How Giovanni Gutierrez Start His Business Wend by Taking Systematic Risks, Thinking Independently, Finding the Right Team, and Persistence

[00:00:00] Majel: often with a mortgage refinance, it's taking debt and it's refinancing it over 15 to 30 years, which is also making a payment more affordable.

[00:00:10] Majel: Right? It's stretching it out like a rubber band. So not only is it your only debt, but it's also at an affordable rate. You're setting yourself up for success to make an on time payment on time. It's digestible within your spending plan. But perhaps also there's flexibility when you're ready to maybe pay a little bit more and pay it down faster.

[00:00:34] Majel: Well, welcome. Thank you, major. Thank you for being here. for our fierce expert call. So each month we bring in a different expert within a different program or. Knowledge that will help our group, our ladies, our fierce ladies on their journey to self-sufficiency in living a life that they deserve.

[00:00:55] Majel: And when you and I connected I just, one, I loved to hear your journey and why you do what you do, and also within that, a lot of things and I don't claim to be the expert and there's just so much knowledge that you have to unpack of things To learn. And what's beautiful is we don't know what we don't know in so many different aspects of life.

[00:01:15] Majel: Just being open to everything and closed to nothing and, being open to seek to understand. And with that, we're able to create a life that we deserve. And with different conversations that we've been on, and what Fierce Foundation stands for is a foundation for change in providing those resources and collaborating with programs such as yours that can help women and families create generational self-sufficiency.

[00:01:39] Majel: And that's why I love your program. I love what you do, love what you do. . Well, thank you. Thank you, thank you. We're kindred spirits and I'm honored to have you here to share with our ladies. The ladies that are listening today are ladies who have been on their own fierce journey in navigating their own story, their own world, their own narration of.

[00:02:02] Majel: What was, what is and what can be. And with you here today, we're excited to talk about sharing your journey and why you do what you do and In a bit of those expert topics that you have that we're able to learn from. What is it that I do? I don't claim to be an expert either, right? Cause we are all constantly learning and it's a new thing every day. But my name's Rachel h and I'm the director of financial education for the Marine Credit Union Foundation. So foundation, right?

[00:02:35] Majel: I don't work for the credit union. I, work for the nonprofit arm of the organization. So no one who chats with me is required to do business with Marine Credit Union, but gosh, even backup. I've been a financial counselor in the lacrosse area for almost 10 years now, which kind of blows my mind a little bit, but it's been that long.

[00:02:54] Majel: And what I'm just really passionate about is helping people move forward financially. And that comes a lot from my own past. I Worked all sorts of crazy jobs. for many years I struggled financially for reasons in and out of my control. But the biggest piece was addiction actually.

[00:03:14] Majel: So I've had the four 90 credit score been sued on the Bridge of addiction work. Two jobs for two years. Living the grind, just seeing one, day after the other. Just wondering when it would like cease to be a grind. that just fuels my passion for my job. When I first started entering the finance world, I was a debt collector and the first day on the phones I cried.

[00:03:36] Majel: Cause I was like, I don't wanna do this. All I just wanna do is lay it on the table and be like, how do I not call you ? Like, how can this not happen? And totally seren, serendipitous and must have been meant to be. But a job opening opened up at a local consumer credit counseling service here in lacrosse.

[00:03:56] Majel: And it was a job that I was able to get they warned me that I'd fall in love. And it's true. You never work a day in your life if you love what you do. And I don. It's, it's oozes from my pores, from what I'm told . But because of that background and wishing that I had somebody that would've been able to chat with me, like I understood budgets, right?

[00:04:18] Majel: Pay your bills on time, and all those types of things, but. So often the person that you're talking to about finances, it's not an intentional thing, but they shame you, right? Make more money, stop spending this, you go to this coffee shop too much. we end up thinking about a budget and what we can't do and then who wants to live life and hate?

[00:04:39] Majel: Right. Just kind of like, why would you wanna go on a diet and eat carrots for the next four months? It's just not sustainable. Diets they don't work, then budgets don't work. So finding somebody, a true spending plan that I call and a way to live life, enjoy it, and be able to meet your financial goals at the same time.

[00:04:57] Majel: So talking to somebody without judgment and making it work for. . And all of that passion actually brought me to the Marine Credit Union Foundation. I started the foundation February, 2018 because they had a dream to be able to connect families to homeownership that didn't qualify for it anywhere else, like how are.

[00:05:19] Majel: Even when the financial institution says no, how can an organization say yes and again, truly charitable program? Doing business with any specific credit union or financial institution. We have marine credit unions, a very strong partner of ours, but we have other partners as. , but I built a program and I was like, yes, this is like being a financial counselor with power.

[00:05:45] Majel: There's this amazing carrot at the end that really helps people. So I built Finding Home. Mm, and Home is an acronym. It stands for Hope, opportunity mastery, and Empowerment. And the two big ones for me are hope and opportunity. Right. Mastering empowerment, super duper important. But they come once we like get it and like we find that confidence and that resilience and that hope knowing that there's something out there for us that we can accomplish this dream of home ownership.

[00:06:19] Majel: I certainly understand that not everybody wants to be a homeowner, but I think that a lot of people out there do, there are a lot of statistics behind that too, that we want something that's ours and paint the walls pink or purple or black or green and have the dog and be able to like, build our own wealth and have something that's ours that we can pass on to our next generation.

[00:06:42] Majel: So being able to help people along that journey is amazing. And I researched, oh gosh, over 40 different programs to build finding homes specifically to fill a gap. Cause there are tons of mortgage products, program services that already exist out there. And I didn't. Want to duplicate that. There's plenty of need, right, to be able to have duplication.

[00:07:06] Majel: But I wanted finding home to be unique and fill that place where people just kind of fall through the, cracks. so finding home has no income limits. I found that to be a huge barrier. We also have note. Credit requirements or debt ratio requirements. it's really about being able to have steady, stable income, like the ability to have it right and make a, a payment the desire to own.

[00:07:30] Majel: that's essentially what I need. And it all starts with the housing review. I joke, but I do it, I put people's life in a spreadsheet over a 90 minute housing review It's kind of funny cuz sometimes you feel like, how do you get your life in a spreadsheet and that I will, I promise you, I will dissect and get your life into a spreadsheet and be able to step back and look at everything.

[00:07:53] Majel: Cuz so often with money we're putting out fires. It's one thing after the other and it's really hard to look up and look at everything that's going on. And we're able to lift up. And you know what? Once we lift up, we're able to see options. here's where we start and here's your path to home ownership.

[00:08:12] Majel: And I'm able to connect families to the best path to home ownership for them. Whether it's one of those other mortgage product programs or services that already exist out there. Like who do you bank with? You qualify for an FHA loan. Telling people we don't know. We don't know. Right. This is what you don't know.

[00:08:30] Majel: Go talk to these people. And I'm a wonderful place to have that conversation. Cause again, I don't care where they bank. Or we have the other option. I always have finding home in my toolbox. It's something that's there. And finding home is a journey. It's 12 to 18 months of financial counseling. So a year, year, and a. Hanging out with me. I'm kind of a handful , but at the end of it, you receive guaranteed access to a mortgage, so guaranteed. Yeah. It's really exciting that we're able to say that. my boss is able to support a lost reserve and say, Mr. Lender. , if this mortgage goes bad, we're gonna pay you.

[00:09:13] Majel: So our lost reserve were counseling mitigated that risk where they typically looked like a credit score. The counseling, and again, hanging out with me for that long shows just how in it somebody is. also knowing that there's a lost reserve makes them feel very, very comfortable to make a mortgage happen.

[00:09:34] Majel: And to date, we have 23 graduates. Wow. Congratulations. Round of applause. . Round of Amazing. That's amazing. And big things that, that pop out as I listen and I don't know, but for me particularly, I'm asking the questions because I just, I wanna know and, and you know, I was in that position and so thinking about.

[00:09:58] Majel: All the people, the 23 of them who you help navigate the system. and I found this very much so myself, and as you did, you said you researched over 40 different programs. There are programs out there. The challenge is that they're so restrictive. And then how do you navigate them without having at least a master's degree and then figure out which way to go, what the time is, you know, is the sun you know, In the sky with the wind blowing from the east as to when you can apply.

[00:10:25] Majel: Like there's just so many different things and then there's 200 different forms with this, that, and who knows what that is. Also, at the same time, there's different things that can come up for you, and I know we've talked a bit about financial trauma and going through the, the motions on top of each and every form wants to know.

[00:10:43] Majel: things that are personal to you that you may not understand or even maybe shouldn't be asked. And so there's just so many different things that can come up, particularly when you are already in a vulnerable state and then trying to navigate those things. Trying to make the appointment.

[00:11:02] Majel: Let's say you, are, Working full-time. When do you find the time to do that? How do you get down to that financial institution during banking hours while they're also closed on most holidays and which is the only time you may have off? And so, Having an advocate such as yourself, having someone who can navigate the program, know what fits best.

[00:11:23] Majel: Cause there's not a one shoe size fits all scenario. it brings so much joy to my heart because it aligns so perfectly with what we're doing with Fierce Foundation. And with the program within, with One Life fully lived, and speaking into that financial pillar, the other thing that I really enjoyed is that you said that fitting yourself into a box like a budget and talking about financial inclusion rather than, budgeting. And so I, I really enjoy that as well. Could you talk a little bit more about financial inclusion also the word financial trauma? Yeah. Well, financial inclusion is a really broad topic, right? And I think that a lot of people have their own vision of what that is.

[00:12:06] Majel: So to me, what financial inclusion is Providing access and opportunity, right? let's get a little creative here with things that make sense. For example, finding home. We've put in so much time and effort into a counseling program. Why not say yes? Why do you need these little check marks to be able, like some financial institutions, right?

[00:12:29] Majel: Very, very strict underwriting that happens. So, Why can't we get a little bit more creative with the process? Financial inclusion is I'm thinking about. if anybody out there has ever tried to open a bank account and didn't have a PO box, right? Or we, don't have a permanent address.

[00:12:48] Majel: Maybe we're at a shelter. There are financial institutions that will take a letter from the shelter to open up a banking relationship. To provide that access, where some financial institutions lean into what's called the Patriot Act, which is absolutely a thing, but they need a permanent physical address in order to provide a relationship.

[00:13:10] Majel: When other financial institutions can do that letter, why couldn't the other one, so why can't they all have open? Access and look at the system a little bit more creatively instead of setting up all these unnecessary barriers. Certainly with finances there, accountability is important, very much so.

[00:13:32] Majel: But there are so many ways that you can show accountability and without. again, creating a wall and a barrier access barriers, right? Mm-hmm. , that's the other thing that is so needed, like people that are falling through the cracks is because they don't have access. And so in order for us to break down the systems that may be broken or, fix them, is to provide more access thank you for that. , so many people that we can serve. However being able to bridge that gap and break down the financial trauma. there's that portion as well. Yeah. I'll talk about trauma in just a second here.

[00:14:09] Majel: I was also just gonna say with financial inclusion, sometimes people confuse financial inclusion with financial education. Like, oh, you didn't get that mortgage or You didn't get that loan. Let me apply budgeting. Let me apply financial education. And it has to be that combination of both access and education.

[00:14:29] Majel: Cuz again, sometimes we don't know what we don't know. Right? You have to do some things to be able to have access, but also The access needs to be opened along with the education making some of those exceptions, and there are tons of examples out there. that's the other thing too is like with the education portion, we said earlier you don't know what you don't know.

[00:14:49] Majel: and sometimes you walk even if you get to the point of dreaming that you would have a mortgage and then you go into a traditional financial, Space and quite literally, I've had people say, well, you'll never have a mortgage. Oh, you should have been working on this 20 years ago.

[00:15:04] Majel: And so I have people who have part, who have who support fierce and Fierce Foundation. And they were told you'll never have a. By a traditional bank. And so the day that they actually did close on their mortgage was definitely a retribution day. An emancipation day. And in light of today being juneteenth, it's a beautiful freedom day.

[00:15:27] Majel: And so, Having the opportunity to say, yeah, I am a homeowner. Even though, yeah, I've been told many times that you never own a homeowner. And so getting through all of those barriers, opening the door and providing that access is exactly what you are doing, exactly what is needed in order to break down the barriers that exist 100%.

[00:15:52] Majel: And I just have to say, to any person working in the financial industry that would just say that somebody would never be a homeowner or never have access to something is re-traumatizing. Right? actually it's the center for financial trauma.org.

[00:16:11] Majel: Chloe Kenzie runs the Center for Financial Trauma, but it's really something that I think financial institutions need to understand a little bit better cuz it's gonna help them have more productive conversations about money like That's not gonna get you any referrals to just bluntly say that to somebody when you could have just provided them an extra 10 minutes on education.

[00:16:33] Majel: How they could qualify in the future, whether it take 12 months or five years, the thing about money is that it should, the power should be in our hands, right? Either make more money or you spend less money. Sometimes it's a little bit of both, and that's completely within our power.

[00:16:52] Majel: That's something that we can do being. 10 minutes of empathetic, non-judgmental action items that you can accomplish is going to make business sense as well. But so the Center for Financial Trauma talks about four different types of financial trauma. They talk about economic violence. Which is as violent as it sounds to me on the financial side.

[00:17:16] Majel: So, an example of economic violence is there are policies actions, events that are happening, that are taking away from your ability to obtain wealth or to obtain or keep material safety, which material safety. All the things that we need to live life, right? Pay your rent, pay your mortgage to have food on the table.

[00:17:37] Majel: Access to transportation, utilities, clothing, all the things that we need. That's what material safety is. And economic violence is. Perhaps an example is being within a, situation at an employer where you're either being harassed, discriminated against, crazy toxic environment, right? and no re.

[00:17:58] Majel: Course you can't go to hr, they don't listen to you, you can't talk to your supervisor. It doesn't go anywhere. They don't do anything. Leadership isn't supportive to you, and you're in a place where perhaps I mean, you're a good employee. So of course we've been at this employer for some time and it's hard to move to another employer and perhaps keep the same amount of money.

[00:18:21] Majel: And guess what we need? Keep material safety be able to do the things for our kiddos so we can't go somewhere else. And we sit in this toxic environment just stewing and literally like hating every moment of work. And then you go to a financial institution who's like, major stop going to mocha every day.

[00:18:43] Majel: Perhaps milk as like my one Sunshine of the day, or Starbucks or Caribou Coffee or Quick Trip, wherever you wanna go. And I'm just thinking of local places in lacrosse, but not, that might be the one thing that I have to look forward to in the day, right? So how dare you shame me for getting my mocha coffee.

[00:19:04] Majel: they just don't understand the story behind it. And money can be a coping mechanism, right? we spend, and it makes us feel better, whether it's the joy of a coffee or buying new shoes or getting a toy for a kiddo, just. doing those types of things. it, it creates the same chemicals in our head to feel good whether we can afford it or not.

[00:19:25] Majel: that's financial trauma of having to stick in that environment. And then it often shows up in the bank account, it's not as easy Say, stop going to the coffee shop. It's about understanding the deeper reason on what's going on and why that's happening and helping somebody reflect on that.

[00:19:44] Majel: Financial trauma can also show up physically, so it's chronic stress. I would gather to say, , all of us have lost sleep over money. Mm-hmm. at one point in our lives, if not currently. Like insomnia, chronic headaches, the stress in your shoulders. Also coping mechanisms, right?

[00:20:03] Majel: We might smoke more, we might drink more. We might be eating more or not eating at all. It's physically taking a toll on our body and that's not gonna be financially great for the medical bills that come potentially. But it's just not good for us in general. To have that stress built up inside of us.

[00:20:21] Majel: So our body's going through a physical trauma because of that. There's actually a lot of research Dr. Galen Buckwalter out of California he's done a lot of research about the parallels of financial trauma and PTs d the same reactions happen within us when it comes to money, when we've gone through those types of things.

[00:20:41] Majel: Another form of financial trauma is something called financial abuse. Events, policies, things that are happening that take away from our ability to obtain bill obtain wealth or add to material safety. financial abuse and example. And these are things that are out of our control.

[00:20:59] Majel: So an example of financial abuse is redlin. You are not approved for this mortgage because of the zip code that you live in, right? Systematic racism in a digital underwriting process. Oops, zip code boo denied. There are lots of conversations on how to get that out, but redlining absolutely still exists.

[00:21:21] Majel: And then another example is literally the conversation with a lender, whether it's a mortgage lender, consumer lender where they just say, Nope, sorry, major. You're denied work on your credit. Have a good. Mm, mm-hmm. , very common. , so, just denied and provided no opportunity on how to be able to, to move that forward, because everybody has the opportunity.

[00:21:45] Majel: Again, this is within our control. And then the most, most, most common form of financial trauma, and it's the most socially acceptable is financial shaming. there's so much going on with money and it's often like a top down thing, like people with money are telling you how to handle your money, right?

[00:22:06] Majel: So stop going to Malka Ma. Why do you have this cell phone bill? Well, you know, you do all of these things, pay off your electronics, sell your car. people have so many ideas on how we need to run our financial lives, and they're shaming us for it. Pull your bootstraps up. Mm-hmm. , get a second job.

[00:22:26] Majel: Work three jobs. . Mm-hmm. 20 years ago, I struggled too when the world's completely different now than it was even three months ago with inflation. like, the world 20 years ago is a bit different. Stop applying our lives to another person and meet that person where they're at with, again, true empathy and non-judgment.

[00:22:48] Majel: And I do see some things popping up in the chat here, so I don't know if there are any questions, but clearly I get really passionate about this cause I'm like, this is just that productive conversations on how to talk to people about money and help them move forward. So thank you.

[00:23:03] Majel: Your insight in education. See, and that's, you speak it out of your heart and you have so much value to share. And that's what we're getting in the message, in the messages is just Jen is saying that she can completely relate. And so thank you for sharing that. being able in the way that you articulate, in being able to be inclusive and sharing examples and sharing stories of the definition, but then also the story that goes along with it in a way that's relatable.

[00:23:31] Majel: Because in order to provide access, we also have to be relat. Right. Like you just said, a top down approach in shaming doesn't work. It's not productive. And what's the point, you know, besides to make the person who's throwing that information down feel better. Mm-hmm. Perhaps. Mm-hmm. . but yeah, meeting people where they're at.

[00:23:50] Majel: Standing, the history. Yeah. So that you can open the door because the door that might be offered from people that have, can't relate in any capacity, people might not want, they'll pass it up. No, you can keep that door . Yeah. Inclusion and some just to. Empathy, right. And, non-judgment. And it makes so much business sense as well to any financial service.

[00:24:16] Majel: How beautiful. What a beautiful mission and to help Give hope. like you say it right in the name, the first letter, hope to maybe one day, oh, own a home. And in 12 to 18 months, that's nothing that's like, that's a short amount of time in which to get to owning a home.

[00:24:34] Majel: and then all the things, so being there right by their side. So when you're providing education, you're taking a look and you're putting their whole, whole world into a spreadsheet, as you say, . What about Sounds exciting, does it? Yeah. Right. It does. It does. And what about people who may or may not like currently, they may have limited income or they may have contract work.

[00:24:54] Majel: Are there particular requirements that they have to be a certain. Threshold or what does that look like? No, absolutely not. so there are lots of, again, products, program services that exist out there. So say for example, that I, I'm chatting with a family going through that housing review and we're on a fixed income.

[00:25:13] Majel: So depending on where that sits, actually one of the things that I'm gonna look to is Like get you into a place to qualify for what's a called a Single Family Rural Development Loan. These are loans directly through the federal government, designed for low and very low income families to get into healthy habitable home ownership.

[00:25:32] Majel: Where they stretch terms out to 38 years. They subsidize down to 1% based on need. So those types of loans absolutely exist. And right now the interest rate for those is only three. , you know, right now interest rates are up and knowing that that is something. We could get to right again, that hope because, well, so finding home, the lenders are part writing like what's called a, 30 year amateurize mortgage, where it's amateur over 30 years, there are no subsidies or things happening.

[00:26:04] Majel: So someone with a fixed income is gonna have a little less what's called purchasing power. So just for example working with a, a single mom in. Lacrosse area on a regular old loan, she qualified for like $165,000, right from just traditional lender. If we looked to that rural development loan, that's again designed for low and very low income families, her cap was 336,000.

[00:26:34] Majel: 1 65, 3 36. Wow. She did not want that much home. Did not want that much home at all. The hundred and $65,000 home was a $1,400 mortgage payment. If she would've d d done $200,000 with this rural development loan is like 835. Wow. Cause of how it functions. So like there are programs out there and this is also a program again, not offered through any lender.

[00:27:06] Majel: So no mortgage lender is going to a, know that they exist. , and it's also not a product that they offer and that's not malicious. Like that's their job, Yeah. So we're able to connect them to things and again, let them know what they don't know. So that would be something that I'd be looking to of how can I get you the purchasing power that you need to have something that meets your needs.

[00:27:32] Majel: So often when we talk with It, it, we talk with a mortgage lender and they figure out, all right, we're in the moment. What do you qualify for? And that's what we wanna know. But where I start in finding home is, where do you wanna be? How much home do you want? So here we are. I'm meeting you where you're at, where's your dream?

[00:27:52] Majel: Let's get you there. And I can provide you all the steps to get to where you wanna be versus just. here's what you qualify for. How do I get you to where you wanna be? . Exactly. And that's why, if, that's also why it aligns so absolutely perfectly with creating your roadmap for your life is within one life and creating your roadmap.

[00:28:14] Majel: Mm-hmm. , it's, you know, what is that vision? Not, okay, well I'll just take this, but what is your dream providing that hope and then. Reverse engineering to, okay, well this is what we have to work with Now let's figure out where we're headed. Right. That's why it's an absolutely beautiful alignment.

[00:28:33] Majel: And I think you did experience the roadmap like high level program and that's exactly, it aligns perfectly with what you're doing and then capturing. there's a group here in lacrosse who has all them all been through the roadmap, including Jen, who's on the phone, who's saying she's loving you, , and they are perfect candidates to come in and speak with you and talk more about financial trauma, talk more about inclusion, talk more about what is that pathway to home, what is.

[00:29:02] Majel: Starting with hope. and that's why I'm so excited to collaborate with you and what you're doing is because we're just talking about this right before we got on the call, is those who are. Within fierce foundation, we're providing that access for people who have that ember, right?

[00:29:19] Majel: they've done the things and they're like, oh, there's gotta be more. And there's this ember and they just need a little wind added to it in order to light up lead them to you as they are. Journey of visioning. Ooh. What would that look like? maybe it's not their, their first home, but they've gone through a divorce and mm-hmm.

[00:29:39] Majel: they need to figure out where they're headed to. Or maybe it is their first home and it's the first of any generation and at the first one in the generation to even think of own owning a home. And on this journey of life, we have so many different places that we ebb and flow from.

[00:29:54] Majel: And some people may have quite a bit of knowledge. And, and then maybe they have less, so maybe they know a lot in a certain area. And it, what's cool is that you've researched all these different places to tap into and again, meet them where they're at with what they need.

[00:30:11] Majel: And not just what they need, but what for them. For what they hope for. Exactly. Yeah. my favorite part especially, so going through finding home people certainly get financial education, right? the side effect of finding home is raise credit, build savings, reduce debt. those are just pieces of what's going on.

[00:30:31] Majel: But the awesome change is internal, right? The building. Confidence and resilience, not only financially, but emotionally because again, we're going through trauma and often more than financial trauma. I mean, there are many, many things above my pay grade and I don't go there . But really helping people address that root because when we're in that mindset, it's so hard to look.

[00:30:58] Majel: Even the next day, let alone the next week or the next month, and in slow, digestible pieces, being able to see tomorrow and then the week next and then the month, cuz 1218 months sounds like forever when you're living literally moment to moment and. If something gross happens, life likes to punch us in the face often, multiple times.

[00:31:23] Majel: At the same time, it just happens in our trauma response to that often is avoidance, right? that was really terrible and I don't wanna deal with that again, and I'm gonna go over here now. And being able to have a support system I will argue to say most pep person that you'll ever meet pretty positive.

[00:31:45] Majel: So not only having a support system and accountability partner, but I'm an excellent cheerleader to keep the motivation cause absolutely life will do what it's gonna do, but I help make sure that you still know the embers there. And I am definitely one big fan. To burst into flames, so. we need more fans in order to really recreate you know, from the ember, some of the most, the strongest trees are born right?

[00:32:14] Majel: And some of the strongest plants and building resilience. We need that flame in order to reset what's there right now and build a new foundation. so being able to have those that are those trailblazers in a system that is outdated and that's exactly what we need.

[00:32:34] Majel: We need more of it. And so I'm excited that we're able to, you know, you are here and you are doing this and sharing what you're doing. long story short I just recently refinanced my house and granted, I'm not a huge fan of the interest rate right now. But part of what I rolled into was what little debt I had left from my father's funeral. I'm sorry for your loss, so I know by the end of the year it should be fine and I should be able to get my car I'll need, but when I'm doing the right thing.

[00:33:08] Majel: Where you wrapped your debt into your mortgage, into the refinance to wipe it out. I technically have is my house. I'm gonna say two things here. So I encourage you to just contact me for us to talk very specifically about your situation so I can understand it a little bit more.

[00:33:26] Majel: Free, and you can absolutely contact me and we can schedule some time to talk so I can understand more details that I don't want you to share on a recorded call. But the second thing I wanna say is if you're only dead is your house. You are rocking it like, yeah. And often with a mortgage refinance, it's taking debt and it's refinancing it over 15 to 30 years, which is also making a payment more affordable.

[00:33:55] Majel: Right? It's stretching it out like a rubber band. So not only is it your only debt, but it's also at an affordable rate. You're setting yourself up for success to make an on time payment on time. It's digestible within your spending plan. But perhaps also there's flexibility when you're ready to maybe pay a little bit more and pay it down faster.

[00:34:16] Majel: Cause it's the only thing that you have to target. So just to generally speaking, if that's one thing that we got going on, I'd say that you're rocking it. And again, I'm truly sorry for your.

[00:34:27] Majel: Thank you. Yeah, you're welcome. Thank you. Me. Thank you. And yes, Jen, definitely reach out and uh, we have other ladies that I'll be listening in as well, who will be reaching out to you. how do women get ahold of you? How do families get ahold of you? How do people, how do humans get ahold of you? ? Well, I, have email and I have a phone number and there's a, a.

[00:34:52] Majel: Submission form that people can fill out. So my phone number is (608) 791-1385. So can absolutely give me a call and either leave a message or I'll answer since I am often in and out of appointments. So one of the quicker ways to get to me is via email or that web submission form because it's something I can respond to fairly quickly.

[00:35:16] Majel: So, and my name is M A j E L. I know it's weird. It matches my personality. So it's Major dot Hein, h e i n at Marine, m a r i n e c u.com. Excellent. Yes. those that are listening. You'll be able to find that submission form as a resource within the website. So within fierce Network's website, in Fierce Foundation's website, you'll be able to also find major's contact information as she is a official collaborator for Fierce Foundation, so that I can refer trusted resources to open up the.

[00:35:55] Majel: And provide education access for all of us who just need a little bit of wind on our fire. And that's exactly what major is providing. As you can hear in her voice, you can hear her passion and you can hear how much education that she has and that she's sought out and which to help. Over 23 people now And those particular individual stories that she has met where they're at, and It's an honor to be able to work with you and also elevate what your program is doing because so many more people need to know about it so that they can tap into the resources that are available. And just inquire because as we have more people listen and hear what you are building, they have someone in their world that absolutely needs to know as well.

[00:36:44] Majel: and. Reaching out, filling the form, getting on a conversation, and thank you for providing a space, because we all need that opportunity to be seen and heard and providing that safe space to be able to do so. Because it is, it is challenging when you've been turned away before and when been maybe led in the wrong direction.

[00:37:05] Majel: You didn't even know it was an opportunity that was for you, right? Or told that it wasn't an opportunity, like you said before. Oh, so many, so many people. it's a setting because there's so many people who were told absolutely not. and we're not gonna tell you why either , like what I mean?

[00:37:26] Majel: Come on. And so, it's a power trip. I appreciate your demeanor and just how welcoming that you are and that welcoming energy that you provide, that will open the doors for others to be able to say you. I can do this, I can work with this, I can trust. And that's a big one too, particularly with all the other things going on in trust being broken from people in authority that you would hope would give you the right information.

[00:37:56] Majel: And they don't. thank you for being that someone that people can trust and having different conversations with you, being able to refer people to you because of your background, your heart for the work, and passion for the work and follow through. And so thank you for being that. thank you for saying such kind words.

[00:38:19] Majel: yeah. I'm very fortunate to get to do what I do. Very fortunate But again, you're saying a little bit of wind or a little bit of, I'm just a whole fan. Right. Because it's totally within our control and absolutely. The people, any family or household that I'm working with uh, that comes to me.

[00:38:38] Majel: And actually, so. Reviewed or done the housing review with almost 300 families since the program launched, and Yeah. 71 of them I've connected to home ownership in that first appointment. So they just didn't know what they didn't know, but. , they have that inside of them. And it's my job to do what I know is my job to do is to remind them that it's their power and if it's in their hands, like anything's possible, right?

[00:39:08] Majel: right? So if, this is good for, to you, this is absolutely getting done that where some people just provide that list of stuff or the no opportunity, some of those financial shaming things come up, but it's completely doable and possible for anyone. that's so empowering to hear.

[00:39:30] Majel: Thank you. Before we wrap our call, is there anything that you would love to share that maybe you find that people are, are unaware? Maybe somebody who's listening who's like, well, this sounds really. Intriguing, but I probably won't qualify for anything or something that you might want to share with anyone who's listening that might provide them hope.

[00:39:55] Majel: Well the first person, for the people that are thinking, oh, come talk to Major and I probably won't qualify. I actually first graduates of finding home had some homework to do. And they called me two weeks later doing their homework and they were the first ones to graduate the program, right?

[00:40:13] Majel: Mm-hmm. . I just told them exactly what they needed to do. So again, the power was in their hands. So this isn't about qualifying, this is about being provided it an actual opportunity to. Know what you need to do, right? Whether you choose to hang out with me for 12 to 18 months, or maybe you don't even need to.

[00:40:31] Majel: It, it's about getting information which is the other piece that I just wanna bring up. Like right now, interest rates on a home are kind of crazy. I mean, Jen's like not so happy with my interest rate. Finding home doesn't have to end in a purchase. So we can't predict the housing market a year from now.

[00:40:49] Majel: You don't have to be ready to buy a home right now, but what you can absolutely do is take control, take power, and put yourself into a place where when you want to buy, , you can, right? Mm-hmm. . But here you are, you've put yourself in this situation and, this is where you fall into all the lines where home ownership is your opportunity because you've made it your opportunity, whether it's graduating, finding home, or moving you into a, a more traditional mortgage box, depending on what their dream is, right?

[00:41:24] Majel: Mm-hmm. . Cause sometimes home ownership is like, especially in this environment right now, we're like, Ooh, it's kinda expensive. Which it is. It's very true. But if it's something that we wanna accomplish, whether it's in again, a year or five or 10 years, that I'm a great starting point to start, looking at what that plan looks like.

[00:41:45] Majel: Yes. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you. for first and foremost taking the initiative to provide this I mean, you've, you've been a detective in the field in order to understand this. Very complicated, from my standpoint and from many, a complicated thing to navigate, and you've taken it on yourself in order to understand what's available and provide a journey.

[00:42:14] Majel: Humans to be able to just peek in the door and mm-hmm. , if you wanna go in, great. You'll walk with, and if not, the door will be here when you're ready. And that hundred percent is so empowering and that's what we need. And so thank you for being what we need. Thank you for, again, what, you do, Finances certainly touches so many things, but it's everything. So the journey and pathway that you put together is so important and the community. That lifts up support or around the people within Fierce Network. it's absolutely incredible what you do in powering the people that you work with.

[00:42:57] Majel: Thank you, and I'm honored to be your partner, so thank you. Thank you. . Yes, you're what I've been looking for. So thank you so much. And everyone who's listening, please look into the notes. So in the notes, we will be have the link for finding home. We'll have major's contact information with her email and cell phone.

[00:43:16] Majel: Go ahead, fill out the form, reach out to Major, have a conversation, and if it's not you, it's someone you know. Who else can you empower and uplift? Thank you again for being here, Meel and everyone who's listening make sure to look into the notes in which to fill out the form and have a conversation.

[00:43:32] Majel: And next month we will be going into talking about our next roadmap. So when we talk about our roadmap program and what your journey is on your roadmap, what are those other things that we want to look into next month to an fierce expert call?