Simple Choices, Big Rewards in Money With Ramona Cedeno
I have been working with clients now for over 10 years and something that I always find fascinating is how client behavior changes add up over time. The hardest part of a financial journey is at the beginning, especially if you’ve never done it before. But with focus and mindset shift, small changes over time literally lead to big results. That’s why I was so excited to talk to today’s guest Ramona Cedeno, author and CEO of Fibrick because she literally wrote an entire book about it. Ramona joins me today to talk about her book Simple Choices Big, Rewards in Money and how you can make these changes in your life.
What are we drinking?
Ramona - Coffee with cream and a touch of sugar
Shannon - Black Cherry Schweppes
Podcast Notes
Ramona came to the US when she was 19 and knew she wanted to be an accountant. She attended college and got her MBA and CPA license. She worked for various companies throughout that time and focused on increasing her education. She wanted to help people with their personal finances and founded her accounting firm six years ago.
Many business owners struggle with building their personal wealth while they are building a business. This is what Romona focuses on in her first book. It’s about achieving our version of financial freedom while running your business and this looks different for every person.
There are so many choices to make when it comes to money. Ramona has found that planning ahead is the biggest opportunity for early stage founders. The planning process is challenging because we don’t have a crystal ball forecasting revenue, so most people just go with the flow.
Writing a book is a long process and a lot of work. Shannon asks Ramona about what made her decide to write a book.
Ramona talked with her sister and considered finding a ghostwriter. Georgetown has a Book Creator’s Group program and they take you through the process. There’s an entire method laid out with accountability partners, and junior editors that work with you throughout the process. There are milestones throughout and once Ramona sets her mind to something, she finishes it! So this program worked well for her.
The books is split into 9 different chapters based on the 9 principles she practices in her own life. It’s about creating, earning, and saving the money you need to support yourself and how you are responsible for yourself and your finances.
Some of the big things covered:
Having the right people around you to support your financial goals is important.
Mindset: There’s enough money out there for everyone, and getting to that mindset takes some work.
Generosity: Sharing what we have brings more of what we have and want.
How you live a lifestyle that is going to help you save and grow your money.
How to focus on abundance. Reflecting on the good that has already happened. When we’re in periods of life when we’re struggling financially, it’s hard to see the possibility for better times. The first step to change is addressing your mindset.
Once you work on your mindset, build your money village. The right people around you will influence you for the better. Be ready to take the advice and join the right organizations. It’s about finding the people who can teach you what you don’t know.
You may lose some people along the way and that’s okay. Think about your village changing.
Whether you are paying down debt, on your way to Financial Independence there is a community of people out there. People who are writing and speaking about these topics.
An accountability buddy, a friend or professional is a powerful element. Someone to push you out of your comfort zone.
Worrying about money is draining. A financial health journey takes time, and it starts with setting yourself on getting yourself out of the path you truly want to be on.
Simple Choice, Big Rewards addresses all of this with stories and anecdotes while really focusing on the mindset.
Takeaway: My biggest takeaway is that all great journeys are filled with tiny moments that keep propelling us in the right direction. It’s frustrating to not see big and immediate results, but I guarantee you that over time, those small changes you’re making are going to lead to something huge, just keep pushing.
Random Three Questions
If you were not an accountant, what would you be doing?
What is something you’ve binged recently?
What do you do to relax?
Connect with Ramona
Instagram: @ramonacedenocpa
Buy the book: Simple Choices, Big Rewards . com
Check out Fibrick: https://fibrick.com/
If you have any topics you would like me to cover on this podcast, or if you’d like to get in the financially naked hot seat, I encourage you to email me at Shannon@fingyms.com, or join the private Martinis and Your Money Facebook group, and let me know what you want to hear.
We have a lot of exciting things happening at Financial Gym in 2022, but the most exciting has to be our Certified Financial Trainer Licensing program. If you are a personal finance nerd with a passion for helping others, this is the course for you. It’s based on my 10 years plus of helping people get financially healthy and led by my amazing team at The Financial Gym. We’re about to start raising the pricing, so if you’ve ever thought about doing something like this don’t waste any more time, head over to financialgym.com and under our services, you’ll find more on the Certification Program