You Inc - Wealth Education Services

Dwayne, we are so excited that you are a part of this. We look forward to cheering you on in your journey toward financial independence and entrepreneurship. You made the evening such a joy. Thank you for your amazing insights and for sharing your much-needed perspective.

Are you a Schenectady-based entrepreneur, contractor, builder, or small business owner looking to strengthen your financial foundation?

Join us for Rise and Build: Financial Empowerment for Entrepreneurs, Builders, and Small Business Owners, a free three-part series presented by the City of Schenectady in partnership with You Inc Wealth Education Services.

Together, we’ll explore practical strategies to improve both personal and business finances.

📅 June 23, July 21, and August 18
🕔 5:00–6:30 PM
📍 26 Broadway, Schenectady

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your business to the next level, this series will provide actionable insights you can use right away.

To register or ask questions, contact Ron Gardner at 518-382-5199 x5374.

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I had such a beautiful experience facilitating this series and learning alongside incredible women each week. Together, we explored the systems, disciplines, and mindset needed to manage our money well for long-term financial wellness while still creating space to enjoy life today.

I’m grateful for the transparency, growth, laughter, and connection we shared throughout this journey. Thank you to the Schenectady City School District’s Damonni Farley, Tashana Person, and Kristen DiPoffi, as well as the NY State Office of Children and Family Services, for making these programs possible.

Pictured are the winners of our fun review game, where we revisited many of the topics we learned throughout the series.

Our money conversations may start with dollars, but they’re really about our values, priorities, and what matters most.

We can do everything “right” financially like budgeting, building an emergency fund, investing, and planning ahead, yet life can still throw us something that completely disrupts those plans. In those moments, we become grateful for a strong financial foundation and a wealthy mindset we can return to.

These past several weeks, we’ve been focused on building firm financial foundations. Because if we can’t master the basics, nothing else works in the long-term.

If you are a parent or caregiver in the and have yet to join us, it’s not too late.

I had the pleasure of facilitating two programs with Smart Transfer students this week and they showed up even though it was “Senior Skip Day.” They told me this program was a priority, so the festivities could wait 🥹

One highlight was working with a student I first met a few years ago as a freshman during a Teen Science Café session with Dr. Harris. This time, we walked through their college financial aid award letters. Understanding federal and private loans, interest, grants, work-study, and all things money and college is critical, yet too many students graduate without a clear grasp of how these tools shape their financial future.

In our second program, students participated in their first investing lesson which was an exciting step toward building long-term financial confidence.

The icing on the cake was reconnecting with my longtime mentoring partner, Ms. Nabors. During my time as a Working Group on Girls mentor, we volunteered together at the high school. I hadn’t seen her since our high school girls threw me my first baby shower and now that baby is 7! It’s awesome to see she’s still guiding, encouraging, and teaching our students, leading with love.

Thank you to Kayla and Alondra for inviting me to be a part of your program.

Financial education is one of the most powerful life skills. Learn it early and compound interest works for you; wait too long, and it works against you. Grateful for our time with these bright young scholars in the AMC STEP Program, exploring foundational lessons in a fun and impactful way.