In this episode of Disrupt Your Money, we rip the “boring policy” label off the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and show you exactly how defunding it becomes open season on marginalized small business owners. This isn’t abstract politics—it’s about whether there’s anyone standing between you and predatory lenders, junk fees, or shady fine print when you’re just trying to run your business and pay your people.

You’ll walk away with a crash course in policy-as-self-defense and a concrete action plan—from calling your reps with scripts in hand to supporting pro-consumer candidates and getting loud online.

⏱️ In This Episode:
00:00 Introduction: Why defunding consumer protection should have small business owners on high alert
01:42 What the CFPB is and how it came out of the 2008 crisis
05:21 What’s happening now with the CFPB
11:33 Why a weakened CFPB is especially dangerous for marginalized small business owners
13:58 Payday lending in Texas as a case study in what happens when regulation disappears
15:56 How we fight back: four concrete strategies to protect consumer protections and your business
16:14 Calling your representatives with scripts
17:22 Educating your community and getting loud on social media
18:54 Closing remarks: refusing helplessness, disrupting predatory systems, and making noise together

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

👉 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – learn more or submit a complaint
👉 Ask CFPB – searchable answers to common money questions
👉 Call Your Representatives – Meg’s weekly Substack with scripts to call your reps
👉 5 Calls – tools & scripts to help you call your elected officials
👉 Justice Democrats – supporting progressive, pro-consumer candidates
👉 Working Families Party – building political power for working people
👉 National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) – resources on consumer rights & financial protection

💬 Connect with Us:
🌐 Website → https://equitablemoneyproject.com
📸 Instagram → https://instagram.com/equitablemoneyproject
🎧 Podcast → https://equitablemoneyproject.com/podcast

🚀 Your Next Step:
Ready to make your money match your values? Download our free Wealth is Resistance Action Kit → https://equitablemoneyproject.com/kit