Member Spotlight Archives - AFCPE https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/tag/member-spotlight/ Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education Tue, 23 Apr 2019 19:43:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.afcpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/afcpe-favicon.png Member Spotlight Archives - AFCPE https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/tag/member-spotlight/ 32 32 #FridayFollow: Waking Up for Financial and Social Change https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/fridayfollow-waking-up-for-financial-and-social-change/ https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/fridayfollow-waking-up-for-financial-and-social-change/#respond Fri, 18 Jan 2019 19:31:04 +0000 https://www.afcpe.org/?p=6650 Judy Polyne, AFC® is a financial coach and educator, coaching clients towards their financial goals. Through her work as an adjunct professor at New York University (NYU), as well as with local nonprofit organizations, Judy teaches people what they need to understand financial wellness and how to build a brighter financial future – both individually and collectively. She offers services to […]

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Judy Polyne, AFC® is a financial coach and educator, coaching clients towards their financial goals. Through her work as an adjunct professor at New York University (NYU), as well as with local nonprofit organizations, Judy teaches people what they need to understand financial wellness and how to build a brighter financial future – both individually and collectively. She offers services to all individuals, but her primary focus is providing financial counseling to women of color in higher education. Through her passion and her “Setting the Standard” attitude, Judy is making big strides toward financial and social change in her community. As this week’s #FridayFollow spotlight, Judy tells us what sparked her motivation and offers great advice that all AFCPE candidates and professionals can utilize.

 

AFCPE: What inspired you to do this work?

Judy: In 2002 I was researching the effects of welfare reform on women in large urban communities. I realized that one of the reasons these women struggled so much with this new change in their income was because of their lack of knowledge about how to manage their money and try to build assets.

AFCPE: You provide financial counseling and financial education in your community through several avenues. Can you provide details describing the services you provide?

Judy: I provide one-on-one financial counseling and coaching primarily to my niche market, women of color in higher education (full-time faculty, adjuncts, and graduate students). Additionally, I offer financial education classes and write curriculum for high school and college students. I have provided financial education in schools working with 3rd graders to high school students, in organizations, working with chronically unemployed, working poor, low and middle-income populations, and in individual and group settings.

AFCPE: You recently obtained your AFC®, congratulations! What does it mean to you to hold the AFC®designation as you work in these spaces?

Judy: Having the AFC® designation means that I have a level of expertise that is recognized as the standard, which I can confidently use to back-up the services that I provide in my work with clients and organizations.

AFCPE: What does it mean to provide financial counseling and financial education in your community of New York, NY?

Judy: New York is one of the most, if not the most, expensive places to live in the country. As the song goes, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” Helping people understand how to manage their money better so that they can make it here is what wakes me up every day.

AFCPE: What advice do you have for fellow AFC® candidates looking to earn hours in a similar capacity?

Judy: There is a larger need for your services than you may realize. Seek out organizations whose work moves you and offer your services there, by way of a class or brief one-on-one sessions. It’s a win-win. You will help support an organization you believe in, and they will help you move closer towards earning your certification.

AFCPE: Great advice Judy! What’s next for you? What has you most excited?

Judy: I’m really excited about focusing more energy on starting my business, Commencement Financial Services, now that I have the AFC® credential behind me.

 

Judy Answers the Friday 5:

  1. My Why: Because everyone, no matter how much they have/make deserves to be financially secure.
  2. My Favorite Quote: “You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start right now and make a brand new ending.” James R. Sherman, Ph.D. 
  3. My Hero: I’m inspired by Saundra Davis of Sage Financial Solutions for her work as a leader in this field.
  4. My Favorite Personal Finance Resource: Kiplinger’s Personal Finance
  5. My best advice: 
  • For someone starting the journey to financial well-being: Your past does not dictate how far you can go in building a bright financial future. Start right now and build the future that you want and deserve.
  • For a new professional entering this field: Your clients need your essence, your education, and your expertise. Always bring your whole self to any interaction, and you will find that your clients will turn out better for it.

Follow Judy at:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judy-polyne-afc%C2%AE-202921178/

January 18, 2019

Judy Polyne, AFC®, AFCPE® Member

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]]> https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/fridayfollow-waking-up-for-financial-and-social-change/feed/ 0 #FridayFollow – The Power of the Work Within Us https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/fridayfollow-the-power-of-the-work-within-us/ https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/fridayfollow-the-power-of-the-work-within-us/#respond Fri, 31 Aug 2018 16:01:05 +0000 https://www.afcpe.org/?p=2764 Kyle Grevengoed works as a Military Personal Financial Counselor and a private practitioner. He was inspired to become an AFC® after beginning his career in the lending industry. As an AFC® he has a strong mission and vision to help his clients see the big picture – to “find the hero in themselves to make this world a better place.” AFCPE: What […]

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Kyle Grevengoed works as a Military Personal Financial Counselor and a private practitioner. He was inspired to become an AFC® after beginning his career in the lending industry. As an AFC® he has a strong mission and vision to help his clients see the big picture – to “find the hero in themselves to make this world a better place.”

AFCPE: What inspired you to do this work?

Kyle: I have been in the financial services field since 2007 when I got my start at a small finance company in Durham, NC. It was in the sub-prime lending industry. Fortunately, the business was not predatory in nature but we were definitely sub-prime, as a good credit score was 620. Contrary to popular opinion there were people who were legitimately helped by this industry. One example that comes to mind is the story of a man named Ed*(name has been changed).

I knew Ed for a few years and, at that time, he had just been through a separation that left his world shattered and his credit terrible. By terrible I mean he aspired to obtain a 400 credit score. He knew where I worked and came to me for advice on purchasing a vehicle. He did not need anything fancy, just a basic car to properly do his day job.

Fortunately, we found a repossessed Honda Civic that cost $3000, which I was able to get financed for him with $1500 down. He now had a dependable car to get him from point A to point B, he paid off the loan in six months, and eventually passed the car on to his son. An interesting side benefit to this story – the $3000 he spent completely paid off the previous owners’ debts so this purchase ultimately helped two people ever so slightly move their credit in the right direction. Up until that point, everything in Ed’s life seemed to be going wrong. The loan and car were the catalyst for change.

I loved being able to help Ed in a small, but significant, way and I wanted to help more people. Unfortunately, this kind of story and ability to help turn the tide is rare in sub-prime lending. Most of the time I was able to “help” a person keep a nostril above water. I wanted to do so much more than this and it was not going to happen in this lending niche, so I began my path toward becoming an Accredited Financial Counselor.

AFCPE: Such a good example of how a small step can be a huge catalyst for behavior change. You have own financial counseling business called 320 Life (previously known as Vision Centered Finance). Tell us about it.

My day job is as a personal financial counselor for the military, but I do have a LLC called 320 Life, LLC in which I provide financial counseling to anyone. I’m opting for slow and steady growth to ensure that my mission stays front and center.

The mission of 320 Life is find the hero in our clients to make this world a better place. There are multiple “causes” in a person’s life, things like education savings for their kids, retirement savings for themselves, and buying a home, to name a few. These important goals, or causes, to strive for are only the beginning. The ultimate cause, the grander vision for a person, is even deeper, and outside of themselves. It may be eradicating poverty or disease, fighting human trafficking, service to country, and many more. 320 Life wants to help people bridge the gap between life and finance so that everything is pointing our clients to both personal goals, and finally to that one grander vision for their life.

The name 320 Life comes from Ephesians 3:20: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

AFCPE: We love the way you are keep your mission front and center and your focus on helping clients connect their financial goals to their life goals and purpose. As we enter the latter half of 2018, what’s next for you?

Kyle: There will always be a “what’s up next.” Right now, I’m focused on adding financial advising to the list of services, but adding it as an hourly service or even for free to those who currently have a low net worth.  Second, is a college valuation tool that will allow parents and prospective students to have a quick and easy valuation guide to college, similar to NADAGuides.com or KBB in the auto market. While low cost, high potential salary, and low debt after school may play a role in the overall value, the valuation is deeper than any one item.

AFCPE: Are you attending Symposium this year? What are you most looking forward to?

Kyle: Yes! There is not a particular speaker or session I am excited about. I look forward to the speakers I have never heard of, gaining new perspectives, sometimes on an old idea, that changes how I see something.

 

Kyle Answers the Friday Fast 5:

My Why: Honoring God in all I do by helping people be in position to accomplish more than they can ever ask or imagine.

My Favorite Quotes: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Victor Frank

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly;   who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt

My Heroes: Too many to name! However, if I had to pick, I would say my parents and grandparents.

My Favorite Personal Finance Resource: The Bible

My Best Advice: Life is about so much more than money. Money can help you achieve much and it can cause undue stress if not managed, but ultimately money is merely one tool that helps a person pursue a Vision Centered Life. Be sure your money points to your vision, not the other way around.

Follow Kyle at: https://www.320life.org/ 

August 31, 2018

Interview with Kyle Grevengoed, AFC® and AFCPE® Member

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]]> https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/fridayfollow-the-power-of-the-work-within-us/feed/ 0 #Friday Follow – Coaching from the Heart https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/friday-follow-coaching-from-the-heart/ https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/blog/friday-follow-coaching-from-the-heart/#respond Fri, 27 Jul 2018 16:35:37 +0000 https://www.afcpe.org/?p=2800 Kristy Tubbs is a woman on a mission. She is and the president of Piece of Heart Financial Counseling & Life Coaching, where she teaches people how to heal the heart from the pain of financial woes. In this interview, she shares about her journey from military spouse to financial coach of money and the heart. AFCPE: What inspired you […]

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Kristy Tubbs is a woman on a mission. She is and the president of Piece of Heart Financial Counseling & Life Coaching, where she teaches people how to heal the heart from the pain of financial woes. In this interview, she shares about her journey from military spouse to financial coach of money and the heart.

AFCPE: What inspired you to enter this field? How did you find out about AFCPE?   

Kristy: I graduated from college and became a school teacher. During this time, I become passionate about the communication techniques I was able to teach couples as they came for parent/teacher conferences. This inspired me to go back to school to become a marriage counselor. It was during those years as a marriage counselor that I developed my communication techniques about money and marriage. Being a firm believer of “Stay in your lane”, I felt that I needed more education and training to provide excellence for my clients.  While doing a marriage workshop for a military organization, a member of the Family Services group told me about the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship. I applied and was awarded the scholarship to earn my AFC®designation in 2009.  In 2010, I completed my coursework and was awarded my AFC designation.  As a military spouse, the focus of my business has always been to help military spouses find portable careers that allow them to support their family with freedom to move AND bring in an income. The AFC designation does just that!

AFCPE: You’ve since gone on to earn the FFC® certification as well. What impact have the AFC and FFC certifications made towards your work as a Marriage Counselor and Life Coach?   

Kristy: Having already worked in financial coaching and marriage counseling prior to earning the AFC & FFC certifications, I approached my further education a bit differently than most.  I came to the courses seeking mentoring to enhance my successful qualities and find focus and tools to change my weaker areas. The program provided exactly what I was seeking and gave me the confidence to expand my business. 

AFCPE: You started your own business, Piece of Heart Financial Counseling. Tell us a little more about your organization.

Kristy: Piece of Heart Financial Counseling & Life Coaching exists to help people heal their heart from the pain that money, or the lack of money, has caused. We started the company because as a military spouse, I found myself re-starting a new career with every move. As a marriage counselor, I created a business model that allows us to serve people in any state or country.

As I became successful, I wanted to share my knowledge with other military spouses, so, we created a mentor program to help military spouses jump start their own businesses.

AFCPE: What advice you give to someone who wants to start a private practice?   

When starting your business, know your destination. I knew I wanted to hold workshops around the world to teach financial and marriage communication and with the help of God and some amazing team members, I created the world I desired. 

Also, KNOW YOUR WORTH! So many people told me to start small and bid low because people needing financial wisdom would not pay. I never do anything small! I was already charging fees of $500 an hour for my services, so I saw no reason why adding a designation should not allow for that continued fee. If you can validate your fee, then charge it and do not look back! When people see the outcome of your influence in their lives, they will find a way to pay. 

To serve those who cannot afford to pay? Set up volunteer hours with local nonprofit organizations, allowing your clients to work with these organizations on behalf of your company name and in lieu of paying hourly fees to you!  That way you grow your impact and name in the community while changing the lives of all around! 

AFCPE: That’s a creative way to market and give back! Tell us, what’s next? What’s got you most excited?   

Kristy: I am very excited that we have several new contracts coming in and will hopefully be hiring even more people soon. I continue to bring financial wisdom to our military members and families through various government venues and the Yellow Ribbon program. Our television show will be coming out soon and my new book is due out in late September! We just completed booking the final 4 venues of the year for our “Build Your Dreams”, workshops. This one-day workshop teaches future business owners how to recognize their strengths, focus their vision, and develop their dream into the reality of a successful grand opening.

Kristy answers the Friday 5

1.     My Why:  I believe everyone needs someone who believes in them. When people are struggling and cannot see a way to the other side, hope is a POWERFUL gift to provide. Therefore, I live my life looking to provide hope in the midst of pain, to teach peace in the midst of turmoil, and I do it by believing in the potential of every person I meet.   

2.     My Favorite Quote: From the Bible, Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” It keeps me happy to give and to see the joy of a changed life!

3.     My Hero: Gloria Gonzalves, my mother is my hero! She was the driving force behind all of the businesses my family created. As a young woman I was taught to love big, give big, and chase after your dreams. Because of her unending support and mentoring, I had no doubt I would one day be a business owner in my own right and would continue her legacy of loving big, serving big and leaving a legacy for those who come behind me. I would not be here today if it were not for my mom–my friend, my business partner, and my mentor for life!

4.     My Favorite Personal Finance Resource:  www.powerpay.org I could not have built a better website! We use it in every presentation to teach people how to safely create pay off plans!

5.     My best advice:  

a.     For someone starting the journey to financial well-being:  Your life is about more than the sum of your past mistakes! So, START your financial journey today! Stand up. Take 1 step every day. Access your credit score. Repair your credit. Try and try again. Because, small daily successes will create large annual rewards! 

b.     For a new professional entering this field:  This will be one of the most rewarding and the most grieving careers of your life. Often times, it all happens in the same day! But, when you give of yourself to bring financial wisdom to others, something magical occurs. When you think you are changing someone’s life, you find out they are actually changing yours! If there is any way I can support you, please let me know at kristy@kristytubbs.com.

Follow Kristy at:

Email: kristy@kristytubbs.com

Facebook: @pieceofheartfinancial

Twitter: @moneyandheart

LinkedIn: @KristyTubbs

Website:  www.kristytubbs.com 

July 27, 2018

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