We trace a family’s journey from arranged marriage and migration to near-miss tragedy, financial hardship, and the quiet choices that kept school, faith, and love intact. We reflect on resilience, grace, and what it means to stand beside each other when life breaks

• arranged marriage origins and migration to Atlanta
• faith practices and cultural identity on Fridays
• forklift accident, months paralyzed, letters across oceans
• missed JFK connection that later crashed
• infertility struggles, thyroid diagnosis, births across years
• siblings, birth order dynamics, soft heart and strength
• homelessness in an office while school continued
• community kindness, Chinese restaurant support
• nonprofit spark from a lifetime of “angels”
• cancer, remission, recurrence, and forgiving the what-ifs
• graduation without a mother’s seat and choosing grace
• parenting, sacrifice, and redefining partnership

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We trace Paola’s near-fatal crash to a purpose-driven path in life insurance, unpacking term, whole, and IUL policies, living benefits, and how to align coverage with goals and seasons of life. We dig into underwriting realities, estate planning, and why intentional reviews protect families and legacies.

• vision boards as a tool for intentional planning
• the accident that sparked a shift to protection
• myth-busting life insurance and “scam” claims
• term vs whole vs IUL and living benefits
• how underwriting works and why honesty matters
• calculating coverage based on debt and dependents
• using IUL cash value for emergencies and retirement
• trusts, probate, and funding estate taxes
• building a fiduciary agency and client-first culture
• annual policy reviews tied to life changes

30-minute free discovery call

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We welcome Erica back to unpack the 2026 housing landscape, from realistic predictions to the mindset and tactics buyers and sellers actually need. We move from first deals and broker strategy to renting versus buying, tax-season pitfalls, and practical steps for self-employed listeners.

• vision board habits that set focus for the year
• moving from apartment industry to real estate agent
• exam prep, licensing and broker support
• first deals, vacant lots and a 17-offer listing
• referral-only model and client capacity
• 2026 outlook on inventory, pricing and builder incentives
• new construction quality concerns and design trade-offs
• renting versus buying framed by time horizon and cash flow
• equity building, biweekly payments and refinance optionality
• financial literacy, budgeting and planning for families
• tax-season advice for freelancers and subcontractors
• readiness checklist and where to reach Erica

Don’t forget to leave a review. If you’re in Georgia and want to buy or sell, reach out to EricaZ Real Estate. You can watch in 4K on YouTube and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can always support me by subscribing to the channel

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