Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justin Aruz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Justin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Growing Up in East New York I grew up in East New York, Brooklyn, a place filled with hustle, ambition, and untapped potential. It was a neighborhood where hard work didn’t always translate to financial security. Families lived paycheck to paycheck, stretching every dollar just to cover the basics. The conversation around money wasn’t about investing or wealth-building—it was about survival.

I saw it in my own family. My parents worked tirelessly to provide, but financial stability always felt just out of reach. Every dollar that came in seemed to go right back out. There were moments when rent money was all we had, when bills piled up, when the stress of financial uncertainty became a normal part of life. And we weren’t alone.

The statistics tell the same story:

In Brooklyn, the poverty rate is around 19%, but in East New York, it’s even higher, at 27%.

More than 50% of residents spend over 30% of their income on rent, leaving little room to save or invest.

66% of Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a $1,000 emergency, but for Black households in neighborhoods like mine, the numbers are even worse.

Only 34% of Black households invest in the stock market, compared to 61% of white households (Federal Reserve, 2022).

The racial wealth gap is staggering: the median Black family net worth is $24,000, compared to $189,000 for white families (Brookings Institute).

Even though people worked just as hard, we weren’t getting ahead. And I started to realize why: we weren’t putting our money to work.

The Moment That Changed Everything
For most of my young adult life, I thought being good with money just meant staying out of debt and saving a little when I could. I knew people who worked hard their whole lives but never built wealth. I also saw others—often from different backgrounds—who seemed to make their money work for them. I wondered how?

From my previous work teaching investing through Aruz Prep and the High-School I work at, I had an idea to bring more financial literacy knowledge to people like me. Through a conversation with my wife Chantae and our friends Levan and Renee Greaves, who all grew up in East New York with similar financial burdens, Unburied Talent was born.

The name Unburied Talent is derived from the Parable of the Talents found in the Bible.

In the story, a master gives his servants different amounts of money (talents). Two of them invest and double what they were given. But one servant, out of fear, buries his talent—hiding it instead of using it. In the end, he loses everything.

That hit me hard.

It made me think: How many of us are burying our financial potential? How many of us never invest, never build wealth, never take control of our financial future—because we were never taught how?

I knew I had to do something about it.

Why I Knew This Would Work – Solving a Real Problem
There are plenty of financial literacy programs out there. But none of them spoke directly to the people in communities like mine—the ones who needed it most.

The financial world can feel intimidating, full of jargon and advice that doesn’t connect with the reality of living paycheck to paycheck. I wanted to change that.

I knew this wasn’t just about teaching finance—it was about breaking generational cycles. It was about helping people shift from just surviving to actually building wealth.

And I had the perfect background to do it.

Why Me? A Certified Teacher with a Passion for Change
As a certified teacher, I’ve spent years breaking down complex topics in a way that students can actually understand and apply. Education is my gift. I knew that if I could take financial concepts and explain them in a way that actually made sense to people in my community, it could change lives.

Too often, financial literacy is taught from the top down—from the perspective of those who already have wealth. But I knew the key was to meet people where they are. Make it real. Make it relatable. Make it actionable.

The Mission: Making “Cents” Make Sense
“At Unburied Talent Group LLC, we are educators with a mission to equip individuals with the necessary tools to overcome prevalent financial challenges and discover pathways to long-term financial wellness. Through honest and easy-to-understand content, we demystify financial concepts, ensuring that ‘cents’ indeed make sense.”

A Legacy for My Children – Fatherhood Changed Everything
When I became a husband and father, my perspective on money changed completely. I wasn’t just thinking about myself anymore. I was thinking about the legacy I would leave for my children.

Too many Black families struggle to pass down generational wealth, not because they don’t want to, but because they weren’t given the tools. I refused to let that be my story. I refused to let my kids grow up learning about money the hard way.

I wanted to teach them early. I wanted to create something that would outlive me.

The Exciting Part – Seeing the Change
The most rewarding part of this journey? Seeing people’s lightbulb moments.

People in my community used to say, “Investing isn’t for us.”
Now, they’re buying their first stocks, opening retirement accounts, and learning how to grow wealth.

People used to think being financially free was just a dream.
Now, they’re paying off debt, starting businesses, and building financial security.

This isn’t just about money. It’s about changing mindsets, breaking cycles, and creating a future where financial struggle isn’t the norm.

Are You Ready to Unbury Your Talent?
This business isn’t just about me—it’s about all of us. It’s about the young man in East New York who never thought wealth was possible. The single mother stretching every dollar. The father trying to leave something behind.

We’ve buried our talents for too long. It’s time to unbury them and make them work.

Are you ready? Let’s build wealth—together.

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.

Justin Aruz Bio

Certified Financial Education Instructor, CEO of Unburied Talent Group, LLC, a financial literacy education business, and a dual-certified teacher in General Education and Special Education, I have been teaching for over 15 years and have successfully implemented a Financial Literacy program that caters to the needs of the youth (specifically High-School Students) in the inner city. Teaching in Brooklyn, NY, the same area I was raised and attended schools, has given me the experience and empathy needed to teach financial literacy in the inner city. My goal is to teach fundamental financial concepts, such as budgeting, saving, investing and understanding the value of money. By providing practical examples and relatable exercises, I am able to demonstrate how these concepts apply to the daily lives of my students. Due to my teaching background, I am able to develop critical thinking skills by presenting real-world financial scenarios for students to analyze and make informed decisions, using encouraging discussions and debates about financial choices and their potential consequences. The unique curriculum I have developed also teaches about social and economic inequalities, and their impact on financial opportunities. Overall, my goal is to help encourage students to think critically about these issues and empower them to advocate for change for themselves and their community. Additionally, I wanted to be able to reach more youth so my friend Rich Tavarez and I started a financial literacy podcast called “Justified Riches”. Justified Riches is a financial literacy podcast dedicated to empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools to achieve financial independence and professional success. Each episode bridges the gap between ambition and achievement by bringing together a seasoned mentor and an eager mentee for transformative conversations. Our mentors share their expertise in financial literacy, offering actionable advice on wealth-building strategies, money management, and long-term financial planning. They also provide invaluable insights into their specific job fields, including the skills required, pathways to entry, and practical steps to excel in those careers. Fredrick Douglas once said “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Through the Justified Riches Podcast and Unburied Talent Group, I have multiple ways to impact people through financial literacy.

At Unburied Talent we offer the following workshops:

Budgeting and Saving: Unburied Talent’s Budgeting & Emergency Savings workshop helps participants take control of their income, expenses, and savings to achieve their financial goals.

Credit & Debt: Unburied Talent’s Credit & Debt workshop helps to educate attendees on the importance of credit, how to build and maintain good credit, and strategies for overcoming debt.

Income Taxes: Unburied Talent’s Income Tax workshop helps to educate attendees on a variety of important topics related to income tax preparation, filing, and compliance.

Investing: Unburied Talent’s Investing workshop helps to educate attendees on clear guidance on saving for short- and long-term goals, and on the fundamental concepts, strategies, and tools needed to make informed investment decisions.

The Problems We Solve at Unburied Talent Group LLC

At Unburied Talent Group LLC, we believe that financial literacy is more than just numbers—it’s about empowerment, confidence, and breaking cycles of financial struggle. As a business co-founded by a licensed teacher and Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®), we use our expertise in education to bridge the gap between financial knowledge and real-life application.

Here’s what we help our clients overcome:

1. The Fear of Money & Lack of Financial Confidence
Many people fear money—not because they don’t want to manage it well, but because they were never taught how. Without financial education, money decisions feel overwhelming, and fear often leads to inaction, poor choices, or avoidance.

How We Solve It: We break financial literacy down into simple, easy-to-understand steps, giving our clients the tools to make confident financial decisions. When people understand money, they take control instead of feeling controlled by it.

2. Living Paycheck to Paycheck with No Plan
One of the biggest struggles in many communities—especially in Black and underserved communities—is the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. People work hard but never seem to get ahead because they lack the knowledge of how to manage, grow, and multiply their money.

How We Solve It: We teach practical budgeting strategies that go beyond just “cutting back” and instead focus on optimizing income, managing expenses wisely, and setting financial goals that actually work.

3. The Debt Trap – High Interest & Credit Struggles
Many people fall into high-interest debt because they weren’t taught how to use credit wisely. This leads to:
High credit card balances
Payday loan cycles
Poor credit scores that limit opportunities for homeownership and business funding

How We Solve It: We teach strategies for paying down debt efficiently, using credit responsibly, and improving credit scores so our clients can leverage credit instead of being trapped by it.

4. Lack of Investing Knowledge – Missing Out on Wealth Building
The racial wealth gap is fueled by a lack of investment participation. Many people fear investing because they don’t understand it, and as a result, they miss out on opportunities to grow their money.

How We Solve It: We break down investing into simple, relatable terms so that our clients can start building long-term wealth through stocks, retirement accounts, and passive income strategies.

5. No Generational Wealth Plan – Breaking the Cycle
Too many families struggle financially for generations because they don’t have a plan for passing down wealth or teaching financial literacy to their children.

How We Solve It: We teach parents how to set up generational wealth strategies, including:
Life insurance & estate planning
Teaching kids financial literacy early
Passing down assets, not just bills

By doing this, we break the cycle of financial struggle and build lasting wealth.

“People fear what they don’t understand. But knowledge destroys fear.”

When someone understands how money works, they:
Make informed decisions instead of emotional ones
Take action instead of avoiding their financial problems
Feel in control instead of feeling powerless

Financial education isn’t just about money—it’s about freedom, confidence, and creating new opportunities. That’s why we exist: to educate, empower, and equip people with the tools to thrive financially.

What am I most proud of:

I can’t express how proud I am that all four of my daughters have investment accounts—and even more incredible, two of them have been investing since birth! My wife and I also have our own investment accounts, and together, we are actively building good financial habits, not just for ourselves, but for generations to come. We’re not just talking about financial literacy—we’re living it.

Between custodial accounts for our kids, 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans through our jobs, a Roth IRA, and an individual brokerage accounts, we are making sure that every single dollar we earn works for us. And we don’t just open accounts and forget about them—we contribute to all of them consistently.

This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about breaking generational cycles and creating good financial habits. Our money isn’t just sitting; it’s growing, multiplying, and paving the way for a financially secure future. That’s why I do what I do. That’s why Unburied Talent exists. Because we don’t bury our talents here—we multiply them, and we pass them down for generations to come.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I’ve read over 60 books on investing, financial literacy, and trading over the past decade, but none have impacted me the way The Incredible Shrinking Alpha (2nd edition) has. This book fundamentally reshaped how I think about investing, managing money, and even running my business.

Before reading it, I believed—as so many do—that the key to financial success was beating the market, picking the right stocks, and finding that edge. But this book tore through the myths and showed me the harsh truth:

Most active investors don’t consistently outperform the market.
Chasing “alpha” (beating the market) is getting harder and harder.
Long-term, disciplined investing beats trying to outsmart Wall Street.

This changed everything for me. It forced me to rethink my entire approach—not just to investing, but to wealth-building as a whole. Instead of focusing on short-term wins, I embraced the power of long-term, evidence-based investing. Instead of chasing trends, I focused on efficient, systematic wealth-building strategies.

But this book didn’t just change how I invest—it changed how I educate others through Unburied Talent Group. Too many people in our communities fall into the trap of trying to “get rich quick” because they don’t know the truth: wealth is built through time, consistency, and the right mindset.

This book confirmed what I already believed but took it to the next level—financial literacy isn’t just about knowing how to make money. It’s about understanding how to keep it, grow it, and let it work for you. That’s what I teach. That’s what I live. That’s why The Incredible Shrinking Alpha isn’t just a book to me—it’s a philosophy that’s helped shape my business, my investments, and my mission to break financial barriers.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, especially in a neighborhood like East New York, money wasn’t something we talked about—it was something we chased. It was survival, not strategy. I saw people work hard every single day, yet still struggle to pay bills, still stuck in the same financial cycles generation after generation. I grew up thinking wealth was about how much money you made—but I had to unlearn that.

Wealth isn’t about money. It’s about habits.

When you grow up in an environment where financial struggle is normal, you start to believe that the only way out is getting more money. But I saw firsthand that people who made more money often still ended up broke. Lottery winners, athletes, entertainers—even hardworking people who got raises or better jobs—many still found themselves struggling. Why? Because they never learned the habits that create wealth.

For me, the real transformation started with self-education.

I realized that if I wanted a different outcome, I had to change what I knew about money. So, I started reading. I devoured books on investing, financial literacy, and trading. I read over 60 books in 10 years, and every single one helped me unlearn the myths I grew up believing:

Money alone doesn’t make you wealthy—your habits do.
Earning more doesn’t matter if you spend it all.
Investing isn’t just for rich people—it’s how people become rich.
Generational wealth doesn’t start with money—it starts with knowledge.

Reading books like The Incredible Shrinking Alpha shifted my entire mindset. I stopped focusing on how much money I could make and started focusing on how much I could keep, grow, and pass down. I realized that wealth is about discipline, delayed gratification, making money work for you, and creating good financial habits—not the other way around.

That’s why I started Unburied Talent Group. Because in our communities, we’re taught how to earn money, but not how to manage and multiply it. We’re taught to work for money, but not how to make money work for us. I had to unlearn the cycle of spending and start living the cycle of investing.

Now, I teach others to do the same. Because breaking bad financial habits isn’t about getting lucky—it’s about getting educated.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Unburiedtalent.com
• Instagram: @UnburiedTalent
• Facebook: UnburiedTalent
• Youtube: @JustifiedRiches_Podcast
• Other: UnburiedtalentLLC@gmail.com