Spotlight: Ahora & Samanda Morales
NFEC Certified Financial Coach Samanda Morales and Ahora empower socially and economically disadvantaged individuals to build wealth and a culture of saving and investing through financial literacy, personalized financial coaching that includes budget discipline, money management, savings, investing and goal setting. Ahora also provides financial curriculum at the Boys and Girls Club in Boston, Massachusetts. All services are available in English and Spanish.
Motivation
There are a lot of money and financial terms out there that can be overwhelming for people to grasp. We help clients obtain the knowledge needed to make informed and purposeful financial decisions.
Ahora
My program curriculum currently focuses on helping people understand their money mindset and money behaviors. I work with individuals, couples and small business owners both in group settings and one-on-one coaching. I have several assessments and exercises I do with my clients and workshops attendees to help them discover their personal financial ‘health’ and level of financial understanding so that we can monitor their progress.
Strengths
Growing up, I perceived wealth as something only achievable if you already had a lot of money. (And a lot of money is something I did not have.) But the fact is that with a strong work ethic, a budget strategy, investment savvy, and measurable goals, truly anyone can achieve wealth. I learned this lesson after personal circumstances led me to be in a lot of debt.
Wealth does not necessarily equate to materialistic possessions. Wealth can mean peace of mind knowing that you can afford your child’s education, buy a week’s worth of groceries, take a well-deserved vacation, or pay this month’s bills.
With the right knowledge of America’s financial and banking system, anyone who wishes to do so has the ability to improve their financial status, grow their money, and achieve their personal version of wealth in America. Knowledge is power. But knowledge is only powerful if you know how to apply it.
Challenges
The lack of funding and resources has been a challenge to get Ahora started. My husband and I have had to put some of our personal money to jumpstart the organization.
Raising Awareness and Building a Sustainable Initiative
I am in the process of raising awareness. We have been featured in the Boston Business Journal and El Planeta (the biggest newspaper in Spanish across New England). I would like help raising awareness to bring financial literacy to schools and after school programs. I am also pursuing a partnership with employers that know it will be beneficial for their clients to have financial literacy and coaching. The organizations that have partnered with us thus far are JGM Financial (a wealth manager that will provide pro-bono consulting), and Estrada Associates (a real estate agency).
How can Readers Support Your Efforts?
Readers can support our efforts by donating and spreading the word.
