Speaker: Jennifer Johnson, Owner, Platinum Pest and Lawn
How was the planning experience with a Principles-Based Financial Planner different than what you had expected or experienced before?
Jennifer Johnson: I've only ever met with one other financial planner before. And in that experience it was more, hey, here are some things that you should do. I think this would be great. So, you know, not really knowing anything. That's what we did. However, working with Kyle, it was very different in that, Kyle taught us principles and based on those principles that we understood, then we were able to make decisions that really made it, a more, a more profitable experience for us than just being told to do something. And so it was really different in being told versus understanding and making better decisions, from there.
How do you believe your knowledge of the Five Principles of Personal Finance will help you in your finances going forward?
Jennifer Johnson: Yeah. One thing that really impressed me with me with Kyle was teaching us basic principles. One of the principles that we really gravitated to was investing in yourself and not in things that you can't control things that are out of your control, such as the, the stock market. It makes more sense to me um to put the investment back to myself with things that I can control. in order to put us in a better financial situation. Also learning the principles was really helpful because we didn't have to wait until we met with our financial planner to make these financial decisions with the principles it guided um just different things, things would we would invest in within ourselves or things that we would do. And so we could always be making good financial decisions, not just in those regular meetings with Kyle.
What did you feel was most helpful or valuable about the planning process?
Jennifer Johnson: Yeah, what we found most helpful about the planning process, is actually the knowledge, the information that you receive. That really helps you make informed financial decisions, decisions that, are gonna help you financially and help your family and help you plan for the future. But it's really that knowledge, the principles that you learn, which is really, you know, really valuable.
Why do you believe others will benefit from going through the Principles-Based Planning Process?
Jennifer Johnson: Yeah, so others would benefit from uh from this process um by being able to have that knowledge that education that I mentioned before. Um and not doing investing in what the financial institutions tell you to invest in. Um But instead following the principles that they follow themselves that have been able to build them wealth. And I think also the, the principles are very clear, they're simple to understand and I'm a clear cut person I enjoy when um when goals are clearly laid out, for example, um as far as paying yourself first, what percentage, what percentage we should be saving and how much savings to have on hand, you know, both in personal and in our business. And so I think that is really helpful to have such clear cut goals.
If you read the book, Principles-Based Planning, what value did you get from reading it and why do you feel others should read it?
Jennifer Johnson: So whenever you're meeting with the financial planner and they're teaching you all the principles. Um I know I like to try and take notes, but trying to understand and apply and take notes all at the same time can be a little difficult sometimes. And so when you have the book in front of you, for me personally, it's easier to read Digest and think about it, go back, make notes in the book and it's just another way to absorb those principles that if you're like me and I have a million things going on in my life and have a hard time remembering things, having the book there to refer back to and refer to your notes and the things you were thinking as you were reading makes it super helpful. So you get the principles when you meet with your financial planner. But then you also have the, the principles in writing that you can go back to and refer to at a later point.
