Debt Payoff Planning with Brady Benware and Chris Schuermeyer | Ep. 105

• Brady traces the idea to a Thanksgiving conversation with his brother-in-law who worked in debt restructuring. Hearing stories of people not succeeding with conventional services convinced him there had to be a better starting point: simply getting a clear handle on debt and options.

There must be a better way to help folks and tackle that.

• Chris and his wife cycled in and out of debt—tires, vet bills, dinners—until a financial-literacy class taught them simple principles they had never learned in school. The ability to help thousands at once via software is what excites him most.

If we implement a feature and do it right, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people can benefit.

• Two core problems the app solves: (1) users don't know when debt will be gone; (2) they lose motivation without visible progress. The app instantly generates a personalized payoff schedule and then tracks every payment so users see the balance drop in real time.

Setting out on a journey without a map... that's exactly what people are faced with when they find us.

• Surveyed users repeatedly use the phrase "felt out of control." After entering data they report immediate "relief." That relief quickly turns into impatience to finish sooner—prompting behaviors like negotiating bills.

From this state of out of control to relief... it's so fascinating.

• A woman believed she would "die in debt." After six months on the plan she had paid off nearly half of $45k and realized she could afford foot surgery she had postponed for three years. The app gave her both a finish line and permission to care for herself while paying down debt.

• Search "Debt Payoff Planner" in the Apple App Store or Google Play; the icon shows a dove carrying cash. Website: debtpayoffplanner.com. Social handles listed in show notes.