On the new OWN series "Million Dollar Neighborhood" financial advisor-turned-host Bruce Sellery descends on a small town in Canada named Aldergrove. The mission he is on with clinical psychologist Dr. Joti Samra seems daunting -- to help 100 families in the financially strapped town increase their collective net worth by $1 million in three months. If they reach their goal, one lucky family will get a $100,000 reward.
Bruce Sellery Says Community is a Key Pillar in Personal Financial Transformation.
In a recent exclusive interview Sellery talked about the series, which originally ran on OWN in Canada, and why community is key to financial success. Before becoming the host of "Million Dollar Neighborhood," Sellery had authored the book "Moolala: Why Smart People Do Dumb Things with Their Money and What You Should Do About It." When Force Four Entertainment approached him about the TV show, he quickly pointed out that it was perfectly aligned with his own four pillar financial strategy -- context, consequences, complexity, and community.
While all of the principals would come to bear on the show, the foundation would be built on the concept of community. Sellery described that pillar as "getting clear on what you want and talking to your friends and family about it so they can provide you with the support, the ideas, and the accountability to make it happen."
And that is what happens on "Million Dollar Neighborhood." The families participating on the show are faced with challenges each week that help them get one step closer to a positive financial transformation. But no individual or family can do it alone.
Bruce Sellery Discusses How Families Share Their Stories on 'Million Dollar Neighborhood.'
Viewers will pick up important financial tips along the way, as the citizens of Aldergrove did, but they will also be riveted to the touching tales of the people on the show, who bravely reveal their most personal details.
Sellery revealed, "You'll find as the journey goes on that we got some incredible stories of people who have been dealt a really crappy deck of cards, of people who have big dreams, of people who have conflicts, and all sorts of things. So they're really fascinating characters that make them interesting to watch along this journey and transformation."
Bruce Sellery Says People Have to Ask Themselves 'What's the Plan?'
To make significant changes, Sellery says that people need to starting asking themselves a few key questions. What is my money for? What do I want? And what's the plan?
He acknowledged that this final inquiry stumps most clients. He recalled, "People can be enormously successful developing plans in their life. They can plan a wedding. They can plan a vacation. They can plan for their kid's childcare. They can plan for a project at work. And yet when it comes to planning for something in the financial realm or moving toward a goal that has a dollar sign attached, it's like somebody pumps ether directly into their homes, and it's like they practically black out. And they'll look at me with these glazed smiles on their face, and it's like the theme from 'Shaft' is playing, and I can't hear it. They lose all ability to be coherent just because there's a dollar sign dancing around in their cranium."
See how the town of Aldergrove fares under Bruce Sellery's guidance when "Million Dollar Neighborhood airs on Saturday nights at 9 p.m. EST/8 p.m. Central on OWN.
