The Smart Money Conference: Meeting Chris Hogan
Earlier this year I had the pleasure of being able to attend Dave Ramsey's Smart Money Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. This was an unforgettable experience and one of the most amazing events that I have ever been to in my life. I am a huge fan of Dave Ramsey and his entire team. The work that they do and the principles that they teach have transformed so many lives and have brought so many families out of financial distress.
What made this event so special was that it was actually held on my birthday and my mother was able to attend with me. In addition, she and I were very blessed because we had obtained VIP passes which gave us access to a backstage Q/A meeting with the speakers along with dinner and a book signing.
It truly was a joy to attend this event. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you what the conference covered and what I learned from my time there.
Smart Money Conference
The VIP Treatment
We arrived fairly early and once we got to the venue, we were escorted to a conference room in the back where they offered a fabulous dinner and seats of our choice. A complimentary book of our choice was also given to each of us. My mother and I sat as close to the stage as possible and enjoyed fellowship with the other attendees. After about half an hour, Chris Hogan and Anthony O'Neill entered the conference room and began shaking hands with everyone in the room. Pictures were taken, books were signed, and both Chris and Anthony made the rounds to meet and greet each attendee personally.
Both of these speakers were very kind and caring. The meet and greet session lasted about 15 minutes. Following this, they both took their places on stage, equipped themselves with their microphones, and asked the audience for questions. I was the second person to be able to ask a question of Chris and Anthony. Each VIP attendee was able to ask one question of the men on stage. I had prepared my question in advance because I did not want to squander this rare opportunity.
Q & A with Chris Hogan and Anthony O’Neal:
Q: When you become really successful, how do you remain humble and how do you respond to your critics?
A (Chris Hogan): "In regards to being really successful, we will have to ask Dave Ramsey that question when we get back!" This statement made the entire crowd laugh. Next, Chris continued by saying that you need to listen to the people around you. If your attitude starts to change, the people who are closest to you will inform you and help keep you grounded. Furthermore, he stated that "in regards to your critics, do everything out of love and the critics won’t phase you one bit."
A (Anthony O’Neal): "Keep your prayer life strong and your heart will be in the right place. When you do things for the good of others, you’ll stay humble and be able to love even your critics."
Both of these great men answered my question with very wise responses and I am grateful that I could learn from these two Godly men. They answered every question that each member of the audience had with poise and clarity. I feel that everyone left the room in better condition than when they came in (even if the Q & A session was only an hour long). This session reinforced my belief in the power of personal growth and the power of community coupled with mentorship.
Meeting Chris Hogan at the Smart Money Conference, 2019
The Smart Money Conference
In addition to a nice dinner, VIP treatment, and the Q & A session, my mother and I were also allowed to sit very close to the main stage which was really nice. Both Chris and Anthony would take turns speaking while giving incredible insight on subjects such as: getting out of debt, the importance of saving, investing for your future, setting up your kid’s college fund, buying a house, life insurance, preparing for retirement, the infamous baby steps, and a slew of other great information.
The message to the audience was delivered with passion, humor, real life stories, and the utmost degree of concern for people’s personal and financial well-being. These guys are the real deal. I was fully engaged during the entire conference and I took notes continuously throughout the session. Not one moment of distraction took place in my mind nor was I ever bored.
There were planned intermissions during the conference which allowed ample time for bathroom breaks, phone checks, book and product shopping, along with book signing. Everything was very structured and very smooth. It was a very enjoyable time for me and one of the best birthday’s I have ever had. The memory of it all will never leave me and I am very grateful to have spent it with my mother. She and I had an incredible time together.
Five Take-Aways from the Conference
There were so many things that were discussed at the Smart Money Conference. Here are the top 5 things that I learned:
When you want to make a meal, you have to know the recipe. If you throw random ingredients with random portion sizes, the meal will not turn out correctly. The Smart Conference gives you a financial recipe that has been proven to work for many others. Statistics show that you will have great results when this financial recipe is followed correctly.
God has a way of slapping down your pride for our own benefit
A person may work their entire lifetime; it's not okay to reach the end of their life and have nothing!
The average American spends $100 a month on coffee, if that $100 was invested into a child’s college fund, it would equal ??????
Something you do wrong once or twice is a “mistake,” if you keep doing it over and over, then it’s a “choice.”
Final Thoughts
I do not have enough good words to describe how great the Smart Money Conference was. I highly recommend this conference or similar conferences led by Ramsey Solutions to anyone who wants to increase their financial I.Q., improve their current financial situation, develop generational wealth, become a better person on the inside, or spend time with like-minded, like-goaled people.
If you are interested in attending a seminar or conference by Ramsey Solutions, please visit their page here: https://www.daveramsey.com/events
You can get a copy of Chris Hogan's book, Everyday Millionaires on Amazon here.
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