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An Interview with Syble Solomon |
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| Syble Solomon, creator of Money
Habitudes |
What's your most important message when you
speak?
My message is: Today's actions and attitudes
determine tomorrow's options and opportunities.
I help others discover how they can take more control of their lives and
their future by focusing on making good choices today. When it comes to
money, I help people identify the habits and attitudes (habitudes)
relating to money which influence their day-to-day behavior and can have
a tremendous affect on their careers, relationships, life goals and
financial goals. That knowledge gives them much more power to make good
choices and take control of their money and their life.
How did you become interested in talking
with people about their relationship with money?
As a speaker, executive coach and business
woman, the topic of money would surface in different ways. In my
presentations being responsible about money was only one small piece of
my program, but it really touched people. They would come up to me and
share their stories and secrets. As a coach, when finances came up, the
conversation would take on a whole new dimension.
Of those people who did talk with me, some had incredibly inspiring
stories and were very savvy about how they managed money, including many
who had minimal incomes and were living on a shoestring. More often,
however, rational, intelligent men and women at all income and
educational levels would share very troublesome stories about the way
they managed their money. Although they knew better, they still
continued to make poor money choices or wouldn't follow through with
their commitments even when they had a budget or investment plan.
What do you actually speak about?
When I do a workshop or speech about Money
Habitudes, I present how Money Habitudes develop and how they may be
affecting their work, life, relationships, finances and the way they do
business. We then apply that information to what they can do if they
want to make changes. Each presentation is specific to the audience and
examples are used to help individuals use the information in their own
life or work.
Who comes to your workshops and
presentations?
I speak to four different key groups about Money
Habitudes.
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Business people-including professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and consultants-to help them understand how their own habitudes affect their business, impact relationships with clients, and influence their success.
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Professionals who work with others regarding money-related issues. This would include financial advisors, financial educators and counselors, fundraisers, business leaders and consultants.
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Professionals who work with life, career and relationship issues, such as career counselors, pre-marital and couples' counselors and educators, and life and transition therapists, counselors and coaches.
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Organizations, businesses or groups that are interested in offering their members or employees an engaging, fun presentation that can help them take more control of their lives and their finances.
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What do you think your audiences have in
common?
They are intrigued by the idea of looking at
money from a new perspective. They want the information to be relevant,
practical and personal, and they want to enjoy themselves.
How would you describe your presentations?
Interactive, relevant and personal. Whether I'm
doing a speech, a full-day workshop, or something in between, I always
get the group involved. I want people to participate and connect to the
information, rather than feel that I'm lecturing to them. Participants
tell me they appreciate that my presentations are very practical and
informal yet polished and clear. They like that they include a good mix
of activities, are never boring and are always relevant.
What outcomes do you anticipate when you
present?
I expect everyone will leave with at least one
new idea that is relevant to him or her. For some people, that may be
seeing something from a new perspective. For others it may be a specific
action they will take. It's always rewarding to receive an email or
reconnect subsequent to a presentation and hear what people have
actually taken away from it. Here are a few examples:
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Not long ago, a woman came up to me at a conference. She had heard me give a presentation two years before. She told me she went home that same day, put all her financial information in one box, called a financial planner and made an appointment to get her finances in order. She now has retirement savings and knows how much is coming in and going out. She said the bonus is that she enjoys a wonderful sense of freedom.
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Another woman recognized me when I entered a store where she worked. She told me that at the workshop she made the decision to take this second job to supplement her income so she could pay off her debts. She also learned to say "no" to friends and family who were routinely relying on her to rescue them when they needed money.
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A man sent me an email saying he had surprised his wife and made plans for them to go on a cruise for their 25th anniversary. In all those years they had never gone on a "real" vacation because he was totally dominated by his need for security and saved every penny. He was finally ready to look at his finances from a different perspective and was learning to enjoy spending money as well.
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Do you actually give financial advice?
Absolutely not! I'm not a financial advisor. I do
have a degree in economics, but that's pretty far removed from
day-to-day finances and money management. I do advise people to talk to
the professional who is best qualified to meet their needs and since
money issues overlap with so many life areas, there is no one right
answer. Depending on the situation, I would recommend they speak to an
accountant, financial planner, banker, attorney, realtor, counselor or
an educator who teaches budgeting and debt management.
So what is your background?
It's actually quite eclectic. Like many other
people, my life took many unexpected twists and turns as I faced new
challenges and opportunities. Here is a very brief summary of my
professional career:
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Founder/Speaker/Consultant: LifeWise and creator of Money Habitudes
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Executive Coach: Adjunct with the Center for Creative Leadership, a recognized world leader of executive leadership training, and the National Leadership Institute, University of Maryland. Clients include executives and leaders in the public and private sectors. (Selected list: Whirlpool, Xerox, Prudential, Sanofi Pasteur, Glaxo Smith Kline, De Lage Landen, Bayer, Xerox, US Air Force and US Navy, Small Business Association and Red Cross.)
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Adjunct Faculty, Gerontology Program, University of North Carolina at Greensboro: Developed and taught Life Planning for the Third Age, a graduate course to prepare students for a future of successful aging for themselves, their employees and their clients.
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Child Development Specialist: 25 years of working with families, organizations and school systems to create programs and systems to serve the needs of young children with special needs through facilitation, training and consultation
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Adjunct Faculty, Early Childhood Special Education: Southern Connecticut State University, Teikyo Post University and University of Nevada, Reno
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Peace Corps Volunteer, Republic of the Philippines
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Anything else you would like to add?
Money has traditionally been a very private topic.
Although most of us didn't hear our parents talk about money, we got
clear messages from everything we observed and heard as we were growing
up. Discovering those messages and understanding how they translated
into our habits and attitudes about money makes it easier to make more
intentional decisions to support and not sabotage achieving our
financial and life goals. |
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