The first trait of a leader is DRIVE.
My wake up call for financial literacy was on my 26th birthday. I had scheduled an appointment two months earlier with the best corporate bankruptcy attorney in San Francisco. I handed him $1000 in twenties as a retainer and took a deep breath. My six figures of credit card debt was about to be wiped away. I could start with a clean slate. One of the added perks of working at Boys Toys, an uber-upscale gentlemen’s club in SF during the dot-com boom was the power-networking. Presidents, CEOs, and political figures entertained at this club all the time. I got to meet some very influential people that gave me connections and access to top knotch legal staff that would have otherwise closed the door in my face. The same is true at Christie’s and Treasures, which is why I haven’t hung up my heels just yet. I don’t go to work for the cash, I go to work for the networking.
Once the courts put their stamp on my paperwork 6 months later I was driven by my intense need to recover my dignity and independence. I had to surrender my Jeep, so I peddled my bicycle up and down those steep hills. I was motivated. I had something to prove, and I wasn’t going to stop until I had created financial freedom for myself.
I kicked my hunger into high gear. There was NO WAY I was going to go bankrupt again. I worked as much as my body would physically allow me to and I was a saver. I set strict monthly savings goals for myself. In 2003 we were focused on saving for three things: House, then Wedding, then Boobs.
After the boobs in 2004, I needed something new to save for. I began reading everything I could get my hands on about credit and investing. I began to live the David Bach Latte Factor mantra. I was going one of his book signings in early 2006 when I happened to glance at a book at Starbucks. (My local starbucks is inside an Albertson’s grocery store which conveniently has magazine/books rack) It was Robert Kiyosaki’s Retire Young, Retire Rich. It had a completely different viewpoint on investing for retirement than David Bach’s series. I liked it even BETTER! I spent the next two years learning how to think differently, recognize money-making opportunities, and jump on them!
I’m not financially free yet. My passive income does not cover my living expenses yet. I still derive income from the E quadrant (my gym job) and the S quadrant (dancing, Dancerwealth) In 2006-2008 I tackled the I quadrant. With DestinationAvalon and SpaAvalon, I am learning how to generate income from the B quadrant.
I’ll know I’ll get there. I’m Driven.
Tags: b quadrant business, financial literacy, superstripper
