Ray'Chel Wilson is an educator turned entrepreneur who was recently recognized as the 2024 U.S. Small Business Administration Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the state of Oklahoma. As a Teach for America alumna, the challenges faced by Ray'Chel's scholars inspired her to become a Certified Financial Education Instructor and author the "Black Wealth Freedom" series. Having sold nearly 2000 copies of the series in 7 different countries, she now serves as CEO of the upcoming "ForOurLastNames" app - removing the barrier of financial trauma from wealth building. As a Duke Master’s level student, Ray'Chel researches the value of stewardship and its impacts on personal finance & economic engagement. Ray’Chel’s multi-industry background positions her to share her keynote “The Pace of Productivity” and financial wellness workshops for corporate and nonprofit audiences. Ray’Chel is passionate about providing marginalized communities with financial knowledge, empowerment, and resilience. Why? To build generational wealth, for our last names.

Sign up for the ForOurLastNames waitlist at www.ForOurLastNames.io! Launching September 2024.

Access the internationally selling Black Wealth freedom 3-part workbook series at www.RTBInvestments.org.

Want Ray’Chel to speak to your team on personal finance, entrepreneurial thinking, or change management? Email admin@raychelwilson.com.

Takeaways

• Financial literacy is important because it helps individuals understand their relationship with money and the rules of that relationship.
• Investing is a critical component of building wealth because it allows money to grow at a faster rate than saving alone.
• Diversification is key in investing to mitigate risk and maximize returns.
• Overcoming the fear of market fluctuations requires developing a healthy mindset and healing from financial trauma.
• Financial trauma can impact our relationship with money and our ability to make sound financial decisions. Developing a healthy mindset around money is crucial for financial freedom.
• Integrating financial literacy into the classroom can be done by incorporating career discussions and comparing salaries and cost of living in different cities.
• Starting a business as an educator can be done gradually, using your job as your first investor.
• Prototyping and testing your business ideas with a target market can lead to a successful launch.
• The Four Our Last Names app offers money mindset meditations and connects users with trustworthy financial professionals.
• Financial liberation should be prioritized over personal financial freedom, and investing in communities is essential for collective liberation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Excitement for the Guest

02:00 Ray'Chel Wilson's Journey from Educator to Entrepreneur

02:58 Becoming a Teacher and the Importance of Relationships

05:17 Ray'Chel's Personal Finance Journey and Student Impact

08:27 The Importance of Financial Literacy and Personal Finance

09:54 Why Financial Literacy is Crucial in Today's World

13:01 Investing as a Pillar of Building Wealth

15:27 The Importance of Financial Planning and Sharing Wealth Journey

19:11 Investing for Everyone and Mistakes to Avoid

20:25 Why Investing is Critical for Building Wealth

23:12 Overcoming the Fear of Market Fluctuations

25:00 Healing from Financial Trauma for a Healthy Relationship with Money

26:54 Developing a Healthy Mindset for Financial Freedom

29:10 Transitioning from Educator to Entrepreneur

33:32 Integrating Financial Literacy into the Classroom

38:47 The Journey of Creating the Four Our Last Names App

48:27 Financial Liberation and Investing in Communities

Dr. Kendrah Underwood is a Global Education Consultant and the founder of Level Up Education Consultancy. Her education philosophy is grounded in the 6 E's—Equity and Excellence in Education for Every Child, Every Chance, Every Day. Her inspiration to start her own education business stemmed from a deep passion for equity in education and a desire to make a broader impact beyond the walls of a single institution. Throughout her career in education leadership, she consistently encountered systemic challenges—gaps in resources, disparities in student outcomes, and the need for more effective teacher support. These experiences fueled her determination to create solutions that could address these issues on a larger scale. Dr. Underwood has a certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Business School and an Executive Leadership certificate from Cornell University. She holds a BA in Sociology and Anthropology with a minor in Africana Studies from Agnes Scott College, two MBAs, and an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and Development from Grand Canyon University. Her dissertation, titled "A Descriptive Phenomenological Reflective Study of Black Women who are First-Generation Doctorates," explored the theme of belongingness.

Dr. Underwood boasts a distinguished track record of achieving impressive student outcomes. Her extensive experience spans teaching and administrative roles across elementary, middle, and high schools in diverse settings, including inner-city, urban, and suburban neighborhoods. Her portfolio includes supervising, coaching, and training principals, as well as managing all facets of school-related operations in elementary, K-8, middle, high, virtual, and early college school environments. She has worked in schools across inner-city, urban, suburban, and rural communities, including both traditional public and charter schools. Dr. Underwood’s guiding principle is straightforward: “I prioritize what’s best for kids, not what’s easiest for adults.

She has served in traditional public, private, and charter schools in cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Tampa, St. Louis, and Houston. Dr. Underwood also taught college-level courses for four years and has held roles such as principal, assistant principal, grade team leader, content leader, and new teacher mentor. As a 12th-grade advisor, she guided all 23 of her advisees to college acceptance, with two achieving valedictorian and salutatorian honors.

In addition to her educational leadership, Dr. Underwood initiated "Bridging the Divide," a community outreach program in partnership with the Chicago Police Department, and created several viral videos showcasing her passion for learning and engagement. Dr. Underwood defines success as the positive impact one can make on others’ lives and believes that one’s story is not a fortress but a source of fuel.

Eric works with schools worldwide, helping educators meet and exceed their potential to improve learner outcomes. He is the founder and CEO of Aspire Change EDU, a collaborative consultancy designed to provide personalized support to all educational systems. Before this, he was a teacher and the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership, his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement. His work focuses on innovative and practical ways educators can transform teaching, learning, and leadership. Through his work with thousands of schools, Eric has emerged as an innovative leader, best-selling author, and sought-after speaker. His main focus is using research, evidence-based practices, and artificial intelligence (AI) to empower learners and educators. Learn more about his work at Ericsheninger.com.

Order books HERE.

Nicki Slaugh is a transformative leader in education, celebrated for her visionary impact. As a secondary principal, she has redefined school culture by prioritizing personalized learning tailored to each student's needs. Her leadership has led to a proactive strategic use of technology to maximize individual potential. Nicki's innovative strategies include implementing proficiency scales, developing rubrics, engaging students and creating flexible, self-paced learning pathways that empower both educators and students. Her advocacy for student autonomy and learner agency has earned widespread recognition.With a career spanning over two decades, Nicki initially served as a classroom teacher, educating students from kindergarten through third grade. She later transitioned to roles as an instructional technology and curriculum coach, working with grades K-9 before assuming her current role as a secondary principal. Nicki remains driven by her deep-seated dedication to creating a lifelong love of learning among her students and staff.

While you're getting your copy of Personalize, check out my book, The Edupreneur: Your Blueprint To Jumpstart And Scale Your Education Business.

The book goes beyond the conventional business literature, providing a comprehensive roadmap from the initial idea to the successful launch and expansion of an education business.