Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Fontanilla.
Jen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was working as a graphic designer about 20 plus years ago and although I was making a lucrative income at a young age, I realized I didn’t know what I should be doing with my money and that bothered me because I didn’t learn anything about it in college. I remember feeling annoyed because I don’t like feeling like I’m out of the loop and I knew that if I felt that way, there had to be so many other people that might be feeling just as lost or confused and I wanted to change that. Even more importantly, I wanted to explain how money works and share different strategies in plain English, not be intimidating, and encourage people to take control of their financial situation and empower them to get their money right. It was so essential for me to be relatable and bring compassion and understanding into my relationships with my colleagues, partners, and clients.
So for the last 15 years, I have been in the financial space, most of those years as a financial advisor, but I realized that I wanted to work with people on helping them understand their money, their habits, and how to handle their money on a day to day basis and develop a positive relationship with their money and a sound financial foundation. I transitioned into coaching and now am a Certified Money Coach (CMC)®, still an insurance agent, six-time author, speaker and founder of Queen Up Life where I’m committed to helping women build and create their ultimate life without worrying about money by gaining clarity, hope, and confidence while mastering their money and mindset.
Has it been a smooth road?
Oh goodness, not at all. In the beginning, I remember how it took me six long months before I even found someone to work with me. In the beginning, people know you from a different life and don’t quite trust you or that you know what you’re doing. We all have to pay our dues but I remember how frustrating it was because I felt like no one was going to give me a chance. I want to encourage anyone that’s just starting to hang in there. It will turn around eventually but you have to keep showing up.
Then I went through the market crash of 2008/2009, I remember having to be that rock solid pillar for your team and for your clients. That was a period of uncertainty and I learned how important it was to maintain confidence and calmness during tumultuous times. You learn and find strength during those crazy moments and here we are again in the midst of COVID. Those uncertain times make you tougher and you realize how resilient you really are.
Also, after the financial and housing markets crashed and losing alot of my own real estate, I went through a very sad divorce and a year later, I ended up getting pregnant. It was one bomb going off after another. I was spiraling downward and it was really difficult to focus on my business. Juggling my own personal struggle while trying to continue to learn and grow and keep showing up was very hard emotionally, but you just do it and somehow by the grace of God, you come out stronger on the other side.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Queen Up Life – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am committed to helping women get their money right. We don’t learn this stuff in school and typically, the finance field is a male-dominated industry. Over the years, I’ve seen so many areas where women need one another and need to be empowered not only financially but spiritually and emotionally. This is important to me because one of the things that I focus on is the psychology of money. As an advisor, I focused mostly on the future and your portfolio, and the numbers, but I know that it is so much more than that.
As a Certified Money Coach (CMC)® I teach others about the importance of money mindset and understanding the subconscious patterns that we develop and where our financial decisions come from. What did we inherit from our mother or father growing up? These things are often overlooked and sometimes we think we just need to create a budget, get out of debt, and save for the future. Understanding money and how to develop a positive and healthy relationship with your money is so very essential in your financial success.
What I am most proud of is knowing that the people I work with or encounter meet me for the first time and immediately mention how they can easily see and feel my passion for what I do and I think that’s so critical to the work because it gives me purpose and meaning behind why I love helping others create an amazing financial future and conscious relationship with their money and create their ultimate life.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like best about our city? The diversity and culture and the different kinds of food! There is just so much that we can do here in Southern California. I travel a lot and whenever I go somewhere else, I am reminded of how blessed I am to live in such a diverse area. It’s a little strange when you look around and no one else has the same ethnic background as you. And our amazing weather and beaches of course!
What do I like least? The traffic for sure. But I have to mention the crazy rude drivers and the fact that so many people from other states hate people from California. It’s sad. It’s like we have this bad reputation with other states. I also hear friends from out of state share that many people feel that people from L.A. are superficial.
Pricing:
- I offer a Financial XRay where we can plug in your numbers and tell you how on track you are and pretty much tell you when you’ll run out of money based on how you’re currently consuming it. We have to find out where we’re starting from before we can take action on improving our situation. (Valued at over $97)
- https://go.betterwealth.com/jenxray
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jenmoneycoach.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jenmoneycoach
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jenmoneycoach
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/jenmoneycoach
- YouTube: http://bit.ly/JenMoneyCoachYouTube
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmoneycoach
https://calendly.com/workwithjen
Image Credit:
Wreiko Dawson, James Nichols II, Regina Ellis, Lyka Gozon, Tracy Disbrow
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