Unfiltered Finance with Authentic Craft
“Take the free money: that’s the first rule of finance.” This was a gem from Finance Professional and Life Insurance Agent Alfonso Blanco during a panel discussion about side hustling, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and navigating financial decisions during uncertain times.
The chat last month at Mushin in Oakland was part of Authentic Craft’s Unfiltered— a monthly mixer connecting professionals and ambitious minds across the Bay Area (who we love to work with!).
Unfiltered gives guests an opportunity to connect and grow professionally in a low-pressure, happy hour environment. April was Financial Literacy Month, so the latest installment focused on investments, financial wellness, and stability within uncertain economic times.
The panels and guest speakers they add now and then bring an extra touch of insight and diverse perspectives from subject matter experts in the community. Alongside Blanco, the finance panel featured Tax Strategist Tonya Kelly, Equities Trader Obed Fordjour, and Entrepreneur Viola Choice.
Here are some of our favorite takeaways from the panel.
Effective entrepreneurship tips
Viola, Executive Director of TrapxArt, had plenty of insight on what it takes to grow and maintain a company and brand. She had this advice:
Network and build relationships. People believe in, and work with, people they know. Be seen, be active, be accessible, and always be promoting yourself or your brand.
Show the value of what you’re doing and the people you’re bringing. Every part of what you do can be part of your pitch.
Free events help keep community. Show love when you can, and keep your brand (and yourself) accessible. Showing up goes a long way.
Utilize social media: you have to be visible, and it’s free! Very much a win-win. Learn how to use socials as the tools they are, first and foremost.
Figure out what the problem is, and find a solution. There’s always a void to fill or a need to address, especially in a recession. Find one that fits your brand or one you can feed consistently.
Unfiltered's panel takes questions answers a crowd question about personal finance. (l-r: Viola Choice, Obed Fordjour, Austin Drake, Tonya Kelly, Alfonso Blanco)
Investing tips
Obed Fordjour took the lead on questions about stocks, investing 401k, and where to put your money during tough economic times.
Use stocks as long-term investments. Create a plan for how you invest overall, and try not to fluctuate with the times
Don’t invest more than what’s comfortable. Any investment is still a risk, and you could lose on it. Be intentional about how much you invest and how risky you want to be.
Your age should match how aggressive your stocks are. The panel agreed: if you’re 30 or so, a good rule of thumb is to have 30% of your investments be conservative (70% aggressive).
Top Five Takeaways
Here are some of the best gems from Alfonso and Tonya about general financial health and planning.
Learn the rules, then play the game – Alfonso
Plan for you. Know your resources and stay resourceful – Alfonso
Be comfortable being uncomfortable. Grow and learn as much as you can – Tonya
Consider what you’re willing to sacrifice in your budget – Tonya
Your life insurance amount should cover your life expenses – Alfonso
Bonus: Utilize the free resources at your local library (shoutout SFPL!)
Unfiltered, in their own words
Authentic Craft (AC) co-founders Austin Drake and Hezekiah Burton said this about the event series:
“Unfiltered is a dynamic gathering space where people of color and allies connect, learn, and amplify their voices. More than just a networking event, it is a movement to foster community, share knowledge, and cultivate opportunities for growth.”
Launched in February, Unfiltered happens on 4th Thursdays each month, usually in Oakland or San Francisco. Follow AC’s Instagram to learn about the next one and all their upcoming events.
