Q&A with Seriously Though Podcast Co-host, Michael Manjarrez

Note from Alisa:

I asked Nathalie, our resident writer for The Happy Cactus, to talk with my brother/podcast co-host and introduce you all to him. She gets the scoop on his financial world, what it’s like to podcast with me, and asks about his own vision for his life.

One more sister comment: Michael is an excellent classical pianist, so when he talks about “tinkering" on the keys, it’s advanced tinkering!

Nathalie: As a wealth adviser what do you do on a daily basis?

Michael: Every day is different. Much of what we [Bolt Wealth Management] do has to do with the stock market, so we’re always looking at the market, and reading business news and insights. The stock market can be affected by economics, political events, and national disasters — like the Coronavirus, for instance. We try to stay on top of how the markets are moving, that way we can help our clients make decisions on what to do with their money.

I’d say the bulk of what we do is connecting with our clients and engaging prospective clients. We want to make sure our current clients, and the financial plan that we’ve established for them, is still working. So a lot of it is connecting with people and making sure that they’re still on track with their financial goals.      

Nathalie: Is there any finance-related information that people are always surprised to hear?

Michael: A lot of people don’t know the finance industry that well. Often times they don’t know how financial products really work. I think what they’re surprised by is their own situation. Either they realize that they are more capable than they thought to achieve a goal, like they can actually buy a bigger house, than they want based on their cash flow. Or, they’re surprised by the fact that they can’t retire when they’re 50. So I think surprise comes with becoming self-aware. We really want people to become aware and to realize what they’re capable of.

Nathalie: I know for me money can be a very scary thing. What advice would you give to someone with a similar relationship to money?

Michael: It’s very common. There are people who are very wealthy and they’re just as scared as the person that perceptively has no money. Let’s say you’re a Starbucks employee who never learned a lot about money or you may be a lawyer who equally never learned a lot about money. That’s not unheard of. A lot of business owners are really good at their business, but they’re not good at managing their assets. The truth is, there is fear with anything that you don’t know. And that’s why we hire professionals to help us.

Nathalie: As a wealth adviser at Bolt Wealth Management, you’re teaching your clients to use money as a tool to help them achieve their financial goals. Your sister, Alisa is teaching her clients how to achieve their professional and personal goals. How do these two worlds mesh?

Michael: Whenever you start looking internally at yourself, you start realizing all the areas where you need help. It’s like the classic saying: “the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know.” With Alisa for instance, you’re looking for a coach to get help on your business, figuring out your next career move, or asking for a raise. Money is a component of that. So when you’re looking for a job, the next question is often financially related.

On the flip side, if you’re starting with me and you want to save for retirement, you could either earn more money at a job or you can save more money. So then you might look internally again and think, “well what am I doing in my career or in my business that isn’t generating this return that I want?”

Nathalie: We all know life isn’t just about work. So what are your passions/interests outside of your work life?

Michael: I’ve told myself recently that the three things I’m going to give my time and energy to are finance, wine, and music. 

I’ve become a little bit of a wine connoisseur. I call myself a wine evangelist — I like my wine and I think you should, too. 

Alisa and I grew up with music in the house and playing the piano. I watch a lot of YouTube videos, sit at the piano, tinker and try to be good. I’m just coming to the point of my life where I’m less ashamed of it. I’m starting to embrace it as part of my being. 

Nathalie: What is it like working with Alisa on the Seriously Though podcast?

Michael: We give our parents a lot of credit for how they raised us. I think we’ve always gotten along pretty well. If we disagree on something, we’ve learned to either work through it or push it aside and move forward. 

I am most myself when I’m with my family. So with Alisa, we’re kind of publicizing that. The podcast is 100% Alisa and 100% Michael and that’s really exciting. We take turns taking the lead and that’s because we have a pretty strong trust with each other and genuinely want the other to succeed. 

Nathalie: You jokingly mentioned that your mom actually isn’t the only person that listens to the podcast. Are there any fun topics coming up that you’re excited to share with the rest of your listeners?

Michael: We like incorporating things that are relevant to us in a given week. So I think the fun topics have more to do with whatever we’re involved with in the moment.

Nathalie: What would a blooper reel of the Seriously Though podcast look/sound like?

Michael: It would sound like us making inside jokes and comments that nobody else would get. Or we’ll play to our industry a little and I’ll make fun of financial advisers.

Nathalie: The Happy Cactus is all about making dreams a reality for women. What does your dream life look like and how do you plan to get there? 

Michael: Ultimately I want to be able to help my clients achieve their dreams — which is not too different from The Happy Cactus. I hope to always be a resource for my friends and family and to always be available. Alisa and I both grew up going to church, learning about giving and supporting other people. We do that in a very unique way. You don’t hear about financial advisers talking about what they’re giving their clients on a values level. With the company that I’m working with, it’s not only about return. There's something deeper.