Guest: Leon Mann
Leon immigrated to Canada when he was 10 years old unexposed to the world of financial challenges and this continued to follow him when he reached post-secondary education. During his time enrolled in university, he met credit card representatives where he was encouraged to sign up for high value credit cards, not knowing that he could go into credit card debt or understanding the implications of making high ticket purchases he couldn’t afford. Leon shared it got to the point where interest accumulated on his amount owing on payments and eventually, he was left with his only option, to declare bankruptcy. Through this financial struggle, he would have nightmares, experienced a great deal of frustration and anxiety, even just seeing his name appear on the envelope of what he knew was an enclosed bill. This led him to withdraw from his social circle and isolate himself even more, he felt ashamed and embarrassment and didn’t feel he could face people. There were numerous questions being asked of him by his family members, he felt a loss of control, and continued to feel the high pressure of expectations placed upon him culturally to excel and to do well, in addition to being first born sibling. Leon shared how this took a large toll on his mental well-being, feeling like a loser, feeling hopeless and desperate, he started to rely on alcohol to escape all the complex emotions he experienced at the time. He did regain his momentum which led him to undo the financial distress that he was in by getting external support. His key message to the listeners is that: financial planning is for everyday folks; you can have a worry and debt free life; be honest with yourself and don’t let your ego take over; there are people who are willing to help, so just take that first step to seek the help you need.
Guest Bio: Leon is a committed, passionate, and hard-working financial professional who will go the extra mile to make sure someone is financially secure and stable in their lives. After experiencing some personal issues of his own in his 20’s with credit card debt during his university years, he was baffled by the lack of real world personal financial programs that was available to the public. After a good friend connected him with a holistic financial coach, he became committed to putting his life together. His newfound experience and wisdom enabled him to relate well with those experiencing financial hardship in their lives and this encouraged him to pursue a career in Financial Consulting.
Leon has spent his early financial career as a valued advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy and eventually moved on to open his own Independent Business as a Full Service and Independent Financial Consultant. His passion for finance has allowed him to help others by providing and arming them with more options to win in their lives. He has effectively worked on providing holistic and customized financial plans with the best interest of his clients in mind, that have encouraged many people to capitalize on wealth building opportunities within their lives while avoiding costly mistakes that would eat away at their life savings.
Passionate about: Brokerage SOS Financial Group
https://lmann.mysosadvisor.ca/