Are We in an AI Bubble? Here's the Honest Answer

Are we in an AI bubble? It's the trillion-dollar question — and depending on who you ask, you'll get completely opposite answers. Today, Nicole cuts through the noise and takes an honest look at what's actually happening inside the AI market right now. She breaks down why sky-high valuations on AI companies are giving investors serious dot com bubble déjà vu, the circular financing deals that are inflating demand, and why the fact that Nvidia drove roughly a fifth of the S&P 500's gains in 2025 should have every investor paying attention. But she also makes the case for why this moment is fundamentally different from 1999 and what that means for your portfolio. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:24 Both Sides of the AI Bubble Debate  00:44 How Much Money Is Actually Flowing Into AI  01:12 What Sky-High PE Ratios Really Mean  02:14 Dot Com Bubble Déjà Vu  03:32 Circular Financing 03:59 The Warren Buffett Market Indicator 04:19 What's Actually Different This Time  05:10 The Real Risks 05:36 Nicole's Honest Verdict  06:33 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Over the weekend, the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, killing the Supreme Leader and triggering a wave of retaliatory missiles across the region. This is the biggest military escalation the Middle East has seen in a generation, and it's already moving markets. Today, Nicole traces the financial chain reaction from the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal all the way to Monday's market open, and breaks down exactly what this conflict means for your portfolio right now. Oil is surging, gold is spiking, defense stocks are climbing — and travel stocks are getting crushed. Nicole explains why markets recovered faster than expected, what the historical pattern tells us about what comes next, and the one scenario that should actually worry you. She also breaks down the specific assets that go up and the ones that go down when the US is in conflict in the Middle East and makes the case for why you don't have to play offense, but you absolutely need to know how to play defense. Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:16 How We Got Here  02:32 The Ceasefire That Didn't Hold  03:02 The Strait of Hormuz: The World's Most Critical Choke Point  03:46 Will This Be a Long War?  04:36 How This Hits Your Wallet:  08:09 Why Travel and Tourism Stocks Get Hit 09:26 The Historical Pattern Every Investor Should Know  10:20 The Risks That Could Change Everything  10:50 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Bill Gurley is a Wall Street and Silicon Valley legend. He’s the analyst who led the Amazon IPO and went on to become one of the most successful VCs of all time and an early investor in Uber, Zillow, and GrubHub. Today, he joins Nicole to answer the biggest questions on investors' minds right now. Bill doesn't mince words: yes, we're in an AI bubble— and he explains exactly why, from circular spending deals that smell like Enron to the speculative behavior that always follows a real wave of innovation. He breaks down why the IPO system is rigged against retail investors, what tokenization could do to fix it, and what a SpaceX IPO would actually mean for everyday investors. He also shares the one market sector he thinks is quietly becoming a buy, and the specific Chinese battery stock he personally owns. Then the conversation shifts to Bill's new book, Runnin’ Down a Dream, and his surprisingly personal framework for building a career you actually love. He shares the question he asked himself twice that changed the entire course of his life, his research on career regret, and why chasing passion is a competitive advantage. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Get Bill's book Runnin’ Down a Dream  Here's what Nicole covers with Bill:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  01:12 SpaceX + xAI: What Elon's Deal Really Means  03:18 Why Retail Investors Keep Getting Shut Out of the Best Companies  05:55 The IPO System Is Rigged  08:36 Inside the Amazon IPO 10:40 Are We in an AI Bubble?  16:30 AI vs. the Dot-Com Bubble 21:15 Which AI Tools Bill Actually Uses  22:00 Bill's Take on AGI Hype  23:30 Where Bill Sees Opportunity Outside of Tech  27:30 The Chinese Battery Stock Bill Personally Owns  28:45 How to Evaluate Stock Options as an Employee  31:50 The Hidden Value of Joining a Fast-Growing Company  33:15 Buy Side vs. Sell Side Analysts  35:40 The Question That Changed Bill's Career Twice  38:00 Why Following Your Passion Is a Competitive Advantage  42:00 How Tito's Vodka Started with a Blank Sheet of Paper  45:20 Bill's Next Chapter: A Policy Institute  48:00 Nuclear Energy, Healthcare, and the Issues Bill Wants to Fix  51:06 Bill Gurley's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions.

President Trump wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%, and if you're one of the millions of Americans drowning in credit card debt, that sounds like a dream. But Nicole breaks down why this proposal might not be the hero story it seems, and what you should actually be doing right now while Washington debates. Nicole explains the real reason a rate cap could backfire, why people with lower credit scores could end up worse off, and the actionable moves you can make today (no legislation required). From the debt avalanche method to balance transfers, personal loans, and a surprisingly simple phone call that could save you thousands, this episode is your full playbook for escaping the high-interest debt trap. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:16 Trump's 10% Credit Card Rate Cap, Explained  01:17 Why This Isn't the Win It Sounds Like  02:10 Who Could Lose Access to Credit Entirely  02:52 The Payday Loan Trap Nobody's Talking About  03:12 What You Can Do Right Now  03:53 Know Your APR  04:31 The Debt Avalanche Method  05:09 Balance Transfer Cards and Consolidation Loans  06:27 How to Negotiate Your Interest Rate  07:01 Why Even $25 Extra a Month Matters  07:41 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions.

Behavioral scientist and bestselling author Jon Levy is back to unpack how we can leverage our own psychology to build wealth. He explains why publicly announcing your financial goals can actually sabotage them, how “if-then” plans outperform willpower, and why adopting the identity of “I’m an investor” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Then Nicole asks Jon what the science says about whether jerks make better CEOs, and he shares research-backed strategies for becoming a stronger leader. He also gets personal: how growing up as the child of immigrants affected his money mindset, the road to becoming debt-free in eight years, and the amount of money he needs in his bank account to feel safe. Nicole and Jon also discuss how financial frameworks like the sunk cost fallacy apply to relationships and whether your partner might be the best investment you’ll ever make. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Get Jon’s latest book Team Intelligence  Here’s what Nicole covers with Jon: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  01:47 Jon’s Famous Dinners Explained  04:17 Why Money is a Mental Puzzle, Not a Math Problem  06:16 Why Sharing Goals Fails  07:56 From Housing Markets to Dating Markets 09:42 Is Your Partner the Most Important Financial Decision You’ll Make?  15:09 Jon’s Leap From Debt to Social Currency  33:37 Money Values in Marriage  38:01 Should You Quit the Zombie Job? 39:27 The Chicken/Egg Problem with Success  45:25 Do CEOs Need to Be Jerks to be Successful?  49:53 What Makes a Leader  58:12 How Self Deprecation Erodes Trust  01:06:57 Jon Levy’s Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Four-year college isn’t the default anymore…  but saving for your kid’s future absolutely is. Today, Nicole breaks down the modern playbook for affording college whether your kid is a newborn, or if they’re applying to colleges now. This is your simple guide to 529 plans, custodial accounts, Coverdells, prepaid tuition plans, and the newest government-backed savings option making headlines. If you’ve ever wondered, “What happens to a 529 plan if my kid doesn’t go to college?” Nicole will teach you a smart move there, too. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here’s what Nicole covers today: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 01:11 Where To Start If You Have a Newborn 01:28 Everything You Need to Know About 529s 04:44 Where To Start If Your Kid Is in Grade School 05:42 The Pros and Cons of Custodial Accounts 08:17 Where to Start if Your Kid Is in High School 10:32 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.

Lucy Guo built one of the most talked-about AI companies in the world before most people finish college. Then, she made headlines when she dethroned Taylor Swift as the youngest self-made female billionaire. Today, she joins Nicole to talk about how she grew wealth, and how you can borrow the money lessons that only show up after you’ve already “made it.”  Lucy tells Nicole about growing up bullied for not being able to afford the cool brands, scrappy strategies she used to save money when she was building her first company, and navigating the strange attention of being labeled a billionaire while most of that wealth still isn’t liquid. She explains the routines that kept her disciplined, the hard boundaries she set around lending money after getting burned, and stories of her wild money hacks like booking refundable flights to eat free meals in the airport lounges.  Nicole and Lucy also dive into the hidden playbook of startup money and the creator economy: how Lucy’s fundraising secret is to manufacture FOMO, why the wealthy borrow instead of sell, and the monetization strategy all creators should adopt.  Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Keep up with Lucy on Instagram and learn more about Passes Here’s what Nicole covers with Lucy:00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 01:17 Lucy’s Routine and the Impact of Success on Hustle 03:39 Childhood Bullying05:08 Lucy’s Confidence Reset 08:20 Unpacking “Paper Wealth” and Liquidity 13:40 Should You Lend Money to Friends? 14:35 Lucy’s Investing Thesis 18:34 FOMO Strategy in Fundraising 22:22 Billionaire Money Tips 25:03 The Robbery Attempt 27:38 Money Saving Hacks 33:43 Stigma Around “Work Hard, Play Hard” 37:24 Passes and the Creator Economy 53:45 Lucy Guo’s Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Today, Nicole breaks down the viral tax strategy everyone on social media is talking about — the claim that buying a short-term rental can legally wipe out your taxes. She explains the simple idea behind bonus depreciation, why it creates massive upfront write-offs, and how real estate investors use upgrades and accounting strategy to dramatically lower taxable income. But she also pulls back the curtain on the part influencers skip: why a $0 tax bill doesn’t automatically mean you made money, how much cash you still need to spend, and the risks hiding behind the hype. The Money Rehab Episode About Whether Home Ownership is Overrated   Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:53 Bonus Depreciation 101 03:10 What Changed with the  Big Beautiful Bill 03:38 What Qualifies (and What Doesn’t) 04:22 Fact-Checking the Viral Airbnb Example  05:37 The Caveats 05:54 Cost Segregation Study Workaround 07:36 Don’t Let the Tax Tail Wag the Dog’  09:10 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Neil Patel’s origin story involves borrowing from his parents’ life savings to keep his startup alive. Not only did his plan work, but he built a million-dollar company, advised companies including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft— and, he paid his parents back. Today, Neil breaks down the money lessons he learned once he made it big. He shares why he still drives a minivan despite being able to afford something bougie, the unusual way he teaches his kids about taxes, and the important distinction he makes between success and wealth. Then, Nicole and Neil get tactical and dig into the future of getting discovered online. Neil explains why traditional search is dead and how to adapt, what founders can do if they have a $0 marketing budget, and the SEO do’s and don’ts of naming your business.  Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Check out Answer the Public, the free tool Neil mentioned in this conversation Find more of Neil’s work and resources here Here’s what Nicole covers with Neil: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 01:09 Launching Crazy Egg and Borrowing From Parents 06:42 Next Ventures and Kissmetrics  09:43 Do’s and Don’ts of Naming Businesses 15:31 NP Digital’s Massive Success vs Personal Success 21:19 Neil’s Perspective on Wealth, and the “Big R” Framework 29:32 Hot Takes on Money 30:07 Teaching Taxes Through Ice Cream 32:15 Living with Less and Financial Goals 38:45 Trust Funds and Regrets 42:09 Actionable Digital Marketing Advice for Business Owners 42:26 Choose Your Fighter: Email List, Website or Instagram? 44:59 Why Traditional Search is Dead 46:59 SEO vs AEO 55:29 Marketing Tips for a $0 Budget 01:00:49 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Millions of pages from the Epstein files have been unsealed, but they leave behind even more unanswered questions about how the money and criminal network actually worked. Today, Nicole traces the financial trail behind Jeffrey Epstein’s fortune—what we know, what prosecutors could never fully explain, and how a man with no real business amassed hundreds of millions of dollars. Nicole breaks down Epstein’s mysterious rise from Wall Street suit to shadowy “financial consultant,” the ultra-wealthy clients who funded the majority of his income, and the explosive reputational fallout that continues to ripple across corporations, universities, and global power players. She also sets straight the rumors that Epstein created Bitcoin, and explains the real financial consequences of association in today’s markets. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here’s what Nicole covers today: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 00:18 The Epstein Files: A Who's Who of Power 00:58 Following Epstein's Money Trail 04:42 Financial Fallout of the Epstein Files 06:20 The Bitcoin Theory 07:28 Ongoing Legal Battles and Reputational Risks 09:22 The Power of Survivors All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.