When it comes to financial literacy, Joan Silva has seen both sides of the coin. As a CPA who graduated with honors, she worked for one of the most prestigious public accounting firms in the country. While she audited the financial statements of large corporations, her personal finances slipped out of control.
After several years of accruing credit card debt, she recognized the widening gap between her professional expertise and her personal life. She assumed it would be impossible for her and her husband to stop using credit cards, but decided to try financial counseling anyway.
The experience changed their lives. Within two months, they were no longer using credit, and they were living within their means for the first time in many years. Joan realized that credit card debt was only one small piece of their financial picture, and eliminating it was just the first step on the path to financial literacy.
She realized that many people still believe they have no choice but to continue relying on credit even though her own experience has taught her that each person chooses to live in the black or the red. She understood that there is nothing mysterious about financial literacy; it is simply a disciplined behavior that can be learned by anyone. It was just a matter of planning her cash flow before she lived it; then the money would settle in and behave itself.
Joan experienced a newfound sense of well-being and even noticed improvements in her physical health. She decided to share her experience with others. As the radio personality, "Money Silva," she gave daily prosperity tips on KEST 1450 AM.
In 1998, she opened Silva’s Financial Solutions. In her work as a financial counselor, she combines her experience as a CPA with several years of study in spiritual understandings. She uses her awareness of spiritual practices in both her workshops and one-on-one counseling sessions with clients.
Joan envisions a new lifestyle prevailing as financially literate people manage their own money effectively and use all of their resources to realize their dreams. She encourages everyone to believe that there is life after debt.
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