Episode 16: Pocket Change Podcast
Life is full of transitional moments and times of change, and they all play a part in our financial journeys. On this episode of the Pocket Change Podcast, we sit down with Mary Helen Holt, the former co-host of the podcast and the Marketing and PR Specialist at Leaders Credit Union over the past year. As she transitions into a new chapter of her life, we caught up with her to discuss her insights, experiences, and advice regarding financial literacy and personal growth. We also introduce our new co-host, Maddie Steele to Pocket Change.
“Every good conversation starts with a question. And so once you start asking questions, you can start getting answers and one question leads to another that leads to another. That's why this whole podcast was formed,” Mary Helen said. “That's why it was created, to answer the questions that people have that they should be asking, but they don't really know how to phrase or what to say.”
Summary
Mary Helen's credit union journey began with limited knowledge about the financial world, but her willingness to ask questions helped her become financially literate during her time at Leaders. She stressed that no question is too basic when it comes to financial education. The podcast played a significant role in her transformation, as she engaged in research and enlightening conversations with experts.
One of the highlights of Mary Helen's experiences was recognizing the purpose behind Leaders Credit Union and the podcast. She realized that it's not just about content creation but also about educating and sharing valuable information with the community. This mirrors the very purpose of this podcast, which was designed to address questions that people might have but aren't sure how to ask.
As Mary Helen steps into a new phase of her life, she emphasized the value of embracing change and taking calculated risks. Her advice for anyone embarking on a new endeavor is to dive in, take risks, and commit fully. Every experience, even those that seem insignificant, contributes to personal development and growth.
Mary Helen's journey shows the significance of curiosity, embracing change, and seeking knowledge. Her transformation from financial illiteracy to literacy is a testament to the power of asking questions and engaging in educational opportunities. As she ventures into new horizons, Mary Helen's insights serve as a reminder that growth comes from embracing change, pursuing passions, and approaching life with an open and inquisitive mind.
Key Takeaways
- Embrace change and take risks because new beginnings and changes in life can lead to personal growth and valuable experiences.
- Ask questions and learn. Start by asking questions, even if they seem basic.
- Balance financial responsibility with purposeful spending.
- Your spending habits reflect your values. Spending on what matters is an essential part of managing your finances.
- Every experience, successful or challenging, contributes to personal growth. Embrace life as a learning journey, and use insights gained to shape your decisions and actions moving forward.
Learn more about the benefits of Leaders Credit Union, visit our website and check out our financial wellness tools to help you become more financially literate.
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Full Transcript
Shea:
Hey, this is Shea.
Mary Helen Holt:
This is Mary Helen.
Shea:
Welcome to the Pocket Change podcast.
Mary Helen Holt:
Where you'll learn better ways to spend, save, and invest and take control of your financial journey.
Shea:
So, Mary Helen, I think you have some news to share with our listeners.
Mary Helen Holt:
I certainly do. In July, last month, I actually got married and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, which is exciting.
Shea:
Rocky Top!
Mary Helen Holt:
Right. And starting new things and new beginning in a lot of ways. But that also means ending certain chapters in my life. And one of those being the Pocket Change podcast. So while I'm saddened, I also know that who is coming in, Maddie Steele, is going to take my place and she'll be amazing.
Shea:
Yeah, we're excited about this episode, so we'll ask you a little bit more about what you learned and some takeaways and also some financial advice that you can share to other listeners that might help them on their financial journey. So congratulations on your new last name and your new journey, and we're excited to take a look at this episode.
Maddie:
Hey everyone, I'm Maddie and we're excited to welcome Mary Helen back onto the podcast. She's been our co-host and has worked as the marketing and PR specialist here at Leaders for the past year. Welcome to Pocket Change, Mary Helen.
Mary Helen Holt:
Thanks so much. We've got a lot to talk about today.
Maddie:
We sure do.
Mary Helen Holt:
It’s been a year. End of an era. Beginning for some, which is exciting all around.
Maddie:
And I'm excited to be here, too.
Mary Helen Holt:
Yeah, for sure. And you'll be great.
Maddie:
So, Mary Helen, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got here at Leaders?
Mary Helen Holt:
Sure. So like you said, this whole past year, I've served as the marketing and PR specialist for Leaders Credit Union, which will always hold a very special place in my heart as my first job and first official job. And that's just something that you don't forget. It's exciting. I've been challenged in so many ways. I've learned so much.
And so how I got here is I graduated from Union University in 2022 and with a degree in public relations. And then I moved on to leaders through mutual connections, which is how I found myself here.
Shea:
Well we were happy to have you at Leaders and as the co-host of the Pocket Change podcast, and we got to learn a lot and do a new thing that we hadn't done before. So it's been exciting. But what is something that you learned after working at a credit union? Cause, my first job was at a credit union, your first job out of college.
Maddie:
Yeah, my first job out of college is at a credit union.
Shea:
Everyone at this table - first job at a credit union.
Mary Helen Holt:
Something we all have in common. Yeah, a couple of things. A lot of things, actually. But I'll just narrow it down to a few. One is that I came in to working at a credit union, not knowing really anything about finance, which may shock a lot of people because it's like you work at a credit union, you should know a lot about finance, but I just really didn’t.
And I think working here for the past year has been the greatest blessing in equipping me in becoming literate. When it comes to APY. What that even means. Like what a HELOC is. Like all the podcast episodes that we've had in the past, we've done our research and we've gotten to have really good conversations about that. That's one of the greatest blessings, is to go from being financially illiterate to financially literate and then using that gift to then go and serve others and ask people really good questions.
Shea:
We hope the Pocket Change podcast will help, not just us as co-hosts learn more, but our listeners and anyone who will listen to the podcast can really learn more about financial literacy and what that means.
Mary Helen Holt:
Every good conversation starts with a question, right? And so once you start asking questions, you can start getting answers and one question leads to another that leads to another, like you said Shea. And that's why this whole podcast was formed. That's why it was created to answer the questions that people have that they should be asking, but they don't really know how to phrase or what to say.
And another thing that I've learned throughout this past year is that there's so much purpose behind Leaders. There's so much purpose behind this podcast, like it's not just something to create content, but it's something to educate people and share good news.
Maddie:
And, you know, change is always a part of our life - is something that I've heard around here even only being here for a few months now is change is the only constant thing. And so what would be some advice that you would share for someone starting a new job or even just something new in life.
Mary Helen Holt:
To jump. To take the risk. Sometimes it's the greatest thing and nothing is in vain. Like this whole year I've learned so much and I'm going to take it with me to the next job and then the next job. And in ten years, I'm going to think about Leaders and I'm going to remember what I learned here.
So it's not like, ‘Oh, you just did something for a year’. It's like I did something for a year and it taught me how to show up. 8 to 5. It taught me an hour lunch break, how to really maximize all those errands that I need to run in between.
Shea:
How to co-host the podcast.
Mary Helen Holt:
How to co-host a podcast. Like, there's just so much more than the task list that I was given to do at Leaders, but also how to invest in people, how to inspire community, hopefully. But yes, I would say that change can be sometimes be the greatest thing that you do because it challenges you to remember the past, but also work hard in the future too.
Also, if you haven't noticed, I like to think deeply and so these answers may seem cheesy to some, but it's real and it's kind of like an outlook on life I guess.
Shea:
That's what we're here for. That's why we brought you back on to get all your insights and advice. So one of the goals, obviously, of the podcast is to talk about helping people on their financial journey and what they can do to make smart financial decisions. So what are some steps that our listeners can take to become financially literate?
Like you said, you came with not a lot of knowledge about financial topics or banking or whatever. So becoming financially literate, what are some things we can do to to get there?
Mary Helen Holt:
I think it all starts with, again, asking a question and not feeling like, oh, somebody is going to think I'm stupid because I don't know how to get a car loan or I don't know how to get a...I don't know...open a checking account. I didn't know I could do that online. What do I need?
What documents? Blah blah blah. We can really go down this whole rabbit hole of I didn't know that this is what it is. And nobody knows until somebody tells.
Shea:
You don’t know what you don’t know.
Mary Helen Holt:
You don't know what you don't know. And I guess a pet peeve of mine is when someone asks a question and the person on the opposite ends like kind of treats them like they're stupid for not knowing that, if that makes sense. But like, that's the only way that you’ll learn and that's the only way that you'll grow.
And you've got to jump. You've got to leap. One of my good friends, cross-country coach, Bailey Bell, realtor in town. He says so many wonderful things and so many, like, has so many nuggets of wisdom, if you will. But anyways, he has no idea. I'm telling the story right now. It just came to my mind. And why not share?
But cross-country coach, he told me that his favorite part about the race is like when the gun goes off to start running and you've just got to commit. Like you've got who knows how many miles in front of you, but you've taken the first step and you're committed until the end. Whatever happens in the middle happens in the middle.
But like, you're not going to stop until you get to the finish line. And to me, it's something I'll never forget because it's kind of like life, like you've just got to jump, you've got to go, you've got to move to a new city, start a new job. And it can be fun and exciting, but it's also learning how to navigate the world, learning how to navigate what you're good at, what you're bad at, and owning both of those.
Shea:
So asking questions and really understanding that financial professionals, people that Leaders Credit Union, are happy to help. Like that's our job. We want to sit down, discuss your finances with you or investing for the future, buying that first car or whatever it is. So I mean, people are here to help. So we want people to know that they can make appointments online, they can come in, see somebody, speak to somebody about their financial issue or question and listen to the podcast for even more information.
Mary Helen Holt:
And I think what you said is so true is that you just don't know what you don't know until you know, you know. Put that on a T-shirt or something.
Maddie:
And even the, you know, the financial education that you've learned here has been great. But I'm sure there's been like little skills here and there that you'll also look back like ten years from now and be like, Oh, I'm so glad I learned how to do that one random task that now you can take with you or, you know, just the conversations around the office that happen here, you know, that have made an impact in your life or helped you learn some skill that you need in your new married life.
Maddie:
You know, those are all things that you'll take with you, too. So everything you've shared with us is so great. Is there any other advice that you would give to our listeners?
Mary Helen Holt:
Yeah, good question. I guess one of my hopes as I start a new journey, start a new phase of my life, is that within this podcast, like I don't want people to feel like it's us just telling you you need to save money or you need to like sometimes you save to spend, sometimes you save so that you can... like we're also furnishing a home right now.
And so over this past year, I've saved as much as I could so that we can go get the couch, like just kind of refresh our space in a lot of ways. So sometimes you do save to spend.
Shea:
You save for a reason.
Mary Helen Holt:
Yeah, exactly.
Shea:
In a lot of cases. Like save to buy what you need or whatever the case is, save for a goal. So yeah, that's important.
Mary Helen Holt:
Like what you spend your money on tells me what you value. So for some people it's experiences, some people it's things. Like for us right now we're furnishing a home because that's what we value. Like, to me, home is where you wait for heaven. So again, that space, it's also a place to invite people in. It should be a special place.
You should make your house feel like a home. And so anyways, we're investing in that right now because that's what we value. But also some people, like I mentioned, value vacation, experiences, concerts...like whatever it may be. I went to Taylor Swift a couple months ago. That was amazing. That was an investment. And it's also time that I'll never get back with one of my friends too.
And so sometimes you really do save so that you can then go and spend and that doesn't mean be reckless. And I think that's the point of this podcast, but that doesn't mean you need to save every single penny that you see. Go, go to the vacation, go to the concert, go get the couch that's kind of crazy and fun and cool because you saved for it.
And like, those things are okay.
Shea:
And each job, like you mentioned, gives us new experience. You're going to take the experience you had of Leaders with you, but why is that experience so important?
Mary Helen Holt:
I think it’s like compound interest. If we want to use a financial term, you know, a little fun there. It builds. What I've learned here, I'll take with me later. And what I learn there I'll take with me later and like whether that's into my home, whether that's into another job, whether that's with the friend, conversation with a coworker.
I think we should constantly be learning and constantly be a sponge of our environment, good or bad. Learn how to be a good employee, learn how to be a good boss, learn what you like, learn what you don't. Learn what you're good at. Learn what you're really, really, really terrible at. We can't be good at everything.
And if you're good at everything, I don't believe you. You’re probably lying.
Maddie:
Sometimes that’s the most valuable experiences. Learning what we're not good at or what we don't like to do. So that we can change that and, you know, be better.
Mary Helen Holt:
Very true. But yeah, I don't think anything's ever in vain. I think we're just constantly challenged and we should be like, that's why like we get up every day to start something new and be challenged and grow.
Shea:
We hope this podcast does that for people. Financially and otherwise.
Maddie:
So I'm sure a lot of our listeners would love to know. Mary Helen, what is next for you?
Mary Helen Holt:
Oh, what a fun question. So I have a heart for college students trying to figure out or really any high school to college age student trying to figure out what they're going to do with their life, where they're going, what they're passionate about, what they're good at. Kind of what we talked about over this whole podcast is just like I've fallen in love with the process of going for something and seeing if you like it.
And so I kind of want to inspire others and guide others to do the same throughout all of high school, to college. And so I'm actually working for the University of Tennessee right now in Knoxville. Moving to Knoxville. Orange is going to be everywhere. It's going to be great. My office actually backs up to Neyland Stadium, so some days, it may get super loud and fun! But yes, looking forward to it.
I'm serving as the student engagement coordinator, so getting students plugged in to leadership opportunities, study abroad, internships, really figuring out who they are and then maximizing their gifts and getting them to where they've been called to go. And that is just so exciting to me. But I couldn't have done it without this whole past year of a foundation of learning so many different things and trying new things and completely failing.
But standing back up again.
Shea:
We can feel your passion. We know you're passionate about what you do and we know you'll make a big impact at U.T., So we'll look forward to our game tickets for whenever we come to the stadium.
Maddie:
We’ll be asking you.
Shea:
Wearing Orange. Playing Rocky Top.
Mary Helen Holt:
I better see windows rolled down. Music all the way up, riding through.
Maddie:
You'll know it’s us.
Mary Helen Holt:
Yes, I love it.
Shea:
So the question we always ask on the podcast and I'm going to phrase it a little differently. But last question, if you had some change in your pocket, extra pocket change, what would you buy your favorite co-host? as a parting gift - you know!
Mary Helen Holt:
You’re so funny. We’ll say this. We've got a local snow cone place here in Jackson called Seb’s. And that's sentimental for me in a lot of ways, because something my grandfather and I used to do all the time, long story. But snow cones are just like if we had core values, like in my family, five of them, one of them would be get a snow cone.
Shea:
So we're going after this podcast.
Mary Helen Holt:
That's it. We're getting a snow cone. That would be my pocket change use.
Shea:
I would appreciate that. I approve of your answer of the last question.
Mary Helen Holt:
And, we can make it orange for UT.
Maddie:
Half blue, half orange.
Mary Helen Holt:
There you go.
Maddie:
Past and future.
Mary Helen Holt:
I love it. That's awesome.
Shea:
Well, thanks for sharing your advice and your insight today on the Pocket Change podcast.
Mary Helen Holt:
Absolutely. It’s been a pleasure.
Maddie:
We were happy to have you.
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