📍EEA: Building Wealth with Bri Smith

RJ Redden:

Joy in the morning. Oh, and here we are, everybody. Hold on to your goggles and buckle those capes because today I have got a fabulous guest for the epic engagement adventure. My name, of course, is RJ Retton. You probably know me if you don't. What are you doing here? Hey, you know I welcome you, but wow, I'm so glad you're today. Today we're going to talk with my friend Brie, who is a know people with careers like that don't usually aren't magnetized too much to people like me, you know what I'm saying? Because I'm wild off the wall and creative. But Brie and I, when we met up, it was like, what a completely heart driven human who is out there on the front line every day serving other heart driven humans.

RJ Redden:

And I knew I had to have her on the podcast to talk about a what she does, which is so amazingly important. And then we'll talk a little bit about engagement after that. So, brie, it's time. Tell us who you are, what you do, where you're from. Give it everything. Give us everything.

Bri Smith:

Awesome. So hi, everyone. I'm Brie Smith. I'm a CPA and a wealth strategist. And I basically just help parents to create generational wealth while also living their dream lives. So those old days of working somebody else for someone else for 40 plus years, like a slave, building their dream instead of your own, we can just throw that away, burn it, light it up with a gasoline fire, because it's not necessary for you to be able to have generational wealth or to be happy and healthy. So I just go over with my clients. How can they reach their dream goals? Not the little petty ones that you're comfortable saying without loud, but the ones that really make your heart flutter.

Bri Smith:

Those are the ones that I want to go after and to enjoy life each day because we need to have joy, like being sad and miserable every day. Misery loves company and I don't want that company around me.

RJ Redden:

I banish that company.

Bri Smith:

Yes.

RJ Redden:

It will not come through my screen. Yeah, well, and you're talking to a group of people who aren't necessarily like, we like getting paid trust, but we're not primarily motivated by money. But what you're talking about, we absolutely need the money to make the wheels go round so that we can create that joy for people.

Bri Smith:

Yes. That's the part that I love to work on with my clients because a lot of my clients are not driven by just wanting a ton of money. I haven't met any that are because we're not going to mesh well. If you just want to go after a ton of money just to have it, that's not who I gel well with. But instead we talk about like, what kind of impact do you want to make, how do you want to help other people? What kind of charitable giving do you want to have? Now, I am not one to say that we're going to give away 100% of our wealth to charity when we pass away, 80% to 90% of mine will always go to my family because they're my first priority. But I don't have anything against leaving a good ten to maybe 20. More like ten though percent to charity when it comes to what I leave behind or things like that. But I want to have a huge impact while I'm here.

Bri Smith:

If you have a ton of wealth, we always talk about how these rich people, a lot of the evil corporations and all of the things that they do bad with wealth. So a lot more of us good people need to have it so that we can spread the goodness in the world instead of more evil spreading. That's just what I feel like.

RJ Redden:

Well, and now you all know why I immediately thought this lady needs to be on the show. Because you are reading my mail over there. Because I want to do some cool things while on the Earth. I was meant to, but I want to leave this Earth better than how I found it. Yes, it's a major driver of everything that I do. And so getting involved with you and you have classes and different things that you offer people, not just services, but actual courses. Can you talk about that?

Bri Smith:

Yes. So I have the Financial Freedom Plan, and in that I go over how to build generational wealth. So we're going over all the numbers. We're getting clear on your purpose, going over how to budget, put your money where your mouth is with a budget, saving, getting out of debt, repairing your credit with integrity. Because if we owe those people, we're going to pay those people, and if we don't, we won't. But I just like to give that disclaimer. Just because they don't have your middle initial right does not mean you're not going to pay them if you come to me and ask for help with credit repair. And then lastly, we go over investment strategies.

Bri Smith:

How do we want to make our money work for us? We have to figure out what works for us. And so that's the only way to have passive income and to truly grow wealth is to invest, whether it's in a business, in yourself, in the stocks, or real estate. I love real estate. It has helped me a lot. We go over which ways you want to do hybrid methods. Everything's custom. Even though it's a course, I still make sure it's all custom. So I go over the top wealth strategies and then say, hey, what feels best for you? What feels more comfortable for you? And it's kind of trial and error.

Bri Smith:

We have to figure out what works, that I partner with them on it. So it's not just go do it on your own. No, you have it so that you can do it on your own time. But then we also meet weekly so that we can discuss it. I can answer any questions, any kind of road bumps that come your way, because as soon as you try and get better in any area, every excuse and everything that can go wrong will go wrong. And now you're like, oh my God, the world is on fire. What do I do? I'm there for that. I do all that and I really get to mesh and help my clients.

Bri Smith:

They are so amazing and they have such big, beautiful dreams that I can't wait for them to accomplish. They're on track to buy their first home or second home, to be able to retire early, start traveling the world, live half of the year in Puerto Rico for one of them, like, have multiple streams of income. It is just so yes, I love it. And then I have my other course that I'm actually working on right now that is free to the public. It's called position to prosper. So this one is really heart driven because it's all about God of finances. I'm a god girl. And so it's bringing him in.

Bri Smith:

It's helping with mindset, helping you to know that you were meant to prosper. God has a great purpose for you. And I know that just as entrepreneurs and I've been a single mom, there's been various points in my life where I was like, I just need help. Can someone just help me for free? Everyone wants to take my money. Can someone just help me with something for free? I just need a little bit of something just to get through so that I can then afford to pay you or whatever the case may be. But you just need someone to give you just a hand up, not a hand out for a moment. And so this is that hand up. It's like, hey, you were positioned for purpose and to prosper and this is what God has to say about how you should use your money, spend your money, and things like that.

Bri Smith:

So we're going over being a good steward, generosity, just how to investing again will be in there, but everything from a biblical perspective, so I do give that disclaimer. So if you don't want to hear about the Bible or God at all, that doesn't feel good for you. It's probably not going to be your thing. But if you're like, hey, Jesus my homeboy, I kind of want to check him out a little bit, then come on over because we're going to talk about God and we're going to talk about money and we're going to put them both together because it's the love of money, like excessive love. Agreed, that is the root of all evil, but money is not evil in itself and we have to let go of that stigma.

RJ Redden:

Yeah. I love that you are out there willing to give folks a hand up. I am an extremely lucky individual. My wife takes care of the money stuff and the investment. All those things. I am for all of my life been an ostrich when it comes to money. I just stick my head in the sand, butt up, catching the wind, you know what I mean? Anything that I need to do because money scares the heck right out of me. I got a real lucky trust.

RJ Redden:

What would you say to somebody like me who is just money is terrifying because I've been in so many rooms all of my life where people start talking about money and they start throwing those little IRAs and CTOs. I don't even know what alphabet soup they are spitting right now. And like could somebody just take a tray of Monopoly money and show me what the hell is happening? Because I'm so afraid that I won't understand that I don't understand. Do you know what I'm saying?

Bri Smith:

I get it.

RJ Redden:

How do you talk to people like me?

Bri Smith:

So one, I always open up with a judgment free zone because I'm not here to judge my clients or anyone that comes to work with me. The same way that you get frightened when it comes to money, I feel the same way about marketing. Like I don't know what the heck to do with that stuff. I didn't learned about it and I still am frozen. I'm like, I'm a break something no. I'm a break something no. Can someone do it for me? So instead I have to help my clients with one. I don't do it for you.

Bri Smith:

I teach you how to do it for yourself. Because I want to empower them to take control of their lives and their money. And I don't want them to be in a position where they always need me. I'm great, I'm awesome. Come get this loveliness. But at the same time, I want you to be empowered with your money and your finances. And so I really just babystep it with them. I'm just like, hey look, we're going to do one module at a time.

Bri Smith:

First, we're not even talking about money. We're talking about dreams. Let's just dream like a child. Like no boundaries, no limits, no glass ceilings, nothing. We're just going to dream what does our heart truly desire? And then I let that fire them. That be the fuel that keeps them going. So there's a lot of stuff that I want to do. I love to say that the struggle ends with me.

Bri Smith:

I want it so that no one in my bloodline ever struggles with money. However, I also want a couple of charities. My husband has a thing where he really wants to help orphans. I really want to help single mothers that were in a place that I was like that just needed a hand up. Where it was like, hey, I'm working, I'm active. So the government doesn't want to help me. But I'm struggling because I'm a single mama making $10 an hour and working full time, going to school full time, and trying to figure out how the heck I'm going to keep us fed and good to go. And so that's something that fuels me.

Bri Smith:

It's like there's others waiting for me. There's single mamas that are waiting for me to be able to supply them with homes and cars or help them be able to get their own home and car and different things that I want to do because, I mean, I can't take care of the whole world, but I do want to be very impactful in my community and to help them. So instead, when I'm ready to give up, I'm like, there's a mama that needs me. There's some kids that needs me because I'm going to change the trajectory of their life. And so I think that I get them to focus more on that. And so it's like, is it worth it to push through your fear? Because there's some mamas that need you. There are some kids that need you. There are some people that need you to be performing in all your excellence so that you could be a great steward over this money, so that you can help more people.

Bri Smith:

Because a lot of us make a lot of money. I work with people that it's nothing to be embarrassed about. There's people that's making multiple six figures living paycheck to paycheck. There's people making seven figures living paycheck to paycheck. And I mean, some of us other folks be like, how you got a million in your paycheck to paycheck? It's always something to spend it on. There's always stuff. So it's like there's no need to be embarrassed because whether you're making 100,000, 300,000 or a million a year, however you spend a little bit is how you're going to spend a lot. So if you have a problem while you're making 50K, you're going to have a problem while you're making 100, 300, 500, a million.

Bri Smith:

We just need to address it because it's just going to snowball. It's not about necessarily always making more money. It's about being a great steward over what you currently have so that then as you get more money, you spend it just as well as you were the little bit.

RJ Redden:

Yeah, that makes sense to me. I think the part that really rang true was what you do with a little, you'll do with a lot, and that really kind of shines a light on how am I acting, how am I being a good steward today? And am I being a good steward today? There's always more software to research brie. There's always more software that I need to look into it's for my clients. It really so that's where I tend to run down a rabbit hole, but I'm doing it far less these days. But still, there's always kind of that little thing out there. Yeah, gosh. It really greases the wheels, or it ungreases them. Every time I act in accordance with who I want to be, I feel better.

RJ Redden:

I have so much more energy to devote to things. Money is part of that, because when the money ain't coming, I'm smiling. I'm always smiling, but inside, I am panicking, and I don't want to be that way.

Bri Smith:

Yeah, you'll go from being an ostrich to being a duck on the top, it looks like everything's fine. You look under that water, and it's just like, help.

RJ Redden:

Yeah, no, it can totally be that way. And I know we all entrepreneurship ain't easy. There's a lot of up and downs, and we've got to learn how to ride those downs. Still being positive and being sure that we were meant to be prosperous, as you were saying before, that's so hard to do. So with the class and even with the free one that you've been working on, is there any sort of ongoing support or what kind of ongoing do you offer for your clients?

Bri Smith:

So ongoing, I have one on one with clients as well, and then I'm working on actually creating a group structure, so that's something that's in the works of just being able to say, like, a low cost monthly fee to stay in contact with me, to still get any questions answered as they come up. So I'm working on doing that in a group space as well as the one on one. So right now, I have one on one for ongoing where my clients still just come back, and some of them, they just have a quick question, and I don't charge for that. Maybe I should, but I don't. I mean, if you just have one question, you've already worked with me. You've already paid me before. We're not in this because we're greedy. We're in this because we really want to help people.

Bri Smith:

So I've had clients come back and be like, okay, I'm doing great. I'm going to buy my house faster than I thought. I got this question, though. What is it that I need to do here on my credit? Like, here's all my reports and everything. You see, it's gone up this far. Now what do I do next? And I'm like, okay, this is all you need to do. Or I've had to be like, oh, Brie. So I was talking to my husband, and I got to spend, like, $2,000 today on getting my hair and nails and everything done because I took a break for a while.

Bri Smith:

But do I really just have to sacrifice? Is that what's required for me to make it to the next level? Do I have to sacrifice sometimes? And I was like, Ma'am. Yes.

RJ Redden:

Ma'am.

Bri Smith:

Ma'am, yes. And you spent $2,000 and didn't want get everything you wanted. Wait a minute, wait a minute. But I just partner with them on it, and it's all a good fun. They know I love them, but it's just sometimes we just have to have those little calls, like, let's bring it back in. We got this.

RJ Redden:

Let's bring it back in. Well, I have a similar feeling toward my clients. You call me, you need something that's going to take under 15 minutes, under a half hour. I'm just going to give it to you because I love you, but I upgraded that idea a couple of years ago, and it's working like gangbusters. Would you like to know what I do?

Bri Smith:

Yes, I would love to know what you do.

RJ Redden:

So now, right at the point where they say, what do I owe you? And I say, you know what? I ain't charging money for this. But if you'd love to go drop a testimonial on my LinkedIn right now, I would love it. By the way, here's the link. You know what I mean? If it's easy and fun, it gets done, but just that hey. And if they never do it, I'm not checking up on that. But some people feel better about calling me because they know that I will totally get some out of it, too, but I'm not going to charge you $50. I don't need the $50.

Bri Smith:

You know what I mean?

RJ Redden:

Anyway, good. I'm glad we've covered your classes, because that, to me, that's one of the special things that you do that I think is just a little bit different than your normal CPA, right?

Bri Smith:

Yeah.

RJ Redden:

Usually at this point, I will turn the tables and say, hey, what do you do for engagement? And you said to me at the beginning, you know what? I'm not super great at that. And a no judgment zone here. Yes, here's why no judgment zone. Because nobody's teaching this. They're not teaching engagement. They're teaching you how to corral a bunch of transactions and filter them through a complicated landing page system so that you get some people to pay you at the end.

Bri Smith:

And I don't like it. It feels icky. That's been my main issue with marketing, is that all the strategies that have been shown to me feel so icky. I found one or two where I'm like, oh, maybe I can mesh with that. Maybe I can do that. But for the most part, it's just like I just love to just be genuine with people. I love chatting. I love talking.

Bri Smith:

So I do stuff like this. But yeah, other than that, it's like, I don't know. I don't want to be always constantly begging for a sale or trying to get a sale that just doesn't feel comfortable. So got to figure it out.

RJ Redden:

Well, I wrote a manifesto a while back because it just felt good. And the two points on the manifesto, one is stop marketing, and the other one is stop selling instead of marketing and selling. For people like us, it really works if we serve an invite.

Bri Smith:

I like, that.

RJ Redden:

I love that I invite you all day. I'm an gene. If I feel like you would benefit from something that I do, I made it for you. I made it for you. Come be with me. Let's do this thing. And just getting that mindset in instead of the whole, okay, I'm supposed to be on social media five times a day until death do us part.

Bri Smith:

I mean, come that was not in my wedding vows. That was not it. That was not it.

RJ Redden:

No, it's not it. It's never central to heart driven people. We're aligned to help. We're aligned to help. And so I think of you posting that I do online, and then there's emails and blogs and everything else. When you had talked a few minutes ago about thinking about those people out there that need you, the single moms and kids and the families out there who need you, and that motivates you. The people that sign up to receive your emails are the people that need to hear how you're doing. And it's not always business.

RJ Redden:

It's not always business. If I got an email once a week, Bree, that talked to me about your money philosophy, I'd be in do you know what? And then at the bottom, hey, offering a free class. You want to check it out? Well, maybe because you've served me with the content, because you've reminded me what's important to me. You've also reminded me that money does not have to be the central driver of my life or I'm a loser. Yes, these are things you feel strongly about, because I know you, and we talked a couple of times now. What if you just reminded people of who they really are? You could use a little story, a little anecdote about serving somebody and really drive home those values that you have over and over and over again. And then occasionally in the PS, go, hey, I'm doing a thing. You want to come check it out? Hit the button, stuff like that.

RJ Redden:

It's way overlooked, my friend. It's way overlooked. In fact, I have overlooked it in my life. I have a ton of fancy gadgets to get engagement at my disposal, and I love putting together all of my pretty tools and creating journeys for people. But sometimes you can just start simple. We don't believe in transactional relationships. We believe in connective relationships. Right? And so when you are offering an article or a blog or an email or anything, it is right? When you're offering somebody something to your people, that's an exchange.

RJ Redden:

That is an exchange that if it doesn't happen very often, there goes the engagement. Right? Engagement can be a very powerful thing. You can do less marketing if you have more engagement.

Bri Smith:

I love that.

RJ Redden:

Yeah. Did that help? Do you have more questions, more specific questions for me?

Bri Smith:

So when I think about serve and invite, that is something that I'm mentally taking a note of. Definitely. And I do love the thought of a newsletter because that's what I'm hearing for the emails, like a newsletter. Just like, hey, this is what's going on in life. This is how it pertains to money and money philosophy and things like that. And here's something that I have cooking, like whether it's my podcast or a new YouTube video that I have out there, or something else to help, here's just something to help you real quick. Is it helpful? So I guess I see that. I guess more.

Bri Smith:

So I'm thinking about like, is it do I just offer them the same things each week? Is it just like, hey, look, here's another video I just dropped for you, or here's another podcast episode that just came out for you. Does that get boring?

RJ Redden:

Well, when I'm dropping things like that, I like to tell stories. I'll do it all day and have stories, get people to let down their hair for a second and imagine and that's the best place to remind them of who they are. And so when you are sending out those videos, the podcast, can you tell me what was the central point of that video? And can you tell me how that relates to my journey from being an ostrich to being somebody who is a really good steward of what's given to her and is going to make a great legacy when she leaves? There you go. All the things that you are passionate about, re. Your people are passionate about the same thing. They just are. That's true. So it doesn't have to be 78 times a day on social media.

RJ Redden:

It doesn't have to be you've got to email everybody on your list every single day. But people forget what you have to offer unless you're there to remind them. Now, let me just be super clear on this point, okay? Because people get this wrong a lot and I just want to lay it out there as clearly as I can. People are not stupid. People are they have very little bandwidth to remember who you are and what you do. They just have still little bandwidth and they got a lot of things fighting for their attention. But if you're there handing them connective tissue and saying, hey, remember who you are, remember who you are, they're going to open your email every time.

Bri Smith:

Well, I guess then how do I get them on the email? Like, I have a few hundred on my email list, but it feels great. But also it feels like in this world, it's like, I don't have a million, I don't have 10,000, I don't have 1000. So how do you gear that up? I guess more to get more engagement, to get more people even looking at you to start with, to even email out or whatever the case may be.

RJ Redden:

Absolutely. So how I do it would be different than how you're doing it, but one of the things that I do, I'll just give you a suggestion and then hopefully we'll talk offline later. Because I have a million suggestions because there's so many ways to do this. But one of the ways that I do it is I do a lot. I do three events on LinkedIn every month, and the people come in through those events, and when they come in through those events, sometimes, I mean, it depends. There's a little box you have to check, but they'll get added to my email list regardless. They're going to get me. Like, as soon as they sign up, I go put them in a calendar event so that it shows up on their calendar, and I connect with them before, during, and after that event.

RJ Redden:

A lot of times it's maybe just in LinkedIn in the DMs. Sometimes it's sending them an email if they've said that it's okay. But the event, everybody goes, this is so funny. So people just they do this all the time. They go through all the malarkey of what you do to put an event on, right? And there's a lot there's some hoops to jump through, I won't lie. But then they get to the day of the event, they get maybe stage butterflies or something like that. And then they practice their speech, and then they do their speech, and then it's over. And then they're like, well, but I only got one person that expressed interest.

RJ Redden:

Here's the deal. You have conversations with them before the event happens. You have the event, and if they couldn't come, that's okay. It matters not. They've still expressed interest in you. Then you get to send them. You know, I noticed you weren't there, and I really want you to get this information, so I just wanted to proactively send you a replay. And I also wanted to know, was there anything keeping you from attending? Maybe they're like me, maybe they get last minute Ostrich syndrome, but find out what made them not attend and try to get a sit down if it's appropriate.

RJ Redden:

You know what I mean? Most people think that it's like dropping off a cliff, because we've been dropped off cliffs before, have we not? By people who promise billions of dollars in glory and all of this beautiful stuff they say. And then when we do, we're dropping off a cliff and nobody's there to help us. And we're like, what happened now?

Bri Smith:

Yeah.

RJ Redden:

This is not the journey you're taking people on. Oh, hell no. You are taking them on a journey of helping them be comfortable with you. Obviously, they're going to vibe with your ideas. Obviously there's going to be kind of a relationship going there. And then the event is kind of a nice thing. You know, Shirley knows what she's talking about. And then when you reach back know, maybe there's a conversation there.

RJ Redden:

Maybe there's a conversation before the event. I've had it all.

Bri Smith:

The ways.

RJ Redden:

I've had it all the ways. The event is one stop on the journey. Do the whole journey and treat people like their people. I don't have to tell you this. Treat people like their people. Make them feel seen, heard and cared about. Love it so your arms can open a whole lot wider. Brie.

Bri Smith:

I love it. I like that. I'm definitely going to be taking that into consideration on how can I do that, because I have so many things done that I just don't put out there sometimes. So it's like, I'm hoarding the good stuff and I want to put it out there, but it's like, oh, I don't want to be salesy.

RJ Redden:

I formally release you from all salesiness forever. Never say another thing or do another thing that makes you feel salesy ever again. The truth is this, it will not work for you and it will make you feel bad. Don't do it. I release you from ever having to do that again. If some marketing type comes up to you and is like, you're not aggressive enough, it's okay to say, well, perhaps you're right, and then run away because.

Bri Smith:

I don't want to be aggressive. Like, I should not be, like, putting people in the headlock. Like, you're going to take this course? No. Come willingly or not at all.

RJ Redden:

Release your need. Release that fear that, well, maybe I have to be to have a business. I talk to the people about this all the time. You do not have to be aggressive to have a business. I am not aggressive. I understand people in the world who don't like me and that is just so beautiful because then I can spend my energy on those people that need an RJ.

Bri Smith:

Yes, and a lot need an RJ because you're awesome. You're so awesome.

RJ Redden:

Gosh, I'm so glad we got to talk about that because it's hugely important. Now, I will say this. Up until about a year ago, I was much more focused on my super shiny bot and AI tools and all of that kind of stuff and not focused on email at all. A guy named Tom Ruich, if he sees this little interview we just did, he's going to call me laughing because he had to convince me to try email. And I did. And now I feel so close. Like, my email list is my online family.

Bri Smith:

I love that.

RJ Redden:

If you don't want to be in, please do not be in. Please keep your inbox safe and a sane place. Do not invite me in. But if you do, you're going to hear all about it. You're going to hear all about it. You're going to hear about me experimenting with things and bumping my head. You're going to hear about joyful things that happen to my people. You're going to hear about I just created a new character.

RJ Redden:

Sometimes I introduce characters in my email. I know it's a little crazy, but just trust me on this. I'm working on introducing a new character because I get a lot of pitch slaps from random folks. Yeah, you knew what, I get a lot of those from random folks. And so I'm creating a character for my emails and they are yucktech.com, and they're just there to try to sell me something that I don't need for a price that's a black hole in my bank account every month. No, you know what I mean? So Yucktech.com is going to be making an appearance soon in my emails, but when you think of them as people that you care for, it offers you a whole new world of possibility in what to express, and it can be a joyful thing and you're just serving. Serve and invite at the bottom. Serve and invite at the bottom, and don't worry about anything else.

Bri Smith:

Okay.

RJ Redden:

Now we're over.

Bri Smith:

More questions?

RJ Redden:

Anything more specific? Like on a how to or a thing? Because I'm here to give it to you if you want it.

Bri Smith:

No, I think I finally have some clarity. I think I want to do the YouTube videos because that's like, what feels good to me. And I love to talk. I'm a talker fourth generation, or at least third generation. My child is a fourth generation, but I am a talker by nature, so I love doing the little videos and I think that'll be like my sweet spot. And then my email will just be more so, hey, look, I made this really cool video for you. If you think it'd be helpful, go check it out. If not, then don't.

Bri Smith:

And hey, by the way, there's this other thing that I'm working on, like, positioned to prosper. You want to come check it out? Here's your hand up just in case you want a non salesy way to work with me. If you just need a hand up right now, you ain't got no coins in the bank and you're like, oh, stop trying to take my money, people. Come right here. And then if you are ready to invest in yourself and see that huge impact and growth that you're looking for in your finances, then come on, get a breakthrough call and let's figure out what's best for you. So I think that'd be great.

RJ Redden:

I'm absolutely loving that plan for you. And listen, world, if you haven't heard enough about Brie, there's a way you can hear more. I threw your website address in the.

Bri Smith:

Thank you.

RJ Redden:

04:00 on a Thursday. But yeah, can you say the name of your website again for us while people find that link?

Bri Smith:

It's Bdsmithfinancial.com. So B as in Brie, d as in daysmithfinancial.com. And I have free resources up there along as ways to book a call with me and just find out a little bit more about me.

RJ Redden:

Get some stuff, people, load some stuff up. I've hired a lot of coaches in my life and some have been great investments, and some of them have been absolutely terrible.

Bri Smith:

I do my research now.

RJ Redden:

I do my research because that's going out the door. And do your research. Dig around, find out what she has to offer, and maybe, just maybe, you will vibe with what she was talking about today and get a hold of her. Don't waste a chance to get a hold of somebody who can really help you. Well, that's what I know. Any final words for the people?

Bri Smith:

I always will say, do a budget. If you haven't done anything else, please do a budget. If you don't tell your money where to go for you, it will make decisions on its own. And money is not smart. So please don't leave it up to the money to decide where it's going to go. It will make every horrible decision you can imagine. Well, really, we're making the horrible decisions, right? But we're going to blame it on the money because we didn't tell it where to go. So failure to plan is a plan to fail.

Bri Smith:

So please do a budget. That's all I have to say.

RJ Redden:

A budget, people. Budget it up. Well, that is it. That's it for us today. We'll be back next week on Thursday with more stuff for you, more value, and if you all aren't busy, join us next week. Power networking going to be a great time, inviting folks. We're really going to have a good time. We're actually previewing our brand new space.

RJ Redden:

We're no longer meeting in zoom boring. We are meeting somebody somewhere entirely different. So hit me up on LinkedIn. It's an event. We got it's up. It's ready. Powernetworking live. Hit us up and say hello, because we would love to have you brie the time.

Bri Smith:

Love it.

RJ Redden:

All right, my friends, that's it for the epic engagement adventure. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. See you later. Bye.