In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff and Lauren discuss the importance of setting simple yet effective financial goals and resolutions – including how to ensure you pick the ones that are right for you. Together, they discuss ways to:
Intentionally set aside and save more money
Leverage credit card points and benefits
Improve your credit score
Set and maintain a realistic budget
Consolidate debt (including credit card debt)
Rely on apps and technology to help you reach your goals
Do you know what motivates you? Do you know what fulfills you? Do you know what your “why” is?
These are big questions, but the Birkman Method can help you answer them with confidence (and it’s backed by 70+ years of data). This 30-minute assessment helps individuals understand their motivation, self-perception, social perception and mindset – and how to leverage each of these things to find more satisfaction in their lives.
In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith sit down with Sharon Birkman, CEO of Birkman International, for an in-depth and eye-opening discussion on how Birkman can help us plan for a fulfilling future – especially with retirement in mind. They discuss:
The fascinating origin story of Birkman International
What the Birkman Assessment is and how it’s different from others, such as DISC and Myers Briggs
How the Assessment is used with companies and individuals
How you can use the Birkman to plan for a fulfilling retirement centered around your “why”
And more!
Note: Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the services of Sharon Birkman or Birkman International.
Resources
Want to take The Birkman Assessment? Email Sharon directly: sbirkman@birkman.com
About Our Guest: Sharon Birkman, CEO of Birkman International
As the daughter of company founder and influential industrial-organizational psychologist Dr. Roger W. Birkman, Sharon Birkman cultivated her deep expertise in human perception and organizational behavior through her lifelong interest in The Birkman Method.
Sharon, CEO of Birkman International, has been recognized with a multitude of awards, including EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year, the Women President’s Organization’s Mary Lehman MacLachlan Award, National Best and Brightest Places to Work For, and the Houston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award.
In addition to her responsibilities at Birkman, Sharon volunteers her services as a Board Member of Houston Public Media, Goodwill Industries of Houston, and a long-time Board member for ESCAPE Family Resource Center. Sharon co-authored the book “The Birkman Method: Your Personality at Work” and authored the book “Creatures of Contact” by ForbesBooks.
Birkman International is an industry-leading behavioral and occupational assessment company founded by innovative organizational psychologist Dr. Roger W. Birkman in 1951.
The Birkman Method remains a preferred instrument to better understand interpersonal dynamics through positive psychology. It is used widely in the fields of career and life coaching, leadership development, human resources management, and organizational design today.
Spouses can oftentimes be surprised by the changing dynamic of their marriage in retirement.
In this episode, Jeff Green talks with Dr. John Vincent a psychologist and a marriage and family therapist to discuss what marriage can look like when one or more spouses have retired. They also highlight the importance of communication between each partner when outlining financial goals before and during retirement.
Dr. John Vincent discusses:
What issues can generate conflicts between a couple
How the transition from working full-time to retiring can affect a marriage
The conflicts that can arise once both spouses have retired outside of financial affairs
What possibilities open up once both spouses have entered the retirement stage
What does it take to make the new year different? How do you hold yourself accountable for the changes you want to make?
In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith reflect on their past year at Green Financial, and they share their goals for the upcoming year. They also talk about the process of planning, not only for retirement but other financially-demanding times throughout the year.
Jeff and Lauren discuss:
Healthy financial habits for all income scenarios
How to continue your good habits throughout the whole year
Planning for more than just retirement
Why you shouldn’t wait until you’re retired to tackle your bucket list
You will not be able to live your dream retirement without a proper financial plan in place.
In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith discuss the important things to think about as you plan for retirement. They recommend what actionable steps you could be taking now to plan for your dream retirement in the future.
Jeff and Lauren discuss:
The value of using a bucket list to live out your dreams in retirement
The factors you need to consider when you decide when to start taking Social Security
The importance of planning when deciding on your retirement date
Why you should use your time before retirement to focus on your budget and cashflow
We all have those burning questions about planning for retirement. One of the most commonly asked questions that people want to know is, “Should I pay my house off before I retire?”
In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk with Jim Chaplin, vice president/senior mortgage loan originator at Elite Lending Group to get his perspective on the topic.
Jim Chaplin discusses:
The items to take into consideration before deciding to pay off your mortgage before retirement
The backseat figures of making the decision
The state of the real estate market right now and how this may impact your decision
Jim Chaplin: Jim Chaplin has a total of 30 plus years of real estate related experience. Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker since 1974 which makes him very familiar with promulgated contract documents. Specialties include, lot loans, and construction loans as well as a wide range of mortgage products.
How will you step up when the time comes to fully support an aging relative? This is a question that will face more and more people as science and medicine continue to extend human life expectancy.
In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith hit a few of the hot points to help you begin having these tough conversations with family members about their wishes and plans.
We discuss:
How to start thinking about the recipient’s needs
Why it’s important to make decisions and have documents in place before cognitive impairments become overwhelming
How to prioritize your mental and physical health as a caregiver
And more!
Tune in as Jeff and Lauren help you to start thinking about a caregiving plan for your aging relatives!
Spring is finally here! And do you know what that means?
It’s spring cleaning time!
In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith are joined by Carroll Cartwright and Paige Ebanks of Neatly Houston to discuss how they put a fresh perspective on organizing, styling and moving to clean and tidy your home. Rudy Vierra of SteaMyCar joins in on the conversation to share how your car can get the best wash and interior clean it has ever had.
We discuss:
The process for having Neatly come clean your home
Tips to help get you into the spring cleaning mindset
The eco-friendly car wash process service by SteaMyCar
The types of services offered by SteaMyCar
And more!
Tune in to learn how you can outsource to save time and avoid the spring cleaning most of us dread!
In a world full of technology, there are many tools and apps that can help make your life easier and more entertaining.
In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith take a little break from finance and explore the world of technology. In this fun-packed episode, they discuss many different types of apps they find useful and explain the functionality of each one of the apps.
We discuss:
Two business-related tools to help you at work
Two travel-related tools to use when you’re planning your next trip
Two cybersecurity tools to keep you protected
Four health and wellness tools to stay mentally and physically healthy
And more!
Join Jeff and Lauren as they share the specifics of each tool, how they work and why they love them!
Change can be a good thing. However, the uncertainty of moving forward can spark fear and create stress.
This is especially true with major transitions, like retirement.
In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith sit down with Cindy Wylie, a career and life transition coach, to explore how coaches can make this transition easier for you as a new retiree. They reveal how a coach can help you identify your values early on and ways they can help ease you into retirement.
In this episode, we discuss:
A coach’s role around the transition from work to retirement
The importance of identifying your personal values
How someone like Cindy can help you through transition into retirement
And more!
Join Jeff, Lauren, and Cindy to learn how you can benefit from hiring a coach for your retirement!
