Journey To Launch : Personal Finance, Early Retirement & Business

Carleigh Bodrug is the CEO and Founder of PlantYou, a New York Times Bestselling cookbook author and self-taught plant-based chef. Carleigh founded PlantYou in 2016 after the World Health Organization announced that red and processed meat were now considered Group 1 and Group 2 Carcinogens which was especially shocking as Carleigh grew up on a “meat and potatoes” diet. With little-to-no cooking skills, and a tiny bachelor apartment kitchen, Carleigh started experimenting with plants. She began cooking vegan meals by simply replacing the meat in her favorite childhood recipes with plants. Carleigh's mission is to help people to save money, reduce food waste and eat healthier than they ever have before. In this conversation, we discuss:  Carleigh’s journey from working in radio broadcasting to becoming a vegan chef and how a plant-based diet improved her digestion and overall energy levels The health and environmental benefits of eating more plant-based foods & moral reasons for reducing animal product con

In this week’s solo episode, I'm sharing how I am currently in a relaxed phase with my finances and business, focusing on having a balanced life and not stressing to maximize income for now. I give you tips for feeling financially secure during slower income periods and will guide you on how to reach this relaxed phase as well.  In this episode you’ll learn:  How knowing your income, savings, expenses and investment numbers will give you reassurance The importance of investments in achieving financial goals, even during slower times How thinking through the worst case and best case scenario will help you feel empowered to withstand challenges & remain optimistic.  Strategies for surviving extended periods without income and how to be prudent with expenses during slower times How to release worry by setting a date in the future to reassess where you are financially Other Links Mentioned in episode: Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a rev

In this episode, we chat with personal finance expert and author, Lynnette Khalfani Cox, who discusses how to overcome financial setbacks and adversity. She outlines 10 common challenges people face that negatively impact them financially & emotionally, which she calls the "dreaded Ds". Lynnette provides us with some key strategies for bouncing back and assures us that there are always ways to recover and build resilience after a setback; focusing on your mindset and emotional health is the first step. In this episode you will learn:  Strategies for bouncing back such as: Leveraging your network & connections to find opportunities, cutting expenses and finding ways to earn extra income, prioritizing your goals and tackling them one at a time + others. A breakdown of the 10 common challenges people face that impact our money- the dreaded D’s  Examples of how to switch & save money in areas like healthcare, food, phone bills, & childcare. How discrimination in housing, jobs, and lending can sig

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 fi

Maya Corbic is a first-generation immigrant, CPA, author of the kids’ book "From Piggy Banks to Stocks: The Ultimate Guide for a Young Investor", and founder of the Wealthy Kids Investment Club. From challenging beginnings in shelters and government housing, Maya draws from her experience of overcoming financial challenges & simplifies money matters to inspire children to pursue financial success. Her vision is to empower every child to become a financially independent adult. Maya Corbic grew up in war-torn Bosnia before immigrating to Canada at the age 15. She started working at a young age to support herself and her family. This immigrant experience drove her motivation to get an education and have a successful career as a CPA where she worked at accounting firms before quitting to spend more time with family and start teaching kids about personal finance. By the time she was 32 years old, she and her husband paid off $60,000 of debt, in addition to their mortgage. In this episode, you’ll learn:  The v

In this solo episode, I share the five key insights from my book, “

Jessica, co-author of award-winning blog The Fioneers, speaker, and lifestyle design coach, joins the Journey To Launch podcast for a second time to discuss how her and her partner transitioned from corporate America to van-life entrepreneurs.  We chat about unconventional paths and balanced approaches to Financial Independence, tips to reach FI, navigating feelings of fear and scarcity surrounding money and FI, and more!  In this episode you’ll learn about: How Jessica and her partner saved money and diverted funds from retirement to afford entrepreneurship and the flexibility of van-life Why you need to implement a strategy for the future as you transition away from your traditional career into self-employment  What surrounding yourself with a community of people can do to improve your mental health as an entrepreneur What the definition of Coast FI is, What “Guac Level” Jessica identifies as, the strength of having a partner aligned with your financial goals + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: G

Rose Mendonca, educator and financial enthusiast joins the Journey to Launch podcast to talk about her mission: helping all educators create wealth and the retirement of their dreams. Rose is a serial entrepreneur and founded Teacher Talks Money when she realized educators need more guidance, support, and literacy surrounding their finances and retirement options. Our conversation delves into topics such as Rose's decision to pay off her mortgage, the importance of optimizing earning potential early in a teaching career, how teachers can create wealth and more! In this episode you’ll learn about: Why you need to consider the “golden handcuffs” of pension and time if you’re considering moving districts as a teacher Retirement options for teachers and the differences between a 403b and a 457 Ways teachers can leverage their in-classroom skills to earn more money How teachers can invest with a limited income, strategically picking your school district, the power of investigating other interests + more!  Other

It’s my birthday! In my latest episode, I delve into post-book debut developments, the upcoming stages for my business, my commitment to self-care this year, and the significance of leading a life you can take pride in. Additionally, I provide step-by-step instructions on what actions I would take if I were just discovering Financial Independence. Don’t forget: you can celebrate my birthday with me by listening to this episode and reviewing my book, “

This week on the Journey to Launch Podcast we’re featuring Israel and Sunem Tovar, two first-gen Latine siblings who empower people to use money to live their lives on their own terms. They discuss their financial journeys & achievements by sharing how Israel built a six-figure net worth by the age of 26 on a teacher salary and as a first-gen, openly gay latino, and how Sunem built a $250,000 investment portfolio and holds a Master's in finance.  Despite attending prestigious institutions, Israel still felt that he initially lacked financial literacy. Sunem also reveals that she didn’t learn much about personal finance while pursuing her Master’s in Finance. It was through their siblings sharing information with each other that they discovered personal finance blogs & podcasts which helped them  save, invest, pay off debt and start the journey towards financial independence.  In this episode Israel and Sunem discuss:  Their backgrounds, experiences with education, and how they navigated financial cha

Maria Melchor, financial educator and creator of FirstGenLiving, joins the Journey To Launch Podcast to talk about her experience being the first in her family to build lasting wealth in America and how she built FirstGenLiving into the successful business it is today.  We also talk about taking on student loan debt to avoid burdening parents with school expenses, “survivor’s guilt,” the fallacy of the “working harder will make you wealthier” narrative, and more.  FirstGenLiving began in 2020 and reaches an audience of 130,000+ across social media platforms. FirstGenLiving provides personal finance education tailored to the experience of first-generation immigrants, students, and professionals in the United States. Maria has been featured in outlets including CNBC, Univision, and Money Magazine.In this episode you’ll learn about: How Maria’s immigrant background shaped her journey and influences her finances The challenge of raising second generation kids with grit through intentional parenting Guilt and anx

Chris Hutchins, avid life hacker, financial optimizer and host of the top ranked podcast, “All the Hacks,” joins the Journey To Launch podcast to discuss how he amassed 14 million credit card points and upgrades his life without spending a fortune.  We also talk about the dangers of optimizing too much, intentionally spending and hacking your personal finances, analysis paralysis, and more.  Before jumping into the content creation world, Chris was the Head of New Product Strategy at Wealthfront, an investor at Google Ventures, co-founded Milk (acquired by Google) and built an organization called LaidOffCamp. He has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. In this episode you’ll learn about: How selling a business does not always mean making a profit  Why falling down rabbit holes of information changed Chris’s life What being in a job Chris hated taught him about Financial Independence Travel hacking, using money to have experiences you can uniquely have now, memory dividends + mo

Vanessa Van Edwards, a best-selling author and behavioral researcher on professional communication and leadership, joins the Journey To Launch podcast to discuss science-based communication insights and give actionable social skills tips to advance your career, relationships, and overall life. We also chat about navigating stereotyping and biases , the importance of making definitive decisions about personal connections, leveraging cues to shape perception, and more. More than 50 million people have seen Vanessa on YouTube and in her viral TED Talk. She has been featured in Entrepreneur, CNN, CBS, and more. Her book, “Captivate: The Science of Succeeding With People,” has been translated into 17+ languages and her latest book, “Cues: Master The Secret Language of Charismatic Communication," was an instant best seller.  In this episode you’ll also learn more about: Actionable posture tips and desk setups to optimize how others perceive you How to recognize if you have weaker people skills and what you can do

Arlan Hamilton, serial entrepreneur, author, and master multitasker, joins the Journey To Launch podcast to discuss her main idea that 99.9% of people can become millionaires. She gives us powerful insights on proactively creating opportunities, overcoming distrust, and maintaining consistency for sustained wealth building. Following Arlan's interview, I share the questions I’m asking myself as we transition from 2023 to 2024  and how making an impact, no matter how modest, fuels my determination to reach and inspire a broader audience.   In this episode you’ll also learn more about: How to identify if you have a money mindset issue + the power of self-belief  Why creating multiple revenue streams is the key to long-term wealth What opting for exploring the best case scenario if you go for something looks like The power of embodying what we desire before we achieve it  Planning to allow for surprises, questions to ask yourself as the new year approaches + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: Order my n

Do you have a positive or negative money mindset? Are you conscious of the habits that correlate with those mindsets… or are you more like a jellyfish, going with the flow and not sure where you stand?  In this episode, I guide you through the significant impact of the intangible aspects of your financial journey. I offer definitions for mindsets and habits, present a framework for self-assessment, share my personal experience in leveraging a challenging situation, and provide insights on regaining control over your financial situation. In this episode you’ll also learn more about: What mindset is, why it’s evolving, and how it’s shaped in your life How to assess your mindsets and habits at the beginning of your financial journey  Understanding how your mindset and habits feed into your current financial situation Actionable steps to improve your money mindset, the ant mill or death spiral phenomenon, direct and indirect money habits + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: Episode 236- How To Chan

You’ve seen the social media posts: “To be successful, quit your corporate career and strike out on your own!” “Entrepreneur ‘til I die,” “Don’t make someone else rich!” While the idea that becoming an entrepreneur leads to increased flexibility and income may hold true for some, it's not a universal fit and often takes time to materialize. In this episode, I delve into my personal journey as an entrepreneur, recounting various challenges and setbacks. I discuss why I consider Journey To Launch a success, despite encountering multiple "failures," and offer genuine advice for those contemplating a move towards self-employment. In this episode you’ll also learn more about: Various businesses I tried and failed before I began Journey To Launch Actionable tips if you’re thinking about jumping into entrepreneurship How to set yourself up for entrepreneur success in the beginning The pros and cons of working for yourself + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: Episode 338: Quitting Alcohol, Accepting Y

The time for goal-setting is here, Journeyers! The end of the year is the perfect time to take inventory of your financial goals. In this episode, I dive deep into how to set and prioritize financial goals using concepts from my new book, “Your Journey To Financial Freedom.” I talk about goal dumping, being flexible with your dreams, and being honest with yourself and what you want out of life. In this episode you’ll also learn more about: Breaking down the 5 Categories of Financial Goals “Domino Goals” vs. “Gap Goals” How you can break down your goals into actionable steps  What “Goal Fuel” is, prioritizing “The Gap,” the importance of habits and mindsets, the 5 Journeyer Stages of Financial Independence + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: Get The Budget Bootcamp for FREE Order my new book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom and get 2 months free of Freedom Quest & access to the FIRE STARTER Course for FREE Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– L

Get your copy by going to https://yourjourneytofinancialfreedom.com

Well, Journeyers, it’s finally here: “Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A Step-By-Step Guide to Achieving Wealth and Happiness,” hits bookshelves THIS WEEK!  In this solo episode, I “spill the tea,” on what it was like writing my debut book, the behind-the-scenes of the publishing world, getting over self-doubt, and what you can expect when you pick up the book. I also chat about letting go of perfection, why your dreams should be offensive, psychographics, the belief that the pursuit of Financial Independence is for everyone, and more. In this episode you’ll also learn more about: Who the target audience is for my new book, “Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A Step-By-Step Guide to Achieving Wealth and Happiness”  How privileges and blind-spots of other personal finance educators and “gurus” pushed me to create a more relatable, authentically representative brand and book The layout of  “Your Journey to Financial Freedom,” and how this book came to be in the world Main takeaways for you from my experience

Learn about the importance of diving deep into what you want your life to realistically look like currently and what it will look like financially in the future, allowing yourself to dream big and become flexible with your life goals, the dangers of comparison and more. In this episode you’ll also learn more about: The definition of life goals and the importance of prioritizing them alongside financial ones The Five Journeyer Stages of Financial Independence and The Five Guacamole Lifestyle Levels How your Guacamole Lifestyle Level will impact your journey to Financial Independence Identifying your life goals without the numbers, dreaming big, achieving what you want through intentional living + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: Episode 309- The Price of Beauty: Exploring the Pros and Cons of Higher Maintenance Beauty Services Get The Budget Bootcamp for FREE Pre-order my new book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom and get access to FIRE STARTER Course for FREE Check out my personal website here. Join