FinCon Connection 2014 by Philip Taylor

FINCONNECTION

WHAT’S INSIDE 4 HOW YOU CAN WRITE GREAT CONTENT AND NEVER RUN OUT OF IDEAS

20 THREE ESSENTIAL WRITING TIPS FROM AN ENGLISH TEACHER'S DAUGHTER

6 BACK TO BASICS: YOUR WRITING IS A MEANS TO SOMEONE’S END

22 HOW YOU CAN SURVIVE GOOGLE PANDA

8 FOUR RESOURCES FOR BETTER BLOGGING

24 HOW A MASTERMIND GROUP SAVED MY BLOG

10 HOW TO HOST A LIFE-CHANGING NETWORKING LUNCH ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET

26 GENERAL CONFERENCE INFO

12 LET'S COLLABORATE: AN OPEN LETTER FROM A FINANCIAL ADVISOR

34 SESSION DETAILS

14 WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BECOME A FACT CHECKER

28 SCHEDULE

46 SPEAKER BIOS 56 MAPS 58 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

16 HOW TO BLOG LIKE A JOURNALIST 18 HOW TO FIND A NICHE AND MAKE IT RICH

Publisher – Philip Taylor Editor – Jessica Bufkin FinCon Connection is the official magazine of FinCon. www.finconnection.com PT Money Conferences LLC 8992 Preston Road, Suite 110-214 Frisco, TX 75034

Contributing Writers - Victoria Araj, Tom Drake, John Egan, Jackie Lam, Jenna Lee, Ryan Michler, Mr. 1500, Jamie Netzer, Julie Rains, Joshua Sheats, Rebecca Stapler Magazine Artwork – Libby Gifford (libbygifford@gmail.com) Articles in the FinCon Connection magazine are the opinions of the

individual authors and may not be the opinion of the magazine or its owners. Interested in advertising? Email sponsor@finconexpo.com for pricing. Copyright 2014 PT Money Conferences LLC and individual authors.

HOW YOU CAN WRITE GREAT CONTENT AND NEVER RUN OUT OF IDEAS BY MR. 1500

When I first told my wife about the

idea for the 1500 Days blog, she thought that I was off my rocker. Her first response was, “You’ll quickly run out of things to write about.” After blogging for 18 months, I have the opposite problem. I have over 100 posts in some form of draft waiting to be published. Writer’s block is something that I never suffer from. Here are my best tips for writing good and creative content: Carry a notebook or install a note-taking app on your phone. I don’t even want to think about all of the ideas that I’ve lost because I didn’t write them down. Every time something pops into your head, no matter how minuscule you think the idea may be, write it down! Go for a long walk in the woods. I don’t know what it is about walking, but it’s an elixir for the brain. The ideas flow like a raging river in the

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spring after a big rain. I’ve come up with 10 ideas for posts in just one hike. Better yet, walk with your significant other and bounce ideas off of each other. Let it simmer. Have you ever written a post that just didn’t seem up to par? Me too. Don’t delete it. Instead, revisit it every once in a while. One day, the idea that puts the icing on the post-cake will come to you. Read like mad. Warren Buffett’s investing partner, Charlie Munger once said, “In my whole life, I have known no wise people who didn’t read all the time - none, zero.” Reading will make you a better person as it certainly has for Mr. Munger (richer, too, in his case), but it will also provide you with lots and lots of ideas. Go to your library. Read newspapers. Read magazines. Read books. Just read. The camera is your best friend. Someone once said that a picture is worth a 1000 words. It turns out that 1000 words is a pretty good length for a post. Always have a camera with you. This is easy in the age of the smart phone, so you have no excuses. Also, your own photo is much more interesting than a stock photo. Go with the flow. Sometimes, I can sit down and write for hours. I’ve been known to crank out 5 posts in one key-banging session.

Other times, my brain just isn’t in the right place. Be in tune with your mind and your moods to maximize creativity and productivity. Close your mouth and open your ears. There is inspiration all around you. Some of my best posts have come from a random conversation with a neighbor. Others have come from a chance observation while pushing through the daily grind. Pay attention always. Be you. The best writing advice I ever received was this: Write for yourself. It’s true; find your voice and stick to it. When I find myself straying from my voice, my creativity and the quality of my writing takes a nosedive straight into the turf. It’s because I’m trying too hard to be someone else. This doesn’t work. Just be you and the rest will take care of itself.

CARL, MR. 1500 writes about personal finance and his early retirement dreams over at 1500Days. com. When not in front of the computer, he can be found enjoying family life in the mountains in the beautiful state of Colorado. September 2014

BACK TO BASICS: YOUR WRITING IS A MEANS TO SOMEONE’S END BY VICTORIA ARAJ

As a financial writer, author, blogger or expert, you need to know your audience so you can deliver content that’s relevant to them, when and where they need it. Creating content in hopes it will resonate with someone, somewhere, is futile. It’s time to go back to basics. WHO’S YOUR AUDIENCE? Financial advice is not one-size-fitsall, yet we often find articles that lean heavily toward both extremes of the financial knowledge spectrum. To avoid this, create personas for your writing. Before you write, have someone in mind. Make up a name. What is that person like, where do they work and live, what do they do for fun? How can you make your content strike a chord with that persona? 6 I FinCon Connection

WHERE WILL THEY FIND THIS INFORMATION, AND WHEN?

Is that retirement story you’re working on aimed at a 27-yearold who just hasn’t made the time to set up a 401(k)? Or is it for a 40-something single parent who is balancing work, a home budget and kids’ activities? Their financial goals will vary as well as the degree of knowledge they may possess to make decisions that meet those goals. You have the ability to tailor the delivery of information to make the reader feel like it was custommade. WHAT’S THE PURPOSE OF YOUR STORY? WHY WOULD PEOPLE READ IT? In a reigns micro on to

someone’s time. How will you stand out from the crowd? Are you writing to satisfy an information gap or provide a new angle on an old topic? Break down the complex. Interpret regulations. Identify trends that affect that brown leather wallet. You can be the liaison between a world of confusing finance terminology and the people who just want to know, “What does it mean for me?”

world where immediacy and messages come in packages, the pressure is create content that’s worth

Whether you have your own site or you’re a freelance writer, identify traffic patterns. Are people finding your articles on social media? Are they posted to the right platforms to get the most engagement? Is the site something visitors read with a cup of coffee in the morning or when they’re lying in bed at night, catching up on their tablet? Contact data experts, run reports and learn how to make sense of them. When you dig deep to find patterns or nuances in the consumption of your work, you increase the likelihood for comments, shares and meaningful discussion. HOW WILL THEY ACT ON THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE? Since your focus is the financial industry, you likely have access to tools, analysis and modeling that can supplement your guidance. Give examples. Provide takeaways.

Include easy-to-understand graphs or charts. Make a bulleted list of what they should do next. When you make it easy for readers to see the value you offer, you can increase readership, build a following and earn credibility. Going back to basics can help you avoid broad-brushing the financial knowledge spectrum. When you view your writing as the means to a reader’s end, you help that person make informed decisions that lead to better financial health.

VICTORIA ARAJ leads the Quicken Loans Zing Blog and has held roles in mortgage banking, public relations and more in her nine years with the company. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in political science from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Michigan. She can be reached at (313) 373-3032 or VictoriaAraj@QuickenLoans.com. Visit QuickenLoans.com/Blog for more information.

September 2014

4 FREE RESOURCES FOR BETTER BLOGGING BY JULIE RAINS

Blogging as a business takes money. But after you’ve paid for domain registration and site hosting, you can get much of what you need to succeed for free. Tap these resources to control your costs on your path to profitability. 1. FREE PLUG-INS You’ve likely heard, “There’s an app for that,” referencing various solutions to a myriad of problems. Almost as often, there is a free plug-in to automate a task for greater efficiency. For example, you can find apps to facilitate social media sharing of your articles, create forms to gather information, and automatically recommend related posts to your readers. Some apps are better than others in terms of integrating with your blog or website and consistently delivering the results you expect. But if you are just getting started and need some free help, search for free plug-ins on a topic of your choice and you are likely to find what you need. 2. FREE PHOTOS Photographs that accompany a blog post are great for piquing interest among your readers, setting a mood, and depicting a concept succinctly. Fortunately, you can find free images in many places, starting with photos you’ve taken that now reside on your iPhone or Android device. To snag free photos elsewhere, check out flickr.com, gratisography.com, pixabay.com, morguefile.com, and related sites.

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Review licensing requirements before you post photos on your blog. First, make sure the creator/owner of the image allows commercial use without financial compensation; second, provide attribution as stipulated; finally, follow any other rules mentioned in the terms of service or agreement. Note that you are generally free to use your own photos, unless you have taken snapshots of copyrighted material (like corporate logos or a movie poster). 3. FREE EXPERT ADVICE Participating in private online forums is a great ways to get expert advice for free.

reinvested dividends are subject to income tax or pinpoint eligibility guidelines associated with funding a Roth IRA. Other sites that are helpful in doing research include sec.gov and investor. gov (investing); consumer.ftc.gov (personal finance); and direct.ed.gov (student loans). I also like nolo.com for clarification on legal issues. You don’t have to hire outside expertise to get programming code or uncover facts about a specific scenario. Use free resources available at your fingertips.

As a member of the closed FinCon attendee Facebook group, for example, you can easily lurk and soak up useful information. In addition, you can ask questions and receive welldeveloped insights based on personal experiences from a variety of sources. Topics may include editorial calendar development, changes in Google algorithms, and technical troubleshooting. Participants often discuss pros and cons of specific vendors, tools, and work methods, helping you make an informed decision and often saving you money and headaches as a result. 4. FREE RESEARCH The best places to research complex topics are primary sources of information, kept up to date with the latest regulatory changes.

JULIE RAINS is a freelance writer/blogger. She writes about personal finance, fitness, and transformation at Working To Live Differently (www.WorkingToLive.com). Julie is also a senior writer for Wise Bread and a coauthor of 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget.

Whenever I write about taxes, for example, I like to uncover and confirm facts at IRS.gov. I can learn whether September 2014

HOW TO HOST A LIFE-CHANGING NETWORKING LUNCH ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET BY JACKIE LAM

You know that person who is kicking butt at what they do and you hold nothing but high regard for them? Someone who you would love to spend some time picking their brain, learning about their keys to success or tips on how to improve your professional game? Maybe it’s the top-notch blogger whose reach you’ve been trying to emulate for years, or a well-known financial consultant you would love to play a round of 20 Questions with. So how do you have the guts to ask that CEO or small business owner out for a coffee and how to get the most from that time spent together? Well, you don’t have to shell out a million claims to spend an hour with Warren Buffet. Here are a couple of tips on how to organize and host your own networking lunch: BE SPECIFIC IN YOUR REQUEST. When reaching out to that person, be specific as possible as to what you want to learn or gain from your time together. So instead of saying, “I think you’re really cool and want to feel your elbows brushing up against mine,” say, “I really am curious as to how you managed to grow your social media following so quickly in six months.” That not only gives focus to what you want, but also gives the person an idea of what to talk about. KEEP THE GROUP SMALL. In order for everyone to get a chance to ask questions and to

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keep the setting casual, keep the group to around 4–6 people, even a little smaller if you like. LOCATION IS IMPORTANT. Where you decide to meet is important, not only in terms of convenience, but also ambiance. Happy hour at an upscale place might be cool, but just make the noise levels aren’t high.

up with them at a future event. *If you live far away from a person, consider doing a Google Hangout or Skype session.

PREPARE. Treat it like you’re the moderator of an exclusive film screening, because you kind of are. Do your research on the person, background, and achievements. Ask participants beforehand what they want to learn and incorporate that into the “schedule.” Create a loose list of points to cover and questions to ask. But by all means have a little bit of leeway in case the conversation takes an interesting turn. ASK FOR A DONATION FROM EACH OF THE PARTICIPANTS. To cover your guest’s food and drink bill, ask that each person donate a small amount of money, perhaps $5-10 beforehand. That way people who agreed to partake have some accountability. Plus you won’t be footing the bill. Frugality points scored.*

JACKIE LAM runs Cheapsters.org, a site geared toward assisting freelancers, artists, and the self-employed thrive on a shoestring budget. Besides blogging she enjoys writing fiction, laboring over semicolons, and digging through bargain bins.

KEEP IN TOUCH. Extend the connection to after the lunch. Shoot the featured guest a thankyou email and see if they might be open to you staying in contact with them. Maybe you can meet September 2014

LET’S COLLABORATE: AN OPEN LETTER FROM A FINANCIAL ADVISOR BY JOSHUA J. SHEATS We need less acrimony and more collaboration between financial bloggers and financial advisors. We both have the same goal: helping people win with money. Our cause is not to destroy each other, but to destroy financial ignorance. We all want to promote financial literacy. Tens of millions of people are desperate for our help! I’ve been on both sides and I promise this is true. We really do share the same goal. Most advisors care deeply about their clients’ welfare. There are bad apples, yes. But they’re in the minority. First, I was a committed personal finance junkie, educated with books and blogs. I helped my friends to cancel their whole life and buy term, to invest in index funds, to get out of debt, and to budget. Then, I went over to the other side and became a financial advisor. As a financial advisor, I worked with families, face-to-face, around the kitchen table. I listened. Clients talked and dreamed. We even cried together a few times. I had to learn new ideas because clients needed answers beyond what I had learned only from the personal finance material. I kept studying. And I learned that there was a whole world of finance beyond what I had ever known. I 12 I FinCon Connection

wanted to share it with the bloggers who had been so helpful to me. But, I couldn’t talk to the world. Remember, people with “Financial Advisor” on their business card have a very difficult time speaking in public because of the industry rules. It was really frustrating. So, I left that world and came back to this world, the world of financial media. And now, I’ve been on both sides. I have a dream. I have a dream that someday a financial blogger will recommend his personal financial advisor to his readers. (We all need a personal financial advisor.) And someday a financial advisor will forward his favorite PF blogger’s latest articles to all his clients without fearing that they read the rest of the site. My dream is that we can work together. We need each other. We need the media to expose advisors who do not live up to their fiduciary duty, to expose fraud and misconduct. We need to educate the public how to analyze financial products and plans properly. And, we need advisors— knowledgeable, capable, caring, competent, trustworthy advisors. Advisors who carry out their fiduciary duty to care for their clients’ financial future. We work well together because an educated, financially literate customer

is an advisor’s best client. We have our work cut out for us. But, if we work together, we can arm people with the critical knowledge and understanding that they need to choose what is best for them in their own unique circumstances. Let’s rise above the acrimony and vitriol and pursue our common goal together. #FinCon14 is a great place to begin. Together, we can raise the financial literacy of our country and ensure the financial success of our fellow men. We’re a perfect fit for each other.

JOSHUA J. SHEATS, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CASL®, CAP®, RHU®, REBC® is a finance junkie, a former financial advisor, and now host of the Radical Personal Finance Podcast, a daily, in-depth discussion of what actually works in financial planning. September 2014

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BECOME A FACT CHECKER BY JOHN EGAN On social media, so many things whiz across your computer screen or tablet screen or smartphone screen every day. You’ve always got to question what you’re reading. Why? You can’t assume it’s correct just because it pops up on Facebook or Twitter or whatever social media network you’re monitoring. You’ve got to consider the source of the information when figuring out whether it’s real, phony or somewhere in between. That’s especially critical if you’re wanting to link to this information from your blog. Recently, an interesting story surfaced on my Facebook news feed: A CNBC panelist had inadvertently outed Apple CEO Tim Cook as a gay man. While it’s widely speculated that Cook is gay, he never has confirmed or denied it. The story came from Mediate.com, a reputable website covering the media industry. How did I know this story was true? For one, I trust Mediate as a credible, 14 I FinCon Connection

reliable source of news and other information. For another, I did a Google search and found many other stories reporting the same news. Why did I do a Google search? Because even trusted media outlets get things wrong. I figure that when many media outlets are reporting the same information, it’s true on its face, although some of the finer details may be incorrect. As a blogger, it’s your duty to serve your readers well by double-checking what you find on the Internet — and by not passing along bad information. More and more, we are depending on social media networks as significant sources of information. According to the Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project, half of Facebook and Twitter users get news from those sites. Even more people, 62 percent of Reddit users, get news from that site. Furthermore, many people say they trust that information. For instance, in a survey realeased in 2013 by George Washington University and research company ORI, nearly two-thirds of the people questioned said information about political candidates and issues on social media was the same as or better than that from traditional media. Certainly, social media can be a reliable source for credible information. But just as easily, it can be an unreliable source of downright questionable information. Case in point: In early June, “rest in peace” messages made the social media rounds concerning the death

of former “Golden Girls” star Rue McClanahan. In reality, McClanahan died four years ago, in June 2010. How did this happen? A tweet observing the fourth anniversary of McClanahan’s death got twisted into tweet after tweet reporting that she had just died, according to the Washington Post. The lesson here is this: Reader (and blogger) beware. Readers should not only know where information on social media is originating from, but also should verify the veracity of that information. In the social media era, we all must become fact-checkers.

JOHN EGAN is editor in chief at Austin, Texasbased SpareFoot, which helps people find and book self-storage units. His previous work experience includes stints as editor and managing editor of the Austin Business Journal, and as editor in chief at Bankrate Insurance. John blogs for The Huffington Post, PR Daily, Ragan.com and Muck Rack Daily. John earned a bachelor’s degree from the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas.

HOW TO BLOG LIKE A JOURNALIST BY JAIME NETZER

Earlier this year, I made the sizeable leap from full-time freelance journalist to full-time content editor at a tech startup based in Austin, Texas. As a journalist, I’ve written magazine and web features on everything from Hugh Hefner’s philanthropic endeavors to the plight of bison. Now, I write mostly on one topic, for one publication— our company’s blog. The tenets of good writing are basically universal, of course, but I wondered how I would adapt to the change in form. My supervisors see my journalism background as a plus, because they want our blog to become a resource for consumers, a place they can trust, even a news source. And I found it helpful to leap into blogging armed with some news-like habits. With that in mind, here are three ways to blog like a journalist: USE SOURCES WHENEVER POSSIBLE In journalism school, my professors told us to use at least one source per 100 words. This won’t always apply, but outside sources can expand your thinking on a topic, add credibility to your piece, and flush out details you might be lacking. Call up an expert and get their opinion, even if you don’t intend on incorporating it into the final piece. You’ll feel like more of an authority, and that will come through in the writing.

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FEELING STUCK ON A TOPIC? ANSWER THE 5 WS (AND THE H) If you want to write about something but aren’t sure where to start, I find that jotting down answers to the 5 Ws—who, what, where, when, and why (plus how!) on a given topic works every time. How will this topic affect your readers’ daily lives? Why do your readers misunderstand the topic you’re trying to clarify? Answering the 5 Ws can kick-start an angle for the story, allowing you to find a way in, and it can help you understand the natural questions your readers might want answered in the piece. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DOSE OF SKEPTICISM I also worked as a professional fact-checker, so this one is close to my heart. Internet publishing moves fast, and most folks can’t afford to have someone on staff for proofreading, let alone factchecking. So even if I’m pulling from what I know is a reputable source, I tend to check and then double-check the facts I supply by corroborating them against a few other sources. I feel better about the information I’m passing along to my readers—and I sleep better, too. AND ONE KEY THING I LEFT BEHIND: As a journalist, I was taught to leave my personal biases behind as much as possible in my writing. But as a blogger, I had to remind myself that I should be

biased. Because, of course, readers expect you to be. They’re coming to you precisely because they value your opinion. It’s possible to cultivate an editorial voice that is both professional and fully alive. That’s the challenge of blogging— and the fun part, too.

JAIME NETZER is content editor at The Zebra, a licensed digital auto insurance agency boasting the most comprehensive real-time car insurance comparison platform in the country. A Kansas native, Jaime studied journalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas and has been published in SELF magazine, Variety, USA Today magazines, and Popular Mechanics, among others.

September 2014

HOW TO FIND A NICHE AND MAKE IT RICH BY RYAN MICHLER

I had no idea where to start when I finally committed to blogging and podcasting after years of sitting on the sideline. I knew I was ready but had so many questions. Where do I start? How do I monetize? What do I write about?

on the New & Noteworthy section of iTunes for 8 consecutive weeks (second to only Tim Ferris), I have over 700 email subscribers, and I can directly attribute $18,000 of revenue to my company since beginning.

With so many options to consider, I reached out to two bloggers that I had been following closely, Jeff Rose of Good Financial Cents and Austin Netzley of YoPro Wealth. In addition to the valuable feedback I received, I walked away with a clear understanding that finding a niche and serving that niche extremely well was the best option for me.

At Wealth Anatomy, I teach doctors how to navigate their personal finances. I don’t write for Baby Boomers, I don’t write for Gen X or Millennials, and I certainly don’t write for anyone with a pulse. I write for doctors—that’s all! Here are three activities that have worked for me:

Fast forward 9 weeks later (not a long time, I know), my podcast was

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IDENTIFY A NICHE The first step was to identify a niche that I could serve extremely well and one I would actually enjoy working

with. Ask yourself who you already serve? Who do you already know? What hobbies do you have? You’ll find that you already have a niche within your contacts. You just need to conscientiously identify them. SURVEY YOUR NICHE How could I expect to serve doctors without identifying their financial frustrations and concerns? I used SurveyMonkey to survey the doctors that I already knew. I walked away with a vivid image of their goals, hopes, and desires. And I knew, based on their answers, that I had the information available to address their challenges. Before jumping into a niche, ask yourself if you have the means, ability, and desire to address the topics you’ll learn about from your survey. REACH OUT TO OTHER BLOGGERS / PODCASTERS Next on my list was to identify other professionals that were already serving my niche. I initially reached out to other financial bloggers but quickly turned my attention to those that serve doctors in a different capacity than I was looking to provide. One resource, Ryan Gray with Medical School Headquarters, helps pre-med students get into medical school.

you in building an audience. How do I have the audacity to name this article Find a Niche, Make it Rich after such a short amount of time? I am confident in the amount of success that I’ve had and the exponential growth that I’ve seen. This is only the beginning. And, the only regret I’ll have is that I should have started sooner.

RYAN MICHLER founded Wealth Anatomy with the goal of giving healthcare professionals access to the very best financial information available. You can find him blogging and podcasting at www.wealthanatomy.com where he shares ideas and insights into the unique financial planning challenges that doctors face.

Get creative. The internet and social media sites have unlocked access to people who will collaborate with September 2014

3 ESSENTIAL WRITING TIPS FROM AN ENGLISH TEACHER’S DAUGHTER BY JENNA LEE

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When I was younger, my mom would employ a particularly cruel and unusual form of punishment for those times when spankings and groundings wouldn’t suffice— she’d make me write essays. Knowing that she was a stickler for grammar, I’d stress out and vow never to misbehave again.

(potentially) boring financial topic you’re writing about. That’s fine and completely understandable! Just make sure every thought supports your main point and has a purpose. Fluff belongs in pillows and stuffed animals…not writing.

Then I had her as my English teacher for two years in high school. Essays were no longer a form of punishment… but they were just as scary. You see, my mom was the hardest English teacher in the history of the school. She’d find every misplaced comma and would give you enough feedback to rival the length of your original essay.

One of my mom’s biggest pet peeves was when students would use big words that they found in a thesaurus just to make their writing sound more impressive. She much preferred writing that was simple and easy to read.

CLARITY > BIG WORDS.

But I wouldn’t give up the lessons I learned from her for the world. I learned more from her than any other English teacher I’ve ever had, and attribute all of my writing successes to her. And now that I’ve survived her writing bootcamp, I’m here to give you a quick crash course on some of her best tips:

As financial writers, we have the tough job of explaining (often) difficult-to-understand topics to our readership. Don’t make your writing more complicated than it needs to be. In the end, it’s more important for your readers to come away educated than for them to leave impressed by your vocabulary. Remember: if it feels awkward to write, it may be uncomfortable to read.

GET TO THE POINT.

PRACTICE HELPS.

My mom’s favorite acronym was “WYP”— “What’s your point?” Never impressed by fluffy language, she always encouraged us to continually remove words and sentences that weren’t needed.

You’ll notice I didn’t say that practice makes perfect. No, much like getting a 100% was unheard of in my mom’s class, you’ll probably never write a piece that can’t be improved. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try!

Sometimes you’ll need to add a story or anecdote to add pizazz to the

In high school, you typically go

through several drafts before submitting your final masterpiece. While it’s harder now, as you no longer have a teacher grading you, keep self-editing your posts. And don’t stop writing even if you get some negative feedback— writing can be uncomfortable to begin with, but the more you write, the quicker you’ll find your voice and the easier it should get. BOTTOM LINE: In the end, good financial writing comes down to clarity. Flowery Shakespearean language may be good for novels, but when it comes to articles about investing, simplicity is best. Happy writing!

JENNA LEE manages the social media channels and writes for CreditKarma. com, a free credit monitoring website that helps more than 22 million people access their credit scores for free. Say “hi” @leejennaa!

September 2014

HOW YOU CAN SURVIVE GOOGLE PANDA BY TOM DRAKE Even though the Google Panda algorithm was introduced some time ago, it’s still wreaking havoc in the online world. Panda is definitely still in effect, and updates to Panda can change your web sites stats in an instant. As a blogger and a businessperson, it makes sense to do what you can to survive Google Panda. While you don’t want to base your entire business model on getting search traffic, it doesn’t make sense to antagonize Google. Keep your head up, and follow these steps to survive Google Panda: KNOW WHERE YOU STAND The first step is knowing where you stand. A tool like Barracuda’s tool (http://panguintool.barracuda-digital. co.uk/) can help you assess the damage from any of Google’s algorithm updates. This tool will give you an idea of how you have been impacted, and that will let you know what to do next. Another step to take is to do a Google search. In the search field, enter site:yoururl.com. In my case, I enter 22 I FinCon Connection

site:canadianfinanceblog.com. You can see how many pages come up. When you see a significantly higher number of results come up as compared to your post count, there is a good chance you have duplication with category, tag, author, and date archive pages. This can be an indication of what needs to be cleaned up on your site. As soon as you have a clear picture of where you stand, you can begin to make changes to your site and your content. RECOVER FROM PANDA Recovering from Panda is more about quality than anything else. Boost the quality of your site, and you’ll be in better shape overall. Here are some specific actions you can take to recover from Panda… and to survive future Panda updates:

Use Webmaster tools: You can find duplicate title tags and descriptions, missing descriptions, and other errors and then fix them. Also, noindex date, tag, and author pages. Noindexing category pages is still up for debate. Copyscape: Check for duplicate content elsewhere online. Get rid of guest posts that the writer also published elsewhere, and file DMCAs (with Google and with web host) against scrapers. It takes some effort, but with the right approach, and a focus on quality going forward, you can build a good following and survive Google Panda.

Delete or noindex your “thin” content: Google seems to think that the beefier something is, the better it is. Get rid of roundups, carnivals, and short posts without much value. You can keep the dofollow links in roundups and carnivals if you don’t want to delete, but noindex those posts so Google only passes them without saving them to their search results. Beef up your short posts: Another tactic is to beef up your short posts. Chances are in the last couple of years there are things you could add to a 300-word post to make it 600 words. Add useful information to old posts, headings, bullet points, add an image and some cross-linking to other posts that didn’t exist when this post was originally written.

TOM DRAKE is the writer behind Canadian Finance Blog and is active in the FinCon community as a speaker, media partner, karaoke host, and presenter at the Plutus Awards. September 2014

HOW A MASTERMIND GROUP SAVED MY BLOG BY REBECCA STAPLER

A few months ago, I received the welcome news that I was pregnant with my second child. The news was accompanied by the usual symptoms that make it difficult to keep up with a typical day, and something had to give. It was my blog.

towards SEO and dispensing advice to a blog that provides a framework for resolving burning financial questions in a very real context. Analytics tells me that those are the posts that keep my readers coming back.

My blog focuses on living a frugal lifestyle to pay off student loan debt. In addition to debt-payoff and budgetslashing stories, I publish my picks for the best deals at Staples that week. When something in my life had to be sacrificed, I sacrificed the timeconsuming personal finance posts and only wrote about the weekly Staples deals. My readership plummeted.

I knew that joining a Mastermind Group would help keep me accountable in achieving my blogging goals, but I never thought the group would actually save it. I formed a three-person Mastermind in the wake of FinCon13, when I was introduced to the concept. It’s a simple idea: Meet with similarlyminded people to discuss professional goals and achievements, and do it in a professional style. My Mastermind Group consists of two other bloggers whose blogs support their small business of providing professional services. We established a once-a-month meeting schedule and a two-part agenda. First, we each discuss developments in our blogs and businesses and second, we discuss our goals for the next month. Organically, these two segments of our meetings developed 24 I FinCon Connection

into sharing expertise and learning from each other on very relevant issues, as well as receiving encouragement and accountability to keep moving ahead with our blogs and businesses. In the course of our check-in discussion, usually one or both of the people who are listening have a particular expertise or knowledge to add to a business development—whether it’s substantive knowledge about an area the person needs to know more about, referrals to others who can help, or an offer to help the person overcome a particular hurdle. Establishing our goals on a monthly basis helps us break down big picture items, like writing an eBook, into simpler steps. Saying those goals out loud not only keeps us accountable, but also can generate a problem-solving discussion about a particular hurdle the blogger hasn’t yet resolved.

At our next Mastermind meeting, I shared the happy news of my pregnancy with the depressing news about my blogging progress. I suggested that focusing on the weekly Staples deals was a stopgap measure during the pregnancy, but my Mastermind had different ideas. They also read my blog, and told me that the posts they loved most were those that didn’t have all the answers. Those posts showed my vulnerability and raised the questions that kept me awake at night. There are also easier posts to publish. I listened to them, and my readership bounced back. My Mastermind group’s encouragement and feedback at a low point in my blogging career saved my blog in more ways than one. By encouraging me to continue, they changed the tone of my blog. Stapler Confessions changed from something that had been geared

Lawyer by day and couponer by night, REBECCA blogs about her journey to pay off over $200,000 in student loans with entrepreneurship and frugality while raising a family. Stop by Stapler Confessions to follow the journey and never pay for printer paper again.

September 2014

#FINCON14 GENERAL INFORMATION

WHERE DO I GO IF I HAVE A QUESTION OR IF I LOSE SOMETHING? There will always be a conference staff member (look for the FinCon staff t-shirts) at the check-in table near the Acadia ballroom. If you need help or lose something, just head to the check-in table and talk to a staff member. You can also Tweet a message to @FinCon. HOW DO I CONNECT TO THE INTERNET? In-room Internet service is included in your room rate with the New Orleans Marriott. See the hotel information booklet or website for details about connecting. There is also free Wi-Fi available throughout the conference meeting area starting on Friday morning. The Wi-Fi network is “FINCON14” and the password is “xyplanning”. HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON? Be sure to add the schedule to your phone by downloading the iPhone or Android app from the store. The live conference schedule can be found at www.fincon14.sched.org. Follow Twitter activity using the hashtag #FinCon14. I’M HUNGRY. WHERE CAN I EAT? The following will be provided: • Thursday – Drinks and appetizers at the Welcome Reception • Friday – Continental breakfast, juices, and coffee; Plated lunch; Happy Hour • Saturday – Continental breakfast, juices, and coffee; Boxed lunch; Happy Hour

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The #FinCon14 Lounge with Experian will also have snacks on each afternoon of the conference. The conference hotel has room service, as well as 2 restaurants that both serve American fare: 5 Fifty 5 and 55 Fahrenheit. There is also a Starbucks located in the lobby. In addition to the hotel options, the French Quarter is just outside the hotel doors. There you will find a number of restaurants, cafes, and bars, including Café du Monde where you can drop in for beignets and café au lait 24/7. CAN I TAKE PICTURES AND VIDEO? With the exception of video during the keynotes, yes, take all the video and photos you want. In fact, in the Expo Hall we have a press backdrop for you to use for interviews and photo opportunities. If you are sharing your photos online, please use the hashtag #FinCon14, and feel free to add them to the Flickr group at www.flickr.com/groups/ fincon. Be considerate of “anonymous bloggers” who do not want their picture and names made public online. These bloggers will have a “no photos” sticker on their badge. DO I NEED TO WEAR MY BADGE? Yes! Please wear your badge throughout the conference, even the evening events. Anyone without a badge will not be allowed in the sessions, meals, parties, etc. The badges look pretty cool anyway. You’ll want to wear it. SHOULD I BRING MY LAPTOP? Laptops and tablets are encouraged.

The Expo Hall and breakout rooms will have tables, charging stations, and Wi-Fi that you can use throughout the weekend. WHAT IS FINCON CAMP? FinCon Camp is an exclusive one and a half day event happening prior to the main conference. It begins on Wednesday before #FinCon14. Campers connect in a more intimate setting and learn in a more free-form environment where topics arise on the spot. WHAT IS BLOG MENTORING? Blog Mentoring is a bonus provided to all FinCon Pass holders (except PR/Industry Passes). Blog Mentoring is run by Jana Lynch from www. blogmentoring.com. The free, oneoff mentoring session at FinCon is a chance to work one-on-one with a fellow attendee on a specific topic. Mentees are paired up with Mentors for a one and a half hour session on Saturday afternoon. WHAT IS IGNITE FINCON AND HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE? Ignite FinCon is an engaging social/ speaking event held at FinCon on Thursday night and run by Eric Rosenberg. Find out more at www. ignite.finconexpo.com. WHAT ARE THE PLUTUS AWARDS AND HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE? The Plutus Awards is an independent awards program run by Luke Landes and is designed to celebrate the best in the world of personal finance. Voting takes place before FinCon and winners are announced at a live awards ceremony Saturday night. For more information, go to www.plutusawards.com. September 2014

#FINCON14

SCHEDULE

10:00am #FinCon14 Lounge with Experian Acadia

Carondelet

#FinCon14 Check-In and Badge Pick-Up

6:30pm VIP Mixer

Acadia

12:30pm Pro Pass Check-In and Badge Pick-Up St. Charles Suite

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

8:00am FinCon Camp hosted by Favado Camp Check-In and Badge Pick-Up

1:00pm Conversion Optimization: Making the Most of What You’ve Built (PRO PASS) Lafayette Suite

Making the News: Strategies for Getting the Media’s Attention (PRO

St. Charles Suite

PASS) St. Charles Suite

9:00am Camp - Session 1

2:00pm A Content Distribution Master Class

St. Charles Suite

12:00pm Camp Lunch Riverview

1:00pm Camp - Session 2 St. Charles Suite

7:00pm Camp Dinner

Olde Nola Cookery (205 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70112)

8:30pm Camp Karaoke Party hosted by Favado (ALL WELCOME)

Olde Nola Cookery (205 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70112)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

9:00am Camp - Session 3 St. Charles Suite

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4:30pm Pro Networking

(PRO PASS) Lafayette Suite

Ask Us Anything: How Probloggers Earn Money by Borrowing Tactics from Other Niches (PRO PASS) St. Charles Suite

Riverview

7:30pm Welcome Reception Mardi Gras

9:00pm Ignite FinCon hosted by Generation Mortgage Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant (701 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

7:30am Breakfast hosted by T. Rowe Price Acadia Foyer

#FinCon14 Check-In and Badge Pick-Up Acadia

#FinCon14 Lounge with Experian

3:00pm Future Financial Podcaster Meetup

Acadia

Blogging Is Killing You: When and How to Hire Right, and Get Your Life Back (PRO PASS)

Mardi Gras

(COMMUNITY MEETUP) Marriott Lobby

Lafayette Suite

How to Earn a Six Figure Income as a Spokesperson (PRO PASS)

St. Charles Suite

4:00pm Microbrewery / Cocktail Tour (COMMUNITY EVENT) Acadia

8:30am KEYNOTE: JEFF GOINS Doing the Work of a Dream 9:45am Video Contest Announcement from GOBankingRates.com Mardi Gras

10:00am Freelancer’s Marketplace Studio 9 - Preservation Hall

The Investing/Retirement Blog of Tomorrow — Meet the Best Bloggers in Your Niche! Studio 10 - Preservation Hall

#FinCon14 Lounge with Experian Acadia

10:45am Broken Eggs Film Screening LaGalerie 4

How to Become a Social Media Ninja: Tools for Social Media Management LaGalerie 2

How to Write Posts that Go Viral LaGalerie 3

The Power of Stories (with NerdWallet) - How Storytelling Can Help You Connect with Your Audience, Influence the Culture of Your Community, and Build Your Brand LaGalerie 6

11:45am LUNCH AND KEYNOTE WITH JENNIFER ROBERTS OF CHASE Carondelet

1:30pm How to Build a Thriving Community: Top Bloggers Share Engagement Strategies That Work LaGalerie 3

How We Messed Up Everything and Still Created a Podcast With 20,000 Downloads a Month LaGalerie 6

Writing the Same Old Stuff...Differently LaGalerie 2

Not REALLY Retired: How the Financial Independence Movement Will Change the Way You Think About Work LaGalerie 4

2:30pm KEYNOTE: DR. DANIEL CROSBY The 10 Commandments of Investor Behavior Mardi Gras

September 2014

3:30pm Expo Hall (Happy Hour) Acadia

5:30pm FinCon Local Leaders Meetup

#FINCON14

SCHEDULE

(COMMUNITY EVENT) Acadia

Freelancer Meetup (COMMUNITY EVENT)

Acadia

Board Game Meetup (COMMUNITY

EVENT) Acadia

6:30pm EverBank VIP Event (INVITATION ONLY)

9:00am KEYNOTE: CHRIS DUCKER The Business of You: How to Build a Brand and Become an Influencer, Without Doing All The Work! Mardi Gras

7:00pm Betterment Networking Event

9:45am Book Signing with Chris Ducker

Crescent City Brewhouse

Mardi Gras

8:00pm Witches Brew Ghost Tour (COMMUNITY

10:00am Freelancing and the Gig Economy

EVENT) Louisiana Supreme Court Building (400 Royal St, New Orleans, LA)

LaGalerie 3

20 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

LaGalerie 6

8:00am Breakfast hosted by Scottrade

LaGalerie 4

Acadia Foyer

#FinCon14 Check-In and Badge Pick-Up Acadia

How to Build a Rockstar Brand from Scratch, Stand Out from the Pack and Maximize Your Impact Pinterest Marketing: How to Drive Viral Traffic to Your Blog and Expand Your Reach Why the Mommy Bloggers Are Making More Money Than Your Money Blog LaGalerie 2

#FinCon14 Lounge with Experian

11:00am 7 Rules for Capturing, Cultivating, and Converting Leads from Your Blog

Social Media Manager Meetup

LaGalerie 4

Acadia

(COMMUNITY EVENT) Acadia

Anti-Social: Why Writing for Twitter and Facebook is Limiting Your Content’s Reach LaGalerie 6

September 2014

How To Get Booked To Speak At Events (And Deliver A Killer Talk) LaGalerie 2

Revealed: How To Make Editors Fall In Love (And Stay In Love) With Your Work

#FINCON14

SCHEDULE

LaGalerie 3

11:45am LUNCH AND KEYNOTE WITH ALLY BANK Carondelet

1:30pm Big Blog Breakthrough Workshop with the Mustachians LaGalerie 2

How I Revamped My Email Autoresponder Sequence this Past Year and Doubled My Sales LaGalerie 6

The Digital Nuts & Bolts of Creating a DIY WordPress Course that sells 24/7 LaGalerie 4

Who Else Wants to Grow Their Podcast Audience? LaGalerie 3

2:00pm Help Support Hands On New Orleans with T. Rowe Price SERVICE PROJECT

Studio 9

2:15pm Mentoring Program hosted by Elite Blog Academy

How to Effectively Use Video to SuperCHARGE Your Brand LaGalerie 4

Unleash Your Blogging Superpower to Stand Out and Get Noticed LaGalerie 6

4:30pm KEYNOTE: FARNOOSH TORABI Blogging Your Way to the Bestseller List Mardi Gras

5:15pm Book Signing with Farnoosh Torabi Mardi Gras

5:30pm 5th Annual Plutus Awards Ceremony hosted by USAA Mardi Gras

7:00pm Plutus Awards Happy Hour Bissonet

Carondelet

3:45pm Better Results in Less Time: 5 Surprising Tools for Running Your Blog LaGalerie 2

So You Wrote a Book: Now, What? (Mastermind) LaGalerie 3

September 2014

2:00 PM A CONTENT DISTRIBUTION MASTER CLASS (PRO PASS) • Michael Schreiber • Lafayette • Topic: Promote; Level: Advanced Distributing content is important but how does one do it in a way that makes sense and accomplishes specific goals? In this session we’ll look at: • Developing Content/Reputation/ Best Practices • SEO Implications • Visitors/Traffic • Developing a Funnel

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

1:00 PM CONVERSION OPTIMIZATION: MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT YOU’VE BUILT (PRO PASS) • Jim Wang • Lafayette • Topic: Profit; Level: Advanced Making your high traffic pages convert the way you want, how to get more email subscribers, and more. MAKING THE NEWS: STRATEGIES FOR GETTING THE MEDIA’S ATTENTION (PRO PASS) • Moderator : Josh Elledge • Speakers: Karyn Fleeting, Lauren Greutman, Kim Peterson, AJ Smith • St. Charles Suite • Topic: Promote; Level: Advanced This panel will be geared to give tips and strategies to those wanting to get their brand on television, radio, and in print.

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ASK US ANYTHING: HOW PROBLOGGERS EARN MONEY BY BORROWING TACTICS FROM OTHER NICHES (PRO PASS) • Moderator: Shannyn Allan • Speakers: Toni Anderson, Erin Chase, Andrea Deckard, Mandy Rose • St. Charles • Topic: Profit; Level: Advanced Ask Us Anything: How we make full time income outside of the personal finance niche. How do we deal with random PR emails? How are each of us making full time income? What mistakes do we see bloggers making? What’s the best way to build a blog into a full time business? How do we balance content and monetization? Where do we see the blogosphere going? The chance to ask questions and get a bit of mentorship is one of the best parts about conferences! 3:00 PM BLOGGING IS KILLING YOU: WHEN AND HOW TO HIRE RIGHT, AND GET YOUR LIFE BACK (PRO PASS) • Jesse Mecham • Lafayette • Topic: Profit; Level: Advanced

If you want to build something bigger than yourself, you need to find the right people to join your cause. In this course we’ll discuss how not to lose your culture (yes, as the sole writer for your blog, you have a culture). We’ll also nail down the fine points of timing your first (and next, and next) hire. Finally, we’ll discuss some proven methods for hiring that perfect fit. HOW TO EARN A SIX FIGURE INCOME AS A SPOKESPERSON (PRO PASS) • Ellie Kay • St. Charles Suite • Topic: Promote; Level: Advanced If you’re an accomplished expert in your field, have media experience, and a desire to take your brand to the next level, you may be able to earn a strong income as a spokeswoman. Author, speaker and expert spokesperson, Ellie Kay will share how she has used her brands, “America’s Family Financial Expert ®” and “America’s Military Family Expert (™)” to become the “first call” for local and national media. She has been hired to be a spokeswoman for over 50 Fortune 500 companies and products, earning her a six-figure income for ten consecutive years.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

10:45 AM BROKEN EGG FILM SCREENING • Sylvia Flores, Andrew Meadows, Chad Parks • LaGalerie 4 • Topic: Create; Level: Beginner The Broken Eggs filmmakers will be at #FinCon14 and will present a special screening of portions of their documentary film. Here’s more about the film… “What was once a life ending in happily ever after is now a life ending in working

ever after. If retirement feels more like a fairy tale, it is in the feature-length documentary Broken Eggs. The film, Broken Eggs, takes a rare look at one of the gravest social issues facing an aging America – the grim irony that even as we live longer, a growing number of Americans are falling short of a secure and comfortable retirement. And the prognosis is even worse for future generations.” Executive Producer Chad Parks, a retirement guru and serial entrepreneur, and Producer Sylvia Flores spearheaded the project with a road trip across America to hear from everyday Americans. They will be onsite, along with Producer Andrew Meadows, to show portions of the film and moderate a discussion around this important topic. HOW TO BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA NINJA: TOOLS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT • Kelly Whalen • LaGalerie • Topic: Promote; Level: Intermediate You use twitter, you know your way around Facebook, and you might even have a thing for Google+. But you need the tools to manage them all without pulling out your hair. We’ll talk tools, which ones you need and which to avoid to help you become a social media ninja. HOW TO WRITE POSTS THAT GO VIRAL • Moderator: Emma Johnson • Speakers: Paula Pant, Jennifer Barrett, Cameron Huddleston, Morgan Quinn • La Galerie 3 • Topic: Create; Level: Intermediate It’s not enough to create great content. Bloggers must position their great information and headlines in a way that grabs the reader’s attention, demands clicks and makes social sharing irresistible. This panel gives specific tools you can use September 2014

to make content leap out from the screen, drive readers to your site build community, followers and customers.

SPONSORS

THE DIGITAL NUTS & BOLTS OF CREATING A DIY WORDPRESS COURSE THAT SELLS 24/7 • Joseph Michael • LaGalerie 4 • Topic: Profit; Level: Intermediate A complete roadmap for DIYers looking to take their knowledge and package it into a high quality Wordpress course that sells while you sleep. A behind the scenes look at all the ingredients that go into a successful & effective online course. Topics covered include plugins, design, layout, payment processors, content creation workflow, & more. By the end of this session you will have an exact recipe for creating a beautiful high converting WordPress course. WHO ELSE WANTS TO GROW THEIR PODCAST AUDIENCE? • Moderator: Jared Easley • Speakers: Rob Berger, James Kinson, Vernon Ross • LaGalerie 3 • Topic: Create; Level: Beginner This session will provide 3 proven strategies that will increase engagement, build rapport with listeners & create a positive buzz about your podcast. 3:45 PM BETTER RESULTS IN LESS TIME: 5 SURPRISING TOOLS FOR RUNNING YOUR BLOG • Tom Drake • LaGalerie 2 • Topic: Promote; Level: Intermediate Anyone that’s been blogging for awhile knows that there is a lot to do beyond just writing and hitting publish. Whether it’s making your site search engine friendly, deciding what to write about, or promoting your posts on social media, it all takes time. We’ll discuss software and plug-ins that allow you to save time and consistently make the most of every article

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you write. These tools have been my secret to running over a dozen blogs and I’ll tell you exactly what they are so they’ll help you with yours. HOW TO EFFECTIVELY USE VIDEO TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR BRAND • LaTisha Styles • LaGalerie 4 • Topic: Create; Level: Beginner Today’s casual browser may spend a few minutes reading your website before they bounce. However, YouTube reaches more US adults ages 18-34 than any cable network and they stay on the site an average of 15 minutes. Your audience is on YouTube. Creating and publishing engaging personal video blogs, tutorials or content rich videos can really help you connect with your audience. Key Takeaways: • How to Find Content Ideas • Shooting, Editing, and Publishinghow to maximize the look on a minimal budget. • Find Your Funny Bone- how to inject your videos with humor.

September 2014

Personal finance bloggers are like X-Men: we all have something that makes us unique, and when we choose to embrace that power, we’re unstoppable. Whether it’s your personal story, your voice, or your hidden talent, using your blogging superpower in full force can help you build community, credibility and crazy recognition. You’ll walk away from this session with ideas for how to stand out from the crowd and the confidence to embrace your quirkiness to get the recognition you deserve.

SO YOU WROTE A BOOK: NOW, WHAT? (MASTERMIND) • Moderator: Cait Flanders • Speakers: Megan Dougherty, Beverly Harzog, Todd Tresidder • LaGalerie 3 • Topic: Profit; Level: Intermediate If you’ve recently finished writing a book, or always thought about writing one, you might be wondering: what’s next? Three experts weigh in on whether you should go the self-publishing or traditional publishing route, how they got people to pay attention to them and which marketing tactics helped them sell more copies of their books. When the session is over, you can join FinCon’s Book Marketing Mastermind online to get continued support throughout your book publishing journey. UNLEASH YOUR BLOGGING SUPERPOWER TO STAND OUT AND GET NOTICED • Stephanie Halligan • LaGalerie 6 • Topic: Promote; Level: Beginner

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#FINCON14

SPEAKERS FARNOOSH TORABI

Farnoosh is a personal finance expert, author, speaker and TV personality. Her work and advice has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Time and Money magazines. Her television credits include The Today Show, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, Live! With Kelly and Michael, Dr .Oz and The View. She was the host of the Webby-nominated show Financially Fit on Yahoo!, the #1 personal finance series on the web. Her latest book, When She Makes More: 10 Rules for Breadwinning hits shelves May 1, 2014. Learn more about Farnoosh at Farnoosh.TV.

CHRIS DUCKER

Your Dream Business, hit shelves April 1st, 2014. Learn more about Chris at www. chrisducker.com.

JEFF GOINS

Jeff is a full-time author, blogger, and speaker. He frequently speaks and writes about how to make a difference in the world through our words and actions. You can follow him online at goinswriter.com. Jeff is the former Communications Director of Adventures in Missions, an international nonprofit organization. Originally from Chicago, Goins graduated from Illinois College and spent the next year on the road with a band. Since studying abroad in Spain, he has always had a passion for travel, missions, and making a difference in the world. His first book, Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life, addresses the issue of how we live purpose-filled lives by serving the needs of others. Jeff’s blog, GoinsWriter.com, is one of the fastest-growing blogs on the web and a well-respected resource for writers, artists, and entrepreneurs. In 2011 and 2012, it won the Top 10 Blogs for Writers award on WritetoDone.com. Each month, he receives over 100,000 visitors to his website.

A serial entrepreneur, virtual staffing expert, blogger, podcaster and author, Chris helps other entrepreneurs catapult their businesses into the 21st century utilizing what he calls the ‘New Business’ style of marketing.

Jeff’s work has been published online and offline in a variety of publications, including RELEVANT Magazine, Copyblogger. com, and ZenHabits.net (voted one of Time Magazine’s Top 50 Websites). His forthcoming work, The In-Between, is a memoir about the lessons we learn while waiting.

Chris’ new book, Virtual Freedom: How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time, Become More Productive, and Build

Jeff and his wife, Ashley, live just outside of Nashville, TN with their son and dog.

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DR. DANIEL CROSBY

Educated at Brigham Young and Emory Universities, Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who helps organizations understand the intersection of mind and markets. His clients include Brinker Capital, Guardian Life, Eaton Vance, Stadion and NASA. Dr. Crosby is a two time TEDx presenter, was recently named one of AARP’s “Financial Bloggers You Should Be Reading” and speaks at 35 to 40 industry events each year. Daniel is the creator of the “Crosby Irrationality Index“, a measure of market sanity that is a combination of fundamental and technical indicators. Dr. Crosby’s well-reviewed book, “You’re Not That Great” applies elements of behavioral finance such as loss aversion and availability heuristic to the pursuit of a meaningful life. When he is not consulting around market psychology, Daniel enjoys independent films, fanatically following St. Louis Cardinals baseball and spending time with his wife and two children.

JENNIFER ROBERTS

Jennifer Roberts, a veteran in the financial services industry, currently serves as President of the Affluent / High Net Worth Card business, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Roberts is responsible for the Sapphire, and JP

Morgan card portfolios, as well as the affluent portions of Freedom and Slate. In addition, she leads the Pricing and Ultimate Rewards Centers of Excellence. These responsibilities include oversight for the key financial aspects of the card business, as well as developing differentiated features and benefits for the UR program, and working with strategic travel and retail partners to enhance value for Chase cardholders. Roberts joined Chase in 1996 and has held various positions, including senior marketing director, leading the Ultimate Rewards and Acquisitions centers of excellence. Prior to that, she was a leader in Card Services’ portfolio marketing team, managing a broad spectrum of key sales and engagement initiatives. Her broad experience includes co-branded partner management, bank-branded rewards management, product development, existing customer marketing and new account marketing. Prior to her tenure at Chase, Roberts worked in marketing and portfolio management roles for several other card issuers. Jennifer earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and minor in French from Towson State University. Jennifer lives in Avondale, PA with her husband and three children.

BEN JOHNSON

As the Director of Consumer Social Media at Ally, Ben is responsible for developing social strategy to grow and engage the consumer audience for Ally’s bank and auto social channels. With over 15 years of experience September 2014

in digital marketing, product management, and program management within the financial services industry, he specializes in targeted content creation for social platforms such as Ally’s Straight Talk and Road Map blogs.

JESSICA PATE

Jessica oversees enterprise brand strategy and execution for Ally including Ally Bank and Ally Auto. She is passionate about keeping the brand experience authentic and straightforward across all consumer and customer engagements. Jessica has over 12 years of experience in developing Consumer Value Propositions, brand, and marketing programs within the financial services industry.

AJ SMITH is the Managing Editor at

SmartAsset and is an award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience in television, radio, newspapers, magazines and online content. Her work has appeared in outlets such as CNN, CBS and The Weather Channel. She has a passion for meeting new people, sharing stories and helping others. She has degrees from Princeton University and Mississippi State University. AJ and her husband also write and illustrate children’s books.

ALEX MCADAMS is a member of NerdWallet’s Personal Finance team and is passionate about helping people make better, more informed financial decisions. He writes on a variety of financial topics including digital currencies, taxes, and financial hacks. Alex also helps curate NerdWallet’s consumer community and is dedicated to giving visitors to NerdWallet 48 I FinCon Connection

a great experience. Before joining NerdWallet, Alex was a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, where he worked across a variety of industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals and global manufacturing. He studied philosophy and neurobiology at Harvard University.

ANDREA DECKARD is an accidental

entrepreneur. As a professional blogger at SavingsLifestyle.com, Andrea has learned many ways to earn through diversified revenue streams. As a consultant, she has advised brands, including Favado and 94Fifty, how to create a more meaningful experience for consumers. Andrea is also a co-founder of Digital CoLab, where she and her partners share ways to build a profitable brand. In her free time, you will find Andrea and her husband in the stands cheering at one of her three boys’ sporting events. She is a proud #sportsmom.

ANDREW MEADOWS is an award-winning

public speaker, broadcast personality and advocate for all things retirement. He has worked primarily in the 401(k) and personal finance industry for the past 12 years, weighing heavily on his experience in marketing and media to spread the word and motivate others to plan for their futures.

BEVERLY

HARZOG is a nationally

recognized credit card expert, consumer advocate, and the author of Confessions of a Credit Junkie: Everything You Need to Know to Avoid the Mistakes I Made (Career Press, November 2013). She runs a popular credit card blog on her website, www. BeverlyHarzog.com. She’s appeared on Fox News, ABC News Now, FoxNews.com Live, CNN Newsource, and is a frequent guest on syndicated radio shows. Her advice can also be found in print and on major websites, including The Wall Street Journal, CNNMoney.com, The New York Times, USA Today, Money, Kiplinger, Time. com, New York Daily News, and more.

BILL LOUNDY is the Director of Talent Management at Contently. Contently helps brands create great stories, engage audiences, and deliver business results — at scale. They do so with powerful software, world-class creative talent, and patent-pending technology that ties content performance to business goals. The Contently talent network is made up of over 40,000 professional writers and journalists, visual designers, award-winning video producers, and elite photographers. CAIT FLANDERS is a personal finance

blogger from Vancouver, Canada. In 2011, she found herself completely maxed out with more than $28,000 of consumer and student debt. Cait started her blog, Blonde on a Budget, to chronicle her debt repayment journey and never dreamt of the career opportunities it would lead to. Cait is now a contributor at The Globe and Mail and Huffington Post Canada, and she writes a weekly post on personal finance expert Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s site. In 2013, Cait was the recipient of the Plutus Award for Best Canadian Personal Finance Blog.

CAMERON HUDDLESTON writes the daily “Kip Tips” column for Kiplinger.com. She joined Kiplinger in 2001 after graduating from American University with an MA in economic journalism. Prior to that, she worked for Dow Jones Newswires, covering convertible securities and junk bonds. She has a BA in journalism and Russian studies from Washington & Lee University. CARRIE SMITH is the financial writer and

founder of carefulcents.com, a site that helps creative freelancers discover the art of making a living from what they love. In May 2013 she quit her full-time accounting job to pursue entrepreneurship and blogging. Since then she’s been featured in sites like The Huffington Post, Glamour Magazine, and Kiplinger Finance. In her spare time she enjoys painting, sketching, making food with her chef husband, and browsing Instagram.

CHAD PARKS is Executive Producer for the independently produced documentary, Broken Eggs. He was a born entrepreneur who stumbled upon the film world by being the black sheep of the retirement industry. And with visionary beginnings.

CONSTANTINE ANASTASAKIS heads up

business development at Fiverr, the world’s largest marketplace for services. In this role, he creates partnerships, develops new lines of business, manages the payments infrastructure, and explores corporate development opportunities. Previously, he has lead business development at venture funded ecommerce and social commerce startups and continues to advise earlystage technology companies in New York and LA. He began his career as a risk management analyst for the wealth management team at Merrill Lynch. He is a Georgetown University and Fordham Law graduate.

DONNA FREEDMAN spent almost seven years writing for MSN Money and a couple of years as a staff writer for Get Rich Slowly. She now works for Money Talks News and writes for various other websites and magazines, and blogs about intentional spending and lifeitsownself at DonnaFreedman.com ELLIE KAY is the best-selling author of

fifteen books including Lean Body, Fat Wallet, and Living Rich for Less. She is a popular international speaker and a media veteran who has given over 1200 media interviews including appearances on ABC, CNBC, CNN and Fox News. Her work has a corporate spokesperson has garnered over 50 SMTs (Satellite Media Tours). As a popular columnist she writes for six national magazines & has been a SME (Subject Matter Expert) for the WSJ, New York Times and Washington Post. Ellie is married to LTC Bob Kay and they have seven children.

EMMA JOHNSON is a longtime personal finance journalist (former AP business September 2014

reporter, MSN Money columnist, credits in NYT, WSJ, Forbes, Men’s Health, WIRED, WORTH, etc.), launched in August, 2012 WealthySingleMommy.com about thriving as a professional single mother. Within the first year I was named to NYT Motherlode’s blogroll and invited to write op-eds for Opinionator, made appearances on HLN, HuffPoLive, Ryan Seacrest Radio, Fox News, TODAY and landed a nationally syndicated AM radio show.

ERIN CHASE is the author of The $5

Dinner Mom Cookbook series and founder of $5 Dinners.com. She is a frugal home chef trying to help others spend less on groceries, while still eating healthy and delicious meals. She has appeared on the Rachael Ray Show, The View, Fox & Friends and countless other media outlets. She lives in San Antonio, TX with her husband Steve and their 4 boys.

GRANT

to the curb!” While I learned about the danger of debt recently, I learned about how to buy good used cars through nearly 40 years of trial and error. I believe I know how to find good inexpensive used cars and can help others do the same. Freeing them to kick auto debt to the curb. My goal is to create a cash car revolutions one indebted car at a time!

JARED EASLEY is the co-founder of the Podcast Movement which is the only National Conference for Podcasting. He is also the co-founder of PodMov University which is an innovative online university for Podcasters by Podcasters. Jared is the host of the Starve the Doubts podcast where he interviews high achievers about how the have overcome self doubt on their journey to success (previous guests include: Philip ‘PT’ Taylor, Pat Flynn, Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, Jeffrey Gitomer, David Allen, Michael Hyatt & Amy Porterfield).

BALDWIN is a nationally recognized speaker and author. His book and curriculum “Reality Check” is used in over 500 high schools around the country. He has given hundreds of presentations and has spoken to over 400,000 people in 47 states through leadership conferences, conventions, and other events. He is also host of the podcast “How Did You Get Into That?” which interviews people doing interview and inspiring work. As much as he enjoys speaking, his favorite roles are being a husband to his high school sweetheart and daddy to three little girls.

JEFF ROSE, CFP® – Jesus & family lover, financial planner, Iraqi Combat Veteran, Author of Soldier of Finance, In-N-Out Burger addict, Crossfitter

J.D. ROTH founded the award-winning Get

JENNIFER BARRETT

Rich Slowly in 2006. He’s also the author of Your Money: The Missing Manual and writes the monthly “Your Money” column for Entrepreneur magazine. Earlier this year, he released the Get Rich Slowly course, which can be found at MoneyToolbox.com. His non-financial writing lives at jdroth. com. J.D. is rather fond of bacon.

JAMES KINSON recently started the Cash Car Convert podcast where I teach listeners how to buy a cash car and “kick auto debt

50 I FinCon Connection

JASON

STEELE Since 2008, Jason Steele has been a freelance contributor to many of the leading personal finance sites including Credit.com, Wise Bread, and Money Crashers. In addition, his work is regularly features at mainstream outlets such as MSN Mon ey, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider.

Jennifer is the Personal Finance Editor for CNBC Digital. An award-winning financial journalist and digital strategist with more than 15 years of media experience, she was previously Sr. Vice President and Editor-in-Chief at DailyWorth. Jennifer has co-authored 2 personal finance books and has written about financial topics for several publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Worth, Money, and Newsweek, where she was a staff writer and editor from 2001 until 2008.

Before joining DailyWorth in 2013, she was GM of Hearst’s Cosmopolitan, Redbook, and Seventeen sites, which reached a combined 18 million visitors a month.

JESSE MECHAM is the founder of

YouNeedABudget.com and two-time Fincon Pullup Champion. When he’s not speaking on, writing about, fine-tuning software for, or doing his own budgeting, he enjoys playing the piano, working in the garden, CrossFit, marksmanship, and honing his golf swing. Jesse graduated from Brigham Young University with a Masters of Accountancy degree. Immediately after he obtained his CPA license, he let it lapse so he could work on “You Need A Budget” full-time. Jesse lives in Utah, is married to Julie, and has five children.

JIM

WANG founded Bargaineering. com, a successful personal finance blog, in 2008 and now teaches readers who to build their own small blogging empire at Microblogger.com. Jim helped create the financial blogging community and has become a solid resource for those looking to follow in his footsteps.

JOE SAUL-SEHY Before creating Stacking

Benjamins, Joe was a 16 year financial planning veteran and media specialist. His advice has appeared in wide-ranging places such as the Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, and Detroit News. He’s been featured in magazines such as Bride, Child and Best Life. Joe was the Detroit WXYZ TV “Money Man” for nine years. Stacking Benjamins offers readers and listeners relaxed financial tips and commentary on current events.

JOHN EGAN is editor in chief at SpareFoot, which operates the country’s largest online marketplace for self-storage units. He is former editor and managing editor of the Austin Business Journal, and former editor in chief at Bankrate Insurance.

JOSEPH MICHAEL is a top-notch Scrivener coach who helps people become world-class writers by mastering Scrivener. His online

course, Learn Scrivener Fast, has helped even best-selling authors and full-time writers like Michael Hyatt and Joanna Penn create their best work. The course reveals Scrivener’s untapped powers and hidden benefits, which is why writers like to say that he’s their secret weapon. His course helps them become published authors, novelists, and even professional bloggers who literally wake up delighted to write every morning.

JOSH ELLEDGE is on a mission to help Americans save money to increase giving. He is Founder and Chief Executive Angel of SavingsAngel.com, which bolsters the buying power of the average U.S. family by combining technology, coupons and smart thinking for extreme savings on everyday items. Elledge has emerged as one of the nation’s leading experts on consumer savings — sharing his successful money savings expertise with millions of families in his syndicated newspaper column, radio, and TV segments. Passionate about his family, fitness, and performing improv comedy, Elledge now resides in Orlando with his wife and three children. KARYN FLEETING Better known as the popular British blogger Miss Thrifty, Karyn Fleeting is a regular speaker at digital and search conferences in the UK. Miss Thrifty, her personal finance blog, has won awards including a Plutus Award for Best International Personal Finance Blog, plus a Cosmopolitan Blog Award for Lifestyle Blog of the Year.

KELLY WHALEN is the founder of The

Centsible Life, a blog where motherhood and money meet. Her goal is to help readers live well on less. Kelly is a mom to 4, and loves that she can stay at home with her kids, and still pursue her passions for writing, personal finance, and social media. You can often find her on twitter and Facebook talking money and motherhood.

KIM PETERSON has been a writer and

editor with MSN Money for six years. She September 2014

also writes blog posts for CBS MoneyWatch. Before that, she was a newspaper reporter for more than a decade, working at The Seattle Times and The San Diego Union-Tribune.

KORRENA BAILIE is current managing

editor at Bankrate Insurance. She has been an editor for 5 years and also holds a master’s degree in creative writing.

LATISHA STYLES is an author and motivational speaker specializing in simple and fun finance for millennials. She focuses on building wealth the smart way: through savvy investing and excellent money management. As one of a handful of video bloggers in her niche, she produces funny, insightful videos on the basics of personal finance. Investment firms, banks, and insurance companies have featured her videos that cover the basics of personal finance. Her goal is to help the college student and recent college graduate budget, invest and achieve success! LAUREN GREUTMAN is a mom of 4 kids under the age of 8, she started blogging at iamthatlady.com in 2010 to share her tips on saving people money. Her blog has since grown to be one of the largest personal finance blogs in New York State. She is a regular guest on both CNY Central News Channel 3 & 5, as well as 9-WSYR in Syracuse and is known as the go-to contact for all money related stories. She is a backup co-host of News Channel’s 90s Bridge Street Show and has also had her blog featured nationally in All You Magazine, Oprah.com, and MSNmoney.com. Most recently she was featured on MarloThomas. com, which landed her video on the front page of aol.com. LINSEY KNERL is a freelance blogger, author, and public speaker, with experience managing online communities, including her first social role as the Community Manager of Wise Bread. Her company, Knerl Family Media, provides digital content, including video, copy, and photography, for a variety of brands, such as ConAgra, Walmart, and 52 I FinCon Connection

American Express.

LUKE LANDES is the founder of premiere personal finance blog Consumerism Commentary and is a renowned writer covering personal finance and money management. With experience building online communities since 1990, Luke founded Consumerism Commentary to hold himself publicly but anonymously accountable for his decisions with money. Consumerism Commentary has received accolades from Money Magazine, the New York Times, and BusinessWeek for being the top personal finance blog. In promotion of blogging as a medium and to increase the mainstream legitimacy of personal finance bloggers in particular, Luke created projects such as the Carnival of Personal Finance and The Plutus Awards.

Lead for Firepole Marketing, and over the past 4 years has taught hundreds of entrepreneurs how to build and grow their online businesses. With a passion for Instructional Design and Gamification, Megan is fascinated by the different models people can use to increase the size of their audiences and the thickness of their wallets – always built upon a strong foundation of integrity and relationship building. Along with her husband, Megan co-founded Dr Sugarbottom’s Chocolates, Candies and Confections, home of the Chocolate of the Month Club.

MICHAEL SCHREIBER Editor in Chief

me chasing my children around with my Canon 70D trying to capture the next epic Instagram moment. I’m a boy mom, fountain coke addict and DIY wanna-be. I’m the founder of HouseofRoseBlog.com, a lifestyle blog where I share my love of home decor, DIY tutorials, mommy mishaps and my favorite fashion tips. I am also the co-founder of HappyMommyBox.com which is a care package service for moms to help brighten their day.

& Chief Content Officer at Credit.com – Michael Schreiber leads the editorial and content team, which consists of more than 30 credit experts. Credit.com’s content is syndicated daily across major news and media outlets including Yahoo, MSN, AOL, NBC and others. Michael is an Emmy and DuPont award winning journalist & producer, with more than 15 years of experience and has worked in print, television and online. Previously, He was Managing Editor of MainStreet.com, the personal finance site owned by TheStreet.com. He is a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where he also served as an adjunct professor in the multimedia department.

MATT SCHULZ CreditCards.com Senior

MIKE DELGADO is a community shepherd,

MANDY ROSE You can typically find

Industry Analyst Matt Schulz has spent much of the last decade helping people make smart decisions about their money. He has been quoted in or had his work appear in major media outlets such as NBCNews. com, MarketWatch, U.S. News and World Report and Huffington Post. Matt earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas. When he’s not working, he’s obsessing over Texas Longhorn football, searching for a new restaurant to visit on his next date night with his wife and spending as much time as possible with his awesome little boy.

MEGAN DOUGHERTY is the Education

digital marketer, and educator. He serves as the social media community manager for Experian, North America and teaches social media strategy courses at the University of California, Irvine Extension. He writes for Social Media Examiner and blogs about how businesses can build thriving communities at MikeDelgado. org. He is tweeting @mikedelgado and hosts Experian’s weekly #CreditChat and #MarketingChat.

MIKE AND LAUREN MOYER Mike Moyer

is half of the vlogging duo at mikeandlauren. com. On their YouTube channel Mike and Lauren focus on personal finance,

DIY projects, travel, and homesteading. They have plans to become financially independent at the age of 30.

MIRANDA

MARQUIT is a freelance journalist, professional blogger, and author. She provides content to numerous publications, online and offline, including U.S. News & World Report, Huffington Post, Wise Bread, Discover magazine, and her local newspaper. Her latest book, Confessions of a Professional Blogger, was self-published with money raised from a successful crowdfunding campaign (Miranda’s other two books were handled by publishers). Miranda works from her home office in Utah, and enjoys travel, the outdoors, and reading.

MORGAN QUINN is an editor, content marketer, and social media strategist. She is the current Managing Editor and Social Media Manager for Mint.com, an Intuit company. She is recognized as a prominent San Diego blogger, content marketer, and social media specialist and is considered a leader in her industry and among her professional networks. Before she became a marketer and social media strategist, Morgan worked in the personal finance industry with a background in mortgage lending and consumer banking. She also has experience with raising backyard chickens but, unfortunately, she was never financially compensated for that endeavor. You can read more about her at morganmariequinn.com. MR. MONEY MUSTACHE grew up as a

small-town Canadian kid, graduated from school to become an engineer, saved and invested early and retired at age 30. Now nine years into retirement, he writes a selftitled blog that has grown to gather over a million pageviews per week. Through Fincon, he hopes to swap ideas with other bloggers on what works (and what does not) in attracting and keeping a loyal audience.

September 2014

MRS. MONEY MUSTACHE adds a much needed female perspective to the Mr. Money Mustache blog. Besides working behind the scenes at MMM, she is also an occasional writer, web site designer, financial consultant, and real estate agent.

3.4 million page views each month, where she writes about her ongoing adventure of finding the Good Life on a budget. Her next book, Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life (Zondervan) is scheduled for release in January 2015.

PATRICE C. WASHINGTON

In 2009 Patrice C. Washington didn’t even know what a blog was, but she did know she was passionate about helping others WIN in their finances so she figured it out. Today as a nationally recognized speaker, #1 best- selling author, featured columnist and media personality, she’s focused on moving the masses from debt management to money mastery. Patrice’s wisdom on money matters has been a recurring feature by national brands such as NBC, Black Enterprise, The Huffington Post, Geico, Experian, Quizzle.com and she’s the newest member of the nationally syndicated, Steve Harvey Saturday Show.

SHANNYN ALLAN I’ve been blogging about frugality and wellness since 2011 to help women live financially and physically fit! This year I’ll be featured on TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates.

PAULA PANT ditched her 9-to-5 job in

STEPHANIE HALLIGAN is the founder

2008 and never looked back. She’s traveled to more than 30 countries, runs a business through her laptop from anywhere on earth, and she owns a half-dozen rental properties. Her blog, AffordAnything.com, is dedicated to becoming money-savvy, crushing limits, and maximizing life. It’s the new gathering spot for a tribe of people who refuse to say, “I’d love to do that … but I can’t afford it.”

ROB BERGER is a trial attorney in Washington, D.C. and the founder of DoughRoller.net. Through his blog, newsletter, and podcast, he helps people get out of debt, manage their money, and build wealth. RUTH SOUKUP is a writer, entrepreneur,

& semi-frazzled thrifty mama of two. She is the author of the bestselling eBook, How to Blog for Profit (Without Selling Your Soul) and the founder of Living Well Spending Less, one of the most popular frugal lifestyle blogs on the web, receiving more than 1.4 million unique visitors and

54 I FinCon Connection

SHIYAN KOH leads NerdWallet’s Personal

Finance products. Before NerdWallet, she was an investment professional at Bridgewater Associates. Shiyan was also a Senior Investment Associate at Institutional Venture Partners, and began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at JPMorgan, serving technology and healthcare clients. She is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Business School.

and chief cartoonist at The Empowered Dollar and the author and illustrator of the Crush Your Debt Comics. She is a financial empowerment consultant, helping companies come up with creative curriculum to teach smart money habits to teens and twenty-somethings. Stephanie believes that positivity, empowerment and humor are the best ways to help people crush debt and create freedom, and tries to infuse doodles and laughter into all of her work.

STEPHANIE SAMMONS is a digital entrepreneur and the founder of Wired Advisor, a professional financial advisor digital marketing platform. She also teaches entrepreneurs how to build and grow a successful business in a wired world at www.stephaniesammons.com. STEVE CHOU runs the popular blog

MyWifeQuitHerJob.com where he blogs about his experiences running his various online businesses. He strongly believes that entrepreneurship should be about

providing you with the freedom to do what you enjoy and to spend more time with the people you love.

he manages over a dozen blogs and more than 40 websites overall.

SYLVIA FLORES With over 20 years

Happy Housewife and co-founder of Digital CoLab. She’s leveraged her experience in running a successful business into numerous consulting opportunities including managing the Blogger/ Brand program for Cox Target Media, app marketing for Wine4. me, and user experience for Favado. She’s passionate about helping others, spending time with her family, and fitness.

in marketing and advertising, Flores has worked with mega clients including Intel, Microsoft, Carbon Audio, and Apple. Flores has also worked on projects with Jack Johnson, Mariah Carey, Denise Richards and YMCMB’s Lil’ Wayne and Birdman. In the last few years, Flores has made the move into the retirement financial arena based upon her passion to demystify the subject to the masses. Flores is also a prolific writer in the blogosphere and burgeoning novelist.

THOMAS BRIGHT handles the digital content strategy at ClearPoint, a national non-profit credit counseling agency. He’s pretty knowledgeable about best web practices and fired up about SEO, but writing remains his passion. His favorite topic in personal finance is student loans, and he enjoys sharing his tips on how to pay them off most efficiently. When he isn’t working, he’s exploring Richmond, Virginia with his wife and friends and soaking up all the history, nature, and good food the city has to offer. TODD TRESIDDER is a former hedge

fund manager who “retired” at age 35 to become a financial educator and consumer advocate. He began FinancialMentor. Com on the premise that quality financial education must be separated from investment product sales to reduce conflict of interest. He is the author of 5 books including the best seller “How Much Money Do I Need To Retire” and is now creating the (soon to be) industry standard wealth building curriculum “7 Steps To 7 Figures”.

TOM DRAKE started blogging in 2009 when he started Canadian Finance Blog, which is recognized as one of the top personal finance blogs in Canada. Since then, he founded Drake Media Inc., where

TONI ANDERSON is the owner of The

VERNON ROSS is Founder & CEO, Ross Public Relations & Marketing. Entrepreneur, Podcast host and Social Media Strategist. His marketing career has spanned across several industries from medical, to video games marketing. He’s also the host of a popular, and top ranked podcast fittingly named “The Social Strategy Podcast” where he interviews top business leaders about social media, online business strategies and networking. In addition Vernon is a board member of the Social Media Club of St. Louis and was recently quoted in the book “Interview Like Yourself…No Really” by author, speaker Jezra Kaye VICTORIA ARAJ leads the Quicken Loans Zing Blog and held roles in mortgage banking, public relations and more in her nine years with the company. Previously, she worked with and for notable politicians Congressman John Dingell and former Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in political science from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Michigan. She was a guest speaker at New Media Expo in Las Vegas on the topic of corporate blogging. Her content has appeared on many sites including Allstate, HomeInsurance.com, Military.com and MoneyTips.

September 2014

NEW ORLEANS

MARRIOTT

3RD FLOOR

LOUNGE• EXPO HALL • LUNCHES KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

2ND FLOOR

BREAKOUT ROOMS

56 I FinCon Connection

September 2014

EDITOR’S

NOTE

Welcome to New Orleans and #FinCon14: Where Money and Media Meet. And welcome to another edition of FinCon Connection. In this issue you’ll find everything you need to have a successful event, including: conference schedule, session descriptions, speaker profiles, hotel maps, and more. You’ll also be able to read helpful articles from thoughtful members of our community - perfect for downtime in New Orleans or the flight home. When I first set out to craft FinCon, over four years ago, I focused a lot of my time on building an event that would give you the tools, and connect you with the people, that will allow you to have success in spreading your positive money message. And since that time, I’ve been obsessed with the tools and connections - so much so, that I often forget what really brings you to this event. I’m betting you sometimes forget this too. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing passionate bootstrappers become full-timers, pro-bloggers, founders, and owners. But plain and simple - you’re here, ultimately, because you want to help people with their financial lives. Sure, the sessions are great and the networking is invaluable. But you wouldn’t be attending any of it unless you cared about helping people with their money. You’re at FinCon because you want to be a part of something bigger. A movement, I think, is the best way to describe what’s happening. FinCon is part of a larger movement that is: • collaborative, inclusive, and transparent; • helping millions fix their money problems and improve their financial lives everyday; • making personal finance media, truly personal; • saying traditional channels and the institutions that support them no longer get to exclusively decide what’s best for consumers; 58 I FinCon Connection

• helping to ensure that financial information is getting to those who need it; and • reaching people where they are, regardless of net worth. At #FinCon14 we’ll be sharing as many success stories as we can, so you can see evidence of this movement. Throughout the weekend you’ll hear from speakers, partners, and attendees - all talking about the great work they are doing in people’s lives. When you meet someone new this weekend, use this question as a starting point, “How are you helping people with their finances?” Challenge each of our speakers with that question too. This weekend, and in the months and years to come I hope you’ll help me keep this movement at the forefront of all we do as a community. As part of this movement, you are doing great things. Day in and day out, you are truly helping people with one of the most important parts of their lives - and you’re changing the World. Thank you for contributing like you do. And thank you for letting me serve you with this annual event and online at FinConMedia.com.

PHILIP TAYLOR, aka “PT,” is a CPA, husband and father of three. He created PT Money back in 2007 to share his thoughts on money and to meet others passionate about managing their finances. He got rid of debt, learned to live lean, saved a bunch of money, and eventually was able to leave his unsatisfying corporate career and pursue his entrepreneurial ventures full-time. Philip’s advice: Fix your finances so that they aren’t a burden in your life, and then build the life you want--whether it’s traveling more, early retirement, staying at home with your kids, or building a business like he did. Philip is also the CEO and founder of FinCon.