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Financial Literacy is defined as the ability to understand and effectively apply various financial skills including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing, which leads to financial stability. By comparison, financial illiteracy contributes to people making poor financial decisions and becoming victims of abusive financial practices. 

My guest today is Maritza Brown. Maritza, who is a graduate of Barnard College, is an IT Asset Management VP at Morgan Stanley. She is also the CEO of Business Support Group, a company she founded to provide advice and support to small, start- up minority businesses. 

“I have been described as tenacious because I am a go getter who gets things done.” Maritza replies when asked to describe herself. This ability was developed in her role in IT Asset Management. “I learned early how to manage money so that I could work to live a better live, but not live to work. I was motivated and educated on the importance of managing money so that I would not be stressed when situations occur that limit your ability to create an income.”  

As a mentor to young people, she expects them to abide by the 5 R Acts:

• Be respectful no matter what. 
• Be responsible when you are assigned something to do.
• Be reliable. 
• Be resolution oriented
• Be responsive; be present when you need to be present. 
• Be accountable. 
• Be committed. 
• Be trustworthy.
• Make sacrifices.
• Sustain all of the above. 

According to Maritza, if you incorporate these attributes into your daily life, you will excel. If you fall short, you are compromising your own success. 

The best piece of advice that Maritza shares with our listeners is to put God first. Give Him praise and thanks. Always show appreciation for those people who come into your life by recognizing their purpose in your life.  Focus on the important things for survival first. We must prepare ourselves for emergencies, and do not become over-extended.  Pray for good partners, helpers, and angels who are coming to help with an unconditional heart. Seek out like minded individuals to be your role models.