Meet Sheena Robinson: Author, Financial Parent Consultant, & Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sheena Robinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sheena, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
As a child, I never knew the importance of having your finances in order. I didn’t know how to save properly or have a vision for my financial future. I saw my mom write checks, pay bills, and purchase things not understanding that I was subconsciously picking up habits that I would later use in my adult life. After graduating college and moving to Georgia, I realized I really didn’t understand how to make money work for me. I bought a new car and was so clueless about interest rates. My mom helped me build my credit but we never talked about how I should manage my credit score.

After getting financially educated and joining the financial industry a year later, I realized I was not the only adult who wished they would have learned financial education at an early age. That’s when I realized something needed to be done to help solve this issue. After having my daughter Madison in 2013, I decided I didn’t want her to have some of the same experiences that I had as a young adult. So I begin writing my first book, Financial Parenthood: The Keys to Raising a Rich Kid to help give parents a system they could follow to insure they were setting their children up for financial success. After writing the book, I still felt a bigger platform needed to exist to make parents accountable and give them resources to make sure they succeed as a “financial parent”. That’s when Financial Parent Academy was born. We are are a 501(c)3 nonprofit committed to helping parents raise financially responsible children. We also provide workshops for college students and growing adults.

What should our readers know about your business?
Financial Parent Academy is very unique. We believe when parents become intentional about teaching their children financial education at home the whole family can succeed. That’s why we are a reinforcement organization. We give parents a place to send their children to reinforce the information they learn at home. We understand sometimes children just need to hear from someone else to actually start taking action. We are so excited about our program offerings. Our new Financial Parent Certification Program provides parents with the information, tools, and community they need to be successful. We also offer our Financial Headstart Program to help students in grades K-12 get a jumpstart in financial success. We have our virtual Saving Saturdays for children 2-8 years old where we educate children about my book, Light to Wealth to help them get started saving. We also have Financial Mentors to help parents and children set up financial plans and monitor their progress. We love partnering with other organizations through our PowerProfits program where we work with them to bring customized financial sessions to the people they serve.

This journey has definitely been a rollercoaster. My personal life often caused me to slow down with the progression of my business. I had to learn how to separate the two but realize I had to make “me time” a priority. Your mental health will determine your success in both your personal and business life. You have to make sure you are feeding yourself healthy thoughts and doing actions that reflect those thoughts. As a mother of 3, I often felt consumed with feelings of being overwhelmed by trying to do it all. I had to tell myself this is a part of my journey and push through the frustration and find my norm and get a routine that would fit me and allow me to continue to serve my family and my business.

Because I know the positive impact Financial Parent Academy will have on families, I refuse to give up. I want every family to have hope and know that their family’s financial future can be bright no matter their race, social class, or background. I want people to have a place to come to help make their dreams a reality and not be judged. I want them to feel they are not alone, but they have a partner organization that will stand beside them and help them along the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came into town for a week, we would definitely have to have catch up time at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Ga. We would get pampered with our massages and enjoy a nice lunch. We would also have a History Day where we would tour the city of Atlanta and visit places like the King Center, the Aquarium, The Atlanta History Center, The World of Coke, and The Herndon Home Museum. I love to hang out at parks and enjoy the scenery so we would have to visit Centennial Park in Atlanta, Ga, Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville, Ga and Vickery Creek Trail in Roswell Ga. As far as restaurants we would definitely have to hit up Hattie Mae’s for some great BBQ. We would also visit Old Lady Gang, Blaze Steak House, and Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. Of course, we would enjoy the night life as well and go enjoy open mic nights, networking events and shop at Atlantic Station and the Mall of Georgia. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thank the Financial Parent Board Members, Teachers, and the FPA supporters for believing in the vision and helping make it a reality. I want to thank my business mentors Nancy J. Lewis and Daletha S. Mcrae for always speaking life over me and pushing me not to give up regardless of the trials that come my way. I want to thank my village of love for always having my back when I need them. I also want to thank my three blessings Myles, Maliyah, and Madison for continuing to inspire me and sharing their mom with the world.

Website: www.financialparentacademyinc.com

Instagram: financialparentacademyinc

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialparent/