Berna Anat and her mission to help others find financial freedom

Like many Filipino Americans, Berna Anat was buried in debt after graduating from college. She struggled to make ends meet trying to balance her budget.

When she turned to the Internet for advice that’s where Berna saw the problem and what was lacking in the world of financial education.

“I turned to the Internet, and a sort of looking up how to budget how to blah blah…. and what I noticed right away. Was that everyone teaching other people how to budget how to save in personal finance, all white men…. all older white men… I’m like white men are not the only people having money problems. Why don’t any of these financial advisors or financial idols look like us talk like us, hardly see brown skin very few women. And that’s what really got me started.”

From that point on, Berna studied anything and everything she could when it comes to handling finances — from videos, to blogs and books.

She never had any formal education in financial advising — but that didn’t stop her.

“I have no financial background, no financial degree, I’m not a CFP or CPA, and no one in my family has any kind of financial background. This everything that I’ve learned. I’ve taught myself through trolling through the internet and learning myself, teaching myself how to budget, teaching myself how to get out of my $12,000 in credit card debt, and $48,230, $8,000 in student loan debt.”

When Berna was completely out of debt and felt confident with her knowledge in financial literacy and advising, that’s when she started her own vlog — which she called Hey Berna.

Of course, being a millennial herself she jumped straight to Instagram and YouTube.

Berna’s style and take on financial advising is unique as she mixes it up with some skits and comedy.

“Because I’m a millennial it’s like, that’s the language I know how to speak is Instagram.”

Among the many fellow Filipinos that she has helped from her videos and personal coaching courses, was fellow Filipina Bobbie Reyes, who got herself out of debt as well and was even able to start her own business.

“She has had such an impact on all that she shares, and all her media and all her free tools she gives out, and she has a wonderful personality and character — what I love about her is she is brown so she’s like family to me… she has inspired me to venture into the world of finance, because I have been able to take care of my finances and have a better relationship with money, I am now an entrepreneur myself, and I am putting up a conference in May.”

Berna’s promise to her audience — as long as there are other Filipinos still out there like her, she will not stop in dishing out her experience and knowledge in the world of finance and money matters.