It's My Money with Patrina Dixon

Patrina Dixon is a Certified Finance Coach, International Speaker, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster. She enthusiastically helps individuals of all ages to budget, save, and use credit responsibly. She empowers them through 1:1 sessions and in group settings. She has an authentic way of engaging while she teaches and loves ensuring people understand the importance of saving, budgeting, and credit.

Connect with Patrina on Instagram! 

Transcript

Patrina Dixon

Patrina Dixon: [00:00:00] If you are like I was right now know that it can be different. It's all in you to execute. Do not be ashamed. You don't have to be transparent if you want to be transparent. That's fine. Just know that if you execute on at least one thing that you're not doing today, it can be different.

Jared Easley: welcome to starve the doubts. I'm your host, Jared easily joining me today. Patrina Dixon. It's my money between a happy birthday. It's your birthday 

Patrina Dixon: today, Sharon? Thank you so much. I'm so happy to finally be doing this with you to 

Jared Easley: be celebrating your birthday in such a cool place. You're in Austin, Texas.

You're hanging out with good people. Tell 

Patrina Dixon: me about, oh my gosh. Fin con is one of my favorite conferences. So to be able to celebrate my birthday with all these money nerds, like I'm having with. Oh, I love 

Jared Easley: that. Okay. So for people that are saying a train, a Dixon, I don't know, Patrina Dixon, first of all, shame on them.

And then second let's catch them up real quick. 

Patrina Dixon: Tell us about yourself. [00:01:00] We, so Patrina Dixon, I'm known across the social streets as the, it's my money lady. Why? Because it's my trademark brand. I own it's my money and the financial. I am a personal finance expert, international bestselling author, a podcast host, and a blogger.

I got to get it all for those that are listening. So yeah, that's me. I teach people how to live their best lives by managing their money. And I teach the fundamentals. So I'm learning how to budget learning, where to save and how to do that. And then how to use credit responsibly. 

Jared Easley: Yes, there must. Must've been a season in.

Where you had this aha moment and you realized, okay, financially, I need to pray, make some different decisions. Tell us 

Patrina Dixon: about that. Oh gosh. Yes. So I was working a nine to five, which I still do actually, no shame at all. And I was making a lot of money and I was spending a lot of money. I, so, yeah. And if one of those direct deposits didn't hit my bank.

[00:02:00] My life would've changed upside down. I would've missed bills. I would've not been able to pay my mortgage because I did own a home. And then one day I'm around the water cooler. And I'm hearing folks, colleagues talking about closing on their second home, buying their home by the beach. And I'm like, what?

I can barely pay the bills that are coming to my mailbox. Like what the heck is going on. So I then said, you know what? I need to start thinking differently about my money and stop thinking about having things. And instead owning things, have an asset having money saved. Because I had none saved my credit score.

I thought good credit was, I went to the mall, filled out an application. They gave me the 10% in the credit card and I got my sweater. That's what I thought good credit was like, if they said no to me that my credit was bad. They said, yes. And I got my favorite sweater. So that's what I thought credit was.

So I started to change my mindset and that's what I did and changing my mindset and then becoming a steward of personal finance, a student, a student, a student, I wanted to make sure that I did it right. So I wanted to leave. From those that I knew about that was teaching others how to do it well, and that's what I 

Jared Easley: did [00:03:00] trainer.

There's probably people listening right now and be like, this resonates with me, but I don't even know where to start. 

Patrina Dixon: So first of all, the mindset you have to want to do it. And then it's about the execution because you can learn all of the information, but if you don't do anything, then nothing changes.

So the first thing you start with is knowing how much money you make, not rounding up with budgeting. You can't. So knowing how much you have coming in and how much going out. And if you don't like the word that I'm going to say, then call it something else. But simply it's called the budget. So if you don't want a budget, call it money, meeting plan, call it whatever you want, but I'm here to tell you once you do it and have that intimate relationship with your money by way of budgeting, change your life.

Does that 

Jared Easley: mean. 10% off sweater. The one you love 

Patrina Dixon: so much. No, but what it does is this allows, it allows me to buy it and not be regretful because I'm going to have a bill later on. It's a bill either I can pay for it right out, or I'll get that bill. Cause I still use credit cards, but I'm able to pay it off in its entirety when it comes in.

So it's a different type of purchase, a guilt-free or freedom or [00:04:00] freeing purchase. When you do it on the other side of budgeting, 

Jared Easley: did you develop that mindset and you took that action. How long did, was it before you started really feeling good about that decision? 

Patrina Dixon: Oh, my gosh, I, you know, and true candor.

It was at least 12 months because I did it. I did it wrong. I did it. I did it wrong. I messed up. I don't want to do it this way. I still looked at budgeting as being restrictive. Like I got to sit down and only say, I'm going to have this number of coffees and does whatever. But I said, if I want to see different results and I have to do things differently and it took a few times, a few times, Get it under my belt, that there has to be a different behavior.

That's going to result in what I wanted and what I want. It was owning things, have the money in the bank where buying any type of sweater, no matter the price was no object. So in order to do that, I have to really get in, get it in place. And then when I started seeing zeros on credit card statements like, oh, I'm out dude, zero or balance.

That is when it was about 12 months after the process. Oh my gosh. It's the absolute, best [00:05:00] feeling. Absolutely. Kinda like having your 

Jared Easley: birthday in Austin.

Patrina Dixon: That's not true. Thank you. 

Jared Easley: What are some of the results aside from your own personal benefit and, and the encouragement. That's why to you, you've shared this information with others for a while now. And what are some of the feedback you got? 

Patrina Dixon: Oh my gosh. I'm going to tell you a story of my youngest youngest person that I coached.

Um, I, I did coaching for 90 day programs and this one young lady, she was the youngest person I ever coached. She sent me a video on solicited, a video that said, you. My life. So it's transformation. Also my own transformation that I'm learning actually just now being six years into it, sharing, being more transparent about my story has helped transfer the information to others and then transformed their lives by watching.

Taking the strategies that I'm sharing with them and then implementing it in their own lives have become transformational for them. So she sent me this video that I posted across my social and said, [00:06:00] you changed my life. My life has been transformed. Like I still order from Amazon because that was one of her culprits.

I still go out. But now I have a better handle on how far I can go. When I go out. How many things I can order? Maybe I can't order every week from Amazon, maybe I'm ordering. But it's now like being in control and not ordering frivolously and just wanted to, because you can it's because now that you know that it's within your budget to be able to do so.

So yeah, that's one of the great stories.

Jared Easley: so one of the things you said just prior, uh, when we were hitting record, I have different goals. There's different things I wanna accomplish while I'm at fin con. So let's talk about the, when you're, when you're preparing for a conference like this, how do you determine, Hey, these are the things I want to try to do while I'm here.

Patrina Dixon: Oh my gosh. So as I go winter, so this is my fourth thing con the last two FINCONS I was very intentional. I want to grow my brand. So now, you know, yeah. So 

Jared Easley: this is one 

Patrina Dixon: way to do that. [00:07:00] To establish more affiliate and brand and sponsor relationships. So I am very intentional. I have, you know, my one sheet has to be able to share the impact that I have made and can make coupled with their brands.

So that's what my goal is. I have a very intentional goal to do that. So I have even down to the point where I know the specific brands that I'm trying to at least start those conversations and begin nurturing those relationships that hopefully turns into some, something fruitful for the. And 

Jared Easley: how do you determine what brand might be a good fit for your audience?

Because just because you could have a relationship with a brand doesn't mean 

Patrina Dixon: you should. Right. So that's why I'm saying I'm very intentional. So I determined. So based on like, I know I have some of what they call it, the avatar, like I understand my avatar from a Facebook, from an, from a Facebook community and from an email community perspective, not so much on Instagram.

I know what sort of hits their heart and what they would need to help them along the way. So I'm being intentional about the brands that will help them along the way. So one that I feel good about that [00:08:00] will equip them with resources that will compliment the way that I'm trying to help them get to the next level, what they're finding.

Jared Easley: Wow. That's wonderful. Okay. So six years in your upward, you're going in the right direction. So what are, I mean, you mentioned a couple of goals. What are some other things that are on your mind as you continue this journey? 

Patrina Dixon: I want to be the voice of brands as well. So there's one. Affiliate relationships, where they have products and resources and services that I can, um, share with my community.

But you know, when you think I want to my name and my brand to be synonymous with brands that are helping people to elevate their financial lives. And so I'm, I'm trying to find that like, that's a goal of mine trying to figure out, okay, what's the one or a couple that I'm able to do that with. So I don't have that down and that's not the total intention for today.

The total intention is expanding. The awareness of what I'm doing, who I am in the brand, in picking those relationships that could be affiliates or sponsors and then [00:09:00] eventually move on to brand. So I gotten a lot of information from, you know, just listening in, at of the various rooms that I was able to get in thus far, to be able to help me along.

That journey, that short term journey. 

Jared Easley: Okay. You've said something that, um, that you said, you know, your audience, you know, your avatar, describe who that 

Patrina Dixon: is. So it's um, so by far 85% women who like to shop, but that's only 85% are women. I have some men as well of the 85%. The majority of them are moms. Some of them are full-time business owners and some of them.

Do the nine to five, as well as have side hustles to supplement their income and trying to juggle life right there, their parents, and trying to juggle everything they have going on, but also want to expand what they do, how they contribute to the household. So that's my overall avatar, but I like to shop like a lot of them like to shop.

And I had some research done within my [00:10:00] community to be able to tell me what the avatar. 

Jared Easley: Interesting. So side hustle. I love that word. What are some side hustles you've seen? They're pretty creative that some of your clients are doing, or some of your people in your network or are doing to try to make some extra money and be wiser and 

Patrina Dixon: so on and so forth.

Some people even to have affiliate income as a passive side hustle, like I, I am trying to grow. And that's what he says. I just mentioned my business actually, because I actually still have a nine to five. So my business one would say as a side business, as opposed to a side hustle, because I actually have a team underneath me working to support, uh, to generate.

So, um, I see, uh, you know, Uber is another side hustle that people. Blogs and podcasts, people are monetizing both of those. Um, so the thing about side hustles is a thing it's endless. The list is endless. I try to encourage people when they consider side hustles, do something you enjoy, try to monetize something you enjoy, or you're still that, so that it doesn't seem like a second job.

I [00:11:00] am making money doing something that I absolutely love. Like sitting here talking about what we're talking about. I love this. I can do this all day and if somebody can pay me for it even better. Absolutely. So you, 

Jared Easley: you have a podcast. So let's talk about that wedding. What compelled 

Patrina Dixon: you to start a podcast?

Can you tell that I like to talk, you should talk more podcasting, seem like the natural. For me to do, because one thing that I love about the podcast, my podcast is about money and entrepreneurship and bringing forth it's interview style. So I bring forth people that have similar, not, I don't want to say similar stories.

They have stories where they have become victorious over whatever money situation that they have. And they talked through how they did that. So other people. Hopefully you can pick from what has been shared to after you implement or execute that in their lives. So the podcast was okay, you can't pay to work with me one-on-one or be in the room where I'm delivering a course for a workshop that somebody has paid me for, but you can listen and you [00:12:00] can learn and still get to the other side.

Cause my overall mission is to help people be more financially astute, help them live their best lives. So the podcast is a way that I can help them, whereas at no cost to them. Right. So I'm talking one thing, I love that. I have guests on that can help them along the way, in addition to how I color in.

And hopefully that it grows to the point where it's also being, I'm also able to monetize it. So that's kind of where it is, but it was started for those that like to take content in that way, which is audio. They're able to do that. Um, while I increase my brand and give them information that's valuable in their life.

By doing 

Jared Easley: the podcast. Have you heard back from listeners that have, I mean, you mentioned how some people have said, Hey, this has been transformational. What kind of feedback have you gotten on the 

Patrina Dixon: podcast? Oh my gosh. Well, should I get more feedback on the podcast? So I do get people that will leave comments or people within my community.

They follow my, or following. They do share that they listen to it. And the infirm, the guests that I have, when I hear people talk about them, even here [00:13:00] today, people will say, oh, you're the one that has a podcast and you have such and such on. So I get more feedback like that, like live, or like, if I'm talking about something else, people will share it.

I don't get a lot within the actual comments. Some are there, but not as much as I like. Hopefully, I'll start to get your, they know that people will tell me, oh, you have such and such or your show. And they talked about, and that's, you know, that's what I learned early on. And I try to tell people that new coming out, people that have even met here today.

First time here is people putting out the content, people are watching or looking, even if they're not liking or leaving a comment they're watching. So keep putting it out there, you know, add value, make sure. That you're doing that and be consistent and it'll translate to hopefully what you would like it to.

So that's how that's a process that I'm going through. So tell us about your book. Sure. My book, guess what my book is called. I would never 

Jared Easley: know it's my money. Maybe I'm noticing a little bit of a pattern here, but 

Patrina Dixon: yeah. So it's my money. I own this. And I love saying that because [00:14:00] I, when you put out something.

And you're trying to brand it. You want to make sure nobody else can use it right in the way that you have it. So that is the name of my book. I have a journal series, so it's my money. Volume one is actually for ages 13 to 18. It's my money. Volume two is ages 19 to 25. So that one is the most recent one where the intent is to help people get started.

With the right foundation with money so that they don't have the story that I have, which is why, which is, I was really bad at that. And I didn't understand it credit. And I learned it later on, they are able to start off with the right financial footie. So I've been able to go into schools, universities.

Um, I've taught as far as Trinidad and Tobago, young people. Yes. Personal finance. That's my next podcast release is of a few younger. That was, uh, took my course and they graduated from it. If I had them come on and talk about their experience. So I hit the launch that one. 

Jared Easley: Wow. Okay. So congrats, obviously. I mean, this is amazing.[00:15:00]

I love how you're, you're just, you're just going for it. You're not letting anything hold you back. And yeah. Now big things are happening. You're six years in. I mean, this is, this is probably one of the more better stories I've heard at Ben Kahn recently. So I'm really proud of you excited for. So what's the book writing process.

Was that challenging for you? 

Patrina Dixon: Oh man. So it was, and let me tell you why I'm a talker. Like I'm a talker and I learned, and you know, I'm shout out to him Ash cash. He was actually the person who told me about my fin con and was the reason why I was at my. Finn come back in Florida four years ago. Now he encouraged me to go to fin con.

And what he said to me is you like to talk, you give your messages out way, you do your workshops that way, talk your books, like talking right into the recording, and then, you know, say everything that you want to say, get it all out, or have some sort of structure and then talk it out. And that's exactly what I did.

And then it became the words on the page. It was easier for me to do it that way. And then [00:16:00] I have an editor. So, you know, it goes through to editing. And my book is actually journal format. So then I have somebody that formats it, but yeah, that's how I actually got it out onto the page.

Jared Easley: so I had a couple other questions. Oh, wait. So for parents who have smaller children, maybe not quite for volume one age, what encouragement do you say to someone who's wanting to. Helpful, uh, ways for their kids to be smart about money and things 

Patrina Dixon: like, you know what, don't talk about money in a negative way around them.

That's number one, you know, I love my mom. My mom would probably listen to this episode when it launches, but I didn't learn about money. What I did learn about it was we don't have enough of it. Like we have to pay bills, so we can't buy this, that or the other. I always heard it in that way. So I would say talk pot.

If you go to talk about money around your children and be positive about. And, you know, when there's things that you're unable to do for them that they're asking [00:17:00] for, you know, find other ways to either have them contribute for something that you know, that they will want either by doing, doing something extra, because I'm not about pain children for doing things around the house that they should help you out with.

But if they're going over and beyond, I don't know whatever that is. You have to define that for your household. And then maybe when they see that contract. Earn the money and then are able to put it towards what they're looking for. That's another way to teach them about money, have the conversations at the dinner table.

That's what my volume one did was allow people to when kids would come to my course, because I got hired by organizations that had like summer programs and things like that, the kids would run home and talk about what they learned. That's how their parents then became like. So talk about it at the dinner table, make sure that you're educated so that you are having those appropriate money conversations.

Right. And then like there's a coloring book, actually, a free coloring book on my website, print that down and give it to them. And when they ask questions, answer the questions because oftentimes parents, especially those that are not financially. Data I'm shut off a financial question. Oh, D Wilson you'll learn that [00:18:00] later or stuff like that.

They'll go ahead and have that conversation at their level. So be open about money as the most appropriate, and then have positive conversations in regarding money and then early on, get them to learn how to, how they earn money. And don't think like my daughter. Which was go to that machine and get it.

They, she didn't think it grew on trees. Cause I know that's an old same if he didn't think that, but she thought just go to the machine. She never, she, even my daughter now that I am who I am now, she thought you could just go to that machine to take it out. She never understood how it went into the machine so that you can take it out, meaning the ATM.

So make sure that they, you know, take them into the bank and put the money into. Or show, you know, do some sort of transaction where they can understand and see that. So they understand how you are able to get it out of the bank. 

Jared Easley: Yes. Uh, so what are some opportunities that have opened up for you since you started this 

Patrina Dixon: journey?

Oh my gosh. The network fin con alone. This is one of my favorite conferences. When I leave here, my network always grows from there. So your network is your net worth. That's what I will say. So the [00:19:00] more that I grow my network, the more platforms I'm able to be on the more. Who I am and what I do where, you know, I love this somebody a been con Lasha said, you're a Patrina Dixon is my money.

Like I heard somebody talking about your name being talked about in rooms that you're not in, in a positive way. So that's how I've been able to grow, because my intent is to grow the brand. So people it's, my money workshops and courses can be facilitated at the same time across the world. And I don't have to be the one doing it.

Like I'm the one that's making the deal and, oh, am I at my home somewhere? And I'm somewhere. And it's, my money is still running. Like that's the overall goal. So to when kids would come work and continue to share that, that's what I'm trying to do. Hopefully somebody wants a sponsor that 

Jared Easley: I have every reason to believe that is going to continue and rightfully so we have a couple wrap-up questions.

First one is who is doing something that. 

Patrina Dixon: Oh, my gosh, my absolutely. And I'm going to bow down like this Budgetnista she is by far Tiffany Elicia budget. [00:20:00] Oh my gosh. She is by far. You know, it's funny because I think I'm older than her 

Jared Easley: several years 

Patrina Dixon: ago, by the way, that's a tip to walk away with is no matter the age of the person, if somebody is doing something really well, and it's something that you aspire to do, it doesn't matter that they're older than you.

You can always learn from them. So by far, auntie I'll call her . She's another one that I completely agree. And what I love most about her, I call her auntie Lynette, is that a lot of people feel like if you don't have a heavy social presence, if you don't have, you know, always on there consistently, you can't make money.

And she's a prime example where she's, I see her on social, but she's not heavy on social. And she's doing her thing right. Is you have to know what, what you're best suited for and how what's your lane and play in that lane or, or be in that lane. So I think, you know, the two of them from different angles and things that they're doing admire both of them.

Yeah, no. Well 

Jared Easley: said. So there's listeners that are going to say, I need to get this book. I need to check out [00:21:00] this podcast. I want to be friends with Katrina. She's good energy. How do people connect 

Patrina Dixon: with you on all right, first of all, I want to say thank you for having me on this has been an absolute pleasure, especially doing here at right at fin con.

So where they could find me, I would love for you to go to. It's my money underscore on Instagram, go to Instagram, which is it? S M Y M O N E Y. Underscore go there hit the Lincoln bio and you can get everywhere else. I don't want to tell you to go to five call to actions because I wanted you to go there because I want to increase my following there.

And then from there,

Jared Easley: So you get to the podcast, take it to the book. 

Patrina Dixon: Exactly. Right. You can get my book, find my book, my podcast, my website, all from there. So again, that's on Instagram. It's my money. Underscore all one word underscore. You'll find me there. I love 

Jared Easley: it. I love it. Okay. Last question. Do you have any final 

Patrina Dixon: thoughts?

If you are like I was right now know that it can be different. It's all in you to execute. Do not be [00:22:00] ashamed. Do you? Don't have to be transparent if you want to be transparent. That's fine. Just know that if you execute on at least one thing that you're not doing today, it can be different. And how do I know?

Because I did it. 

Jared Easley: Thank you so much Katrina the best way just to you and the business and everything you have 

Patrina Dixon: going on. .