Aren Inan

Founding developer of Futures Financials curriculum — teaching 10,000+ students nationwide

Aren is an entrepreneur from Ridgefield, New Jersey at Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro. He teaches a dual-semester 10-week program at his school, founded and developed the Futures Financials curriculum that's reached 10,000 students nationwide with a 95% literacy rate improvement, and has presented on financial illiteracy on the state stage while proposing new legislation.

"Financial health to me means to have a balance and stability so that money is not stressing or restraining one from progressing. It isn't about being rich, but having the buffer to survive. Having options like being able to say no to bad situations, not being trapped in a loop by debt, and being able to make controllable decisions without the worry of money is what defines financial health."

— Aren Inan, on what financial health means to them

In their own words

Why this work matters to me

Through my personal experiences, I have seen firsthand how stressful money problems can be. Finances are not the only worry since it can lead to more devastating effects — family, habits, and simply one's day-to-day lifestyle. When people are worried about rent, debt, or other expenses, it makes it extremely difficult to focus on the positive. That's why I believe financial education by itself is not enough to help people. Learning about budgeting or making smart money decisions does not fix the root cause. If someone already struggles with this, it could even make them feel worse about themselves.

The biggest barrier I see

One of the biggest barriers in my community is the cost of housing. Being from Bergen County, which is close to NYC, makes everything expensive. I've seen relatives spend most of their income to simply live in this area. Because of this issue, many people are constantly stuck in 'survival' mode where saving or planning for the future is not realistic since they have too much on their plate for the present.

Their Plan as Ambassador

I'd create short, easily accessible content and posts to break down situations people in my community deal with — rent, debt, budgeting when money can be tight. I'll host small, casual workshops to talk with people about money and foster a judgment-free environment. People tend to avoid financial conversations since they might feel behind others or embarrassed. After expanding FinMango's message locally, I'll elevate the network further by combining my experiences here and from Futures Financials into a nationwide scale of influence.

Aren Inan

Why this work matters to me

The biggest barrier I see

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