Journey To Launch

Diana Isern's "new" clothes came out of donated garbage bags, and the money message she grew up with was: we don't have it. In this episode, I sit down with Diana, a former New York City assistant principal and author of Money Talks: An Educator's Guide to Teaching Financial Empowerment.

Diana started teaching at 21 with student loans, no savings, and a habit of leaving bar tabs open. A two-week no-spend challenge and an honest look at her statements turned things around, and soon teachers, students, and parents were bringing her their money questions. That led to finance courses teens signed up for on repeat, a girls investing club, a book, and the decision to walk away from a secure pension job.

Her message for parents and educators is that you don't need to be a money expert to start the conversation. You just need to show up curious.

In this episode, Diana Isern shares:

• How growing up with a deficit mindset around money shaped her, and what helped her shift it
• The no spend challenge and spending review that got her finances on track
• The 403(b), TDA, and 457 options teachers can use on top of their pensions
• How educators and parents can teach money with curiosity instead of expertise

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Money Talks: An Educator's Guide to Teaching Financial Empowerment: beacon.org
• 403bwise: https://www.403bwise.org
• Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF): https://www.ngpf.org
• Get a Financial Life NYC: heckscherfoundation.org
• Banzai: https://www.banzai.org
• Jump$tart Coalition: https://www.jumpstart.org
• Intuit for Education: https://education.intuit.com
• Council for Economic Education: https://www.councilforeconed.org
• Stackwell Capital: https://www.stackwellcapital.com
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Diana:

• Instagram: @dianadinero_edu

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

Access to capital can determine which entrepreneurs get the opportunity to turn their ideas into successful businesses. In this episode, I sit down with Arian Simone, founder and CEO of the Fearless Fund, to discuss her work investing in women of color, why access to funding remains a challenge, and what it takes to build a venture fund focused on closing that gap. We also talk about her journey as an entrepreneur, investor, author, philanthropist and more.

In this episode, Arian shares:

• Going from living in her car at 23 to building a PR and marketing business through referrals
• How venture capital works and when loans, grants, or unconventional funding fit better
• The 2023 lawsuit against Fearless Fund and the wealth gap behind it
• Taking inventory of what fear is costing you and creating from freedom instead of struggle

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Arian:

• Website: https://www.fearless.fund/
• Instagram: @Fearless.Fund

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

A 7% interest rate looks like a wall to a lot of buyers, but Erika Brown sees a market where deals are landing $45,000 and even $150,000 under asking. In this episode, I sit down with Erika, a real estate investor and serial entrepreneur whose portfolio generates over six figures a year, for an update five years after her first appearance.

Erika left banking, got her real estate license, and built a team. She went on to acquire almost 40 rental properties, start a nearly seven-figure landscaping company, and co-found a Georgia brokerage with over 250 agents. It all began with a goal of making $5,000 a month so she could attend her kids' activities without asking permission. Today, she and her husband are selling properties to pay off properties, shrinking the portfolio while increasing cash flow.

Erika also breaks down how to read a market, fund a first investment property, and decide whether you are an owner, an operator, or a passive investor. Her bigger point is that building wealth is about having options, including when to push, when to pause, and how much of your life to spend on what matters.

In this episode, Erika shares:

• Why high interest rates can create real estate opportunity instead o nog f closing the door
• How to fund a first investment property with the step-up strategy, a 401k loan, a HELOC, or a self-directed IRA
• The difference between owners, operators, and passive investors, and how to choose your role
• Why she is paying off properties and prioritizing options and time with her family over more hustle

Check out Erika's Conference The Owning It and Living It Experience happening November 13 to 15 at the Starling Hotel in Midtown Atlanta. Use code FREEDOM for 30% off tickets, which close October 31.

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Get your ticket to The Owning It and Living It Experience. Use code FREEDOM for 30% off tickets
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Erika:

• Instagram: @erikabrowninvestor
• Facebook: OiliCommunity

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

Financial independence started as a formula: save and invest 25 times your expenses, then step away from the job. In this solo episode, I respond to an Instagram post from Ashley Evans asking whether the FIRE movement has lost the plot, as more of the conversation shifts toward making more money, growing businesses, and owning more.

I explain the 25 times rule and the 4% draw down math that first drew me in 12 to 13 years ago, and share the comment I left on Ashley's post. I reached my goal of leaving my nine to five in 2018, and today I'm in what I call work flexibility, stage four of my five stages to financial independence. As a mom of three living in New York City, I have no interest in growing my business if it costs me time and energy freedom. I also walk through the idea of a "vehicle" for reaching FI, which was my full time job and later became Journey to Launch, and why it's okay for that vehicle to slow down.

The episode also covers the parable of the Mexican fisherman and the investment banker, and the reality that "enough" looks different for everyone depending on security needs, family responsibilities, and history with money. Your plan can change, your pace can change, and you get to define what enough means.

In this episode, I share:

• Why Ashley Evans's post on the FIRE movement prompted a bigger conversation
• How the 25 times rule and 4% draw down work, with a $40,000 a year example
• Using a full time job or a business as the "vehicle" to reach financial independence
• How to think about enough versus more, security, and the choice to say no + more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcoqNBUuYuh/?stkn=b3Zhajh5NGZtdno=
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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

Health insurance is one of the biggest questions standing between you and leaving your job, and for a lot of families, it's the reason one spouse never does. In this episode, I welcome back Jordan Grumet, hospice physician, host of the Earn & Invest podcast, and author of Taking Stock, The Purpose Code, and his newest book, The Healthcare Heist.

Jordan lost his father, a physician, when he was seven and made it his mission to become a doctor like him. Once he got there, he burned out fast, and financial independence became his way out. He breaks down what healthcare really costs once you leave an employer plan, how long-term care can drain a family's assets, and how insurers, drug companies, and private equity have pulled money out of the system.

Jordan makes the case that real change starts when doctors and patients share their stories and push for reform together. Until then, there are practical steps you can take now, from appealing insurance denials to planning for long-term care early.

In this episode, Jordan Grumet shares:

• Why healthcare is one of the biggest obstacles to financial independence and early retirement
• The limits of ACA subsidies, health sharing ministries, Medicare Advantage, and Medigap plans
• How long-term care costs, Medicaid spend-downs, and the five-year lookback affect families
• Everyday ways to protect yourself, from appealing denials to choosing generics and physician-owned practices

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• The Healthcare Heist: https://jordangrumet.com/books
• Taking Stock and The Purpose Code: https://jordangrumet.com/books
• Episode 281, Lessons About Living From the Dying: https://journeytolaunch.com/episode281/
• Episode 407, Building a Life of Purpose & Finding Meaning in Everyday Life: https://journeytolaunch.com/episode407/
• The White Coat Investor: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/
• Health Insurance Marketplace: https://www.healthcare.gov/
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Jordan Grumet:

• Website

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

Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung left their lucrative software engineering careers to enjoy world travel and freedom. Both retired in their early 30's with a 7-figure portfolio and have complied their secrets to success in their book Quit Like a Millionaire: No Gimmicks, Luck, or Trust Fund Required. Kristy and Bryce are financially independent, self-made millionaires who hail from humble beginnings and learned along their journey how to follow the money so they could afford to pursue their passions.

In this episode we discuss:

• How Kristy went from surviving off 44 cents a day to a 7-figure portfolio.
• How you can use CRAP (Creativity, Resilience, Adaptability, and Perseverance) to achieve success.
• How to cut expenses from your budget so you can maximize your income and minimize waste.
• How to choose your degree and career based on the math.
• Why your home is not an investment and how avoiding home-ownership helps you achieve financial independence sooner.
• Why taxes are for the poor and how to win the tax game.

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Kristy & Bryce:

• Website
• Facebook:@MillennialRevolutionBlog
• Twitter:@FIRECracker_Rev

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

Simplicity and the concept of 'less is more' can be beneficial in much more than finance. The tiny home movement has proved to be a great new option for a lot of people looking to live a simpler, more abundant life. This week's guest, Jewel Pearson, is not only a tiny homeowner but she is also an advocate and community leader that shares her tiny living experiences and assists others in achieving their tiny living dreams.

Over the course of a decade, Jewel worked toward downsizing her life and in 2015 she built the tiny home of her dreams in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her 360 sq ft home has been featured on HGTV's shows "Tiny House, Big Living" and "How Are They Now" and has been featured in several other media outlets. As a proud supporter of tiny living and the simpler lifestyle that it offers, she provides support through her consulting services and workshops that she teaches around the country. Jewel has also founded the Tiny House Trailblazers; a duo collaboration of powerful and uniquely talented women of color who together are a strong representation and voice for diversity and inclusion within the tiny house movement.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why everyone should redefine or rather choose for themselves what tiny living means
• The misconception some people have that living in a tiny home means you sacrifice quality, luxury, and design & why tiny living does not mean "small living"
• How downsizing and living this life helped Jewel to live her life fully and abundantly
• What Jewel's life was like before the tiny home and what prompted the change
• The steps it took to actually make the changes she needed to move into her home
• How to start the tiny living process
• Jewel's mission to bring the tiny home movement to more people of color and some of the racism she has experienced in the community
• The different tiny home options
• Factors to consider in making the transition to tiny home living
• Jewel's thoughts on the FIRE (Financially Independent, Retire Early) movement

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Tiny House Communities Info
• Tour of Jewel's Tiny House–(more updated pics available on social media sites)
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Jewel:

• Ms. Gypsy Soul
• Instagram: @msgypsysoul
• Facebook: Ms. Gypsy Soul
• Twitter: @msgypsysoul

Connect with the Tiny House Trailblazers:

• Tiny House Trailblazers
• Instagram: @tinyhousetrailblazers
• Facebook: Tiny House Trailblazers
• Twitter: @tinyhousetrailblazers

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

You may think that you need a traditional education to reach Financial Freedom, but on this episode, Tinian Crawford is here to tell us otherwise. He shares with us how lucrative a job in the Trades can be and why more people should be looking to a trade career and building their DIY skills to help them reach their goals of Financial Independence.

On this episode you will learn:

• Tinian's backstory & his entrepreneurial journey into the world of Financial Independence
• What's considered a "trade job" and how pursuing trade skills is a great alternative to a traditional college education
• The demand for trade jobs and the gap between skilled workers and available positions
• How one can get started in the trades, how to get your children started & how to pivot into a trade career
• How to become a trade entrepreneur in order to reach your financial goals
• The gender gap and barrier that women may experience when looking to get into trades but why women are needed in these fields plus so much more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Check out Tinian's website
• NPR Article
• Women in the Trades
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.

• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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

Arlan Hamilton was homeless when she launched a venture capital fund dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech. In 2015, she created Backstage Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in high potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or members of the LGBT community. Today, Backstage Capital has raised more than $7 million and invested in more than 130 startups companies led by underestimated founders.

In this episode of the Journey to Launch podcast, Arlan and I are talking about the mindset, confidence, and self-care that led to Arlan's ultimate success. We also discuss Arlan's new book, It's About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated Into Your Greatest Advantage. Arlan's story is inspiring and this is an episode you don't want to miss.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to use confidence to fuel your success
• What it means to invest in yourself
• The importance of self-care and how to set boundaries
• How to write a successful, tailored pitch
• What really matters in life, and more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Get Arlan's book It's About Damn Time
• Check out my interview on Arlan's podcast, Your First Million, where I talk about reaching 1 million podcast downloads and my journey for Journey to Launch.
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Arlan:

• Website
• Instagram: @ArlanWasHere
• Twitter: @ArlanWasHere
• Facebook: @ArlanWasHere

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

Mabel Nunez is the founder & Chief Education Officer at Girl$ on The Money – a stock market investing education company targeted toward individuals who are underrepresented in the investing world. Mabel grew up in the South Bronx as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, with limited resources & a strong emphasis on education from her father. She learned very little about personal finance or investing while in school until she was in college, where she took an investing analysis class which began her passion for investing & personal finance. Mabel holds both a Bachelor of Science and an MBA in Finance. However, most of what she's learned about investing came from experience.

Mabel's mission is to teach what she's learned (and continues to learn) since starting her investing journey. She is passionate about transforming investing beginners into confident, knowledgeable, and profitable investors.

In this episode, Mabel shares:

• How fear kept her from starting to invest, despite graduating as a finance major, reading articles and listening to shows on investing
• How she has been investing for 16 years with a focus on individual stocks in a self-directed taxable account. She invests in companies with long-term potential, rarely selling stocks and preferring a Warren Buffett-style strategy
• That investing in ETFs or index funds, such as the S&P 500, can be a simpler alternative to buying individual stocks & advises against buying "cheap stocks" or investing in unproven companies.
• How she struggled to tell her parents about quitting her 9-5 stable job to pursue her passion & the challenge of balancing personal dreams with family expectations, particularly for immigrant families + much more!

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Check out Mabel's books: Stock Market Investing Mini Lessons for Beginners;Stock Analysis 101; &Mini Lecciones de Inversión Para Principiantes (spanish version)
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Mabel:

• Website: GirlsOnTheMoney.com
• Instagram:@GirlsOnTheMoney
• Facebook: @Girls On The Money
• Threads:@GirlsOnTheMoney
• Substack: Girlsonthemoney.substack.com

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 week's episode, Brian Portnoy simplifies the complex world of money. Brian has over two decades of experience in the personal finance space, and he's also an investor, educator, writer, and entrepreneur. In his book, The Geometry of Wealth, he tackles the challenges of making better investment decisions and how money fits into a joyful life.

In this episode, we go beyond the numbers and talk about the behavioral science behind your relationship with money. Learn how your behavior impacts your ability to become wealthy and why your brain chooses survival over wealth.

In this episode you'll learn:

• The difference between wealthy and rich
• Why your brain is wired to make terrible money decisions
• The meaning of the Geometry of Wealth
• How to set goals to become wealthy (and not just rich)
• What a comprehensive financial plan looks like, and more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freed

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Brian:

• Website
• Instagram:@bportnoy
• Twitter:@BrianPortnoy

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

Ramit Sethi is New York Times bestselling author and founder of I Will Teach You to Be Rich. After 16 years in the personal finance space, Ramit is still teaching people how to set specific goals for themselves and their money. He has a unique way of talking about money and challenges the normal points of view you often hear from other personal finance "gurus".

In this episode, Ramit shares tips on how to; save you money, earn more, and live a rich life.

In this episode you'll learn:

• An exercise to help you get specific about your goals and money
• Ramit's story about going from a free blogger to a paid author and how to prepare yourself for your own journey
• Why you need to earn more
• The CEO model and how you can use it get rich
• Five phone calls you can make to save $1,000 right now, and more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Ramit:

• Website
• Instagram:@Ramit
• Facebook: @RamitSethi
• Twitter:@Ramit
• YouTube

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

Myra Strober, labor economist and Professor Emerita at Stanford University and Abby Davisson, social innovation leader and career development expert, join the Journey to Launch podcast to discuss how to make conscious decisions about money with love as the primary framework.

We chat about the intellectual roadmap for life's biggest decisions, why we need to have difficult conversations before we're ready and how love and money are intertwined in all of life's challenges and phases.

In this episode, you'll learn more about:

• Making decisions about money with love at the forefront of consideration
• What the 5 C framework is and how you can implement them in your life right now
• Why you should be having conversations about personal topics alongside the professional ones
• How to be an agent of change within the institutions you participate in
• The importance of checking in with those you admire and trying to anticipate the consequences of life's choices + more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Read Money and Love by Myra and Abby Strober & Davisson Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Myra & Abby:

• Website
• Instagram:@Abby.Davisson
• Twitter:@AbbyDavisson

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

Fernando Espuelas has spent three decades building companies and shaping conversations at the intersection of technology, business, and public life. In this episode, I sit down with him to talk about his path from an immigrant childhood in Uruguay to becoming one of the internet's early pioneers.

Fernando immigrated to the U.S. from Uruguay at age 10 and grew up watching his mother clean houses and work nights so he could get an education. He worked gas station and pet store jobs before eventually co-founding StarMedia, the world's first pan-Latin internet portal and the first Latin internet company to go public.

Today Fernando leads Vera Money, the first Emotional AI Financial Operating System, built to help Zillennials reduce money anxiety and take control of their finances. He shares why he built Vera around trust and ethical AI, and what keeps him building instead of chasing retirement.

In this episode, Fernando shares:

• His immigrant journey from Uruguay and how early hardship shaped his ambition
• How a history degree led him into advertising, then into launching the consumer internet in Latin America
• Why he believes retirement isn't the goal, and what keeps him building
• How Vera uses AI to help people manage money without selling their data or charging hidden fees + more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Download & try Vera for free, here
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Fernando:

• Website
• Instagram: veramoney.ai

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

Cindy Zuniga went to law school to make an impact in her community. After three years in law school and $215,000 of debt later, Cindy realized the real cost of her decision. Her first year out of school she paid $24,000 towards her student loans. However, only $4,000 went towards her loan's principal balance, and the other 20,000 paid off just the interest on her loan. That's when Cindy said enough is enough and devised a plan to pay off all of her debt in 48 month. Find out how Cindy paid off $215,000 in 48 months and kept her expenses low while living in New York.

In this episode you will learn:

• What to consider before taking out student loans for a degree
• How to educate yourself and your family about student loan debt
• 3 reasons to refinance your student loans
• How to stick to your financial goals in any environment
• Tips for talking about finances with your partner
• How to lower your expenses, save money, and more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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

What if the biggest risk you take is the one that changes everything? In this episode, I chat with Teri Ijeoma, trader, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Trade and Travel, an investment education company that has taught over 40,000 students how to actively invest. Teri left a toxic career as an assistant principal, taught herself to trade stocks while traveling the world, and built one of the top investing courses. Now she's back with her debut book, The Risk Worth Taking, and she's sharing the full picture of what the journey has actually looked like.

Teri opens up about everything that's happened since we last spoke from growing her company to a team of 40 and navigating the burnout that came with it, to making the difficult decision to step back, downsize, and move from Puerto Rico back to the U.S. in search of a deeper community. She shares how a health scare became a turning point, why she chose to prioritize herself over expectations and obligations, and what it meant to finally bring a new dream to life by finishing her first book. It's an honest conversation about success, reinvention, and creating a life that aligns with what matters most.

In this episode, Teri Ijeoma shares:

• How she scaled back from 40 employees to two and transitioned her course to self-study
• Her Smart Risk Framework, the 4 C's, and how it applies beyond investing
• What Trump Accounts are, who qualifies, and why she wants every parent to know about them
• The story behind her new novel-style investing book and how it teaches trading through fiction + more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

•

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

•

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Trade and Travel Course: tradeandtravel.com
• Check out Teri's book, The Risk Worth Taking
• JTL Episode 483 with Dr. Kemi Doll (fibroids and endometriosis): https://www.journeytolaunch.com/episode483
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./'
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Teri:

• Website: tradeandtravel.com
• Instagram: @tradeandtravel

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

Getting rid of six-figure debt is no easy feat but Takiia Anderson is proof that it can be done. After graduating from law school, Takiia had accrued more than $150,000 of debt. As the single mother of a 2-year-old little girl making only $34,000 a year, she knew that something had to change.

Takiia went on to save over $500,000 and pay for her daughter's college education at the prestigious Spelman College. She shares all of her tips, tricks, and personal finance advice on her blog, The Frugal Bitty.

In this episode we discuss:

• The overall steps Takiia took to go from debt to having a large savings today
• The things that she gave up to pay off her student loan debt
• Her decision to save for her daughter's college costs while still being in debt
• Takiia's plan for investing when she first opened her daughter's college saving account
• Why she stopped investing in retirement to save for her daughter's college education
• The money lessons that she taught her daughter
• Passing on generational wealth and not generational debt

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Single Mom Masterminds 700,000 Swing From Debt to Savings
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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

Jill Schlesinger, money and media legend, joins the Journey To Launch podcast to discuss how you can reset your life, her new book, "The Great Money Reset," and how to use her Fab Five framework to discover where you really want to be on your journey to financial freedom.

We discuss events that shaped Jill's impressive career, why everyone should have a pink notebook and how life is about so much more than money.

Jill is a CFP and Emmy and Gracie award-winning business analyst for CBS News. Her career is focused on translating complicated finance into understandable, relatable topics for everyday viewers and listeners. She covers the economy, markets, investing and anything else with the dollar sign. Jill also has her podcast, "Jill On The Money," which won a Gracie for best national talk show.

In this episode, you'll learn more about:

• What the "Fab Five" questions are and why you need to implement them in your life
• Why people are afraid of change and how to move past your fears to reset your life
• Actionable advice on how to advance your career and "keep the faith" + more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when y

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

•

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Listen to episode 27: The Art Of The Side Hustle With Chris Guillebeau
• Read Jill's book:The Great Money Reset
• Check out the FIRE Calc
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Jill:

• Website
• Instagram: @JillonMoney
• Twitter:@JillonMoney
• Facebook:@JillonMoney

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

Financial independence isn't just about reaching a number, it's about designing a life you actually want to live. In this solo episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of what life looks like now.I share a candid life update on everything from my current workout routine and newfound hobby of gardening to navigating one of the busiest parenting seasons of the year with three kids. I also open up about the intentional trade-offs I'm making by working less, earning less, and embracing a slower pace, because the flexibility I've gained is worth more to me than maximizing income.

Plus, I reflect on some exciting milestones, including Journey to Launch turning 10 years old, winning a Plutus Award, the evolution of the FIRE Calc, and what I'm still exploring as I think about the next chapter of my work and life.

If you've ever wondered what financial independence actually looks like after the milestone is reached or how your priorities can shift once you have more freedom, this episode is for you

In this episode, I share:

• How I'm currently splitting my time between personal life and work
• What it means to live in the Commander stage of financial independence and why I would not trade it
• Honest reflections on parenting, birthday season spending, and the concept of lawnmower parenting
• An update on the FIRE Calc, Journey to Launch's 10-year milestone, and what's next for the platform + more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including:

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• Plutus Awards: https://www.plutusawards.com
• Check out the FIRE Calc
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 podcast we are joined by Dr. Kemi Doll, a physician, surgeon, researcher, double board-certified gynecologist and oncologist, and founding director of the Gynecologic Research and Cancer Equity Center at the University of Washington. After 16 years of training and over $200,000 in student loan debt, she turned her personal and professional experience into a mission to change how Black women are treated in gynecologic care.

In this episode, Dr. Kemi breaks down how conditions like heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, and fibroids are not just health issues; they are career and financial ones. Women with endometriosis can miss up to 60 to 65 days of work a year, while women with heavy bleeding often show up to work functioning far below their capacity, a phenomenon called presenteeism.

She shares the clinical signs that your period is not normal, the exact language to use at your gynecology appointment to be taken seriously, and how to find a provider who will actually listen. We also get into her own story of resilience, how she used the NIH Loan Repayment Program to eliminate her debt while building her research career, and why she started a coaching company after discovering she was being paid 30% less than her colleagues.

In this episode, Dr. Kemi shares:

• How untreated womb conditions like fibroids and endometriosis silently drain Black women's productivity and earning potential
• The clinical signs that your period is not normal and what you can do about it
• How to advocate for yourself at a gynecology appointment, including the exact phrases that get doctors to take your symptoms seriously
• How she paid off over $200,000 in student loans using the NIH Loan Repayment Program while building her research career + more

What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom:

• A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty
• A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps
• Updated corrections from the original hardcover
• Exclusive bonus

• The Fire Starter Course
• The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

• NIH Loan Repayment Program: https://www.lrp.nih.gov
• Check out "A Terrible Strength" by Dr. Kemi Doll
• Check out the FIRE Calc
• Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already.
• Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here.
• Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!
• Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!
• Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!
• Get The Budget Bootcamp
• Check out my personal website here.
• 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 Dr. Kemi:

• Website: https://www.kemidoll.com
• Instagram: @KemiDoll
• TikTok: @DrKemiDoll

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