Meet The Trainers - Corben & Genar
On this episode of Financially Naked: Stories from The Financial Gym, our host is Joy Liu, Head of Trainer Academy. She is joined by two of our new Level 2 Certified Financial Trainers based in the Los Angeles office, Corben and Genar.
As Director of Trainer Academy, Joy has the pleasure of onboarding and training all of the new trainers when they join the team and certifying them to be Certified Financial Trainers. On the show today, Corben and Genar will introduce themselves and discuss how they found The Gym and what excites them most about being part of the team.
Podcast Notes
Corben’s personal finance journey started in 2015. Through church, he was introduced to Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and went through the program. Through that he learned about money and his outlook on it began to change. Fast forward to now, other than their mortgage, Corben and his wife are debt free and continue to learn about building wealth.
Genar, like many other folks, didn’t know much about money growing up. He made all the mistakes in the book. He moved abroad for a year (financed on credit cards) and upon returning from that trip, had a moment where he realized he needed to make a change. He also followed Dave Ramsey’s method step by step. It was a slow process, but started to feel empowering. At the time, he met his now wife, which added a whole level of motivation for the journey.
We at The Gym are only interested in changing your life
It takes some time, but it really is life-changing stuff
BEST FINANCIAL MOVE and THE BIGGEST LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
Corben said the best move was investing in himself. Knowing there was a learning opportunity and investing the money to gain the knowledge. Whether that is books or online courses, it’s all about accessing the information.
Looking back to when Corben was in his early twenties, he was receiving chapter 35 benefits from his father’s service in the war. He spent that money on watches, speakers, and other fun things. Sometimes he thinks about what that money could have turned into if he had the knowledge then that he does now, but ultimately is thankful for the experience. Mistakes are lessons along the way.
Genar also talks about the decision to invest in himself. Not directly in the area of personal finance, but learning how to communicate and care for himself. It allowed him to personally grow and be around others. That led to him being able to ask for help. We need community and support and asking for help is always okay!
When Genar lived abroad, he sold all of his belongings and financed his high end lifestyle with credit card debt. Definitely not the smartest move financially, but the realization when returning home is what sparked the personal finance journey!
Sometimes you have to feel the consequences of things to inspire change.
The idea of paying money to save money might be a new concept.
HOW HAVE YOU PERSONALLY SEEN THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT &
WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND IT.
Corben shared for years, he felt like even though he had big goals, he was unable to move the needle. There was a need to try something different. Why was it so easy to spend on things that bring instant gratification, but not invest in something that can have long term growth potential? He wanted to shift away from that thinking. It’s been a journey and surrounding yourself with people who have the information and will meet you where you are is incredibly valuable.
Genar talks about how when he felt limited in life the most, he invested in himself the least. He felt that paying for these resources was taking away from him rather than a potential growth opportunity. You can always try to figure things out on your own, but paying for someone else utilizes their experience and in turn, accelerates your growth. Going through the process alone is unnecessary. Olympic athletes, who are the best of the best, work with coaches. People work with personal trainers. These pros help you push through perceived limits. Investing in yourself is the best decision you’ll make.
Joy points out the theme in both of the trainers' stories, working with a professional helps you eliminate decision fatigue. There are so many ways to do everything and we can get stuck in trying to find the ‘right’ when it might be best to commit to one thing for a while.
YOU WILL WORK WITH MANY TYPES OF CLIENTS, WHO ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO WORK WITH?
Corben: He is looking to be of service to whoever is willing and open to put themselves out there because getting financially naked is vulnerable. Working with people who are open to change and want something better is his hope. As an African American man, Corben says he really wants to work with people who look like him and who have similar stories. He shares a story about a client earlier this week who reminded him of his mom as she was expressing where she was financially, which is the perfect example of his ideal client.
Genar: A main drive in Genar’s life is being of service to others, which is why he was attracted to working with The Financial Gym in the first place. He knows the power of having someone believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself. He wants to work with the person who doesn’t believe in themselves yet and share the magic with them. He’s seen too much magic in his life to not believe in it and it is contagious. He wants to share that with everyone who comes through the virtual office door.
If you resonate with Genar or Corben’s stories and want to work with them, book a complimentary warm-up call today. Let your consultant know that you’re ready to work with one of them. They’re excited to get YOU started on your own financial journey!
Books mentioned:
How to Make Money in Stocks - William J. O'Neil
The Simple Path to Wealth - J.L. Collins
Money Master the Game - Toni Robbins
Meet The Trainers
Meet Joy Liu, Head of Trainer Academy