Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Reggie Bryant, founder of Reggie Bryant Media, located in Sparks, NV, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I have a personal finance education/media business that helps professionals and young adults create good financial habits, so they can build wealth for themselves and their families. My business is filtered through my YouTube channel (Reggie Bryant), where I prolifically give financial advice in a multitude of areas. I also have an email list to which I send weekly personal finance advice to those who sign up for it. I provide links to videos, articles, and other resources to keep my clients on a fast track to building financial security and, eventually, wealth. In addition to my book “The Wealth Journey,” found on Amazon, I also have coaching services which I provide both free and paid options to help dial in personal finances for my clients. It’s like I’m a personal trainer for your money fitness!

Tell us about yourself

I got into the business of personal finance when life hit me hard. I graduated from college in 2017, thinking I was on top of the world when I got my first full-time job. Getting $60,000 a year at 21 years old in a low-cost-of-living area made me feel invincible. That is until I started the job and relearned how adversarial and gruesome the day could be. The company I used to work for was cutthroat, and I went home almost every day wondering if I still had a job due to how I was treated when I worked there. I realized I could lose my job at any minute, and I also realized I hadn’t been doing the best I could when it came to how I managed my money. This led to me reading books, seeking and gaining mentorship, going to several seminars and watching tons of YouTube videos about personal finance, investing, passive income, saving money, and everything under the sun. I was determined to save myself because I realized no one would come to my rescue. Throughout that journey, I had a lot of questions and frustrations. Today, I am in a much better place financially, both in terms of earnings and how I manage my money. The purpose of my business is to make it easy for my clients to build wealth, even if they have to start from scratch. I’d like to take away the years of questions and frustrations they may have through my guidance and show them what is truly possible.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Writing and publishing my first book is my proudest accomplishment. My biggest accomplishment, however, is having face-to-face interactions with my clients (via zoom) and seeing how much my work has impacted their lives. My viewers/clients from YouTube have a wide range of professions, from education, law enforcement, entrepreneurship, attorney, journalism, and much more. It feels good and fulfilling to help people with their finances and prevent them from going through unnecessary hardships, even if it’s done indirectly through a YouTube video.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

I think the hardest thing when it comes to being a business owner is fully understanding you have to plan. It may sound simple, but when you own a business, and you have a brand, it’s easy to think, “I’ve got this. I don’t need to plan anything. I know precisely what I need to do”. That is a lie that can lead to the destruction of your business. Not planning has led me to nearly burn myself out due to scrambling and putting so much pressure on myself. As cliche as this saying is, it’s true. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Be clear on exactly what your business is, who you’re helping and why you’re helping them.
  2. Don’t overanalyze your ideas; just start. Have a plan, execute it, then make adjustments later and learn from your mistakes. Don’t be like me and spend close to a year trying to make sure every idea is perfect before executing the ideas.
  3. You can’t do everything yourself. When you can financially do so, I recommend setting up automation (email lists, for example) and hiring people to assist you (via Upwork or fiver.com). This will minimize the time and workload you put on yourself.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.reggiebryant.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reggiedbryant/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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