Financial Feminist

At 25, I had $100,000 in the bank. At 27, I was a millionaire. And today I’m handing you my actual formula. Plenty of articles boil my story down to “save money, invest, start a business.” That’s technically true and practically useless. In this episode, I’m breaking down what I did between 25 and 27 that made the biggest difference, which parts you can copy, and which parts came from privilege I didn’t earn. I graduated debt-free and grew up with parents who taught me about money, and that shaped the conditions I made my decisions in. Personal finance is personal, so treat this as a formula you adapt to your own life instead of a script to copy line for line. Mentioned in this episode: The $100K Blueprint: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/the-1how-id-save-my-first-100k-in-2026/  Negotiate Like a Woman with Kathryn Valentine: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/negotiate-like-a-woman/ How to Negotiate with Confidence: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/negotiate-with-confidence/  Learn the exact strategies I used to save money, pay off debt, and get my first $100K. Visit: ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠. 00:00 Intro 01:10 How Her First $100K started 03:02 The privilege in my story 05:08 #1: Solid financial habits 08:31 Start acting like a millionaire now 09:28 #2: Growing my earning power 10:21 Why cutting your budget only goes so far 13:50 Going full-time in 2020 14:37 If entrepreneurship isn’t for you 16:44 #3: Building a financial system 19:48 Why I unapologetically want money 23:18 My favorite part of being a millionaire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traditional budgeting doesn’t work. In episode two of Financial Foundations, brought to you by State Farm, I'm showing you how to budget without hating your life. We'll reframe budgeting as a permission slip instead of a punishment. Budgeting doesn't mean you can’t ever have a latte, or buy organic, or even say no to a vacation. Creating a budget is as personal as your favorite band, which means that these one-size-fits-all solutions might be more the problem than you. Today we'll walk through my three-bucket budget, and find your three value categories: the parts of your life where spending brings you the most joy. Then we'll pull out the money diary from episode one and see whether your spending matches what you actually care about. Catch-up on the Financial Foundations series: Financial Foundations Episode 1: Your Money Blueprint: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/money-blueprint/ Save your seat in this 2-part workshop series that turns your “I wish I could quit my job” into a specific, actionable plan to get you out of your job in 90 days or less. Get access here: ⁠⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠.  00:00 Intro 01:03 How to budget without hating your life 01:56 Refresher: the financial priority list 02:54 Why budgets fail like diets 03:23 Your budget is a gas gauge 04:50 Permission slip, not punishment 05:38 Why I hated every budget app 06:20 The three-bucket budget 07:51 Automate, automate, automate 08:44 Your three value categories 10:37 My coffee-as-a-walk confession 11:37 "Should" spending: museums, dinners, and bachelorette parties 12:51 Exercise: sort your money diary 14:09 Ask this at every checkout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat in this 2-part workshop series that turns your “I wish I could quit my job” into a specific, actionable plan to get you out of your job in 90 days or less. Get access here: ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠. Today I'm sitting down with Natalie Ellis, mom, CEO, and founder of Boss Babe, and author of the New York Times bestseller The Freedom-Based Business Method. Natalie built a multimillion-dollar company and then realized she'd been running it on an aggressive growth playbook for a business she never planned to sell. We get into why burnout isn't a badge of honor, why the median follower count in Natalie's survey of six-figure-plus business owners will shock you, and the three boring things that actually make a business work. If you run a business, want to start one, or just keep buying courses hoping the next one fixes it, this is your episode. Natalie’s Links: Websites: https://www.bossbabe.com/ ; https://www.natalie-ellis.com/ Book: https://bookshop.org/a/90037/9781401997373  Mentioned during the show: How to Reinvent Yourself (Without Losing Yourself) with Sophia Amoruso: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/reinventing-yourself-sophia-amoruso/ The Rise and Fall of the Girlboss: https://www.diabolicalliespod.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-girlboss 00:00 Intro  04:30 Is burnout the price of hustle? Energy-giving vs. energy-draining work 08:00 Why "more organization" isn't the fix: the three questions your business runs on 10:30 Big decisions vs. small ones, in business and personal finance 12:00 Natalie's Trojan horse course strategy 15:00 Tori's viral video and the 100,000 email subscribers 18:00 Building on land you own: why email beats followers 20:00 Shiny objects: new products, new platforms 26:00 One platform, one offer, and why you can't over-market a product 29:00 What to cut first: start with your data 31:00 Offer, funnel, traffic (build, borrow, or buy an audience) 34:00 Getting off the treadmill: executive retreats and "what do you want?" 37:00 Leaving easy money on the table 40:00 Seasons of sprint and giving yourself grace 44:00 Building for freedom when you're just getting started 47:00 The responsibility nobody posts about 52:00 The Boss Babe name, ten-plus years later 54:00 Hustle culture, soft life, and tradwife content 62:00 What successful women entrepreneurs know Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You told us Financial Foundations was your favorite series, so we brought it back. Presented by State Farm, these are short, actionable episodes, each one covering a single personal finance pillar and giving you one thing to go do. We're following along with my book, Financial Feminist, so if you have a copy, pull it out. In episode one, I'm walking you through your first money memory, the exact order to tackle your financial goals, and how to actually stay consistent with a monthly money date. If you've ever asked "Okay, but what do I do first with my money?", start here. To find all of the resources mentioned in this episode including my free money quiz and my partner recommendation for your emergency fund), visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠.  00:00 Intro 01:03 Welcome to Financial Foundations 02:17 Your financial narrative and your first money memory 03:54 How your money memory shows up today 06:05 The financial order of operations 06:56 Why your emergency fund comes first 08:26 Priority two: high-interest debt 09:18 Priority three: investing for retirement and paying down low-interest debt 10:04 Priority four: saving for the big stuff 11:04 Staying consistent and the ostrich effect 12:37 Financial self-care and the money date 13:33 How to run your money date, step by step 15:15 Your homework: the money diary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is so valuable, we decided to run it back. It's all about unlocking what I truly believe is the easiest money you will ever make — and yes, it’s as simple and lazy-girl-friendly as it sounds. I’m breaking down the one passive income strategy that requires zero extra hours, zero new skills, and absolutely zero stress: a high-yield savings account. If you’ve ever wished you could make money while taking a nap, running errands, or sipping a drink on the beach, this episode shows you exactly how to make your existing money work harder for you, without sacrificing your already-packed schedule. Looking for a HYSA? We've done the research for you. See our partner recommendation (terms apply): https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod 00:00 Intro 01:14 The Problem with Checking Accounts 02:44 Why High-Yield Savings Accounts Matter 04:21 How to Set Up and Use a HYSA 08:44 The Power of Earning Interest 09:23 Using HYSA for Emergency Funds & Goals 10:22 Overcoming Myths & Fears 12:24 Making Money Passively 14:03 Is My Money Safe? 15:10 Final Thoughts & How to Get Started Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices