Brittney Castro, making anxiety-induced money talk a thing of the past

Using social media to build a following for her business, Brittney Castro teaches clients how to build wealth by managing money. Brittney specializes in working with entrepreneurial professionals, who are passionate about life and want to gain clarity around their money. Her mission is to help clients plan and create their dream life, free from money-induced anxiety. Brittney is most well known for her innovative, non-judgmental approach to financial planning, while also investing in self care. She’s a true believer in buying the things you want today, while also saving for tomorrow. In other words, GET THE SHOES!  

Brittney brings a fun, youthful approach to financial planning and wants to make ‘talking money’ something that doesn’t give you a headache. She was elected one of the “40 under 40 in 2020,” as well as one of the 22 “Women To Watch” by Investment News and was ranked 6th on INVESTOPEDIA’s Top Influential Financial Advisors list in 2017. Brittany sat down with Lapalme magazine to share her money-saving tips and tell us how she got her start.  

Can you start off by telling me a bit about yourself?  

I am a certified financial planner™professional and the Founder and CEO of Financially Wise Women. It is a financial firm for women, offering fee-only financial planning, online courses, and workshops. I live a full life running the company, I have a dog, as well as a very busy social life. I like to dance, travel, and just enjoy life to the fullest. When I first started in the industry after college, I didn’t even know I wanted to be a financial planner. I took a job as a financial advisor and now, here we are.  

What is your goal as a financial planner? 

My goal is to explain complex money strategies in a simple way that really empowers and educates clients. Specifically, smart entrepreneurs who are out there in the workplace or managing the household expenses. Or recently becoming divorced and learning how to manage money for the first time. Money is a tool. Let’s learn how to use it and how to live our best life using it. 

What advice can you give to young women struggling to fulfill a dream or take a course they’ve been eyeing?  

Go for it! Honestly, just go for it! The moments in my life where I was so scared to death and almost sick to my stomach were some of the most pivotal times in my life.

What is your best advice right now during the pandemic? 

My best advice is to budget. Once you’re able to set and stick to clear boundaries surrounding your budget, it will become a habit and slowly get easier. Everyone budgets; businesses, families, restaurants, etc. Go through your expenses, create a budget and stick by it.

Tune into Brittney’s instagram, @brittneycastro every Friday for Financial Fridays where she answers all things money.