Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal Todd.
Krystal, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Money is a topic that people rarely discuss however it affects mostly every avenue of our lives. I always wondered why I was in school learning about Photosynthesis and the Pythagorean Theorem (which don’t ask me what that is now) but nothing about simple money management practices. I always knew I wanted to do something to teach people about proper financial education that we were clearly lacking in the school system. That was what sparked the birth of “The Cash Compass.”
I grew up blessed to see both sides of the spectrum. On one hand, I had family members who were business owners and investors and had amazing money management skills. I also had the paycheck to paycheck, financially inept, “can I borrow $20 until I get paid?” family members too (which I feel most of us have experienced). My parents always kept me involved with finances from as early as I can remember which I believe really instilled discipline in me and dramatically affected my interest in this topic.
When I went to college I majored in accounting and pursued my CPA (certified public accountant) license. I became heavily focused on investments and financial literacy. I have taken courses, read too many books to count and most importantly practiced on myself to find the best money management strategies to grow wealth, have a nice retirement, and leave a legacy for my family. I joined a real estate investment company as the Senior of Financial Reporting which furthered my interest in economics and finances. I used all my experiences to curate a channel where I can comfortably discuss money with like-minded individuals as well as people who are wanting to escape the shackles of debt and achieve financial freedom. I consistently bring awareness to the importance of establishing budgets, investing, and creating generational wealth and I have loved every moment of this journey.
Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely has NOT been a smooth road! Although I was always interested in personal finances and was disciplined for the most part, entering college was a whole new world. There was always a trip I was invited to, a sale that I “couldn’t” miss, and plenty of other things in between that kept me from my goals. The thing about money management is that you cannot “set it and forget it.” This is a life-long journey that requires consistent attention. Falling off can cause a huge set-back and once it reaches that point, it can get extremely discouraging. To this day I still have to remind myself to keep my financial goals at the forefront of my thoughts.
Because of these bumps along my journey I can speak from a place of experience; I’ve experienced losing focus and falling back into bad spending habits and I also know how to break free from the “treat yourself” mentality and create a life that takes me one step closer to true financial freedom on a daily basis. This has put me in an even better position to speak on these topics because I have experienced the consequences of bad financial decisions as well as reaped the benefits of discipline and dedication to my financial goals.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
My brand is “The Cash Compass.” I specialize in offering a fresh, youthful perspective to finances on Youtube and Instagram. I’ve always been known for being a stickler about finances and you could always find me lecturing someone I know about not borrowing money or not having an emergency savings. I create content that teaches people everything we weren’t taught in schools because this is a topic that literally impacts us EVERY SINGLE DAY. Some of the worst lessons on money have been taught and passed down generation to generation and I am breaking down those misconceptions one by one.
I am so proud that I have created content that is 100% transparent about my own finances as well as things that people don’t hear about often but it will help unlock the door to financial freedom. I engage with every single person on my Youtube and Instagram and take suggestions of what topics they want to hear about and deliver that content for free! I am proud to disrupt this industry and offer insight as a 20-something-year-old minority woman!
What sets me apart from others is my age and my background. When you look at others doing what I do, they look nothing like me. Representation matters so I love that I can show people that you can be young or be a minority and still take your financial health seriously. It IS possible to maintain a great quality of life and have a five figure savings account. You CAN still travel, shop, eat out, and also have investments and plans for generations you might not even meet. You CAN be twenty-something and increase your earnings by tens of thousands of dollars in less than a year. I have accomplished all of this and share this information in my videos.
I also present the information in a way that is not only informative but detailed and very entertaining. It is delivered in a way that is simple enough for people of all ages and all levels of financial literacy to digest. I wanted to make sure that this would be a resource people could go to and get the facts without the fluff, and I believe I accomplished just that!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
A MAJOR shift will be happening in the economy as we know it. What worries me is that people are grossly misinformed so they live their lives on you only live once “YOLO” mentality and do not prepare for the inevitable.
We absolutely will be seeing another recession I’m sure within the next five to ten years and I am afraid it will be ugly, worse than 2008. In fact, I don’t even know whether the economy can make it to the five year mark without a correction. The US economy is heavily dependent on debt. From consumers to corporations, to the government, there are large quantities of debt with minimal growth. They have tried different methods to stimulate the economy and unfortunately that has only caused the financial bubble to get even bigger.
When this bubble pops (and there are bubbles in multiple sectors from the housing market, to the stock market, to pensions) this will leave so many people devastated and blind sighted because this information isn’t as present on the news as it should be. Instead, you are fed manipulated statics and the “everything is fine” rhetoric.
This is why it is so important for me to spread my knowledge. Although I do not speak too much on economics (for the fear of boring people to death) I stress the importance of preparing for a recession and what you can do to actually take advantage of it. Believe it or not, for the wealthy, a recession is a great opportunity to pick up assets “on sale.” I teach people everything I know to position themselves to work like the wealthy and be on the better side of the rich and poor divide.
Pricing:
- Personal coaching- $50 for a half-hour consultation
- Resume writing and editing – starting at $60
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyDwtGfOYRKxc3EqQZHWlQ/featured
- Email: Krystal.Todd@aol.com
- Instagram: TheCashCompass
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