What or who in your life has helped you build your values, solidify your goals and how?

Growing up “not so well off” I think grounded me and made me a lot more appreciative of having the things I have acquired in my life right now. I have always worked hard and ensured a decent paycheck to not only afford the necessities in my life, but also the little luxuries. Never really looked too far in the future though and unfortunately, that has a lot to do with how I was raised. There was never a really good grasp on finances and long-term security in our household. It was more of a survival type mentality.

It was the influences of one of my uncles and later, a boss who became a great friend, that impacted how I broadened my goals to include things like investments, real estate, retirement fund, etc. It was not only what they said, but how they lived their lives that inspired me to emulate them in some way. They both had their own business which also made me realize that being your own boss a lot of times is the most rewarding and challenging path to take. They were smart about having a good balance towards savings, retirement funds, home purchases and still building the funds for travel and entertainment. I have definitely geared my goals and values to mimic theirs – the most wonderful thing for me has been having mentors and role models in my life.