4 Simple Tips To Promote Your SuccessFunding Profile

So you have created a SuccessFunding profile but now what ? Here are four simple tips that you can use to promote your profile.

1) Share your profile on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.

Be proactive! SuccessFunding gives you the tools to share your profile on social platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You click the "Share" button and you're on your way to letting the Internet community aware of your goal of reducing your student debt. Forget the phrase, "what they don't know won't hurt them" because you need to make people aware of your profile. Debt is an ugly truth that most people aren't aware of. Let student debt be known and that there is a way to fight the monster.

2) Talk to close family and friends.

Your family and friends are your BIGGEST supporters. They know you better than you know yourself so they make them ideal in jump starting your SuccessFund. These are the people who will be willing to contribute to your SuccessFund without any hesitation, whether it is monetary or them sharing your SuccessFund profile to their networks. Don't be afraid to talk to them about reducing your debt! Let's not forget that debt not only affects you, but everyone around you.

3) Send handwritten notes.

In the age of quick text messages and emotionless emails, you'd be surprised just how powerful the pen truly is. A simple handwritten note can make anyone's day, whether it's your co-workers or just a person you met at the coffeeshop.You can make supporters in the most unexpected places. Spending 5 minutes writing a note can do wonders for your SuccessFund.

4) Email school professors.

I know that not everyone will know all their professors but there has to be that one professor that made an impact on your education. It doesn't even have to be a college professor. It can be an elementary teacher that you still remember to this day. These educators believe in you in making a difference in the world. Having the people who personally educated you will support your SuccessFund. Your professors and teachers know your true potential. The great thing about SuccessFunding is that you can have people like your teachers endorse you which lets visitors on your SucessFunding page know what kind of person you are and can convince them to give that gift to your SuccessFund.

So what are you waiting for ? Create you SuccessFund today and start reaching out to close family and friends.

Student Debt: Look for alternate options & not just a huge loan (Ali Mirza)

Ali Mirza  Owner of i Social You

Ali Mirza is the owner of "i Social You", a social media service company based in Dallas. He is passionate about helping businesses create engaging social communities. In his spare time, he blogs about simplicity and life at www.letsgraph.com. . SF: What was your biggest challenge in college? AM: Having money to pay for tuition was always a challenge. I was an international student and did not qualify for any grants or loans. Because of my good GPA, I had a scholarship but out of state tuition fee was still very high. SF: Were you impacted by student loans & debt? AM: Yes – I used credit cards to pay for tuition. Being an international student I did not qualify for FAFSA type of loans. So my only option was credit card debt. I paid off $30,000 worth of debt and most of it was after graduation. Almost 75% of my income was going towards credit card debt for a few years after the graduation. SF: What would you do if you didn't have any student debt? AM: I would have been much more open to starting my business & pursuing my dreams. SF: Who is your hero and why? AM: My grandfather. He never went to school but made sure his kids and grandkids did. I learned two very important things from him: 1) Always respect your elders 2) Education is the most important thing in our life SF: If you could change one thing about our education system, what would it be and how would you go about it? AM: I would change it to a “pull system.” Right now education is being pushed on students in schools. I want to flip the system and give more control to students. Imagine you go to your student advisor and say “I want to take these subjects because this is what I LOVE; now you tell me what degree you can give me.” Unfortunately I am not sure how to make it happen yet. SF: What would you suggest to students who are facing student debt? AM: Stop being lazy and do what you can to pay it down as quickly as possible. Also look for alternate options. Crowdfunding & technology platforms like SuccessFunding allow us to think out of the box.

Student Debt: Take as little as possible (Andrew Kramer)

Andrew Kramer  Executive Director of Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship of North Texas

Andrew Kramer is the Executive Director of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship of North Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree in humanities from the University of Texas, Austin and a MBA from Texas Christian University. He lives in Dallas, shares my life with a wonderful partner, and have 3 dogs. SF: What is (or was) your biggest challenge in college? AK: Managing stress. I took on as much as I could, but that was sometimes very hard to balance, and still have some fun. That, and the first year it was incredibly difficult to figure out everything—in my first semester I arrived at a final exam late because I couldn’t find the classroom the test was being held in. I wasn’t all that good at learning foreign languages so it turned out not to matter very much. SF: Were you (or are you) impacted by student loans & debt? AK: Yes. I paid my way through both my undergraduate and MBA programs. Scholarships, Pell Grants and work study stipends didn’t cover it all. SF: What would you do if you didn't have any student debt? AK: Save. Student debt eats up a significant part of my income. But, my education was the most successful investment I’ve made so far—the return is much higher than the interest I pay on the loans. SF: Who is your hero and why? AK: I don’t think I have one single hero. I have had a lot of mentors in my life that have helped guide me in every facet of my life. I am always seeking out mentors but a lot of the time my mentors have been happy accidents. I read a lot and find a great deal of inspiration and ideas from the characters and people I read about. SF: If you could change one thing about our education system, what would it be and how would you go about it? AK: I’d get rid of the SAT and replace it with a Grit Index. Hard work and resilience are better indicators of future success than a test that tells you how good you are at taking that test. I knew people who got near perfect scores on the SAT but never finished college because they didn’t know how or didn’t want to do hard work and deal with setbacks. And I knew a lot of people who didn’t get great SAT scores but did great in college because they were willing to do the work and looked at setbacks as challenges to overcome. SF: What would you suggest to students who are facing student debt? AK: Think about it as an investment for your future. But, take as little of it as possible—it can be very hard the first couple of years to start paying it back. Go to the best school you can afford; there are some really great schools that don’t cost as much as the “name brands,” including community colleges. Get as much out of school as you can while you’re there—you’re going to be paying for it for a long time.

Student Debt Elephant (Ramon) and "Astronomical Student Loans"

Ramon Trespalacios  Student Body President, Southern Methodist University

At SuccessFunding, we have never had more laughs and fun than with Ramon Trespalacios, Student Body President at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. You may have also seen him in our video comic series, The Student Debt Story as none other than the Elephant. Get to know this hilariously outgoing person by reading the interview below. SF: What is your “personal mission” as SMU’s Student Body President and as an individual? RT: My mission as Student Body President is to create an inclusive environment where every student receives the best college experience possible. My personal mission is to help develop other individuals so they can reach their maximum potential and impact a greater community. SF: How do you believe student loans impact current college students? What effect do they have in the future? RT: Student loans create a burden on students and young professionals. They are impeding people from doing what they love and focusing more in which job would give them more monetary resources for them to pay their loan. I have friends that have told me that they will not be done with their loan payment until the age of 40. At that point it will not only be affecting them individually but those around them, like family members and business partners, just to name a couple. I think it's great that there is a way for students to get a great education but the amount of loans out there is astronomical. SF: Tell us about your role as “The Elephant in the Room.” RT: When I was invited to participate in "The Elephant In the Room" series I was truly excited. Volunteering in such manner aligned with my personal values and I really wanted to spread the word of the great cause SuccessFunding has started. I was really happy to have the opportunity to work with fellow SMU students to create a fun series that communicates a message that should be heard.

Student Debt: Pay it down as quickly as possible

Justin Nygren is co-owner of The Grove, Dallas, a collaborative co-working community in downtown Dallas. He spends his days connecting people to the resources that they need to pursue their dreams in their businesses, non-profits and creative careers. His plans to regularly blog have been overtaken by his to-do list.

SF:What was your biggest challenge in college?
JN: My greatest challenge was knowing that I would be deeply in debt after graduation. This particular challenge actually led me to forgo college altogether. If I would have had access to other options, my collegiate career may have been much different.

SF: Were you impacted by student loans debt?
JN: Yes, I was. It took me 3 years to pay off 3 semesters worth of school debt.

SF: What would you do if you didn't have any student debt?
JN: I would have been much more open to pursuing my dreams.

SF: Who is your hero and why?
JN: I currently have many, but among them are the founders of "The B Team"-Arianna Huffington, Richard Branson, and Muhammad Yunus. They are a group of global leaders who are helping push the Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet and Profit.

SF: If you could change one thing about our education system, what would it be and how would you go about it?
JN: I would create learning that is self-paced. Sal Khan of Khan Academy would be in charge of implementation.

SF: What would you suggest to students who are facing student debt?
JN: Do what you can to pay it down as quickly as possible. If you have a loan that will penalize you for early payoff, weigh that option against moving it to a loan that will allow you to pay down faster. The less time you spend burdened by your debt, the more time you have to focus on your dream.

Interview with Chris Bhatti, Director of External and Alumni Relations, SMU

Chris Bhatti  Director of External Affairs and Alumni Relations, SMU

SuccessFunding had the opportunity to interview the Director of External Affairs and Alumni Relations for the Simmons School of Education and Human Development at Southern Methodist University, Mr. Chris Bhatti. We hope you enjoy reading about this great interview as much as we had in interviewing Chris. SF: What are the pressures facing students? CB: It's no secret that the cost of college is skyrocketing. One of the biggest pressures on students is weighing the cost and benefit of going to college. If I take out this much money to pay for tuition, is that going to give me a return on investment and get me where I want to get to? Of course it will! There's a direct correlation between education and salary, except if you're an outlier which is 1% of the population. Students have to ask themselves: Is this a cost upfront that I can handle? If I pay through loans, can I repay that? SF: How do you think students can protect themselves from suffering the effects of long-term student debt? CB: My dad always said, "Don't chase money. Money is in whatever field. Do what you love and money will come." Not everyone has that opportunity because of the stress student debt puts on people. You may not be afforded the opportunity to do this thing you love; you have to do what you have to do in order to survive. What I would say to students is to work hard on the front end (scholarships) but from the back end do what you want, what you love and money will come. SF: How do you think SuccessFunding will benefit students? CB: SuccessFunding is a phenomenal idea for individuals to begin putting money into a 529 account. Now there is an opportunity for students, future students even, to take ownership of your education. You're going to want to take ownership and do everything you can to take advantage of your education because you helped yourself get there. I believe SuccessFunding provides opportunities for a large number of students in a way no other company does.