We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michele Cho Dorado. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michele below.
Hi Michele, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Growing up, I was taught that education was the key to success, and like many in my field, I followed the well-defined path into medicine. But despite years of schooling and training, there was one critical subject I was never taught – financial literacy. Like so many physicians, I spent my early career focused on excelling in my specialty, only to realize much later that I had little understanding of how to build and sustain financial security.
When I finally made this realization as an adult, I was struck by two things. First, how empowering it felt to finally understand something that I used to perceive was complex and how feeling more confident in one area of my life spilled into other areas. And second, how remarkable it was that I had not received any financial education while in school. If not routinely taught in school, then it would be up to us, as parents, to teach our kids at home.
Money is one of the top sources of stress and conflict for adults. It divides families, marriages, friendships and partnerships. Yet most of us were never taught how to handle it properly. This lack of financial education leads to debt, poor financial decisions, stress, and limited opportunities. What started out as a project to teach my own kids about financial literacy grew into a greater mission. I believe that having a strong foundation in financial literacy goes beyond money lessons. It builds confidence, teaches critical thinking, develops leadership, promotes empathy & compassion and imparts vital life skills.
Our mission at Bright Futures EDG is to equip the next generation with the tools and mindset needed towards a healthy and prosperous life, not just in finances but in their personal lives as well. Financial literacy isn’t just about money – it’s about creating choices, opportunities, and security to create lasting wealth and freedom.
For parents, it’s also about legacy. Not just leaving behind assets, but equipping future generations with the mindset and skills to build upon what we’ve started. When we teach financial literacy to our children, we break the cycle of financial stress, empower them to dream bigger, and create a ripple effect that gets passed onto future generations.
We believe that every child deserves the chance to grow up financially empowered. We want to change the narrative, to make financial education as fundamental as reading and math. Because when kids understand money, they aren’t just set up for financial success, they are set up for a life of freedom, purpose, and impact.
Financial literacy is about more than just creating wealth, it’s about creating leaders, problem-solvers, and compassionate individuals who can make a real difference in the world.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I grew up in a family that prioritized education and hard work. From a young age, I understood that success comes from doing well in school, getting a good job and earning a stable living. I was almost a decade into practice as an attending physician before I had an awakening. I realized that despite all my years of education, I had never been taught how to manage money. I was married with young kids, yet didn’t know even the basics of personal finance. I subsequently went on an educational journey that ended in a promise that my kids wouldn’t grow up with this same gap in knowledge.
This led me to write my first children’s book, Reach for the Stars, designed to introduce basic financial concepts to young kids in a fun and engaging way. But I knew that one book wasn’t enough. I wanted to reach as many children as possible. I launched Bright Futures EDG, a platform dedicated to teaching kids financial literacy early, to promote confidence, curiosity, leadership, and generosity. Since 2023, I’ve added more books to the Mimi’s Money Book series, including an Activity Book and Question Cards about Money. I also hosted the first annual Prosperous Kids Summit in 2024, focused on helping parents set their kids up for success both financially and personally. The 2nd annual Summit takes place at the end of March 2025. As I continue to spread this important message through speaking engagements and collaborations, I’ve also co-founded a community with other physician entrepreneurs – Physician Entrepreneur eXchange. This initiative builds on my passion for education and empowerment—helping physicians grow their businesses in a way that aligns with their professional goals and personal fulfillment.
The mission of Bright Futures EDG is to empower the next generation with financial knowledge because understanding money isn’t just about wealth – it’s about freedom, opportunity, and creating a future full of choices. If there’s one thing I want people to know, it’s this: financial literacy is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. It gives them the freedom to live life on their own terms. It’s about building confidence, reducing stress, increasing opportunities, and creating a future where they are in control. We are teaching them how to think critically, set goals, and build a future where they are in control of their own lives.
A child who grows up with a strong foundation in financial literacy will make more confident financial decisions, experience less stress and anxiety around money, develop leadership skills and resourcefulness, build empathy and compassion, and learn to navigate challenges & setbacks with resilience. Most importantly, they will better understand that money can be used as a tool for impact and generosity.
Seeing kids develop confidence, curiosity, and excitement about their financial future is incredibly rewarding. I love hearing from parents who tell me, “My child is now thinking about money in a whole new way!” or “I wish I had learned this at their age!”
I also believe that we are breaking generational cycles. By teaching kids financial literacy, we are not just changing their lives – we are changing their future families, their communities, and generations to come.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Just a few years ago, I didn’t read much beyond medical journals and this was just to keep up in practice. Since launching my business, I have been reading tirelessly. This includes books on mindset, personal growth, finance, real estate, leadership, business and more. I have found it to be one of the best ways to keep learning and to keep improving myself, both personally and professionally. While the list of books that have been impactful would be far too long to include here, I have listed a few highlights from the past year.
1. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson
2. The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
3. Principles by Ray Dalio
4. 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
5. The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson
From these books, I gained insights into the true meaning of wealth and success, philosophies in leadership, principles in making decisions and the importance of shifting my mindset from short term wins to longer term vision & adaptability. The last book on the list, The Prayer of Jabez, reminded me to think abundantly and to trust in the power of faith.
All of this reinforces the idea that financial independence goes beyond earning money. Money is a tool and not a goal. The true power lies in understanding how to use money to make an impact. Similarly, true fulfillment comes from helping and empowering others. Together, these books have reinforced the core principles that guide my business and personal mission: financial empowerment, long-term thinking, resilience, and purpose-driven servant leadership.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
For most of my life, I believed that hard work, discipline, and following the right path would guarantee success. I thrived in structured environments and believed that failure was not an option. In fact, in medicine, failure is not okay and can have serious consequences. It can cost a life. That mindset shaped me as a physician and I had spent most of my life in a field where expertise was earned through long years of training. But when I stepped into the world of entrepreneurship, it became a belief I had to unlearn. I found that success often comes through trial, error, and learning from mistakes. Failure was not only okay, but expected. It would be the lessons that I learned through each failure that would be the most valuable. In time, I changed my relationship with failure and began to see it as a necessary part of growth. With each misstep, I adjusted, learned, and moved forward.
In all of this, I have always remembered my mission and purpose – to empower children through financial literacy. Through this, we are also raising more confident, resilient and compassionate kids while simultaneously helping families to build a lasting legacy. This message is too important not to share. If I were to let the fear of failure stop me, I wouldn’t just be holding myself back, I’d be holding back a mission that could change lives. The truth is, this matters more than my fear or my ego. And that’s what drives me forward.
Now, I embrace the idea that perfection isn’t the goal, progress is. One of my favorite quotes is one that says “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” The greatest successes come from those willing to try, fail, and keep going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brightfuturesedg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturesedg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightfuturesedg
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelecd/
