I didn’t just wake up one day and decided I wanted to tackle the big problem no one is talking about. Spending Power was discovered over a course of 36 years of my life as I realized that the bane of my existence lies tackling the financial literacy problem in our community. Spending Power was founded to address a growing financial crisis among America’s youth due to lack of financial acumen, educ
ation and action. Today’s young people are ill equipped to make major financial decisions, and in turn has a disastrous effect on the economic progression of the surrounding communities. As a certified financial representative, real estate investor, and co-owner of W-2 Tax Pros, LLC. I provide businesses, individuals and families with financial education products and services to incorporate money management strategies to help build generational wealth. Spending Power was founded on the principles of Break F.R.E.E (Financial Freedom, Rebuilding the Community through Entrepreneurship, Education, and Empowerment) to bridge the gap between accessibility, education, and empowerment. We were originally conceived in March 2015 when I examined my life and the lack of financial literacy and entrepreneurial educational programs in my school system growing up. I went to one of the top magnet high school in South Carolina and still did not have a personal finance class. I realized if it wasn’t for people that were strategically placed in her life to teach me the rules of the financial game for example a real estate investor in Virginia who taught me how to use student loans to build wealth my financial situation may have been a lot different from where it is now. At that point of realization I wanted to change the way the youth view money and opportunities of financial growth. My goal for Spending Power is to teach our children the things I did not have growing up and to learn that the surest path to financial success begins with learning basic economic principles, and that a collegiate degree and gainful employment are not the only paths to financial freedom. The program is designed to help our youth K-12 supported by their parents to become financial leaders of the next generation while incorporating entrepreneurial innovation. While our current school system prepares students for life after high school, we are mostly stagnant when it comes to financial preparedness and business development. Most students graduate with no knowledge on money management, personal finance or entrepreneurship. Spending Power was created to bridge the wealth gap between accessibility, education, and empowerment; We want to break generational financial cycles.