We recently connected with Nilsa Santiago and have shared our conversation below.

Nilsa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I wake up every morning living my legacy — being grateful for awakening to a new day full of possibilities, knowing that my daughters and husband are well, I am happy by aligning and doing the best I can, moving forward with more gratitude, smiling, helping others by adding wisdom and value to our conversations and loving nature including animals. I learned from Tony Robbins that living in a beautiful state is fundamental to creating and designing the life we want — and the life we will one day be remembered for. Every day, the way I show up for myself, my family, and my community is a conscious act of building the legacy I envision.

A vital part of creating and building legacy is asking myself better questions. Being in the financial services industry, I have seen firsthand what happens when business owners, households with children, and families caring for elderly parents when not equipped with the principles of financial management and havnt created financial foundations brings a lot of chaos and confusion. When there are no savings, no asset allocation plan, and no financial foundation, unexpected events can cause devastation. During the Great Recession, over four million families lost their homes, and two million businesses ceased operations. These realities fuel my commitment to serve. With these images etched in my heart, I ask myself every day: “How can financial chaos and suffering be eradicated?” I believe that when the basics of financial well-being are understood and applied, lives — and futures — are forever changed.

I hope to be remembered for building a legacy of love for family, leadership through service, and helping others achieve true financial clarity. Through my projects like Impact, Beyond the Numbers, and transformational coaching, I dedicate my life to empowering families, entrepreneurs, and college graduates to rise into abundance, freedom, and lasting purpose. My greatest achievement will not just be what I built, it’s the generational legacy, didn’t say generational wealth. The way we raised our daughters, teaching them the importance to be kind to others, have human connections, clarity and empowered knowledge of key financial concepts gives them the tools to succeed in life. And that’s a message I want to share with my audience, to consider teaching their children and love ones about financial wellbeing . The ripple effect is the world is creating financial flexibility — and the families and businesses I helped transform their visions and mission, the dreams I helped awaken, and the ripple effect of financial empowerment I set in motion for generations to come.

People will say, “Nilsa always believed that people are capable of accomplishing anything when they have proximity to those who have walked the path before them — and who are willing to share the frameworks and roadmaps to success.” That’s what I strive to do every day: to share knowledge in a friendly, accessible, and inspiring way, helping millions of people create lives filled with opportunities for their families, businesses, and communities — rooted in the fundamentals of financial literacy, management, and fun.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Nilsa Santiago — entrepreneur, financial strategist, speaker, and creator of transformational frameworks for lasting impact. From a young age, I learned from my parents that financial knowledge is a gateway to freedom and possibility. I bought my first home at the age of 23, negotiated creative financing directly with the homeowner, and later used that first investment to build significant capital for my future — all before I fully realized that I was planting the seeds of a lifelong mission.

Over the course of my career, I became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), earned an MBA with a concentration in finance, and served as a CFO and CEO, helping companies achieve 8-figure growth. I’ve also traveled the world, worked on global service projects in Africa, and led initiatives that supported underserved communities. My background combines technical financial expertise with a deep passion for human growth, empowerment, and legacy creation.

I have seen the real, tangible suffering caused when people — especially entrepreneurs and families — don’t have the skills to apply fundamental financial principles in their world. During the Great Recession, over four million families lost their homes, and two million businesses shut down. I witnessed firsthand that financial chaos can be avoided when people are empowered with clarity, education, and confidence — but most are never taught the tools they truly need. That ignited a lifelong commitment in me to close that gap.

Today, through my projects like Impact, Beyond the Numbers, transformational coaching, online courses, keynote speaking, and financial clarity frameworks, I help individuals, entrepreneurs, college graduates, and families build lives of abundance, resilience, and generational legacy.

The core problems I solve for my clients include:

Lack of financial confidence and clarity

Business owners struggling with financial management

Families without savings or asset protection strategies

Entrepreneurs overwhelmed by scaling sustainably

Individuals feeling stuck in scarcity mindsets

People yearning for legacy but not knowing how to structure it
And give them a transformation of Clarity, Confidence, Connection and empowered active learning.
What sets my work apart is that it’s not just about spreadsheets and numbers — it’s about transformation.
I blend technical financial mastery with personal empowerment, teaching people how to become the architects of their own futures. I believe in simplifying complex financial concepts into actionable, relatable steps — so you feel like you’re learning from a trusted friend who knows the road ahead and genuinely wants you to win.

I’m most proud of the lives I’ve helped transform:

Families who went from financial stress to financial freedom

Business owners who turned surviving into thriving

College graduates who stepped into adulthood with clarity instead of debt-driven fear

Women and men who realized they could build lasting wealth and a powerful legacy

Ultimately, my brand is about empowerment, clarity, transformation, and impact.
I want my clients, students, and community to know:
You are not alone. You are capable. And you are meant to live a life full of opportunity, abundance, love, and contribution — with finances that fuel your dreams, not limit them.

Your future deserves a solid foundation. Your legacy deserves to be built intentionally. And your journey deserves to be one of courage, clarity, and joy.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

This is a great question as I am a life learner and continue to learn every day. Several powerful resources have significantly shaped my management and entrepreneurial philosophy.
Early in my career, “Awaken the Giant Within” by Tony Robbins gave me a deep understanding of the importance of belief state management, decision-making, and the ability to design your life with intention. Tony’s principle of living in a beautiful state is something I live by every day, and it influences how I show up as a leader, entrepreneur, and coach.

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber also had a profound impact on how I think about business. It taught me that successful businesses aren’t just about working hard — they’re about building systems, processes, and teams that allow growth and sustainability. That idea inspired me to look at business ownership not just as a personal mission but as a structure that must be intentionally designed.

Another key resource is Jim Collins’ “Good to Great”. His concept of Level 5 Leadership — combining fierce resolve with personal humility — deeply resonated with me. It reminded me that true leadership isn’t about ego; it’s about building something that lasts beyond you.

Beyond books, being part of Dean Graziosi’s The Edge Mastermind and Tony Robbins’ Mastery University exposed me to some of the most brilliant business and personal development minds in the world. These communities taught me the importance of proximity, modeling excellence, and always investing in growth — not just for myself, but for the generations I aim to impact.

Ultimately, my philosophy is a fusion of these teachings, combined with real-world experience:

Create from a beautiful state

Systematize and empower others

Lead with vision and humility

Master the fundamentals of financial wellbeing

Model excellence and contribution in every chapter of life

These resources — along with a lifelong commitment to learning, serving, and evolving — continue to shape everything I build through Impact, Beyond the Numbers, and my transformational coaching programs.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One story that truly illustrates my resilience happened when I was just 23 years old. I was determined to purchase my first home, even though I didn’t have all the resources in place that most would consider “necessary.” I secured a $10,000 loan, but the bank financing for the rest of the down payment was delayed — and the homeowner was anxious to sell. Instead of giving up, I negotiated directly with the homeowner, offering to pay the balance of the down payment in installments while continuing to cover the mortgage payments.

It wasn’t easy. There was a lot of uncertainty, and every part of the process stretched me far beyond my comfort zone. But I stayed committed, kept moving forward with integrity, and found creative solutions when traditional doors seemed closed. That first property ultimately gave me capital gains, which I then used to invest in a second property and later rolled into an even greater asset — helping me build the foundation for the home I live in today.

This experience taught me two lifelong lessons about resilience:
First, that resilience isn’t about waiting for conditions to be perfect — it’s about moving forward even when the path isn’t clear.
Second, that resourcefulness and creativity often open doors that “logic” alone would keep shut.

That moment set the tone for everything that followed in my business career, my financial service work, and my personal life. It showed me that no matter what obstacles arise, when you stay focused, courageous, and solutions-oriented, you can create opportunities where others might only see limitations.

Resilience isn’t just a trait — it’s a muscle. And that was one of the first times in my life I realized how strong I could become and so could all of you!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nilsasantiago.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/molly.ray.142/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/molly.ray.142/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nilsa-santiago-cpa-mba-77620213a/

Image Credits

Leishlamar Delgado