We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dez Del Rio a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dez, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career.

What They Didn’t Teach You in School about Making Money

I recently learned something I would like to share with you. Have you ever wondered why even today the public school system does not teach our children how to succeed financially? How to grow and maintain wealth, the fundamentals of investing and why acquiring assets not labor is the key to personal success. Pay close attention because the truth is, they do not want you to know what I am about to tell you. What the fat cats know about money is different then what school teaches you about money, which is nothing. This is not an oversight. It is by design. The best way to ensure the work force is always plentiful is not to teach the average person what the wealthiest people know. Is the game rigged? Yes and no. Those of us on the outside looking in would say definitely. The rich get richer and the poor work hard all their lives just to make ends meet. The schools we trust with our children’s lives would never even consider teaching them the basics of money management and they never will. Why? Because they are part of the system designed to enslave the working class, the middle class and the poor. Can you imagine how much better off so many people would be today if they had received a financial education in high school. Instead, they say get a job, and save money for retirement, which in reality, ends up meaning you work hard your whole life to pay off your debts and pay your taxes. In fact, most parents tell their children to do exactly that, go to college, get a job and save. Unfortunately, the majority of college-educated individuals will end up spending a large part of their lives paying off school loans. Life is hard enough, but starting it fifty thousand dollars in debt is even harder. Now my purpose here is not to disparage the benefits of a higher education, only to point out that depending on your field of study, a higher education does not necessarily provide you with a financial education. Let me be very clear; saving money, if you can, will never make you rich. You are busting your butt for money the Fed prints out of thin air. How many times have you heard some politician say the country is twenty trillion dollars in debt? We have to start paying down the debt. Really? Exactly whom do we owe that money too? In one day, they print free more money than the average person makes in a million life times. In essence, what they are doing is printing counterfeit money and using the American people to wash it. They print it and you work to earn it and give it back them clean as a whistle, only now they call it taxes. The rest of it you owe them with interest i.e., the national debt. However, all the national debt really is are digits on a computer screen. The rich do not work for money, you do. They do not come right out and say it, but a hardworking, tax paying, consumer is exactly what they want you to be. However, if what you want is financial freedom and a successful personal life, than at some point, you must take it upon yourself to find out how to create real wealth. Step one stop thinking like an employee. Think like a rich man and that is what you will learn to be. A paycheck, a pension and job security might make you feel safe but they will never make you rich. Next, do not confuse assets and liabilities. Cash coming in is an asset; cash going out is a liability. Living in a house you bought is a liability (cash going out) renting out a house you bought is an asset (cash coming in). Most people do not realize that tax is there biggest expense. However, when you do not work for money, you do not pay income tax. If you are not taking steps to minimize that expense, you are leaving money on the table. Lots of it. Think and grow rich. Right?

There are three kinds of income, earned, portfolio and passive. A job is earned income. It does not matter if you are roofing houses or writing code it is taxable is income. Buying and selling stocks for a profit is portfolio income, capital gains, you pay capital gains tax. Passive income, which is cash flow, you never pay taxes on. That is why most rich people never pay taxes. They do not have jobs they have assets. If you do not have a financial education, you don’t know how the system works, so you can’t take advantage of it. For example if you sell pillows and buy real estate with the profits, you do not pay taxes. The good news is; it’s legal and anyone can do it. Once you understand how to transform debt into an asset, you suddenly realize that you can afford that loan. The money you need to succeed is at your fingertips. That is why a good credit score is so important. A loan in the hands of someone with a financial education and an understanding of the tax code can become prosperous. Poverty like wealth is handed-down from one generation to the next and while there is nothing wrong with using your hands and working hard to make a living, when you work hard all week and still do not have enough money to make ends meet, that is a terrible feeling. Trust me, I know.

I have cracked open the door for you so that you can peek inside the country club. A basic understanding of how to create wealth is all you need to get started. What they do not but should teach us in school, you must learn, so find a great teacher. The best thing we as parents can do for our children is demand that our schools provide them with a financial education. When you know what you’re doing, it’s much easier to minimize financial risk. Learn from your mistakes and capitalize on opportunity when it becomes available to you. Money isn’t everything, but money in the hands of good people is a blessing and that is what you are what we are and never let anyone tell you differently. If the bank turns you down for a loan, find out why and fix it. Once you no longer need money to live, you can use your money to make money, to create wealth. Believe you can, and you will succeed. As some point, the hunted must realize they must become the hunter to survive.

Dez, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I began my music career in Beaumont, Texas over 30 years ago, writing my own songs and playing music professionally by the time I was 17 years old. After high school, I moved to Austin, Texas, where I became known as Haji and spent the next four years cutting my chops in Austin’s punk rock music scene playing punk power pop with my band “Human Drama” in now legendary clubs like Raul’s, Club Foot and the Continental Club. After leaving Austin, I moved to San Francisco and joined a band called “Our Lady of Pain” fronted by Alin Black a friend from Austin, while playing simultaneously in “A3I” a punk band that included former members of San Francisco bad boys “Bad Posture” and one time Flipper front man Will Shatter. Shortly after exiting “A3I” and following the Pain’s demise, I spent the next year playing in Joe Mama a rock-rap band of gypsies known for its funky vibe and groovy rock riffs. Now known as Haji Hollyrock, I rejoined Alin Black to form the scandalous SF Dogs, a glam-slam rock outfit with an unhealthy penchant for wine, women and song, more wine, more women and more song. After the Dogs disbanded, I recruited drummer B.O.B (Shiva Dancing, Joe Mama and SF Dogs to form the “Merchants of Chaos”, a rock rap metal monster that spewed political conspiracy theories ten years before they were news. M.O.C. became “The Kill” after rap renegade Brad left and Jax joined the band. After ”The Kill” disbanded I did a short stint with “The Lipstick Killers”, another glam slam outfit that included guitarist and front man Dirty Al Duncan who toured briefly with “The Johnny Thunder’s Band” (New York Dolls) in the mid to late 80’s. Around 2003 I took a much-needed break from music to write my first novel “The Lipstick Killerz” under the pseudonym Dez Del Rio. Soon after my novel was completed and released I was recruited by Hollywood’s “Middle Finger Mob” for a one-off gig opening for Hollywood’s Pretty Boy Floyd and Sweden’s Crash Diet at the Key Club in Hollywood. After M.F.M. disbanded, I began work on my second book however, when a casual invitation to jam evolved into an exciting new music project I rebranded myself as Johnny Saffire and the “Love Lyzardz” featuring Reign Diamonds was born.

As an entertainer, I think it’s important to know when to close the chapter on a part of your life and start over fresh. Because of when I was born, my musical influences are so vast, it’s hard for me to not want to express my musical interest in different forms, so I am constantly reinventing myself, which is fun for me because it keeps things fresh but it is also probably the reason I am not better known.

I am currently getting close to finishing my second book (titled withheld) which will be highly controversial. I am confident I am in possession of ancient spiritual knowledge that could change the course of history and prevent humanity from making a grave error as we embark on the future together. For the time we have left to make change is rapidly coming to an end and if we don’t awaken from the spiritual deception that has been foisted upon us, it will ensure that the forces of evil that seek to destroy us will prevail. This will be my magnum opus so to speak and the work I am most proud of.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There are actually many stories that illustrate my resilience however, one that comes to mind is the time I was fired from my first band in Austin, Texas. A band I helped found. Sadden by the news I had just been fired, I was walking home with my head down and as I stepped off the curb, on the street in front of me was a brand new sticker that said “Rock n’ Roll Forever”. I picked it up and must have stood there staring at it for at least a minute. I have no idea where it came from or how it got there but it was exactly what I needed at just the right time. It was a sign to me that music was indeed my life’s path in whatever form it took. When I got home I stuck it on my guitar case and it is still there to this day. I think knowing you are on your true spiritual path is what gives you the tenacity to overcome any obstacles or struggles you encounter on your journey through life. So look for the signs, they’re everywhere.

How’d you meet your business partner?

That is actually an interesting story. I was the manager of a cigarette and candy girl company in San Francisco for many years. One day I received an email from a young girl who was interested in working as a promotional model for our company. She attached some pictures and after looking them over, I thought to myself…this girl looks like a super model, we are a small company, there is no way will ever be able to afford her nor will she be willing to work for what we can afford to pay her, so I put her portfolio aside and forgot about it.

Several months later she contacted me again and so this time I thought why not meet her and see what gives. So I set up an interview and after we met, I realized that although she was very beautiful, she was very much just the girl next door type and so I hired her. She had been working for Peachy’s Puffs for several months when one day after an event she told me she was going to audition for a band. I said really, what do you play? She said I am a singer. I said really! I play guitar. We should jam sometime if your audition doesn’t work out. It had been years since my last music project and I was just looking to play some music and have some fun. I had no ulterior motives….honestly. After her next event she told me the audition fell through and if I was still interested she wanted to get together and play some music. I said sure. So we set up a date to jam. She came over we drank some wine and played music all afternoon. We were hungry by then and decided to get some dinner and that’s when the sparks flew and the rest as they say is history. She is now Reign Diamonds my business partner, lead singer for our band the “Love Lyzardz” and my girlfriend of 7 years. What I didn’t know until that night was that she lived across the street from me at her parents condo and had been living there for several years. She was literally the girl next door. That’s when I finally realized God loves me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lovelyzardz.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/love_lyzardz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lovelyzardz
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lovelyzardz
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/lovelyzardz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPbw44ricdoVpaKOYD05JNg
• Other: https://hyperfollow.com/lovelyzardz www.dezdelrio.com https://www.amazon.com/Life-Faith-and-Freedom-T-Shirt/dp/B098WCM3FG/ref=sr_1_77?crid=3NE981EM631YL&keywords=life%2C+faith+and+freedom+tshirt&qid=1653982059&sprefix=life%2C+faith+and+freedom+t+shirt%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-77

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