Meet Ayana: Millennial Money Guide

I am so thankful for women like Ayana, Founder of Millenial Money Guide, who is empowering women in the area of financial literacy. In her interview with us, she specifically emphasizing knowing your gifts and what makes you unique to offer up to those around you rather than getting caught up in the numbers on social media. I truly believe that our moments of humility turn into our greatest strengths, and Ayana has proved this to be true through all of the lessons she has learned herself in her financial journey! Read on how to find out exactly what these moments have meant to her and more!

1. Tell us about who you are and your journey to where you are now!

Hello there! I’m Ayana Campbell Smith and I’m a debt-free millennial money coach and educator based in Ohio.

By day I work as a creative director and web designer but I’ve always had a teacher’s heart. Aside from my creative endeavors, personal finance is another huge passion of mine.

For a while, I had been looking for something to devote my time to as a creative outlet outside of my 9-5. One day I got a random spark of inspiration and started a list of money topics I thought would be worth sharing with others. It was a combination of things I wished I’d been taught about money when I was younger, things I’d read, advice I’d heard, etc. The list quickly grew to 30+ topics so I knew it wasn’t something I should just sit on. This was valuable information for people my age who might be struggling to figure things out.

The next day, I decided to start a monthly email newsletter and Instagram account to share this info with others and Millennial Money Guide was born.

Since then, the Millennial Money Guide brand has grown to also encompass my blog and a mini-course I created in late-2019 called “The Pay Yourself First Challenge.”

2. What is the mission of your brand? How does it empower women?

Financial literacy is so important yet far too many millennials have zero clue what to do when it comes to their money.

My mission is to help as many millennials as I possibly can, especially millennial women, better understand and manage their finances so they can ditch debt, save more, and win with their money.

The world of personal finance is sometimes intimidating and often misunderstood. If sharing the knowledge I’ve gained from my own experiences can help just one person, it’s all worth it to me.

3. How do you collaborate with women working towards a better world?

I think the world is a better place when women are empowered to rise to their full potential. Gaining confidence around your money is one step toward becoming the best version of yourself.

Most recently I’ve launched a private Facebook community for Millennial Money Guide. The purpose of the group is to create a safe space where women can have open, honest conversations about their money struggles and successes, gain accountability and support from fellow group members, and partake in monthly live trainings on a variety of personal finance topics.

We’re just getting started at the moment but I’m so excited to see how it grows! 

4. What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to press through as a female entrepreneur and what are the steps you’ve taken to overcome it?

I’d say the biggest challenge I’ve faced has just been getting out of my own way. When you embark on any new journey, you’re bound to experience moments of self-doubt.

However, I’m constantly reminding myself that even though I’m not widely-known like Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman that doesn’t mean what I have to offer won’t be effective or lead to transformation.

I’m learning to recognize that I can draw strength from my unique experiences and use them to help others. No one else can offer what I can because being me is what makes me special.

5. What advice would you give to a female entrepreneur in the beginning stages of launching her brand or business?

I think it’s important to get super clear about who the audience is that you want to serve, what their pain points are, and what your messaging will be around how your brand or business will be the solution to their problems.

In the beginning, it’s super easy to get sucked into the rat race of chasing likes, comments, and followers. I know I definitely felt this pressure early on.

But once I zoned in on my niche, acknowledged my areas of expertise, and stopped focusing so much on the numbers, things began to fall into place much easier.

Each and every day I’m gaining more clarity and it’s been extremely rewarding so far.

6. What sets your brand apart from others?

I believe in taking a holistic approach to personal finance and promote the importance of finding balance in every aspect of your money journey.

Budgeting, ditching debt, saving, and keeping your mindset in check every step of the way are all pieces of a larger puzzle.

Everyone’s journey is different and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Because of this, my goal is to equip millennials with the tools and strategies they need so they are empowered to make the best money decisions for their unique situation.