Most people get trapped by the price of something and never take the time to measure its value. They see $16.99 for a book and think, “That’s too much.” But that book might carry one idea that saves them hundreds, earns them thousands, or shifts their mindset in a way that changes their entire financial future. Same with conferences, coaching, workshops, and events. The price is what you pay. Value is what you walk away with. When you focus only on price, you stay stuck in survival mode — always protecting dollars but never positioning yourself for growth. When you focus on value, you start asking the real questions: - What will this teach me? - How will this upgrade my mindset? - What relationships or opportunities might come from it? - What will this be worth to me a year from now? The tangible benefits matter — skills learned, strategies applied, income earned. But the intangible benefits often matter more — the confidence, clarity, motivation, and identity shift that come from stepping into environments that help you grow. As you move toward 2026, start evaluating your decisions through a value lens, not a price lens. Cheap thinking is expensive.Valuable thinking pays you back for life.

Some of you are thinking about launching a side hustle or even stepping fully into self-employment — but there’s one fear that keeps popping up: “If I leave my job, I’ll lose my benefits… especially my ability to contribute to a 401(k).” That concern is real. A traditional employer-sponsored 401(k) does disappear the moment you’re no longer on their payroll. But here’s the part most people don’t realize: Self-employed people often get access to better retirement contribution option. One of the strongest tools is the SEP-IRA (Simplified Employee Pension Plan). Let’s break it down plainly. Why a SEP-IRA Is a Power Move for the Self-Employed: A SEP-IRA lets you contribute up to 25% of your net self-employment income, with a maximum contribution limit that blows most employer 401(k)s out of the water. - Most job-based 401(k)s cap you at $23,000 in employee contributions (2025 numbers). - A SEP-IRA can let you put in up to $69,000 (depending on income). No match. No HR department. No need for a company plan. Just you — contributing far more than the average employee ever could. How It Works (Without the IRS Jargon): 1. You open a SEP-IRA at Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, etc. 2. Your “business” (even a sole proprietorship) makes the contribution on your behalf. 3. You determine your allowable amount (roughly 25% of net profit after expenses). 4. You only contribute for yourself unless you hire employees — simple and clean. 5. Contributions are tax-deductible, meaning your taxable income drops, and you keep more money in your pocket long-term. Translation: You don’t lose retirement benefits by becoming self-employed — you unlock the ability to build wealth even faster if you play it right. Why This Matters for Our Community: Financial freedom means options. Starting a business is one of the strongest ways to create those options — but only if you understand how to protect and grow your future at the same time. If you’re thinking about entrepreneurship but worried about losing benefits, don’t just freeze. Learn the tools available to you. Get informed. Then move with confidence.

If you’re thinking about working but you’re afraid it might cost you your SSDI benefits, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. You actually have several legal, safe ways to earn income without putting your monthly check at risk. The key is understanding the rules so you can move with confidence instead of fear. First, you can work part-time as long as you keep your monthly earnings under the SSDI limit (called “SGA”). Stay under that amount and your benefits stay intact—period. You can also work as an independent contractor and choose how many hours you take on each month so you never go over the threshold. You also have powerful programs on your side. With Ticket to Work, you’re allowed to test employment, earn more money for a while, and still keep your full benefits during the trial period. With the PASS Program, the income you earn can be set aside for career goals and won’t count against your benefits at all—this is one of the best-kept secrets in the system. If you want to stay under the limit but still grow, you can structure your work as project-based instead of fixed weekly hours. You can also volunteer for things that help your career, as long as the volunteer work isn’t replacing a paid job. The bottom line: You don’t have to choose between staying safe and moving forward. You can protect your benefits and still build your skills, your confidence, and your future. The system gives you more room than you think—you just need to use the options that work for you.

Flip the Script from Consumer to Wealth-Builder. Every time a new iPhone drops, people line up to spend $1,000 without blinking. But here’s a better move: buy shares of Apple instead. Every time you binge YouTube for hours, remember — you're making money for Google (Alphabet), not yourself. What if you owned part of the platform you scroll all day? This is the mindset shift: Stop just buying stuff. Start buying ownership. Here’s how to flip the script and get started: 💡 1. Instead of buying the new iPhone… 👉 Buy shares of Apple (AAPL). If you have $100 to spend on accessories, redirect that to ownership. Use apps like Public, Robinhood, Fidelity, or Cash App to buy fractional shares. 💡 2. Instead of binge-watching YouTube... 👉 Buy shares of Alphabet (GOOGL). Google owns YouTube. Every ad you see = money for them. Own your slice. 💡 3. Instead of shopping on Amazon... 👉 Buy shares of Amazon (AMZN). You already fund them with your spending. Now let their growth pay you. 💡 4. Instead of rocking the latest Nike drops... 👉 Buy shares of Nike (NKE). Buy the stock, then buy the kicks with your dividends later. Boss move. 💡 5. Instead of Ubering everywhere... 👉 Buy shares of Uber (UBER). You use the service. Own the business. Every ride helps your portfolio. 🔁 It’s About Ownership, Not Just Access The world wants us stuck in a cycle of consuming. Break it. 🛑 Stop being just a customer.✅ Start being a stakeholder. Even if it’s just $10 to start — the habit is more important than the amount. You’re learning how to think like an owner. 🎯 Free Game Action Step: 1. Pick one company you already use. 2. Research its stock. 3. Invest what you would’ve spent on non-essentials. 4. Repeat monthly. 5. Watch your mindset — and your money — grow. Let’s build wealth on purpose. Let’s play the ownership game.

When money gets tight and debt feels like it’s swallowing you whole, bankruptcy sometimes comes up as an option. But let’s be clear: bankruptcy should be a last resort. It can give you relief, but it also comes with serious long-term consequences (like damaging your credit for years, making it harder to borrow, and impacting big financial goals like homeownership). That said, it’s important to understand the basics—because knowledge is power. Here’s a plain-English breakdown of the three most common types of bankruptcy. ⚖️ Chapter 7 — “Liquidation” - Think of this as the reset button. - A court trustee sells off your non-protected assets and uses the money to pay creditors. - Most unsecured debts (like credit cards, personal loans, medical bills) are wiped away. - You usually finish the process in 3–6 months. - Stays on your credit report for 10 years. 👉🏽 Best for people with little income, few assets, and no realistic way to pay off debt. ⚖️ Chapter 11 — “Reorganization (Mostly Businesses)” - Used mostly by companies, but individuals with very large debts can file too. - Instead of shutting down, the business reorganizes debt, cuts deals with creditors, and creates a repayment plan to stay afloat. - It’s expensive, complicated, and usually reserved for big businesses (think airlines or retail chains). 👉🏽 Best for businesses that want to survive and restructure—not close. ⚖️ Chapter 13 — “Wage Earner’s Plan” - Instead of wiping debt away, you create a 3–5 year repayment plan. - Lets you catch up on mortgages, car loans, and other secured debt without losing your property. - After the repayment period, some remaining unsecured debt can be erased. - Stays on your credit report for 7 years. 👉🏽 Best for people with steady income who want to keep assets while paying debt over time. 💡 Bottom Line: Bankruptcy can stop collections and give you breathing room—but it also comes at a cost. Before going that route, explore every other option first: credit counseling, debt settlement, budgeting, side income, or negotiation with creditors.