Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Time to go home- but not before we leave the world a little better than how we found it.


Today was one of the ten BEST days of my life. It doesn't come close to comparing to the day Dylan was born or the day I realized that I deeply love and admire my mother, but it was amazing. Now my feet hurt, I miss my son and I'm ready to come home from DC.

On the eve of leaving DC, I'm both inspired and filled with inner peace knowing that my dearest friends and collaborators on the American Debt Relief Challenge are truly leaving the world just a little better than we found it earlier this week. I am grateful for the grace that brought four of the most brilliant and talented people I've ever met together to save American families over $300 million.
Just when we nominated former NASA employee and credit union technology guru Jason Green as our supremo team genius, Bob Manning PhD, author of Credit Card Nation and inventor of the Responsible Debt Relief Algorithm joined our co-operative group. This photo was taken at our contract signing with Dr. Manning at the esteemed Aspen Institute.


The joy I feel is even more pronounced in sharing it with my dearest friend and business partner, Melina Young. If ever, I made even the slightest of intelligent decisions it was in discussing full partnership with Melina. To see her in action, pulling national partnerships together was a sight of confidence, truth and beauty. The success of the collective is so equally contributed to, that the lines of credit blur at the edges of each collaborators profound skills and contributions. This includes the contributions of her amazing husband Jason Young.

To think the American Debt Relief Challenge started over a 4 hour philosophical coffee with Scott Butterfield, ADR co-founder. He simply shared how he saved the average family $200 a month by transferring their high interest credit card debt out of a mega bank credit card (28% APR) into a not-for profit credit union (9% APR). He is my hero.

And our extended team and friends at Currency Marketing, the leading credit union advertising agency in North America and first agency to submit marketing campaigns to ADR have been in our hearts and minds all week. Thousands of people saw and loved your work. The big hit "It's ok to ask for help."

Team accomplishments in DC:

*ADR praised in speech by presidential appointee to audience of 4,000+ people.

*ADR signs partnership contract with Bob Manning PhD, author of Credit Card Nation and regular guest on NPR and CNN.

*ADR gains official national trade press media sponsor, The Credit Union Journal.

*ADR invited to many states to speak at conventions.

*ADR loves and thanks Filene Research Institute for cultivating innovation in our most worthy movement.

*ADR off and running in the challenge to save consumers $300 million.