Veteran Entrepreneur Promotes Financial Literacy
Entrepreneur Wacinque AK BeMende found a way out of poverty through saving and investing. Now he works to break the cycle of poverty for others, promoting financial literacy for children and adults, through his business KaizenRhino Solutions International LLC, which he launched in September 2011 with some help from the UW-La Crosse Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
“No one had taken the time to really understand the vision and then give guidance like the La Crosse SBDC did. It was service that was customized specifically to me, instead of cookie cutter,” said BeMende. ”As a result of that kind of assistance, I learned that my business model fit more perfectly an L3C type of business structure.”
BeMende teaches others to save and invest using dividend reinvestment stock plans. He created a new "piggy bank" design to help children visualize the "save then invest" idea. The SBDC assisted BeMende with the development of his “piggy bank” invention as well as his business strategy and formation.
Having served in several branches of the military, including the Marines, Air Force, Army and Guard, BeMende has reached out to military personnel to teach them about the government 401K type investment program, the Thrift Savings Plan, and how their children can start savings accounts and learn the "save then invest" technique using dividend reinvestment stock plans.
For more information on this veteran-owned business, check out www.krsi-19.com.
December 2011