Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, the co-founders of "Earn Your Leisure," a popular financial literacy platform, emphasize the critical need for financial education. They launched their podcast in early 2019, growing it into a multimedia empire with 1.4 million Instagram followers, 1.4 million YouTube subscribers, and 3 million monthly podcast downloads. Originally a financial advisor and a teacher, respectively, they focus on making wealth-building concepts accessible and culturally relevant, especially for Black and Latino entrepreneurs, where less than 3% own stocks compared to 55% of white households.
Bilal and Millings advocate for a significant net worth to achieve "financial freedom," suggesting an eight-figure sum, around $10 million, for those in suburban or metropolitan areas, though acknowledging that seven figures can also provide substantial comfort. They stress that even if individuals don't reach the $10 million mark, aiming for it, perhaps achieving $1 million or $1.5 million, is far better than having limited savings later in life. Their philosophy is rooted in the belief that aspiring to financial goals, even if not fully met, leads to a better financial outcome than having no aspiration at all.
The co-founders are heavily invested in fostering generational wealth through entrepreneurship and investing. They highlight the importance of understanding personal finances, including income, expenses, and investment options, from an early age. Millings, a former educator, expressed a passion for financial literacy as a crucial life skill not adequately taught in traditional schooling. They have expanded beyond their initial target of young people, realizing that financial education is needed across all age groups.
Earn Your Leisure has expanded its reach significantly, developing multiple podcasts, hosting live events, and offering an online educational platform called EYL University. They are also actively working to introduce financial literacy curricula into high schools, collaborating with New York City Public Schools for a pilot program, with aspirations for state and federal mandates. Their legacy goal is global empowerment, becoming a trusted source for financial literacy and establishing one of the top media brands worldwide.
