Jesus Neri

The Beard/La Barba

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Founder.

Jesus has been in the banking and financing world for 17 years. He has worked with small community banks where he was head of the mortgage department, with startup mortgage companies where he helped build systems and platforms to increase productivity, and with SunWest Mortgage where he currently serves as Divisional Vice President while managing an ever-growing correspondent portfolio.

Tell Us About The Conception of Trust The Beard:

“I have realized that I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for my trailblazing predecessors who at some point in time invested their belief in me. In the search for a way to honor the love of these giants came the birth of Trust The Beard.

The first giant was my aunt Maria who unfortunately lost her battle against cancer in 2005. At the time, I found an organization that raised funds for breast cancer; it encouraged people to grow out their beards for long periods of time and everyday ask for donations to keep on going. Without a second thought, I became part of the movement.

The second giant has been my mom, a pillar, advocate, and champion of the immigrant community in Little Village for the last 30 years. The unequivocal level of trust and confidence that my mom's clients have on her are a business model I strive to embody.

These two intrinsic motivators are the original fuel that power Trust The Beard while the patience, care, time, and diligence that it takes to grow a beard introduced us the discipline which we use in all aspects of our business”.

How Has The Concept Evolved?

“The love radiated from these two women is the same strain of love we hope to bring and invest into our neighborhoods and into our own personal growth. There is the belief that you cannot "financial literacy your way out of poverty", and at first glance I would agree. However, what you start to realize is that exiting any kind of situation you are unhappy with will require an uncomfortable amount of focus, and if we truly dissect financial literacy we will find that at the core of it will always be the need for self-development. This focus will encompass your daily routines, eating habits, who you hang around, and any other external influence in your life. The conscious and the unconscious.

Your community is one of the most impactful influencers in your life, so being involved and integrated into it is a choice that can only go three different ways: to accept, to walk away, or to change. If you are happy with the narrative that is out there of your community, you will accept it. If you are not happy with this narrative, the next step will be yours to make.

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Often times we look outside of ourselves for resources and fulfillment, but if you believe that you are abundant then you can no longer operate from a place of scarcity. Financial Literacy is the cheat code that exists in this matrix, and it is up to us to help gente-fy* the landscape of our communities.

In a hyperconnected and hyper-communicated world, competition is what fuels businesses' desire to succeed. The spirit of competition unharnessed and unchecked creates some of the most toxic work environments and corrupted intentions across all industries. Being someone who is ultra competitive, this was something hard for me to accept. My career was based on being the best, but being the best doesn't mean that you are better than anyone, it just means that you are the best at what you do. That is why at Trust The Beard we choose to embody the spirit of Creation, Collaboration, and Contribution. Not Competition.

Whether your path is self-development, community advocacy, or financial literacy, you can count on Team Beard to create, collaborate, and contribute with you”.

*Gentefication not gentrification, a culturally holistic approach to community reinvestment and development.

Contact The Beard

Facebook

jesus@trustthebeard.org

 
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