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

Hi Arianna, how do you think about risk?
As someone who grew up with very little, I would consider myself to be quite risk averse. I think that has, at times, led me to play it safe in school, in sports, in my finances, etc. out of fear or a desire to create a sense of safety and stability. While some view that as a negative, I have found that it has proven instrumental in setting me on an upwards trajectory both career wise and personally. By making the “right” decisions (i.e., saving instead of spending, getting good grades, pursuing mental health and wellness etc.) without a clear destination in mind, doors have been opened that I hadn’t planned for. Many of the opportunities I have or have had in the past, have pursued me, rather than the other way around. Now, that isn’t to say that my being risk averse hasn’t at times disadvantaged me. Whereas some of my peers began to follow their dreams before or during college, whether that was something as small as pursuing a hobby or as large as launching a start up, I have often played it safe. It’s always been my perspective that one must take “one step at a time”. In short, I’ve taken an approach on life that I view to be very strategic and intentional and most importantly, at my own pace. Nevertheless, the largest takeaway is less about my inherent nature and more about how risk aversion or risk tolerance are managed when I make business decisions. I take calculated risks when my business requires it whether I feel 100% comfortable or not. It’s very to clear me that to reach the kind of goals I have, I have to be willing to take losses. For this fact alone, I am very conscious on how my natural aversion towards risks play a role every time I make critical decisions for Brown Investors. For me, risk aversion can be a tactical advantage as well as something to be managed.

What should our readers know about your business?
Brown Investors’ sole purpose is to bridge the financial literacy gap through increased access to education, guru style portfolio management and investment resources to begin cycles of generational wealth. Fundamentally, Brown Investors is disruptive. Our sole aim is to increase access to information, not just by providing the resources but by providing the blueprint to understand the language that the financial services industry leverages to place some of the biggest bets in the market. By teaching people of color how to use what they have (whether it’s one penny or a million dollars), our company is teaching people how to cash in on their unique circumstances. We believe every penny counts in the way of building generational wealth and breaking cycles of poverty. The wealth gap is not closed by going to college or learning a trade, it’s closed by learning to leverage what you currently have in order to double or triple your financial territory. It’s that fact plus passing on that knowledge to the next generation which helps to uniquely position young brown and black people for wealth accumulation. Brown Investors is putting people in a position to be financially free.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Natural Body Spa, a sushi date at Eight in Midtown, and maybe a nail appointment at Allure Nails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My success is in large part a result of my faith first, the Chief Investment Officer of Brown Investors (Kimberly Williams), the Chief Operating Officer (Rodney Williams), my family and life partner.

Website: https://www.browninvestors.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browninvestors/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCJOmlkGyUy5JM9Y6Vg9a7g

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