Focus on Finance: Guide to Investing, Money and Personal Finance

We know that we have many educators are listening in and we want to encourage you to share this message with your students and to take the Next Steps! The Next Steps are pre-designed curriculum which goes along with this podcast. And to all of the students listening, we encourage you share this with your friends on facebook or twitter!



Managing one’s money can be stressful and intimidating. To evaluate your finances, complete this survey:

1) Have you asked yourself, “When you need your money?” Depending on the answer to that question, different accounts are best to optimize your savings needs. Consider money market accounts and Certificates of Deposit at your bank.

2) Have you taken a look at your bills or spending activities and asked, “What can I cut out?” Small indulgences add up and are often the part of our bills that kill our savings.

3) Do you pay off your credit cards (if you have) in full every month? If not, figure out why? Not doing so can be extremely damaging to your personal financial situation.

4) Use compound interest to your advantage. Your money is most powerful when you are young.

5) Practice investing in a fantasy or virtual portfolio first. There are a number of websites that allow you to do this, and you avoid losing money before you have some experience investing.

6) Buy investments at your price. Patience is the best virtue to successful investing.

Monte’s passions revolve around personal finance and investing. He is President and Founder of a non-profit that teaches financial literacy skills to high school and college students, and he is also a professional speaker who empowers individuals to learn the skills needed to take over and be in charge of their own finances. He is also author of the book, The Young Investor’s Guide to Retiring Young.

Monte has been interviewed nationally and spoken to students at Universities and employees of Fortune 500 companies, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.

To connect or learn more about Monte and how we can speak at your school, check out www.YoungInvestorsGuide.com

To connect or learn more about Alton Jamison and how he can help your organization, please visit www.altonjamison.com.

To connect or learn more about Jill Esplin and youth leadership resources, please visit www.jillesplin.com and www.dreamleadersgame.com.

Discover Ways To Stress Less and Live More

We know that we have many educators are listening in and we want to encourage you to share this message with your students and to take the Next Steps! The Next Steps are pre-designed curriculum which goes along with this podcast. And to all of the students listening, we encourage you share this with your friends on facebook or twitter!


Next Steps


Join clubs that sound interesting to you but don’t succumb to the pressure to do everything.

Pick a college major you enjoy but realize that you don’t need a double or triple major with minors too in order to be successful.

Get help when you need it before your health suffers.


Maria created a special link on her site with the Next Steps, check it out and enjoy!!! http://www.campuscalm.com/gen-next-bonus.html

Maria Pascucci is the President of Campus Calm - the award-winning online-community for today's stressed-out students, their parents and educators. To connect or learn more about Maria Pascucci and how we can speak at your school, check out www.campuscalm.com

To connect or learn more about Alton Jamison and how he can help your organization, please visit www.altonjamison.com.

To connect or learn more about Jill Esplin and youth leadership resources, please visit www.jillesplin.com and www.dreamleadersgame.com.

Do you need a Schedule Make Over?

We know that we have many educators are listening in and we want to encourage you to share this message with your students and to take the Next Steps! The Next Steps are pre-designed curriculum which goes along with this podcast. And to all of the students listening, we encourage you share this with your friends on facebook or twitter!



If you’re feeling stressed out, you may be trying to fit too much into your life! Much like attempting to stuff more T-shirts into an overflowing drawer, putting more activity into a full life often won’t work unless you take something out.

To evaluate what should go and what should stay in your schedule, complete this exercise:

1. Make columns on a sheet of paper or on a computer document.
2. Label the top of each column: Classes, Activities, People, Work, Hobbies, etc. 3. In the appropriate area of your chart, list out all of your responsibilities that fall within that category.
4. Number order the items in each column based on their importance to you and to helping you achieve your short-term goals and long-term dreams.
5. If you have too much in your life, cut off the activities, classes, or even relationships that fall at the bottom of your list in terms of importance.
6. Then focus on the items that are left. You’ll be much better off doing less but achieving more in what you choose to do.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a Schedule Makeover coach and professional speaker who empowers individuals to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance. Her empowerment coaching frees people from guilt, overwhelm, and frustration! http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com and http://www.RealLifeE.com

Elizabeth has been featured in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.

To connect or learn more about Alton Jamison and how he can help your organization, please visit www.altonjamison.com.

To connect or learn more about Jill Esplin and youth leadership resources, please visit www.jillesplin.com and www.dreamleadersgame.com.

How To Go To College For Free

Today we were joined by Grant Baldwin (www.grantbaldwin.com) on Gen Next and he shared with us how to go to college for free and some practical money tips.


This series is for the teens of this generation who know that a textbook answer just won’t do! Join young speakers/authors, Jill Esplin (Dream Leader), and Alton Jamison (No More Handcuffs), with special guest, Grant Baldwin, popular national youth speaker, teen money expert, and author of the Student Book, Reality Check. Grant shared with us about how to go to college for free and shared some great financial tips that will help you in your ever day life.





Next Steps

This week, we encourage you to go to www.grantbaldwin.com and download his free ebook on How To Go To College For Free!

To connect or learn more about Grant Baldwin and how we can speak at your school, check out www.grantbaldwin.com

To connect or learn more about Alton Jamison and how he can help your organization, please visit www.altonjamison.com.

To connect or learn more about Jill Esplin and youth leadership resources, please visit www.jillesplin.com and www.dreamleadersgame.com.

Who’s Making Your Lunch? Discover How to Get the Most Out of This Year

Today we were joined by Ryan Porter (www.Ryanspeaks.com) on Gen Next and he shared with us 4 major decisions we need to make in order to create our dream life.

This series is for the teens of this generation who know that a textbook answer just won’t do! Join young speakers/authors, Jill Esplin (Dream Leader), and Alton Jamison (No More Handcuffs), with special guest, Ryan Porter, with of the country’s top youth speakers. Today’s show has nothing to do with making a real lunch or having someone make it for you. Instead, it has everything to do with creating your ideal life. Ryan will share the 4 decisions that you can make that will completely change the way you view your future and how to get the most out of this year.



We know that we have many educators listening in and we want to encourage you to share this message with your students and to take the Next Steps! The Next Steps are pre-designed curriculum which goes along with this podcast. And to all of the students listening, we encourage you share this with your friends on facebook or twitter!

This week we hope that you take some time to think a little deeper about the 4 Decisions mentioned today! We posted the 4 Decisions and we challenge you to think about your life, what it takes to Make Your Own Lunch and begin to take ACTION!


Next Steps

4 Decisions to Make Your Own Lunch and Lead Your Dream Life

1) Decide what you want to have.

2) Where do you want to go?

3) What do you want to do?

4) Who do you want to be?

To connect or learn more about Ryan Porter and how we can speak at your school, check out www.ryanspeaks.com and www.makeyourlunch.com

To connect or learn more about Alton Jamison and how he can help your organization, please visit www.altonjamison.com.

To connect or learn more about Jill Esplin and youth leadership resources, please visit www.jillesplin.com and www.dreamleadersgame.com.

Blog Talk Radio: The Voices Behind Gen Next! Who are Alton and Jill?

Welcome back to The Gen Next Show, we hoped you enjoyed today’s show.

This series is for the teens of this generation who know that a textbook answer just won’t do! Join young speakers/authors, Jill Esplin (Dream Leader), and Alton Jamison (No More Handcuffs), as they share their personal stories and how two people from two completely different backgrounds decided to team up and create this show. Listen as they share their amazing stories of how they decided to go against the norm and pursue their dreams, while they share tips on how to achieve your personal dreams!


Next Steps

We know that we have many educators listening in and we want to encourage you to share this message with your students and to take the Next Steps! The Next Steps are pre-designed curriculum which goes along with this podcast and you have found it RIGHT HERE! And to all of the students listening, we encourage you to download this show to your iPod and carry the message with you.

This week we challenge you to interview people in your class or community and get to know the voices and values behind the people in your life. Just like we did today, we challenge you to do the same. You can find some sample questions below or feel free to get creative and create your own!

Sample Questions:

What was it like growing up in your household?
Who do you admire and why?
What are your plans after high school?
Who are you raised by?
How do you think people view you?
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Name one thing that has changed your life?
What’s your favorite movie and why?
Where were you born?
What would be the first two things you would buy with a million dollars?
Favorite subject and least favorite subject?
What song are you listening to right now on your ipod or cd player?
Favorite tv show?
How many brothers and sisters?
Favorite childhood memory?
Dream job?
Dream vacation?
What do you like to do on the weekend?
Favorite hobbies?
Anything that you will miss most about middle or high school?
Favorite athletic teams?
If you could control everyone’s thoughts, what would you want them to think about you?

Blog Talk Radio: Gen Next- Top 10 Things We Wish We Knew As Teens

We are excited to share our new Radio Show, Gen Next with you! Our first LIVE show was 8/19/09!

This episode of Gen Next is for the teens of this generation who know that a textbook answer just won’t do! Join young speakers/authors, Jill Esplin (Dream Leader), and Alton Jamison (No More Handcuffs), as they talk about the top 10 things they wished they knew as teens. Looking back at their own teen years, they come together to share with you what they have learned from their pasts and how to make the next generation even better.

Next Steps
Top 10 Things We Wished We Knew As Teens

1) Care less about what people think
2) Don’t rush to be in a relationship
3) Parents and teachers are doing the best they can with what they have
4) Realize how lucky you are
5) Continue to learn foreign language
6) Don’t let money stop you
7) In sports, winning isn’t everything
8) Give people a chance
9) Try new things…even if you are alone
10)Everyone’s NOT doing it

We know that teachers around the nation are tuning in and sharing these podcast with students and teens if it is just you listening, try sharing this with your teacher. This week we talked about 10 things and of the 10 things, there might be some that you are struggling with. So deiced which ones that you want to work on, make a journal entry about this and decide how you can take action!

We look forward to connecting with you LIVE on Gen Next and hearing your show ideas and how we can best help you! Please message us here or at Jill@leadingforlife.com or alton@altonjamison.com