My background in financial education. · Financial Self Defense

My background in financial education.

I have been in the financial services world since 2012. I personally got a financial coach when I was 18 and happened to be home to visit my parents who were getting THEIR finances cleaned up in their 40's. They were getting taught about how the Investing/savings world works by a friend of theirs who worked for my "practice company".

I clearly remember being taught about an awesome tip called "Dollar Cost Averaging" and started saving for myself as I had just started my career at a safe government job. That savings of $50/month is all I did until I had my first child 6 years later.

6.5 years later (waaaay too long without being contacted BTW). I got a call from my new representative (old one had quit, there is often high turn over in this industry and people are sometimes abandoned. EEK I definitely never want my clients to feel that way.

By then I had gotten basically most of the products I shouldn't have (school of life/hardknocks) but they helped me sort out my situation and created a plan for me going forward which I used and updated every 2/3 years (because I may PLAN for the car to last 10 years but sometimes the universe has other plans 😀).

Fast forward to 2011, I went to a new training class, a basic version of what I teach here and in my business. It happened to be about what I call (Alphabet soup) difference between different account labels... RRSP, TFSA and most importantly to me RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan). American equipments IRAs, Roth accounts etc.

The reason this was so important to me is that my niece was born VERY premature and with many physical and mental disabilities. I was set up as guardian for her in my sisters will and she had mentioned they had set aside money for her. I literally called from the parking lot to see if it was this program that GIVES qualifying Canadians with disabilities up to $90,000 for an investment to help them with saving for thier future. Even though my sister had asked the PERFECT question (what should we do to protect our disabled daughter's financial future?) AND the RDSP program had been around for 6 years they WERE NOT TOLD about it! They had spend lawyer $$ on setting up a trust fund on their "advisor's" recommendation.

Big sister was ANGRY!! Slight understatement. I did a bunch of research, found out how under utilized the program was and decided I could make a difference I many friends, family and karate students lives (I volunteer teaching Karate at local YMCA).

I immediately started studying and got licensed in January 2012 with my "practice company" for mutual funds and life insurance and started helping anyone I know with RDSPs and anything else finance related!

I had found my passion, I LOVE feeling like I am making a difference in the world by teaching Financial education and helping clients get better products, to save money, get out of debt or grow their savings, using an holistic approach that covers it all. I had not taken this step when asked before because I found my new representative to be very pushy and "salesy", however I knew I could help people just by TEACHING the concepts and training with no obligation/expectations and besides either benefitting people they most likely would probably feel great about recommending me to their friends, family or others they know who could use my help.

By 2013 I had quit my government job and was full time in financial services and by 2016 I was running my own branch and had a team of other amazing business partners I was overseeing.

In 2014, my team and I changed companies/brokers to move to Experior Financial Group INC. They had better access to products for my client, better structure for my team and I, however a few extra costs for me as they brought us over at corresponding contract levels. It was SOOO worth it!

They even allowed me to absorb and fees my clients might have from choosing to follow me because they trusted me and my teams advise!! This is HUGE because my old company/trainer was telling everyone that it would COST them to follow me and in some cases not treating old clients well at all, fear tactics and other abuses!

Since I am drawn to work with people who have been taken advantage of or let down by the financial system this was absolutely revolting to me. Another "Momma Bear" feeling came on, I have a conscious tendency to treat my clients like my family and friends. (Basically I like sleep and I couldn't sleep at night or look myself in the mirror if I didn't)

Anyway, that's my personal history and background in finances and the Financial services industry.

I continue to work with anyone with Experior Financial Group, I have NO patience with bigotry or bias at all in any form.

However I have specialized knowledge and commitment to help under-served (or in sports language "underdogs") members of society, those with different abilities (I dislike the term used in the RDSP plan but can't change it), seniors who have worked their entire lives and often trusted their company Pensions to be enough to retire, women who have historically been let down or talked over when it comes to long term finances by many professionals and young adults (of which I proudly have 2) who have been severely let down by our local school system as far as real life financial education. My kids helped greatly in the development to my Kicking off your Financial Life - young adults webinar by choosing their top questions and polling their friends.

I am also working to expand my existing clientele with other marginalizrd groups who do not have special products but sometimes do not feel comfortable talking to traditional financial professionals such as indigenous individuals and groups as well as anyone on LGBTQ2S+ spectrum.

Crystal Johnson

Executive Director (Association sales Title)

306 280-1697

[email protected]

@senseicrystal ( Instagram handle)

Https://fsd.crd.co (web page for Financial Education business - Financial Self Defense by CJ)

https://cjohnson.experiorfinancial.com/ (Experior financial group business web page)

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