Episode 474: How Two Nurses Built a Thriving Med Spa Business in Brooklyn w/ Wendy Jules & Carla Nelson

Have you ever felt a pull toward something that didn't quite make sense logically, but you couldn't ignore it? That inner nudge to try something new, take a risk, or step outside the expected path? In this episode, I sit down with Damali Alexander, someone I've known for years and always admired for the way she moves through life with intention, courage, and trust in herself. From starting as a teacher to building multiple businesses, investing in real estate, and even moving to Brazil, Damali shares how following her intuition has shaped her journey. We talk about what it really looks like to pivot, take risks without having everything figured out, and build a life that prioritizes freedom over convention. In this episode, we discuss: How Damali transitioned from teaching to entrepreneurship and investing Why trusting your intuition can open unexpected opportunities The difference between being broke and having a scarcity mindset How to think about risks, mistakes, and "tuition" in your journey Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out the FIRE Calc Get your paperback edition 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

What does it really look like to build a business from the ground up while balancing family, finances, and faith? In this episode, I sit down with sisters Wendy Jules and Carla Nelson to talk about their journey from nursing careers to founding a thriving med spa in Brooklyn. They share how they started with limited resources, leaned on community support, and turned a single machine in a basement into a profitable, purpose-driven business. We also talk about the financial realities of entrepreneurship, the flexibility and power of nursing as a career, and why relationships are often more valuable than money when building something meaningful. In this episode, Wendy and Carla discuss: How nursing can be a pathway to financial freedom and flexibility What it took to start and fund a med spa with limited capital The role of relationships, community, and trust in building a business Why customer experience and connection are key to long-term success  What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Naseema's episodes on Journey to Launch Paying Off $1 Million Dollars of Debt With "The Debt Slayer" Naseema McElroy How This Nurse Earns $230K Salary While Balancing Motherhood & Entrepreneurship How Single Mom Naseema Went From Broke To Paying Off $300,000 in Debt Check out the FIRE Calc Get your paperback edition 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 Wendy & Carla: Website: www.fdlbeauty.com Instagram:@fleurdelisbeauty Visit them at 1468 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 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  

From homeless to bartending at Coyote Ugly, today's guest has gone through it all when it comes to working the service industry. Barbara Sloan is author of "Tipped: The Life Changing Guide to Financial Freedom For Waitresses, Bartenders, Strippers and All Other Service Industry Professionals," and a personal finance expert.  She's spent two decades working in every imaginable position in the service industry, in addition to owning and running a woman-owned construction company in Manhattan. Now, she helps other service industry professionals map their way to financial independence. We talk about the unique challenges that face over 4 million service industry professionals, how these workers can use the system to their benefit and all of the mistakes Barbara made on her own way to financial literacy. In this episode, we discuss: What a service industry professional is + their unique career and financial opportunities + challenges How to budget with an inconsistent or fluctuating income + how to build in buffers during seasonal work Advice on how service industry professionals can increase their income + begin to invest The transition from being hired at a construction company to owning it + more What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Grab your copy of Tipped by Barbara Sloan Check out the FIRE Calc Get your paperback edition 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 Barbara: Website Facebook Instagram:@TippedFinance Twitter:@TippedFinance  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 caught yourself choosing work over something that actually matters even after you've done everything "right"? That's exactly what happened to me, and it made me pause in a way I didn't expect. When my podcast guest cancelled, I decided to record a solo episode instead. Shortly after, I received a call from the school nurse that my son wasn't feeling well and needed to be picked up. But instead of immediately going to get him, my first thought was whether I could still get some work done. That moment stopped me. Because I've intentionally built a life with flexibility. I don't have to release an episode every Wednesday. I set my own schedule. I make the rules. And yet, that instinct to prioritize work was still there. In this episode, I open up about something we don't talk about enough in the financial freedom conversation: reaching your goal is one milestone, but trusting it and allowing yourself to fully live within it is something entirely different. The same hustle that helps you build your life can also begin to limit you, and achieving freedom doesn't automatically undo the conditioning that got you there. In this episode, I discuss: Why the habits that helped you reach financial freedom can begin to work against you The difference between knowing you have flexibility and actually feeling it What I'm still learning about modeling both rest and resilience for my kids The deeper, often overlooked work of learning to trust the life you've built + more What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out the FIRE Calc Get your paperback edition 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 episode, I sit down with Drew Lee, a former engineer turned personal finance content creator, who made a bold decision to walk away from a six figure career more than once to pursue a life of flexibility and purpose.  Drew reached Coast FI, where your investments grow on their own to fund retirement, in his late 20s, and shares how that freedom changed the way he thinks about work. We talk about the realities behind quitting a stable job, navigating uncertainty, and what it really takes to pursue your passions, especially when you have a family. Drew also opens up about working hourly jobs by choice, building a content brand from scratch, and the mindset shifts that helped him stay committed even when things were not working. In This Episode Drew shares: How he reached Coast FI with a $300K net worth by age 29 Why quitting a six figure job was not a one time decision How low expenses gave him the flexibility to take risks The moment his content finally took off and became profitable + more What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your paperback edition 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 Drew: Instagram: @dollarswithdrew 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 episode, I'm joined by Amanda Holden, who has built a powerful platform making investing feel truly accessible. She's now bringing that same approach to her new book, How to Be a Rich Old Lady. We dive into what it really takes to build wealth, why so many people get stuck before they even get started, and how investing isn't about being perfect, it's about taking action. Here's what we discuss: What financial independence really looks like beyond a number and how it gives you the freedom to choose how you live and work + more Why choosing between a 401(k) and a Roth IRA matters less than actually getting started and investing consistently How to think about investing while in debt and when to prioritize paying it off vs. building wealth The mindset shift needed to start investing even if you feel late or unsure, and why doing nothing guarantees staying stuck What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Amanda's book, How to be a Rich Old Lady Listen to Episode 280: Saving $30k To Quit Corporate America & Pivot To Teaching Women How To Invest With Amanda Holden Get your paperback edition 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 Amanda: Website: amanda-holden.com Instagram: @dumpster.doggy Twitter: @dumpster.doggy 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 episode, I'm excited to welcome back Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung from the Millennial Revolution. Since the last time they were on the show, they've become parents and recently released a new book called Parent Like a Millionaire (Without Being One). In this conversation, we talk about how their perspective on money and financial independence evolved after having a child and how parents can raise financially resilient kids without feeling pressure to overspend. Kristy and Bryce share how avoiding lifestyle creep helped them accelerate their path to financial independence, why financial stability can make parenting less stressful, and how families can focus on their values instead of societal expectations when it comes to spending on their kids. They also break down practical ways parents can teach children about money, responsibility, and resilience from an early age. In This Episode You'll Learn • How Kristy and Bryce were able to reach financial independence in their 30s and why avoiding lifestyle creep played a major role • How becoming parents shifted their perspective on money, time, and what financial freedom really means • Practical ways parents can reduce the cost of raising kids while still focusing on what matters most • How to help kids develop resilience, responsibility, and a healthy relationship with money What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Kristy and Bryce's book, Parent Like a Millionaire (Without Being One) Listen to Episode 105: How To Quit Like a Millionaire So You Can Stop Working & Start Living With Kristy & Bryce Listen to Episode 11: Rejecting Homeownership, Traveling the World & Retiring by 31 Years Old Get your paperback edition 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 Kristy and Bryce: Website: Millennial-Revolution.com Twitter: @FIRECracker_Rev Facebook: @MillennialRevolutionBlog   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  

Sahirenys Pierce joins the Journey to Launch Podcast to break down the money system that completely transformed her financial life: the High Five Banking Method. In this powerful conversation, Sahirenys opens up about how navigating the 2008 recession, walking away from corporate finance, becoming a mom, and preparing for her son's open-heart surgery forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew about money. What emerged wasn't just a budgeting tweak, it was a structured banking system built to create clarity, stability, and peace of mind during life's most overwhelming seasons. In this episode, we explore: Why traditional budgeting often falls apart when life gets hard How to build a simple but strategic banking structure The role emotional security plays in financial decision-making How to design a system that supports you in both calm and crisis + more. This conversation is about more than managing money, it's about creating structure with purpose, reducing financial stress, and building systems that truly hold up under pressure. Sahirenys now shares this framework more broadly in her book, The High Five Banking Method: A Money System You Can Count On. What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Sahirenys book: The High Five Banking Method: A Money System You Can Count On Listen to Episode 157- Organize & Simplify Your Money Using This Simple Method w/ Sahirenys Pierce Get your paperback edition 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 Sahirenys: Website: ThePoisedLifestyle.com Instagram: @PoisedFinanceLifestyle Twitter: @Sahirenys Facebook: @PoisedFinanceLifestyle YouTube 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 joined by healthcare compliance expert and entrepreneur Keisha Wilson for a powerful conversation about career pivots, betting on yourself, caregiving, and building financial flexibility before you realize you'll need it. Keisha shares how she transitioned from corporate leadership into entrepreneurship, how that decision gave her the flexibility to care for her mother through stage four cancer and a devastating home explosion, and why preparation, advocacy, and hard financial conversations matter more than we think. This episode is about resilience, faith, and creating options that protect your peace and your family. In This Episode, Keisha Shares: How medical coding became a high-demand, lucrative career path and why skill-building creates long-term flexibility  What it really takes to leave a steady paycheck and build a consulting business from scratch  The emotional and financial realities of caregiving and why advocacy and second medical opinions matter  The importance of wills, healthcare proxies, power of attorney, and financial transparency before crisis hits  Why building freedom and flexibility now can prepare you for life's unexpected turns What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your paperback edition 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 Keisha: Website: byhersidefaithfulcaregiver.com Instagram: @_FaithfulCaregiver Twitter: x.com/_faithfulcareg 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 episode, I chat with Lee-Ann Pinkard, who was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and later moved to the U.S. for college at Howard University. She built a career in construction project management and, years later, purchased a beachside property in Jamaica that she now runs as a short-term rental, a property I personally had the pleasure of staying in. We explore what it really takes to buy property in Jamaica, the realities of managing an Airbnb from abroad, how she balances corporate life, motherhood and her long-term plan to retire back home. In this episode, we discuss: Lee-Ann's journey and career path – Growing up in Kingston, studying engineering at Howard University, and building a career in construction management in the U.S. Buying and financing property in Jamaica – What it really takes to purchase abroad, how mortgages and banking differ from the U.S., and the importance of local connections The real costs and challenges of owning an overseas Airbnb – Unexpected expenses, hurricane impacts, solar panel investments, and managing a short-term rental remotely Investing with purpose and planning for retirement – The emotional connection to returning home, building long-term wealth, and redefining retirement beyond simply not working What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Listen to my episode "What My Recent Trip to Jamaica Reminded Me About Wealth, Gratitude, and Resilience" Get your paperback edition 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 Lee-Ann & Learn More About Sea Miracle Jamaica: Website: SeaMiracleJamaica.com Instagram: @SeaMiracleJamaica 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