In this special replay episode I sat down with the “godfather of financial independence” aka JL Collins,  to demystify investing in the most approachable way possible. JL has been in the game for over 50 years and wrote The Simple Path to Wealth—a book that’s helped nearly a million people understand how to grow their money with confidence. And today, he’s breaking it all down for you. We get real about what investing actually is, why you don’t need a finance degree to build wealth, and how the entire financial industry has tried to gatekeep this information. JL shares why index funds are his go-to, how to avoid common investing mistakes, and why market dips aren’t disasters—they’re opportunities. Whether you’re brand new to investing or just want a no-BS refresh on the basics, this conversation is for you.

JL’s Links:

The Simple Path to Wealth: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Simple-Path-to-Wealth-(Revised- Expanded-Edition)/JL-Collins/9798893310474

Learn the exact strategies to save money, pay off debt, improve your money mindset, and increase your net worth. Get your personalized plan: ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠.

00:00 Intro

03:24 Personal Finance Beginnings

06:44 The Birth of a Financial Blog

14:26 Understanding Index Funds

28:31 The FIRE Movement Explained

36:02 Calculating Financial Independence

40:28 Market Volatility: Should You Change Your Strategy?

44:48 Adjusting Investment Strategies Near Retirement

53:44 Ethical Investing: Pros and Cons

01:01:21 The Role of Financial Advisors

01:06:53 Key Insights for Successful Investing

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College is expensive, but there's money on the table that most families never touch. Today's guest walked away from college completely debt-free, not because she was a straight-A student or a star athlete, but because she treated scholarships like a system instead of a luck-based lottery. Jocelyn Pearson, founder of The Scholarship System, has since helped families across the US secure almost $17 million in scholarships. We get into the myths keeping families from even trying, why the small-dollar scholarships matter more than the $100K ones, how to build reusable application materials so you're not starting from scratch every time. If you've got a student headed to college (or you're the student), this one is required listening.

Jocelyn’s links:

Free webinar: https://thescholarshipsystem.com/financialfeminist 

Scholarship Superpower Quiz: thescholarshipsystem.com/financialfeministquiz 

Not sure what to do with your money? Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ and take our FREE quiz to get your personalized money plan, and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

01:18 Jocelyn's $126K Scholarship Story

03:41 Why Strategy Beats Luck

04:13 The 4 Biggest Scholarship Myths

07:18 The Real Reason Families Don't Apply

10:51 The "All or Nothing" Mindset

13:43 Building a Reusable Essay System

16:32 Other Reusable Application Assets

17:13 What Committees Are Really Looking For

21:05 How to Talk About Your Major

21:59 Who Wins When Two Finalists Are Equal

23:31 How (and How Not) to Use AI

27:35 The Overlooked Small-Dollar Scholarships

33:28 Department Scholarships & Asking for More

33:30 When Your Financial Situation Changes

35:21 Navigating the Middle-Income Gap

47:47 The Student Loan Forgiveness Reality Check

49:52 The True Cost of Co-Signing

52:54 The #1 Trait of Successful Scholarship Families

54:53 Jocelyn's Free Resources & Quiz

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What does it mean to live a truly “rich life?” This is a re-release of one of our favorite conversations: Tori sits down with Ramit Sethi, New York Times bestselling author of I Will Teach You To Be Rich and host of the Netflix show How to Get Rich. They get into what it actually means to build a rich life, why renting can beat buying even when you can afford to buy, how to negotiate literally everything (including your rent), and what couples are really fighting about when they fight about money — hint: it's never actually about Target.

Ramit’s Links:

Website: https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramit/?hl=en

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/money-for-couples-with-ramit-sethi/id1577864998

Learn the exact strategies to save money, pay off debt, improve your money mindset, and increase your net worth. Get your personalized plan here: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod.

00:00 Intro: What Is a Rich Life?

01:13 Ramit's First Money Memory

05:01 It's Expensive to Be Poor

05:20 Playing the Game While Changing the System

07:25 Why High School Finance Classes Don't Work

11:13 The Case for Renting Over Buying

17:21 How to Negotiate Your Rent

22:38 Building a Course Business

24:44 What Couples Actually Fight About

27:58 Defining Your Rich Life

35:50 What Women Are Taught About Money

37:17 The Money Dial Exercise

38:37 The Michelin Star Story

40:38 Money & Marriage: Ramit's Personal Experience

42:30 The Monthly Money Date

44:03 Gendered Fears in Relationships

51:44 Women Out-Earning Their Partners

52:05 The $400K Debt Couple

53:02 Your Feelings About Money ≠ Your Balance

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If you’ve been struggling to break free from credit card debt––you’re in the right place. In this episode, we’re replaying one of our most commonly requested topics: credit card debt. We’ll uncover how sneaky interest rates can chip away at your hard-earned money every single day and explore powerful strategies to help you tackle that high-interest debt so you can finally breathe easy.

As someone who’s dedicated to helping women save money, invest, and feel financially confident, I firmly believe that understanding your debt is the first crucial step in breaking free from it. When we take back control of our finances, we collectively fight the patriarchy—by making ourselves richer, savvier, and fully in control of our money. 

Check to see if you qualify for my partner personal loan recommendation* (doesn’t hurt your credit score!) *Terms apply: https://soficreator.pxf.io/c/1408818/2083784/25681?subId1=podcast&subId2=bonusep&adcampaigngroup=lending&adnetwork=brand 

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod

00:00 Intro

00:48 Understanding credit card debt

02:26 How debt and interest work

07:20 Strategies for paying off debt

08:32 Using credit cards responsibly

14:53 Emergency funds vs. debt payoff

19:16 Debt payoff methods: snowball vs. avalanche

22:36 The role of personal loans

32:30 Setting financial goals and staying motivated

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This week, we’re bringing you a special replay crossover episode with Lucie Fink — podcast host, video producer, digital educator, and host of “The Real Stuff with Lucie Fink.” In this insightful conversation, Tori details her journey to becoming a multimillionaire, demystifying the concept of "coast FIRE" and the significance of reaching that initial $100,000 savings goal. Tori generously shares her knowledge on effective investment strategies and highlights the power of financial literacy. This discussion goes beyond building wealth — it's a call to normalize conversations about money, sex, societal norms, and navigating the balance between privacy and openness in our personal lives.

Lucie’s links:

The Real Stuff Podcast: https://lnk.to/TheRealStuffWithLucieFink 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/ 

Talking about money with your partner can be hard, but it’s necessary. Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to download our Money Conversation Cards –– 30 question cards to help spark fun, intimate, and beneficial conversations about money with your partner.
00:00 The power of financial stability

07:16 From her first $100K to multi-millionaire

29:41 Navigating the challenges of financial transparency and safety 

39:12 Authenticity, success, and mental health online

40:17 Addressing internet trolls and financial transparency

41:42 Navigating body image 

47:50 Exploring confidence, pain, and self-care

50:07 Discussing future plans and personal growth

51:57 The realities of publishing and achieving milestones

54:39 Personal relationships and privacy boundaries

01:03:17 The importance of financial conversations in relationships

01:11:00 Understanding prenups and financial independence

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To work to change a system, you have to understand it first. But as today’s guest will show you, it turns out our understanding of American patriarchy is completely different than what we thought it was. Today I sat down with Anna Malaika Tubbs –– two-time New York Times bestselling author, sociologist, and storyteller with a PhD in sociology and a master's in gender studies from the University of Cambridge, plus a BA from Stanford (whew!) — and we're talking about American patriarchy. We get into why the Founding Fathers and the Constitution are inherently patriarchal, what history actually teaches us about how change happens, and why Anna wasn't surprised by Trump's reelection. I threw out almost every prepared question because this conversation was that good. This episode will make you furious and hopeful in the same breath.

Anna’s links:

Website: https://annamalaikatubbs.com/  

Erased by Anna Malaike Tubbs:  https://bookshop.org/a/90037/9781250876690 

The Three Mothers by Anna Malaika Tubbs: https://bookshop.org/a/90037/9781250756138 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Steve Phillips, How We Win the Civil War: https://bookshop.org/a/90037/9781620978481

Sarah McBride on Why the Left Lost on Trans Rights | The Ezra Klein Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlbNFsAGFRc 

Bookshop.org website:  http://Bookshop.org 

Not sure what to do with your money? Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ and take our FREE Money Plan Quiz to get your personalized money plan, and find any resources mentioned on our show  

00:00 Intro

01:40 What "American patriarchy" actually means

06:37 The Founding Fathers' blueprint 

15:21 The tug-of-war at the center of all American history

19:19 Why Trump's re-election wasn't a surprise

25:10 How slow progressive change actually works

31:55 Do all roads lead back to patriarchy?

36:04 "We haven't arrived anywhere new"

45:28 Moving rights to the states: a repeating tactic

52:48 Can you get rich in a system that wasn't built for you?

58:51 The power you already have

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A video I posted about the tradwife movement blew up, and the comments made one thing clear: most people are using "tradwife" and "stay-at-home mom" interchangeably. They are not the same thing, and the difference matters. In this episode, I'm breaking down what a tradwife actually is versus what Tiffany Dufu calls a "non-compensated working mom," why romanticizing financial dependence is dangerous no matter how happy your marriage is right now, and the seven concrete moves every woman; married, partnered, or neither; needs to make to protect herself financially. This isn't anti-marriage or anti-stay-at-home mom. It's pro protecting you from financial ruin.

Not sure what to do with your money? Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠  and take our FREE Money Plan Quiz to get your personalized money plan, and find any resources mentioned on our show.

00:00 Intro: The 15-word post that broke the internet

00:37 Meet Tori + episode overview

01:46 What is a tradwife, actually?

02:32 Why the tradwife aesthetic is so appealing

04:21 The Ballerina Farm irony

05:01 Tradwife vs. stay-at-home mom: not the same thing

06:39 Tori's parents: how to stay home without losing financial power

07:52 Why women hand over financial control

11:09 "Your boss can starve you too" — debunked

12:10 "Just marry the right man" — what the data says

15:28 Tradwife trend = burnout in a sundress

15:44 The real villain: the system, not the woman

18:28 The 7-step financial protection plan

18:48 1. Put your name on everything

19:13 2. Have your own money

19:51 3. Keep your credit alive

20:08 4. Know every number

21:08 5. Keep your skills and network warm

21:38 6. Know your legal protections

23:00 7. Have the "what if" conversation

23:37 Closing: bet on yourself

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In this edition of Study Hall, I'm compiling all of our best credit card debt advice into one place so you can stop Googling in a shame spiral at 2 a.m. and actually understand what's going on with your debt. I'm breaking down how interest really works (and why credit card debt is uniquely expensive), walking you through step-by-step payoff strategies,  including the avalanche method, the Debt Free Guys' lasso method, and using personal loans to consolidate, and I'm finishing with some real talk about why shame is the worst debt payoff strategy on the planet. If you're carrying credit card debt and you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like it's somehow your fault: this episode is your starting line.

Pay off credit card debt fast. Check your eligibility without it affecting your credit score. Go to ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/payoff to see if you qualify. Terms apply.

00:00 What makes up debt? 

01:00 How credit card interest actually works

04:00 Why credit card debt compounds into a "slippery slope"

05:30 Paying down the principal to reduce total cost

06:30 Getting your debt payoff plan together

07:00 Step-by-step: list debts, calculate payments, find extra

08:30 The avalanche method explained

09:30 Tori's Toyota story: paying toward principal

12:00 The Debt Lasso Method with the Debt Free Guys

16:00 Why balance transfers only work with a real plan

18:30 Personal loans: what they are and why they work

22:00 Simple interest vs. compound interest for debt

23:00 Things to consider before getting a personal loan

25:00 When personal loans are NOT the right move

28:00 What personal loans should NOT be used for

29:00 Debt settlement and your rights as a consumer with Leslie Tayne, Esq.

31:00 The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

33:00 Tori's closing pep talk: debt is not a personal failing

35:00 Goal-setting hack: specific, timely, and mission-driven

37:00 Writing goals in past tense — the visualization hack

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Today I'm sitting down for another chat with one of my favorite guests, Danielle Robay. Danielle’s a TV host, journalist, host of Question Everything, co-executive producer of Bookmarked alongside Reese Witherspoon, and also one of my IRL good friends (a friendship that started, fittingly, as a work relationship). We're getting into how to turn relationships into your next job, business, or opportunity, and what to stop doing immediately if you want to earn more. Danielle reframes "networking" as long-game relationship-building, hands you a follow-up template you can use tomorrow, and explains why the cold "can I pick your brain?" email is going straight to the trash. If you're in transition — graduating, switching careers, getting a business off the ground — this one's for you. 

Danielle’s links:

Website: https://www.daniellerobay.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellerobay/

Danielle's podcast: https://www.daniellerobay.com/prettysmart

Question Everything card game: https://questioneverything.us/   

Catch our other podcast episodes with Danielle:

How to be the Most Interesting Person in the Room with Danielle Robay: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/ask-better-questions/

Owning Your Ambition with Danielle Robay: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/owning-your-ambition-danielle-robay/ 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to grab our free Goal Setting Worksheet for a framework that will help you set actionable goals to take your dreams from ‘hope’ to ‘action.’  

00:00 Intro 

00:59 Why ambitious women network constantly but don't earn more

02:30 How Danielle's relationship to networking changed as her platform grew

04:30 The invented husband + two kids: a boundary hack

06:00 What makes a bad ask (and how to make a good one)

08:00 The "Quick question" subject-line hack

09:00 Why the "why" matters more than the "how"

11:00 Curiosity is a skill — and you already have it

13:00 The bamboo plant story

17:00 How to stay motivated when nobody's replying

19:00 What high earners do differently when they network

22:00 "What's your biggest pain point?" — the email that lands interviews

26:00 Mid-episode: free goal-setting worksheet

27:00 Where women network in ways that get them liked but not paid

33:00 The networking habit to stop immediately

35:00 Role play: how to follow up in 4 real scenarios

42:00 Getting into rooms where decisions and dollars are made

44:00 The #1 shift to make this year: throw the event

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If you've been checking every box, hitting every goal, and somehow feeling further away from yourself than ever, this episode is for you. Our guest today is Michelle Razavi, and she’s back with an important message. Since she was last on the show, she and her co-founder Nikki have grown their business Elavi into a multimillion-dollar business now in Costco, Whole Foods, H-E-B, and Thrive Market. Michelle is one of the rare founders who builds with absolute tenacity and protects her peace. In this episode we get into the neuroscience of why hustle mode is working against you, the tech boundaries that actually hold, the real psychology of why you won't delegate, and what it takes to build as a woman of color when the odds are stacked against you. 

MIchelle’s links:

Website: https://elavi.co/ 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to grab a copy of our free Side Hustle Skill Finder to figure out exactly which of your existing skills can make you money!  

00:00 Intro 

03:30 Energy management vs. time management

05:00 Executive function vs fight-or-flight 

09:30 Getting comfortable being uncomfortable

14:00 "Why isn't it happening for me?" 

19:00 Urgent vs. important

24:00 "Can it wait?" and "Is this serving me?"

27:00 The physical first signs of burnout 

36:00 When online harassment becomes a panic response

40:00 You can't go from chaos to calm in two minutes

42:00 The five senses checklist + sitting on the ground

44:00 Redefining relationships and "balance" across seasons

47:00 Technology boundaries that actually hold

54:00 Let's rebrand delegation: accepting 80%

59:00 Building as a woman of color when people doubt you

1:05:00 Envy as information

1:09:00 One small shift this week: put your phone away

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Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠ to grab a copy of our free Side Hustle Skill Finder to figure out exactly which of your existing skills can make you money, and what to do with them first!

The real reason you haven't started your business isn't that you're not ready. It's that you're waiting to feel ready, and those are not the same thing. Today I'm sitting down with Jasmine Star, entrepreneur, business strategist, and CEO of Social Curator, who has built multiple seven and eight figure businesses starting from literally nothing. We're getting into how to find the skill you're already sitting on, why clarity only comes after you take action, how to price yourself when you're just starting out, and what it actually takes to build something real without an audience, a degree, or a perfect plan. If you've been waiting for a sign to start, this is it.

Jasmine’s links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasminestar 

Website: https://jasminestar.com/ 

Social Curator: https://www.socialcurator.com/ 

00:00 Intro

02:08 What Skill Are You Already Sitting On?

03:05 Every Market Is Saturated — So What?

04:59 Humans Buy from Humans: Your Unique Value

06:28 Treat It Like a Test, Not a Failure

07:38 Identity & Separating Yourself from Results

08:09 Jasmine's Origin Story: Starting with Nothing

18:41 Why Clarity Only Comes After Action

20:44 The Belief Gap: Do You Think You Have What It Takes?

23:55 Start Small: Build Belief Through Evidence

26:03 Three Questions to Find Your Business Idea

27:27 New Levels, New Devils

30:40 Pricing: Start Low & Let the Market Push You Up

32:54 Side Hustle First or Burn the Boats?

37:48 Your First Business Is a Bridge, Not the Destination

38:42 Common Busy Work Mistaken for Progress

45:18 Entrepreneurship Creates Options, Not Just Income

52:34 The First Step to Take This Week

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