Episode 450: How A Government Shutdown Sparked Her Debt-Free Revolution & $200K Debt Payoff w/ Nika Booth

In this powerful and transparent episode of Journey to Launch, I sit down with Nika Booth, award-winning financial coach, content creator, and founder of Debt Free Gonna Be, to unpack how she paid off more than $200,000 in debt while refusing to sacrifice joy along the way. From student loans and credit card balances to IRS debt and government furloughs, Nika shares the raw truth behind her financial journey, the highs, the setbacks, and the emotional lessons that reshaped her mindset about money, self-worth, and freedom. She opens up about her early money mistakes, growing up in a household where finances weren't discussed, and how the 2019 federal shutdown became the wake-up call that sparked her debt-free mission. Nika also reveals what it really felt like to finally see her student loan balance hit $0, and how she's now helping others find hope, healing, and fun in their own money journeys. In This Episode, You'll Learn: How Nika Booth paid off over $200K in debt from credit cards to student loans, without sacrificing fun or joy The pivotal 2019 federal shutdown that sparked her debt-free journey and reshaped her money mindset What it really felt like to finally see her student loan balance hit $0 through Public Service Loan Forgiveness How she turned Debt Free Gonna Be from a personal goal into a thriving community helping thousands manage money with confidence Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Free Shutdown Resource List  Crush Your Credit Card Debt Course Get your copy of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Nika: Website: DebtFreeGonnaBe.com Instagram: @DebtFreeGonnaBe Twitter: @DebtFreeGonnaBe Facebook: @DebtFreeGonnaBe Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Have you ever had a solution sitting right in front of you, but didn't realize it until later? That happened to me just last week at the park and it reminded me how often the answers we're searching for in life, money, or personal growth are hiding in plain sight. In this solo episode, I share a simple moment that made me completely rethink how I approach everyday challenges and how mindset plays a huge role in seeing what's already available to us. This story might just help you spot the solution you've been overlooking in your own journey. In This Episode, I share: The story of how a small moment at the park revealed a big life lesson How mindset and readiness determine what we're able to see and act on Why curiosity is your superpower in money, career, and personal growth Practical ways to uncover the answers that are right in front of you How small actions can compound into big results over time Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your copy of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

In this solo episode, I share a powerful reminder that the very challenges and obstacles we face on the journey to financial freedom are often what make us stronger. I start by revisiting a story I mentioned in my book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom, about the Biosphere 2 experiment where trees grew quickly in perfect, windless conditions but fell before maturing because they never developed the strength to sustain themselves. That missing "wind" reminded me of how important challenges are in our own growth. Just like those trees, when we try to avoid friction or rush toward quick wins, we might grow fast but not strong. The "wind" in our lives, the job losses, tight budgets, market downturns, and unexpected setbacks builds the stress and resilience we need to stand tall and stay grounded when life pushes back. In This Episode, I Talk About: How stress and challenges build strength and how the moments that slow you down, like money, stress or tough life changes, are what prepare you for long-term success. Why sustainable growth matters more than speed. Quick wins feel good, but real freedom comes from patience, consistency, and a strong foundation. How to reframe "going slow". Going slow isn't failure, it's building roots deep enough to handle life's wind. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your copy of Your Journey To Financial Freedom & Turn to page 102 to read more about the Biosphere 2 story and other lessons that can shift your money mindset. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

I'm sharing a special episode this week, from Dr. Sharon Malone. On Dr. Sharon's new podcast, The Second Opinion, women take back the conversation on health with straight talk, real experience, and the care we all deserve. You'll hear prominent female advocates, experts and patients just like you sharing how they confronted gaps in our healthcare system and got second opinions that saved their lives. Alongside each guest, Dr. Sharon tackles the questions and topics we've been conditioned to ignore the ones we search for at 3 a.m. but never bring up at the doctor's office. From dismissed symptoms to systemic failures, she pulls back the curtain on what's really going on in women's health and gives women the tools to advocate for themselves and each other.   In this episode, Dr. Sharon talks to journalist Elaine Welteroth about Elaine's birthing journey, how she's working to make birth joyful again, and how her new non-profit, birthFUND, is helping families get access to life-saving midwifery care. Find more episodes of The Second Opinion with Dr. Sharon Malone here. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Listen to the Second Opinion Podcast with Dr. Sharon Malone, here. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

In this solo episode, I'm breaking down one of the most important concepts on the path to financial freedom, the difference between saving and investing, and why you need both. I share how growing up with a single mom and grandmother who were natural savers taught me early lessons about money, and how those habits helped me buy my first condo at 22. But I also talk about how saving alone wasn't enough, I needed to learn how to make my money work for me through investing. I walk you through what saving and investing really mean, how they serve different purposes, and how using both intentionally can help you build stability now and freedom later. In This Episode, I Share: How saving creates safety and peace of mind, while investing builds long-term wealth and freedom. Why inflation quietly eats away at your savings if you're not investing. My simple rule of thumb, build your emergency fund, pay off debt, invest consistently, and keep saving for short-term goals. The real difference in growth; how $10K can become about $10.5K in savings but over $46K when invested long term. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

This week on the Journey to Launch Podcast, I'm diving into the money rules that have guided me and the ones I've intentionally broken along the way. Rules are meant to serve as frameworks, not prisons. Over the years, I've adapted, reshaped, and sometimes completely tossed out rules that no longer served me. I want you to walk away from this conversation inspired to define your own rules, question the ones you've been following, and give yourself permission to evolve as your journey unfolds. In this episode I share: ✨ Why I treat my financial goals like mandatory expenses and how that mindset changed everything for me ✨ The role of automation in reducing stress and keeping me consistent with saving and investing ✨ The importance of building a safety net and FU money, and how it's given me the freedom to take risks ✨ The rules I've broken, like budgeting every penny, never using credit cards, and saving every last dollar and how shifting away from them actually helped me grow Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

In this week's episode of the Journey to Launch Podcast, I'm joined by two amazing women, Roshida Dowe and Stephanie Perry, co-founders of the Exodus Summit. Both of them walked away from traditional careers, Roshida as a lawyer and Stephanie as a pharmacy technician, to create lives centered around freedom, travel, and joy. We talk about how they each made the leap to move abroad, what it really takes to prepare financially and emotionally, and how you can start creating more options for yourself, no matter your current circumstances. In this episode, you'll learn: How Roshida and Stephanie turned career breaks into permanent lifestyle shifts abroad What it really takes to prepare financially (even on modest salaries) The mindset shifts needed to let go of fear, attachments, and over-planning Why building community is key, and how the Exodus Summit helps Black women design lives of freedom abroad Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out The Exodus Summit happening on October 10-13, 2025, created by Black women, for Black women and their families to learn how to make money to move abroad. Go to journeytolaunch.com/exodus.  Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with ExodUS Summit: Website: ExodusSummit.com Instagram:@ExodusSummit Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Hey Journeyers! I'm back on the mic after taking the summer off. In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on what it means to truly live financial freedom, not just chase it. Over the last few months, I've stepped back from hustle mode to embrace rest, family time, and the flexible lifestyle I've worked so hard to create. I'm sharing candid updates about my summer sabbatical, how I balance business with family life, and the lessons I've learned about honoring the season you're in. From budgeting less rigidly to leaning into the "commander stage" of financial independence, I talk about the power of preparation, setting boundaries, and redefining productivity. This isn't an episode packed with hard financial tips, but it's full of observations, encouragement, and reminders to honor where you are on your own journey. In this episode I share: ✨ Why I intentionally take summers off and how I plan for it ✨ The freedom (and challenges) of embracing slower, less productive seasons ✨ How I budget and set up my finances to allow for sabbaticals ✨ The importance of knowing your current "Journeyer Stage" ✨ Lessons on comparison, privilege, and building financial flexibility ✨ My reflections on what's next for Journey to Launch Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide