As a kid, I remember a television commercial that showed rows of bored-looking students, sitting in a classroom with the window shades drawn, while a teacher’s voice droned on: “supply, demand, economics …†I can’t recall what it was selling, but the message was clear–learning about matters of finance is as dull as it gets.
Here at Black Enterprise, we believe that doesn’t have to be true. Being savvy about your finances allows you to create an exciting life for yourself and your family. We know the subject can
sometimes be complex, intimidating, and–honestly–yawn-inducing, so every month we put our heads together to find fresh, dynamic ways to help you better understand your finances. Our Wealth for Life mission is to ensure that you become an active participant in wealth creation–and not a victim of economic conditions.This month even we were surprised by how engagingly interesting and informative a discussion of personal finance principles could be. Check out the third installment of our Women & Money series, “Everything You Wanted to Know About Your Finances,†a roundtable featuring
estate planning expert Lori Anne Douglass, partner in the Trusts and Estates Group of law firm Moses & Singer L.L.P.; CNBC’s Sharon Epperson, senior commodities and personal finance correspondent; money manager Dail St. Claire, president of Williams Capital Management (No. 13 on the BE asset managers list with $2.4 billion under management); and financial adviser Robin A. Young, president of Women Behaving Wealthy. It was like a gathering with your best girlfriends, who just happen to be super savvy about money, don’t mind sharing all their good tips, and care about you enough to tell it like it is. They answered your burning questions, through Facebook and Twitter. And no subject was off limits during the discussion, which was led by Senior Multimedia Content Producer Carolyn M. Brown and live tweeted by Multimedia Editorial Director Sonia Alleyne. It was better than any chat, chew, or view available on daytime TV.But that’s just one element of our annual investment guide. We’ve got you covered no matter what stage (or gender) you are. Many of our BE Nexters should relate to this month’s Financial Fitness Contest winner, cover subject Jhanay Harris, who is just starting out on her goals to achieve wealth. For those of you already active in the stock market, “Investment Planning by the Decades†gives you customized advice whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s. Defining your financial objectives is the first step to advancing your position in life. So stop putting off financial planning as that tedious task you must do; get engaged in the process, and start reaping the benefits of a more exciting lifestyle.