331. DWTS Flashback: Val Chmerkovskiy on the Business of Dancing, Betting on Yourself & Making It to Dancing With the Stars

Description:With a new season of Dancing With the Stars just around the corner, we’re flashing back and revisiting one of our favorite conversations with DWTS legend Val Chmerkovskiy. Originally recorded in 2023, Val opens up about his unconventional path from competitive ballroom dancing to becoming one of the biggest names on television, including why he initially resisted joining Dancing With the Stars, what finally changed his mind, and how his career evolved once he made the leap. Val also gets candid about the business of being a professional dancer, the financial realities of competitive dance, negotiating his value, building multiple streams of income, and why he would sometimes choose equity in a business over getting paid upfront. Plus, he shares the mindset that helped him navigate difficult seasons, career setbacks and the uncertainty of being dealt a bad hand: “delusional optimism.” From building Dance With Me Studios to turning his DWTS platform into a larger business ecosystem, this is a conversation about knowing your value, betting on yourself, and turning a passion into a career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jessie James Decker has built a career by refusing to stay in one lane. From country music and reality TV to fashion, fitness, publishing, and entrepreneurship, Jessie has turned her creativity into a growing business empire—and she joins Trading Secrets to break down how she did it. Jessie opens up about growing up with very little, the childhood experiences that still drive her to prove herself, and the financial mistakes she made early in her career. She shares the money lessons she learned from her husband, Eric Decker, why surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you can be a game changer, and how her biggest weaknesses have become some of her greatest strengths. She also gets candid about building Kitnish into a $60 million business, recognizing when she needed to step away from the CEO role, and why giving up operational control was one of the hardest—and smartest—business decisions she made. Plus, Jessie reveals how she built a fitness community of nearly 40,000 subscribers, why authentic content is outperforming highly produced social media, what she thinks is missing from today's music industry, her experience on Dancing With the Stars, and the money and relationship rules that have helped her and Eric navigate their careers together. And she leaves us with her ultimate Trading Secret: “It’s never no.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Tartick and the Curious Canadian are back for another 30-Minute Thursday covering everything from Jared Freid’s relentless approach to success to Apple’s brand-new $2,000 foldable iPhone. The guys break down the biggest business takeaways from Jared’s return to Trading Secrets, including why asking for what you want, being scrappy, and putting yourself out there can create opportunities. They also debate whether the new iPhone is actually worth the price, talk podcast negotiations, the rise of athletes in pop culture, the US Open, football season, and the latest sports headlines. Then, for the first time ever, a Trading Secrets listener joins the show. Taylor Fraser shares her journey from accounting to teaching, how she turned her side hustles into a growing business, and how she and her husband launched Bluegrass Flow, a cold-pressed juice company now sold in 60+ retail locations. Taylor also opens up about teacher compensation, retirement, AI in education, entrepreneurship, using grants to fund a growing business, and the importance of building a career around something you genuinely love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Jason is joined by stand-up comedian, podcaster, and now first-time author Jared Freid for a conversation about the business behind comedy, betting on yourself, and how money, confidence, and relationships are more connected than we think. Three years after his first appearance on Trading Secrets, Jared returns with his second Netflix special, The Family Plan, and breaks down exactly what it took to get there. After spending roughly $80,000 producing his first special, Jared reveals why he invested around $100,000 of his own money into the second, how the licensing economics work, why he partnered with Betches for marketing power, and why that partnership means splitting the licensing fee 50/50. He also shares why landing in Netflix’s Top 10 in the U.S. and Canada for nearly a week still wasn’t enough to guarantee Netflix would finance his next special. Jared also opens up about the economics of his growing comedy career, revealing that touring and the U Up? podcast are currently his two biggest financial drivers. He breaks down the ownership structures behind U Up? and JTrain, why subscriptions have become increasingly important to podcasting, and why paid social partnerships remain more of a bonus than a core piece of his business. Beyond comedy, Jared gets candid about writing his first book, Walking Red Flag, including spending two years on the project, realizing after his first page that he needed a ghostwriter, and paying that expense out of his book advance. He also shares how stepping away from alcohol, his experience with GLP-1s, and rebuilding his relationship with his girlfriend changed his confidence and outlook on life. From investing six figures into your own career to prenups, joint finances, ghosting, dating economics, protecting what you’ve built, and why Jared says he’s never regretted taking a risk—this episode breaks down what it really looks like to build a career without waiting for someone else to give you your big break. Host: Jason Tartick
Audio: John Gurney
Video: Marc Colcer
Guest: Jared Freid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Tartick and the Curious Canadian, David, are back together for another chaotic 30-Minute Thursday—and they have a lot to unpack. From Jason’s trip to the U.S. Open and the eye-popping $108 million prize pool, to the $23 Honey Deuce and the bizarre world of Burning Man, the guys cover it all. They also dive deep into AI, the fear of giving bots access to our personal lives, the future of work and parenting, and how social media algorithms are increasingly shaping—and sometimes hijacking—our brains. Plus, they break down the latest Dancing with the Stars cast, debate whether Jason and David could survive Burning Man, talk about finally getting into Harry Potter, and reveal what they’re trying to do to take back control of their algorithms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mary Holland Nader has lived two very different lives—and somehow built both at the same time. On this episode of Trading Secrets, Jason Tartick sits down with Mary, one of the Nader sisters from Hulu’s Love Thy Neighbor, to unpack her unconventional journey from Wall Street to reality TV, modeling, content creation, and entrepreneurship. Mary shares what it was really like starting at Deutsche Bank fresh out of college with a $100K salary, working her way into wealth management, and secretly juggling her finance career with modeling and brand deals. She reveals the moment a $5,000 modeling job made her calculate her hourly rate—and realize her side hustle could eventually out-earn her Wall Street salary. The conversation goes deeper into Mary's decision to leave the security of a steady paycheck, healthcare, and corporate career to pursue entertainment and build her fintech startup, Mary & Pip. She opens up about the financial realities of becoming an entrepreneur, managing unpredictable income, negotiating alongside her sisters, and the freedom that came with finally controlling her own schedule. Jason and Mary also dive into the rapidly changing world of AI—from how she uses Claude, AI agents, and automation in her everyday life to why she believes emotional intelligence and relationships may become more valuable as technology reshapes the workforce. Mary also shares her perspective on protecting your financial information online and why you should think twice before giving sensitive data to an AI tool. Plus, Mary breaks down what it's like watching the Nader sisters' rise happen almost overnight, how Love Thy Neighbor changed her career, what goes on behind the scenes with executive producers, and where she wants to take her career next. From Wall Street to reality TV to fintech, this is a conversation about taking risks, following curiosity, and knowing when it's time to bet on yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David the Curious Canadian may have overdone it on the beers and hot dogs, leaving Jason Tartick with no choice but to host this week’s Trading Secrets 30-Minute Thursday solo. Jason takes over the mic, covers the biggest pop-culture stories of the week, and shares what’s coming next for him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Jason is joined by Banfield Pet Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alea Harrison for a conversation about the real economics of pet ownership, why preventive care can be one of the smartest financial decisions pet owners make, and how planning ahead can help avoid thousands of dollars in unexpected veterinary expenses. Dr. Harrison shares her journey from leaving the country to attend veterinary school in St. Kitts to becoming a practicing veterinarian and eventually helping guide clinical strategy for roughly 3,600 veterinarians across more than 1,000 Banfield hospitals nationwide. Dr. Harrison breaks down what people should actually budget for when bringing home a pet, including veterinary care, nutrition, grooming, training, boarding, and daycare—and why many of the biggest expenses are the ones owners rarely think about beforehand. She explains why choosing the right food should be based on a pet’s individual health, breed, and lifestyle rather than marketing or social media trends, and reveals why taking a proactive approach to veterinary care can dramatically change both a pet’s long-term health and the owner’s finances. Jason and Dr. Harrison also dive into Banfield’s Optimum Wellness Plans, why they were designed to make preventive veterinary care more accessible and predictable, and how they differ from traditional pet insurance. Dr. Harrison explains how bundling preventive services can save clients more than 30% compared to paying for each service individually, while plans can include comprehensive exams, vaccinations, diagnostic testing, unlimited office visits, and 24/7 Pet Chat access. She also explains why pet insurance and wellness plans can work together, with insurance focused on unexpected illnesses, injuries, and surgeries while wellness plans focus on routine preventive care. Plus, Dr. Harrison reveals some of the numbers that show just how expensive waiting can become. Heartworm prevention can cost around $25 per month, while treating heartworm disease can range from roughly $1,200 to $6,000 depending on the pet. She also shares that Banfield data shows 80% of dogs and 75% of cats have signs of dental disease by just one year old, explains how certain breeds can be predisposed to costly health problems, and breaks down why spaying and neutering can help prevent serious conditions and certain cancers in addition to controlling the pet population. Dr. Harrison also gets candid about the challenges of becoming a veterinarian, from the competitiveness and financial burden of veterinary school to building a career that can extend far beyond treating individual patients. She explains how her own definition of impact evolved from caring for pets one-on-one to influencing thousands of veterinarians and ultimately helping improve care on a much larger scale. Dr. Harrison reveals why creating predictability, staying proactive instead of reactive, and preparing for expenses before they become emergencies can make all the difference for pet owners. She also leaves Jason with her ultimate trading secret, a mantra she applies to business, family, and veterinary medicine: “If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.” She reveals all this and so much more in another episode you can’t afford to miss! Host: Jason Tartick Audio: John Gurney Video: Marc Colcer Guest: Dr. Alea Harrison Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Tartick and the Curious Canadian are back for a 30-minute Thursday episode! The guys recap their conversation with Stephanie Shojaee, dive into why Jason is genuinely terrified of going to the doctor, and unpack everything happening across pop culture right now. From the biggest takeaways from Stephanie’s episode to Jason’s latest fears and the stories everyone is talking about, this is your Thursday dose of Trading Secrets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Jason is joined by The Real Housewives of Miami standout and Shoma Group president Stephanie Shojaee for a conversation about building massive wealth, growing a multi-billion-dollar real estate business, and why relentless ambition has been at the center of everything she has accomplished. The first-generation Colombian American opens up about growing up determined to become “filthy rich,” eventually helping lead a development company that has completed more than $6 billion in real estate transactions—and using reality TV as a platform to expand the Shoma brand globally. Stephanie breaks down how her approach to money changed after meeting her husband, Masoud, from focusing solely on earning and saving to investing, using debt strategically, and continuously putting capital back to work. She shares how her modern approach to branding and marketing helped increase Shoma’s business by roughly 30%, while expanding its recognition beyond South Florida and into markets including Dubai. She also reveals the unforgettable $240,000 payday she earned after refusing to give up on a deal that fell apart three separate times. Jason and Stephanie also dive into her unconventional leadership style, including building Shoma’s nine-person, all-women Latina marketing team largely with young hires straight out of school. Stephanie explains why she believes in discipline, tough love, and throwing employees “in the pool” to see whether they sink or swim—and why she has no problem moving on quickly when someone isn’t the right fit. Plus, Stephanie gets candid about life on The Real Housewives of Miami, why she originally turned the show down for years, and why representing an ambitious, successful Latina businesswoman ultimately helped change her mind. She also shares the wild story of having more than $200,000 worth of belongings stolen from her villa in Cannes, her thoughts on prenups and combining love and money, and the luxury purchase that recently made her say, “Damn, that was expensive”—an Hermès bracelet costing upwards of $250,000. Stephanie reveals why putting on the blinders, eliminating distractions, investing rather than simply earning, and staying relentlessly focused on your goals have been key to her success. She also leaves Jason with a different kind of trading secret: after 15 years with her husband, never go to bed angry and never allow disrespect to become normalized in a relationship. She reveals all this and so much more in another episode you can’t afford to miss! Host: Jason Tartick Audio: John Gurney Video: Marc Colcer Guest: Stephanie Shojaee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices