Dr. Joe Burns is a Money EQ Specialist for people with impatient ambition ready to improve their relationship with money and stay in financial flow over fear.
He told us that, “They hire me to challenge their perspectives and brain hack their emotional reactions to money so they can build a pathway and a bank account that gives them control over how they’re able to achieve what they really want—The End Goal. I’m the go-to guy when you’ve tried other self-development or wealth management programs to manufacture growth but they didn’t work how you wanted, and it feels like time is running out.”
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
Born and raised near Salt Lake City, Utah, I grew up learning that money was something we had to work too hard for; yet, there was never enough. While my incredible parents taught me the value of hard work, I also believed there had to be a more efficient way. My drive led me to work in the IT field, where I leveraged my curiosity to advance my career. Without a college degree, I became a highly specialized and sought-after systems engineer with a paycheck to match. Except for one problem… I was making money, but I wasn’t making a true impact. I found myself often thinking, “Why am I using my skills to help banks and corporations get richer instead of helping real people?” As I transitioned from IT guy to brain hacker, I discovered my undeniable gift for talking to money. Even more, I realized it talks back – and it has a lot to say. Now I use a blend of brain science and intuitive knowing to put shape around those messages, rewriting the “corrupt code” inside our minds and disrupting the emotional reactions people have toward money so they can lead from controlled response and build a pathway (and a bank account) that gets them to their End Goal. On average, my clients more than double their monthly revenue and experience incredible personal breakthroughs. You’ll often hear me say, “It’s about more than just the money.”
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!
Two concrete experiences really helped motivate me to finally leave my IT career of 20 years and just go for it. The first was a personal development conference my wife dragged me to. At the beginning, I resisted everything. I was smart. I knew what I was doing. Why did I need this stuff? But part way through Day 1 I decided to give the speaker a chance. I was here? Why waste any more of my time? I’m so glad I leaned in. What this man had to say really blew my mind, which eventually led to more personal development conferences and training. This path really challenged my views and opened my world to the possibilities, improving my relationship with myself, my wife, my family and more. In less than a year, I KNEW more people needed this work in their lives and I wanted to help facilitate that. The second (happening concurrently) was a difficult situation happening at work. I witnessed abuses of power, sexism, and other problematic things be swept under the rug by HR. And the more I stood my ground, demanding something be done, the more difficult upper management became. It finally reached a point where I couldn’t stay in alignment with my values AND stay in this environment. So I left and I haven’t looked back. It was my catalyst for going all in on helping others in their relationship with money.
Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?
My initiative is to change the way we respond to money. In the short-term, that looks like helping a million people brain hack their emotional reactions to money, rewriting the internal “corrupt code” limiting their growth, joy and, ultimately, their impact. My BIG End Goal is to scale this work to a point where we are actually resolving the systemic issues causing the corrupt code in humans to begin with.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
My favorite achievements are connected to the results I help my clients get. Like this one consultant who came to me because she was stressed about money. Once we identified the emotional reactions derailing her success and opened her world to the other four resources (beyond Money) that she hadn’t been tapping into—-Energy, Relationships, Ideas, and Time—-she was able to DOUBLE her ANNUAL income in SIX WEEKS. (Yes, just SIX weeks.) Or another small business owner who hired me because even though her life and finances were stable, she couldn’t shake the fear that it was all going to go away. Through our work together, she got crystal clear on her TRUE End Goal and adjusted her life and pricing to match. Now, not only is her End Goal advancing with greater speed, but she was also able to increase a client contract by $48,000. I think my clients’ outcomes (internal and external) matter most. But if you’re asking for my personal achievement, I would have to say that Dr. in front of my name.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
What I want to see is a world where we no longer doubt ourselves or our End Goal. I think this is especially true for women who have grown up in environments that require so much proving from them while also holding them back. I want a world in which women KNOW that whatever they want they can have. No doubt. No imposter syndrome. No having to prove. AND a world that shows up ready and willing to support women—-especially women of color who have the most barriers to success—-with the resources needed to drive their visions forward. I want to be clear that this isn’t women’s fault. That’s not what I’m saying. It’s a systemic issue and one that needs to be fixed so we can obliterate these invisible barriers. Can you be successful with the barriers still in the way? Absolutely. But why do you have to fight through something that doesn’t even exist for me as a white man?
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
I think more women are needed in leadership positions. I love that the glass ceiling and social constructs are breaking down. Women’s perspectives are important in the workplace. The way you think and understand things are different from men and we need both. And we need you AS YOU. We need YOU, not just because you are a woman, but because you are a unique individual with creative solutions that can help us all move forward. So even as women take their place in leadership across the globe, I also look forward to them doing so in THEIR unique way. (Because there isn’t ONE right way to be a woman.) You don’t have to be anyone else or show up like XYZ leader. We need you to be YOU.
What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
How you feel when you look at your bank account or charge for your services (whether corporate or entrepreneur) is not about you. It can cause you to make choices or do things you don’t really want to do. But it’s not your fault. The things said/done to you as a kid or the things you saw said/done to others established a program in your brain about how the world and money works. So when you react to getting passed over for a raise or to a potential client saying no… when you have all the thoughts attacking your worth and your right to be in whatever space you choose to be in… that’s the program talking. It isn’t you. And it CAN BE rewritten. You can have, do, be anything you desire. Stay curious. Challenge what you believe and why things “are the way they are“. That curiosity will prevent you from settling for anything less than your BIG End Goal.
