Weird Finance – Details, episodes & analysis

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco sits down with Tina Lopez to explore her multifaceted entrepreneurial journey. Tina shares insights on building automated content businesses, emphasizing the benefits of automation, outsourcing, and systematizing workflows to avoid burnout. She also discusses the value of collaboration over social media reliance for audience growth and the importance of investing in high-return activities such as email marketing. Tina reflects on her early entrepreneurial ventures, the influence of her upbringing on her self-sufficiency, and how her finance background helps her manage multiple income streams. Both Paco and Tina delve into the challenges and rewards of balancing creative work with financial prudence, aiming for a "work optional" lifestyle.

Tina helps creators build an automated content business that doesn't rely on social media. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Weird Finance! In this episode, we have a special Client Spotlight featuring the brilliant Sarah Salvatoriello, founder of the creative branding studio Ampersand & Ampersand. In this episode, we'll dive deep into the nuances of marketing, messaging, and brand positioning—all crucial elements for sustained business success. As Paco and Sarah navigate the challenging yet rewarding landscape of entrepreneurship, they emphasize the importance of storytelling in finance and branding.

Sarah shares her enlightening journey from working with large media organizations to carving out her own niche in the branding world, shedding light on her initial denial of the need for sales and marketing and the mental shift she had to embrace as the primary salesperson. With candid discussions on prioritizing tasks, understanding customer pain points, and managing different client budgets, they explore how branding and marketing can effectively attract and engage a target audience.

Sarah Salvatoriello (@sarahsalv) founded Ampersand & Ampersand (@ampersand.ampersand), a creative branding studio that helps small and medium-sized businesses in a moment of pivot. Sarah spent 18+ years working with global media companies, in-house agencies, design studios, and advertising agencies. In 2020, she pivoted her career and quickly realized the struggles of running a creative business in an increasingly broken system. Her zone of genius is aligning vision, voice, and visuals through a mix of Gestalt theory, industry learnings, good ol’ fashioned brand strategy, and a sprinkle of Bob Ross.

Sarah’s blend of cheerful nihilism and compassionate-capitalist business empowerment swings against toxic positivity without sacrificing effectiveness. She seeks out the overlooked, creatively connects the objective to the subjective, and advocates for “real good” over “feel good.”

Join the next Bounce House, a free creative brainstorm to share your wild ideas and see what gains traction or book the Priority Prism and get focused on your first step towards a change.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, host Paco speaks with attorney Chris Valdheims about the essential role of legal matters in empowering creative businesses. They discuss creative industry legal battles, the importance of addressing legal issues proactively, and the increasing accessibility of legal services. Chris shares advice for business owners on trademarks, setting up an LLC or corporation, and having solid customer contracts. They also delve into personal experiences with financial management, the significance of saving and investing early, and the emerging trend of relocating internationally for better living conditions and work opportunities. 

Chris Valdheims is a designer/software developer turned lawyer and writer who founded Counsel for Creators (@counselforcreators) as a way to connect creative people with accessible legal help. Chris grew up in Los Angeles around many people in creative industries and he knew that conventional law firms weren’t cutting it, so he built what he would have wanted to see.

Chris is also a creative in his own right; he’s in the process of getting his first book published. It’s a memoir about finding his birth family as an adult and how that changed him.

Chris is married and has two boys and he and his family will move to Croatia this year.

If you’re interested in learning more about working with Chris and the Counsel for Creators, please check out the Creator’s Legal Program.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. In this episode of Weird Finance, The Hell Yeah Group’s editorial associate, financial coach, and co-founder of Ladies Talking About Money, Cole Kalin, returns to the show to ask Paco more questions about her journey building her bookkeeping agency. Paco emphasizes the importance of liability protection and discusses their decision to incorporate as an S corp . She shares insights from his experience in wealth management, focusing on leveraging the tax code for maximum benefits. The conversation also explores ethical investing, the balance between practical and ethical financial decisions, and the process of starting and formalizing a business.

Join us for a conversation packed with practical tips and heartfelt advice on navigating the financial intricacies of the creative industry and don't forget to check outHell Yeah Bookkeeping and The Hell Yeah Group’s offerings.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco de Leon is joined by financial therapist Amanda Clayman to explore the intricate relationship between emotions and money. They dive into personal struggles with perfectionism and shame in financial management, and find solace in shared experiences. Amanda discusses her work with creative professionals facing financial unpredictability, reflects on financial nihilism and its societal impact, and the shifting narratives of financial agency and societal progress. Join Paco and Amanda as they candidly unpack the layers of our financial identities and histories.

Amanda Clayman (@amandaclayman) is a clinician, coach, and speaker specializing in money issues. Amanda entered the mental health field with a unique focus: the role of money in people's lives. Her journey into this niche began in her twenties when she noticed how deeply emotional her relationship with money was. Financial challenges she faced were more about underlying emotional wounds than mere poor financial decisions. As she delved into therapy for herself, she realized that simply understanding these emotional roots wasn't enough to change her behavior; it required dedicated focus and effort.Determined to transform these insights into healthier financial behaviors, Amanda questioned why this intersection of finance and emotional health wasn't more widely addressed. This sparked a passion within her to help others navigate the same path. She found herself compelled to continuously explore and work in this area, aiming to illuminate the connection between money and emotional well-being for her clients, much like the metaphorical bridges she jokes about burning—illuminating the way for others.

Amanda’s new podcast, Emotional Investment is availabe on Audible. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco speaks with Katherine de Vos Devine, an attorney specializing in art law. Katherine discusses the importance of legal and financial management for artists. She shares her journey from art history to law and explains why she chose to focus on the arts. Katherine emphasizes the need for artists to have an estate plan and highlights the emerging legal issues in the art world, particularly regarding fair use and AI. She also addresses the struggle artists face in balancing artistic integrity with commercial success. At the end of the conversation, Katherine speaks about the value of professional bookkeeping for artists and creatives and her personal experience working with the Hell Yeah, Bookkeeping team.

Katherine de Vos Devine (@devosdevine) is the principal attorney and founder of Implement Legal (@implement.legal), a boutique law firm that offers copyright, trademark, contract, and estate planning services to creative clients.

Katherine teaches Art Law at Queens University of Charlotte and is Co-Chair of the College Art Association Committee on Intellectual Property. Her academic research focuses on transformative use and appropriation art, and she has spoken widely about copyright law and artists’ rights at venues, including the University of California at Berkeley, Harvard University, and Art Basel. 

When she’s not working with clients, Katherine writes Protect Your Magic, a newsletter on intellectual property, contemporary art, and creative economies.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to holistic business teacher, coach, and the creator of New Money Social Club (@newmoneysocial.club), Eden Connelly Tallarico. They delves into overcoming money blocks and fears while growing a business, the importance of clarity in offerings, the challenges of showing up and being visible, and the value of consistent content creation. Eden shares insights on managing inconsistent income, cultivating abundance, and pursuing values-driven work. Gain valuable advice on rebranding, marketing expansion, and balancing selfless service with business growth strategies. Tune in for practical tips on navigating financial hurdles and transforming entrepreneurial mindsets.

After a decade in nonprofits, Eden pivoted to helping values-led businesses grow through a mixture of mindset work, mathematics, and marketing. As a learned and natural-born growth marketer devoted to projects that are making the world a more equitable and sustainable place, she's helped purpose-driven businesses reach millions and teaches holistic business at a global health coaching school. She's a certified Trauma of Money facilitator, and on a mission to help the folks who are doing the most healing, creative, regenerative work in our society nourish themselves while building profitable businesses they love.

Links:

New Money Social Club 

New Money Social Club on Instagram

Oversubscribed by Daniel Priestly

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Grant Atkinson to delve into the multifaceted world of entrepreneurship and legal services for creative businesses. Grant candidly discusses the challenges of entrepreneurship, from financial struggles and risk management to the necessity of resilience and adaptability in changing economic conditions. Grant helps us get to the bottom of why so many small business owners think they need to register their business in Delaware business and the importance of proper trademarking. 

Grant is the founder of Framework Law Group (@frameworklawgroup), a law firm dedicated to helping creative entrepreneurs navigate their business legal, including (1) registering their businesses, (2) protecting their brands, (3) getting their contracts together, and (4) navigating growth. Grant is a creative entrepreneur and launched his practice in 2014 to help demystify the legal process, and make the law more accessible to his creative peers.

Grant is also the founder of ActionResponder, an AI legal tech platform for trademark attorneys, and co-founder of Village Roots, a creative retail shop and education space in Wrightwood.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

Also, check out Framework Law Academy and the Free Jumpstart – a 16 minute gentle crash course on the three essential steps every creative should take to register and protect their business.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. In this episode of Weird Finance, The Hell Yeah Group’s editorial associate, financial coach and co-founder of Ladies Talking About Money, Cole Kalin, turns the table on this episode by interviewing Paco. In this conversation, Cole and Paco dive deep into the challenges and triumphs of running a niche bookkeeping agency. Paco shares invaluable lessons from bootstrapping a small business, discussing everything from the pitfalls of undervaluing services to the strategic benefits of targeting a specific clientele. Whether dealing with the stresses of tax season or the nuances of providing fractional CFO services, Paco's insights shed light on the complexities of financial management within creative sectors. Join us for a conversation packed with practical tips and heartfelt advice on navigating the financial intricacies of the creative industry and don't forget to check out Hell Yeah Bookkeeping’s offerings.

Thank you to Michael “Frosti” Snow for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco speaks to Caitlin Copple and Holly Conti, partners at Full Swing PR. They dive into the transformative world of public relations, exploring how it not only bolsters brand visibility but also addresses crucial social disparities. This episode delves into their journey from founding Full Swing PR to becoming a beacon for businesses aiming to scale sustainably while emphasizing the power of PR in amplifying underrepresented voices.

Caitlin and Holly are the co-owners of Full Swing Public Relations. Full Swing Public Relations (@fullswingpr) is the nation's leading agency serving small business owners from underrecognized communities. Founded in 2019, Full Swing helps BIPOC and LGBTQ+ led companies and organizations increase their visibility, credibility, and sales through expertly-executed public relations strategies.

Thank you to Anney and Samantha for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.