It's August, and every year since my father's death 13 years ago, this month feels a bit melancholy for me. This was the month when my mother found him in bed with a mysterious brain injury, the month I spent with her praying he would come out of his coma and be okay, and the month he was born, where we celebrated his 65th birthday by his bedside in the hospital. He sadly passed away on September 2nd, 2011.
As a young adult, I had a complicated relationship with my father. I was the budding artist, and he was the pragmatic and practical financial manager who constantly worried about my future. When I was 21, he gave me $1K, opened a Roth IRA for me, and told me all I had to do was not touch it—except, of course, to contribute to it. When I was in graduate school and barely getting by, he wanted to sell me his house in a gated community on a golf course (not my vibe but I made it fun), so I could start earning equity and become a property owner. I reluctantly said, "yes," and he had his lawyers draw up the paperwork. I put $2K down and paid the monthly mortgage. I don't remember all the details, but I'm pretty sure my parents acted as the mortgage company because, at the time, I was too much of a financial risk for anyone to lend me money. This decision did change things for me in the short term. I ended up selling the house, made equity, and used the money to invest in another property with my now-husband.
So why am I telling you this, and what does it have to do with you?
My father undoubtedly loved me and wanted me to grow up without struggling, but what he failed to do—through no fault of his own—was to explain my finances to me like I was five. He had a hard time translating how my Roth IRA or the mortgage of the home I bought from him worked.
The lesson I learned through this experience is one that applies not just to financial matters, but to communication in general: clarity is key. It wasn't until after he passed away that I started to care about my financial health. I believe it was a combination of his passing, becoming a new mom, and taking entrepreneurship seriously that got me to where I am now, which is excited about developing my financial literacy. I see it as another extension of my overall wellness.
For those of you in technical fields, it is so important that when you are speaking to your audience about your research, new solution, product or service, you speak to the person in the room with the least amount of knowledge. Why? Because if you don't, you run the risk of alienating them from the conversation, and it may take them much longer to get to where you know they could be.
So, what can you do to ensure your message is understood? Here are three solutions:
Simplify Your Language: Just like my father could have made a bigger impact by explaining finances to me in simpler terms, you can help your audience by avoiding jargon and complex terms. Break concepts down into parts that even someone with no prior knowledge can understand. Trust me, those who do have more knowledge are not going to feel like you are wasting their time.
Use Analogies and Examples: My father tried to help me by giving me financial tools, but if he had related those tools to something familiar and easy to grasp, I might have understood sooner. Similarly, when explaining something new, relate it to something your audience already knows. This builds a bridge between the unfamiliar and the familiar.
Check for Understanding: I didn’t truly engage with my financial literacy until I was much older. If my father had checked in with me and encouraged questions along the way, I might have gained that understanding sooner. When you're presenting, pause and ask for feedback to ensure everyone is on the same page—this way, no one gets left behind.
In the end, whether it’s about money, technology, or anything else, clarity and connection are key to helping people grow and thrive.
Thank you, Dad for all of your guidance. It took a while but I eventually got it and I am pretty sure you are looking down on me with smile on your face and a sigh of relief. ✨
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