Today we’d like to introduce you to John Lanza.
Hi John, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My wife and I conceived The Money Mammals to help parents raise money-smart kids. We scratched our itch because we wanted our kids to grow up money- smart. We quickly discovered that the idea of making money -smarts fun resonated with many families.
Since I came from entertainment, I naturally thought if we could take something somewhat dull, like talking to our young kids about money, and make it fun, then we could plant money-smart seeds that would sprout as our kids grew. I brought my songwriter brother on board (He’s also an investor.) to help write catchy songs that teach kids Tthe Money Mammals’ mantra, “We’ll Share & Save & Spend Smart Too!”
Soon after releasing The Money Mammal’s’ “Saving Money Is Fun” video, we connected with credit unions to help spread our message across the country. We also expanded our reach online with more videos, games, and other interactive activities. I even fulfilled a childhood dream by writing not one but three illustrated children’s books about the importance of sharing (or charitable giving), saving, and spending smart.
Then I discovered that parents needed a plan to help channel their kids’ excitement into real-world learning. So I wrote, “The Art of Allowance: A Short, Practical Guide to Raising Money-Smart, Money-Empowered Kids” to help them do just that.
Last year, we launched a significant upgrade to our credit union offerings with The Art of Allowance Project featuring The Money Mammals and our newest program, Adolescent$, for tweens and teens. We now have materials to help empower parents to raise money-smart kids at any age with a program that will grow with them as they move from toddler to teen and finally into adulthood.
My journey has been a wonderful experience, and I’m excited to see where money smarts will take my company, Snigglezoo, and me in the coming years.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We’ve encountered many challenges along the way. I was a bit naive when I produced the Money Mammals show, “Saving Money Is Fun,” as I felt our furry friends would easily find fans. I realized that having a great product is just table stakes. Marketing and awareness are not only essential but also difficult. Don’t let anyone convince you they’re not.
We were fortunate to discover that our message resonated with credit unions. Creating a partnership program allowed us to help institutions bring money smarts to their members while spreading our important message further and wider than we could have on our own.
More recently, we’ve been competing for the same marketing dollars as some very well-heeled competitors. So although I believe our materials are as strong as anything available, it’s challenging to compete head-to-head against massive sales forces without similar resources. Therefore, we are actively seeking partnerships that will allow us to expand our program.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love to create materials that help make a difference. I’m probably most proud of The Money Mammals, the brand that my team and I have built based on this crazy little idea we came up with years ago. What’s more, we’ve evolved it into a program that helps empower parents to be their kids’ guides along the money-smart journey.
I also love to teach my Art of Allowance Academy courses. I appreciateseeing the light go on for parents when they realize they can raise money-smart kids no matter their current or past financial situations. I also enjoy when folks discoverhow important it is to start kids on that money-smart journey at an early age. Even as young as two -years -old!
I often speak, in person and virtually, at credit union events across the country to help these institutions connect with parents and young people with money-smart messages and to show how they can use current technologies to do so effectively. Above all, I hope people see that my mission is clear: I want to help parents raise money-smart kids. I love working with partners to help accomplish this mission while assisting them in achieving their goals.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Credit unions can connect with us on our site, https://themoneymammals.com. Click “Let’s Connect.”
You can sign up for my weekly newsletter for parents at https://themoneymammals.com/sign-up.
Or you can call me directly at 323-962-6828.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.themoneymammals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnlanzajr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themoneymammals
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnlanzajr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/themoneymammals
- Other: www.theartofallowance.com
