342: Thirty Minute Thursday :Dancing With the Stars’ Emotional Reveal, a $1M Podcast & the Changing Cost of Raising a Family

Jason Tartick and David are back for another 30 Minute Thursday, breaking down the biggest business headlines, financial trends, and pop culture moments of the week. They discuss Scott Clary’s $1 million podcast business, his $400,000 investment in growth, and why building an audience isn’t always about follower count. Plus, the latest on the stock market, AI, rising mortgage rates, and the changing cost of raising a family. The guys also get into Tyler and Tate’s emotional baby announcement on Dancing With the Stars, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Kylie Jenner’s Fantasy Bra, and the power of optimism and positive self-talk. They wrap up with the latest buzz around the Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos documentary, the changing economics of marriage, and a potential new podcast deal. Tune in for another mix of money, business, and pop culture on Trading Secrets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Jason is joined by entrepreneur, investor, and host of the Success Story podcast, Scott Clary! With over 100 million podcast downloads, 2.5 million monthly downloads across audio and video, and a newsletter with over 320,000 subscribers, Scott has built one of the most successful business podcasts in the world. But before building his media empire, Scott studied criminology, worked in sales at Bell Canada, and built his career in sales, marketing, and startups before launching Success Story in 2018. Scott reveals how his podcast generates over $1 MILLION annually, why he spends approximately $400,000 per year on social media, advertising, and his team, and how producing 30–40 pieces of content every single day has helped grow his business. He breaks down podcast advertising rates, charging $7,000–$10,000 for newsletter sponsorships, and how one creator with a fraction of his audience is reportedly generating $7–8 MILLION annually through brand partnerships and creative advertising strategies. Jason and Scott dive into the business of attention, why paid advertising can't fix bad content, how celebrities like Tom Brady are using creators to stay relevant, and why Scott believes his podcast could be worth $8–12 MILLION. Plus, Scott shares how creators can turn their influence into equity, the importance of betting on yourself, why successful entrepreneurs need a little delusion, and the challenge of balancing financial success with relationships, health, and happiness. Scott reveals all this and so much more in another episode you can't afford to miss! Subscribe to Trading Secrets for new episodes every week! Host: Jason Tartick Audio: John Gurney Video: Marc Colcer Guest: Scott Clary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Tartick and David Arduin are back for another 30 Minute Thursday, breaking down the biggest business, pop culture, and reality TV headlines. First, they reflect on the powerful lessons from Kendra Scott’s journey to building a billion-dollar jewelry brand, navigating personal hardships, and learning why hiring the right CEO can help entrepreneurs focus on what they do best. Then, pop culture data expert Suzana Somers of Pop Culture Data joins the show to break down the explosive rise of Dancing With the Stars. Susannah reveals what the numbers say about the show's reported 18% ratings growth, which stars and professional dancers are gaining the most social media traction, and how social engagement, YouTube views, and judges’ scores help predict who will advance each week. She also weighs in on whether Dancing With the Stars is rigged, how casting decisions are changing, which celebrities could join future seasons, and why the show's increasingly passionate fan base presents a new challenge. Plus, Jason and David discuss the importance of human connection, why hiring people to handle the work you hate can transform your business, the latest inflation data and stock market reaction, and Jason's unexpected trip to the hospital for appendicitis. In this episode: Kendra Scott’s journey from financial hardship to building a billion-dollar brand Why entrepreneurs should hire a CEO to focus on what they love Dancing With the Stars ratings growth and the impact of social media The data behind predicting eliminations, fan engagement, and potential winners Is Dancing With the Stars rigged? Suzana breaks down the conspiracy theories How casting decisions and professional dancers are shaping the show's future Why human connection and perspective matter in business and life Inflation, the S&P 500, and the latest economic headlines Jason's appendicitis scare and an important reminder to prioritize your health Follow Suzana Somers on Instagram and TikTok at Pop Culture Data for more reality TV analytics, and check out her Excel and Google Sheets courses. Tune in for another episode of Trading Secrets: 30 Minute Thursday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Jason is joined by billionaire-dollar jewelry brand founder, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Shark Tank investor Kendra Scott! Starting with just $500 and a wooden tea box in the spare bedroom of her Austin home in 2002, Kendra turned her passion for jewelry into a company valued at over $1 billion, with more than 170 stores nationwide and over 4,000 employees. Kendra takes Jason behind the scenes of building her empire, from dropping out of college and watching her first business fail to bootstrapping Kendra Scott for 10 years without outside investment. She opens up about the terrifying moment during the 2008 financial crisis when the bank called her $700,000 line of credit, leaving her just 45 days to figure out how to save her business. She also breaks down how the company grew from approximately $1.7 million in revenue in 2010 to $24 million in 2013, securing her first $5 million investment, and the life-changing private equity deal that valued her company at over $1 billion. Jason and Kendra dive into the financial realities of entrepreneurship, including taking on debt, putting everything up as collateral, retaining employees when you can't afford competitive salaries, hiring and firing, executive compensation, and knowing when to bring in outside leadership. Kendra also reveals why she stepped down as CEO, the three-year manifestation exercise that transformed her approach to business, and how she's expanding her empire beyond jewelry with her Western lifestyle brand, Yellow Rose. Plus, Kendra shares what really happens behind the scenes of Shark Tank, what she looks for before investing in a founder, the biggest red flags that make her walk away from a deal, and why even the most passionate entrepreneur doesn't always have an investable business. She also opens up about navigating divorce, raising two young children as a single mother, having just $200 in her checking account for groceries, and the surreal moment she finally achieved financial freedom. From building a billion-dollar business with just $500 to overcoming financial setbacks, creating a company culture that puts people first, and learning the power of surrounding yourself with the right people, Kendra reveals all this and so much more in another episode you can't afford to miss! Subscribe to the Trading Secrets podcast! Host: Jason Tartick
 Audio: John Gurney
 Video: Marc Colcer
 Guest: Kendra Scott Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Tartick and David are back for another 30 Minute Thursday, breaking down the biggest takeaways from Jesse James Decker’s episode, the latest market and mortgage-rate moves, and everything happening in their lives. They dive into Jesse’s entrepreneurial mindset, her refusal to be told she has to focus on just one thing, growing up with financial struggles, and the powerful perspective that “no is never no.” They also talk about productivity, finding balance, being present with family, and why appreciating what you have can completely change your perspective. On the money side, Jason and David discuss the S&P 500’s continued growth, mortgage rates moving above 7%, inflation, AI-driven profits, and why now is the time to shop your debt, shop where your money is, and shop your investments. Plus, they recap a wild week in New York, debate sleep and productivity habits, talk about pop culture and the latest headlines, and preview next week’s episode with Kendra Scott. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jessie James Decker joins Jason Tartick on Trading Secrets to open up about the business, financial, and personal lessons behind her incredibly diverse career. From becoming a country music star and reality TV personality to building a fashion brand, launching a fitness app with nearly 40,000 subscribers, and creating multiple successful businesses, Jessie has never been afraid to bet on herself. Jessie gets candid about growing up with financial struggles, learning to manage money, and why knowing your weaknesses—and surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you—can be one of your greatest strengths. She also explains why she refuses to believe in staying in one lane, how she overcame imposter syndrome, and why she believes the person at the center of every venture is ultimately your biggest asset. Jason and Jessie dive into the evolution of her fashion brand Kittenish, which has grown into a $60 million business, and the difficult decision to step away from day-to-day operations so the company could scale. Jessie shares the business lesson behind knowing when to hand over the reins, her experience on Dancing With the Stars and Special Forces, and how she balances marriage, motherhood, and entrepreneurship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it take to turn a simple idea into a real business? On this special episode of Trading Secrets, Jason Tartick sits down with two entrepreneurs who competed in The UPS Store’s 2026 Small Biz Challenge after nearly 6,000 businesses applied—and both made it to the final three. The Laundry Basket, shares how it turned a $20 first customer into a growing, multi-city laundry and linen management business by focusing on convenience, recurring revenue, partnerships, B2B opportunities, and knowing her numbers. High Strung Raquets, explains how it identified a gap in the tennis and pickleball market, built a premium product around style and performance, and learned how to sell through wholesale, storytelling, and strategic partnerships. Jason and the founders break down the importance of differentiation, discipline, storytelling, social media, customer feedback, cash flow, scaling without becoming the bottleneck, and knowing when to work smarter instead of harder. Plus, both entrepreneurs reveal the trading secrets they learned from building their businesses—and why sometimes the best time to start is before you're ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vivian Tu, aka Your Rich BFF, is back on Trading Secrets nearly three years after her first appearance—and a lot has changed. With over 10 million followers and $8.2M in annual earnings, Vivian breaks down exactly where the money comes from, including brand deals, speaking, books, and podcasting, plus the team and expenses behind that massive top-line number. She reveals why she invested over $1M of her own money into building Ask Dolly, her new financial wellness app, and why she chose to self-fund instead of raising outside capital. Vivian also shares how she’s grown her audience without spending a dollar on paid ads, why she still posts every day, and how the creator economy is evolving beyond traditional influencers. Plus, Vivian gets into the current financial uncertainty, emergency funds, high-interest debt, wedding budgeting after her Lake Como wedding went 3X over budget, and the $10K wedding expense she regrets. She also opens up about speaking on financial policy, whether she’d ever consider politics, and why her newest Trading Secret is knowing when it’s worth fighting for what you want. Host: Jason Tartick Audio: John Gurney Video: Marc Colcer Guest: Vivian Tu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Tartick and the Curious Canadian are back for another 30 Minute Thursday, breaking down the biggest stories impacting your money, career, and life. They recap Jason’s conversation with Andrew Spencer and Alex Bordyukov, including the future of Bachelor Nation, reality TV’s changing landscape, relationships, prenups, and how their careers and finances have evolved. Then, they dive into the economy through an unlikely lens: fast food. With Wendy’s franchisees facing bankruptcy, McDonald’s stock down and inflation continuing to pressure consumers, Jason and David break down what restaurant prices can tell us about the broader economy. Plus, Jason gives a personal update on his upcoming wedding plans, reveals why Cabo is currently the frontrunner, talks about moving out of his New York apartment, and reflects on entering a new chapter of life. They also discuss rising gas prices, mortgage rates, home prices, wage growth, and why making your money work harder matters. And David shares a real-life Trading Secret he put into action—moving his savings from a 1.75% account to one paying 4%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bachelor Nation’s Andrew Spencer and Alexe Godin join Jason to break down the money, career pivots, and relationship realities that came after Bachelor in Paradise. Andrew reveals how his income has grown from roughly $75K his first year after the show to $200K the following year—and why 2026 could be another major jump—while Alexe opens up about nearly $100K CAD in student debt, leaving her career as a speech-language pathologist after realizing content could pay roughly 3X more, and using her Paradise winnings to help wipe out debt and invest for retirement. The couple also gets candid about turning down the money for love on Paradise, why Andrew secretly strategized once a cash prize entered the game, their very different relationships with money, keeping their businesses and finances separate for now, and how their childhoods shaped what financial security and family mean to each of them. Plus, Alexe talks about pursuing acting, Andrew shares how he’s building a brand beyond Bachelor Nation, and they open up about navigating the pressure to get engaged, merge lives, and figure out what comes next. Host: Jason Tartick
Audio: John Gurney
Video: Marc Colcer
Guests: Andrew Spencer & Alexe Godin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices