• 59 minutes 56 seconds
    287. How to Build a Business From Nothing with Jasmine Star

    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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    9 June 2026, 9:00 am
  • 34 minutes 8 seconds
    286. Getting Rich Made Me a Bad Woman

    What if the reason you're afraid of building wealth has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with a system designed to keep you that way? In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on something most people won't say out loud: the reason so many women are afraid to build wealth isn't a personal failing, it's by design. From the fears holding us back before we even start, to every way my own financial success made me a "bad woman" by the patriarchy's standards, this episode is giving you permission to stop apologizing for wanting more. Because every dollar you earn, save, and invest? It's a vote against a system that never wanted you to have it.

    Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to find any resources mentioned on our show!

    Listen to Erin Gallagher episode on being an uncontrollable woman: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/inner-mean-girl/ 


    00:00 Intro: Why Women Fear Wealth

    01:57 FOG: Fear, Obligation & Guilt Explained

    04:50 Money Avoidance & the Ostrich Effect

    05:25 The Key Reframe: You're Not Bad With Money

    06:00 The "Good Woman" Checklist

    06:38 Female Financial Dependence Is by Design

    08:45 The Data: Wage Gap, Wealth Gap & Unpaid Labor

    09:34 You Still Have to Play the Game

    13:05 Tori's Personal Story: Building Wealth Fast

    13:48 "Money Doesn't Change You — It Shows You Who You Are"

    16:31 Wealth as an Amplifier, Not a Transformer

    17:25 Staying Broke Doesn't Make You Virtuous

    20:45 How Becoming Rich Made Me a Bad Woman

    28:35 I Became Dangerous to Anyone Who Benefited From My Smallness

    29:27 The Double Standard: Wealthy Man vs. Wealthy Woman

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    2 June 2026, 9:00 am
  • 25 minutes 8 seconds
    Managing Money In My 30s

    What if your thirties were about impressing yourself instead of others? In this episode, Tori gets real about the shift in priorities that comes with entering a new decade, reflecting on everything from financial independence and self-care to setting boundaries. She encourages listeners to stop apologizing for their choices and start building a life that aligns with their values. Whether you're navigating your twenties or already thinking ahead, this episode is packed with insights that will inspire you to take control of your finances and well-being with confidence and purpose.

    Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money plan quiz and get access to my favorite money tools: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod


    My personal trainer: https://www.instagram.com/adaispresent/ 


    00:00 Welcome & Free Money Personality Quiz

    01:00 Managing Money Differently in Your 30s

    02:45 Stop Apologizing for Your Purchases

    06:00 Prioritize New Financial Goals

    07:00 Navigating Money With a Partner

    08:00 Investing in Your Health

    10:00 Why Health Spending Pays Off Long-Term

    13:30 Adjusting Your Investment Strategy

    14:30 Financial Independence & Living Off Investments

    15:00 Setting Better Work-Life Boundaries

    16:45 Why You Need a Will and Life Insurance

    19:00 Business Planning & What's Coming Next

    20:00 Final Thoughts & How Your Money Shifts by Decade

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 May 2026, 9:00 am
  • 32 minutes 19 seconds
    millionaire mindset: lever theory

    What if the real reason you're not hitting your money goals has nothing to do with how hard you're working? In this millionaire mindset episode, I'm introducing you to the Lever Theory, the framework that completely changed the way I run my $7.5 million dollar business and manage my own finances. Ever felt like you're pushing a boulder up a hill and getting nowhere? Well this episode is going to reframe everything. We're talking about why hustle culture is lying to you, why you have to know your numbers before anything else works, and how to find the one single move that closes the gap between where you are and where you want to be. No grinding required.

    Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠ to sign up for the free Savings Sprint and stay up-to-date on all resources mentioned on our show!

    The #1 Mindset Holding You Back podcast episode: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/142-the-1-mindset-holding-you-back-in-life/ 


    00:00 Intro

    00:47 Why working harder is almost never the answer

    01:10 What Millionaire Mindset is about

    03:19 Why hustle culture disproportionately traps women

    04:07 The lie: more hours = more output = more worth

    06:05 Grinding past a certain point is just expensive noise

    08:45 You can't set goals if you don't know your numbers

    10:05 The ostrich effect: putting your head in the sand

    11:36 You cannot pull a lever you can't see

    13:06 The Lever Theory explained

    14:28 Finding the gap: a revenue example

    15:43 The three questions to find your lever

    18:35 Implementing the Lever Theory beyond business

    20:49 Working smarter, not harder

    22:09 Saving Sprint announcement

    24:09 Why we resist finding the lever

    26:14 The all-or-nothing mindset sabotaging your goals

    27:10 Analysis paralysis and the fear of simplicity

    29:21 How to find your lever (5 steps)

    33:29 Your homework: find the lever this week

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    19 May 2026, 9:00 am
  • 59 minutes 25 seconds
    285. Why You Stay Stuck in Jobs, Relationships, and Financial Patterns That Aren’t Working with Simone Stolzoff

    Why do we stay in jobs, relationships, and financial patterns we know aren't working? Author and journalist Simone Stolzoff is back on the show to talk about his new book, How to Not Know — and the surprising answer has everything to do with our relationship with uncertainty. We're getting into the three certainty traps keeping you stuck, why more information is actually making your anxiety worse, the difference between one-way and two-way door decisions, and what it really takes to break the cycle when you can see the problem but can't seem to move. This is one of the most powerful conversations we've had on this show, and one you'll want to send to everyone you know.

    Simone’s links:

    How to Not Know: https://bookshop.org/a/90037/9781324089452


    Learn the exact strategies to save money, pay off debt, improve your money mindset, increase your net worth, in The $100K Club. Get the details here: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod.


    00:00 Intro 

    01:08 Why Uncertainty Feels Worse Than Bad News

    03:14 Three Certainty Traps: Comfort, Hubris & Control

    04:49 Why We Struggle to Admit We Were Wrong

    05:36 Identity, Doubling Down & Changing Your Mind

    10:23 Why Our Tolerance for Uncertainty Is Declining

    14:28 More Information, More Anxiety

    16:18 Escalating Commitment

    16:52 Stop Loss Strategies & Rules-Based Decision Making

    20:13 Outsourcing Your Willpower & Knowing Your "Enough"

    28:08 Connie & Andrew's "Year of Living Dangerously"

    30:21 How to Run Your Own Low-Stakes Life Experiment

    35:16 One-Way Door vs. Two-Way Door Decisions

    44:39 Ghost Ships: Making Peace with the Paths Not Taken

    50:39 The Miscarriage, the Uncertainty & Finding Your Anchors

    54:54 How to Not Know

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 May 2026, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    284. The Science-Backed Method to Building Better Relationships with Liz Moody

    You might be the loneliest you've ever been — and have no idea why. One of my favorite guests and favorite humans, Liz Moody, is back on the show to talk about why loneliness isn't an exposure problem. It's not about being around more people. It's a discomfort problem. We're getting into why our frictionless, optimized lives are quietly killing our ability to connect, what it actually takes to build real friendships from scratch, why vulnerability is the shortcut nobody wants to take, and the one shift you can make this week that will move you toward deeper connection — no new plans required.

    Liz’s links:

    Website: https://www.lizmoody.com/

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

    Podcast: https://www.lizmoody.com/the-liz-moody-podcast/ 

    Book: A Hundred Ways to Change Your Life: http://Bookshopbookshop.org/a/90037/9780063333710 

    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

    00:13 Why We've Never Been More Connected — Yet More Alone

    02:34 The "Creation Era" of Friendship & Why Discomfort Is the Price of Connection

    03:23 The Cozy Era vs. The Creation Era of Friendship

    06:17 Loneliness Is a Discomfort Problem, Not an Exposure Problem

    11:37 Misdiagnosing Loneliness — What You're Actually Missing

    13:05 The Harvard Study of Adult Development & the #1 Predictor of a Long Life

    14:59 Face-Down Phone Theory & What Your Phone Is Costing Your Relationships

    11:27 Match Theory: Stop Impressing, Start Finding Your People

    17:32 The 50-Hour Rule: How Long It Really Takes to Make a Friend

    21:17 From Transaction to Connection — Getting Past Tit for Tat

    21:13 Human Beings vs. Human Doings: Productivity Culture & Friendship

    38:21 Shared Experiences, Novelty & Building Deeper Bonds

    38:16 "Abouts" — The Secret Ingredient to Lasting Friendships

    50:24 Healthy Solitude vs. Loneliness (and Why Most of Us Never Actually Rest)

    58:20 The One Shift to Make This Week If You Feel Lonely

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    5 May 2026, 9:00 am
  • 56 minutes 8 seconds
    283. How to Turn Your Bills into Free Travel with Shakeemah Smith (The Passport Abuser)

    What if every bill you're already paying could get you closer to a free flight?

    Today I'm talking to Shakeemah "Keem" Smith — founder of Bills to Boarding Passes, solo travel educator, and the woman her family literally nicknamed The Passport Abuser — to talk about how she's traveled to nearly 100 countries without paying out of pocket for a single flight in three years. And no, you don't need a high-limit credit card or a six-figure salary to do this.

    Keem breaks down her Bills to Boarding Passes method, the airline partnerships most people have never heard of, why solo travel might be the most powerful thing you do for yourself this year, and the exact first steps to take this week, no matter your income, your debt situation, or your starting point. You’re gonna want to share this episode with a friend!

    Ready to turn your everyday bills into free flights? Sign up for our FREE Bills to Boarding Passes workshop with Keem & Tori: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod

    Compare the cheapest flights from all major airlines at ⁠Skyscanner.com

    Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to find our credit card recommendations and any other resources mentioned on our show!


    00:00 Intro

    01:36 Your Bills Are Your Boarding Passes

    04:07 Airline Miles vs. Credit Card Points: What's the Difference?

    07:05 How Airlines Make Money When You're Not Flying 

    09:32 Earning Miles on Your Utility Bills (NRG Partnership)

    11:03 How Keem Got to Her First 20 Countries for Under $100 

    13:55 How to Travel for Free Without a Credit Card 

    16:22 What Started Solo Travel: A Friendship Betrayal in Amsterdam

    19:10 Learning to Enjoy Your Own Company at 30

    21:29 Traveling as a Black Woman — Safety, Research & Real Talk

    28:24 Actionable Steps for the Woman Who Thinks She Can't Afford to Travel

    31:44 Japan for $6 — Three Times (and Other Receipt-Worthy Receipts)

    35:19 Treating Retailers Like You Treat Men: The 2-Out-of-3 Rule

    38:44 Country That Surprised Me Most: Kuwait

    39:31 The One Thing I Always Pack: A Carbon Monoxide Detector

    41:27 Worst Travel Disaster: Saint Kitts Airport Scam

    44:45 Best Flight Deal: $5 Flights as a Lifestyle

    45:42 Most Underrated Solo Destination: Antigua and Barbuda

    47:20 Final Message to the Woman Who Thinks Travel Isn't for Her

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    28 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 40 minutes 50 seconds
    282. The $100K Blueprint: How I'd Save My First $100K in 2026

    Yes, my $100K story has been in the New York Times, Business Insider, and on ABC News — and yes, I did it in 2019. But every time it goes viral, my DMs say the same thing: "Cool for you, Tori, but that was a different economy." So let's actually talk about it. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what I would do differently if I were starting from zero in my early 20s today — what still works from my original system, what I'd change, and why hitting your first $100K in 2026 is harder, but absolutely not impossible. This isn't a motivation episode. This is a framework episode built for the economy we're actually living in, with real numbers, real talk about systemic barriers, and a step-by-step system you can plug into your own money starting today.

    Want to build your first $100K, but not sure where to start? Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to get my free guide.

    Get my HYSA recommendation, my book, Financial Feminist, and more resources from this episode at https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod

    How I Saved $100K at 25: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-to-save-100k/ 


    00:00 Intro

    00:18 How Tori Hit $100K (Origin Story)

    00:55 What Actually Went Into It

    02:43 What Tori Didn't Have

    03:28 Why 2016–2019 Was Different Than Now

    07:18 What's Genuinely Harder Today

    09:10 The Latte Factor Era Is Dead

    10:03 The System Still Works

    11:57 If I Was Starting Today

    12:11 Step 1: Stop Trying to Be Perfect

    15:22 Step 2: Don't Write Off Someone's Story

    17:35 Step 3: Redefine What Your $100K Means

    19:43 Step 4: Automate Your Savings

    22:19 Step 5: Focus on Growing Income

    23:57 Negotiate Every Job Offer

    26:01 Step 6: Start Investing Now

    29:11 Step 7: Values-Based Spending

    31:11 The Full Plan Recap & Free Resource

    32:28 Closing: You're Not Behind

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 45 minutes 26 seconds
    281. Build Wealth Without Leaving Your Culture Behind with Bricia Lopez

    What if you never had to choose between building wealth and honoring where you came from? Bricia Lopez didn't –– and she built something incredible because of it. She grew up translating for her immigrant parents, learned money by watching her family create and lose and rebuild, and went on to become a restaurateur, cookbook author, and the woman behind one of LA's most iconic Oaxacan restaurants, Guelaguetza. Today she's sharing everything, the mindset, the hard lessons, the margarita vs. martini moment that changed how she thinks about her own worth. Come for the food, stay for the money talk.


    Bricia’s links:

    Website: https://www.ilovemicheladas.com/


    Join the savings sprint to get your finances on track and take control of your money: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod


    00:00 Intro 

    00:20 The First Money Lesson: You Can Just Make It

    02:57 Being the Family Translator & Business Partner at 12

    05:25 Redefining Success at Every Decade

    09:08 Cutting Personal Comfort, Not Quality, During Hard Times

    16:58 Why Bricia Talks Money Openly With Her Friends

    17:22 The Margarita vs. Martini — Running Your Own Race

    25:52 Why Customers Hesitate to Pay for Quality Mexican Food

    26:37 The Importance of Knowing Your Worth

    38:47 How Wealth Is More Than a Number

    29:00 Building Something Meaningful Without Abandoning Your Roots

    31:09 When Women Are Financially Free, the World Changes

    32:38 Rapid Fire: Best Dish to Order, Desert Island Ingredients & More

    38:58 Where to Find Bricia & What's Coming Next

    To stay up to date and find any other resources mentioned on our show visit: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    14 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 54 minutes 54 seconds
    280. How to Stop Making Emotional Financial Decisions with Dr. Nick

    If you've ever thought, "I know what I'm supposed to be doing with my money, so why can't I just do it?"–– this episode is going to change everything.

    I'm sitting down with Dr. Nick, a licensed neuropsychologist and executive cognition specialist, to unpack the brain science behind why smart, capable women still make emotional financial decisions. We're going into the dopamine deficit that makes long-term financial goals feel impossible to start, the norepinephrine surge that only kicks in when things become an emergency, and why "I'm bad with money" is a story your brain makes up — not a fact about who you are.

    Dr. Nick breaks down how emotional dysregulation silently drives impulse spending, financial avoidance, and the boom-bust cycle so many of us know too well, and more importantly, how to build systems, practice self-compassion, and rewire your brain's relationship with money, one small win at a time.

    Dr. Nick’s links:

    Website: https://www.drnicolemurray.com/


    Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show.


    If you're feeling stressed about money, we've created a money plan to help you, no matter where you're getting started. Taking a quick 2-minute quiz to get your money plan at https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod


    In this episode:

    00:00 How Emotional Decisions Shape Your Finances

    01:47 Why Knowing Isn't Enough: The Brain Science

    02:56 The Role of Dopamine in Financial Decisions

    05:11 How to Create Urgency Before a Crisis

    07:52 "I'm Just Bad With Money" — Debunked

    10:15 What Is Emotional Regulation (And Why It Matters)

    14:52 The Intensity Gauge: Rating Your Emotions

    15:02 Managing the "Always at an 8" vs. Numb Baseline

    17:29 Making Financial Decisions at a 5, 6, or 7

    19:19 Replacing Mindless Spending With Systems

    29:54 Willpower Is a Myth — Here's What Actually Works

    32:11 The Case for Self-Compassion Over Willpower

    35:43 The Boom-Bust Cycle of Financial Motivation

    39:28 How Emotional Regulation Changes With Age

    42:24 Preparing for Life's Transitions

    49:00 Rebuilding Trust With Yourself and Your Money

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    7 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 56 minutes 30 seconds
    279. Building REAL Confidence with Kara Loewentheil

    If you've ever power posed in a bathroom mirror or blasted a Beyoncé song before a big negotiation hoping it would make you believe in yourself, this episode is going to completely change the way you think about confidence. I'm sitting down with return guest Kara Loewentheil, founder of The School of New Feminist Thought, host of the internationally top-ranked podcast Unfuck Your Brain, and author of the instant New York Times bestseller Take Back Your Brain, and we're getting into the real, evidence-backed truth about what confidence actually is — and why everything you've been told about building it is probably doing you more harm than good. Kara breaks down her Confidence Compass framework — self-knowledge, self-compassion, self-belief, and self-actualization — and why real confidence has nothing to do with a feeling or a pose, and everything to do with building a trusting relationship with yourself so you can take risks, go after your financial goals, and create the life you actually want.

    Kara’s links:

    Website: http://unfuckyourbrain.com/HSC 

    Unf*ck Your Brain podcast: https://schoolofnewfeministthought.com/podcasts/ 

    Take Back Your Brain book: https://www.takebackyourbrainbook.com/ 

    Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to read the transcript and find any resources mentioned in this episode!


    0:00 Intro

    0:59 Confidence Is a Skillset, Not a Feeling

    2:08 Why Power Poses and Beyoncé Songs Don't Work

    4:19 Does "Fake It Till You Make It" Actually Work?

    5:19 Kara's Background: Yale, Harvard Law, and Becoming a Coach

    5:34 Betting on Yourself Without Feeling Confident

    7:55 Confidence vs. Certainty and Control

    9:30 Confidence as a Relationship with Yourself

    12:02 The Confidence Compass Framework

    14:40 Money, Shame, and Which Block Shows Up Most

    16:47 How Shame Disguises Itself as Responsibility

    19:37 The Permission Slip Problem

    27:31 How to Uncouple Shame and Build New Beliefs

    38:28 Unlearning Selflessness Without Feeling Selfish

    43:04 Confidence Doesn't Come from Having Things — It Creates Them

    45:37 Using the Confidence Compass for Money Goals

    48:52 The Seeds of Who You Want to Be Are Already in You

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 March 2026, 9:00 am
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