Financial Literacy Education / Training / Curricula

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Stephen Epstein Biographical & Professional Information Biographical Stephen Epstein is an entrepreneur that found his niche in the financial education industry following an unfulfilling career in institutional finance. Several years after graduating from the University of Southern California, Stephen became disenchanted with the rampant consumerism and “spend then earn” lifestyle that he and so many of his peers had adopted. Searching for a more sustainable lifestyle, Stephen began a journey that would ultimately not only improve his life, but enable him to positively influence both the financial and personal lives of thousands. After numerous web-searches and trips to local bookstores looking for resources that could help him shore up his finances, it became apparent that the material available was neither clear-cut or accessible. Stephen soon realized that there was really nothing out there written for young adults in his situation. Accepting there was no simple guide to taking constructive action, Stephen ordered several books on financial topics he believed relevant. The material was dense, indirect, and blurred many of the answers to the straight forward questions for which he had sought concise, implementable solutions. Stephen spent months reading books, analyzing information, and distilling volumes of materials compiled by experts into direct steps he could take to improve his situation. He was baffled by the amount of effort necessary to address questions that he thought ought to have straight-forward answers. Although Stephen got his financial house in order, he could not get over the fact that there did not seem to be better financial resources available to young adults. He wondered if there was a way to help others avoid the pitfalls, traps and bad habits into which he himself had fallen during his early twenties. Biographical To find the answer, Stephen sought out teachers, administrators, accountants, financial planners and asked them if they were aware of any resources that specifically catered to young adults and the way they learn. He was not surprised to find that no one in the position to know could name such a resource. It was then that Stephen decided to develop a financial education program in an accessible, fun, graphical format that young adults could embrace. He left behind the dense, financial textbook, parental-lecture format that had proven ineffective when trying to reach those in their late teens and early twenties. DollarCamp™ After significant research and planning, DollarCamp™ and Stephen’s alter persona “BlingMan,” were born. Since 2006, Stephen and BlingMan have toured high schools and colleges, putting on audio-visual seminars for thousands of young adults. His hip, edgy format looks and feels more like an MTV program than than a lesson on deceptive credit card promo rates, the basics of budgeting, saving, and compound interest. -Stephen as “BlingMan” Stephen combined his edgy presentation with course materials that he developed to specifically cater to young adults. DollarCamp™ uses a graphically intense stepby-step approaches to enable young adults to understand credit, debt, budgeting, taxes, saving, investing and a number of other topics. Stephen’s approach and educational materials have been praised by financial experts, educators, and parents all over the country. -DollarCamp’s Ayada Savitall Biographical DollarCamp™ is currently a well-known brand among many educators and only continues to gain notoriety with Stephen’s non-profit school lecture series. To date, Stephen has performed over 100 not-for-profit lectures at high schools and colleges in numerous communities around the country. Stephen is currently working with educators and administrators to incorporate DollarCamp™ course materials and seminars into the standard curriculum for high school seniors and college freshmen. In addition to his non-profit work, Stephen is marketing home study courses, online certification programs, and is branching out into the fields of trade and employee education to promote greater financial growth, awareness and stability. DollarTalk Radio™ Stephen has also taken his financial knowledge and resources on the air in five major markets with DollarTalk Radio,™ a step-by-step financial education and immediate action series for adults. It was not long before the adults that Stephen was meeting with to discuss young adult financial education began asking how they could better address their own financial problems. Understanding that in many cases it was too late for preventative measures, Stephen set about marketing a program that could help reverse the affects of “poor financial aging.” Biographical Since the inception of DollarTalk Radio™ in June of 2008, approximately 200 clients have signed up for the company’s Financial Freedom Seminar. Clients that register for the $2,000 course receive customized financial efficiency software and access to financial coaches. Coaches sit down with clients in a live workshop environment, review their unique financial circumstances, and then utilize DollarTalk Radio™ strategies to minimize their client’s effective interest rates. As interest rates are decreased, freed-up cash flow is used to pay down their principal, creating a sharp reversal in clients’ debt payments and negative balances. DollarTalk Radio™ has been so effective in counteracting the negative impact of high interest rates, debt balances, and lack of financial planning that Stephen is currently registering over 70 new clients per month. DollarCamp™ & DollarTalk Radio™ Through his non-profit work with DollarCamp™ and his innovative financial literature, course materials, and industry specific financial education series, Stephen Epstein has truly earned his title as the “Student Money Expert.” Stephen is one of the best informed and most dedicated financial self-help professionals actively addressing the financial information needs of both adults and young adults in the industry today. Brief Resume Professional Experience DollarTalk Radio, San Francisco, California Founder DollarCamp, San Francisco, California Founder Grosvenor, San Francisco, California Investment Analyst Areas of Responsibility: Underwriting, Due Diligence, Acquisitions, Dispositions, Structured Finance, Mezzanine Lending Activities. Panoramic Interests, Berkley Project Manager & Acquisitions Analyst Areas of Responsibility: Underwriting, Due Diligence, Acquisitions and Dispositions, Construction Financing, Architectural, Use & Building Permits, Construction Budgets, Marketing & Operations. Conquest Student Housing, Los Angeles, California Project Manager & Acquisitions Analyst Areas of Responsibility: Managing Subcontractors and Renovation for Three Apartment Buildings, Conducting Rent Surveys, Underwriting Potential Acquisitions, Management of Construction Billings, Closing Escrows, Establishing Marketing and Leasing Programs. Brief Resume Education University of Southern California (USC) - B.A. International Relations, May 2003 (with Honors) - Thematic Option Honors Writing Program Branson School, San Francisco, California - Class of 1999 Certification & Skills - Certified Educator In Personal Finance TM - CEPF - Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) - Author of Illustrated DollarCamp™ Financial Survival Guide™ - Producer & Teacher of DollarCamp™ Financial Survival Training™ - Co-Host of “DollarTalk Radio” on KNBR 1050 AM in San Francisco - ULI, Completed Urban Land Institute Certification - Lorman Education, 1031 Accommodation Exchange Seminar - Certified in Argus - French Citizenship & French Fluency DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials DollarCamp Sample Materials Do"arCamp Interactive Budgeting So#ware DollarCamp Sample Materials Do"arCamp Online Educational Resources Support & Implementation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation