Speaking in Gen Y & X: No Translation Needed

NEW YORK – Bryan Sims sounds like he's 23 going on 40. He's serious, but he's playful at the same time. He's young, but he's accomplished a lot for his age. He's been flat broke and made a bunch of money. He likes money, but doesn't think it's the be-all and end-all of life.

This is what makes him equally credible (and appealing) to students in high school and college and the mostly baby-boomer credit union audiences to which he speaks. He's the bridge over the troubled generational waters.

When asked about the message he brings to high school students when he does assemblies, he responded, "It's basic stuff that I talk about to students, like, don't buy a new car right out of high school. And I tell them to save some money and make a habit of doing that. It's just common sense about finance and how it lays the groundwork for their lives."

He's humble about what his combination of hard work and luck has brought him, asking "Who can have a better job?" He enjoys his success and acknowledges that the relevance of his personal story and the story of brass|MEDIA, is what makes kids relate to him. "Do I have street credibility? Yeah, absolutely. Our whole company has a bio—it comes from our staff and our company—which is built around talking to our peers."

Sims said that teachers often tell him that they give students the same message he delivers (study, be smart about and save money, be a good person, etc.), but kids just don't seem to hear it the same way as when he comes in and tells them. It's like a revelation. Sims chalks it up to this: "I'm four to five years from it but I can still talk to them."