#70: How a Therapist Increased Her Income by $5,000 in 90 Days - Brenda's Story

 Register for My Free Webinar on 6/22/26 In this episode of the Wealth Para Todos Podcast, host Rita-Soledad Fernández Paulino (they/them), a queer Mexican-American money and self-care coach, interviews therapist Brenda Melgoza, founder of Yolotli Counseling in Southern California. Brenda specializes in supporting BIPOC young professionals, children of immigrants, and first-generation college students. After leaving a stable career at Kaiser Permanente to grow her private practice, she found herself navigating entrepreneurship, money anxiety, investing, and the challenge of paying herself as a business owner. In just five months inside Wealth Para Todos Academy, Brenda increased her income by $5,000 in 90 days, grew her client caseload from 12 to 38 clients, and used the additional income to pay down debt. Together, Soledad and Brenda discuss: • How to increase your income without burnout • Growing a therapy private practice through intentional outreach • Overcoming money anxiety as a first-generation wealth builder • Creating a spending plan that includes self-care • Using sinking funds to reduce financial stress • The SCORE framework for increasing income • Shifting scarcity mindset beliefs learned in immigrant households • Developing a healthier relationship with debt • Building financial confidence as an entrepreneur • Creating weekly money habits that support long-term wealth Brenda also shares how she moved from perfectionism and financial fear to taking consistent action in her business, and why investing in financial education helped her feel more confident as a therapist, entrepreneur, and future wealth builder. If you've ever felt financially responsible but emotionally exhausted when it comes to money, this episode will show you what's possible when you combine financial strategy with self-compassion. Topics Covered: 00:00 – Welcome and Wealth Para Todos Mission 00:21 – Meet Brenda Melgoza of Yolotli Counseling 01:24 – From Biology Student to Therapist and Business Owner 02:45 – Why Brenda Joined Wealth Para Todos Academy 04:01 – Budgeting for Self-Care and Creating Sinking Funds 05:49 – Save, Pay Off, or Invest $5K in 90 Days Webinar 06:49 – The SCORE Framework for Increasing Income 09:36 – Overcoming Perfectionism and Marketing Your Services 11:00 – The Telehealth Platform Change That Increased Client Leads 15:04 – Growing from 12 to 38 Clients and Increasing Income 16:29 – Rewriting Scarcity-Based Beliefs About Debt 19:21 – Weekly Money Habits That Reduce Financial Anxiety 20:00 – Advice for First-Generation Wealth Builders 22:02 – Building a $300K Business and Looking Ahead   Learn More About Wealth Para Todos Academy