Let Go of Self-Limiting Beliefs with Miranda Oda

Miranda Oda was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She attended Punahou school where she competed on the varsity wrestling team. Recently, Miranda has graduated with her Master of Science in Global Business degree from Pepperdine University. While in graduate school, Miranda ran a successful national financial planning practice through Northwestern Mutual. She recently became a top 5 new financial advisor in the country and was celebrated in her local office. Miranda loves meeting and helping new people and believes that everyone deserves to understand what’s possible in the realm of financial planning. Outside of work, she enjoys art, music, traveling, dancing, and learning languages.

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Transcript

Let Go of Self-Limiting Beliefs with Miranda Oda

Miranda Oda: [00:00:00] welcome 

Jared Easley: to starve the doubts. I'm one of your hosts. My name is Jared, and today I have a special co-host. Her name is Doris Horn, Doris. It is so good to hear from you all the way from Maui.

Yes, it is wonderful to talk with you today. And we're not just here just for us to catch up, which, uh, I w I should have a podcast just for that. Uh, but we're very fortunate to speak with Miranda ODA. So who Miranda Miranda was born and raised in Honolulu. She attended tuna homeschool where she competed on the varsity wrestling team.

Recently, she graduated with her master's of science in global business degree from Pepperdine. Uh, while in graduate school, Miranda ran a successful national financial planning practice through Northwestern mutual. She recently became a top five new financial advisor in the country. It was celebrated in her local office, right?

So right away I was meeting and helping new people and believes that everyone [00:01:00] deserves to understand what's possible in the realm of financial planning and outside of work. She enjoys art music, traveling, dancing, and learning languages. Miranda. Welcome. 

Miranda Oda: Hi. Yeah. 

Jared Easley: So that's quite the bio and, uh, I feel like we can just stop the show now and you know, like, wow.

Uh, no, of course not, but we are thrilled that you're here and a question I like to start most of the podcasts with is an icebreaker question. And so I'm going to let you answer this one. I think it's kind of fun. It's what is the best concert that. 

Miranda Oda: Oh, that's a great question. I would say. And it may be kind of relevant based on the news is Brittany Spears.

When I was in Las Vegas and I went with my grandpa and it was just a fun experience being with my grandpa in Las Vegas, watching Brittany Spears. And most of the audience were, were females, but it was nice to be with him and to dance and sing all her songs. And it was just a great time. Well, I 

Jared Easley: got love for Brittany.

So what do you have a favorite Brittany spear song? 

Miranda Oda: I would [00:02:00] say I really like every time it's kind of a sad song, but it's also sentimental. 

Jared Easley: Okay. Fair enough. I don't know why, but I thought you were gonna say like womanizers, but that's not the case. Okay. Moving on. So, um, Doris, uh, why don't you kick us off with some good, some better questions here, 

Doris M. Horne: Jared.

Well, Miranda, I'm so happy to see you once again. It's been, I think almost 20 years, I first met you 20 years ago in 2011. And I believe you're just a freshman at put a whole school at that time. Right. 

Miranda Oda: 10 years, 10 years. I'm so sorry. I'm 

Doris M. Horne: getting too old. Maybe 

Jared Easley: it was quite early in. Right. 

Doris M. Horne: Right. And we started on the same wrestling team and we both actually wrestled together.

I served as a coach and she was an actual athlete. And here you are, you're still doing so well. And everyone that knows you are so proud of you. So I have to ask a [00:03:00] Miranda and by the way, congratulations on your master's degree this year. Thank you. You're welcome. So how did you balance your master's program?

Ron a financial practice and obtain professional licenses simultaneously all in the 

Miranda Oda: CME. Yeah. So it was a really overwhelming time, but I always remembered back to, you know, in high school when I was a wrestler and we used to have 6:00 AM lifts with the head coach, and it was all about work ethic and discipline and doing the right thing.

And I took those attributes and it helped me shape who I am in my adult years, whether it's undergrad or pursuing my career or a grad school. So I was trying to keep that in mind. Really try to work on time management and balancing because there's no rule book that says you can't do it all. And sometimes I think people limit themselves, but I tried never to have any limiting beliefs.

And I said, if I could do all these things at once, then it will be better in the long run. And I'm really happy that I [00:04:00] was able to knock a lot of things. Um, you know, out of that. 

Jared Easley: Congratulations on that. I want to touch on the wrestling thing, obviously that's where you endorse it and that's how you know each other.

And you mentioned work ethic and discipline. So I want to do a finish this sentence. I can't use work ethic or discipline. Well, maybe you can, but, uh, I wanna, I wanna challenge you not to, uh, so finish this sentence. Some life lessons that a person can learn from wrestling, including. 

Miranda Oda: I would say life lessons that you can learn from wrestling is it's a quote that my coach used to say, if I can remember it, it has to do with success is made off of consistency and practicing and preparing and rehearsing because we can't be successful with.

Consistent actions every day and working to make ourselves better every day and improving yourself by maybe 1% or 2% every day, and always striving to have that growth mindset. And so I think if you can be [00:05:00] consistent and persistent, not just in wrestling, but in life, uh, then that's really the. Well, 

Jared Easley: sir, I feel like, I feel like this interview is like at least 2% for Monday

Doris M. Horne: and Miranda. I love everything, what you say? Cause I remember all of those too. And that for me, that is why I'm still involving wrestling is such a nurturing environment. Everyone is great there. So I'm, I'm so happy for you. 

Miranda Oda: Thank you. 

Doris M. Horne: You're welcome. So I'm next. And I've, I've learned that you did quite some extensive traveling when you're in college.

So I liked it to also finish this question or finish the sentence. My favorite thing about the Zack Republic 

Miranda Oda: is I would say just the culture and the art. I really love architecture. I love Renaissance art painting. Museums churches. To [00:06:00] me that felt like home. I feel like we don't really have that here in Hawaii.

Of course, there's lots of nice beaches and Palm trees and mountains, but I just really like classic beauty and things that were popular in the ancient Roman times. And I just love seeing everything in the Czech Republic and experiencing that culture. And it really is. Then Hawaii, but I felt more comfortable and I felt like I was home more than I do where I grew up.

So I just really loved that about the Czech Republic. 

Jared Easley: Yeah. I think that's interesting that you felt like Czech Republic is like your home, even though you're nowhere close to being from anywhere around that area. So that, that, that's amazing that you had such a good experience that it made you feel that way.

Let's go back a bit. Okay. So yes, we know that Miranda is. The Miranda now is making big things happen and doing some really amazing things, which we'll get into some more. But going back in time, what do you think contributed to your success? Some of the things you've learned at a young age. [00:07:00]

Miranda Oda: Sure. Well, I would say that I started actually MMA when I was seven before wrestling.

And that was the basically just Kempo, which was kind of a mix of kickboxing and grappling and submission. And that also taught me a lot of discipline and hard work. Always going back to that. You know, doing what you're saying you're going to do and all was showing up. And I think that's a big key is always showing up, being present.

I remember one day it was, I was eight years old and there was a big Hawaii parade going on. And so everybody in the Kempo class ditched the practice and I was the only one there. And so I had basically a private lesson and at our award ceremony, You know, the one who's always has that consistency and, you know, most are the hardest worker.

I would say that was kind of the award. 

Doris M. Horne: And can I add that it's Miranda. I remember resting practices. I could tell that you are one of the hardest working ones. You're not distracted at all. You know, [00:08:00] uh, some people in their life, they have, you know, boyfriends, girlfriends, or they have a midterm coming up or the whole carnival.

And as a coach, when I observed at that time, you know, I could see if some are a little distracted, a little bit worried, but you are always focused, like nothing else in the world matter, you know, just everything in that room was your word. 

Miranda Oda: Oh, yeah, that's true. I appreciate that because what a lot of people may not know about me is I am diagnosed with ADHD and that was in junior year.

And so it is hard to overcome that challenge. So a lot of people say, well, Miranda, you're laser focused. You know, your heads all was in the game, but I have to work really hard to do that and push myself to do that. And I think it's because I know there is a challenge. I pushed myself to overcome that as much as possible, but I always, you know, still to this day, I don't really get into any trouble.

I don't do things that normal girls in their twenties do, but I just try to stay focused in my career and [00:09:00] school. That 

Doris M. Horne: is fantastic. All right, this next question. We're going back to a present time. That's a little bit tricky. So with you and LV, for me, that's a popular university, but Pepperdine for me when back then when I was in high school, Pepperdine was the school that I wanted to go to.

Um, so you went to Pepperdine. If you could pick and choose, would you say you and LV or Pepperdine and Y 

Miranda Oda: O an easy question? Not a hard question. I would say Pepperdine, because one, the location is beautiful. Arguably, I would say it's the most beautiful. In the United States, but also just the community. I think I made a lot of great connections there.

I also felt like home. I would say I had really good roommates, really good, um, experience immersing myself in other cultures as well because in the program I was in global business. I kind of, it's a funny fact, but I kind of felt like an outsider because it was predominantly a students from [00:10:00] China, not American Chinese, but people who actually came from China.

And there were really only, I would say. Nine Americans out of about 140 in the program. Everybody else was either from China or Kuwait for some reason, but it was hard a little bit to adapt because they were always speaking Chinese in the class. And there was only one other American in my specific class or cohort, but really leaning into that and trying to understand and trying to relate to their culture and adapting.

I think that also helped with, you know, me adapting in the business world. 

Jared Easley: I've heard you talk about this in a conversation that we've had before, and I wanted to follow up on this. So what does the phrase lean into interpersonal risk mean to you? 

Miranda Oda: I would say that would mean, and I'm looking at a quote, cause I always have quotes around my room, but it says be scared and do it anyway because interpersonal risk, whether it's, you know, talking to someone who you're unfamiliar with, or maybe who's [00:11:00] a higher ranking position than you, or maybe someone you wouldn't talk to that can be a little nerve wracking, or maybe you feel like you don't deserve to talk to a certain person based on your tenure.

But to me that never phased me and I never limited myself again. I think the more that we lean into things that make us uncomfortable, the more we're able to. That's great. 

Doris M. Horne: And so with the world going on now, Miranda, how are you able to maintain your balance during the pandemic and has the pandemic meetings easier or more challenging?

Miranda Oda: Really great question, because I would say I've always been kind of an introvert or a home body, so it feels like it hasn't been a locked down, but just normal life. But I would say in this day and age, especially in my career, it's made it much better because I'm able to talk with people or clients across the country, whether it's California, New York, Texas, All kinds of places because of technology like this ring, I use RingCentral, which is a [00:12:00] safer version of zoom or even phone calls.

So it's not like my clients are limited to just Hawaii, so it makes it more efficient. And I think people are also because we do have this pandemic, they're also more open to video conferences as well. And it saves a lot of time on commuting. So I think it's about. Really good for my business.

Jared Easley: I've heard you talk about limiting beliefs. You you've mentioned this already and I want to go there some more, um, for someone who's listening and maybe they're struggling with that. What, what, what advice do you have to someone who's. Listening to that voice in their head that they say, now you can't do that.

Or that that's a little bit too big or that's going to be uncomfortable. What do you, what 

do 

Miranda Oda: you say? I would say what I tell myself is, uh, turn that off, right? Because I was just reading a book. I love reading that says we are what our mind believes we are. Right. Our thoughts kind of control how we carry ourselves and really it's your [00:13:00] subconscious, that controls everything.

So you have to tell your. Positive good stories and almost fake it till you make it. Because if you tell yourself that you're confident, you're courageous and that, you know what you're doing, you're going to be more inclined to, you know, carry yourself that way. But if you say, oh, I don't think I can. I don't know if I'm worth it.

That does feel scary. Then you're going to trick yourself too, and you're going to feel that way. So always tell yourself good stories. And again, you become your thoughts. 

Doris M. Horne: I love that. That's so much and I've seen you go I'm you Miranda. You've already come so far at a young age since you're, like you said, starting with Kempo.

And I want to go back to where Jared read out loud, your Bible. And so you say that you believe that everyone deserves to understand what's possible in the realm of financial planning. And why is that so important to you? 

Miranda Oda: Yeah. So that's a great mantra. I tell myself. [00:14:00] And when I prospect to, right, if I'm meeting with someone, usually my work is based on referrals.

And so oftentimes even if I'm talking to someone who's in their fifties or who has other financial advisors, they may not do what I specifically do. And so without going in too much detail, right? There's certain tax minimization strategies or certain safer vehicles within the financial realm that aren't traditional or that can't be.

Ubiquitously in the stock market. And so I was like educating and teaching, not just being like a sales person, but actually, you know, providing that differentiated value. So just really explaining. And I believe that the more people I meet, the more people I'm able to help and educate. Uh, teach people what's possible.

So sometimes I'll say, you know, people who need to know what's possible cause you just told me. Wow. I didn't know that that's actually really interesting. And so, yeah. I just believe if I believe that and I tell other people to believe that then it's a, the way to go. 

Jared Easley: Um, [00:15:00] Miranda, I've talked to a lot of people.

That money is like a hush topic and it's taboo for some, and they're not comfortable talking about it. And maybe that's probably because they don't have a healthy relationship with money, but you're real big on that. And you want people to have a healthy relationship with money. So what advice do you have on having a healthy relationship with.

Miranda Oda: Yeah. So I would say you're definitely right. That can be a taboo topic, especially when it comes again, back to culture, some cultures don't like talking about it, but I think it's very natural and it's part of the world we live in and it's not a bad thing. Right. I was reading another book called Atlas shrugged, and me and my stepdad were having a conversation.

Money is not the root of all evil, but it's what you do with it. That can be kind of corrupt. Right. But if you, you know, think of it as just really a commodity and an exchange of value and something that helps you do what you really want and provides for your family, then that is healthy. And so maybe, sometimes people have a bad relationship because of.[00:16:00]

You know, it's based off of what they grew up with with their parents. Right? It hasn't been my experience, but I've had other colleagues where their parents would fight about money. And I would think that money is a big reason why a lot of people divorce or that's one of the relationship issues. But if you can talk to your spouse comfortably about money, and if you can have these open conversations and work with an advisor, Then I think having that support system and having someone who kind of walks you through and helps you navigate stuff without you having to do all the nitty gritty is a really important.

And is that 

Doris M. Horne: good advice for you? 

Miranda Oda: That 

Jared Easley: is good advice for me. Um, I'm speechless because of the,

okay, 

Doris M. Horne: well, outside of your financial planning career Miranda, I know you have a lot of other talents. What is the most surprising fact that you have learned about yourself? 

Miranda Oda: Oh, a surprising fact. Okay. That's an interesting one. I would say maybe just learning things like [00:17:00] languages, I I'm really into, you know, exploring different languages and I always use duo lingo and it I've always thought that it came easy to me.

Even when I was younger, I took Japanese and Spanish and then in high school I took Japanese, but I think the reason I was so drawn to the Czech Republic is because I was interested in slough. Languages like Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Czech. And so that interest kind of sparked my desire to want to actually go to the country where I've been learning those languages and practice it and experience that because I think you grow and you learn the most when you experience something.

And so I would say that's another thing. Doing things that you're scared of. Cause it is scary when you're young to go to a country that you've never been to without knowing anyone. I didn't go with family or friends. I went with a bunch of strangers and lived there for two months and had to navigate around there.

So I think that was a really great personal growth time for. 

Jared Easley: Brando, would you be willing to share an [00:18:00] example, a specific example of, and whether this can be work or it can be personal, but how you've been able to turn adversity into passion and drive? 

Miranda Oda: Yeah. So I would say when I went to Pepperdine, I really chose that school because of the masters of science and global business.

You know, studying abroad is required in that specific program. So I said, I would love to go there because originally I wanted to get my masters in the Czech Republic, actually go to the Czech Republic and get a master's degree there at a Czech university. But a lot of my family and colleagues and friends did not like that idea and said, it might not be a valid degree if I ever were to come back.

And so that was kind of a dream crusher, but I really. Maybe I, there could be a compromise. So I saw Pepperdine and I was like, okay, this is going to be a great experience. I'm going to get a great degree and actually travel and study abroad as well. So it was super excited about it. But then as you know, COVID hit and the one thing I came to Pepperdine for was taken away [00:19:00] from me.

I was supposed to go to the Czech Republic for a week for a specific. Intensive program. And then I was supposed to actually go to Warsaw, Poland for a whole semester. And I had planned my flight. I had planned the classes I wanted to take. And when you do so much planning, it's almost like you're already in it and your heart set.

But then for that to be taken away and stripped was really, really difficult for me. And I admit I did cry because it was my dream. And, um, but I realized you can't just be ruminating over things that affect you and you can't. Feel hurt and, you know, boom me. So I said the next day I'm going to work as hard as I can at Northwestern mutual and my business and do really well, even though I'm doing online classes to just have that sense of fulfillment and purpose anyway.

Right. 

Doris M. Horne: Right. And you've met so many people through all your traveling, even in that Pepperdine program. And so in your practice, you also have clients that are much older than you. What would be some of the ways [00:20:00] you'd be able to get to know them 

Miranda Oda: and earn their trust? Great. So I would say I'm kind of like an old soul.

I'm not really, I don't really feel a part of my own generation. And I say, I'd get along better with people over their forties than I do with people my own age, mainly because of my interests. I'm not someone who likes to party or date around or. Get drunk on weekends. That's just not me. And so I just like having really great conversations like we're having right now and I relate better with my friend's parents sometimes.

So I think other people, my clients see that and they see that I really do have their best interest in heart. And they kind of look past my age because I'm able to connect with them and show the value. Because when you can demonstrate that you can be quickly relevant to someone and that you really can help them, then that's what builds a trust in this business or in life essentially.

And you are 

Doris M. Horne: just 23 years old. Is that correct? 24. Yeah.[00:21:00]

Jared Easley: A lot of wisdom for the 24. Pretty 

Miranda Oda: impressive.

Jared Easley: I want to go here and I had a brief chat about this. Not focus was interesting. Some of our younger listeners to this podcast, they may have this idea that, Hey, I'm not in a position financially to hire a financial advisor. So first of all, is that a stereotype then? You know, what, what would you say to someone who has that lens?

Miranda Oda: Yeah, great question. I would consider that a stereotype. I think sometimes young people think maybe they need a lot of money to work within an advisor, or maybe they need a good career. But I would say that really anybody can work with a financial advisor and some advisors do have minimums or they do fee-based planning, but I don't.

And I really like to just help people who also, you know, have potential and are going somewhere. And even if they are in school and maybe they don't have enough. We'll start [00:22:00] planting the seeds and start working towards that right direction. Because I like to say, when I work with my older clients, they often tell me, I wish I had done this when I was in my twenties or when I was younger, I would be so much better off.

And so I said, say, let their hindsight be your foresight. And by having this conversation, you're ahead of the game. And we're thinking ahead with. 

Jared Easley: Well, that's good, but I've heard the phrase standing on the shoulders of giants. It's kind of similar. It's like you're gleaning wisdom from people. Who've got that experience already ahead of you.

So I think that Doris, I hate to do this, but I think we're going to have to do a couple of wrap-up questions here. 

Doris M. Horne: No. Okay, great. Great. We're coming on to almost 30 minutes. So a Miranda. I want to ask you about someone, you know, personally or someone you've never met before, who is doing something that 

Miranda Oda: interests you.

Okay. That's a really great question. I never thought about that. I would say. Maybe [00:23:00] someone that I met personally, would be this guy named Tom Lipscomb. And he's in, he's at Northwestern mutual. He's a financial advisor as well, or a financial representative. And every day I actually listened to his podcast and that's how I grow every day.

And that's how I'm able to. No more knowledge as well, even though I am younger by just listening to what someone who's been in the industry for 30 years, because he has a lot of wisdom. So I feel like I can always grow and I have a lot to learn. And, you know, I really, I feel like when you are inspired by your heroes and you try to be like them while also being true to yourself, that's really how you can grow with.

Jared Easley: Now I have one more podcast to check out. Okay. It's very likely that listeners or even prospective clients are going to want to connect with you online. So how could they do that? Okay. Can they email you? Can they hit you up on Instagram? Where, where, where, where do you want them to, uh, 

Miranda Oda: Great. I think [00:24:00] LinkedIn is most efficient, just Miranda ODA, or I also have a website, I believe it's just, I'm trying to find my website.

So it's Miranda, ODA dot N m.com and yeah, they can email email me too@mirandadotodaatandm.com. 

Jared Easley: Was that in M or 

Miranda Oda: M and M Northwestern. 

Jared Easley: We will put that in the show notes so people can check that out. So. 

Doris M. Horne: And in wrapping up Miranda, we'd like you to have the last word. So do you have any final thoughts for the listeners?

Miranda Oda: Yeah, I mean, I would say this conversation has been very productive and very insightful, and it's really great to connect with you again, doors because yeah, I think you've really impacted my life and everybody has played a part in each other's lives. Oh, we always have to remember where we came from too.

So I always try to be humble and stay true to myself while also elevating and not feeling guilty for, you know, doing things at such a young [00:25:00] age. And I think that reading really helps too, and, you know, exposing yourself to other cultures also, you know, just working on yourself every day. That would be the key takeaway.

Jared Easley: Miranda. We really appreciate your time. We wish you the absolute best with Northwestern mutual and beyond. Hopefully you can get back over to Europe and enjoy Prague and, uh, all the other things that you have on your bucket list and just thanks for making time for us today. We really 

Miranda Oda: appreciate it.

Thanks for having me. I really. Uh, speaking with you both. .