Tag Archives: Lauren Smith

The Ultimate Car-Buying Experience: LeasePro (Ep. 54)

August 9, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirementfinancial, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Market, Podcast, Retirement Planning, Retirement Plans, The Green ZoneLauren Smith

Most folks would agree the car buying and leasing experiences leave a lot to be desired. The sales spiel, the haggling, the game-playing… it can just feel like such a hassle. But what if it doesn’t have to be?

In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith sit down with Matt McGuire, Owner of LeasePro, an independent auto sales and lease company that provides a truly customer-driven experience. Together, they discuss:

How LeasePro has disrupted the auto sales market to bring cars straight to the buyers
The advantages and disadvantages of leasing versus buying
How Covid affected the auto sales industry and what ripple effects we’re still seeing today, including the skyrocketing prices and supply chain issues
And more!

Note: Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the services of Matt McGuire or LeasePro.

Resources

White Paper: “I, Pencil”

Connect with Matt McGuire

LeasePro Website
Email: mmcguire@leasepro.com
Call or Text: (713) 444-7362

About Our Guest

LeasePro was established in 2010 by Matthew McGuire who is a licensed dealer and auto facilitator in the State of Texas. Matt started this independent auto lease company to provide an experience based entirely on the principles of customer service and value. As a hands-on owner, Matt has been recognized as a top salesperson throughout his career and has received numerous sales and customer service awards. Matt’s 23 years of experience in sales, leasing, and finance of both new and pre-owned vehicles helps solidify LeasePro as an expert in the automotive sales and leasing arena. Matt and his wife Melissa reside in Friendswood and treasure cheering and supporting their 3 active children in various sporting activities.

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Focusing On The Good Amidst The Doom & Gloom (Ep. 53)

July 26, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirementfinancial, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Market, Podcast, Retirement Planning, Retirement Plans, The Green ZoneLauren Smith

These days, it feels like everywhere we look, we see messages of doom and gloom. We are constantly being told by the media that the markets, politics and even our safety are at risk. But instead of letting yourself go down a rabbit hole of negativity, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith want to encourage you to remember this: America is still the greatest country in the world. And good things are happening every day, even if they don’t make the headlines in the news.

In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff and Lauren discuss:

Why it’s easy to get overwhelmed with negativity and what we can do to combat it
How America’s contentious politics are at the core of who we are as a country
What Plenty and SpaceX have to do with their positive outlook on the future of our nation

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The Results of a Strategic Retirement Plan (Ep. 52)

June 27, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirementfinancial, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Market, Podcast, Retirement Planning, Retirement Plans, The Green ZoneLauren Smith

Even in turbulent financial times, the one thing you can always count on is a sound financial plan – and advisors who help you pivot with and understand the ever-changing market. In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk about the importance of financial planning today with tomorrow in mind.

Jeff and Lauren share:

The true story of a real financial planning client
How the right type of financial planning now can yield results later
Why it’s important to know your retirement goals and values – even if you’re years away

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Is A Recession Really Coming In 2022? (Ep. 51)

June 13, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementEconomy, financial, Inflation, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Market, Podcast, Recession, The Green ZoneLauren Smith

There’s no doubt the current market is ugly. We have fielded many calls from concerned clients — and understandably so. With everything you hear on the news these days, it can feel like the sky is falling. But is a recession really coming? We’ll cover that and more in this episode of The Green Zone Podcast.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

Why they do NOT believe a recession is coming in 2022
What bottoming out indicators they’ve been tracking and what’s going on with them today
How much longer they expect to see market volatility
Why you should take what the media is saying with a grain of salt
Real conversations they’ve been having with clients around the current market conditions

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Supporting a Recent College Graduate (Ep.50)

May 25, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedBudgeting, College, financial, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Support, The Green Zonethegreenzone

As a parent, you want to support your kids to get them started in life. But how do you know when you’re giving them too much financial support?

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith provide tips and tricks to help parents support their college graduates as they transition for what’s next without going over budget.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

How you can destroy your retirement by helping your children financially
The value of teaching your children about how money works
The importance of your children learning how to budget
And more

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10 Things You Should Know When Estate Planning (Ep.49)

May 11, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedEstate Planning, financial, Financial Wills, Green Financial Group, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Power of Attorney, The Green Zone, Trust Fundsthegreenzone

There will eventually come a time when you pass away but that doesn’t mean you should wait until then to start building a comprehensive estate plan.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith discuss 10 things you should know about estate planning and will be your guide to making confident decisions about your estate planning.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

How an estate planning attorney can help you
The value of using an online cloud-based digital storage to store important documents
Why it is important to consider who you are assigning as your beneficiaries
And more

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Raymond James and its advisors do not offer legal advice. You should discuss any legal matters with the appropriate professional.

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New Investing Lingo being Used by Younger Folk (Ep.48)

April 27, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorizedfinancial, GameStop Stock, Green Financial Services, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Reddit Stocks, Robinhood, Stock Market, Stonks, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Language is a beautiful thing as it can seamlessly morph and adapt to changing times, but sometimes as older folks, it can be a little tough to understand the lingo of the younger crowd.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith identify the meaning of some investing terms used by younger people. They also share where these terms are originating from as more younger people are starting to invest their money into the stock market.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

How Reddit has influenced the investing terms used by young people
Investing terms you should know to understand what your kids are talking about
How you can compare original investing terms to the current lingo being used
And more

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College Planning Using a 529 Plan With Ryan White, CIMA® (Ep.47)

April 13, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement529 Planning, College Education, Estate Planning, financial, Green Financial Group, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Ryan White, Saving for College, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Most people can agree that they’re concerned about college education planning and ultimately paying for the cost of college.

A 529 plan is a great tool in helping you reach your education savings goal.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk with Ryan White, CIMA® a director of product management at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, US. You will learn why a 529 plan is a simple way to save for all educational related expenses, and what your three options are if you still have money in your 529 account after college.

Ryan discusses:

The basics of 529 planning
How a FAFSA will calculate your eligibility for financial aid
The opportunities for tax benefits that set a 529 apart from other vehicles
And more

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Connect With Ryan White:

About Our Guest:

Ryan White, CIMA®, is an experienced financial services professional with a demonstrated history of success in distribution, product management, and relationship management in the asset management industry.

As with other investments, there are generally fees and expenses associated with participation in a 529 plan. There is also a risk that these plans may lose money or not perform well enough to cover college costs as anticipated. Most states offer their own 529 programs, which may provide advantages and benefits exclusively for their residents. Investors should consider, before investing, whether the investor’s or the designated beneficiary’s home state offers any tax or other benefits that are only available for investment in such state’s 529 college savings plan. Such benefits include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors. The tax implications can vary significantly from state to state.

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Creating the Pre-Retirement Checklist (Ep.46)

March 9, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementGreen Financial Group, Houston Texas, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Planning for Retirement, Plans for Retirement, Podcast, Preparing for Retirement, Retirement Checklist, Stock Brokerage Podcast, The Green Zonethegreenzone

It might feel good to just up and retire from your job without any plan. But that may not be the smartest choice.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk about the ‘pre-retirement checklist’ they have created for their clients and how it can change their entire experience of the retirement lifestyle. They also go into detail about the difference between clients that have used this plan far in advance and clients who have used this a little later in the game.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

Their personally constructed retirement checklist
How to establish your values in retirement to help you stay fulfilled after your working years are over
Why it is important to be discussing your retirement plans, aspirations, and wants early-on with your spouse
The strategy of picking a specific date to have your goals established for retirement
And more

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Starting Your Career in Financial Services with Melanie Knight (Ep.45)

February 23, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementFamily Finances, Financial Planning, Financial Wills, Green Financial Group, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Melanie Knight, Podcast, Preparing for the Future, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Everybody has their own personal experiences which helped them kick start their career in the financial industry.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk with Melanie Knight, director of operations and client services at Green Financial Group, to discuss her experience going directly from college to starting her career at Green Financial Group.

Melanie discusses:

The responsibilities of client service within Green Financial Group
The typical day working as a financial professional
The environment of graduating college during Covid and how different it is compared to pre-pandemic years
How she finds balance between work and everyday life
And more!

Connect With Green Financial Group:

Connect with Melanie Knight:

LinkedIn: Melanie Knight

About Our Guest:

Melanie Knight is one of those people who just like to get things done. As the Director of Operations and Client Services at Green Financial Group, she does just that while supporting clients and their families with important administrative and clerical tasks, directing the team’s internal operations, and serving as a friendly liaison for clients. She finds an immense amount of satisfaction in helping a client with any issue, small or large, from opening new accounts to facilitating money transfers to helping generate annual reports.

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