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How Financial Coach Dr. Lynn Richardson Helped MC Lyte Triple Her Income
In case no one has told you yet, you are a business. So often, people make the mistake of believing that they can only treat their lives like a business if they are an entrepreneur or a business owner, not realizing that the mere fact that they exist in this world makes them an owned and operated business. And as such, everything you do can be written off as an expense and thus, add to your overall wealth.
At least, that's what Dr. Lynn Richardson will put you on game about.
MC Lyte and Financial Coach Lynn Richardson
The financial expert and life coach took the stage on Saturday afternoon (July 28) during a conversation orchestrated by P&G's My Black Is Beautiful in partnership with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Greater Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists. Famed rapper and humanitarian MC Lyte took the stage as the event's keynote speaker, and revealed her seven-year friendship with Lynn, as well as the fact that they partnered together in their book, Your Man and Your Money: How to Get'em and How to Keep'em. The two met when MC was really lost about how to have her finances together and as her financial advisor, Lynn pulled her through, and even helped her triple her income in the process!
There, the two friends and collaborators talked all things financial literacy, being your own business, and entrepreneurial advancement. And xoNecole was there to collect all of the gems. Read on for more.
Apply the 10-10-30-50 Rule to Your Budget
While many of us out there who have dabbled or are experts in budgeting know the power of a good dose of the 50-20-30 rule, Lynn's modified 10-10-30-50 rule might be the key to unlocking a lot of our financial success. "The first 10 percent you tithe, the next 10 percent you save. Our grandmas taught us to save for a rainy day, but really, we have to save for a come up. That means, when we have the opportunity to invest in something, [we can invest]," Lynn explained. "When the stock market crashed in 2008, everyone was in a recession. Well, one of my sorors, and financial mentors, she had saved and had money that she could use to invest, and she did. When the stocks went down to 20 cents a share, she bought 100,000 shares. And when it went back up to $12 a share, she sold it."
"We have to save for a come up."
She continued, "The next 30 percent is cash. And cash is what we have to understand as entrepreneurs. People on this planet have figured out how they can go into the boardroom, create something that cost $2 that they can sell to us on Black Friday for $250 and make it feel like we have to have it. Having cash prevents you from having a spending addiction… The remaining 50 percent stays in your checking account to go to bills."
Use Only 30% of Your Income as Spending Money
When breaking down the 10-10-30-50 rule for budgeting, the 30 percent allocated to cash plays a very major role in your day to day spending. Unlike the 50 percent for your bills that stays in your checking account, the 30 percent is to act as cash that you carry around and takes care of everything, from your nail appointment to your groceries.
Some of us (especially those of us who have a spending addiction) might think that relying on 30 percent and carrying it around in cash isn't feasible. If you ask Lynn, you're thinking way too small. And those extra unnecessary expenses? You need to cut it.
"What happens is, we forget that we spend mindlessly. And it's not about not having the intelligence, it's us rejecting what the world says that we have to do with our money and make a decision. That's where I say women, especially women of color, we can be billionaires, but we cannot ignore the basic thing we learned in the first grade, and that's mathematics: 1 + 1 equals 2. And if your stuff adds up to 10, it will never get to 2. And we will always be trying to figure out how to make our money work and where is it going."
"Control that number, and we can control our wealth."
Take Advantage of Everyday Expenses During Tax Time
What many of us fail to realize is how much we stand to gain during tax time by writing off expenses and deducting properly. Lynn wants everyone to be empowered by the fact that simply by existing, they are a fully owned and operated business. This does not mean quitting your job, but for all intents and purposes, you are an entrepreneur, whether you realize it or not. Therefore, it's time you start deducting like it.
"If you have a business and your business makes $100,000, here's what happens to all of your income: first, you get to expense everything you use in your business. You get to expense your cell phone. You get to expense your mileage or your gas on your car. You get to expense your trips because when you go on trips - I don't care if it's a family trip or a vacation or a family reunion in Mississippi - you are actually on a business trip so you need to expense that. Once you expense everything, they'll say, 'Those expenses are $65,000, there's $35,000 left over. That's the amount you get taxed on.'"
Lynn also suggested that wealthy people don't necessarily have more money, they just know how to get their money back. As an entrepreneur, it's crucial that we view ourselves as a business and view everything we do as a potential expense to be a tax write off.
Invest in Strategic Multiple Streams of Income
For most people, the secret to acquiring wealth is never allowing one hat to be your only hat and by that I mean, having multiple streams of income. Along with cultivating different avenues where more money can easily travel, it is important to develop strategy when diversifying your income as well, which is also where a strong personal brand comes into play. Whether it's a brick and mortar, selling or doing hair, repurposing vintage clothes, or mixing up your own beauty line, the opportunities are there, you just have to take it. "Multiple streams of income give us the ability to extinguish the fiery darts of an unstable economy. So, if one of your businesses is no longer popular, you got seven more to look at," Lynn added.
"We've got to have multiple streams of income, but we also gotta have strategy."
It is important to diversify your income in order to maximize your wealth potential, but it is also important to know that while more money is great to have, having the financial literacy to navigate your finances adeptly and strategically is ultimately the golden rule in acquiring wealth and breaking ground for more black women business owners, entrepreneurs, and millionaires. "Black women, we are the most educated people on the planet. There is no group of people who have more degrees than black women," Lynn noted. "We have PhD's, Master's degrees, and MBA's. But one of the things that sits with me a lot, is why are we not as wealthy as our education says? We are last on the totem pole when it comes to wealth."
And it's time that changes.
Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."