At 15 years old, I read the book Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, (Have you read it?) which had easy-to-understand money principles backed by a powerful story. It made me realize that you don’t need to make a lot of money to become wealthy and live a fulfilling life. Instead, you need to understand the value of time on your money and have a plan for the future. And so, I began molding a plan, for my life, my finances, and my future.

I was intrigued by real estate, so my focus and plan revolved around real estate. At 18 years old, prior to starting college, I became a licensed real estate agent. I was on the right track! However, while I was following my plan, I couldn’t control the absolutely terrible timing of one of the worst real estate market crashes of all time. As a result, less than three years after getting my real estate license, I called it quits (as it was costing me more than I was making).

But just like with riding a bike, my “fall” taught me some valuable lessons. I saw how few people understood crucial financial principles and were being taken advantage of as a result. I did not want that to happen to my clients, so I took action to educate them on what buying or selling a home could do to their financial future. Some realized that because of the downturn in the market they could potentially owe money on the house they were planning to sell. Others discovered if they purchased a new home, they would have little to no money in the event of an emergency.

As a result of educating clients on finances, I remember one couple calling me two years after I had met with them. They told me on the phone “WE ARE FINANCIALLY READY TO BUY A HOME NOW!” I was really proud of them for being patient, improving their financial situation, and most importantly knowing they could fulfill their dream without financial regret later.

I was also working on my future dream by increasing my knowledge of real estate investing. I learned the “ins and outs” of making money as a real estate investor, managing rental property, deciphering between good debt versus bad debt, working with banks, and creative ways to finance purchases and cover remodeling expenses. This further enhanced my understanding of money and personal finance.

I knew I wanted to begin my financial investing journey in real estate, but first, I also knew that entry into this particular investing arena required immaculate finances and tip-top credit. Because let’s face it, banks typically do not just hand out loans to high-risk investors. So, while I got my degree, I focused on shaping up my credit and minimizing my debt to income ratio.