Queer Money®: How Gay People Do Money

Navigating the world as a member of the LGBT community gives us an advantage when it comes to creativity, allowing us to see possibilities that others may not and affording us a different way of looking at the world. So, how can you tap into that inherent creativity to grow your business and brand? How can you leverage imagination as a superpower and become a creative entrepreneur?

Peter Krask is the Founder and Creative Director of The Creativity Guide, a venture that helps entrepreneurs and artists tap into their creativity and provides support and direction in designing and running a business. He was recently selected to be a Dedicated Mentor at the New Museum in New York City for Year 6 of the New Inc. Program. Peter is also an accomplished photographer and writer, and he has been the President of PMK Floral Arts for 20-plus years.

On this episode of Queer Money, Peter joins us to define creative entrepreneurship and discuss what creatives and entrepreneurs have in common. He shares the connection between being queer and being creative, weighing in on what creativity blocks LGBT entrepreneurs have in common and how we can capitalize on our ability to see possibilities outside the norm. Listen in for insight around Peter’s role as a Creativity Guide and learn how tap into your imagination and leverage creativity as a superpower.

How much have you given back to the LGBTQ community this year? You don’t have to have a lot of money to support the organizations that provide for the most vulnerable among us. In fact, a relatively small donation of $50 a month from each of us (that’s three NYC-priced cocktails) would add up to $9B! And if you can’t spare the money, there are other ways to give.

On this episode, we’re challenging listeners to give back—in whatever way you can. We discuss why the queer community needs so much help, shining a light on the LGBTQ youth, transgender and senior populations who need extra support and offering insight into some of the national, regional and local organizations dedicated to helping the queer community.

We go on to share some of the best ways to give, from recurring contributions to volunteer work to building brand awareness. Listen in for the details of our commitment to donate time and money to the LGBTQ community and learn how developing a plan to give back benefits YOU!

You’ve come into a little extra money. Maybe a tax refund, a bonus at work, or a check from your Aunt Mable for your birthday. Without a plan, you may be tempted to spend the unexpected cash on something frivolous, like a trip to Vegas. So, let’s think it through. What would you do with, say, an extra $5K?

On this episode, we’re sharing the top answers to this question in our Queer Money Facebook group. We applaud the responses focused on financial improvement (like paying off debt, investing and saving for an emergency) and discuss how to incorporate spending on self-care without going overboard.

We go on to talk about the idea of setting milestone rewards as you pay off debt and explain what WE would do with an unexpected extra $5K. Listen in to understand why the LGBT community struggles financially and learn how making money-conscious micro-decisions day to day is the key to improving your financial situation—whether you get a $5K bonus or not!

Okay, you’ve made the commitment to pay off all your credit cards. You want them done and gone. Then, what do you do? You’ve got several credit cards with different balances and different interest rates – though all high-interest rates.

How do you pick which credit card to pay off first, then second, then third and (well – we could go on and on)?

For most people, wanting and even deciding to pay off their credit cards isn’t the problem. It’s picking which strategy to use to pay off their credit cards and deciding which to pay off first. Then, sticking with that strategy until all their credit card balances are $0.

On this Queer Money®, we’ll talk about the two most popular strategies for paying off credit cards, neither of which are as good as the third, exclusive way to pay off credit cards that we’ll share. Then, we’ll tell you exactly how to decide which strategy will work best for you and pick that first credit card to pay off.

A 2010 Met Life study comparing LGBT baby boomers with their straight counterparts found that the queer respondents were more likely to serve as caregivers to family and friends than their straight peers. Because those of us in the LGBTQ community are less likely to have children, our siblings may assume that we’ll be the ones to take care of our aging parents when the time comes. This is a huge responsibility, and it goes beyond providing physical and emotional support. Do your parents have their legal and financial matters in order? And how do you find out without offending anyone?

Cameron Huddleston is an award-winning journalist with 17-plus years of experience writing about personal finance. She has been featured in Kiplinger, Business Insider and Fortune, among many other media outlets. Cameron is also the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations with Your Parents About Their Finances and a regular columnist for GOBankingRates.

On this episode of Queer Money®, Cameron joins us to discuss why it’s so difficult to talk to our parents about money and offer ideas on how to initiate the difficult conversation. She walks us through the right questions to ask, explaining how it might impact us if our parents don’t have a plan for long-term care. Listen in to understand how Cameron’s personal experience inspired her to write the book and get her expert advice around how to help your parents plan for the future—without making them too uncomfortable!

What should I do with my life? A lot of us in the LGBTQ community seem to settle for jobs that are in the realm of easy possibility rather than finding and fulfilling our true purpose. But how do you know what you’re called to do? How do you pick a career that’s perfect for you? 

On this episode of Queer Money, I’m sharing my own long road to purpose-driven work. I explain how I acquired $34K in credit card debt after college and what inspired my transition from retail to a career in financial services. I describe the early signs from the universe that were steering me toward my purpose, including an inspiring episode of Oprah and the feat of paying off our $51K in debt.

I go on to discuss the kick in the pants the universe gave me in the form of depression and a difficult boss, weighing in on how our savings gave me the resources to walk away from my W-2 and start the Debt Free Guys platform. Listen in for insight around how my life has changed now that I’m pursuing my true calling and get inspired to pick a career that fulfills YOUR purpose!

What makes the gay rights campaign one of the most successful advocacy movements of all time? The LGBTQ community started with corporate America. We recognized our impact as an economic powerhouse and partnered with the business community to promote diversity and inclusion, leveraging corporate influence in the political sphere to further LGBTQ causes. And Capital One is among the businesses that appreciate the value of the queer community and invest in our success through a number of social impact initiatives.

Andy Navarrete is the Executive Vice President and Head of External Affairs at Capital One. In his role, Andy manages the company’s Corporate Affairs function, including media and public relations, community banking and finance, community development and relations, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and corporate philanthropy. Capital One is committed to supporting the LGBTQ community, earning a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for the sixteenth consecutive year.

On this episode of Queer Money, Andy joins us to share Capital One’s social impact journey, explaining what inspired the company’s commitment to make credit a lot more democratic. He discusses the business value in hiring ambassadors who reflect the communities they serve, partnering with nonprofits like The Ali Forney Center, and going all-in to celebrate Pride. Listen in for Andy’s insight around Capital One’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and learn how the bank is working to serve the LGBTQ community.

“It’s not that I’m better than anyone, but no one’s better than me.”

Growing up as the son of Italian immigrants in the Deep South during the Civil Rights movement wasn’t easy. And being gay didn’t make it any easier. But rather than taking on limiting beliefs, Bernardo Puccio eliminated the word CAN’T from his vocabulary and started visualizing the life he wanted.

Bernardo became a world-renowned interior designer with a distinguished career spanning 50-plus years. After growing up in the segregated South where being gay was dangerous, he moved to California to pursue a glamorous life inhabited by the Hollywood elite. Bernardo was designer to (and friends with) stars like Lana Turner, Elizabeth Taylor and Telly Savalas. He and his partner of 32 years, Orin Kennedy, are the subject of the award-winning documentary, An Ordinary Couple, and Bernardo recently completed the memoir of his extraordinary life, 13 Pieces of Unmatched Luggage and My Poodle.

On this episode of Queer Money, Bernardo joins us to share his experience growing up gay in Alabama in the 1950’s. He walks us through his path to becoming an interior designer and describes how visualization helped him create the career and life he wanted—in Beverly Hills. Listen in for Bernardo’s insight around what propelled him to the top of his field and get inspired to believe that you, too, CAN live the life of your dreams!

“If you don’t like where you are, MOVE. You are not a tree.”

--Jim Rohn 

Too many of us get stuck in jobs where we feel comfortable. We’re afraid to walk away from the security of a regular paycheck and try something new. But if you’re not happy or your current situation isn’t getting you closer to your long-term goals, it’s time to take action. I’ve quit my job TWICE, so I speak from experience when I tell you that it’s totally worth it.

On this episode of Queer Money, I’m sharing what inspired me to quit a good job at Charles Schwab and how my situation improved when I took on a new role at Great West Financial. I discuss the fears I had to overcome in making the transition, describing just how nervous I was to walk away from decent money and a position I liked.

I go on to explain why I quit my job at Great West to become a full-time entrepreneur, addressing the uncertainty John and I faced and what we did to prepare. Listen in to understand how my life has changed for the better since I quit my job (twice!) and learn how to overcome your fears and take steps to OWN your tomorrow!

What does it take to be successful? One way to figure it out is to talk to successful people (LGBTQ and otherwise), find out what they do—and then do THAT.

Martin Eiden is a top producer in the New York real estate space, selling nearly $1B in property to date. In 2017 alone, he sold a property every 10 days for a total of $55M in sales! With 20 years in the business, Martin is known for his attention to detail, candidness with clients and focus on excellence. He began his professional career in architectural engineering, designing skyscrapers, airports, hospitals and laboratories in the US and abroad before transitioning to real estate.

On this episode of Queer Money, Martin joins us to discuss the driving force behind his success, explaining his philosophy that if you do what you love, the money will follow. He walks us through his morning routine and describes how the process makes him a leader in his field. Listen in for Martin’s insight around the value in hiring a coach and learn how his success gives him the time freedom to travel and spend quality time with his husband and son!