva shares some of her ups and downs from her experience being a real estate investor and hear why she continues to encourage her Lions to get on the ownership side of the real estate game...

Eva recently conducted a poll on her social media platforms, asking folks what is the best thing they have spent money on? The answers ranged from education and personal development to equipment for businesses, real estate, and experiences. There were so many responses and so many examples of great investments. However, hindsight is 20/20. Did we all truly know that the investment would be a good one before we purchased? Because if we are being honest, many of us invest in similar things but get varying results. So what's the difference? Listen in as Eva shares her strategy to making sure she gets the most out of what she chooses to spend her money on...

With gas prices, housing, and the cost of all types of things soaring, many of us are feeling the pressure to conserve and hoard up just in case things make a turn for the worst. It's natural to want to protect what we have, especially when it feels like we don't have an infinite supply of what we have. However, is that the best approach? Sometimes it's not just about spending less but managing how we spend our money. Listen in as Eva shares how she approaches spending during these times and why she always focuses on how she is manages her money and not just how much she spends...

How often are we rewarding ourselves for our hard work? How are often are we putting ourselves in position to grow either by earning and paying for a seat at the table? Or better yet, how often are we hearing God speak to us but not following his voice? These are the things discussed in this week's podcast. Listen in as Eva and Charles share their experiences while on separate back to back vacations in the Dominican Republic and Mexico... 

Making changes in your personal finances and personal credit can be difficult at times. Especially when you have grown up learning how to do things a certain way or you've taught yourself certain habits because it has helped you survive. You've learn how to make ends meet and although your finances and credit aren't where you ultimately want it to be, you are still holding it down for you and your family. We get it. But here's the thing, the things that got you here, won't be the things that get you there. Oftentimes in order for us to get to the next level in our personal finances and personal credit, we have to do things we have not done before and we have to be willing to invest in ourselves (even when it may seem impossible) to level up. Listen in as Eva shares why she believes it takes money to make money...

When all the stars align and you get this gut feeling that you've stumbled upon a really great idea, how long does it take for you to make a decision to move forward? Do you need a few minutes, a few hours, a few days, or a few months? What are things that make you hesitant and stop you from jumping quickly? We have found that success loves speed and while it's always good to think through your next move, you have to recognize when a good opportunity prevents itself and how quickly you should jump on it. Listen in as Eva shares her approach to decision making and how making quick decisions has contributed to her success...

While still on a high from the Lions Club SoCal meetup, Eva reflects on all the mental shifts many of the Lions are experiencing as they matriculate through the Lions Club program. From huge financial gains to increased confidence and stronger postures, Lions are winning in many different areas and its starts with a new approach towards their personal finances and personal credit. Listen in as Eva shares why she believes that mastering your finances allows you to master everything else in life and why a shift in mindset may lead to her purchasing a new car soon... 

In this special edition of the podcast, Eva and Charles host the show in front of a live audience. The audience consisted of Lions Club members that attended the Lions Club's first official meetup located on site in Southern California. If there was one lesson learned from the SoCal trip it was that being exposed to the lifestyle the rich and wealth enjoy can help you appreciate the finer things in life and want to strive for more. The truth is, the more you interact with people that have financial freedom, the more you value and respect them and envision yourself in the same position. Listen in as Eva shares her experiences rubbing shoulders with the rich and wealthy and how those interactions have driven her...

If you are considering entrepreneurship because it seems like entrepreneurs are having all the fun, you might want to also consider how much hard work goes into creating the lifestyle you believe you are seeing on social media. Many folks will share the all the benefits and rewards of being your own boss, without including all the challenges and disappointments one may face along the journey. Listen in as Eva shares her ups and downs of entrepreneurship and why she continues to stick with it despite the persistent set backs she faces time after time... 

There are two good ways to spend extra funds according to Eva: either invest in assets or invest in experiences. While many of us understand what an asset is, something that provides a current, future, or potential economic benefit, not many of us understand what is meant by investing in experiences. Do you think there is a real difference between first class and coach, between a meal at a Michelin star restaurant and a chain restaurant, or between sitting near the front and sitting near the back at a concert? We can tell you the difference isn't just price but in having experiences that will last a lifetime. Listen in as Eva shares some her most memorable experiences and why she believes investing in experiences is well worth it...

If you were given the opportunity to fly for free anywhere in the US or select places internationally, where would you go? How often would you go? These are some of the things that people who have mastered the art of flying for free think to themselves. Did you know that Eva and her family have not paid for an airline ticket in over three years and sometimes they travel as often as once or twice a month during their peak seasons. Want to know how she makes that happen? Listen in as Eva shares her secrets to traveling for free and how you can do it too...

What is your definition of financial freedom? Financial freedom is often a goal for many people looking to improve their personal finances and personal credit, but, how do you define it? While the exact definition is likely relative based on one's circumstances, we believe we can all agree to a general definition that fits most people. Listen in as Eva shares her definition of financial freedom and why she believes that once financial freedom is experienced, it should last forever...

As the year 2021 wraps up, many of us will take the opportunity to reflect on the past year and acknowledge our ups and downs and wins and losses. Looking back at how far we have come over a period of time can be a good reminder of the the hard work we have put in and a reminder of how much work we still have to go. No matter the journey, it is important to celebrate every success along the way and believe that each day provides us an opportunity to get closer to our goals. Listen in as Eva shares her progress towards her 2021 goals and the new goals she is setting for 2022... 

It's a been a full year since Eva started the Lions Club back in December 2020. With 150 Lions Club members and countless success stories, Eva reflects on the first year of the Lions Club and what's up next for 2022. Listen in as Eva shares what the Lions Club community has meant to her, how she's made the Lions Club even better, and the details around how you can join the Lions Club in 2022...

Personal finances can be hard and the grind to not only make ends meet but also grow beyond our current situation can be difficult at times. We experience ups and downs -- times when it seems like everything financially is going well and times when we aren't sure if we are going to make it. Adulting is real and the truth is, personal finances and personal credit weren’t taught in school. So what do we do when times get tough? Simply put, we keep going. Listen in as Eva shares how she manages the ups and downs and hear from another amazing Lion and how he continues to stay encouraged despite the challenges of life...

Is owning real estate for everyone? Maybe or maybe not, depending on your goals and your circumstances. But let's ask that question a different way. Can everyone own real estate? Well, the answer to that question from the perspective of our Credit Coach, Eva, is yes. Unfortunately, many of us just don't know how close or how far we are when it comes to owning real estate. Listen in as Eva breaks down exactly what is needed to get into the real estate game and we bring back a special guest from last week to share expert advice on the lending process and how 'creative financing' works in real estate...

Statistically speaking, in the US, roughly 42% of Blacks and 47% of Latinos are homeowners. That's less than half. So there's no wonder why depending on the where you grew up, home ownership may not have been at the top of your list of life achievements. Many of us did not grow up fully understanding all the benefits of owning our own home. From taxes to equity, there are so many folks that have literally leveraged their home to finance many important things in the their life. Listen in as Eva shares why she so strongly believes in home ownership and hear the story of how one of Eva's youngest Lions connected with another amazing Lion to house hack and purchase his first home...

For many business owners, building business credit can be an enigma. How do you properly go about obtaining business credit? How does my personal credit relate to my business credit? And, to what extent does my personal credit impact my ability to get business credit? These are questions that have clear answers although this information may feel elusive at times. Listen in as Eva shares how she strategically gained over $100K in business credit in less than 12 months and another amazing story from one of Eva's Lions around how he gained over $100K business credit in the same amount of time...

Have you ever had the experience of applying for a credit card and holding your breath because you didn't know whether or not you would be approved or denied? And if you were approved, what the limit would be? Many of us have had these experiences. The experience of getting approved for a limit far less or far more than we anticipated. Or, getting denied and being shocked and confused as to why. So, why is that? Why don't we have enough information to know with a high level of certainty how things will turn out if we decide to apply for a credit card? The truth is, we just don't know how to play the game. Listen in as Eva shares her insights on the credit card game and what you can do to be successful at playing it... 

When it comes to your personal credit and personal finances, knowing when to make certain moves is just as important as knowing what specific moves to make. Timing can be everything in many respects. We are not talking about timing the housing market or stock market, we are talking about speeding or up and slowing down your movement based on your individual situation, your goals, and your strategic game plan. Listen in as Eva shares how she approaches making the right moves at the right time and an inspiring story from another one of Eva's amazing Lions... 

Do you believe the way you speak about money directly impacts your experience with money? Do you believe they are connected? For example, is it safe to say that a rich person and a poor person speak differently about money? One likely speaks from a place of abundance and the other likely speaks from a place of scarcity. These seem like obvious conclusions. However, what if the rich person became rich by speaking abundance and the poor person remained poor by speaking scarcity? What if speaking those things that are not as though they are and then following those words up with strategic action was all you needed to turn things around financially? Listen in as Eva shares her feeling around speaking positively when it comes to money and listen to the updated story from another one of her amazing Lions...