2010 Financial Planning Genius Award Winners

Several weeks ago, I announced that I was taking nominations for the 2010 Financial Planning Genius Awards. Thank you to everyone that participated by either promoting or nominating others for the award.

The purpose of this award is to answer, “Who in the financial planning industry is a genius? Who is getting us unstuck?”

The criteria for being a Financial Planning Genius are, “Who is breaking away from lists and truly paving new paths to help us (1) change habits and (2) achieve financial freedom while (3) captivating us in the process?”

I am happy to announce the four winners or people “Getting us unstuck” for 2010 (in no particular order).

Drum roll please.

#1 Erin Lozano, COO and co-founder of Green Sherpa

Ashley, who just won herself $25, nominated Erin for the following reasons.

“What makes Erin a financial genius? She focuses on people’s financial future and has incorporated that into the Green Sherpa software by creating a Cash Flow feature that enables people to see their financial picture up to 12 months from now. No other personal finance software on the market does that!

Not only has Erin helped create this innovative software, but she also shares her knowledge of personal finance with people on her blog, Cash Flow Sherpas. Erin has helped to turn Cash Flow Sherpas into a resource people can use to learn about budget living, frugal spending, and stretching your dollar along with many other personal finance topics by not only contributing weekly content but by having other personal finance experts contribute articles to the blog. This has created a well rounded community of personal finance experts that provide readers with a wealth of knowledge about anything and everything relating to personal finance.”

#2 Adam Baker, blogger at ManVsDebt.com

This nomination comes from me. Here’s why I think Adam deserves the award, besides the namesake of course. Baker has been blogging for only one year and yet has gained a tremendous following. He’s clearly demonstrated criteria #3 – captivating us.

Though more importantly, with his new ebook Unautomate Your Finances, he has definitely met the first two criteria (changing habits and helping others reach financial freedom). This book is about breaking away from the norm. Breaking away from traditional systems and getting right down to it.

For that reason, I believe Baker is a Financial Planning Genius.

#3 “Frank Curmudgeon” at Bad Money Advice

Paul, who also won himself $25, nominated Frank describing him as, “good at getting people to rethink the typical assumptions and find new ways of solving problems.” Frank describes himself as a, “bitterly unemployed hedge fund manager in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts.  Surprisingly, he often knows what he is talking about, not that anyone listens.”

#4 J. Money from Budgets Are Sexy

I though long and hard about who should be the fourth and final individual. Of the course of this contest, something kept sticking out to me. J is everywhere.

As I continue to find new finance sites and blogs, it seems that J is always already involved. I’ve seen few financial planning bloggers be so involved in the community contributing anywhere they can.

I can think of a few popular finance bloggers that I rarely see interact with anyone outside of their site. They seem to just keep to themselves and ask others to come to them. J on the other-hand goes to where the people are.

And for that reason, J deserves to be titled a Financial Planning Genius for 2010.

Keep your eye out for good candidates for 2011

Again, thank you to all who participated and to those who are going out of their way to be geniuses and get us unstuck.

I have some big ideas for this award for next year. So pay attention to who is making a real, though maybe subtle, difference in the lives of those around them.