SPECIAL EPISODE: Bringing Minority Planners into the Profession with Emlen Miles-Mattingly and Luis Rosa

Luis Rosa and Emlen Miles-Mattingly join the show today to discuss the BLX internship program they co-created with Chloe Moore and Shawn Tydlaska. In this episode, Luis and Emlen share the "why" behind the BLX program, which stems from their personal struggles in entering the financial planning profession, a desire to increase the number of Black and Latino financial planners, and wanting to make advice more accessible to Americans who desperately need it.

Listen in as they share the qualifications for the interns (as well as the firms that hire them), the training they provide to help ensure a successful internship for both parties, and what they have planned for next year. You'll learn how to get involved, as well as what it will take to educate and attract more minorities to the financial planning profession.

What You'll Learn In Today's Episode:

Why Luis and Emlen started the BLX internship program. (2:15)
The hardships they faced in entering the financial planning profession. (4:20)
How they are moving the needle toward a more diverse and inclusive industry. (9:00)
How they set up internships and got people involved. (10:30)
The qualifications for the interns, as well as the firms that hire them. (14:30)
The costs that are required of the firms. (19:20)
How Luis and Emlen plan to get more applicants in the future. (22:30)
How to become more involved in the community. (24:20)
The feedback from job-seekers. (30:10)
How they matched interns with firms. (32:00)

Ideas Worth Sharing:

“Paid internships are a luxury.” - Luis Rosa Share on X “When we look at the numbers going forward, the representation in the population—we don’t have enough financial planners of diverse backgrounds.” - Luis Rosa Share on X “We feel that the advice is the main catalyst for change.” - Emlen Miles-Mattingly Share on X

Resources In Today's Episode:

Luis Rosa: LinkedIn
Emlen Miles-Mattingly: LinkedIn
Ep #02: Overcoming Discrimination and Racism: The Career of Chloe Moore
NAPFA
BLX Internship

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