The Power of Edutainment: How The Singleton Foundation is Making Financial Literacy Fun

With Financial Literacy Month coming up in April, many are finding innovative ways to teach critical money management skills. The Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship is using the power of entertainment - "edutainment" - to engage and enlighten viewers of all ages. Their goal? Break the taboo around talking about money, making it socially relevant and even fun!

The founding force behind The Singleton Foundation is couple Will and Cary Singleton. United by a shared passion for advancing financial literacy and nurturing entrepreneurship, the two noticed a gaping hole in the market.  Even with the various resources covering money management available, the problem hasn't gone away. Research from the George Washington University's Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center shows that people still think it’s  confusing, complicated and boring.

Through these findings, the foundation, launched in 2016, has since created various programs with the goal of making financial literacy fun and engaging through edutainment.

Million Stories

One of the foundation’s first programs, Million Stories, serves as the foundation's flagship initiative - a free digital channel using high-quality serial video storytelling to teach critical money lessons in an irresistibly entertaining way.

With over 300 gripping episodes tackling topics from career-building to couples managing shared accounts, Million Stories makes personal finance immediately relevant through emotional storylines and diverse casting designed to relate to everyday viewers at home.

Some fan favorites digging into spending habits, risks vs returns, and more include:

• Heartbroke: Get an inside look at how money impacts relationships - for better or worse - in this addicting series following 10 real-life couples. As certified financial planner and life coach Misty Lynch guides these diverse duos through every budget battle and financial goal, viewers are flies on the wall during raw, intimate conversations about expenses, debt, savings, and more. From figuring out how to split the bills to affording a dream wedding, we watch couples struggle through money conflicts and ultimately learn to budget together and get financially in sync.
• Faceplant: We all mess up sometimes, even the rich and famous! This series gives a raw glimpse into the epic failures and resilience of an Olympian, celebrity chef, YouTuber, doctor, and more. These candid stories remind viewers that flopping big-time is inevitable in life - but bouncing back stronger is possible. Watching prominent figures reflect on their most embarrassing gaffes and humbling mistakes will inspire you to overcome your own minor (or major) failures. 

Your World on Money: Get in the money know - no snoozing! In this lively series, host Andini - an Entrepreneur Magazine ‘Young Millionaire’ - goes on a financial literacy journey packed with fun explainers on investing, mortgages, budgeting, and more. As a successful young entrepreneur herself, Andini breaks down the need-to-know basics using lots of awesome anecdotes and Gen-Z references that click with younger audiences. Whether you're a total money newbie or a savvy saver, you'll finish each episode feeling pumped to make savvier choices.

Why Edutainment Works

Traditional financial literacy materials are often ignored because people view money talk as dull, intimidating, confusing, or taboo. Edutainment helps overcome these barriers through humor, emotion, storytelling, and more to speak to universal human experiences. Then practical lessons get absorbed almost effortlessly.  

Shelley Miles, CEO of the Singleton Foundation, explains “People simply learn better when they’re enjoying themselves, and that’s why we aim to produce content that meets the high entertainment industry standards that keep viewers glued to their seats.”

When it comes to bringing money topics to life in an entertaining way, the Singleton Foundation clearly has the magic touch - as evidenced by the 16 Telly Awards sitting proudly on their shelf. But as meaningful as the accolades are, they're really just the icing on the cake. The true test is the impact these programs have on bettering people's financial situation.

And the show's real-world influence keeps expanding - from 100 million views just a few months ago, Million Stories has now doubled its reach to 200 million views and counting. They've fostered a community of over 1 million strong, with over 200,000 subscribers staying tuned for the latest money-minded drama.

These astronomical numbers speak for themselves. But even more telling is the specific shifts seen in audience attitudes and behaviors according to impact studies done on the shows:

• 83% of viewers were motivated to create a budget and pay down debt
• 68% gained a new framework to evaluate their business ideas
• 83% were inspired to take action to make better financial choices
• 86% recognized the need for careful research when making big financial decisions
• 63% want to learn more about entrepreneurship after watching

With numbers like these, Million Stories proves edutainment can pack a serious punch when it comes to empowering financial responsibility. Laugh, cry, or cheer your way through each engaging episode and sooner than later, you'll feel newly equipped to start mapping out a more secure money future.

So this upcoming Financial Literacy Month, check out the variety of engaging money management resources from The Singleton Foundation. Who says getting smarter about personal finance can't be entertaining?