Bryant Lavender: Motivational Speaker and Author
We are pleased to have Bryant Lavender share his childhood money memories with us.
I discovered Bryant through my connection and collaboration with fellow financial education entrepreneur Derrick Wesley, founder of Imar Solutions.
Since then Bryant has been a consistent champion of Sammy Rabbit social media posts. So, we are delighted to feature him and the wonderful work he is doing to all of Sammy's friends and fans.
About Bryant Lavender
Bryant is a native of Gulfport, Mississippi. He attended Gulfport High School and continued his education at the the University of South Alabama where he earned a football scholarship. Bryant graduated in 2013 with a degree in Exercise Science in 2013.
He got an opportunity to play professional football in the AFL and AIF before hanging up his cleats in 2018.
In the midst of his football endeavors, he became a motivational speaker with a focus on helping people search for and find their life purpose.
Bryant is also a four-time published author. His latest book hit the market in May 2020 and is titled, “Finding my way back!”
Share this blog. Write your own blog. Read a child a Sammy story!
Growing Up, Birthday and Haircut Money
Team Sammy: Tell us about what it was like growing up – your family and community?
Bryant Lavender: My mother had three boys. I am the middle son. My favorite hobbies are reading, laughing and getting together with friends.
If you, your children or students do not master the basics, everything else is at risk:
financial security, stability, and freedom!
BIRTHDAYS
Team Sammy: What was one of your first money memories?
Bryant Lavender: My first money memory was when I started receiving money for my birthday from relatives.
HAIRCUTS
Team Sammy: What was one of your first saving memories?
Bryant Lavender: My first saving memory was when my mom would give my brothers and me haircut money. We would save it and let my oldest brother cut our hair.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Team Sammy: What was your first job (formal or informal)? How much did you earn and what you did with the money?
Bryant Lavender: My first job was when I started working the concession stand for our high school basketball games. I used to earn fifteen to twenty dollars a game. It varied depending on how much we made during the game.
My mom taught us a principle she called "money in" and "money out." It was straight to the point. You can not have more money going out than you have coming in.
She also taught us to buy what we need first, then get what we want later, if we have enough leftover.
MONEY MENTOR
Team Sammy: Did you have a money mentor growing up?
Bryant Lavender: I really didn’t have one main money mentor. I took nuggets from everyone, including mom.
EIGHT
Team Sammy: At what age and how did you come to realize money had a value?
Bryant Lavender: I knew around eight years old that money had value. That is why I started working in high school.
Contact Sammy for more information.
GOOD AND BAD CHOICES
Team Sammy: What was one mistake and one smart money choice you made as a kid or teen?
Bryant Lavender: One mistake I made as a teen was not having a set percentage of my money to save. I would just save whatever I felt I needed at the moment.
One smart choice I made was to tithe ten percent of whatever I earned to the church. When I started doing that, I found myself having more opportunities to make money.
MY UPBRINGING
Team Sammy: What piqued your interest in personal finance?
Bryant Lavender: It was in my senior year of high school when personal finance got my interest. I realized I would be going to college and every semester I would be allotted a specific amount of money. I did not want to spend my allotment of the money before the end of the semester.
ONE MONEY HABIT
Team Sammy: One question I ask everyone is: If you could only teach a child one money habit, what would it be and why?
Bryant Lavender: I would teach a child to tithe. It is the one thing I have seen in my personal experience that has always brought me more money.
Contact Sammy for more information.
YES
Team Sammy: Is it important to teach young kids about money?
Bryant Lavender: I believe it is important to teach young kids about money. It provides them an understanding everything has a cost. I think better understanding this would give them a deeper respect for money and their parents.
Discover more about Bryant Lavender. Visit his LinkedIn profile.
Share your story and childhood money memories with Sammy Rabbit and his global audience. Receive valuable exposure. Raise awareness for financial literacy education.
Be featured in one of Sammy’s Interview Series on childhood money memories. Be a guest blogger. Have your book or enterprise highlighted.
Contact Sammy to learn more.
If you have questions, suggestions or would like learn more about Sammy Rabbit and his mission to teach kids great money habits and other important life skills, contact us!
CLICK to contact Sammy via our website contact form; or
email us at: contact@SammyRabbit.com
