Meet Barbra Jackson of BarbraJSpeaks in Lithonia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbra Jackson.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Barbra. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My name is Barbra Jackson and I have had the pleasure of being a Financial Literacy educator for over 16 years. I am passionate about teaching our youth between the ages of 13-19 everything there is to know about MONEY. Society expects teenagers to magically become adults at the age of 18. In order for our youth to become independent and self-sufficient they need to be equipped with the knowledge of personal finances. My journey began when I realized that I have only been impacting approximately 160 students per school year. My desire is to impact thousands of young adults and teach them the skills to pay the bills. I started my consultant and motivational speaking business in November 2018, however, I have been speaking at workshops and seminars since 2015. My name was inspired by my 18-year-old daughter. One day she said. “Mom, you are always talking and speaking about money…everyone that knows you know that this is always your favorite topic for conversations” …So…BarbraJSpeaks was birthed.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My GPS has routed and re-rerouted me in a few different directions from where I thought I’d end up. My struggles have come from securing clients that are interested in one-on-one consulting.  Securing eight clients since starting has been very inspiring, however, my goal is many, many more. The positive piece of the journey has been my numerous workshops. I have been invited by non-profit organizations to speak to youth for several workshops and seminars on financial literacy topics. The workshops are an excellent way for me to gain client’s trust and to market myself in a positive learning environment.

Please tell us about BarbraJSpeaks.
My company, BarbraJSpeaks,LLC, is a consulting business that specializes in youth development. I consult and teach students all aspects of Financial Literacy. This begins with topics related to career exploration. My firm belief is that in order for a young adult to understand money, it starts with the right career choice and post-secondary education. Resume and interviewing skills are practiced, so that students choose careers aligned with their passion and values, which ultimately leads to a successful standard of living.  This standard of living should not start with thousands of dollars of student loan and credit card debt from college. I also teach students about taxes, payroll, checking and savings as well as long term investing. My teachings allow a young adult to realize that it’s not how much you make, but instead how you manage your finances. There is an emphasis on understanding the moving out process (leasing an apartment and/or buying a home) and buying a car as well as understanding the details of insurance. My passion revolves around the desire to offer our youth a true picture of how money really works for them if they are disciplined and understand its value.

I am most proud of my commitment to serve and teach without concentrating on the income that my company will one day bring in. My desire to teach is what wakes me up in the morning. I feel that I am different from others because I have a true passion to educate all day; EVERYDAY! I also instill in youth the confidence to manage their money so that when they leave college or move out that they do not feel the need to come back home to their parents.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood is when my mother first took me to the local bank and helped me open up my first checking account at the age of 16. I worked at McDonald’s during my junior and senior year in high school. She taught me how to use a checkbook register and reconcile my checking account; a skill that I still use to this day. That’s when I knew I had a passion for understanding everything involving money. During my college years I offered my budgeting knowledge to help my peers and co-workers. In closing…BarbraJSpeaks dreams of a day when everyone understands, protects, and handles their hard earned money like it was their money instead of someone else’s money! 

Pricing:

• 1 hour consulting sessions – $50.00
• Workshops and large group speaking engagements – $100-$250/hour- depending on number of students

Contact Info:

• Website: www.barbrajspeaks.com
• Phone: 252-591-2352
• Email: bj@barbrajspeaks.com and barbrajp@gmail.com
• Twitter: @barbrajspeaks

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