Brenda Gentry, 46, is pictured here with daughters Cynthia, 23, and Imani, 19. Photo Courtesy of Brenda Gentry
A San Antonio mother of two took a risk and quit her job to go into crypto full-time. Now she says she makes between $40,000 and $80,000 per month.
Brenda Gentry, 46, resigned from her job as a mortgage underwriter for USAA in October. She launched a full-time crypto consulting firm and now she and her family are reaping the benefits of the “unprecedented opportunities offered by crypto,” Gentry told CNBC Make It.
“My investment portfolio surpassed my 401(k) – which had taken 11 years to get to $200,000 – in six months,” Gentry said.
Known as Crypto Mom online, Gentry runs the firm with her daughters Cynthia, 23, and Imani, 19. The trio advises on decentralized finance (DeFi) and nonfungible token (NFT) projects, CNBC reported.
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Gentry acknowledged that investing in crypto can be risky, but her banking and finance background has suited her well. She said she believes crypto is a pathway to wealth for people who may not otherwise have access to it.
“Crypto is about financial freedom,” Gentry said. “Most people who couldn’t access loans with traditional finance because of credit limitations can now invest in crypto and be able to borrow from it.”
One of the pros which Gentry says came from her leap into full-time crypto was being able to retire her parents.
“My biggest flex this year was walking away from my banking career of 16yrs to go into crypto full time! Retired my parents and now my goal is to retire my siblings and get them working for themselves,” Gentry tweeted on Oct. 9. “NFTs and DeFi are breaking down generational curses of poverty.”
She expounded on the matter to CNBC. “This is something I always wanted to do,” Gentry said. “My dad retired before but had to go back to work — the pension wasn’t cutting it for them. My mom had been working as a cleaning supervisor for many years. The hours were brutal and taking a toll on her health.”
Among the crypto areas Gentry and her family are most interested in are DeFi and gaming. “We’re very interested in play-to-earn gaming and how that is positively affecting people in developing countries,” Gentry said.
Though she advises many people who reach out to her in hopes of learning how to follow in her footsteps, Gentry said she does alert people to the fact that “there are days when the market is red.”
Still, Gentry encourages others to have faith and take risks and they too can be successful.
“Keep pressing on! The NFT space/Crypto twitter has the most amazing and positive people than any other space, stay positive as this is the breeding ground for success,” Gentry replied to a user on Twitter who was new to the NFT community.
PHOTO: Brenda Gentry, 46, is pictured here with daughters Cynthia, 23, and Imani, 19. Photo Courtesy of Brenda Gentry
