She Talks Money

Making more money doesn’t automatically make you feel financially secure.This week on She Talks Money, I’m sitting down with financial coach and author Justin Bennett to talk about something so many people quietly struggle with: earning a good income but still wondering where all the money goes.Justin shares his own story of realizing that he and his wife had accumulated more than $100,000 in debt while living paycheck to paycheck—and how buying their first home became the wake-up call that forced them to look at their finances differently.We talk about why debt rarely happens overnight, why consolidation loans don’t fix the habits that created the problem, and why financial freedom has less to do with how much you make and more to do with how intentionally you manage what you have.Justin also walks us through his Financial Freedom Pyramid—from awareness and knowledge to commitment, momentum, and ultimately freedom—and explains why tracking your spending can be one of the most eye-opening things you do for your finances.We get into the psychology behind spending, the “cycle of regret,” budgeting without feeling like you can’t enjoy your life, and how couples can get on the same page financially without every money conversation turning into an argument.Because the goal isn’t to never spend money.It’s to know where your money is going, decide what actually matters to you, and build a financial life that gives you more freedom—not more stress.LevelUpYourFinances.com - Visit his website for information about his business and book!

Delegating isn’t saying, “Can you empty the dishwasher?” or “Can you take out the trash?” Because if I still have to notice it, remember it, ask for it, and follow up on it… I’m still managing it.In this solo episode of She Talks Money, I’m talking about what real delegation looks like—both at work and at home—and why so many women think they’re delegating when they’re actually just handing out individual tasks while still carrying the mental load.I share how I’ve learned to delegate ownership instead of assignments, why letting go of control is necessary if you want to grow, and how clear expectations can change the way your business and household operate. We’ll also talk about the uncomfortable part of delegation: accepting that someone else might not do something exactly the way you would—and learning when that’s completely okay.Because whether you’re building a business, managing a household, raising a family, or doing all three, you cannot be the person who notices, remembers, assigns, and follows up on everything.The goal isn’t to get better at doing it all. It’s to stop believing you have to.

In this episode of She Talks Money, I sit down with Brittany Hanson, owner of Hanson Haven Interior Design, for a conversation about creating a home—and a life—that truly feels good from the inside out.One of my favorite reminders from this conversation is that your home doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. It doesn’t need to look like a magazine or follow every trend. Home should be a place that brings you peace, reflects who you are, and supports the way you actually want to live.Brittany and I also talk about something I care deeply about: women supporting women. I truly believe we are at our best when we encourage each other, celebrate each other’s wins, share what we’ve learned, and remind one another of what’s possible.Whether you’re creating a home, building a business, raising a family, or simply figuring out what you want your next chapter to look like, this conversation is a reminder that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. It just needs to feel like yours.In this episode:00:00 — Home Is PeaceWhy creating a beautiful home is less about perfection and more about creating a space that feels peaceful, personal, and intentional.37:14 — Encouraging WomenWhy women supporting, inspiring, and encouraging other women can make such a powerful difference.

In Part 2 of Conversations I Wish Someone Had With Me at 30, I’m sharing the financial decisions that weren’t flashy or exciting—but ultimately changed the trajectory of our life.Dave and I stayed in a modest townhome even as our income grew. I drove a Tahoe for more than 400,000 miles. And when we eventually moved, we chose to keep our first home and turn it into a rental instead of selling it.None of those choices made us look wealthy. But they gave us something far more valuable: margin.In this episode, I talk about the difference between being able to afford something and choosing whether it actually moves you closer to the life you want. Because as your income grows, so does the pressure to upgrade your house, your car, your lifestyle—and prove that you’re successful.But building wealth isn’t about looking rich. It’s about creating options, buying assets, investing intentionally, and giving yourself the freedom to make decisions from a place of choice instead of pressure.I’ll share why I stopped focusing only on how much money I could make and started thinking about how to make my money work for me—and the question I now ask before making big financial decisions: Am I buying freedom, or am I buying an image?If you’re in a season of earning more, wanting more, or wondering what your next financial move should be, this conversation is for you.And next week, we’re talking about another lesson I wish I had learned sooner: stop waiting until you feel ready.

I’m kicking off a new series called “Conversations I Wish Someone Had With Me at 30.” At 47, after building businesses, raising kids, experiencing success, making mistakes, and learning a lot of lessons the hard way, there are so many things I wish I could go back and tell my younger self.The first one: success will not fix your insecurity.For a long time, I thought the next goal would be the thing that finally made me feel confident. More money. More success. A bigger business. The right title. The next accomplishment. But what I’ve learned is that your circumstances can change while your insecurities come right along with you.In this episode, I’m talking about imposter syndrome, why so many ambitious women keep moving the goalpost, and what actually builds confidence. For me, it has been keeping promises to myself, doing hard things, acting with integrity, and proving to myself over and over again that I can trust who I am.Your worth cannot be tied to your income, your title, your appearance, your business, or an algorithm. Those things can change tomorrow.So I want you to ask yourself: Where am I expecting success to solve an insecurity that I actually need to work through myself?And if there’s another woman in your life who needs this conversation, send this episode to her.Next week, I’m getting practical and talking about the financial and real estate decisions I wish I understood earlier—and how they can create more freedom in your life.