Financial Feminist

At 25, I had $100,000 in the bank. At 27, I was a millionaire. And today I’m handing you my actual formula. Plenty of articles boil my story down to “save money, invest, start a business.” That’s technically true and practically useless. In this episode, I’m breaking down what I did between 25 and 27 that made the biggest difference, which parts you can copy, and which parts came from privilege I didn’t earn. I graduated debt-free and grew up with parents who taught me about money, and that shaped the conditions I made my decisions in. Personal finance is personal, so treat this as a formula you adapt to your own life instead of a script to copy line for line. Mentioned in this episode: The $100K Blueprint: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/the-1how-id-save-my-first-100k-in-2026/  Negotiate Like a Woman with Kathryn Valentine: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/negotiate-like-a-woman/ How to Negotiate with Confidence: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/negotiate-with-confidence/  Learn the exact strategies I used to save money, pay off debt, and get my first $100K. Visit: ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠. 00:00 Intro 01:10 How Her First $100K started 03:02 The privilege in my story 05:08 #1: Solid financial habits 08:31 Start acting like a millionaire now 09:28 #2: Growing my earning power 10:21 Why cutting your budget only goes so far 13:50 Going full-time in 2020 14:37 If entrepreneurship isn’t for you 16:44 #3: Building a financial system 19:48 Why I unapologetically want money 23:18 My favorite part of being a millionaire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traditional budgeting doesn’t work. In episode two of Financial Foundations, brought to you by State Farm, I'm showing you how to budget without hating your life. We'll reframe budgeting as a permission slip instead of a punishment. Budgeting doesn't mean you can’t ever have a latte, or buy organic, or even say no to a vacation. Creating a budget is as personal as your favorite band, which means that these one-size-fits-all solutions might be more the problem than you. Today we'll walk through my three-bucket budget, and find your three value categories: the parts of your life where spending brings you the most joy. Then we'll pull out the money diary from episode one and see whether your spending matches what you actually care about. Catch-up on the Financial Foundations series: Financial Foundations Episode 1: Your Money Blueprint: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/money-blueprint/ Save your seat in this 2-part workshop series that turns your “I wish I could quit my job” into a specific, actionable plan to get you out of your job in 90 days or less. Get access here: ⁠⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠.  00:00 Intro 01:03 How to budget without hating your life 01:56 Refresher: the financial priority list 02:54 Why budgets fail like diets 03:23 Your budget is a gas gauge 04:50 Permission slip, not punishment 05:38 Why I hated every budget app 06:20 The three-bucket budget 07:51 Automate, automate, automate 08:44 Your three value categories 10:37 My coffee-as-a-walk confession 11:37 "Should" spending: museums, dinners, and bachelorette parties 12:51 Exercise: sort your money diary 14:09 Ask this at every checkout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat in this 2-part workshop series that turns your “I wish I could quit my job” into a specific, actionable plan to get you out of your job in 90 days or less. Get access here: ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠. Today I'm sitting down with Natalie Ellis, mom, CEO, and founder of Boss Babe, and author of the New York Times bestseller The Freedom-Based Business Method. Natalie built a multimillion-dollar company and then realized she'd been running it on an aggressive growth playbook for a business she never planned to sell. We get into why burnout isn't a badge of honor, why the median follower count in Natalie's survey of six-figure-plus business owners will shock you, and the three boring things that actually make a business work. If you run a business, want to start one, or just keep buying courses hoping the next one fixes it, this is your episode. Natalie’s Links: Websites: https://www.bossbabe.com/ ; https://www.natalie-ellis.com/ Book: https://bookshop.org/a/90037/9781401997373  Mentioned during the show: How to Reinvent Yourself (Without Losing Yourself) with Sophia Amoruso: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/reinventing-yourself-sophia-amoruso/ The Rise and Fall of the Girlboss: https://www.diabolicalliespod.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-girlboss 00:00 Intro  04:30 Is burnout the price of hustle? Energy-giving vs. energy-draining work 08:00 Why "more organization" isn't the fix: the three questions your business runs on 10:30 Big decisions vs. small ones, in business and personal finance 12:00 Natalie's Trojan horse course strategy 15:00 Tori's viral video and the 100,000 email subscribers 18:00 Building on land you own: why email beats followers 20:00 Shiny objects: new products, new platforms 26:00 One platform, one offer, and why you can't over-market a product 29:00 What to cut first: start with your data 31:00 Offer, funnel, traffic (build, borrow, or buy an audience) 34:00 Getting off the treadmill: executive retreats and "what do you want?" 37:00 Leaving easy money on the table 40:00 Seasons of sprint and giving yourself grace 44:00 Building for freedom when you're just getting started 47:00 The responsibility nobody posts about 52:00 The Boss Babe name, ten-plus years later 54:00 Hustle culture, soft life, and tradwife content 62:00 What successful women entrepreneurs know Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You told us Financial Foundations was your favorite series, so we brought it back. Presented by State Farm, these are short, actionable episodes, each one covering a single personal finance pillar and giving you one thing to go do. We're following along with my book, Financial Feminist, so if you have a copy, pull it out. In episode one, I'm walking you through your first money memory, the exact order to tackle your financial goals, and how to actually stay consistent with a monthly money date. If you've ever asked "Okay, but what do I do first with my money?", start here. To find all of the resources mentioned in this episode including my free money quiz and my partner recommendation for your emergency fund), visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠.  00:00 Intro 01:03 Welcome to Financial Foundations 02:17 Your financial narrative and your first money memory 03:54 How your money memory shows up today 06:05 The financial order of operations 06:56 Why your emergency fund comes first 08:26 Priority two: high-interest debt 09:18 Priority three: investing for retirement and paying down low-interest debt 10:04 Priority four: saving for the big stuff 11:04 Staying consistent and the ostrich effect 12:37 Financial self-care and the money date 13:33 How to run your money date, step by step 15:15 Your homework: the money diary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is so valuable, we decided to run it back. It's all about unlocking what I truly believe is the easiest money you will ever make — and yes, it’s as simple and lazy-girl-friendly as it sounds. I’m breaking down the one passive income strategy that requires zero extra hours, zero new skills, and absolutely zero stress: a high-yield savings account. If you’ve ever wished you could make money while taking a nap, running errands, or sipping a drink on the beach, this episode shows you exactly how to make your existing money work harder for you, without sacrificing your already-packed schedule. Looking for a HYSA? We've done the research for you. See our partner recommendation (terms apply): https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod 00:00 Intro 01:14 The Problem with Checking Accounts 02:44 Why High-Yield Savings Accounts Matter 04:21 How to Set Up and Use a HYSA 08:44 The Power of Earning Interest 09:23 Using HYSA for Emergency Funds & Goals 10:22 Overcoming Myths & Fears 12:24 Making Money Passively 14:03 Is My Money Safe? 15:10 Final Thoughts & How to Get Started Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're carrying credit card balances and haven't looked into whether a lower-rate option is available, see if our debt-tool can help you: ⁠⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠. What if the easiest business to start this year is one you could begin with a single DM? Justin Moore, sponsorship coach, founder of Creator Wizard, and author of Sponsor Magnet, has earned over $5 million in brand partnerships with his wife April, and spent seven years running an ad agency where he heard what brands say about creators behind closed doors. We cover why building an audience may be the most AI-proof business you can start, why a tiny niche audience can out-earn a huge one, how to answer “what’s your rate?” without losing money, and the contract words that should make you run. If an extra couple thousand dollars a month would change your life, this episode shows you one way to get it. Justin’s Links: Website: https://www.sponsormagnet.com/ Also mentioned in this episode: This Mistake Cost Me $500,000: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/my-500k-mistake/ Jasmine Star: How to Build a Business from Nothing: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-to-build-a-business-from-nothing/ 00:00 Intro 01:18 Why building an audience is the most AI-proof business 03:03 You don’t have to be an “influencer” to do this 08:29 Side hustling the 5-to-9 11:05 What you actually need to start (one person) 14:37 Why Justin started calling out the gatekeepers 17:03 What running an ad agency taught him about how brands pay 19:37 Who undercharges most 24:55 How to answer “what’s your rate?” 29:10 Justin’s 8-step partnership system 38:53 Contract red flags: perpetuity, exclusivity, out clauses 43:46 Why Justin says don’t hire a manager 48:47 My half-million-dollar agency mistake 53:32 The $1 million math on a 20% cut 54:24 Rapid fire: free product, worst pitches, follower myths 58:37 One thing every creator should do today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we keep repeating patterns that don’t serve us? Today I'm sitting down with Sabrina Zohar, relationship coach, host of The Sabrina Zohar Show, and author of the new book Why Am I Like This, to figure out why. We’re talking about the unconscious programming behind how we handle love, conflict, rejection, and even our own success. If you've ever over-given, stayed too long, or known exactly what you were doing while doing it anyway, you're in the right place. Sabrina walks through two questions that can interrupt an old belief before it makes a present-day decision, what self-abandonment looks like on a random Tuesday, and how all of it shapes what you think you're allowed to ask for and earn. You will feel seen. You will also feel a little called out. Share it with every woman in your life. Sabrina’s Links: Website: https://sabrinazohar.com/ Book: https://sabrinazohar.com/book Learn the exact strategies to save money, pay off debt, improve your money mindset, and increase your net worth. Get your personalized plan: ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠. 00:00 Intro 01:35 The pattern women swear isn't a pattern 02:40 Window of tolerance and why discomfort feels unbearable 08:10 The texting spiral, and the two questions that interrupt it 13:20 173 texts: what Sabrina understands about her younger self now 17:00 Gut vs. anxiety (does the pinch match the ouch?) 19:05 Being attached to the story of a relationship 22:55 Finding the belief underneath the behavior 27:45 When your "logical" brain makes the worst decisions 31:20 Getting out of your head and into your body 32:30 Hiring out of fear, and learning to trust yourself 41:35 What self-abandonment looks like on an ordinary day 44:30 Saying no, boundaries, and grieving who you lose 49:10 You're allowed to outgrow people 51:00 How worthiness shapes what you ask for and earn 56:15 Moving through shame instead of ruminating 66:05 Healing doesn't mean never getting triggered 70:05 What to do the moment you notice yourself shrinking 73:40 The self-trust marble jar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2026 job market has been brutal. If you’ve been looking for a job, you know how tough it is. If you already have a job, I’m sure you’ve been told that you should just be grateful. Keep your head down, don’t make waves, ask for a raise when things "settle." My guest today thinks that instinct is completely backwards, and after this conversation, so do I. Kathryn Valentine –– executive coach, one of the country's leading experts on women's negotiation, and repeat guest –– coaches women inside communities like J.P. Morgan, Bain, and KPMG. And her work starts with an uncomfortable finding: women now negotiate as often as men, but succeed about half as often. Today we're talking about what to do when your company says there's no budget, why the timing of your ask matters so much, what AI gets wrong about your salary, and how to survive the messy middle of a negotiation without folding. If you've been telling yourself you'll just wait a year to ask, listen to this first. Kathryn’s Links: 76 Things You Can Negotiate at Work: http://76things.com/ Learn more about Kathryn Valentine: http://worthmorestrategies.com/   Negotiate Like a Woman with Kathryn Valentine: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/negotiate-like-a-woman/ Learn the exact strategies to save money, pay off debt, improve your money mindset, and increase your net worth. Get your personalized plan: ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠. 00:00 Intro 02:13 Why negotiation matters: career, stress, and $1M 05:24 Women ask now, but with the wrong tools 06:30 Negotiating during layoffs 08:28 The relational ask (and the WSJ advice that backfires) 11:36 Common negotiation mistakes women are told to make 13:12 What to ask for when raises are frozen 15:33 The 76 things you can negotiate 19:42 The gender gap goes way past base salary 26:42 In the room: what to say when it goes off-script 31:08 The three biggest mistakes that sink negotiations 34:15 How to find your market rate 37:32 "Ask a white guy" 40:34 Should you use AI to prep? 44:29 The average negotiation lasts 25 days 45:57 Live calculator: what one raise is worth 50:25 Who to talk to (and who to avoid) during a negotiation 56:54 Changing jobs when the economy is bad 59:25 When to leave corporate and build your own thing 66:27 Why mid-sized companies are best for flexibility 71:07 What to do this week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carleigh Bodrug is back! She's the CEO and founder of PlantYou, a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a self-taught plant-based home cook, and the author of the brand-new cookbook Quickies. Her first episode was one of our most-loved ever, so I brought her back to tackle one of the biggest line items on your budget right now: food. We get into why convenience wins at 6 PM, how to actually cut your grocery bill, how to stop throwing money in the trash (literally), and why a food system works the same way a money system does. It's practical, it's shame-free, and there is a salad kit eaten out of a mixing bowl. Carleigh’s Links: PlantYou Quickies book Carleigh's Instagram How to Lower Your Grocery Bill and Stop Food Waste Additional Resources Mentioned: millionaire mindset: parenting yourself episode Ready to take the confusion out of investing? Learn the exact methods to start investing, avoid the mistakes that cost people millions, and how to balance investing while paying off debt inside Stock Market School. Learn more here: ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod.   00:00 Intro 00:42 What Happens to Healthy Habits When You're Maxed Out 04:16 The Psychology of Pre-Cut Food 07:26 Shop Your Pantry First 11:15 The Deeper Psychology of Convenience 12:51 Cooking as an Investment in Yourself 18:23 Building a System That Beats Willpower 24:52 How "Quickies" Was Born 28:08 What Makes a Recipe Actually Quick 32:00 Perfection Is the Enemy of Good 35:33 Using Every Scrap: Reducing Food Waste 39:31 Cooking Is a Learned Skill 43:54 Rapid Fire Speed Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ready to take control of your money and finally start investing? Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to register for our FREE workshop, Stock Market Secrets: Debunking Common Myths for Successful Investing to learn how to avoid common mistakes and how to build wealth without fear or confusion.  Today's episode is a little different from our normal format. It's my conversation with Jasmine Star on The Jasmine Star Show, and we're sharing it here because it goes deep into something I don't usually get asked about on my own show: the actual business mechanics behind Her First $100K. We talk about the $49 coaching sessions that started it all, the money story I inherited from my parents (and had to unlearn), the exact logic I used the night before I quit my job, and why "done is better than perfect" has become my whole content philosophy. If you're building something of your own, or thinking about it, this one's for you. Jasmine’s links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasminestar  Website :https://jasminestar.com/  00:00   Intro & the story behind the name "Her First $100K" 02:25   Documenting the money journey publicly — and why that built accountability 04:27   Rebranding to Her First $100K, and her dad's reaction 06:30   The $49 coaching sessions that started it all 08:01   From coaching, to a $97 workshop, to a course 10:30  Tori's money story: safety, risk, and her parents' fear 14:19  Why women are conditioned to avoid risk 15:35  The night before she quit her job 18:54  "Give your dollars a job": the psychology of scaling income 24:21  Her First $100K's revenue model today 28:33  What's stayed the same (consistency) vs. what she let go of 31:58  Building an email list early, and current team structure 33:53  What Tori loves doing vs. what she's delegated 42:04  The "chin video" strategy: why imperfect content wins 44:54  "Done is better than perfect": hiring, imperfection, 2026 content trends 50:05  Owning success without performing false humility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices