An Entrepreneur’s Financial Dream Team

My freshman year was one of the best seasons for UW-Madison Women’s Basketball. We were ranked top five in the country. Two of my teammates were drafted to the WNBA. We went to the NCAA tournament. It was one of those magical seasons that I really cherish.

But when I got my first stipend check as a new student athlete, I didn’t have a bank account or experience with money management. UW Credit Union was the first place I went. It was right on campus, and I just remember how easy it was setting everything up. Depositing that first check felt good.

As an undergrad, I didn't ask a lot of questions. I wish I would have had a financial literacy class when I was getting that money as a student athlete, but learning about money management didn't start until I was out of college.

Over the past decade, I've been a professional basketball player and DJ in Milwaukee. I've basically been working for myself so getting up to speed in financial literacy was important to me. I'm always curious and learning about money. I’ve really enjoyed reconnecting with UW Credit Union as they grow their presence in the Milwaukee area.

We all know talking about money is vulnerable. It feels like you're letting somebody into a space that's pretty private. But every UW Credit Union branch I walk into feels comfortable, whether I’m doing a simple transaction like a deposit or asking questions to learn more about a product or service.

I really value those spaces because my early experiences with money weren’t always positive.

I remember my mom sitting at the kitchen table, holding back tears, deciding which bill she could pay. Also, going through couch cushions, trying find enough money to get some hot dogs or macaroni and cheese for dinner.

As an adult, it’s been really important to me to make positive experiences and memories with money. And to influence others to have positive experiences with money — to be that somebody I needed when I was growing up. I partnered with UW Credit Union to help spread messages of financial literacy.

Don't look at money management as a chore. Go into the credit union and find somebody you click with. Don't be afraid to ask questions, because there really are no stupid questions.

Where your money is kept is another layer to it. Get it out from underneath your mattress or that plastic bag in your drawer. Deposit it in the credit union and make it work for you.

I know it’s tempting to use the internet or social media to research money matters. But I also don’t know those people who are posting that information. I think there’s so much more to having a relationship and talking face to face with a real person at an actual branch.

At UW Credit Union, it feels safe to walk in and say, “I'm thinking about buying a new car. Can you help me? Like figure out even what can I afford?” That type of stuff. Ask those questions, soak it all up, and create a simple plan and follow through.

Having goals and a budget and talking about those things — having that transparency — continues to build a foundation for you as an individual. Then, however you decide to move throughout life in whatever relationships you're going to have – or if it’s just you as an individual – you're setting yourself up for saving money, budgeting for vacations and so on and so forth.

Founded in 1931 on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus by people passionate about helping people, UW Credit Union is a steady and strong financial institution that continues to work side by side with the university. We value the relationships we’ve made on campus and beyond in the past 90-plus years as we carry out our founders’ mission of people helping people.