Episode 385: Retiring Early, Paying Off The Mortgage, & Having Space To Focus On Joy With Journeyer Leilani Reed-Logan

This week on the podcast, we chat with returning guest, Brandon Copeland, a 10-year NFL veteran and CEO of Athletes for College Athletes, who discusses his new book "Your Money Playbook".  In this conversation, Brandon emphasizes the importance of financial hustle, smart spending, and legacy planning. He shares his early NFL experiences, highlighting the necessity of saving plus stresses the significance of financial education and having a support system.  In this episode Brandon discusses:  The concept of the "art of the hustle" in his book, emphasizing the importance of earning and creating a life you want. His early NFL career and the financial challenges he faced, including the impact of taxes and deductions on his paychecks.  The importance of having a financial team and a support system to hold each other accountable.  Leaving a legacy beyond just money, including values and financial literacy plus more  Other Links Mentioned in episode: Get your copy of Brandon's book at YourMoneyPlaybook.com Building Multiple Streams Of Income, Diversifying Your Passions, And Knowing Your Why With NFL Player Brandon Copeland Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 Brandon: Website: YourMoneyPlaybook.com Instagram: @BCope51 Twitter: @BCope51 TikTok:@BCope51 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, I’m bringing you a long overdue solo episode, catching you up on what's been happening in my life and business lately. I talk about our decision to skip summer camp for the kids this year, allowing us to spend more quality time together as a family while I took a break from work. I also reflect on how I'm managing the business at a slower pace, thanks to relying on savings and the importance of planning for fluctuating income. Plus, I share my journey of preparing for my first half marathon, the Reggae Marathon in Jamaica this December (which also coincides with the 1 year anniversary of my book release, "Your Journey To Financial Freedom", along with some other exciting projects on the horizon! In This Episode I Share: Why we opted out of summer camp, how I prepared the business in order to be free from work, & the importance of having help in order to be able to relax and recharge. Why you should save and invest to ensure financial stability during slow business months and how having that solid financial foundation brings you confidence during challenging times. The importance of having a positive mindset and looking for opportunities and lessons in everyday experiences. The Well Read Black Girl Book Festival in October and my new community project, Freedom Quest which is in beta and aims to support people on their journey to financial independence! Other Links Mentioned in episode: The Reggae Marathon The Well Read Black Girl Book Festival Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 have a powerful conversation with Esther Hyun, a stage four colorectal cancer survivor and lawyer, who opens up about her journey to financial independence. Esther highlights the need to balance financial goals with personal well-being, while stressing the importance of preventative health care. She also discusses the financial challenges of navigating cancer treatment, such as unexpected out-of-network medical bills, and underscores the value of life insurance, estate planning, and much more. In this episode, we discuss:  Esther’s financial foundations which allowed her to be debt-free except for student loans and how she contributes to HSAs and 401(k)s to build wealth Esther’s experience of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 36, the financial impact it had on her, and the importance of having a plan in place for unexpected events. Life insurance, estate planning, and balancing financial independence with enjoying life in the present. Other Links Mentioned in episode: All About The Health Savings Account (HSA) -The Ultimate Retirement and Investment Account w/ Jackie Koski Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 Esther: Instagram:@ParentingwithCancer TikTok: @ParentingwithCancer 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, Amina AlTai, a holistic business and career coach, discusses her journey from burnout to wellness. She shares her experience of nearly dying from organ failure due to overwork and stress & emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and advocating for oneself. She advises listeners to identify and address tolerations, practice micro habits for well-being, seek support from allies + much more.  In this episode, you’ll learn: About the concept of microdosing joy and the importance of inviting joy into every moment, even in challenging situations. How Amina set boundaries and created a work-life balance while still working in her traditional job. About the wage gap and the importance of advocating for pay equity within organizations. Of the value of micro habits and small actions that can lead to significant improvements in one's life. Other Links Mentioned in episode: Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 Amina: Website: AminaAlTai.com Instagram:@AminaAlTai Facebook: @AminaAlTai 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

Cassandra Henry is a Journeyer from Bronx, New York, who is paying off debt and investing in herself. Cassandra is a first generation Dominican American and at 25 years old she was her family’s breadwinner. As a result, she quickly learned the importance of taking control of her finances and her debt. Cassandra shares how she eliminated credit card debt and boosted her income with side hustles. In this episode, you'll learn:  How Cassandra started following a financial minimalist approach which helped her pay off her credit card debt How changing her mindset was key to tackling debt and improving her financial situation. Why Cassandra encourages others to educate themselves, invest in personal development, and seek out communities or resources that support financial growth. Other Links Mentioned in episode: Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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

Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author of seven books including his latest, “Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking,” and INC Magazine Top 100 Leadership speaker, joins the podcast to discuss how overthinking affects the results we have in life and how to rewire our thoughts so that we can make progress towards our goals.  We all have the ability to change our unhealthy patterns of overthinking from a super problem to a superpower. We just need a little help along the way. If you’re ready to unlearn and reprogram your thoughts, listen to this episode! In this episode we share: How what we tell ourselves + what we think leads to our emotions and actions Why most people over-focus on their actions, and never change the underlying results Actionable steps to take to rewire our brains to be more positive The power of aligned thinking with aligned action + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 Jon: Website Instagram:@JonAcuff Facebook:@AuthorJonAcuff Twitter:@JonAcuff 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

If you didn’t have to work again for money, what would you really do with your time? We often hear about retiring early in the context of someone quitting their corporate job to work on their own business. But what if you truly didn’t have to work and could really live your life on your own terms?  On this episode of the Journey To Launch Podcast, we have a returning guest, Purple who shares her life after early retirement.  Purple retired from corporate America with a portfolio of $500k+ at the young age of 30 right before the 2020 pandemic. She explains what she does with her time now that she is no longer working, how she strives to live an intentional, purpose driven life, and how the pandemic was a catalyst for exiting the work-force. In this episode, we discuss: How fear during the pandemic pushed Purple to retire early Realistically living off of $20,000 + what that lifestyle looks like The nomad lifestyle + how it saves Purple money Strategies for withdrawing money, what a Roth Conversion ladder is, + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: journeytolaunch.com/episode126  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 Purple: Website Instagram: @APurpleLife Twitter: @APurpleLifeBlog 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 episode is sponsored by Fortress Debt. Get a free personalized debt playoff plan by clicking here. Norly Jean-Charles, attorney, financial independence follower, and Journeyer, joins the podcast to discuss her path from  Haitain immigrant in Brooklyn to Penn Law Graduate. We chat about how her roots shaped her money narrative, why the strong women in her life are cornerstones to her success, and how she has kept her financial goals in the forefront of her life.  In this episode we discuss: Negotiating rent, being strategic with student loan debt, + living below your means The importance of exploring educational and career-based programs and resources How Haitain culture and her immigration experience shaped her money narrative How she went from a Columbia University Anthropology BA to University of Pennsylvania Law School Buying her mother’s first home in Florida during the pandemic  How Norly networked her way to a six-figure career as a lawyer + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: Check out Fortress, a revolutionary AI tool designed to guide you out of debt swiftly and effectively by going to journeytolaunch.com/fortress https://www.prepforprep.org  https://www.abetterchance.org  https://oliverscholars.org  https://www.prepforprep.org/admissions/prep-9-7th-grade/the-boarding-school-experience  https://www.teachforamerica.org https://www.instagram.com/personalfinanceclub/ Check out my new personal website here. Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 episode is sponsored by Fortress Debt . Get a free personalized debt playoff plan by clicking here. Leilani Reed-Logan, Journeyer and financial independence (FI) enthusiast, joins the podcast to discuss how Journey To Launch changed her life and why she is choosing happiness above all else, thanks to her newfound financial freedom at age 45. We talk about why Leilani decided to set out on the path to FI, despite being “older,” the lessons she learned from listening to this podcast, and how COVID became the catalyst for her to walk away from corporate America forever. In this episode we discuss: Why Leilani stepped away from a $200,000 per year salary job  Choosing what sparks joy in your life over everything else The ways financial independence changed Leilani’s life  Steps Leilani took to pay off her mortgage early How you can increase your career income + more  Other Links Mentioned in episode: https://www.journeytolaunch.com/episode141 https://www.journeytolaunch.com/episode40 Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 Leilani: Instagram:@Twist.Mix.Sip Facebook:@LeilaniReed-Logan 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 rewind episode, LeDo and Shameka McDowell talk about their relationship and how they paid off $32,000 in debt and built $100,000 in net worth. Once they got on the same financial page, they were unstoppable.  LeDo and Shameka are creators of the podcast The Marital Mission, a podcast about married life for young couples. They share with us an honest conversation about how to get your partner on board with your financial goals, the struggles that come with becoming debt-free, how to have the money talk with your partner, and more. In this episode, you will learn: Practical ways to get on the same financial page with your partner How to cut your expenses and reach your financial goals The importance of putting communication first The difference between the avalanche and the debt snowball debt payoff methods and more Other Links Mentioned in episode: If you liked this episode you might also like A Money Chat With My Husband + The Budget Boot Camp. In this episode, my husband and I talk about my crazy money goals and his relationship with money. Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp for FREE Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List 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 LeDo & Shameka: Website: TheMaritalMission.com Instagram: @TheMaritalMission Twitter: @MaritalMission Facebook: @TheMaritalMission 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 Get The Budget Bootcamp for FREE