Picture this: you're 22, you just moved to New York City, and you’re out at a bar with friends. A couple of tequila shots, a lukewarm beer later, you go to the bartender to close out your tab. But then she says the three scariest words known to man: “Your card declined.” It feels like everyone in the bar overhears. On one particular night out in 2016, I had to wait until 12:01 for the direct deposit from my paycheck to actually hit my bank account to be able to pay my bar tab. At the time, I was living paycheck to paycheck. And if I’m being honest, the embarrassment I felt that night would stay with me for years. Even though I had a fancy job on Wall Street, my personal finances were a mess. During the day, I would enact trades on behalf of hedge funds worth billions of dollars. And at night, I would go home and wonder if one more pad thai order would set me over the financial edge. Sadly, this is not a unique experience. Many young people still feel hopelessly lost when it comes to our money. And this is in part due to the existing financial system. Personal finance education is not taught in K-12. The past five decades of policy implementation has led to a deep divide between the haves and the have-nots, and if we're being honest, the financial-services industry, as it currently exists, is really only set up and incentivized to help, well, the already wealthy. But here's where the story starts to get really good. There has never been a better time to get financially literate than right now. Knowledge that was once locked behind expensive advisors is available at your fingertips.

10 years after bar night, I have become the financial educator I so desperately wish I had had back then. I built my career teaching financial literacy, like a friend, across social media. And as it turns out, that boiled-down language and those silly jokes and those funny memes, they didn't make me any less credible. But they sure did make me more understandable. The financial world has finally opened its doors wide. But here are the three things I wish I had known to do all those years ago, when I was so desperately broke and wanted so desperately to be very, very rich. One, learn the language. The financial language. So let's dive into that first point. It's safe to say learning finance really is like learning a new language. 401(k), IRA, 529, FICO, APY, AGI. Hello, can someone please help me? But my ask of you is really simple. Don't be afraid to be smart by looking dumb. Ask what the words mean! Don't be afraid to utilize resources like Investopedia or NerdWallet. And most importantly, find a financial mentor that speaks your language. Someone who has the industry chops to back up those smarts, someone who never promises you anything that's too good to be true, and certainly someone who never gives you that weird feeling in the pit of your stomach. First off, I nicknamed Jerome Powell "Fed Daddy" to explain rates lowering. Translating headlines into action items. And even breaking down how celebs, like Kendrick Lamar, get rich and stay rich. Kendrick Lamar's family dancing in the "Not Like Us" music video wasn't just a clapback, it was a genius investment. When you understand the language, you understand what matters.

While it's on financial educators to meet the next generation where and how they already live, it's on the next generation to build their own financial community. For years, we have been told talking about money is rude, tacky, taboo. But the last time I checked, Bob and Steve seem to have no problem trading investment tips as they're teeing off at hole three. It turns out, it’s really only a faux pas when we do it. It's time to change that. I, like so many young people, clock in daily for a full shift at the looking-at-my-phone factory. And whether you spend all of your time scrolling TikTok or reading Reddit threads, it's clear: having conversations around money takes the power away from the people up top and gives it back to us. The internet has led to the creation of spaces like Fishbowl and Glassdoor, where people can share true, real numbers, honest struggles and genuine victories without shame or judgment. And frankly, many of these conversations are still too raw to be had IRL. This online anonymity is empowering people to work together, with their digital accountabili-buddies, to make smarter financial choices. And my hope is that, as this generation gets more comfortable creating community around money talk, the generation after us -- they're going to grow up seeing money discussed so openly and authentically that they will enter adulthood with a level of financial confidence that their parents could have only dreamed of.

And speaking of the future, you’ve probably heard the phrase: modern problems require modern solutions. It's never been more true. If I’m not getting a pension like my dad, and I can’t make a household’s ends meet on one income like my dad, and I certainly don't plan on working the same job for 40 years like my dad, why am I taking my dad's financial advice? Or worse, using my dad's financial advisor? Robo-advisors are making sophisticated investment strategies accessible to everyone. Online banks are offering competitive rates without the burden of the overhead of brick-and-mortar branches. And innovative apps are turning complex financial tasks into simple, actionable things that you can do from the palm of your hand. These new platforms are just as regulated and licensed, and more often than not, they offer lower fees. And it’s not just startup hubs or VCs that are taking notice. Creators and educators are now turning into founders. For my story, what started as just content has turned into an app powered by AI -- working in conjunction with certified human experts, to provide guidance in plain English, like a friend, and more importantly, continues to educate first and foremost. New-age financial brands aren't just a replacement for traditional financial services; they're purpose-built for the way we live now. Designed to help you save smarter, invest easier, and build wealth faster than ever before. The future of finance isn't coming. It's already here and it's working for us. This shift towards financial accessibility isn’t just changing individual lives; it's building an ecosystem where everyone has a fair shot at prosperity. And my dream is that, a decade from now, the evolution in financial education will mean: there are fewer declined credit cards at bar night, a shrinking wealth gap and a financial future that is brighter than ever. Thank you.