I had this crazy idea that I acted on as 2019 concluded. I wanted to kick off 2020 with a challenge and not some fitness or dieting challenge. I wanted a challenge that would focus on spreading financial literacy to the masses. I decided that I would attempt to conduct 100 free financial planning workshops. I would focus specifically on non-profit organizations, and I figured some for-profit entities would come along (and perhaps even pay me). Either way, I had a number, and I was going to focus on hitting it.
I determined that non-profit organizations would be a great target because they generally don’t provide (or have the budget) to conduct comprehensive financial literacy training for their staff. Yes, I realize some non-profit organizations have a huge bankroll, but I know that many non-profits don’t. Not only did I want to assist the staff, but I also wanted to extend the effort to any people in the community that the organization served. I had one stipulation, for any session that I was going to conduct, I required (20) people to attend. I assumed that it wouldn’t be hard for twenty people to gather and talk about money. I mean, so many people complain and are upset about the wealth disparities in this country, so people should flock to a free financial planning session. Right?
I knew doing this challenge alone would be silly, so I reached out to my Urban Financial Services Coalition – SF Bay Area Chapter (UFSC) family and explained the challenge. They were onboard and specified that I do something unique just for them. We decided on doing a Project 100 session every 2nd and 4th Wednesday virtually. This way, I could open up this opportunity to anyone across the world who had an internet connection. And, since I had all these Wednesday’s, this would give people ample chances to attend at some point. I would do something different for these virtual sessions since I was in full control. I set a deadline for getting the twenty people. Since the event was happening Wednesday nights, I put a deadline for registrations. The deadline was always at 6:30p PT on the Monday prior. If I got the twenty, the session happened. If I didn’t, the session wouldn’t happen. Since this was a free effort, I wanted people to help promote it because I knew that I alone wouldn’t always be able to muster up the twenty. Plus, if ten people registered and brought one other person, that would get us to twenty. Easy right?
So, here are the final numbers from the Project 100:
Number of sessions conducted – 54
Number of people impacted (attendees) – 892
At first glance, yes, I failed miserably. The goal was to conduct 100 sessions, and I fell short by 46. So, if I were in school, a grade of 54% would be an F. Luckily for me, this isn’t school, and despite this grade, I looked at this project as a huge success.
Success #1: This Project forced me to create a marketing plan and stick to it. Part of that plan was putting together a short video clip where I laid out “my ask.” I recorded a short video stating (1) the purpose of my effort and (2) encouraged people to register for one of those Wednesday sessions or schedule a time to discuss the details of speaking at their organization. I posted this video EVERY…SINGLE…DAY on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. I dialed things back in November, but I went “hard in the paint” for ten straight months!
Success #2: Some people couldn’t believe what I was attempting to accomplish and thought it was quite admirable. They repeatedly asked how else could they support me, so I sent them the link to purchase copies of my book The #BUILDWEALH Challenge – 8 Challenges to change the way you THINK and FEEL about money.
Success #3: I kept showing up on people’s social media feed so much throughout the year, that I landed new clients and customers due to my marketing efforts. (They opted to skip my workshop and just wanted to get down to work. I love people like that!)
Success #4: I made connections with leaders of organizations that I probably would have never had the pleasure of meeting. These leaders have taken it upon themselves to do this incredible work within their respective communities, and now I can say I have a personal connection with them.
Success #5: I helped almost 900 people begin their journey to becoming a financial rockstar or enhance their current financial plans.
Despite the awesomeness this project produced, it also served as a valuable learning experience. The things I took away from this project will definitely shape future efforts for The #BuildWealth Movement™.
Learning #1: People don’t value free financial planning information.
Learning #2: More people commented on my videos about how much my hair grew over 2020. (As a result of the pandemic, I didn’t spend much time in the barbershop during the year) Many of those same people never attended a session.
Learning #3: Even when you’re a credible person who is adequately licensed and has over a decade-plus experience within the industry, people will still think you’re a snake oil salesperson if you’re giving something away for free.
Learning #4: People will get to work on their financial plan when THEY are good and ready. Many people registered for multiple sessions throughout the year and never attended. I guess they think waiting is the answer to their financial struggles. (Insert slapping yourself in the face emoji)
Learning #5: I have a gift. That gift lies in my ability to break down the complexities of financial planning in a way that is easy to digest. I also sprinkle in a bit of humor, which always goes over well with any audience. And lastly, the activity that I conducted during those 1-hour sessions blew people’s minds! (Multiple people gave me that feedback after the sessions)
I thoroughly enjoyed this Project 100 experience. I haven’t the slightest clue what wild ideas my brain will draw up next, but I know that I will act on it when it happens. Plus, I feel really good inside because I was able to impact so many lives. I may not always get validation from people after a session, but I know that my message was and is being shared with hundreds of people that I’ll probably never have the chance to meet. That’s why I do what I do.
I’ll conclude with this. Suppose your organization (not-for-profit or for-profit) is looking for a dynamic speaker who can assist you with your financial education efforts. In that case, I’d love to connect and take you through the workshop that so many experienced in 2020. Just send your request to info@ready2buildwealth.com.
The #BuildWealth Movement® works tirelessly to Disrupt Generational Poverty® for everyone so their kids, kids, kids can live a life of privilege.
Great job Jasper! A lot of people talk but you clearly do! I know you lit a fire under some folks.
You are an awesome speaker. We listen to you every time someone click on http://www.ufscps.org.
I love this project! Thanks for sharing.