Can You Really Afford That?

One of the more interesting panels on campus Tuesday was Money Management Skills. Pat Bishop and Fernando Delgado kicked off the panel on campus and streamed live online. Fernando, an alumni of Full Sail and owner of Stickman Sound was interviewed by Pat on his personal financial experiences and how he completely turned his financial life around.

The interview touched on purchasing gear and working 24/7 to make money to pay off the loans that he was continually taking out to pursue his freelancing career. One of the many key points that he spoke on was our financial footprint that we put out in the world. The larger the footprint, the more the stress. “Two things to help shrink this footprint,” Fernando explained, “ask yourself, do I need it? And can I afford it with my own funds.” These questions help put time and thought into a purchase before investing in something that could be useless in 2 months.

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"Most students are tempted to invest immediately after school and get all of the gear they think they need to be successful, this isn’t necessarily true"

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Most students are tempted to invest immediately after school and get all of the gear they think they need to be successful, this isn’t necessarily true. No one exactly knows what job they will land out of school or where life will take them. Delgado suggested, “Instead of spending money on gear that might not fit right for the next gig, RENT.” He continued, “renting equipment allows you to grow as a creative, gain experience with various equipments and also, the client will pay for the rental fees.” This must have been the most relevant piece of suggestion Delgado gave among several others.

Another important piece of advice he lent was, “view your peers as peers, not competition. Realize how much work you can handle and pass on work that might be too heavy on your plate or that might not fit in your line of work. Of

course, gain experience but don’t be afraid to share work with people who will be a better fit.” This was an important advice that students needed to hear since they are very likely to attempt to take on more than they can handle for whatever reasons.

As the panel wrapped up and Q and A’s were done, Fernando closed with some important takeaways. He said, “Live frugal, don’t borrow money, and conquer your debts and pay on time. If you’re paying interest, you’re not gaining it. Debt brings stress which then affects your creativity and work. Managing finance is a very important part of your personal and professional life. Be smart with it.”