Meet Your Small Business University Instructor: Lynnette Khalfani-Cox

LYNNETTE KHALFANI-COX
Personal Finance Expert, TheMoneyCoach.com
Black Enterprise Small Business University Instructor

The Process: Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is a wife, mother of three, author and businesswoman. Her day starts like a lot of working moms: She gets the kids to school and then gets to work, which for her means checking e-mail, taking in all the news Websites, updating her social media pages and answering questions sent to her via her site TheMoneyCoach.com. It’s not unusual to get a call or an e-mail requesting her appearance on the Today Show, MSNBC, The Talk or any

of the numerous other programs she has contributed to as a financial expert over the years.  “I don’t like drama, but I do like the pace and excitement that comes with my career,” Cox says. “My single greatest satisfaction with my chosen career path is my freedom. That is what I value most.”

The Vision: Cox credits her husband Earl Cox with keeping her business (and personal) life running smoothly.  “My husband is my agent and business manager,” Cox says. “He negotiates my contracts, books my appearances and just generally maintains my sanity. He has a very disciplined and organized approach to our business affairs. He makes sure our goals and strategies are clear.”

The It Factor:  “I think people can relate to me because I truly understand their issues,” she says. “I’ve gone through a divorce. I’ve had $100,000 in credit-card debt (which I paid off in three years). I had $40,000 in student loan debt. So, I know what it’s like to go through painful situations,” said Cox.

The Defining Moment: In 2003, Cox had been working at Dow Jones for 10 years, had been promoted numerous times, was working as a Wall Street Journal correspondent and was happily enjoying a six-figure salary. Then she, and about 200 other people, were let

go due to budget cuts. “I love giving financial advice, I love talking to people, and I love being on television, so I had to figure out how to do those things under my own brand,” she says. Today, she earns well over the income she took in as an employee.

The Life: In addition to Zumba a few times a week and frequent vacations, rules and sayings keep Cox’s exciting life balanced. Her kids already know that there is no television allowed during the week, and the Cox household follows what she calls the “Wash, Rinse, Repeat” rule.  “Entrepreneurial life can be hectic, so we want to provide as much stability as possible,” Cox says.  ” We have routines that work, and we stick to them. We are appropriately flexible of course, but planning and preparation help to minimize stress in our personal and professional lives.”

Register now at blackenterprise.com/sbu to see weekly video courses from Khalfani-Cox and other industry experts on how to build, grow and nurture your business. On top of that, you’ll have a chance to win more than $50,000 in prizes, including one-on-one consultations with successful entrepreneurs like Emerson, a small business makeover for your biz courtesy of Dell, and much more!

Visit blackenterprise.com/sbu for more details now!