One on One Mentorship for Financial Literacy
Welcome to our financial skills coaching program, a 90 minute one-on-session designed to bring total financial clarity.
It is a striking reality that 1 in 5 U.S. teens enters adulthood without the foundational skills to manage their money. In fact, recent studies show that Gen Z correctly answers only 38% of basic financial questions. Most of us were simply never given the playbook, leaving us to figure it out as we go. We’ve designed this program to bridge the gap, and turn what is often a source of stress into a foundation of confidence.
This isn’t about picking stocks or providing financial advice; it’s about empowerment through education. We focus on the essentials you need to understand your money and take full ownership of your decisions. Whether you are just starting out or navigating a mid-life transition, we provide the tools to help you see your financial picture with clarity and purpose.
Our Story
The Best Teachers Are Often Just One Block Away
Elite schools and colleges provide an incredible intellectual foundation. Yet there is a structural gap between academic success and real-world financial fluency. The ability to manage your own finances with confidence, an essential life skill, is rarely treated with the same rigor as a formal curriculum. As a result, even the highest-performing graduates often enter the world with a world-class degree, but without an operator’s manual for their own finances.
Talking Cents bridges this gap.
We provide the practical, baggage-free logic that lives just one block away from home and the campus gate. This isn't about "wealth management," it is about Operational Agency: understanding how your financial system actually works so you can operate from a position of clarity and strength, whether you're launching a career or navigating a mid-life pivot, rather than reacting to the noise of the market.
This work is driven by the perspective of a strategic mentor, not an institutional firm. You won’t find a CPA or a traditional business manager here, and that’s by design. My approach is grounded in decades of hands-on experience investing and managing finances as an operator within high-stakes professional roles. I am a student of the Peter Lynch and Warren Buffett schools of thought: understanding the value of what you own and playing the long game.
I specialize in translating these high-level financial principles into clear practical logic you can actually use. I’ve spent years seeing how money truly moves and grows, and I’m here to give you the same strategic edge I’ve relied on throughout my life.
In a single 90-minute practicum, we replace abstract theory with a tactical roadmap. There are no dry lectures or social media trends; only the permanent systems and automated discipline required to secure your financial future.
Let’s make the real world make sense.
I’m also a dad. I know firsthand that watching how your kids spend money can be a 'high-stakes' experience of its own. Sometimes, the best way to help them gain agency is to let a different mentor provide the roadmap. Think of me as the guy 'one block away' who can tell them the hard truths about money so you don't have to.
Financial Agency, Competency
& Confidence
Talking Cents provides one-on-one financial education, not fiduciary advice or financial planning. We provide the framework and logic through four simple shifts:
1. The Ability to Act
Understanding that you should save is just theory; Agency is knowing exactly how to make it happen. It’s about looking at your options; like deciding whether to pay down a debt or start an investment, and then setting up the simple systems to execute. We focus on the "how-to" of money, so you can stop second-guessing and start moving.
2. Reading the Map
We move you past "rules of thumb" and the noise of social media memes. Agency means being able to look at an auto loan, a 401k plan, or a personalized savings strategy and actually understanding how the pieces fit together. Once you know the mechanics, you’ll feel right at home making things work best for you.
3. Unshakable Confidence
This is the shift from "I hope this works out" to "I know exactly where I stand." It’s the confidence that comes from having a system you actually trust. When life throws you a curveball; like a career change or marketplace volatility, you don’t panic. You operate from a position of strength, knowing your foundation is solid enough to handle the shift.
4. Complete Financial Command
You can’t control interest rates or the national economy, but you have total command over how you navigate them. This is the ultimate level of agency: the confidence to know that while the world around you moves, you are the one steering. It is the final shift from 'money happens to me' to 'I happen to my money.'
Jeff Briller
Founder & Instructor
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is this a financial advisory service? No. Talking Cents is about education and "operational logic." We don’t manage your money, sell insurance, or give specific tax advice. Think of us as a "shop class" for your finances—we teach you how the machinery works so you can operate it with confidence.
2. Who is the ideal participant? Our curriculum is built for ages 16 to 24—specifically those heading to college or starting their first career. However, the logic is universal. We also host sessions for adults in mid-life transitions who want to recalibrate their financial systems.
3. Do you need my private financial data? Never. This is a logic-based practicum. We use sample paychecks and generic statements to teach the mechanics. We don’t want access to your private accounts or balances; we provide the tools, and you apply them to your own life privately.
4. How is this different from a high school economics class? Economics is the study of theory; Talking Cents is the study of execution. We focus on the high-stakes decisions made at the bank branch or when reading your first paycheck—the practical "street logic" that isn't taught in a classroom.
5. What is the Talking Cents approach to investing? We focus on the basics of being a good steward of your money. Our logic prioritizes the "Stability Line"—making sure you have cash available when you actually need it—rather than chasing high-risk stocks or trends. We aren't here to chase market noise; we’re here to help you build a solid, permanent foundation.
6. My child has family support; why do they need this? A safety net is a great start, but it isn’t a substitute for agency. Every young adult eventually has to deal with banks, credit, and taxes. We provide the competence to manage and protect capital independently, ensuring they are active stewards of their future rather than just beneficiaries.
7. Can sessions be conducted for groups or "Parent Pods"? Yes. While 1-on-1 sessions offer the most customization, we also host workshops for small groups of 4–6. This "pod" format is great for friends who want to learn the mechanics together and keep each other accountable.
8. Is this a recurring commitment? The core experience is a high-impact, 90-minute Masterclass designed for immediate results. While we offer follow-up "Systems Audits" later on, our goal is to give you a complete "Launch Blueprint" in a single session.