Sarah Fejfar
Today I brought into Greenroom Central Studios Sydney Otundo, Founder of That’s Their Dream. She was born and raced in Minnesota, and her ethnicity is Kenyan. While she was in college getting her bachelor’s degree in economics, her mom played a big role in pushing and motivating her to become independent. She started educating herself about finances and applying what she was learning into her life. Shortly after graduation she started her non-profit organization, That’s Their Dream, to provide a space for youth and people of color to learn financial literacy and work towards financial independence to help close the wealth gap.
And today Linchpin Nation we’ll be talking about the monthly Sip N Tip events Sydney hosts in the Twin Cities, a place I know well and love after spending 20 years there myself. Her events foster a collaborative, social environment full of learning financial literacy concepts and discussions around implementation. They play games with a financial twist. Her guests are catered to young adults and the BIPOC community but all are always welcome!
Hey, Sydney. So good to have you here on the show today.
Sydney Otundo
Hey, Sarah, thank you for having me.
Sarah Fejfar
I want to dive right in and get at your event name. It's so clever. And I just want you to tell everyone about what it means and how you came up with it.
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, so my events are called SIP in tip. So sipping tip is pretty much a way to come together, sip on your drink of choice and then get a financial tip by playing a game. So we usually play a game and an ad a financial twist to it.
Sarah Fejfar
Oh, such a clever idea.
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, I know I lost up in tip. I always hear a pain and sip and I'm like, huh, second tip would be cool. I'd try that. So is that how you came up with it? I mean, pretty much we're actually no, we're kind of like sipping wine with me and my, my team members. And then we're just like, oh my gosh, we should do something like an event where we're, you know, sipping and then somebody's like, oh, and tip. And then it was like, then we start talking about painting sipping and yeah, it just came about, it's like, let's just stick with painting sip. Let's do it.
Sarah Fejfar
Oh, my gosh, I love it. Yeah, I love when people realize that they don't have to reinvent the the wheel in order to come up with ideas for naming things. We can just look at the world around us and get inspiration. Same with just for event ideas, too. They there's so many great ideas out there. We just need to put our own spin on it and model
Sydney Otundo
I totally agree.
Sarah Fejfar
So tell me what's the most challenging thing you find with with planning these sippin tip events?
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, so pretty much is just making sure that people commit and come but I have been finding it where people like as I always get nervous before they read, I'm just like, oh my gosh, people are gonna come what's gonna happen? Is it gonna snow you know, and we're in Minnesota. So there's always something that happens just with the weather. And that can also make people just stay home or you know, things come up with work. And so people are like, Oh, I'm not really feeling it today. So I'm just like, always, like, scared, like, okay, all the people that said they're going to come are they going to come but so it's just kind of just following up with people is just something I like to do a lot. Make sure I'm always posting on social media, the flyer, and you know, just having faith that people will come like, if people really liked the event, they will come and show up and invite other people. So as much as I get nervous and feel like it's a challenge, it always turns out to be a great event.
Sarah Fejfar
Hmm. So having faith has really served you well, yes.
Cross my fingers
But you've been at this for a while. So you're kind of experienced in that you kind of get a sense for okay this many people sign up this many people are going to show up? Do you have a pretty good sense for that now?
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, I do have a pretty good sense of that. And then also just with the people who sign up, some people sign up, or they tell me they're coming. But then and I create a list, you know, like, okay, these are other people that are coming in. But sometimes like the people who even say that they're coming don't even come. But there's a bunch of people that find you on social media that end up coming as well, who maybe didn't RSVP or, you know, maybe didn't reach out and tell me they were coming. So it's always shocking and surprising to people that come to the event and how they heard about the event. I'm always like, super happy, like, oh, my gosh, you follow me on Facebook, you find me on Instagram, like this is amazing.
Sarah Fejfar
So Linchpin Nation, I want you to really catch what, what Sidney just said there she tracks her metrics. Essentially, she tracks how many people are signing up and showing up so she can have those expectations for future events. But you're also asking people how they found out so that you're able to kind of go harder on a certain channel communication channel, if that's working for you, right? Yeah,
Sydney Otundo
totally. So I usually do like a Google Google forums at the beginning of each event. So I just like have people sign in there. And then tell me how they found out about an event. So if it's either through word of mouth, social media, if it's just through me personally, like, however, I marketed that event, I looked on, I put that on there for them to fill out or check, and it just helps me better like okay, maybe I should focus on Eventbrite. Maybe I should first focus on Facebook events. Maybe I should just focus on posting on social media or maybe just keep working with my sphere, or is it networking events, like there's so many ways to market and get people to the events, but it's just finding which one works the most.
Sarah Fejfar
Do you have one that you you're really going hard on right now that you're finding to be pretty successful for your niche?
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, I would say networking is very important. So that's something I have been doing a lot of this year, just meeting a lot of people, and just telling them about me and just learning about them as well. Just building that connection in person is really important. I feel or just even meeting up for coffee after these networking events. Because when people feel like they're connected to you, they want to support you as well, other than, you know, just sending them a flyer, like just going through your Instagram, friends and followers and stuff like that and be like, here, just come to my event. But when you build that connection, one on one, they're like, yes, I want to support Sydney, I want to support that's their dream and come to the CIP into events.
Sarah Fejfar
So true, really, I mean, and, and you are a pro at that I have noticed, and really is to be commended. And I think a lot of people are afraid to put themselves out there in that way. And don't have faith that that one on one networking will pay off hugely for them. But I think you're a shining example of that
Sydney Otundo
is super important. Like make sure to network, get yourself out there. And sometimes it's scary, cuz you're like, I don't know what to say when I meet these people. But sometimes this conversation might start off awkward, but then it just starts flowing a conversation can start from anything. And then from there, you find out you have a lot of stuff in common are a lot of people in common. And those end up being maybe friends or people that can give you different opportunities. So I need to go. I
Sarah Fejfar
I agree. So true. So what are things like, you know, when it comes to planning an event for you, how does that look, tell us? Because you know, there's so many people listening who want to dive into the pool, but you know, they're a little a little anxious about it.
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, so with any event, there is a lot that goes behind the scenes. So personally with me, when it comes to planning events, I have to book a place where I'm going to be hosting this event. And usually I like to do it at restaurants. So I like to switch it up also every month. And so sometimes it's like I sometimes, okay, I can't choose the restaurants that I've been doing. But I want to switch it up, maybe let's try a different restaurant this month. So trying to find a place that can host the amount of people that I think that are going to come can be challenging sometimes as well. So that's one thing that I have to figure out every time I'm planning the events. Also, just the marketing. So you have to will I go on Eventbrite, I do Facebook events. I know I tried meetup one time as well. I just do my social media pages, my personal and that that's their dream, Instagram and Facebook. Networking, just my sphere. I just do a lot of that. So that's another thing that it takes the planning event, as well as making the flyer itself. Oh, no, there's so much. I'm just like, I don't even know. Yeah.
Sarah Fejfar
Is there a part of it that you love?
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, to be honest, like I told you, I love networking. So like being out there and going to networking events is fine. And just building that relationship with people and just telling them to come to this event and just seeing like, oh my gosh, this person that I just met at this event is coming to my event like this actually works like people really believe in what I'm saying and what I'm doing and want to learn more about finance. Because sometimes, like when you're talking about finances, people, they're like, kind of scared, they shy away. They're like, I don't know if I want to come to that event. And I've had that happen where somebody did come to event and like, pulled me aside private and he was like, Wow, this was like, amazing. But I was scared to come because I thought we were gonna have to expose our finances. And I didn't want to talk about my bad spending habits. And I'm just like, No, I don't want to put anyone on blast. That's not what my events are about. This is all about learning and learning from other people who are there learning from the game is just a way to have fun, collaborative way to learn about financial literacy.
Sarah Fejfar
And what you just shared there is so important. It’s important that you're getting to know your guests and a lot about what their fears are, what they want, what they know, what they aspire to. And when you get to know all those pieces, the stories that they're already telling themselves in their head, it really helps you market better so now that you know that there’s a story running in your potential guests’ heads of a fear of having to expose where they're at financially, that's something that you can put in your marketing. You can be saying, okay, this is a safe place where no one's sharing their financial History or where they’re currently at financially, it's a safe place for us to come together and have some fun and learn. And when you are able to do that on your sales page or your invite for your events, you, you're able to convert people from browsers to registrants, so much quicker and in, you know, in higher numbers. I love that you're talking to your guests and really getting to know them; that knowledge is going to serve you well when you scale your events in the future.
Sydney Otundo
I want them to know it's a safe place. It's just a place to come and sit into. Yes.
Sarah Fejfar
So how do you? How do these events make an impact on? Your guests love to hear about that?
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, so pretty much like when we play a game, so say we're playing, for instance, what game do we play, I'm just making Wheel of Fortune. So we played wheel of fortune for one of the events. And a lot of people after like, you know, the word has been spelled out and everything and you know, and they're just like, oh, my gosh, I have so many questions like, what did this mean? What did this term mean? What was that phrase? Like? It was based on real estate. So a lot of people were actually really interested and wanted to go over all the terms and phrases throughout that game, to learn a little bit more about what it means like, for example, just inspection, that was one of the words and so they're just like, Okay, can you maybe explain a little bit what an inspection is, how the process goes, and real estate, there's one about appraisals. There's just many different key terms about real estate. So I've learned that people do want to learn these things. It's just not about playing a game, but they're just like, super invested and interested in learning more, because maybe they're trying to buy a home in the future. And it's not only real estate focused, like every time, every game we play, it's different. It could be money management, it could be about budgeting, it could be about taxes. So we try to switch it up, it could be about entrepreneurship. And so everyone is learning each time we play a game about something else in the finance world. And it gives them an opportunity to just be able to expand their knowledge and provide that information to maybe a friend or a family member who is going through a financial situation and be like, Hey, I learned this today, I'd slip into, like, maybe you could take this tip or maybe they're taking that tip in and applying it to their lives.
Sarah Fejfar
So not only not only are you helping inform them, and but you're empowering them to kind of step into a leadership role in their own circles with their own family and friends love that. Also love that you're using gamification, right in the event setting and I will go on the record that for a really large part of my life. I was I was kind of anti play in this kind of like work and learning space. But I've really turned the corner and come around on that one because I can see how valuable it is. Especially for adults like it's the play is not just for our children, it can make learning happen for adults on such a deeper level. And it just helps with engagement. I've especially seen in the last year and a half of in virtual events, gamification can be done in like a non cheesy way that just makes life more enjoyable. And I love that you've adopted that concept here and, and made learning about something that could be really, I don't not so fun. Fun. Yeah,
Sydney Otundo
yeah, I mean, talk about finances is not fun. So that's why I like to make it fun and collaborative. So people are like, Oh, actually, I do want to come and sit in tip and learn a little bit more about finances, not like, Oh, I'm giving them a presentation, we're going to sit in a room and I'm going to be like, This is what you should do. This is how you should budget this is what I do. Like these are the methods you know, they learned that through a game and it's not also me telling them because everyone's financial situations are also different as well. So I within these games, there's different methods that I might talk about or phrases or words depending on the game that we're playing that I might share about so people can pick up on what is good for them to use in their lives.
Sarah Fejfar
I'm so inspired by the impact you're making in the world and so exciting to hear about how you're using events now. You're you're using in person events are very strategically here. Why is that?
Sydney Otundo
Um, well, for me personally, when it comes to virtual events, like they're fine, they're nice I attend. But I also, most likely will be multitasking. And I'll be doing something totally different. I could be folding laundry, I could be making dinner. And so I'm not 100% there. And just talking about finances, I want people to be 100% there and not focusing on other things are happening in the background, or being like, Oh, well, this came up, I guess this Zoom meeting is not important. Let me just like, just, you know, cancel it or not go or attend. And I know I do that. So I was like, I want I want to go to dinner now. So I guess I won't go to the six o'clock Zoom meeting. And so but that's me, personally, everyone is totally different. So that's why I went the in person route. And I know like with COVID, and everything, it's kind of tricky. But that is just a method that I have been using. And it's kind of a little bit easier with playing games as well. But I do want to also offer an option for people to play games at home at home as well, if they're not comfortable coming in person.
Sarah Fejfar
Sure. So really, you're you kind of your choice to do in person really is because you, you honor the importance of this topic. And that and you know, that kind of 100% presence is needed in order for this to really soak in and make an impact. And so you just made that decision to be in person. Yeah, I'll be excited to hear how virtual goes if you ever decide to add that on. But you're not alone. I have spent many virtual event doing lots of other things. Other than sitting at a desk 100% focused on on the event at hand, guilty, is guilty as charged.
Sydney Otundo
I know I'm just like Sydney today, during this Zoom meeting, you're gonna sit at your desk, and you're gonna pay attention. And I like kind of have this to do, why don't I just put in my air pods and you know, do both at the same time. And then next thing, you know, I'm like, blanking on what I'm even listening to. And then I'm like, Well, I don't know what's going on anymore. Let me just exit Zoom meeting. And I hate that I do that because most some of the times like these zoom meetings are actually important stuff. I could be gaining a lot of knowledge from but it's just like, my attention span is just not there.
Sarah Fejfar
Yeah, no, and it's just important to, to make that realization and adjust. You know, how we run either our virtual or you know, in person events accordingly engagements a big deal. And I love that you're paying attention to that. So tell us about your audience. Yeah, so
Sydney Otundo
my audience is usually the younger adult or younger adults. So just like with these networking events that have been going to and just like my sphere, and stuff like that, that is the audience that I do get. But it's open to anyone and everyone. And then I also have been trying to also aim for people of color as well. I just feel like with my mission for that surgery, my organization is to help close the wealth gap. So to educate people of color about financial literacy, so we can get to that point where we can try to close this wealth gap. So I guess that is also my audience as well. But I mean, it's open to everyone to come.
Sarah Fejfar
Oh, I love that. Of that. Alright, so I want to shift gears into more of like a rapid fire segment here. So tell me I know you you host your own events, and you also speak at events? Is there is there something that you've heard kind of backstage at an event you you know, either yours or, or one you've you've been at that just really stuck with you?
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, I mean, I just went to this conference. And it was about finance and just entrepreneurship and businesses. And I thought it was going to be more of a financial workshop. But it was actually to talk about money, runes and why people spend the way they do and why money is a big sensitive topic to some people. It just was to break down things that have happened maybe in their childhood, or just how they always saw money when they were younger with their parents or whoever, their guardian, you know, and so that also comes up in their life when they get older. And so it was kind of like just went backstage when I would just go like I went to the bathroom and I was just talking to this girl who was also there and she's like, honestly, I didn't expect this at all. I thought we were going to be talking about how to spend our money. How to do this, how to be an entrepreneur. And it was more about just breaking these generational curses. And because this can make an impact, and affect our businesses or affect us financially, so,
Sarah Fejfar
yeah, that's powerful. I just finished reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T Harv, Eker. And a kind of a classic in the money space. And that's a big topic in there about just kind of the general generational impact of the stories that kind of we took on and carry with us from childhood into adulthood about money and how that impacts us for the good and for the bad. And how to realize what they are unpack those that you can, you can, you know, move past it. So, yeah, really powerful topic. What? Tell me about your mindset, when it comes to hosting your own events, it's kind of the probably the biggest barrier to hosting events for business owners is is that mindset piece, and you've clearly felt very empowered, and you stepped into that that space of event host. And so I'd love to hear about your secret to managing your mindset. I know we talked about fear at the beginning of just like filling it, but what's your secret to managing your mindset?
Sydney Otundo
I don't know if I have the secret. But I'm pretty much what I do. Like I do get like, you know, I have the fear, like I told you a fear of people that are going to come you know, is there going to be anyone but something I always do is just have faith and just be like positive like hastened. Even if two people come, at least two people came, they support you. That's all that really matters. It's not about the number. But it's about the people that come there and just showing them that you appreciate them for coming, you know, and that they support you and believe in your idea and what you're trying to do. So I was just told myself, like, don't even get stressed out about oh my gosh, like this amount of people are going to come but you're wanting this amount of number, this amount of people to come. It's all about the quality, I guess, you know, quality over quantity is what I say. So it's just like, obviously, these people that came really do support you and want you to succeed, and they believe in what you're doing. So that's what I try to tell myself. And that's what keeps me going to keep holding up rights everyone.
Sarah Fejfar
Ah, so wise is the serve and serve hard love on those who are there? And that's what your worries should be about? How can you pour into the ones that are there? And your worries should not be on? Who isn't in the room? It is all about being present with those who are so wise?
Sydney Otundo
Yes.
Sarah Fejfar
So tell me, tell me a best tip for filling events? Is it? Is it the networking that we talked about?
Sydney Otundo
Yep. It's a networking, hearing No, 100%.
Sarah Fejfar
Okay, those want to make sure.
now, tell me about your favorite moment at the events that you host, maybe you've got one from a specific event or is it is it one moment, like at every event where it's just like, Ah, that was, that's the best part. I love it.
Sydney Otundo
You know, I think it's just at every event is just at the end just seeing everyone talking in like they stay after the game. And after even the event is over. Because I usually ended at like eight o'clock, and people will leave, like stay until like, nine 930. And I'll stay with them as well. Like, it's just exciting that people want to stay in that they meet friends there, or they meet people there that they're, you know, building these connections with. And it just makes me happy that I was able to create something where people can also learn about financial literacy and network and build their own connections as well. So that's what really makes me happy to be like this.
Sarah Fejfar
Ah, that would make my heart happy too. I love that it just seeing looking out over the room and seeing just it's like integrating that moment into your, into your heart and mind of like this. I created this. It did this and look at it's how it's bringing smiles to people's faces and looking and like noticing those light bulb moments. So it really is a gift that we we have as event hosts to see kind of the sparkle in their eyes and you don't get that if you don't put yourself in the ring, right?
Sydney Otundo
Yeah, yeah, yeah. When people want to stay longer. I'm like, Oh my gosh, or they're like, come on, is there more to the game? And I'm like, No, but oh my gosh, you guys want to continue playing the game you like and it just makes me so happy. And just even like this month I didn't host an event just like the holidays and everything. So I'm just going to do it next month. And I've had so many people text me like, oh my gosh, when's the next one? What date? Is it? Where's it going to be? And I'm like, Oh my gosh, we're waiting for the next one. It just makes me so happy.
Sarah Fejfar
I love hearing that, Sydney. Tell me what are you reading right now?
Sydney Otundo
I am reading where is my book? I have it right here. So I'm reading it, Sell It Like Serhant.
So it's pretty much how to sell more and earn more. So just based on like real estate also do real estate as well. So it's, it helps me educate on how I can reach different people and sell to them.
Sarah Fejfar
Hmm. So good. We’ll link up that book, Sell It Like Serhant, in the show notes, Well, Sydney, this has been so fun to chat today. And I want you to tell our listeners where they can find you.
Sydney Otundo
Yes, so you guys can find me on Instagram and Facebook at that stir dream. And then I'm also on Spotify and actually all podcast that forums on Dexter dream as well.
Sarah Fejfar
Yes, the name of your podcast is that's their dream. And our listeners can go find it on any anywhere they listen to their podcasts, right?
Sydney Otundo
Yep.
Sarah Fejfar
Awesome. This has been so fun. And I really want to just honor you for your mission to close the finance or financial literacy gap in the youth market, and especially for people of color. I’m so thankful for the work that you're doing in this world and really appreciate you coming on and talking to linchpin nation today.
Sydney Otundo
Yes, thank you so much for having me on. I really appreciate it.
