FI Minded: Achieve Financial Independence & Have Fun Doing It (Justin Peters)
Explore every episode of FI Minded: Achieve Financial Independence & Have Fun Doing It
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Dec 2024 | Is Couponing Worth it, Using Your Old Student ID for Discounts, Weirdest Way You’ve Made Money, and More | E155 Joel Larsgaard, Jackie Cummings Koski, Justin Brown Woods | 00:54:14 | |
Okay, this episode was so much fun to create. This is outside my normal format but equally as informative and probably more entertaining. In October, I attended FinCon, a conference for personal finance content creators. I know it is super nerdy of me but here you are listening to a personal finance podcast so you have no room to judge me. This was my fourth time attending and my favorite part is all the friends I’ve made over the years. So like when any group of friends get together, we had to play a game. The only difference is since we are a bunch of podcasters, it also had to be recorded. So in today’s episode, you are going to hear me and 3 friends play my version of Money Jeopardy. My three friends are Joel Larsgaard from How to Money, Jackie Cummings Koski from Catching Up to FI, and Justin Brown Woods from Price of Avocado Toast. These contestants will be choosing questions from 4 categories:
You will chuckle and laugh throughout this whole conversation but you’ll also pick up tips and tricks along the way. Joel, Jackie, and Justin really crushed it. I’ve been thinking about adding some segments to the show that incorporate questions like this episode, send me an email at justin@simplepodstudios.com. So kick back and get ready to have some fun. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Team J and fellow money nerds…Joel Larsgaard, Jackie Cummings Koski, and Justin Brown Woods. More of Guests: How to Money (Joel Larsgaard): https://www.howtomoney.com/ Catching Up to FI (Jackie Cummings Koski): https://catchinguptofi.com/financial-independence-podcast/ Price of Avocado Toast: https://www.priceofavocadotoast.com/podcast More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 22 May 2024 | Retiring Early? How to Withdrawal Money from Your 401(k)Without a Penalty | E141 Sean Mullaney | 00:46:54 | |
We always hear the importance of taking advantage of our 401K and IRA accounts. The tax advantages and employer match are too good to pass up on. But is this true for early retirees? If I’m planning on retiring in my 40s, should I be locking my money away in these accounts? How do I bridge the gap between early retirement and 59.5 - the age at which I can withdraw from these accounts penalty-free? Well, the good news is that isn’t 100% true. There are ways to withdraw from these retirement accounts early without paying a 10% penalty and some of these strategies are fairly simple. Sean Mullaney, President of Mullaney Financial & Tax and writer behind the informative blog, FITaxGuy.com, is here to share how to do this. In this episode, we deep dive into a couple of the strategies to ensure that your money can be accessible to you if you retire before 59.5. Sean also shares a tax-efficient strategy for which accounts you should withdraw from first. This is Sean’s 3rd appearance on the show. He also appeared in episodes 39 and 40 where we discussed what you need to know about taxes in your 20s and the mechanics of an HSA. Every time Sean comes on the show I learn something new. Through this conversation, he actually changed my mind about how I am currently funding my Roth and Traditional accounts. He’s such a wealth of knowledge whenever it comes to the tax code and tax planning. If you also want to learn from Sean, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with FI Tax Guy…Sean Mullaney. The discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Justin and The Struggle is Real podcast do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Accessing Retirement Accounts Prior to 59.5: https://fitaxguy.com/accessing-retirement-accounts-prior-to-age-59-%c2%bd/ IRS Exceptions to tax on early distributions: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-exceptions-to-tax-on-early-distributions IRS Publication 502: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-502 More of Sean: Blog: https://fitaxguy.com// YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SeanMullaneyVideos More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 12 Mar 2025 | When You and Your Partner See Money Differently | E162 Brian Page | 00:52:33 | |
Love and money - a perfect match, right? If only it were that simple. Money is personal for everyone. We grow up with different values, learn different money habits from our parents, and develop our own financial preferences. So when two people with unique money mindsets come together, disagreements are bound to happen. Maybe one of you is a saver while the other loves to spend, leading to frustration over “wasting” or “hoarding” money. Or maybe you can’t agree on whether to play it safe with savings or take financial risks. If you love your partner, the last thing you want is constant fights about money. You want to figure this out together. That’s why in today’s episode, I’m talking with Brian Page about how to find common ground when you and your partner have different financial perspectives. Brian is the Founder of Modern Husbands, an organization that helps busy dual-career couples manage money and home life as a team. We dive into some really practical topics like how spenders and savers can find peace, what research says about combining vs. separating finances, and how to create a fair balance with household responsibilities. This conversation was especially helpful for me because my partner, Gaby, and I have been navigating these conversations ourselves as last summer marked 5 years of dating. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the lead dad and modern husband…Brian Page. Key Takeaways:
More of Brian: Modern Husbands: https://www.modernhusbands.com/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 23 Oct 2023 | 3 Career Killing Habits That You Can’t Afford to Keep | E121 | 00:10:28 | |
In this current series, we’ve been deep-diving into blueprints for how you can take control of and accelerate your career with various professional growth strategies. Assembling a personal board of advisors and reading books are amazing avenues for taking steps forward in your career but we also want to be playing defense and ensuring we aren’t taking any steps backward. We don’t want to be putting all of this hard work in only to be paddling upstream. Over the first decade of my career, I’ve noticed 3 career-killing habits that can set young professionals back regardless of their talents. If you want to ensure that you aren’t slipping into one of these habits and what to do if so, well, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways:
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 18 Sep 2023 | The Ultimate Retirement Account: Health Savings Account (HSA) | E116 Sean Mullaney | 00:29:24 | |
We often hear about 401Ks and IRAs, two incredible retirement planning tools but what if I told you there was a third, secret retirement account that trumps both of these? Today we are discussing the Health Savings Account, or HSA, and why the HSA is not only a financial game-changer for managing your medical expenses but also a powerful tool to build wealth for your future. This episode is a replay of episode 40 where I interviewed Sean Mullaney Financial Planner, and the voice behind FITaxGuy.com. I needed to recast this episode because it is hard to cover Mastering Money at Work if I don’t talk about HSAs. You’ll uncover how HSAs offer a triple tax advantage, giving you tax deductions when you contribute, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses. But here’s the real kicker: an HSA can become a pseudo-retirement fund by delaying your reimbursements and investing your contributions for the long haul. If you want to learn how to do that along with if you qualify for an HSA, how to keep your expenses organized, and what to do if your company doesn’t offer an HSA, well then you’re in the right place. Also, note this episode is originally from 2021. All of the information is still relevant and helpful but the HSA contribution limit has increased from $3,600 to $3,850 and increasing to $4,150 in 2024. Alright, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with FI Tax Guy himself…Sean Mullaney. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: IRS Publication 502: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf More of Sean: More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 11 Sep 2024 | Is the US Stock Market Too Reliant on a Few Large Companies? | E149 Erik Baskin | 00:43:44 | |
Over the last couple of years, a key group of companies known as The Magnificent Seven has emerged. This group of high-performing and influential companies includes Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Tesla. These companies are at the forefront of sectors such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, cloud computing, and digital services. They have also been positively impacting much of the growth in the US stock market. Just last year in 2023, these 7 companies’ stocks grew 73% while the rest of the S&P 500 grew 8%. These companies are routinely showing up in many of the financial headlines and it got me wondering, is the US stock market too reliant on a few large companies? So I reached out to my friend and fellow CPA Erik Baskin, to see what he thought. He had a ton to say. Of course, as any podcaster would, I asked if he would be up to record a conversation about it. In this episode, Erik shares his thoughts about The Magnificient Seven’s impact on the stock market. We discuss if this concentration is new. We also explore what changes, if any, you should make to your investments because of this. Erik and I also had this awesome conversation near the end of the episode about when being a super-saver doesn’t make sense anymore. It really had me rethinking a few things in my life currently. Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the Airman turned Financial Advisor…Erik Baskin. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Morning Star Portfolio X-Ray: https://www.morningstar.com/help-center/user-guide/x-ray-overview Die with Zero: https://www.amazon.com/Die-Zero-Getting-Your-Money/dp/0358099765 The Gap and The Gain: https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Gain-Achievers-Happiness-Confidence/dp/1401964362 More of Erik: Website: https://www.baskinfp.com/ BLUF Finance Podcast: https://www.baskinfp.com/podcast More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 13 Mar 2023 | 8 Steps to Being Healthier than 90% of People | E89 Dr. Judson Brandeis | 00:58:49 | |
We all dread it but that day eventually comes. It might be a cough that won’t go away, a potential sprained ankle, or you’re questioning a weird bump on your arm. We have no other option. We have to go see a doctor. How do I book an appointment again? Where’s my insurance card? How much is this going to cost me? Healthcare is confusing, frustrating, and overly complex. I do my best to avoid having to see a doctor but sometimes it is just unavoidable. I have to put on my big boy pants and figure it all out. This is the unglamorous part of being an adult. But with a little help, we can do this. And our help today is Dr. Judson Brandeis who is here to give us some insight on how the healthcare industry works. My favorite takeaway was how to better prepare for your next doctor’s visit. Apparently the average doctor’s visit is 16 minutes 14 seconds so if you come prepared with the right notes and documentation, not only will you be able to make the most of your time but these busy professionals will take you seriously too. Dr. Brandeis has an extensive list of credentials including being named Top Urologist in San Francisco, a national leader in technology and innovations in sexual medicine, the author of The 21st Century Man. Aside from some healthcare 101, we spend the second half of this conversation discussing how to be healthier than 90% of people and what your 20-something self can do to help out future you. Key Takeaways:
More of Dr. Judson Brandeis: The 21st Century Man (book): https://thetwentyfirstcenturyman.com/ Judson’s E-Books: https://brandeismd.com/ebooks/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 10 Jul 2023 | A Guide to Creating a To-Do List That Actually Works | E106 | 00:12:51 | |
To-do lists help you remember what needs to get done, they create order, they set priorities, they relieve stress, they help you delegate, and they track your work progress. I could go on and on about the benefits of to-do lists but I am confident you already know this. I’m not one to prescribe a specific method for managing your to-do list but if you are looking to implement a system or overhaul your current, there are some elements that you should consider. Today, we are going to talk through those elements, I will share how I personally handle each, and I am going to leave you excited and ready to manage your to-do list like a pro. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Email Management Tips for Young Professionals Overwhelmed by a Cluttered Inbox: www.tsirpodcast.com/102 3 Tips for Managing Your Work Calendar Like a Pro: www.tsirpodcast.com/104 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 13 Mar 2024 | First Time Real Estate Investor? Don’t Make These 3 Mistakes | E136 Dustin Heiner | 00:43:35 | |
If you’re interested in early retirement, you have to consider how you will afford life when a paycheck isn’t hitting your bank account every other Friday. Of course, my favorite method is investing in the stock market. This provides dividend income and the ability to sell your stocks when you need to but there is another obvious method out there - real estate. I don’t know how we’ve gone 135 episodes without extensively discussing investing in real estate. It may be because it isn’t something I currently participate in but it has my attention. When I think about my draw-down method, there is hesitation on what I would do if I felt like we were in a down market and I’m wondering if rental income would give me much-needed stability through my early FI years. So I’m putting some effort into learning about it and if you do the same, there is one educator you will likely run into: Dustin Heiner. Dustin is the Host of Master Passive Income and is on a quest to help one million people get started investing in real estate. He is of course a real estate investor himself and at the age of 37, was able to quit his job because he had enough passive income from his real estate investments. In this episode, we discuss three common mistakes that Dustin wants you to know about before you buy your first property. Our goal in this conversation is to prevent you from making mistakes that Dustin had to learn the hard way early on. So if you’re interested in real estate investing, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the father of 5 and successfully unemployed…Dustin Heiner. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Free Course: https://masterpassiveincome.com/freecourse/ More of Dustin: Website: https://masterpassiveincome.com/dustin-heiner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedustinheiner/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 31 Jul 2024 | 5 Secrets to Make Your FIRE Journey Fun | E146 Jackie Cummings Koski | 00:53:07 | |
Yes, your path to financial independence is going to take work and sacrifice but it shouldn’t be miserable. Financial independence is not worth it if it means being unhappy for decades of your life. There should be lots of moments of fun because life is precious both before and after you reach FI. So in today’s episode, Jackie Cummings Koski is back on the podcast to discuss five of her secrets for making your FIRE journey fun. If you missed episode 64, first download it to listen to after this episode, and second, let me share a little about Jackie with you. At 49 years old, Jackie reached financial independence and retired from “Corporate America.” This was an impressive feat in itself but even more impressive for someone who grew up poor, became a single mom in her 30s, and never had over a $100,000 salary. Jackie created her first net worth statement at 38 years old and went on a tear for the next decade saving and investing to comfortably retire before 50. Now Jackie spends much of her time as a personal finance educator and recently wrote the book, FIRE for Dummies to help others retire early on their terms. So if you want to reach financial independence and have some fun along the way, this episode is for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the dealer of $2 bills…Jackie Cummings Koski. Key Takeaways:
More of Jackie: FIRE for Dummies: https://www.amazon.com/FIRE-Dummies-Business-Personal-Finance/dp/1394235011 Catching Up to FI: https://catchinguptofi.com/financial-independence-podcast/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 26 Mar 2025 | Is Real Estate the Best Path to Financial Independence? | E163 Chad Carson | 00:50:58 | |
Is Real Estate the Best Path to Financial Independence? As a die-hard index fund investor, I used to have a clear answer. But after researching Chad Carson’s “small but mighty” real estate philosophy, I’m starting to see the potential. While I still prefer the hands-off nature of index funds, especially as I focus on growing my income - I can see real estate playing a role in my future. It offers steady cash flow, diversification, and even scratches my entrepreneurial itch. When that time comes, I’ll be turning to Chad Carson’s content. With two decades of real estate investing experience, Chad knows how to find, analyze, and buy solid investment properties. In this episode, Chad breaks down the fundamentals of real estate investing, including how to find quality deals in a high-priced market, red flags to watch for, and key financial metrics to evaluate before buying. I learned a ton from this conversation, and I’m already looking forward to a part two. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Create Your Buy Box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ORTQ_2S-mE DealMachine: https://www.dealmachine.com/ More of Coach Chad Carson: Real Estate Investing with Coach Carson: https://www.coachcarson.com/coach-carson-podcast/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 18 Dec 2024 | Creative Frugality: How to Do A Lot With A Little | E156 Jill Sirianni | 00:50:01 | |
Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? With a little bit of creative frugality, I think it is possible to live below your means and buy the things that bring you joy. What do I mean by creative frugality? It is a two-part process. Number 1, identify the things you value and stop spending money on the things you don’t. That is what today’s guest calls value-based spending. Number 2, get creative with the rest of your spending. Let me give you an example. I have a friend that loves to try new restaurants but she hates spending money on dining out. So what did she do? She started an Instagram page where she reviews new restaurants that opened up in Austin. She reaches out to restaurants she wants to try and many of them invite her in and comp her meal. Sure it takes a little hustle but you know what that friend told me? She loves creating this content for her Instagram and she is enjoying getting to know the people who make up the restaurant scene in Austin. I’m not advocating you do this for every one of your spending categories. I’m just saying, think outside the box and experiment a little. This is exactly what Jill Sirianni did. While she was working to pay off $60,000 of debt on a social worker's salary, Jill knew she had to get creative. Housing cost is nearly unavoidable for everyone but Jill stepped back and asked “How could I spend less on housing but still have a home I love?” She found an opportunity to house-sit in a friend’s log cabin while they did some extended traveling. After that, Jill did two different stints living in an RV. She saved a ton of money, and similar to my friend, she actually enjoyed it. Now that her debt is paid off and Jill is financially well off, she bought a home in St. Petersburg FL but Jill told me she still cherishes the years she lived in the RV with her husband and it really made an impact on how she lives today. Nowadays, Jill is doing some cool stuff co-hosting the Frugal Friends Podcast and authoring the soon-to-be-released book, Buy What You Love Without Going Broke. It was a blast talking to Jill. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the licensed clinical social, gardener, and lover of the simple things…Jill Sirianni. Key Takeaways:
More of Jill: Frugal Friends Podcast: https://www.frugalfriendspodcast.com/episodes/ Buy What You Love Without Going Broke: https://www.frugalfriendspodcast.com/pre-order-buy-what-you-love-without-going-broke/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 12 Feb 2025 | Spending Experiments: Learn What Purchases Make You Happy | E160 Carl Jensen | 00:55:52 | |
Struggling to spend money? Same here. Honestly, I never thought this would be a problem as I got closer to financial independence. I mean, isn’t the goal to save up enough so we can finally spend on the things we want? Turns out, after 15 years of working hard to build wealth, it’s not so easy to let go. Add in some good old financial insecurities, and suddenly, I’ve got money, but I’m too nervous to spend it. And guess what? We are not the only ones. A lot of people in the FI community deal with this too, including Carl Jensen. Carl, known for his blog 1500 Days, has a net worth of $6 million. Yet, he still found it hard to spend money. That was until he started challenging himself to do it. Through these spending challenges, Carl figured out what really brings him joy, whether it’s something small like treating a friend to dinner or big like a $10,000 private concert with his favorite band (don’t worry, we’ll talk about that one!). So, if you’ve ever struggled to spend on things that would actually make you happy, this episode is for you. Hopefully, it inspires you to push past those money hang-ups and challenge yourself a little more. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the Telsa fantastic, dinosaur-loving, early FI trailblazer…Carl Jensen. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Taming the Mammoth: Why You Should Stop Caring What Other People Think: https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/06/taming-mammoth-let-peoples-opinions-run-life.html More of Carl: Read Carl’s Blog: https://www.1500days.com/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 23 Oct 2024 | Ignoring the Rules and Paving Your Own Path to FIRE | E152 Diania Merriam | 00:51:29 | |
I love FI because it allows me to break the rules and live outside the norm. Like, no one has time for 40 years of traditional employment. But little did I realize I left one set of rules only to get caught up in another - the rules of personal finance. For example, let's look at one popular idea, “spend less than you earn and invest the difference.” My friend Jeremy Schneider says this all the time and for the most part, he’s right. This is a great principle and one of the pillars of building wealth. But where we go wrong is when we get too fixated on a rule and let it box us in. Do we have to spend less than we earn…every year? No, we realize that is a silly idea. If you want to plan a year of travel, take off time to raise a newborn, or work on launching a business, that might be a year you spend more than you make…and that’s okay. I’m not saying Jeremy hasn’t had a year where he’s spent more than he’s earned. Knowing him, I’m guessing he’s had a couple but sometimes these general guidelines create a limited mindset. Another example is the 4% rule. This one boxed me in for years making me think I needed to reach my FIRE number before I could retire. I’ve been rethinking that a lot recently and one person who has impacted me is Diania Merriam. Through her 20s and early 30s, Diania worked in sales. In the midst of one of her peak earning years, she decided to take a 2-month sabbatical to walk 500 miles across northern Spain. A few years later, she quit that job entirely and retired from her corporate career at 33. Diania then founded the EconoMe Conference, a party about money. The conference wasn’t profitable the first few years but Diania didn’t care because she felt like organizing this event was her calling. She is the definition of rewriting the rule book which is why I wanted to have her on the show. I’m hoping through her story, you identify a personal finance rule that might be limiting your thinking. We get into topics like how to get your employer to say yes to a sabbatical, getting comfortable leaving a high-paying job, right-sizing work, and more. Key Takeaways:
More of Diania: EconoMe Conference: https://economeconference.com/ Optimal Finance Daily: https://oldpodcast.com/optimal-finance-daily-podcast/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 04 Dec 2023 | Did You Forget These 4 Financial News Headlines From 2023? | E127 | 00:09:17 | |
We are closing up on 2023 and I thought it would make for a fun episode to recap some of the top financial news headlines from the year. Being a fellow money nerd, this year provided many interesting headlines that were fun to follow and watch play out. And looking back at it all, these stories reminded me of an important lesson that I’ll share at the end of this episode. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: The Best Interest (Does the Debt Ceiling Affect Your Finances? - E57): https://pod.link/1553180943/episode/697707e884c01785b397166817ac6d91 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 03 Jul 2023 | How to Embrace Spontaneity, Bust Out of a Rut, and Make Deposits in Your Confidence Account | E105 Les Alfred | 00:52:15 | |
Do you ever feel like you’re living in Groundhog Day where the events yesterday, feel like today, and you’re probably going to have those same feelings tomorrow? The weeks are moving fast yet you don’t feel like much is changing? If this is the case you might be in a rut. If I’m being honest, I’m coming out of a period of my life where I’ve felt like I’ve been in a rut. I’ve had my head down, hard at work. I’m really satisfied with most of the elements of my life right now but I have this underlying feeling of unease. I don’t need to blow anything up but I’ve been looking for some change. Luckily, Les Alfred came into my life at the right time. This conversation gave me some ideas for embracing more spontaneity, mixing up routines, and busting out of my rut. Implementing her practical advice has me feeling like I’m headed in the right direction now. Les is the creator and host behind the wildly popular podcast, Balanced Black Girl where she covers various aspects of wellness with approachability and care. I’ll be honest, I became a bit of a superfan after binging her show in preparation for this conversation and one of my favorite series she did was all about leveling up. The first half of this conversation we talk about practical tips for busting out of a rut but as we enter the second half of the episode, we talk about so many implementable concepts like time audits, your confidence account, and creating a brag file. I think all 3 of these concepts will level up your career so stick around until the end. Speaking up that, hit the follow button on your podcast player right now. We are finishing up the managing the things at work series next week with an episode about conquering your to-do and we are going to follow that up with a series on creative ways to expand your professional network. So if that sounds like content that you need right now, hit the follow button so you don’t miss out. I hope you enjoy my conversation with…the Leo, yogi, and the creator of Balanced Black Girl…Les Alfred. Key Takeaways:
More of Les: Balanced Black Girl Podcast: https://www.balancedblackgirl.com/podcast More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 25 Dec 2023 | Former Inmate on Believing in Yourself, Creating Your Comeback, and Proving Them Wrong | E130 Nate Dukes | 00:50:14 | |
For today’s episode, we are going to pause our money content to share a powerful story. With 2024 quickly approaching, I’m sure you’re giving thought to some changes you’d love to make in your life. It could be that you want to eat healthier, repair a relationship, feel more confident, tap into your true potential, or anything of the sort. But maybe those ideas come with some discouragement. If it is something you want to change now, it is probably something you’ve been thinking about changing for a while. I’ve been there. I make empty promises to myself that “next Monday is whenever I start” and of course, that day comes and for some reason, I’m still acting the same way and not taking action on that promise. 2024 is going to be different for both of us though. No more empty promises. We are going to prove to those who have been doubting us, our parents, friends, partners, but most importantly, ourselves. And there is no better story to end our 2023 content with and leave us feeling empowered like my friend Nake Dukes. This guy has gone through a lot from hugely successful business owner to being behind bars after getting caught stealing a car. I don’t want to ruin this reinvention story so I’m going to leave it there. This one is a great one to play in the car for everyone to hear out loud as you’re headed to Grandma's house for the holiday celebrations. This story originally aired years ago as episode 41 and has been a fan favorite ever since. This is the last episode of 2023. Thanks for an amazing year. I had so much fun creating content for you in 2023 and I’m even more excited about 2024. As a reminder, moving forward we’ll be publishing bi-weekly on Wednesdays to make some space for some other projects we have in the works. You’ll see our content shift in 2024 with a major focus on money so if this is the year that you are dedicated to taking control of your finances, make sure to hit the subscribe button. I’m working on February content right now and our guest lineup is so incredible so far so you don’t want to miss out. Oka, enough teasing. I hope you have an amazing end of your year and happy holidays. Let’s get to the interview. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the innate turned author…Nate Dukes. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Pay it forward program: www.youllneverchange.com/payitforward More of Nate: Website: www.youllneverchange.com More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at... | |||
| 15 May 2023 | Five Paths to Early Retirement | E98 | 00:11:29 | |
In episode 96, we talked about the FIRE Movement, a group of people who are focused on early retirement, sometimes decades before the traditional retirement age of 65. They’re doing this by building their passive assets to a level where it provides enough money for their living expenses. I love the idea of no longer needing a paycheck to afford my lifestyle and maybe you do too. This is the 2nd episode in our FIRE series where you’ll learn 5 potential paths to FIRE so you can determine which path is right for you. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: What is the FIRE Movement? Retire in Your 30s | E96: www.tsirpodcast.com/96 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 19 Jun 2023 | Career Boredom: How to Make Your Work Interesting Again | E103 Carla Fowler | 01:10:06 | |
I remember being on fire for the first few years of my career. I was learning so much and every day brought a novel problem to solve. Boredom wasn’t even a thought. I didn’t quite understand why people felt stale in their careers. And then things started to slow. What was once a unique puzzle to solve, turned into an ongoing job responsibility. My job was filled with less learning and more…work. Finding a balance between being comfortable in your role and stretching your limits is challenging. This can be especially challenging for those of us who find a lot of satisfaction and purpose from stimulated work. I don’t want to be wishing it was Friday afternoon. I want to be excited for Monday. I want that same feeling of excitement from early in my career. But continuously cultivating that energy takes intentionality and some proper planning. Today’s guest, Carla Fowler, will give us ideas on how to reenergize your work. She’ll share questions you can ask yourself if you are feeling bored, what are the components of a good project to get you excited again, and why all of this is important. Key Takeaways:
More of Carla: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-fowler/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 17 Jan 2024 | How to Launch a Side Hustle While Working Full-Time | E132 Genuinely Genesis | 00:41:15 | |
One of the keys to building wealth is increasing your income. Most 20-somethings don’t have a savings problem, they have an income problem. You’re trying to pay off student loans, graduate from a college lifestyle, and invest for their future all while working with an entry-level salary. While I believe the fastest way to increase your income is focusing on your primary source of income, aka being a top performer at work and negotiating salary increases because of that, I’m also a fan of rolling up your sleeves and hustling to make some additional income on the side. Not only is side hustling a great way to make some extra cash to deploy against whatever financial goals you have right now, it is also a great way to learn about business, develop additional skills, explore other career paths, and most importantly, learn how to independently make money. So with all of this in mind, I invited my friend Genesis on the podcast to discuss side hustles. Know as genuinelygenesis on Instagram and TikTok, Genesis has been hustling since she was a kid selling coconut popsicles on the side of the road in Bolivia. Growing up low-income, she learned firsthand how to turn her hard work into cash. Now in her 20s, she’s graduated from selling popsicles to working in big tech full-time but she’s still hustling on the side, growing a real-estate empire and content business. In this conversation, Genesis and I are going to answer a ton of questions about side hustles including whether are side hustles even worth it, how to make time for your side hustle, how to convert this hard work now into passive income in the future, and most importantly, ideas for your first side hustle. What should I do is always the biggest question I get when discussing side hustles. So aside from some of the side hustles Genesis discusses in this episode, here are 5 other ideas you can consider for your 1st side hustle:
This is going to be a great episode. One of many that we have planned for this year so if this is the year you get serious about your financial future, hit the follow button because there are a whole lot more of these episodes coming. Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with…Hispanic-American, first-generation college student, and miss poor but no more…Genuinely Genesis. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Side hustle workbook: | |||
| 28 Aug 2023 | 4 Steps to Setting Up Your 401(k) Account at Work | E113 | 00:18:33 | |
Starting a new job always comes with a hectic first week of paperwork. More than likely, one of the documents is about investing in your company’s 401(k) program. If you grew up in a household like mine, the importance of investing in your 401(k) account was hammered into you but let’s say you didn’t set up your 401(k) account right away. Maybe the thought of investing for your future seemed like a pipe dream when student loans, car payments, and buying furniture that isn’t Grandma’s hand-me-down was looming in your mind. Or the process and decisions of setting up a 401(k) account felt intimidating and overwhelming to you. The first point is trickier. Money is typically pretty tight in our 20s as we are building our earning power. I totally understand why prioritizing our current needs seems to be more important than our future needs. But hopefully, through this conversation, I can convince you that even starting with a small amount can go a long way. The second point though, being intimidated by the setup process, is something I can help with. This is definitely a topic that should be taught in school, but now having gone through this multiple times, I can assure you that setting up a 401(k) account is an easier process than you think. In today’s episode, I am going to walk through 4 steps to setting up your 401(k) account, discuss decisions you are going to have to make, and share some guidance along the way. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: How to Get Started Investing, the Cost of Actively Managed Funds, and a 2-Step Plan to Retire in 15 Years | E57 Jeremy Schneider - https://tsirpodcast.com/57 Hidden Cost of Investing: 3 Common Fees and How to Stop Paying Them | E94 - https://tsirpodcast.com/94 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 26 Feb 2025 | Do You Know You Can Negotiate Your Medical Bills? Here’s how. | E161 Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington | 00:37:34 | |
In today’s conversation, we will learn how to negotiate your medical bills. Wait, you can do that? Yeah, this was new to me too. Maybe it was the confusing medical jargon or the assumption that hospitals charge fair prices, but negotiating never crossed my mind…and you know I love to negotiate just about everything. Not only should you be negotiating your medical bills, you should be scrutinizing them for errors. As you’ll learn in this episode, 80% of medical bills have errors, and go figure, they almost always work out in the favor of the medical provider. Today, Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington joins me to share her three-step process for negotiating medical bills. As an internal medicine physician and former health insurance executive, Dr. Virgie thought she understood the system - that was until she was diagnosed with cancer and saw firsthand how patients get crushed by medical debt. After witnessing her hospital roommate get taken advantage of by balance billing, Dr. Virigie had had enough. Now she is on a mission to help Americans fight back against excessive healthcare costs, one bill at a time. If you want to protect yourself from medical debt and take control of your healthcare costs, this episode is for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with medical billing expert and 2-time cancer patient…Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington. Key Takeaways:
More of Dr. Vrigie: Website: www.crushmedicaldebt.com More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 15 Jan 2025 | What Happens After I Reach FIRE? Withdrawal Strategy, Spending Changes, & Finding Meaning | E158 Jeremy Schneider | 00:51:31 | |
Since discovering financial independence, I have focused on wealth-building: choosing the right accounts, investing wisely, and cutting expenses to save more. But now that I’m approaching my FIRE number, a new question has emerged—what happens after I reach financial independence? On one hand, there’s the technical side: What’s the best way to withdraw from my nest egg? This is something I hadn’t given much thought to until now. But beyond the finances, the bigger question is: What changes in life? Will I still scrutinize every expense? Do I worry about major market news? And most importantly, how do I want to spend my time? I need some guidance, and I’m guessing you do too, so I asked Jeremy Schneider to come to demystify life after reaching financial independence. Jeremy Schneider is the creator of the popular Instagram account, Personal Finance Club. He’s also the co-founder of Nectarine, a marketplace for advice-only financial advisors. Before launching Personal Finance Club and Nectarine, Jeremy built and sold a technology company for $5 million, achieving financial independence. This sum of cash catapulted him into financial independence. He had to answer the important questions quickly and in this episode, he shares what he learned from that experience. Whether you’re nearing your FIRE number or simply curious about what life looks like after financial independence, this episode is for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the man trying to bring light on the financial advising industry…Jeremy Schneider. Key Takeaways:
More of Jeremy: Get Financial Help: www.hellonectarine.com More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 10 Apr 2023 | You’re Failing in Your Twenties…Or At Least You Think You Are | E93 Paul Angone | 00:50:55 | |
I’m turning 30 next month and I’ve been unsure how I’ve felt about that. I’ve had countless conversations with guests that shared with me how silly it was to think they needed to “make something of themselves” by 30. Yet here I am, wondering if I’ve done enough to really make my 20-year-old self proud how I’ve spent the last decade. That 20-year-old Justin had high expectations about where he was going to be at 30. I’ve learned over the last decade that you can set your sights on something but life has a whole lot of serendipity. And I don’t know, that’s kind of the fun of it right? I mean, at 20, I would have never predicted podcasting would be such a significant aspect of my life. So here’s to me for letting go of any expectations, being proud of everything I have accomplished, and excited for what’s to come in this new decade. I’m done with my poetic monologue but it does set up my conversation with my friend, Paul Angone. Paul spent most of his 20s thinking he was a failure. Working at dead-end jobs to support his real dream of becoming a best-selling author, Paul grinded and hustled any moment he had - lunch breaks, late evenings, weekends - with the hope of creating something that sparked a fire. Sure enough, it eventually happened (although much longer than expected) and Paul has gone on to author best-selling books including 101 Secrets for Your Twenties, 101 Questions You Need to Ask in Your Twenties, and 25 Lies Twentysomethings Need to Stop Believing. His newest book, Listen to Your Day: The Life Changing Practice of Paying Attention, is out today and I recommend picking it up. Paul has spent so much time researching and understanding the unique struggles of being in your 20s. We get into a whole lot of conversation about these struggles including finding your purpose, feeling like a failure, and when to make sacrifices vs when to move on. You’re really going to like this one. 100 reviews before our 100th episode (consider it an early birthday present). If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new. I hope you enjoy my conversation with…”20-something failure” turned 5-time author…Paul Angone. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Searching for Sugar Man: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125608/ More of Paul: Website: www.AllGroanUp.com Listen to Your Day: https://allgroanup.com/books-2/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulangone/ Signature Sauce course: https://signaturesauce.com/ More of The Struggle is Real: | |||
| 20 Mar 2023 | How I Avoid Burnout: Selfish Sundays | E90 Anastasia Barbuzzi | 00:12:20 | |
Have you felt like you’ve been burning the candle at both ends? Are you trying to do too many things and feeling burnout? Maybe you need a Selfish Sunday. Cara Hays initially introduced me to this concept of Selfish Sundays. It’s pretty simple - she spends Sunday doing things for herself and she doesn’t judge herself for it. She might meal prep, do laundry, or just binge watch a TV show. Whatever she needs from herself on Sundays is what she does. I loved the idea so much that I stole it for myself, and it has really helped me with burnout. I was recently on my friend Anastasia Barbuzzi’s podcast, $HMoney Radio, talking about my Selfish Sundays. I wanted to share this with you in case you were looking for some inspiration and ideas on how you could overcome burnout. Key Takeaway:
More of Anastasia Barbuzzi: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shmoneyradio/ Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/shmoneyradio Website: https://www.shmoney.club/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ jOoFuwRRIsl8iK3URyqU | |||
| 05 Jun 2024 | Embracing Mini-Retirements: How to Take Breaks on Your Path to FI | E142 Jillian Johnsrud | 00:42:52 | |
Let’s not sugarcoat it, the path to financial independence is a grind. Even with an aggressive savings rate and an extended bull market run, you’re going to be at it for a while. Setting the hard work aside, we also have to ask ourselves, what are we racing towards? Yes, of course, financial independence and freedom, but what would you do with that newfound free time? This is where I’d like to insert the idea of mini-retirements. This intentional time off work can help us reenergize and explore what retirement life would look like. This is actually what our guest, Jillian Johnsrud, did. During her journey to financial independence, Jillian embraced 12 mini-retirements and now she coaches others on how to take a mini-retirement themselves. I love the idea of mini-retirements. I’ve already taken one in 2020 and plan to take many more throughout my life. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I made in my 20s but it didn’t come with some doubts. Most notably, is this temporary time off worth delaying financial independence? This is a question I asked Jillian and what she told me surprised me….mini-retirements didn’t delay FI for her, they did the opposite. They expedited it. Stick around if you want to hear that story and more. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the master of retiring often…Jillian Johnsrud. Key Takeaways:
More of Jillian: Website: www.RetireOften.com Retire Often podcast: www.retireoften.com/podcast/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 09 Oct 2024 | When Your Spouse Makes More Than You | E151 Ed Coambs | 00:45:04 | |
While we still have a lot of work to do, I’m really glad we’ve made strides in closing the gender pay gap. Women's increased incomes have led to significant changes in household dynamics. More women are becoming the primary or even sole breadwinner for their family. This change is great and has led to many positives for both men and women. However, our culture is still caught up in traditional gender roles, especially when it comes to money. Many people expect a man to be the primary breadwinner in a relationship. This leads to awkwardness, confusion and tension. In today’s episode, we are going to talk about those feelings, especially from the lens of men. There is no better person to have this conversation with then my friend Ed Coambs. Ed is a financial therapist and has over 20 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families experiencing a wide range of money-related distress. In this conversation, we dive into topics such as overcoming your internal feelings about contributing less financially, managing money with your partner without feeding resentment, and responding to friends when they joke about the income disparity in your relationship. A lot of juicy topics, so if you’re ready for it, I hope you enjoy my conversation with firefighter turned certified financial therapist…Ed Coambs. Key Takeaways:
More of Ed: More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 20 Nov 2024 | 10 Golden Rules of Personal Finance | E154 Jesse Cramer | 00:50:40 | |
There are so many rules in the personal finance space. Some are helpful, others not so much. Let's set aside the bad ones for a minute (for example, stop buying avocado toast) and discuss the helpful ones. What comes to mind? I went through this practice and wrote down a bunch in preparation for an episode with Jesse Cramer on The Best Interest. I realized many would only be helpful for a certain group of people or at a particular time in someone's personal finance journey. One that comes to mind is to "avoid credit cards." This would be a great rule for those struggling with credit card debt. Probably not so great for everyone else. But through this process, I did land on 5 golden rules that I think would be helpful for everyone regardless of their situation...and Jesse did the same. Of course, as two podcasters would do, we took to the mics and debated our list. This conversation first aired on Jesse’s podcast, The Best Interest. Jesse is a good friend and has been on the show many of times. If you haven’t done so yet, go check out his podcast. He does a great job breaking down complex, financial topics and simplifying them through analogies and stories. You’ll get a taste of his style in this episode. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: The original episode on The Best Interest: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-informative-debate-the-most-important-rules/id1553180943?i=1000651974649 More of Jesse: Blog: www.bestinterest.blog More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 16 Oct 2023 | The 10 People You Need on Your Personal Board of Advisors | E120 Pete Schramm | 00:49:13 | |
Have you heard of this concept before? A personal board of advisors. I think it is kind of interesting. Many companies have a board of directors who help advise and guide them on key decisions. Why shouldn’t we have a similar group to rely on? Especially as early career professionals, we face many critical questions about career pivots, job opportunities, work-life balance, purpose, leadership moments, and more. When I started thinking about it, assembling a personal board of advisors is a must for high-performing professionals. We can’t do this all alone. We need guidance and support from a diverse group of professionals. But I have so many questions about how to actually execute this concept. Who should be on my board? How do I ask them? How often do we meet? How do I make sure it is meaningful for my board members too? So I invited my friend Pete Schramm to the podcast to tell us how to assemble a personal board of advisors and to get all of our questions answered. Pete is the CEO and Founder of Latitude, a software company focused on employee connection, and the author of Pathfinders, Navigating Your Career Map with a Personal Board of Advisors. This is a really powerful concept so I am hoping you take what you learn today and run with it. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Episode 108: 7 Local Events Where You’ll Meet Your Next Boss, Mentor, or Business Partner www.tsirpodcast.com/108 More of Pete: Book: Pathfinders, Navigating Your Career Map with a Personal Board of Advisors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-schramm-pmp/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 08 May 2023 | Accelerate Your Career with Effective Communication | E97 - Brenden Kumarasamy | 01:02:42 | |
Over the last decade of my career, I've found there is a subset of skills that can be a multiplier for your career growth. One of those super skills is effective communication. I’ve seen those that possess this skill take off leading projects, presenting at important meetings, and getting promotions. Being an average communicator versus an effective communicator can be really subtle. Sometimes it's the word choice, the framing of the conversation, or the preparation done beforehand. If you work towards mastering the nuance of this skill, you’re going to be the person people turn to in important situations. Brenden Kumarasamy, a good friend of our show, is back to discuss this nuance and give you a framework you can use today to level up your communication at work. We talked about team meetings, presentations, 1 on 1 connects. I hammered him with questions and he fired back with so much good tactical advice. This guy really knows his stuff. Brenden’s background includes coaching ambitious executives and entrepreneurs to be more effective communicators and he also has a popular YouTube channel called MasterTalk with the goal of providing free access to communication tools for everyone in the world. Brenden is really making an impact in this space and I feel so blessed that he spending time with you and me to level up our communication. If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new. Alright, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the former accounting major, Justin Bieber fanatic, and Mr. MasterTalk himself…Brenden Kumarasamy. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Brenden’s 1st appearance on TSIR: Public Speaking Best Practices, Passion is Bogus, and Pitching a CEO l E16 Brenden Kumarasamy More of Brenden: Website: http://rockstarcommunicator.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MasterTalks Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendenkumarasamy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masteryourtalk/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 29 Jan 2025 | Fast-Track Your 2025 Money Goals Using These Strategies | E159 Justin Brown-Woods | 00:42:53 | |
It’s the start of a new year, and you’ve set some financial goals like paying off student loans, saving for a down payment, or maxing out your IRA. Whatever your goal, how awesome would it feel if you could fast-track your progress? It’ll take focus and dedication, but with the right strategies, you can turbocharge your cash flow and get there faster. Today, we’re joined by Justin Brown-Woods, Financial Coach and Co-Host of The Price of Avocado Toast. Justin not only helps his clients reach their financial goals but he has also walked the walk himself. After accumulating $220,000 in debt, Justin and his wife, Haley, decided to rewrite their financial story. In just 18 months, they paid off more than half of their debt and began rebuilding their wealth. And when I say “rebuilding,” I mean rebuilding. Before accumulating 6-figures of debt, they had $600,000 in the bank! It’s a story you don’t want to miss but I’ll let Justin spill the details in this episode. If you’re ready to fast-track your 2025 financial goals (without selling a kidney), this episode is packed with tips and inspiration to get you started. Key Takeaways:
More of Justin: Listen to the Price of Avocado Toast: https://www.priceofavocadotoast.com/podcast More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 27 Mar 2023 | A Guide to Journaling: Prompts, Benefits, & Getting Started | E91 Megan Miller | 00:57:15 | |
In today's conversation, I went down this incredible, unplanned rabbit hole with my friend Megan Miller. We both have a mutual love for journaling and I spent the first half of this conversation asking a lot of questions around her specific practice. It really made me realize how much of an impact my simple journaling practice has left on me. I’m hoping this gives you some inspiration on how you could get started journaling and what benefits you can expect by doing so. Aside from being a journaling enthusiast, Megan is a coach centered around helping high achievers detox off the drug of achievement. We discuss the potentially negative impact of relying on our career for validation. I don’t think getting validation from my career is inherently bad but whenever I find that is the only area I’m relying on, this creates a major imbalance with my life. And surprise, surprise I kind of feel like I’m itching towards that right now and I’m curious for solutions so ask Megan questions about this subject too. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy: https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Gain-Achievers-Happiness-Confidence/dp/1401964362 More of Megan: Website: https://www.megan-miller.com/ Megan’s microstep journal: https://www.megan-miller.com/microstep-journal https://www.amazon.com/Voices-21st-Century-Women-Transforming-ebook More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 17 Jul 2023 | Sick of Your Clothes? Find Your Personal Style, Identity and Confidence | E107 Parke Ballantine | 00:51:25 | |
I’ve never felt like I’ve had style. Honestly, I’ve always felt a little intimidated and lost when it comes to fashion. With that in mind, I didn’t put a lot of emphasis on it. I opted for safe and affordable options versus clothes that I felt comfortable and confident in. I don’t think that’s entirely the wrong perspective. Personal style isn’t something that everyone cares about but I do want to make a case for it. For better or worse, your outward appearance does say something about you. It impacts first expressions and is an extension of your personality. Most importantly, it impacts how you feel about yourself. The right piece of clothes at the right moment can help me break out of my shyness, feel more confident, and channel the energy I want to display. All of this is especially true when it comes to dressing for work, a place where first impressions, outward appearance, charisma, and confidence play a huge part in success and career growth. So let’s say you decided this is important and you want to put some focus on it, how do you go about finding your personal style? Well, I don’t have the answer for you but Parke Ballantine does. They are a creative director, fashion stylist, and model. I met Parke through my girlfriend Gaby after they did a stunning photoshoot together and luckily they were nice enough to share some fashion advice with us. In this conversation, we talk about how to get started if you just aren’t sure what your personal style is. Parke shares styling tips like the rule of thirds, how to incorporate color, and how to be fashion-forward when it’s hot outside. We also have an important conversation about the balance of sustainability and affordability. Key Takeaways:
More of Parke: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parke.ballantine/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 02 Oct 2023 | Travel for Free with Credit Card Points | E118 Danielle Desir | 00:37:38 | |
I have to admit, this is one subject in the personal finance space that I don’t have much experience with. I’m so impressed with my friends who get free airfare and hotels through credit card points and I think it is time for you and I to do the same. I just get overwhelmed and I’m not really sure where to start. What cards should I have in my wallet? Which card should I use on what? Are cards with annual fees worth it? These questions and more are all going to get answered in today’s episode and to give us those answers, I invited my friend Danielle Desir Corbett who is the creator of The Thought Card, a travel and finance blog and podcast. Danielle is quite the expert when it comes to traveling cheaper through credit card hacking. My approach up until this point with credit cards has been pretty elementary. I take my 1% cash back and call it a day but Danielle has me really excited to move up to the next level and start getting more from my credit card provider. I thought this was an excellent capstone episode for our series on Mastering Money at Work. We’ve covered 401(k)s, asking for a raise, employee perks that can make you money, HSAs, and most recently the passion versus paycheck conundrum. If you missed any of those episodes, download them now so you have something to listen to after this one. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: CardPointers: https://cardpointers.com/ Rakuten: https://www.rakuten.com/ More of Danielle: Thought Card Blog and Podcast: https://thoughtcard.com/ Blog: 7 Easy Ways To Earn Thousands of Points and Miles a Year Blog: 6 Travel Hacking Mistakes To Avoid Book: Traveling With a Full-Time Job Book: Affording Travel: Saving Strategies For Financially Savvy Travelers More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 09 Apr 2025 | How to DOUBLE Your Income in One Year | E164 Andrew Giancola | 00:40:16 | |
In my mid-20s, I was making $50,000. Between San Diego’s high housing costs, dating, a car payment, and other expenses, I barely had anything left to put toward financial independence - let alone fast-track it. I was cutting costs everywhere - negotiating bills, rarely eating out, even walking instead of driving. Frugality was helping but man, the real game-changer was focusing on growing my income. Since then, I’ve switched jobs, negotiated raises, launched a business, and built a five-figure side hustle. Now, I earn three times what I did at 25, and that extra income has made all the difference. I’m funding my financial independence goals while also enjoying life more. Quickly growing my income made such an impact and that’s why I brought Andrew Giancola on the podcast - to help me break down exactly how you can double your income in just one year. Andrew is a pro at this. He’s built multiple businesses, invested in real estate, tested different side hustles, and even helped his wife negotiate multiple raises and promotions. This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you increase your income fast. So if that is something you want to do, let’s dive in! I hope you enjoy my conversation with the financial educator and host of The Personal Finance Podcast…Andrew Giancola. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Andrew’s first appearance on FI Minded: www.tsirpodcast.com/133 More of Andrew: More of FI Minded: Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 14 Feb 2024 | This is the REAL Meaning of Being Frugal (and It’s Not Depriving Yourself) l E134 Joel Larsgaard How to Money | 00:42:17 | |
When I say the word frugal, what comes to mind? Do you think of your penny-pitching sibling? Or your coupon-clipping aunt? Your co-worker that always brings their lunch? The reality is, frugal means something different to everyone. Frugality is a spectrum, and I believe it can be extremely beneficial to live your 20s with a healthy amount of frugality. Split rent with roommates. Shop at value-based stores. Avoid overspending on luxuries like new cars or fancy clothes. Winning these battles early on can pay dividends, literally and metaphorically, down the road. But frugality can go too far. Your 20s aren’t the time to deprive yourself of everything at the expense of saving money. So how do we find that balance? What are some signals that we’ve gone too far? And what can we be doing now so we don’t have to worry about frugality so much in the future? Joel Larsgaard, Co-Host of How to Money, will be answering those questions today. Joel is a recovering frugalite. After experiencing his parents going bankrupt when he was 12, he vowed not to let money impact him in the same way. In his 20s, he worked two jobs, used his bike as a primary source of transportation, and scoured the internet for the best deals. As Joel entered his 30s, he realized he might have taken frugality a little too far. At times, being frugal tested his relationship with his wife and had him make short-sided decisions that might be considered cheap versus frugal. Joel will admit that he doesn’t have it all figured out now but I can tell he’s found a much healthier balance today. He still loves riding his bike but works less and isn’t afraid to spend money on quality items he loves. I enjoyed my conversation with Joel because I can see myself following in his footsteps. I can often get lost in the bigger picture of financial independence. FI is not a number but instead, the flexibility to reimagine what life could look like. So if you’re ready to experience what life could look like, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the craft beer lover and co-host of How to Money…Joel Larsgaard. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: HTM Money Mission Statement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IhrgSguUq7A3-5OoqF8-0XaX65M2ixyc/view More of Joel: Website: https://www.howtomoney.com/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 23 Apr 2025 | You’re Financially Free But It Doesn’t Feel Like It | E165 Shannah Game | 00:30:09 | |
You’ve run the numbers a hundred times. You’ve built the spreadsheets, projected the growth, and calculated your safe withdrawal rate down to the decimal. On paper, money isn’t an issue. You should feel secure. But you don’t. Because even though the math checks out, the feeling doesn’t. The scarcity mindset, the one that pushed you to save relentlessly, doesn’t just disappear when you achieve FI. Instead, it lingers, making you question if it’s really enough. That’s why I’m excited to have Shannah Game on the show today. She’s a Certified Financial Planner and host of Everyone’s Talkin’ Money. Shannah has helped countless people break free from the mental traps that keep them feeling financially insecure, even when their numbers say otherwise. In this episode, Shannah is going to help us tackle that nagging sense of “not enough” and share strategies to shift from a scarcity mindset to one of confidence and abundance. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the cupcake-making, money-talking millennial…Shannah Game. Key Takeaways:
More of Shannah: Podcast: https://everyonestalkinmoney.com/episodes/ More of FI Minded: Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 24 Apr 2023 | 3AM Phone Call: A Story that Led to a $10,000 Sale | E95 Chuck Cooper | 00:55:24 | |
It’s fun to talk about success especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. We are all hoping for this grand journey where we start from the bottom but quickly make it to the top. That happened to my good friend, Chuck Cooper. His first business was wildly successful, until it wasn’t. All of a sudden, he found himself in shame never thinking he would have failed. It all seemed too easy. Luckily, Chuck is resourceful and found support to build himself back up and to build a new business in the making. In this conversation, Chuck and I talk about the ups and downs of being a business owner, the fundamental skills to be successful, let it be entrepreneurship or your traditional career path, and we throw in some baseball talk both as an analogy and my predictions about my beloved St. Louis Cardinals. Key Takeaways:
More of Chuck: Website: https://whitewaterconsulting.net/ Unprecedented: Building a Multi-Generational Business on Trust, Respect and the Valuing of People: https://www.amazon.com/Unprecedented-Building-Multi-Generational-Business-Respect-ebook/dp/B09YWR5Z1G More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 22 May 2023 | Situationships: How Embracing the Grey Area Might Be What You Need for Your Dating Life | E99 Myisha Battle | 00:48:06 | |
Have you heard of the term situationship? I’ve been seeing the term across different media outlets but I hadn’t dug into it much until I found Myisha Battle, today’s guest, writing about how they might be the future of dating. At first, situationships seemed to be a terrible idea to me but Myisha has changed my opinion on them. Now I’m thinking, a situationship is exactly what many 20-somethings might need at this time in their dating life. If you haven’t heard of the term situationship before, it is defined as that is a relationship that is emotionally connected, but without commitment or future planning. It’s beyond a casual hookup or friends with benefits. A situationship could include going on dates, having sex, and building intimacy but exclude labels like boyfriend and girlfriend at least at this point of the relationship. Myisha Battle is a sex and dating coach and the author of the book, This is Supposed to Be Fun: How to Find Joy in Hooking Up, Settling Down, and Everything in Between. With her expertise, we have a really great conversation about if a situationship is right for you, the benefits of this relationship archetype, and how to exit this kind of relationship if it is no longer what you’re looking for. We always talk about tons of other great dating subjects like how to set up your dating app profile to attract the right kind of people for you. If you’re looking for some clarity and support in your dating life right now, this is the perfect episode for you. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Wheel of consent (Betty Martin): https://bettymartin.org/videos/ How to play the 3-minute game (Betty Martin): https://bettymartin.org/how-to-play-the-3-minute-game/ More of Myisha: Website: https://www.myishabattle.com/ Book - This is Supposed to Be Fun: https://www.amazon.com/This-Supposed-Be-Fun-Everything/dp/1541602218 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 14 Aug 2024 | How to Fight About Money Without Ruining a Relationship | E147 Allie Volpe | 00:43:00 | |
There are going to be differences. And these differences are what lead to disagreements. Imagine a scenario where you and your friends are booking an Airbnb for an upcoming trip. The group isn’t progressing, and you can tell by the tone people are getting frustrated. Half of the group wants a cheap option while the other half wants a nice place closer to the city center. This kind of situation happens all of the time and if you zoom out, you can probably understand both perspectives. Someone might be trying to pay off their credit card debt, or student loans, or saving for an upcoming wedding but wants to go on the trip if it can fit within their budget. Another person might be buried in work and this is one of the few weeks they have gotten to take off and enjoy. Spending an extra couple of hundred dollars is worth it to them if it means the weekend turns from a good time to an unforgettable trip with their friends. At the end of the day, both people want to spend time with their friends but there is conflict because they have other goals that need to fit into their plans. This is messy. Layer on the fact that people make different amounts of money and that our upbringing makes us value money differently, you can see why these aren’t always straightforward decisions. It’s not just friends either. These kinds of situations happen with our partners, family members, roommates, and more. So how do we discuss money with these important people in our lives? And how do we stand up for ourselves whenever we are being asked to do something we don’t want to do? Well, that’s why I interviewed Allie Volpe today. Allie is a senior reporter for Vox and recently covered a story on how to fight without ruining a relationship. The headline immediately caught my attention as I think this topic isn’t discussed enough in personal finance. If you’re pursuing financial independence, you are probably aggressively saving or at least very aware of how you’re spending your money. There will be moments when you’ll have to make a decision and have an awkward conversation about money with someone close to you. Allie is going to be sharing language you can use during these situations, mistakes to avoid, and what to do whenever you just can’t see eye to eye. Key Takeaways:
More of Allie: Twitter: https://twitter.com/allieevolpe More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 25 Sep 2024 | Roth vs Traditional: Which is Right For You If You’re Pursuing FIRE? | E150 Rachael Camp | 00:45:17 | |
It’s one of the most hotly debated topics in personal finance…Roth or Traditional? Some argue that the national debt almost guarantees higher taxes in the future and that you should choose Roth and pay your taxes now. Others argue that flexibility and low-earning retirement years should lead you to choose traditional. And of course, some “professionals” highlight that retirement accounts are a scam and you should be investing in their life insurance product to avoid taxes altogether…for the sake of this conversation, we are ignoring that one. At the end of the day, we all know the correct answer…it depends. It wouldn’t be a controversial topic if there wasn’t nuance in the decision. Multiple factors make it a personalized decision for everyone. In today’s episode, we dive deep into many of those factors to help you feel equipped to make this decision for your situation. To help me with this goal, I invited on my friend and CFP Rachael Camp. Rachael recently appeared on the podcast in episode 143, so if you want to learn more about her story and her thoughts about work optionality, get that episode queued up. In this conversation, we jump straight into it, debunking bad advice, sharing a rule of thumb to decide if Roth or Traditional is the right option for you, discuss how unique factors such as which state you live in, RMDs, and medical subsidies might impact your decision, and ultimately, a case for why this decision should be revisited every year. So if you want to get deep into the weeds about Roth vs Traditional, this episode is for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the owner of Camp Wealth…Rachael Camp. Key Takeaways:
More of Rachael: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CampWealth/videos Website: https://www.rachaelcampwealth.com/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 06 Mar 2023 | What LeBron James Taught Me About Success | E88 | 00:06:32 | |
LeBron James recently broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record. It was an amazing moment to watch and an impressive feat. But reading about this achievement, I uncovered an even more impressive LeBron record. What was the record and what did I learn from it? Tune in to find out. More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 27 Nov 2023 | Avoiding the Comparison Trap: 5 Powerful Ideas to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others | E126 Hayley Dawson | 00:49:53 | |
Today we dive deep into a universal struggle that affects us all: the comparison trap. In a world fueled by social media highlights and curated success stories, it's easy to find ourselves measuring our worth against others. This happens to me all of the time. I see someone else’s life: the promotion, the new house, a fancy vacation, their business success…and start frantically wondering why I don’t have that yet. Setting aside dismissing my own successes, never once did I stop and think…is that something I actually want? With the highlight reels and the constant moving of our own goalposts, it is easy to see how our definition of success would start to get muddy. We slip into allowing others to define it for us and fall back into the never-ending loop of the comparison trap. It’s time to take back control, use comparison as inspiration, not envy, and define success on our own terms. To help us do that is my friend Hayley Dawson, Founder of The Blocks. Hayley and I immediately connected over many of our shared interests including unpacking the unique struggles of today’s 20-somethings. On top of overcoming the Comparison Trap, we discuss why your goals aren’t timebound to your 20s, why quitting should be celebrated, and how to make decisions based on what matters to you. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Tenants: The People on the Frontline of Britain's Housing Emergency by Vicky Spratt (https://www.amazon.com/Tenants-Frontline-Britains-Housing-Emergency-ebook/dp/B094DTJLZR) More of Hayley: Instagram: @_theblocks More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 17 Apr 2023 | Hidden Cost of Investing: 3 Common Fees and How to Stop Paying Them | E94 | 00:14:19 | |
You’ve been doing a great job taking part of your paycheck and investing that money every month. You check your balance and you feel like “I’m not making as much progress as I thought I would.” Of course, the stock market performance plays a huge role in your return but that’s out of our control. If you’re properly diversifying, you’re doing what you can and the rest is fairly unpredictable. But you know what factor affects your portfolio’s performance that you can have a direct impact on? Fees. And luckily, with just a little bit of education and proper blueprint, you can minimize the fees you’re paying to maintain your investment portfolio. In this episode, we are going to be discussing 3 common investing fees, how to figure out if you’re paying them, and what you can do to reduce your cost. Key Takeaways:
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 03 Jan 2024 | Using Geo Arbitrage to Save a Ton of Money and Reach FI/RE Sooner | E131 Rachel Covert | 00:45:47 | |
It’s hard living a frugal life. I’m constantly questioning myself whenever I do things like taking leftovers from a free corporate lunch or doing date night at 4pm so we can get happy hour pricing. Although these frugal practices are simply a journey all 20-somethings need to live through, it’s not what I want to be doing forever. But what if I told you you could live it up now while also accomplishing your financial goals like paying off student loans or heavily investing to reach financial independence early? This could be a reality with a strategy called geo-arbitrage. Ignore the fancy words, the concept is simple. Have a steady income in a strong currency, then spend money in a cheaper country. Imagine this, you live in New York City, making $70,000 a year and your monthly costs are $5,100. You work from home and can easily pack up and leave so then you move to Mexico City where your monthly costs are $1,900. That’s a difference of $3,200 or over $38,000 a year. A decision like this magnifies your savings rate and allows you to make some serious progress on your financial goals in just a few short years without sacrificing your comforts like a spacious apartment or trying new restaurants a couple of times a week. If you are open to an idea like this but don’t have a portable job or you are not ready to move, the same strategy could be applied to reduce your final FI target number. Instead of needing $1.5M dollars maybe you only need $700,000 to retire to a more affordable city. This is what today’s guest did. Rachel Covert retired early at the age of 36 from her high-stress job in fashion and decided to move away from expensive NYC. She’s been fairly nomadic the last few years but currently resides in Portugal. In this episode, we dive deep into geo-arbitrage. Rachel will share examples of low-cost-of-living cities you could move to, prices you can expect to pay, how to prepare for a change like this, and more. Once again, if you are adventurous and have career flexibility this could be a really powerful strategy you could employ. Let’s learn some more about it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the early retiree and world traveler…Rachel Covert. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Compare the cost of living: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/oaxaca?currency=USD More of Rachel: Get the Free Lifestyle Spotlight Spreadsheet: https://www.electrifiwealth.com/optin1654273482604 Instagram: @rachel_talksmoney More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 06 Nov 2023 | 8 Side Project Ideas: Earn Money and Build New Skills Without Leaving Your Day Job | E123 | 00:12:31 | |
Do you currently feel like you’re stagnant in your career? Like you haven’t learned a lot lately and are living the same work day over and over? Or maybe you want to expedite your professional growth as you’re looking to take the next step? Well, this is the episode for you because we are going to be talking about how starting a side project can solve these feelings and 8 ideas for projects that you can start today. Key Takeaways:
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 17 Jul 2024 | Use Flow State to Achieve More and Accelerate Your Financial Goals | E145 Justine Elizabeth | 00:43:40 | |
Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, you’ve been asked to write before. This could be an essay for school, an email at work, or a caption for a post. Sometimes when we are writing, we have a complete brain fart. No matter how hard we try, the words aren’t coming out. We write a sentence and delete it. We start writing another sentence, get halfway through it, and give up entirely. Then other times, we sit down to write and the words effortlessly flow onto the page. Your thoughts are coming together nicely and you feel so focused. You may have heard this term before but psychologists call this flow state. Signs of a flow state include focus, enjoyment, and persistence. You can be in flow while playing sports, reading, gardening, and many other activities. Flow can be beneficial whenever it comes to work. It can help you accomplish challenging tasks, accelerate learning, and experience fewer distractions. All of these characteristics are important for being a high performer. But can we put ourselves into a flow state rather than just relying on in-the-moment energy? Luckily there is and my friend Justine Elizabeth is here to share how we can do that. Justine is a Flow Coach who makes flow trainable so you can reach new heights without burning out. I was a little skeptical about flow training. Of course, I’ve experienced flow states in the past but I was unsure if it was truly trainable. But as someone who is always looking to step up my performance both with work and my hobbies, I had to dive in and learn more about it. I should have never doubted her but I was pleasantly surprised with what I learned from Justine and I’ve already implemented her tips to enter a flow state whenever I know I have an important task to finish. Justine is a student of this craft. I think she is a perfect teacher to introduce you to the power of Flow. Key Takeaways:
More of Justine: Website: https://theflowcodes.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflowcodes/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 25 Sep 2023 | Passion or Paycheck? The Career Conundrum | E117 | 00:16:21 | |
Should my career be driven by passion and purpose or serve as a means of financial stability? At one point or another, you will face this career conundrum. I’ve thought a lot about whether I should follow a practical career path with a stable income and obvious earning power or take a chance on a path that will be filled with passion and fulfillment but the money and stability aren’t quite as obvious. At some point in the first decade of your career, this will probably be a decision that you have to consider. I don’t know why it is that some of the most stable and practical careers lack excitement and the thrilling and purposeful choices always come with huge question marks when it comes to money, stability, and freaking health insurance. It would be very easy for me to be the optimist and daydreamer and say go for it. Follow your dreams. You only live once but money and stability are significant factors and your job is only one dimension of your whole life that doesn’t have to be optimized for fulfillment. This choice is daunting, if not downright overwhelming. But I’m here to offer some thoughts on which path might be right for you at this current moment or even better, how one might find a balance of passion and practicality. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Passion Or Profit? Crafting A Career That Honors Both (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathymillerperkins/2023/07/26/passion-vs-pragmatism-decoding-the-career-conundrum/?sh=39807bf02d75 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 04 Sep 2023 | How to Ask for a Raise (and Actually Get It) | E114 Jesse Cramer | 00:47:21 | |
I don’t want to steal Jesse’s thunder so I won’t tell his specific example that he shares, but negotiating a raise early in your career can lead to a 6-figure increase in your lifetime earnings. And that is just one negotiation. By developing your negotiation skills and making a habit of consistently asking for a raise throughout your career, you’re bound to outearn a peer who starts at a similar salary by a long shot. But on the flip side, asking for a raise is intimidating. The fear of rejection is real and rejection does hurt. You don’t want to say the wrong thing, that makes you appear ungrateful or puts tension in a relationship with your manager. Asking for a raise is a tricky situation. Luckily, in today’s episode, Jesse Cramer will be discussing how to ask for a raise in a respectful yet effective way that maximizes your chances of getting what you ask for. Jesse is the voice behind The Best Interest, a popular personal finance blog and podcast. Jesse has first-hand experience with negotiating a raise and understands the feelings that come with it. He’s going to give us a strategy for getting the conversation started well in advance of the ask, talk through how to overcome the fear of rejection, and how to respond if told no. Jesse has been a guest on the podcast before and I appreciate how he shares applicable advice, not theoretical nonsense that doesn’t actually work in the real world. If you’ve been wanting to ask for a raise, get ready. Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the chess savant, fizzy lover, and the man with a voice like butter….Jesse Cramer. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Is Investing Still a Smart Choice During this Recession? I’m Feeling Discouraged. | E75 Jesse Cramer: www.tsirpodcast.com/75 More of Jesse: Best Interest podcast: https://bestinterest.blog/the-best-interest-podcast/ Best Interest blog: https://bestinterest.blog/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at | |||
| 21 Aug 2023 | The Do's and Don'ts of Networking | E112 Dan Brodsky | 00:41:06 | |
Today we are concluding our series on how to level up your professional network. We’ve learned easy ways to find in-person networking events, how to host an easy yet effective networking party, the best practices for virtual networking, and how to make connections at the next business conference you attend. With all of this knowledge, you’ve been busy meeting new people. But we don’t want the payoff from all of this hard work to disappear by this time next year. We need to make sure to stay on top of and continue to strengthen these relationships. We need a process and that’s what we are going to be talking about in today’s episode. This is a replay from my friend Dan Brodsky podcast, Career Focus. Dan invited me on his show to discuss networking and honestly, we geeked out hard. Come on, what did you expect from me? Dan and I both shared our process for organizing our key professional contacts and the system we use to remind ourselves when an important relationship has gone too long without some attention. I also share a lot of other networking tips, many of which I’ve shared throughout this series, which is why I feel like this is a perfect capstone episode to the series. I want to make sure we reinforce what we’ve learned over the last month. Also, go give Dan and his show some love. Career Focus is a new podcast that launched in July and we have very similar missions to equip young professionals with the skills they need to succeed in their careers. If you’re looking for more content like that, go follow Career Focus in your podcast player. That’s enough from me. I hope you enjoy my conversation with a former St. Louisian now turned Austinite…Dan Brodsky. Key Takeaways:
More of Dan: Listen to Career Focus: https://linktr.ee/danbrodsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careerfocuspod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@careerfocuspod?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-brodsky-ms-166314107/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtqWfpKnCj0kT-ccSh0vMkQ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 11 Sep 2023 | These 9 Employee Perks Are Basically Free Money | E115 | 00:13:18 | |
So far in the Mastering Money at Work Series, we’ve discussed 4 steps to setting up your 401(k), which was episode 113, and last week, Jesse Cramer taught us how to ask for a raise. These were two topics that I really wanted to cover because I believe they can be huge game changers for your career-earning power and lifetime take-home pay. This week though, we are going to get a little more…creative and scrappy. We are talking about employee perks and how these seemingly nonchalant offerings can add up to tens of thousands of dollars. These fringe benefits that go beyond normal salaries could include awesome perks like snacks, yoga classes, summer Fridays, flexible hours, company time off for volunteering, and unlimited PTO. The list goes on and on. But today, I’m going to throw at you 9 employee perks that I think you should be aware of they could significantly save or make you money which is of course, what this series is all about. So if that sounds like something you want to learn about, let’s get into it. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: https://www.tsirpodcast.com/113 - 4 Steps to Setting Up Your 401(k) l E113 https://www.tsirpodcast.com/114 - How to Negotiate a Raise l E114 Jesse Cramer More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 31 Jan 2024 | How to Ask for a Raise: Step-By-Step Process to Make the Ask & Actually Get It | E133 Andrew Giancola | 00:33:46 | |
You’re a top performer at work. Your manager routinely praises you and you’ve been taking on more responsibilities as your team and your company grows. With all of these positive indicators, a thought has been in the back of your mind - “I deserve a raise.” Those 2 to 3% increases you’ve received the last couple of years aren’t making a major difference to your financial situation let alone keeping up with inflation. Even with this information though, you haven’t gotten the courage to talk to your manager. Maybe your company is going through a difficult period or you have a great relationship with your manager and you’re afraid this conversation would add some tension or awkwardness. So what are you going to do? This episode is going to kick off with my friend Andrew Giancola breaking down some of the math behind why you can’t continue to ignore this problem. I’ll let him share the details but essentially, negotiating a raise every few years will make a drastic impact on your earning power. We are talking mid-6 figures or more! This can’t be ignored…but it also needs to be handled professionally. Busting into your manager’s office demanding a raise because you’re fed up with being underpaid isn’t the solution either. So once again, what are you going to do? The good news is you don’t have to answer that question because Andrew will do it for you. Andrew Giancola hosts The Personal Finance Podcast, where he helps listeners discover how to easily save, invest, and grow their money to build generational wealth. One of Andrew’s favorite topics to discuss is how to ask for a raise because he knows how impactful yet sensitive it can be. In this episode, we are going to walk through his step-by-step process of asking for a raise including initiating the conversation, proving your worth, making the ask, and getting a yes. I love his system because it is built around intentional communication and it is going to make it easy for someone that is nervous to approach their manager. I also think his step-by-step process won’t leave you looking like someone ungrateful but instead, treated like a professional that knows their worth. If you’re interested in making more money and getting on the path to early financial independence make sure to hit the follow button because we will be covering both of those topics extensively this year. Alright, I hope you enjoy my conversation with…the man who went from living paycheck to paycheck to becoming a millionaire by 32…Andrew Giancola. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Asking for a Raise E-Book: https://mastermoney.co/get-that-raise-ebook/ More of Andrew: Website: https://mastermoney.co/ Podcast: https://mastermoney.co/podcast/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at | |||
| 30 Apr 2025 | The Tariffs You Should Really Be Paying Attention To | E166 | 00:06:07 | |
Tariffs aren’t just for global trade - you can apply the concept to your personal life to protect your time, energy, and values. As we gain more financial freedom, how we spend and make money should evolve too. In this short and reflective episode, I explore the idea of personal tariffs and how I have applied this to things that may seem like a good deal on the surface, but actually come at a hidden cost to my time, energy, or well-being. I share three categories where I’ve started mentally “taxing” the lower-cost option. This isn’t about spending recklessly - it’s about making intentional choices that align with the life you’re building. If you’re on the journey to financial independence and want to feel better about spending in ways that support your health, happiness, and values, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways:
More of FI Minded: Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 31 Jul 2023 | The Secrets to Hosting a Successful Networking Party | E109 Nick Gray | 00:49:53 | |
We’ve all been to one: loud music, people huddled in clicks, and little to no guidance from the host. I’m talking about poorly run networking events. The kind of events that spike the anxiety of us introverts and solo attendees. But nobody wants to throw a bad event. The host wants to make sure everyone is having a good time and leaves having made meaningful connections. The problem is that nobody taught us how to throw a great networking party. That was until Nick Gray wrote The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, a step-by-step handbook that teaches you how to build big relationships by hosting small gatherings. Nick is a firm believer that hosting these simple, lightweight gatherings will accelerate your network. And he’s given us the playbook for how to do just that. In this conversation, we cover how to make sure people show up, 4 secrets for hosting a great event, and how to politely kick people out at the end of your party. Nick also gives me an answer for the perfect number of attendees and the best day of the week to host your networking party. And actually, since this recording, I’ve been to two cocktail parties that used Nick’s book to host their event, and they have both been far superior to the typical networking events. But they weren’t flashy events with paid bartenders, catering, and a DJ, no they were well-run events and a great use of my time. I met a lot of incredible people and left feeling excited to continue those conversations. If you want to expand your network and know how to throw a simple yet amazing networking event, this is the episode for you. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Nick’s event hosting platform recommendations: Partiful (https://partiful.com/) and Mixily (https://www.mixily.com/) More of Nick: The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings: https://www.amazon.com/2-Hour-Cocktail-Party-Relationships-Gatherings-ebook/dp/B0B2KW6T7J Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickgraynews More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 08 May 2024 | Does My FIRE Number Account for Inflation? | E140 Jesse Cramer | 00:55:05 | |
I love playing with compound interest calculators and one equation I’m routinely calculating is the number of years until I reach financial independence. Using the 4% rule, I multiply my living expenses by 25 to get my FIRE number. I use that, my current net worth and various contribution rates to predict when I’ll reach FI. But then I started thinking about this equation. Instead of using my current expenses should I use an inflation-adjusted number that would more realistically match my future expenses? Also, now I’m second-guessing my average return rate. Does that include inflation or should I be adjusting that rate too? All of a sudden, I’m a little turned around. Not knowing if the number in front of me is an undershot or overshot. I don’t want to be so far off the mark that my calculation isn’t giving me a realistic path to financial independence. So what is the right way to account for inflation whenever running our numbers? Luckily Jesse Cramer is back so tell us the right way to go about this calculation. Jesse has a way of simplifying topics. He is routinely doing this through his podcast, The Best Interest. Jesse takes complex financial topics and puts them into layman's terms. Jesse is so good at doing this that this is the 3rd time I’ve invited him on The Struggle is Real. In this episode, we get straight into the topic of inflation and answer questions like why products get more expensive over time, 2 ways to correctly calculate your FI number, and how to protect your portfolio from inflation. So if you’re ready for that, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with TSIR’s most frequented guest (for now)...Jesse Cramer. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Accounting for Inflation in Retirement and FIRE Planning: https://bestinterest.blog/accounting-for-inflation-in-retirement-and-fire-planning/ More of Jesse: Podcast: https://bestinterest.blog/the-best-interest-podcast/ Blog: https://bestinterest.blog/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 01 Jan 2025 | Anxiety-Free Purpose: Framework for Creating Purpose in Your Life | E157 Jordan Grumet | 00:46:38 | |
Why save and invest? It’s a rhetorical question, but let’s think it through. When you save and invest, you’re sharing financial resources with your future self. This means your future self won’t have to worry about earning money. With that financial freedom, you gain time—the time you would’ve spent working. And with more time, you have more freedom to choose how to you spend your time. You might ask yourself, "What do I want to do with my time?" Maybe it’s traveling, exercising, or catching up on sleep. But then what? That question often leads to something deeper—finding your purpose. That’s a topic my friend Jordan Grumet, aka Doc G, knows a lot about. As a hospice doctor and the author of The Purpose Code, Jordan has explored purpose, connection, and identity in depth. In this episode, he shares insights from his latest book and helps answer the big question: “How do I find my purpose?”—or if it even needs to be found. If you’ve been reflecting on your purpose, well buckle up, this episode is for you. Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation with the hospice doctor and author of the newly minted book, The Purpose, Code..Jordan Grumet. Key Takeaways:
More of Jordan: Order Jordan’s book, The Purpose Code at https://jordangrumet.com/books/. Listen to Earn & Invest at https://www.earnandinvest.com/. More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 19 Jun 2024 | Work Optionality: A Different Way to Imagine at FIRE | E143 Rachael Camp | 00:48:02 | |
Work optionality is the idea that you work because you want to, not because you have to. As you’re listening to this in your 20s, this concept might seem like a pipe dream. That’s truly fair. Most of us don’t have this luxury. We are building wealth, along with just paying our bills, and it takes income to do that. But this idea might not be as far away as you think. Regardless of your timeline, as your wealth grows even before you hit financial independence, I think you should be itching closer to a life designed by you, not your employer or clients. This might include changing your hours, taking more time off work, participating in mini-retirements, pivoting careers, or starting a business. This is an idea that Rachael Camp, Founder of Camp Wealth, is routinely discussing both online and with her clients. And I asked her to come on the podcast to do the same. Rachael is a financial planner who helps young professionals maximize their money for financial freedom. She has also redesigned her life over the last few years and she told me it feels way more aligned. In this episode, we break down the nuance between traditional FIRE and work optionality. Rachael shares steps you can take to start progressing towards a work-optional life and she shares questions to ask yourself to uncover what that life would truly look like. Also at the end of the episode, I ask Rachael to break down some of her most popular tweets from the last month. This is a really fun, wide-ranging conversation and you can probably tell, I had a lot of blast getting to know Rachael. So if you’re ready to do the same, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the former Hoosier turned Denverites…Rachael Camp. Key Takeaways:
More of Rachael: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CampWealth/videos Website: https://www.rachaelcampwealth.com/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 27 Mar 2024 | 5 Affordable Yet Fun Date Ideas | E137 Samantha Vigneau | 00:49:08 | |
Dating is expensive. There is no way to sugarcoat it. Between dinner, drinks, parking, entertainment, and more…the costs quickly add up. I was reading an article and they surveyed 2,000 Americans to find out the average person has spent $3,025 over the last year on dating. That’s a little more than $250 a month and it didn’t include indirect costs like new clothes, make-up, and haircuts. Even as someone in a long-term relationship where Gaby and I have similar financial goals, and the advantage of using coupons and hitting happy hours without social ridicule, we still spend a fair amount on dates. It is because creating shared memories is important to us…but so is financial independence. So whenever it comes to dating, how can we maximize fun without breaking the bank? Well, that’s what I have in store for you today. My friend Samantha Vigneau and I created a list of 5 affordable and fun date ideas. My challenge to her was each of these ideas had to be less than $50 for two people and she hit the mark with many ideas being little to no money at all. This was a fun episode to make. I know many of us are dating right now let it be you’re looking for someone or in a relationship and going out and making memories together is important. So how do we find the balance between that and our financial goals? This episode will answer that. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the Host of Single Status…Samantha Vigneau Key Takeaways:
More of Samantha: Website: https://www.singlestatuspodcast.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthavigneau/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 29 May 2023 | Relive Your Favorite Moments from The Struggle is Real: Celebrating 100 Episodes | E100 | 00:33:54 | |
Thank you so much for joining us in this special episode. The Struggle is Real podcast hit a significant milestone. You are listening to episode 100. Kyle and I have been considering what we want to do to celebrate this milestone. We’re awarding superlatives to some of our favorite episodes. If you think back to high school these were the senior yearbook categories for things such as biggest flirt, class clown, most likely to succeed… We put our own spin on this and will be handing out superlatives to some former guests. Up to this point, we have had 86 guests on the podcast so this was not an easy feat but we made it happen. This episode is meant to be super light-hearted, fun, and honestly really geared toward the listeners that have been with us along the journey. We throw around a lot of guest names and episode numbers. Don’t worry, we have links to all of the referenced episodes in the show notes. A huge shout out to you for tuning into the podcast. I’ve had so much fun creating this content and interviewing guests, and I’m really looking forward to making it even better. And on that note, we end this episode discussing some of the changes you’ll be seeing with The Struggle is Real, hopefully, all really great things for you. So stay tuned to the end. Enjoy the conversation with the man in the shadows, the producer of the TSIR, my little brother…Kyle Peters. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Ahmad Jabbir - www.tsirpodcast.com/61 Ali Binizar - www.tsirpodcast.com/36 Andrew Biernat - www.tsirpodcast.com/65 Andrew Paulson - www.tsirpodcast.com/50 Brenden Kumarasay - www.tsirpodcast.com/97 Corey Nathan - www.tsirpodcast.com/55 Dee Goines - www.tsirpodcast.com/11 Jared Schuster - www.tsirpodcast.com/25 Jackie Cummings Kowski - www.tsirpodcast.com/64 Jenny Foss - www.tsirpodcast.com/83 Jewel Hohman - www.tsirpodcast.com/72 Joel O’Leary - www.tsirpodcast.com/31 | |||
| 05 Jun 2023 | 5 Surprising Reasons Americans Don’t Travel…And Why You Should Reconsider All of Them | E101 Renee Bruns | 00:47:35 | |
When I was in grade school, my dad and I were up in Detroit for a track meet. We thought it would be fun to cross over into Canada. Although technically, it was the first time I had left the United States, it wasn’t until a week after my college graduation that I took my first real international trip. I did a 4-city stop in Europe and I caught the travel bug. I’ve made a few more trips to Europe, traveled in South America, and expanded my adventures in the United States. Although I’m not going as far as to say it’s a requirement for a happy life, there are so many benefits of making traveling a habit. It can be a release from the day-to-day grind that life can force us into sometimes. You meet new people, make unforgettable memories, and even improve your communication skills. But what that first trip really did for me was expand my horizons and become more mindful of other people’s cultures and values. I can confidently say that I am a more sympathetic and open-minded person because of traveling. You don’t have to quit your job today and travel the world, although today’s guest would have a thing or two to say about that but I’m hoping after this conversation I’ve convinced you to pick a spot you’ve always wanted to travel to and book that plane ticket. Renee Bruns took this piece of advice to heart. She created a career sabbatical to pursue what we’ve all wanted to do at some point in our life: break a Guinness Book of World Records. Renee is now the record holder for the most amount of countries visited in one year in a wheelchair. In 2022, she visited 66 countries bringing her all-time total to 117 countries including all 7 continents. In this conversation, I challenge her with 5 common reasons many of us don’t travel. She fires back with reassurance and tangible advice for overcoming these excuses. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: More of Renee: More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 24 Apr 2024 | 6 Essential Skills to Have a Successful Career (and Make More Money) | E139 Dave Lamont | 00:53:47 | |
As someone pursuing early financial independence, it is almost guaranteed that over time, a lot of your wealth will come from investment growth but as we all know, it takes money to make money. The first $100,000 of your net worth is a lot of hard work: you need to make income, live below your means, and aggressively save. And through all of this, your career will be the backbone of this process. Improving the skills that will make you more valuable is an important journey throughout your 20s. If you put effort in the right places, you will quickly become a high performer and be paid accordingly. So with that in mind, what should you be focusing on? There are technical skills that will be in high demand in the future (think AI, cybersecurity, logistics) but these are industry-specific. There are also a set of skills that no matter what career path you pursue, will always pay dividends. Today, I’ll be talking about the latter with Dave Lamont. Dave knows a thing or two about this subject as he’s built an incredible career for himself and not slowing down anytime soon. Dave is the CEO of Renfrew Business Group and president of Renfrew Chrysler, Lloydminster Nissan, and Royalty RV. In this episode, Dave shares 6 essential skills that led him to his success with the hope that you’ll find career success as well no matter how you define that. So let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with former hockey player, car enthusiast, and Author of Crank It!...Dave Lamont. Key Takeaways:
More of Dave: Crank It! A Playbook for Succeeding in Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Crank-Playbook-Succeeding-Business-Life-ebook/dp/B0CBL2J76J More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 28 Aug 2024 | Reverse Budgeting: Low-Stress Way to Spend Guilt-Free and Keep Your Finances Healthy | E148 Peter Lazaroff | 00:44:33 | |
Things can get complicated quickly in the world of personal finance. From investing and budgeting to estate planning and insurance, there are multiple ways to accomplish what you need to get done. Let’s take investing for example. There are different strategies including but not limited to passive index investing, value buying, the 3-fund portfolio, rental real estate, stock picking, target date funds, 70/30 splits…Honestly, I could rattle off a hundred different options which is why I wouldn’t be surprised if you got overwhelmed by all of the choices. The more experience I get, the more I realize, that simple is usually better. Although the word simple can mean different things to a lot of people, at the heart of the meaning, it means something is easily understood and easily done. So how can we simplify money? Well, my friend Peter Lazaroff wrote a whole book about the topic called Making Money Simple and he is on the show today to share some of those tips. In particular, we focus on investing and budgeting. On the investing side, we discuss why Peter chose to invest his personal portfolio into one index fund although he has gained a ton of knowledge managing six billion dollars as the Chief Investment Officer at Plancorp. And if you hate tracking every dollar you spend, we discuss an alternative to traditional budgeting, the reverse budget, which is a simplified way to make sure your spending is aligned with your income. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Making Money Simple (free book): https://peterlazaroff.com/freebook How Peter Invests Guide: www.HowPeterInvests.com More of Peter: The Long-Term Investor Podcast: https://peterlazaroff.com/podcast More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 06 Nov 2024 | You Can Afford to Leave Your Job But You’re Afraid to Quit | E153 Tess Waresmith & Nicole Franklin | 00:48:35 | |
There will be a point in your FI journey when a stable salary will become less important to you. You’ve built up your savings and investments to a place where you are comfortable. The freedom and flexibility over your time are more valuable than that regular paycheck. The thought of leaving your job has you nervous though. Even after running the numbers and knowing you have enough, there are still a lot of emotions tied up in financial insecurity. “Do I really have enough? Maybe I should work for one more year.” On top of that, maybe you enjoy your job, don’t want to leave your team down a member during a busy period of work, or unsure what life will feel like without a regular 9-to-5 job. Setting all of that aside, deep down you know it is the right thing to do, you just can’t seem to pull the trigger. That is why I wanted to chat with my friends Tess Waresmith and Nicole Franklin. Both recently left their careers to pursue something else. If you listened to episode 138, you know Tess is a financial educator and money coach for women. Nicole Franklin and her husband Tyler are the creators behind the blog, Not Your Ordinary Plan, where they document their journey traveling the world while coasting to FI. In this episode, both Tess and Nicole share a ton of practical knowledge such as a checklist to prepare for your leave, how to tell your employer you’re quitting, and what to do about that pesky medical insurance. We also get into the mindset side of things such as how to feel confident this is the right decision and embrace the serendipity of a job-free life. If quitting is something you’ve been working towards, this is the episode for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with world travelers and early retirees…Tess Waresmith and Nicole Franklin. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life More of Tess & Nicole: Instagram: @wealthwithtess and @notyourordinaryplan_ Tess’s Free Course: https://www.wealthwithtess.com/fi Nicole’s blog: https://notyourordinaryplan.com/start-here/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/ | |||
| 27 Feb 2023 | Build a 6-Figure Net Worth in Your 20s | E87 Mills Bender | 00:48:23 | |
When I started my first “big boy” job, I signed up for our 401K program. HR handed me this packet of papers and essentially said good luck. I remember sitting at my kitchen table that night trying to make sense of fund names, historical yields, and asset allocation charts. Nothing will make you realize school did not prepare you for the real world like that kind of moment. I remember thinking, wow I’m never going to understand this. When I have money, I need to hire someone to make these decisions for me. But I didn’t need a pricey advisor or even fancy software. I needed financial education so I could feel comfortable and confident in my choices. I thought it was going to take decades of experience or even having to go back to college to get a degree in finance but once I got serious, it only took me about a year of learning and practicing before I felt like I could handle the money choices that life threw at me. Today’s guest would argue that with her guidance, you’d only need 90 days to master your money and after getting to know her, I believe it. In her early 20s, Mills Bender was lost when it came to money. So lost that she woke up one day with $1.50 in her bank account. Mills started to demystify and understand the different facets of money. Now she helps others do the same through her financial coaching business, Mills Knows Bills. In this conversation, we cover a lot of money concepts including the cost of delaying investing, the 4 money mindsets, and creating a budget that reflects your priorities. We also discuss how to turn your passion into a business - something Mills has a little experience with. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Teach-You-Rich-Second-dp-1523505745/dp/1523505745/ref=dp_ob_image_bk Fearless Money Mindset by Arian Simone: https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Money-Mindset-Broke-Doesnt/dp/173483000X More of Mills: Website: www.millsknowsmills.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/millsknowsbills/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCK5C-sp5RaFeFg-LuczmMoA Debt Payoff Webinar: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63ecee3e8e06d4dae9494316 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 14 Aug 2023 | Network at Your Next Conference Without Being Awkward | E111 Mark Herschberg | 01:03:44 | |
With the calendar turning to fall, conference season is heating up. People are making arrangements and gearing up to attend academic, industry, and professional conferences. Some “volun-told” by their employers, but others, assuming someone like yourself that would listen to a podcast like this, are attending because they’re wanting to level up their career. I love attending conferences. I typically plan to attend at least 3 a year. In the spring, I attended a podcast conference called Podcast Movement and this coming fall I’ll be at a personal finance creator conference called FinCon along with 2 other conferences on behalf of my 9 to 5. I attend these conferences to learn from the speakers and stay on the pulse of industry changes but the biggest benefit of them all is networking. In such a condensed, short period of time, I meet a lot of amazing people along with seeing some friends from attending similar conferences in years past. I always come home with many collaborations and follow-up conversations that I know will help me with my business and career. After attending a few conferences, I’ve learned a few things that have really helped me maximize how to meet other people at conferences. I’m not a seasoned vet though but my friend Mark Herschberg is. If that name sounds familiar, that may be because you’ve heard Mark on the podcast before. In episode 35, Mark came on the show to discuss how to gain clarity with your career path and now he is back on to discuss how to network like a pro at your next conference. In this episode, he shares tips on how to get started networking before the conference even begins, opening lines to break the ice with attendees, how to meet conference VIPs, and so much more. This conversation left me feeling both excited and prepared for my upcoming fall conferences, and if you want to feel the same way, this is the episode for you. So let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the tech founder, shot glass collector, and author of The Career Toolkit…Mark Herschberg. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: MIT Professor Explains How to Gain Clarity on the Next Steps in Your Career | E35 Mark Herschberg: www.tsirpodcast.com/35 The Ultimate Guide to Attending a Conference - Part 1 of 2: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-attending-a-conference-part-1-of-2 The Ultimate Guide to Attending a Conference - Part 2 of 2: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-attending-a-conference-part-2-of-2 | |||
| 31 Oct 2023 | Turn the Page in Your Career with Effective Reading Techniques | E122 Nick Hutchison | 00:45:49 | |
What kind of impact would it have on your career if you could be mentored by Tim Ferriss, Brene Brown, Cal Newport, Oprah Winfrey, Les Brown, Ryan Holliday, James Clear, and Carol Dweck? This is a handful of the top thinkers from the last decade and the great news is, we can receive their mentorship. No, unfortunately, they don’t have a special lottery program where you can enter to win a free mentoring session but they do have something even better, a book. Yes, all of these top thinkers are also authors and they’ve condensed the knowledge they’ve gained from decades of experience into an organized format that costs less than $20 even free if you’re savvy about it. Today we are talking about the power of books. My friend Nick Hutchison from BookThinkers is going to teach us how to boost your career through effective reading. Nick and I get into all kinds of reading techniques like note-taking strategies, how to read faster, finding time to read, and when to stop reading a book that isn’t serving you. If you’re ready to take your career and life to the next level by reading impactful books, then this episode is for you. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the creator of BookThinkers a massive online community of book lovers and the author of the newly minted book, Rise of the Reader…Nick Hutchison. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: $100M Offers: How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No (https://www.amazon.com/100M-Offers-People-Stupid-Saying/dp/1737475731) More of Nick: Personalized Book recommendation: DM Nick at www.instagram.com/bookthinkers Buy the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/c9dE0ln Learn more about Nick: www.nickhutch.com Learn more about BookThinkers: www.bookthinkers.com More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 03 Apr 2023 | How to Give a Heartfelt, Genuine Apology and Navigate Difficult Conversations | E92 Jonathan Miller | 00:50:08 | |
So you messed up and need to apologize to someone? It was an honest mistake, you feel terrible, and you want to say sorry. How do you do that in a heartfelt, genuine way? A proper apology can quickly repair a relationship and lift a weight off of the givers shoulders but a bad apology…that can be disastrous and lead to even more hurt. Between politicians, CEOs, and celebrities, we have seen our fair share of examples of those bad apologies where blame was shifted and responsibility wasn’t taken. Luckily we have Jonathan Miller, a communication coach, to share with us a framework and give us an example of a good apology. This is a replay from an episode way back in the vault, episode 15, so I’m guessing you haven’t heard this one before and it was too good not to resurface. Jonathan shares a ton of great insight on how to have mindful communication like how to resolve conflict or how to compassionately deny an invite to a party. This episode is a great reminder that our words have impact and if you’re mindful about them, communication can be your superpower. If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, nothing for you to do, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new. I hope you enjoy my conversation with…the rock climbing, mediating, nomadic traveler…Jonathan Miller. Key Takeaways:
More of Jonathan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millerdjonathan/ Website: https://www.level7.is/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 01 May 2023 | What is the FIRE Movement? Retire in Your 30s | E96 | 00:11:02 | |
Aside from corporate holidays and one-week vacations, we are going to have to wait until 65 for a total sense of freedom and choice. But do we? What if retirement was closer than that? Maybe in your 50s, your 40s, even your 30s. This might seem like a pipe dream but there is an entire movement all with this goal in mind. And it’s called FIRE: Financial Independence, Retire Early. In this episode, we are going to talk about the FIRE movement, how it’s redefining retirement, and how you can get on board. Key Takeaways:
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 10 Apr 2024 | How to Fire Your Financial Advisor (for Those Who Don’t Like Confrontation) | E138 Tess Waresmith | 00:48:05 | |
You’ve been pouring into your personal finance education and you’re starting to feel more empowered to manage your investments. You might have even played around with online calculators and realized how much that 1% advisor fee is really costing you. But years ago, when you were less confident and didn’t know better, you hired someone to help you with this. They grew into someone you call a friend and although you know the math and feel capable of handling your investments on your own now, you’re having difficulty cutting ties. It’s not easy to break up with someone especially if they have treated you well, answered your phone calls, and have been sending you an annual Christmas card. But I help you with the hard things and it’s time. With this in mind, how can we make this a smooth process, set ourselves up for success, and respectfully and professionally break up with our financial advisor? Well, that’s today’s conversation. To help me unpack this topic, I invited on Tess Waresmith. Tess is a financial coach that helps people feel confident with investing. But this wasn’t always the case. After socking away a ton of money working on cruise ships after she graduated, Tess hired a financial advisor to help her turn her savings into real wealth. But after some bad advice and other financial mishaps, Tess lost $80,000 and had to reset. Through a lot of self-education, she learned how to invest on her own through simple, yet effective methods. In this episode, Tess shares the math behind the real cost of a financial advisor. She shares an easy step-by-step process for breaking up with your advisor and how to handle objections if they push back. We also talk about when it might be appropriate to hire help and who might be the right person for that situation. Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the aerial aerobatic and high diving financial coach…Tess Waresmith. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Free Guide: 26 need-to-know investing terms: https://www.moneyconfidentcoach.com/optin1656350743725 More of Tess: IG: WealthWithTess (https://www.instagram.com/wealthwithtess/) More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 09 Oct 2023 | 3 Types of Professional Goals That Will Give You Career Clarity {New Series Kick-off} | E119 | 00:10:57 | |
We are kicking off a new series called “Your Map to Professional Growth.” The goal of this series is to give you ideas for how you can take ownership of your career. Each episode will center around a different blueprint for growing professionally. But all of these tools are useless, just like a map, if you don’t know where you want to go. With that in mind, it seems fitting to kick off this series with a conversation about setting professional goals for yourself. In particular, there are 3 types of goals that we are discussing to help you give clarity to your career and define your Northstar. Having a sense of your professional goals and what you want from your career, at least in the near term future, is going to give you a starting place when implementing the strategies that we will be talking about in the rest of this series. So if you’re ready to get serious about your professional growth, understand the map ahead, and pick a direction that is going to get you excited, let’s get into it. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: E117 - The Career Conundrum: Follow My Passion or the Money www.tsirpodcast.com/117 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 13 Nov 2023 | How to Find the Courage to Move Out of Your Hometown, Change Your Career, and Embrace Major Changes | E124 Kay Cote | 00:45:59 | |
I love big, life changes…said absolutely no one ever. Significant life changes like moving out of your hometown, changing career paths, or ending a significant relationship are terrifying even if you know it is what you should do. It takes proper planning and a lot of courage to follow through with these major milestones. These decisions have never come easy to me. I was terrified to quit my first job. It took me over 6 months to pull the trigger on moving out of my hometown. And I don’t even want to talk about the countless relationships that drug on because I didn’t have the courage to end them. At the end of the day, they were all the right decisions. The only thing I regret is not making those decisions sooner. I needed some encouragement from my friend and today’s guest Kay Cote. Kay knows a thing or two about change. Growing up outside of Fargo, North Dakota, she’s learned to embrace these big life decisions. She’s lived in South Africa temporarily, tried RV life, quit her corporate job to become an entrepreneur, relocated to Austin, and most recently, decided to take a chance on a career change by jumping into the music industry. Through Kay’s story and her PIVOT method, by the end of this episode, we’ll be feeling equipped to say yes to that hard decision and embrace the change that comes with it. So if you’re ready for that, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the minimalist, storm-chasing fanatic, and shuffle dance queen…Kay Cote. Key Takeaways:
More of Kay: Website: www.kaycote.com Instagram: thekaycote More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 18 Dec 2023 | 4 Realistic New Year’s Resolutions that Will Set You Up for Financial Success in 2024 (and beyond) | E129 | 00:11:51 | |
I’ve noticed that New Year’s resolutions have been taking some heat lately. I get it, it is totally illogical that a single predetermined day is chosen for everyone to start a major life change and by February, most of us have given up on our grand changes and retreated back to our normal lives. But there is something about a fresh calendar year that gives me hope and naturally makes me prioritize the changes that I’ve been putting off. I think with intentionality and some realistic level setting, New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be something you feel guilty about by February. But what do I mean when I say intentional and realistic level setting? Have you heard the quote, “Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in a decade?” Well, that summarizes why New Year’s resolutions get their bad rep. We set unrealistic expectations - to completely reinvent our career path, pay off 6-figures in student loans, or to go from super spender to super saver. These goals are just impractical - at least in a short timeline such as a year. Here is the thing - you don’t need to solve all of your money problems in one year. You just need to point the sail in the right direction. So what would be more practical New Year's resolutions related to money? Well, that’s what we are going to talk about today. Here are 4 realistic financial goals that if accomplished in 2024 will set you up for a decade of success. Key Takeaways:
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 26 Jun 2023 | 3 Tips for Managing Your Work Calendar Like a Pro | E104 | 00:14:45 | |
For all the ways we depend on them, it’s kind of amazing how little attention we tend to pay to make sure our calendars are working for us. Your calendar can set your day-to-day priorities but without intentionality, that will fall to other people’s priorities. This has been really evident for me in 2023. It crept up on me but meetings started to take over my day. I was jumping in and out of meetings all day long only to look down at my to-do list getting bigger, not smaller. This was all out of good nature. I thought by keeping my calendar as open as possible and making myself available to anyone even on short notice, that I was doing my part at work. This could be the right approach especially if you’re in a service-based role where most of your work is done through customer interaction. But if your job depends on you completing work and projects, this can be a problem. Have you heard the saying, “Show me your calendar and I’ll show you your priorities?” Calendar management is the systematic process of organizing meetings, events, and tasks. It includes creating, scheduling, and accepting meeting invites along with resolving conflicts. A good calendar management process also includes guiding principles to help shape your day and maximize the return on investment you can get from your time. So how can we use our calendar to maximize our output? What principles should I consider as part of my calendar management process? Today, I will give you 3 strategies I’ve been trying in 2023. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: E102 - Email Management Tips for Young Professionals Overwhelmed by a Cluttered Inbox: www.tsirpodcast.com/102 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 03 Jul 2024 | Why Are We So Weird When It Comes to Money | E144 Paco de Leon | 00:46:10 | |
Humans are weird whenever it comes to money. We drive five miles out of the way to save a few cents on gas. We buy things we don’t need because they’re on sale. We don’t ask for a raise although we’ve been working hard at the same place for years. We all have irrational behaviors when it comes to money and a lot of this has to do with psychology. Common biases impact our ability to make logical decisions. You’ve probably heard of a couple of these biases before. Some examples include the sunk-cost fallacy, anchoring, mental accounting, the status quo, and the bandwagon effect. Although we’ll never be able to truly rid ourselves of these biases, there are practices that you can put into place to make more rational decisions. My friend Paco de Leon is on the show today to talk about some of the reasons why we do the things we do and she’ll share exercises you can do to recognize and recover from situations that are impacting how you think and behave when it comes to money. Paco is the perfect partner to have this conversation with because she is thinking and talking about this subject all of the time. She is the host of Weird Finance, a podcast for creatives who are looking for explanations of complex financial concepts in a friendly, approachable way. I know you’re really going to enjoy this one so buckle up. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the 1st gen immigrant, TED speaker, and founder of The Hell Yeah Group…Paco de Leon. Key Takeaways:
More of Paco: Podcast - Weird Finance: https://thehellyeahgroup.com/weird-finance-listen-now Book - Finance for the People: https://thehellyeahgroup.com/finance-for-the-people More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ | |||
| 11 Dec 2023 | Realistically, How Much Does It Cost to Have Kids? | E128 Maya Corbic | 00:40:57 | |
I’ve always dreamt about becoming a dad. I know little moments like teaching them the ABCs, running them to soccer practice, or helping them pick out their prom outfits are going to bring me a lot of joy. I’m even ready for the challenging moments like sleepless nights, pre-teen outbursts, and difficult “growing up” conversations. One thing that I’m not sure I’m ready for is the cost of children. I was reading a survey and apparently, the average cost of raising a kid from 0 to 18 years old in the United States is $237,000. And I’m not quite sure I would be on the low end of the average. I agree with Maya Corbic, our guest today, that you can’t put a price on the love that you’ll have for your child but the financial impact has to at least be considered in your decision-making progress. How much does a pregnancy cost? What financial milestones should I accomplish before having a child? Can I realistically afford to take care of a child right now? These are all questions that will be answered in today’s episode. As I mentioned, we’ll be talking to Maya Corbic. She is the creator behind the popular Instagram page teach.kids.money where she is helping parents raise financially savvy children. She is also the author of “From Piggy Bank to Stocks: The Ultimate Guide for a Young Investor” where she introduces children (and honestly parents) to the exciting world of investing. This is a great episode for anyone considering parenthood and also soon-to-be parents as we discuss a lot of early childhood cost savings tips. Let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the 1st gen immigrant, CPA, and energetic mom of 2…Maya Corbic. Key Takeaways:
More of Maya: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teach.kids.money/ From Piggy Bank to Stocks: https://dinariiwealthykidsclub.lpages.co/from-piggy-banks-to-stocks/ More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 24 Jul 2023 | 7 Ways to Discover Great In-Person Networking Events Worth Going To l E108 | 00:16:50 | |
I could make a case that any interaction with someone else could be considered networking. From your friend’s parent to the barista who handed you your coffee this morning, anyone could be someone that changes the trajectory of your career. I’m all about embracing some of the serendipity of relationship building, aka networking, but this series is bringing intentionality into this effort. We are going to be talking about purposely meeting people and the ways that you can do that. I don’t know about you, but COVID really made me appreciate in-person interactions. I do really like the convenience of virtual networking, but sometimes it feels satisfying to put on some nice clothes, get out in the community, shake some hands, and meet some people in real life. COVID did get me out of practice in this area though and in the meantime, I moved cities and started working virtually so I lost touch with many of the in-person groups I was a part of. I’m ready for that to change and I’ve created a list of 7 ways to find in-person networking events. In today’s episode, I am going to share that list with you with the goal of getting you excited and inspired to get back out there and check out some events in your local community. Don’t take this episode as a checklist but more as a menu. Pick one or two pathways that you feel drawn to. Each of these will provide many options for events that will fit what you’re looking for. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Email Management Tips for Young Professionals Overwhelmed by a Cluttered Inbox | E102: www.tsipodcast.com/102 3 Tips for Managing Your Work Calendar Like a Pro | E104: www.tsirpodcast.com/104 A Guide to Creating a To-Do List That Actually Works | E106: www.tsirpodcast.com/106 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 07 Aug 2023 | 7 Overlooked Techniques for Building Rapport and Networking Online | E110 | 00:15:33 | |
We all know at least one person that can walk into a room full of strangers and emerge with a group of new friends. They’re so good at attracting people, building trust with them, and turning others into fast friends. This is someone that is charismatic, friendly, and great at building instant rapport. Having rapport with someone means you understand each other's feelings and communicate well. This happens over time as you build a relationship with them. The frequency and proximity allow you to establish trust and you slowly get to know them better. But with some people, this happens quicker. Have you ever walked away from a conversation and felt instantly connected to the other person? Maybe meeting them felt natural and easy. It’s likely that’s because you were able to build rapport quickly. I have no bulletproof method for getting this right a 100% of the time but I have noticed things in myself and others that have really helped. I want to share a couple of ideas and habits that you can put into practice especially when virtually connecting with another person for the first time. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: 7 Ways to Discover Great In-Person Networking Events Worth Going To: www.tsirpodcast.com/108 The Secrets to Throwing a Great Networking Party: www.tsirpodcast.com/110 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 20 Nov 2023 | Your Year-End Financial Checklist: 8 To-Dos to Complete by December 31st | E125 | 00:15:02 | |
The holiday season is in full swing and I’m so excited to spend the next month celebrating with friends and family. With all of the parties and get-togethers, it will be 2024 before we know it. But before we say goodbye to 2023, I have a few things I want you to check off your to-do list. In today’s episode, I’m going to give you a financial checklist of 8 tasks you may want to consider doing by Dec. 31 to tidy up your finances. Don’t worry, all of these tasks take 30 minutes or less so you can get back to enjoying the holidays. So if you’re ready to set yourself up for financial success in 2024, let’s get into the 8 tasks on the end-of-the-year financial checklist. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 12 Jun 2023 | Email Management Tips for Young Professionals Overwhelmed by a Cluttered Inbox | E102 | 00:17:13 | |
Between reading through messages, crafting the right responses, and keeping tabs on the emails that require follow-up, staying on top of your inbox can feel like a job in itself. Email can be a pain but it is a critical component to most knowledge-based roles that many of us college graduates step into after graduation. Until I started working in the “real world,” I didn’t know this though. And the thing that blows me away? College never taught me a system for efficiently managing my email. It was something that I had to learn on my own. I don’t want you to be in the same boat. In this episode, we are going to learn a system you can implement right away that will have you spending less time on email and more time on the projects that really matter. Level up your email management game by tuning into this episode. This episode is part 1 of a 3-part series all about managing your work which includes email, calendar, and project management. Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Workers Now Spend Two Full Days a Week on Email and in Meetings (WSJ): https://www.wsj.com/articles/workers-say-its-harder-to-get-things-done-now-heres-why-2a5f1389?mod=hp_lead_pos13 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 28 Feb 2024 | Learn to Improve Your Commitment and Follow-Through | E135 Matt Worthington | 00:45:03 | |
Even with an aggressive savings rate, reaching financial independence will take 10 to 15 years assuming the market plays nice with you. Stack on paying off debts and saving for large purchases like a wedding, a new car, or your first home, we can see how this is going to be an extended journey. Throughout that journey, how do we stay committed and follow through with our goals? This is not an easy answer, especially in the age of instant gratification and social media. So I turned to my friend Matt Worthington who has followed through with many impressive goals. When he started college, he committed to graduating debt-free. This required working multiple jobs, saying no to distractions, and an unhealthy amount of frugality but he made it happen. Then he wrote a book about it which is a feat in itself. Finally, over the last year, he’s accomplished several physical challenges including completing a half-ironman, finishing 75 hard, and running an ultra marathon, which required a focused training plan and a lot of mental toughness. It is easy to write off Matt as someone born with these gifts but I promise you that wasn’t the case. Don’t worry, we’ll get into that story. My hope with this episode is you pull out inspiration to continue following through with your commitments, financial goals, or anything you have your mind set on right now. So if you’re looking for that inspiration, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Mister Reinvention himself…Matt Worthington. Key Takeaways:
More of Matt: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt_worthington/ Riser Network: https://www.risernation.org/ Ultra Productive: https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Productive-Graduating-Debt-Free-Getting/dp/1946277835 More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 14 Sep 2020 | Why You Should Learn a New Skill and How to Do It l E17 Justin Peters | 00:29:39 | |
Today, I go solo and speak on the importance of skill acquisition. I believe learning new things will not only lead to professional advancements but a more meaningful, personal life as well. In this episode, I give a framework for how you can start learning something new. I will also caution you on obstacles to look out for and how to overcome them. This episode is perfect for someone who feels they’re living a mundane life and looking to change that today.
Key Takeaways: [3:02] Why you should pursue acquiring new skills for both professional and personal reason [9:07] Staying in the beginner’s mindset [14:14] Simple framework for learning something new [19:46] Obstacles to look out for when learning a new skill and how to overcome them.
Favorite Quotes: [2:07] I’m not sure you can live a meaningful life if you’re not actively pursuing learning new skills. [9:46] When was the last time I tried something that I felt completely out of my comfort zone? [20:27] You’re keystrokes away from learning anything. [27:15] If you have some kind of fear, then manage the fear.
Mentions: Ideas on Things to Learn (Google Document): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q-G2cf5hhmtQxG9laj7QlxLhzVLcHfxkIr7mIeZpA8g/edit?usp=sharing
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 06 Jun 2021 | He Traveled the Globe to Study Happiness and This is What He Learned | E36 Ali Binazir | 01:05:20 | |
Imagine if you had two years to travel the globe in order to better understand happiness. Where would you go? I’m assuming the Nordic countries who I hear always rank high on the World Happiness Report. Potentially Australia and New Zealand? They seem to be happy down there. What about places that aren’t known for happiness but more so the opposite? I feel like it would be important to understand that perspective. Well, that’s exactly what today’s guest did. Joining me on the podcast is Dr. Ali Binazir who is an author, speaker, and clinical hypnotherapist. But if you asked Ali today, his primary title would be Happiness Engineer. During this episode, we are going to dive into happiness, particularly why it isn’t something you are trying to find but instead engineer into your life. This is a great conversation to tune into if you’ve been looking for practical ways to feel more fulfilled. Dr. Binazir shares many prescriptive methods that you could act upon today.
Key Takeaways: [1:42] What Ali learned traveling the globe studying happiness [17:20] 5 Pillars of Human Thriving [21:53] Why do good people stay in bad relationships [26:41] 3 C’s of an optimal venue [35:01] Novelty Night [39:13] The story of 3 bricklayers [43:25] Why is sleep so critical? [52:41] How meditation can help balance you in this chaotic world [58:36] How to stay motivated to workout
Favorite Quotes: [11:40] “We are designed to cooperate. That is how this wimpy little creature with no fangs or claws or fur became the most dominant species on the planet.” [21:25] “I always say texting is how I lose friends. Talking is how I make friends.” [34:43] “Just recognize if you’re the one that is willing to do that you have a huge advantage but so many people are still cowering in fear.” [43:58] “My time at McKinsey was when I looked like I was on top of the world but I was really at the very bottom.”
Mentions: Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek Murthy The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous by Joseph Henrich Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding by Daniel Lieberman
More of Ali: https://happinessengineering.com/ drali@happinessengineering.com Medium: https://dralibinazir.medium.com/ (I suggest checking out “9 Simple Strategies to Read More Books: How I Read 150+ Books a Year”)
Books: The Tao of Dating: The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible by Ali Binazir Should I Go to Medical School?: An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine by Ali Binazir
Courses: Super Charisma: How to Be a Transformative Speaker (https://drali.teachable.com/p/super-charisma-public-speaking)
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 13 Feb 2023 | Spice Up Your Sex Life with a Sex Life Bucket List | E85 Susan Bratton | 00:51:58 | |
Has the sexual chemistry in your relationship turned dull?
Bedroom boredom is a really common issue in relationships so it is nothing to beat yourself up about. We get comfortable in our patterns. The same positions, techniques, and places although great at first, become predictable and eventually boring.
I don’t need to ask a stupid rhetorical question here. I know you don’t want to have a boring sex life. Nobody wants that. So let’s reignite some excitement in the bedroom.
But we know it’s not that simple or we’d be doing it already. How do I talk to my partner about this and once they’re on board, what do we do to “spice things up?”
What if you had a list of ideas and someone to help bridge that conversation with you and your partner? Insert fan favorite guest, Susan Bratton, who first appeared on episode 63.
Susan is back on to share something she created to help us with this exact problem: a sex life bucket list. In this conversation, Susan will walk you through how to create and use your sex life bucket list.
Of course, if I have an hour with Susan, I’m not going to miss the opportunity to ask for some tips and techniques as well. We get into some hot and heavy conversations about ejaculatory choice, how to be louder in the bedroom, and how to share feedback to your partner that leaves them feeling encouraged.
Finally, if you’re lacking confidence in your body, you’ll want to stay tuned in until the end because Susan brings it home with a reassuring monologue.
Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Susan Bratton on TSIR Part 1: www.tsirpodcast.com/63
More of Susan:
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 01 Feb 2021 | Understanding Personality Differences Leads to More Success in Your Career | E27 Brett Cooper & Evans Kerrigan | 00:58:49 | |
Today’s guests are Brett Cooper and Evans Kerrigan, Co-Founders of Integris Performance Advisors which is focused on improving team performance. They also co-authored a book called Solving the People Problem: Essential Skills You Need to Lead and Succeed in Today’s Workplace. In their book and in this episode, Brett and Evans use their understanding of emotional intelligence and the DISC personality test to provide an easy model to follow called DISC EQ. This framework will help you communicate better, create more productive conflict, and successfully lead all the different personalities in your workplace. This is a useful episode for leaders, salespeople, and customer service focused individuals who frequently interact with various people or those who are looking to communicate with their colleagues, clients, and vendors more effectively.
Key Takeaways: [3:07] How personality differences cause problems in the workplace [9:54] Why process improvement wasn’t enough for Brett and Evans [13:25] Why EQ is more important than IQ for career and personal success [20:14] 4 primary personality styles of DISC [36:22] Speaking not to be heard but to be understood [38:44] Why high caliber teams need conflict [43:21] Implementing the step up and step back approach [55:31] What Evans learned from his first CEO
Favorite Quotes: [14:58] “Emotional intelligence actually has a bigger impact on your career success and your personal success than your IQ does.” [34:08] “We all have the ability to grow and develop ourselves.” [36:30] “Communication is not about speaking what we think, communication is about ensuring others hear what we mean.” - Simon Sinek [43:07] “We need to be able to challenge one another because that is how progress is made.”
Mentions: What’s my DISC-EQ? (https://solvingthepeopleproblem.com/disc-eq/) Access Code: struggle Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ROKQNS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1)
More of Brett & Evans: www.SolvingThePeopleProblem.com
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 25 Apr 2022 | Take a Chance and Bet on Yourself | E61 Ahmad Jabbir | 01:04:52 | |
I love listening to stories that require someone to take a chance and today’s episode is packed with those. You’ll hear from my friend, Ahmad Jabbir. He exhibits and embodies the phrase “bet on yourself.” One of my favorite stories he tells is how he pitched the CEO of Seek Discomfort, the apparel brand of the wildly popular YouTube channel, Yes Theory, to hire him for a job that wasn’t even created yet. His one-of-a-kind interview got him an instant yes. This bravado would be impressive with anyone but Ahmad wasn’t always this bold. Up through college, he was shy, lacked confidence, and thought he was stupid. But a few personal development projects changed everything for him. In one of his most recent projects, Ahmad set out to meet 100 strangers. He was blown away by the people he met and the stories he heard.
Key Takeaways: [1:17] Ahmad’s go-to Toronto attractions [5:20] The story of Rob Lawless and how that impacted Ahmad to meet 100 people [15:27] How to make deep, meaningful relationship [19:55] How Ahmad landed his dream job at Seek Discomfort [31:48] Only take advice from people that you admire [37:18] Lessons learned from 700 days of journaling [54:07] How reading helped Ahmad learn the game of life better
Mentions: People
Books Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business Paperback by Charles Duhigg
Movies
More of Ahmad: Instagram: @Ahmad.Jabbir LinkedIn: Ahmad Jabbir
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 31 Aug 2020 | Public Speaking Best Practices, Passion is Bogus, and Pitching a CEO l E16 Brenden Kumarasamy | 00:53:07 | |
Today’s guest is Brenden Kumarasamy, a speaking coach and Founder of MasterTalk. Growing up poor in Montreal, Brenden started seeking a better life for himself and his mom. He competed in case competitions in college which landed him a consulting job at IBM. After speaking over 400 times, he has now turned his attention to helping others find their public speaking talents. He founded MasterTalk with the goal of being the top YouTube channel focused on public speaking. In this episode, you’ll hear Brenden’s thoughts on passion, advice on how to pitch a CEO, and how to grow your following. Of course, Brendan also shares a ton of insight on how to become a better public speaker. This episode is perfect for someone who thinks they’re too young to accomplish something big.
Key Takeaways: [13:28] Why passion is bogus and what you can do to find your calling [19:02] How to pitch a C-level executive by showing not telling [26:49] How Brenden gained MasterTalk’s first 1,000 subscribers [31:09] Structuring your speech with a key idea [36:50] Where the fear of public speaking comes from
Favorite Quotes: [11:40] “The reason had nothing to do with being a motivational speaker or being a YouTuber. I just wanted to be the best in the program.” [13:48] “What does the world need you to do the most now and why?” [16:59] “If you don’t have a vision for the world, steal someone else’s.” [26:13] “What would you do if you met him tomorrow?” [35:07] “There is no such thing as boring topics, just boring people.” [51:18] “Be insane or be the same.”
Mentions: The Last Dance (Michael Jordan documentary)
More of Brenden Instagram: @masteryourtalk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBYFP4mZLQovr7W6Si6sueA
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 12 Oct 2020 | The Problem with SMART Goals l E19 Ryan Bennett | 00:52:55 | |
Today’s guest is Ryan Bennett, who developed a method called The Intentional Growth Model to help people reach their full potential. Ryan’s profile includes being an ESPN Academic All-American, founding member of a tech start-up, high-performance coach, speaker, and author of The Intentional Day. But these titles didn’t come easy. With the competitive fire leftover from collegiate baseball and a freshly printed degree in hand, Ryan set out to Silicon Valley to start building his business empire. But after a few years of iterations and modest growth, Ryan had to close his startup and label it a failure. This was the start of his rebuilding journey. He eventually traded the remote for a book, late night drinking for early morning coffees, and a storyline of failure for a life of personal growth. There are a lot of goodies in this conversation, including the 4 major elements of The Intentional Growth model, why he believes SMART goals don’t work, how to build your coalition of growth partners, and much more. This episode is perfect for people who find themselves setting New Year’s resolutions with nothing to show by February 1st. I hope this episode gives you the framework to change that narrative.
Key Takeaways: [9:40] An introduction to the Intentional Growth Model [13:09] Why SMART goals don’t work [22:20] A simple tactic on how to be a better listener [26:34] The important difference between a task and a discipline [35:05] How to find the right growth partner [47:22] Ryan’s birthday ritual
Favorite Quotes: [13:58] “Goal setting by itself just focuses on the outcome. But the problem is the outcome is just the scoreboard. We can just be in the game and wish we will win.” [19:58] “Am I good enough for the wife I want to marry?” [40:29] “When we share that win with someone, we get to live it all over again.” [45:52] “I probably won’t hire anyone unless they have a failure on their resume.”
Mentions: Wooden on Leadership by John Wooden OUR MOMENTS Couples: 100 Thought Provoking Conversation Starters for Great Relationships
More of Ryan: Website: www.theintentionalday.com
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 04 Mar 2020 | Unbelievable Transformation from Overweight to Fitness Coach I E4 Shane Jenne | 00:46:59 | |
Joining us on The Struggle is Real is Shane Jenne. In this episode, Shane and I discuss his early struggles with weight and how he was bound to a life filled with chronic health issues. Instead of fulfilling this prophecy though, Shane transformed his life losing 80 pounds the summer after his freshman year of college. He didn’t stop there though. His transformation inspired him to help those starting their own health revolution. Shane became a certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach. He recently started an online personal training program for the entertainment industry that includes actors, dancers, and performers. This episode includes tips on fitness, nutrition, and sleep.
Key Takeaways: [2:32] How Shane got started on his health journey [9:10] Why finding your why is important during your fitness journey [14:22] Shane explains how he defines a healthy lifestyle [20:20] 9/10 people say their number one issue with their wellness is sleep and what we can do about it. [28:55] Shane’s personal training background and how that transpired into Actors Fitness Guild [39:50] What has the army taught Shane?
Favorite Quotes: [11:58] You have to be dedicated and motivated everyday and you do that by being inspired by understanding what your why is. [13:12] The more people that know about your journey, the more people are going to ask you about it. The more people are asking about your journey, the more accountable you are. [26:50] There is nothing after 10pm that has to happen after 10pm. [36:55] I won’t give them a bucket of fish. I will give them a fishing pole and show them where to go but they have to show up and maintain their fishing pole. [41:38] At a young age, we might still be looking to find a mentor to help us along the way. But just as quickly as we find one, we have to be ready to be a mentor to those below us.
Mentioned in this episode: Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success by Shawn Stevenson (book) The Model Health Show - Shawn Stevenson (podcast)
More of Shane: Instagram: @shanejenne
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 23 Nov 2020 | Spend Less Time on Job Boards and Get More Responses l E22 James Aiken | 01:05:04 | |
Today’s guest is James Aiken, Founder and President of Legacy Search, an independent recruiting agency in South Carolina. Over the last 8 months, COVID has wreaked havoc on many industries causing massive layoffs. I’ve had friends that have worked for airlines, restaurants, hotels, oil and gas, entertainment all lose their job. I’ve also heard from those that are gearing up to make a change. One gift of COVID has been that it has given us plenty of time to think, figure out what is important to us, and chart out our future. That’s why I thought it was important to bring James on the podcast to help set you up for success in your next job search. By listening to this episode, you are going to gain tons of job search prep advice including building a candidate packet to help you stand out from the crowd, how to maximize output while minimizing time on job boards, and overcoming the hurdle of having no relevant experience. This is the perfect episode for those searching for a new career opportunity.
Key Takeaways: [5:01] Good reasons to be looking for a new job [12:38] Building a candidate packet to stand out [24:14] How to spend less time yet get more responses from job boards [29:29] Developing a networking plan by building two top 10 lists [36:03] Using persistence to meet your dream mentor [40:19] Optimizing your LinkedIn for a job search [45:40] The slingshot theory: Overcoming no relevant experience
Favorite Quotes: [9:21] “It’s legal human trafficking.” [18:47] “The only difference between ordinary and extraordinary is a little extra.” [21:27] “You have to make yourself hard to ignore.” [31:07] “If you can get in front of the people that recognize and need your talents most, you are going to get the best results.” [38:23] “You can get in contact with anybody, it just matters how bad you want to get in contact with them.” [43:36] “The digital presence is there to get you to the personal presence.”
Mentions:
More of James: Twitter: @LegacyGVL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpaiken/
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 26 Sep 2022 | 3 Things Every Friendship Needs, How to Stop Being Awkward in Conversation, and Where to Meet New Friends | E72 Jewel Hohman | 00:50:37 | |
I did not anticipate one of the biggest struggles in my 20s would be making friends. It was so easy in high school and college when I was surrounded by people.
Although I have been lonely at times, I rarely spoke about it. I guess I had shame around feeling lonely but that line of thinking is changing for me.
It initially started when I was preparing for episode 49 with Michael Bauman where we discussed loneliness. That opened up my eyes to the fact that more people are lonely than I thought.
Then when preparing for this episode, Jewel Hohman, today’s guest, shared a New York Post article with me that surfaced many surprising findings including survey results from adults affirming that 45% of them find it difficult to make a new friend. It also mentioned confidence in making friends peaked at the age of 23.
Survey results aside, when talking to others, I found I am not alone. Many adults find it hard to make friends. I’m excited to finally tackle this topic on The Struggle is Real.
Jewel Hohman is a friendship expert. Through her work, she helps people stop overthinking their relationships and feel confident being themselves so that they can create the deep friendships they have been craving.
In this episode, we discuss 3 things every friendship needs, where to meet new people, and how to stop being awkward in conversation. I hope a blend of practical advice and emotional reassurance motivates you to get out there and give making friends another try.
If you like this episode, share it with a friend, leave a rating and review, and if you don’t want to miss the next episode, hit the follow button.
Show Notes: [1:57] Why is making friends harder as we get older? [6:03] How Jewel struggled making friends [11:17] Same sex friendship [20:31] Avoiding awkwardness and overcoming your shyness when talking to someone [26:02] The problem with judging other people [27:45] Your thoughts are not facts [32:03] 3 things every friendship needs
Mentions: The Damaging Consequences of Loneliness and What You Can Do About It l E49 Michael Bauman on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Why the average American hasn’t made a new friend in 5 years (New York Post)
More of Jewel:
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 16 Jan 2023 | Make More Than .01% Interest From Banks | E81 Jeremy Keil | 00:58:53 | |
19 cents. That’s how much in interest that my bank paid me in 2022.
I’m not sure if that makes me want to cry, yell, or laugh but those are none of the feelings that I want to have when it comes to calculating my annual bank interest.
The good news is, I don’t keep a ton of money in my savings account. Simply a couple thousand dollars that acts as an emergency fund.
But that comical calculation would make me furious if I had tens of thousands of dollars in my savings account.
The last few years have shown us the real impact of inflation. An item that cost $100 in 2020 cost roughly $115 today using the average cumulative rate of inflation.
What does that mean? Just to break even, you want your money keeping up at the same rate. 19 cents isn’t going to do that for me.
Luckily Jeremy Keil is here to give us some strategies on how we can make more interest from our savings.
We also talk about how much money you should have in your bank account, what are I bonds and how you can use them for short savings, and why, even as a young adult, you shouldn’t discount social security in your retirement plan.
Key Takeaways:
Mentions:
More of Jeremy:
More of Justin & The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 06 Jun 2022 | Reaching Financial Independence Without a 6-Figure Salary | E64 Jackie Cummings Koski | 01:05:43 | |
You all know I’m a sucker for a good early retirement story. Jackie Cummings Koski retired at 49 years old and now spends her time creating a financially literate society.
Retiring in your 40s is impressive in itself but Jackie did this with no head start. She grew up in poverty with her dad and 5 siblings. She barely graduated college with passing grades because she had to work full-time. Then Jackie went on to raise her daughter as a single mom after an early divorce.
Does that sound like a candidate for early retirement? I don’t think so but Jackie made it happen through a lot of self-education and hustle.
Speaking of education, Jackie became quite the expert in healthcare and in this episode, Jackie shares a lot of methodologies for cutting your healthcare costs.
Of course Jackie is a huge advocate for my favorite tax-advantage account: the HSA. I have never seen a health savings account as well-funded as Jackie’s. Last we spoke, her HSA had over $150,000 in it..
Show Notes: [1:43] Jackie’s story from poverty to financial independence [19:40] How Jackie retired by 49 year olds without ever making a 6-figure salary [22:57] Is an HSA right for you? [32:06] How Jackie grew her HSA to $150,000 [39:14] Tips for cutting healthcare costs
Mentions: Why You Should Consider Having a Health Savings Account (HSA) | E40 Sean Mullaney CostPlus Drugs (Mark Cuban's pharmacy company)
More of Jackie:
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 14 Feb 2022 | How to Talk Politics and Religion Without Killing Each Other | E55 Corey Nathan | 01:11:50 | |
I’ve dreaded some recent get-togethers knowing argumentative political conversations are going to be on the agenda and for quite some time, I’ve taken the approach that it is better to avoid these conversations by staying quiet and giving a friendly nod. That line of thinking is changing for me now. Avoiding participation in these conversations is forgoing the opportunity to learn something new, and maybe even change my mind. Along with that, if I’m not taking the time or initiative to understand someone else’s point of view, I’m only reinforcing the current state of divisiveness between these binary camps of blue and red. I invited Corey Nathan on the podcast to give us inspiration on how this could be done right. He shares his personal story of making amends with his dad when he decided to leave the Jewish faith. In the second half of this episode, Corey shares some basic communication skills to help us have more enabling conversations. Some of my favorites include the feel, felt, found framework, the phrase “help me understand”, and changing our mindset from competition to collaboration. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the stockbroker by day, theater guy by night, Jew from Jersey that became a Christian, and the host of the incredible podcast, Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other…Corey Nathan.
Key Takeaways: [1:02] How Hal introduce Corey to Christianity [13:05] Corey telling his Jewish parents that he was a Christian [26:42] When political views are inconsistent with religious scripture [32:21] Corey’s life as a stockbroker and theater guy and how that taught him how to create kindness across different viewpoints [42:18] Why Corey’s son decided to stay unvaccinated and how he approaches that conversation differently now [52:08] How to approach mending relationships that were broken due to opposing political views and the feel, felt, found framework [57:34] Respectfully disagreeing
More of Corey: Podcast: Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other https://politicsandreligion.podbean.com/ Instagram: @tpandrpod
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 15 Feb 2021 | Helpful Money Advice that Will Have You Feeling More Confident | E28 Tracey Bissett | 00:51:40 | |
Why don’t we feel better equipped to handle our finances when we get into the real world? My guest today is working to solve that issue. On the show with me is Tracey Bissett, President and Chief Financial Fitness Trainer at Bissett Financial Fitness. Tracey has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and after moving on from her successful career in banking, she’s now focused on helping young adults and entrepreneurs achieve their financial goals. Tracey is also the Host of the Young Money Podcast: an advice show for young millionaires in the making which she started over 3 years ago and now has over 120,000 downloads. My goal by the end of this conversation is to have you feeling more confident about growing and using your financial skills.
Show Notes: [1:39] What is financial fitness? [3:25] Why is money so mysterious and what are schools doing to change this? [10:29] Having money conversations with your roommates [14:39] How Tracey got started in entrepreneurship [23:45] What are young adults doing well with money? [28:06] What is credit and what factors create my credit score? [30:38] Tackling students loans [34:55] Tips for creating your side hustle
Favorite Quotes: [2:39] “We can’t change where we are starting but we can certainly change where we end up.” [32:21] “Getting a $1,000 scholarship will save you about 70 hours of work.” [37:21] “Whenever I’m in doubt and don’t know how to approach something, I always ask Google.” [49:19] “Be purposeful. Make sure your life is filled with the things that you like and use your money as a tool to get you there.”
Mentions: Young, Fun & Financially Free: Live the good life now and build a kick-ass future! By Leanna Haakons (https://www.amazon.com/Young-Fun-Financially-Free-Kick-Ass/dp/0998854638) Check your credit score at AnnualCreditReport.com Young Money Scholarship Fund (https://www.bissettfinancialfitness.com/ym-scholarship-fund/)
More of Tracey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceybissett/ Young Money Podcast (https://www.bissettfinancialfitness.com/category/podcast/)
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 27 Jan 2020 | One Small Step is the Kickstart You Need l E1 Mason Stevens | 00:16:37 | |
Welcome to the first episode of the The Struggle is Real with Justin Peters. In this episode, Mason Stevens, military brat and health nut, shares his thoughts on how someone begins their journey of a healthier life.
More of Mason: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mason_james209/
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 20 Feb 2023 | The Hot 100 List: How I Network Effectively | E86 | 00:08:21 | |
You meet someone amazing and you have the best intention to stay in touch with them only to find years have gone by and you totally dropped the ball.
You want to reach out now but it feels awkward and you overthink it. You never reach out and this potential friend, business partner, or employer just drifts out of your life.
Staying connected with your network doesn’t need to be a challenge.
In this episode, I want to share a tool I use to stay top of mind with my network and walk you through the step-by-step process on how to create, manage, and execute a “hot 100 list.”
Key Takeaways:
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 06 Feb 2023 | Practical Tips to Take the Stress Out of 1st Dates | E84 Cara Hays | 00:09:46 | |
It might just be my circle but so many of my friends are recently single and I’m hearing the war stories of 1st dates. From coordinating plans, getting catfished, talking to a brick wall, and awkward goodbyes, I gotta say, I’m not jealous.
Being in a long-term monogamous relationship has its struggles, but taking Gaby out on a date is not (usually) an exasperating process.
I think it is totally justifiable and I see why this stress would keep you wavering in and out of the dating scene. I have thoughts and I’d love to help but being in a committed relationship for the last 5 years hasn’t left me with very little practical experience to share on this struggle.
But our former guest, Cara Hays had a lot of great ideas so we pulled a clip from her interview, episode 43, where she shared practical tips on how to make 1st dates less stressful and more enjoyable.
Key Takeaways:
Mentions: Cara Hays’ original episode on TSIR: www.tsirpodcast.com/43
More of Cara: Website: https://www.carahays.com/
More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 19 Jul 2021 | Tax Basics: A Beginners Guide to Taxes | E39 Sean Mullaney | 00:59:24 | |
A month ago, I went to Instagram and asked what money topics you’d like to learn more about. To my utter surprise, taxes had the most votes. I figured side hustles, investing, even budgeting would attract more attention but maybe I failed to realize the desire you had to learn and feel more confident about this perplexing topic. I went looking for a guest that had a deep understanding in this field but could also explain terminology and foundational concepts in a simplistic, engaging way. In my experience, this isn’t the traditional profile of a tax professional but my guest today will deliver on that promise. Sean Mullaney is the President of Mullaney Financial & Tax where he provides financial planning services to individuals and families. His credentials include a Bachelors in Accounting from Georgetown University, a certificate in Financial Planning, a law degree, a CPA designation, and spending the last 20 years working with corporate or individual taxes which include stops at Deloitte, PwC, the IRS, and now his own practice. Sean is a glorified tax nerd in the best way possible. Since he apparently can’t get enough of tax, he also created a blog, FITaxGuy.com, where he writes about the intersection of tax and financial independence. This episode will include both breadth and depth on a myriad topics related to taxes including tax brackets, standard vs itemized deductions, retirement accounts, and more. Friendly reminder: this discussion is general and educational in nature and does not constitute tax, investment, legal, or financial advice with respect to any particular individual or taxpayer. Please consult your own advisors regarding your own unique situation.
Key Takeaways: [9:17] What are the tax deductions you see on your paycheck? [15:46] How do tax brackets work in the US? [19:01] Standard deduction vs itemized deduction [22:57] What is the difference between a 401K and IRA? [36:31] How does vesting work? [41:17] How do you open up an IRA? [50:30] Why is FI important to Sean?
Favorite Quotes: [6:14] “Tomorrow hopefully I will be better than I am today but all I can do today is do my best.” [29:18] “The right answer starts with I’m paying attention to this stuff and I'm going to be intentional about how I do my retirement savings.” [57:49] “Nobody is on their deathbed thinking, you know I didn’t save enough in my HSA.”
Mentions: Nerd Wallet, Federal Income Tax Calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/tax-calculator The School of Life: https://www.youtube.com/c/theschooloflifetv/videos
More of Sean:
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 17 Aug 2020 | Saying No to An Invite, Apologizing the Right Way, and Communication that Works l E15 Jonathan Miller | 00:58:26 | |
Today’s guest is Jonathan Miller, a speaker, facilitator, and communication coach. He is also the host of the incredible podcast, Mindful Communication, where he has conversations with thinkers and influencers about the art and science of connection. In this episode, Jonathan and I discuss why there is not a right or wrong whenever it comes to communication. He also gives advice on how to say no to an invite, how to give a powerful apology, and how to take on someone else’s perspective. This episode is perfect for anyone who wants to have more clarity with their words.
Key Takeaways: [10:30] There is no right or wrong with communication rather what works or doesn’t work [20:01] How to say no to an invite without offending the host [23:17] Conflict can lead to two outcomes: drama or creativity [35:29] The difference between a regular apology vs a powerful apology [44:45] How to take on someone else’s perspective
Favorite Quotes: [18:04] “We are denying the fact that we indeed have a choice and when we don’t have choice, it means we are a victim of circumstances.” [30:45] “How is this person actually looking to work with me and I am getting in the way of working with them.” [45:00] “There are as many perspectives on this planet as there are people.”
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||
| 22 Jun 2020 | ”NO Stands for Next Opportunity” How to Overcome Rejection and Get What You Want I E11 Dee Goines | 01:08:44 | |
Today’s guest is Daniel “Dee” Goines, who has spent the last 15 years crafting an impressive career in higher education. His story illustrates how you can create opportunities for yourself and capitalize on them. He has an infectious personality with a humble storyline. Oh, and he shook The Rock’s hand (you’ll hear more about it in the episode). This episode is perfect for someone who has been going through a time of rejection and needs some inspiration.
Key Takeaways: [3:06] Dee’s difficult route to college [18:14] Dee meeting his mentor John Buck [27:23] Advice on how to overcome rejection and cultivate more hunger [33:39] How you go from knowing no one in high school to being a super connector in college [44:57] How Dee met Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson [55:41] Dee’s thoughts on the current racial climate and advice on being an ally
Favorite Quotes: [22:28] “If you think about it, all the cool people have one name.” [31:32 “All of those 10 times I asked for a job, it was like an interview 10 times.” [36:25] “Buck taught me the value of remembering someone’s name and greeting them by name.” [37:54] “Just call me Dee.” [44:30] “No stands for next opportunity.” [49:56] “Having a plan, and not giving up, and like knowing you have to make stuff happen.” [50:44] “It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.” [53:29] “She said, Danny, there is a Santa Claus.” [1:01:22] “If you care about a piece of property more than someone’s life, then there is a greater conversation that needs to be had.”
More of Dee: Twitter: @deeucme Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dee.goines Email: deegoines@gmail.com
More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/ | |||