Plutus Awards Podcast

Dr. Derricka Harwell - The Sin of Haste: How Early Success Can Damage Long-Term Growth

Release Date: 11/9/2022

Duration: 2361 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Dr Derricka Harwell

Description: In today's episode, Dr. Derricka Harwell shares how early success without the right systems and people in place can be costly. She tells what she learned, how she figured out what didn't work, and the successful decisions she made the second time around. https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/derricka-harwell-haste/

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Adrienne Taylor - The Sin of Purposelessness: Tailor Your Products to Your Audience's Needs

Release Date: 11/2/2022

Duration: 1461 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Adrienne Taylor

Description: We can build courses and do webinars, but these actions don't guarantee success. Adrienne Taylor speaks with Michelle Jackson about the need to be authentic and vulnerable with our audiences and the importance of seeing people and not just sales. https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/adrienne-taylor-wells-purposelessness/ Notes and summary from this episode Adrienne-I’m the founder of Tailored Wealth Saver and our goal is to help Millennials live a life on their terms. I help people figure out their financial intentions while reaching your financial goals. Michelle-How did you get into this space? Adrienne-When I was in college I was a chemistry major. I transferred schools at the end of freshman year in 2009 during the Great Recession and was an interesting time to be in finances. Personal finance has always been pretty interesting to me. Michelle-How did you grow your brand and what your intention was behind the type of work you were looking to do? Adrienne-Every week I recorded on YouTube. I cringe at those videos now. Right before COVID started I moved to Houston and I noticed that Instagram Reels was starting to pick up. I started making Instagram posts and stayed consistent with that. I would do fun money reels. “How to fly first class without paying” went viral Michelle-How did you translate that traction into paying clients. We’ve heard the stories of folks unable to convert their followers to purchases. Adrienne-I actually had a failure like that. I launched the Wealth Saver Planner. A lot of people booked consultations with me (10 minute free consultations) out of the free consultations I may have converted 20% of those people who became clients (I didn’t have clear intentions behind it) when I launched the planner I actually didn’t have a lot of sales. What I realized was that the audience wanted to learn about flying first class, I didn’t have the intention to convert them into understanding the financial content (and the “why”) behind what you’re talking about. The importance of finances. I had to get a marketing team for the planner because it wasn’t selling. Michelle-Why do you think your audience didn’t understand what you were trying to do. How do you share what you’re doing without being disingenuous? Adrienne-I still struggle with this because I don’t like selling. I realized that everything we do we’re being sold to. One of the greatest things we can do is have authentic conversations. Sometimes we forget that people are people. Let people know that you actually care for them. When we first talked about intent I thought about compassion. Michelle-How did you know that your product was a product your audience wanted? There’s intention, purpose and service. Sometimes a content creator designs a product with purpose but it may need to be repositioned. Adrienne-The planners at first were a failure. I thought I would sell thousands of units of this planner. I laughed at myself. What I did was I realized that the planner could be used as a supplement and offered it to my clients. You can buy them separately but I focus on the planners being a supplement to what I’m working with clients on. Once I stop working with clients after 3 months they still have a tool to use for their goals. I was one of the winners of the Plutus Grant and because of that I was able to reposition the planner. Michelle-What are some tips that you would share with other content creators building out their brands in relation to intent. This is a BROAD question Adrienne-Be intentional about your purpose with your audience, be vulnerable. I had emergency surgery in May. Be vulnerable about some of the things you normally wouldn’t share. Your audience will connect with your authenticity. Also, do market research. Ask your audience-What do you want from me. Follow Adrienne Tailored Wealth Saver Podcast-The Wealth Saver Podcast

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Felicia Gopaul - The Sin of Misalignment: Why Your Brand's Consistency Is So Important

Release Date: 10/26/2022

Duration: 1531 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Felicia Gopaul

Description: It is hard to know what areas to focus on when building your brand. One thing is clear, you can not do everything! Felicia Gopaul shares with Michelle Jackson how trying to do everything hurt her brand and what focuses allowed her business began to thrive. https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/felicia-gopaul-misalignment/ Felicia-It’s funny, we talked about how we make mistakes when building out our online brand. In the beginning I was everything. That was the biggest mistake I made and not taking the time to understand who I was online.    Michelle-If someone was to ask you what your online brand is could you share how you began positioning yourself online?   Felicia-I like to talk and to educate. I’m not ok with clients just taking what I say, I want to understand why we’re doing what we’re doing. I’ve always spoken, done workshops, etc. When I say I’m an economic catalyst because I’ll educate you so you understand exactly why you should do what you’re being educated to do.    Michelle-We’re talking about the sins that content creators can make as they’re building out their brands. One of the things that I realized was that these sins don’t exist separate from each other. Could you share how inconsistency showed up in your brand and what you did to change that?   Felicia-When I first got online I had a hard time articulating who I was. I would invest with various different mentors. I would invest with Facebook, etc. and was an early adopter and can’t articulate who you were and what you do so I wasn’t able to get the traction that I was hoping for with those investments.    Michelle-The journey of trying different things isn’t that you’re inconsistent, you were testing things out. How did you recognize what worked for your audience?    Felicia-I took time off to take care of my father for 7 years and when I returned I realized that what I was doing before wasn’t working. What I would say to other entrepreneurs is there is a common theme or thread throughout your business that you’re comfortable doing within your business.   Michelle-Once you figured out that speaking was in alignment with your business how did you create products how did you build in consistency?     Felicia-I had to find a company that was in alignment with what I was trying to do. Recently, though, I found a company to work with that is consistent with the type of education/resources that create a synergy with my customers as well. I had a focus on creative affective content   Michelle-I want to know more. What’s a day in your life look like for you? How are you getting enough people to connect with who you are and your message?   Felicia-I have a team. When I’m doing quarterly events with the company I’m partnered with I direct them to their events. I’m constantly talking to people about what I’m working on.    Michelle-You’re doing ongoing messaging?   Felicia-Not an affiliate though. It’s an ongoing education company. I look at what’s coming up and then invite folks to those upcoming events. I know in general up to a year in advance the different events that are coming up on an annual basis. I also take the months of July and December off. I build into my schedule these breaks.    Michelle-What has the impact been scheduling those breaks? Sean DeSouza “The three month vacation” Podcast    Felicia-I started with working 4 days a week. But, that’s not enough of a break. I realized that I needed a longer break and I’m married to a gentleman who gets 6 weeks off a year. If he gets six weeks off I need to take 6 weeks off too.  I also didn’t want to work too much in December and want to play and relax at the end of the year.    Michelle-What was the impact for your business (taking those breaks)    Felicia-I was very worried when I first did it and I didn’t announce it-I just did it. I wasn’t going to ask permission to do this. I was unwilling to do that. In terms of the revenue it means that I have to get the revenue within 10 months versus 12 months. I’m willing to do that because I get 8 weeks off during there.   Michelle-What’s your number one piece of advice for a content creator in this space?    Felicia-I admire that the younger entrepreneurs are open to trying stuff vs. worrying about reputation. They’ll just strike out and try stuff and it may not work but there’s a learning that comes from that. Know who you are and move forward.  Follow Felicia   Felicia Gopaul (everywhere)

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Terri Huggins-Hart - The Sin of Vagueness: Clarify Your Ownership As a Freelancer

Release Date: 10/19/2022

Duration: 1847 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson Terri Huggins-Heart

Description: When you are unclear and confused about the direction of your business, others will be too. Terri Huggins-Hart and Michelle Jackson discuss clarity and intentions in business and how ownership develops in a freelance career. Show notes: https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/terri-huggins-hart-vagueness/

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Marcia Armstrong – The Sin of Inconsistency: Commit to Your Process to Achieve Results

Release Date: 10/12/2022

Duration: 2105 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Marcia Armstrong

Description: Marcia Armstrong joins us to talk about the sin of inconsistency. Marcia shares how too many zero revenue months forced her to look at her business and the steps she took to turn things around in a little over 30 days. https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/marcia-armstrong-inconsistencty/

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Amanda Page - The Sin of Perfectionism: How Bold Moves Pay Off When You Think You're Not Ready

Release Date: 10/5/2022

Duration: 1579 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Amanda Paige

Description: Fear and perfectionism are the constant enemies of a creator. Today, Michelle Jackson speaks with Amanda Page about how creators can overcome these obstacles and take risks in developing projects that may feel out of reach for them. For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/amanda-page-perfectionism

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Rahkim Sabree - The Sin of Hubris: How to Use Insight From Your Audience

Release Date: 9/28/2022

Duration: 2180 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Rahkim Sabree

Description: For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/rahkim-sabree-hubris   Welcome to Series 6 of the Plutus Awards Podcast hosted by Michelle Jackson. Our community is filled with hundreds of stories from creators and entrepreneurs just like you. And through this show we share these stories of challenges and successes from bloggers to podcasters, from writers, speakers, and more. In this season we talk about a somewhat taboo topic — the deadly sins that personal finance (and other content creators) can make. We share lessons learned, how to avoid these mistakes, and the fact that we’re all human, putting our creative work out there into the world. This season’s conversation is about the inherent risks we’re taking in developing online brands, our own hubris, and the impact that how other people perceive us can make us or break our online brand. Today’s guest is Rahkim Sabree and in this episode we talk about hubris. Just because we built something doesn’t mean that our audience wants it. Learn the lessons learned from the mistake of building out a product without talking to your audience. We’ve all done it before and how Rahkim is avoiding making that mistake in the future. Rahkim Sabree – The Sin of Hubris: How to Use Insight From Your Audience Notes and summary from this episode Rahkim-I’m Rahkim Sabree, I’m an author, columnist, speaker and financial coach. Got into financial education about 10 years ago. I talk about financial empowerment, financial trauma and financial mindset. Michelle-How would you describe what your business is to other online entrepreneurs? Rahkim-It evolves part of me feels like I act like a consultant and stepping into an influencer role. My business model is definitely digital media. Michelle-This season of the Plutus Awards Podcast we’re talking about the 7 deadly sins that creators need to be aware of making in their businesses. We’re definitely talking about this with a lot of empathy. How did you even get into this space? Rahkim-I fell in by accident. A happy accident. I spent 10 years in the banking industry. And one of the things I realized was that there was a lot that I didn’t know about money. In my banking career I had to learn about the products in order to sell them. I realized what I wasn’t exposed to growing up. For example-the idea of homeownership. It didn’t occur to me that homeownership was available to me. I shared my knowledge with my friends and family because they also didn’t know. Michelle-What’s interesting around your brand and mission is that it’s positioned around firing your boss. Rahkim-The best decision I’ve ever made and the hardest decision I’ve ever made. I had to figure out how I was going to move forward and figuring out how I was going to survive. It’s been a liberating experience, but the biggest takeaway for me is that my mental health has improved significantly. The idea of “I fired my boss” is to take back your power. Michelle-What are some of the ways your building out your brand and components of your business? Rahkim-I like this question. When I first started I didn’t know what to do. A lot of the growth I’ve experienced is based on a combination of things. Being active on Twitter, reels, etc. But, what solidified my credibility was contributing to publications and being featured. People look at you as a thought leader. Michelle-You’re talking about building up your authority. What about building out how you’re making money? Let’s deep dive into the product’s conversation and the deadly sin related to product. Rahkim-Most of my money comes from solidifying that credibility. I do a lot of writing and the writing brings in income. I wouldn’t have gotten paid for my writing if I was writing for free first. I also do some social media management, get paid to speak and one-on-one financial coaching. Going into products I was approached by a coach to build out a course. I was like “oh, ok.” I’d never thought about creating a course and this should be easy. I was convinced to do it and paid the coach to help me with it. I drank the kool aid. I thought I was going to pay a high ticket price, etc. Then, I would invest in Facebook ads. I spent 4 figures in Facebook advertising no sales, 4 figures in retaining the ad agency, 4 figures for the coach. And the thing that I learned in hindsight I didn’t ask my audience is this what they actually wanted (from me). The difference between my content and the course is that it’s not sexy. It’s not “I’m going to bring your credit score to 850 in 30 days” I was advised to market it differently and I knew that I couldn’t because the content was about abstract topics and the psychology of money. Not sexy. I really didn’t test the market and I assumed that I knew best and that they would buy. Michelle-That’s a hard lesson especially because you developed a course and you have to factor in the time that you took to do that. I think a lot of content creators make this mistake. It’s hard to hear from people to pre-sell a product. It feels weird to make sales on a product that doesn’t feel real. Rahkim-The coach did give me the advice to run a pre-sell and it didn’t really work. The coach and I even worked out what the revenue would like for pre-sells vs. post sales. The coach and I were friends prior to this and I trusted that their expertise was aligned with what they were articulating based on our friendship. This did have a negative impact on our friendship. There was very minimal involvement with the coach; they were theoretical versus on-hand. In hindsight I should have asked for a case study showing their results with other clients. Michelle-You’re in the process of developing new products and how does this experience influence that process? Rahkim-There’s definitely trauma associated with it. I haven’t abandoned the course and it lives in two places and rebranded the content and repriced it. As far as moving forward, I have a better pulse on what my audience resonates with. My favorite platform to test content on is Twitter and then Instagram is a close second. And then launching a pre-sell around these products to see the pace of buy in versus engagement. Because someone likes an idea on a post doesn’t mean that they’re going to buy something. There’s so much momentum with the Great Resignation and Work From Home because of the Pandemic. It doesn’t just mean quit your job. Michelle-What types of products are you looking at and why? Rahkim-I am working on a book. That’s the biggest product that has gained a lot of momentum. I’ve started some pre-sells around that. The process of emptying my mind of all of those experiences and the real, raw things about being in corporate America (has been hard) Michelle-I know that a lot of people in the PF space write books as a way to get in front of other people and launch your brand. Are you prepared for some of the energy around the book and the reception of the book? What are you doing to get the book out there?Are you worried about missing out on this wave of interest? Rahkim-That’s a good question. But, I got burnt out. I got to a point where I felt like I was done and then I looked at the word count and it wasn’t enough. I took a pause and in taking a pause to take the time to decompress and heal. I’ve been able to reflect and let those experiences marinate. I’ve asked my audience for some grace. I just continue telling my story. My audience has grown during this time due to viral posts and national television coverage. Michelle-It’s an evergreen topic. I think that you’ve tapped into a feeling and sentiment that had really good timing with millions of people (in the U.S.) quitting. Rahkim-When I hit a one year mark having made that decision and people congratulated me. Michelle-What’s your goal for next year? Rahkim-To continue to be free. Continue the momentum, continue to find ways to make income as an entrepreneur. It’s a little scary. Making smart choices financially to allow me to sustain this lifestyle.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

LaTisha Styles - The Sin of Pride: No Shame in Backtracking

Release Date: 9/21/2022

Duration: 1477 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, LaTisha Styles

Description: Welcome to Series 6 of the Plutus Awards Podcast hosted by Michelle Jackson. Our community is filled with hundreds of stories from creators and entrepreneurs just like you. And through this show we share these stories of challenges and successes from bloggers to podcasters, from writers, speakers, and more. In this season we talk about a somewhat taboo topic — the deadly sins that personal finance (and other content creators) can make. We share lessons learned, how to avoid these mistakes, and the fact that we’re all human, putting our creative work out there into the world. This season’s conversation is about the inherent risks we’re taking in developing online brands, our own hubris, and the impact that how other people perceive us can make us or break our online brand. Plutus Awards Podcast - LaTisha Styles Headshot Today’s guest is LaTisha Styles. In this episode, we talk about the sin of pride. LaTisha shares how she bet on herself to never have to return to her 9-5 and then ended up working a 9-5. She shares why the second time around was different. For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/latisha-styles-pride/

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Natasha Scott - The Sin of Omission: How To Share About Your Reality and Why

Release Date: 9/14/2022

Duration: 2072 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Natasha Scott

Description:     For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/natasha-scott-omission

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Michelle Jackson – The Seven Deadly Sins of Content Creation

Release Date: 9/7/2022

Duration: 816 Mins

Description: Welcome to season 2 of the Plutus Awards Podcast hosted by Michelle Jackson. Our community is filled with hundreds of stories from creators and entrepreneurs just like you. And through this show we share these stories of challenges  and successes from bloggers to podcasters from writers, speakers and more.    In this season we talk about a somewhat taboo topic-the deadly sins that personal finance (and other content creators) can make. We share lessons learned, how to avoid these mistakes and the fact that we’re all human putting our creative work out there into the world. This season’s conversation is about the inherent risks we’re taking in developing online brands, our own hubris and the impact that how other people perceive us can make us or break our online brand.   In proposing this series I wanted to touch on our shared vulnerability and humanity. We’re not perfect and sometimes I’m frustrated by the narratives shared online that content creators never make mistakes. Because a lot of what we do is failing forward. The other part of the conversation related to the 7 deadly sins to avoid making in the content creation space as personal finance creatives is figuring what’s the fine line between making a mistake (and resolving it) or committing an actual sin with no understanding of why it’s a sin and no intention to resolve it.   The goal with this season is not to shame anyone because of the mistakes that they’ve made, Instead, it’s to have authentic, empathetic conversations around what can go wrong when running an online brand, share how people address different situations so that you have ideas of what to do if you find yourself dealing with the same issue and try to answer the question “Are some mistakes unforgivable?” And what role does the greater personal finance space play in a creator’s redemption?   I’m about to share some of the Deadly Sins and one that I committed as well    Omission-Are there aspects about building an online brand and business that you could be more transparent about? In the next episode my guest Natasha and I talk about this at length.    Reputation-This refers to how the greater community perceives you positively or negatively. Interestingly, you may be perceived negatively and still be a pretty influential content creator.   Consistency-Life happens and sometimes you may end up disappearing for a moment. How consistent do you really have to be before hurting your brand?   Money-There are so many different angles that we can talk about from the money angle. There’s an endless number of possibilities where actions around money can impact your brand.   Products-Developing unique to you products is a great way to earn money. But, what if something goes wrong? People hate your product, you don’t deliver on the premise of the product or maybe YOU hate YOUR product.    Lack of Connection-This one is tricky, lack of connection could relate to the greater personal finance community or how your circumstances change and how those changes impact how the community you serve views you. I’ve noticed this in 3 different situations: When personal finance content creators earn more When their interests change and they fail to realize how this change impacts their community When a personal finance content creator seems to be out of touch with what their community actually wants from them   Pricing-Developing and creating products and services is a scary and exhilarating process. But the pricing process can go bad very quickly. How? By under or overcharging what you’re selling and how your clientele perceives your pricing.   Intentions-Sometimes your community doesn’t understand what your intentions are and things can go badly pretty quickly if this type of miscommunication isn’t addressed fast.   Michelle’s Mistake-Related to Money and Reputation   This mistake happened several years ago and I’m still a little embarrassed by this even though the issue I’m about to discuss has been resolved for many years. When I first got into course creation, I loved it and I had the opportunity to share my course in some communities. In one, the sales went well and the creator received affiliate commissions. Now, I had been paying affiliate commissions as they were trickling in and then my income dropped. It dropped to the point where I couldn’t afford to pay the last pending affiliate commission that ended up being a fairly significant one to me at the time. And, instead of speaking to this content creator about what was going on.   I avoided it.  Similar to some of the financial behavior and financial anxiety that had gotten me into the financial mess that I was digging myself out of at the time. This creator has done VERY well for themselves. And, they weren’t chasing after me for the money. In fact, it took quite a while before their team member reached out to me about it.    It would take another 1 year before I took care of it. Again, they never bothered me about the commission. This person is a 7 figure earner but my delaying and avoiding this payment because of the stuff my head had the following consequences:   Paranoia-I was wondering if people were talking about me behind my back and discussing the situation.    Impacted my course sales-I just couldn’t put myself out there to sell the course even though a relatively small number of courses would have taken care of the problem.   Negatively impacted how I felt about myself and the work I was doing in the personal finance space. While I never give financial advice and I’m fairly candid about the financial mistakes that I made, I felt horrible that I was unable to address this faster on an emotional level.   It took up a lot of head space-I spent a lot of time thinking about this problem versus taking care of the problem.   And it was this issue that made it clear to me that there were underlying issues with money that I needed to address and maybe it would be a good thing for me to work with a financial therapist. By the way, it was just $600 dollars.    You’ll notice that with my business now-I don’t use affiliates and if I were to ever do it again, I would have someone designated to manage that aspect of my business.    The other sin that I avoided had nothing to do with me or my actions. Instead, it was related to another content creator in an adjacent space (not personal finance) who I know as an acquaintance. This person lives in Colorado, had started a Meetup group and seemed like a nice, ethical person.  Then, one day, I was randomly on Twitter and saw entire threads about this person and people’s very legitimate concerns about how they were running their business. In fact, legitimate publications in the state had written articles about this person. I would have NEVER known about this if I hadn’t seen those threads.    What was concerning was that they said that every 6 months this type of thread comes up and it’s not a big deal. Now, I never let on that I had seen these threads. Instead, I stopped attending the Meetup group and am no longer in contact with this person which wasn’t difficult to do given that we were acquaintances. Part of why I made that choice was that it didn’t seem like this person was addressing the issues that people were bringing up. Maybe, I would have made a different choice if that had been the case.    But, being in the personal finance space even though I never give financial advice. And I don’t call myself an expert, reputation takes a long-time to build and a few minutes to kill. And while it’s possible to rebuild your reputation, you’ll forever have issues. Proximity to questionable people with questionable business practices would reflect badly on me.  You’re often judged by the company that you keep. Remember, people have receipts on what you’re doing and who you’re connected to.    I hope that you enjoy this season and the conversations that we’ll be having. Again, the goal isn’t to shame anyone. It’s to show that we’re human and make mistakes and also to shine a light on the actions that can irreparably  harm your brand and hurt the good work that you’re doing as a content creator in the personal finance space.  

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Michelle Jackson Navigates the Nuances of Monetizing a Personal Finance Brand

Release Date: 7/20/2022

Duration: 670 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson

Description: In the first episode of this season I spoke with Harlan Landes, founder of the Plutus Awards, Plutus Foundation and Plutus Voices events. It’s a great conversation about the evolution of the Plutus ecosystem and what motivates Harlan to do the work that he does. The main question that the Plutus Foundation will be exploring this season is the tension that content creators in the personal finance space feel when deciding whether or not to monetize their brand. I absolutely felt this tension and nervousness at the time that I decided to monetize my brand partly because I had to ask myself if I was being inauthentic, greedy or disingenuous as a person in the personal finance space. I thought it would be interesting to share what I thought about, what I was afraid of and how and why I ultimately decided to say “yes” to making money as a personal content creator. For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/monetizing-personal-finance-brand

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

The Mobile Home Gurl Shares How She Pivoted From a Free to Paid Membership

Release Date: 7/13/2022

Duration: 2715 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Rachel Hernandez

Description: Rachel Hernandez is known as The Mobile Home Gurl. Rachel talks about listening to what your audience tells you they want, leaning into your authority and how making mistakes helps content creators find the right products and services for their brand. Rachel Hernandez- Who started her project in 2007 and currently runs Adventures in Mobile Homes How has creating content online changed since 2007? Focus was on blogging, written content Now the content is very interactive And Rachel admits that she was late to the game with social media People are more interested in seeing the content creators up front via video/etc. Are Blogs Dead? No, they aren’t. But, those blogs have a tight community and loyal following. The bloggers who are the most successful tend to be the most transparent in the personal finance space. What has been important about “story in content creation” vs. leaning into SEO? Rachel shares a disclaimer that she’s not an expert in SEO Anyone can share generic content but telling a story around a topic, it’s so much more interesting to people. How did Rachel get involved in Mobile Home Investing? She read Rich Dad, Poor Dad and started in single family homes via Bird Dogging and Single Home Investing. Found that she didn’t enjoy single home investing and she decided to sell her entire portfolio of homes and decided to do mobile home investing instead. I wonder what Bird Dogging is? It’s basically becoming a property scout for other real estate investors I decided to ask an awkward question “Why mobile homes? Vs. single family units” Rachel is very kind about addressing my question and clarifies that there are several different types of mobile home communities Low-end Middle of the road High end Initially, Rachel did deals across different types of communities and now focuses on high end properties How did Rachel create community in her niche? A lot of trial and error. Rachel started doing affiliates and experimented with different ways to monetize her brand. She got tired of the hustle even though she was getting ad revenue and was looking for a way to make things easier. Rachel began focusing on building authority to help your brand stand out. She wrote a book in 2012 “Adventures in Mobile Homes” People began to go to her website because of the book and other opportunities began to open up. Prior to her content creation life, Rachel was a sales executive and enjoys networking and speaking-focused opportunities that enable her to lean into the skills that she developed as a sales executive. Events that helped grow her brand were FinCon2015 and the Plutus Impact Summit 2021 Rachel self-published her book and I wonder how people found her book? She decided that she wanted control over her book and in the future she would revisit that decision. Rachel did a lot of guest posts. What was her community’s expectation of her and what did her community want from her? Her community kept asking for a course and Rachel refused to do a course for YEARS. When she began her podcast she began to see the value of the course because people kept asking her questions and she had clarity about why a course would make sense as a part of her brand. It saves her time Rachel wanted to share a true narrative about the process of being in mobile home investing and avoiding being disingenuous She wants to avoid the “Get Rich Quick” folks and is being very clear about the avatar that she works with. Why is she building a membership moving free folks to paid and uses “Buy Me a Coffee” after moving it off of Patreon. Rachel references it as a support page. Figuring out what people want from her was the key part of making an impactful membership. She wasn’t sure initially Danielle Desire was an inspiration Attended the Plutus Impact Summit and heard Ramit Sethi’s advice-don’t sell anything that you wouldn’t buy yourself. This influenced how intentional she was with her product development. Rachel is a member of a community-Jen Amos. A lot of trial and error in figuring out the content for her community She shares mobile home leads that she shares with her community because she only invests in her state of Texas. People want information that cannot be found anywhere else. Rachel is able to share this content in her membership space which is a Safe Space for her. Right now she’s working on content regarding a person who is defrauding folks and that information is only for members. Has decided to forgo sponsorships because they didn’t fit her vision Rachel is doing well with her mobile home business six-figures a year and has multiple streams of content. Low content book business inspired by Nick Loper's show Rachel is creating a Mobile Home Girl ecosystem She wakes up at 5:00 am to get stuff done and is focused on productivity Building up her authority has helped Rachel to avoid pushback behind the monetization approaches that she pursues. I ask Rachel to share how people can network in-person after 2 years of being at home. Mobile Home Gurl What’s next for Rachel? Growing the membership site Low-content book business

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Patrona Dixon the It's My Money Lady Shares How to Affiliate Market the Ethical Way

Release Date: 7/6/2022

Duration: 2603 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Patrina Dixon

Description: Patrina Dixon is the It’s My Money Lady. We talk about the impact that COVID had on her business and the unexpected opportunities for growth that occurred from pivots that she had to make during that time. We discussed why she loves affiliate marketing what it is and what isn’t and how her community guides her business decisions. Patrina Dixon-It’s My Money Lady she teaches people how to live better lives through understanding the fundamentals of finances. She shares how she got into the personal finance space. There was a point where she recognized that she needed to become a better steward of her money. As she got better with money she also decided to attend a financial conference. Patrina became a student of personal finance. What was it like for Patrina to start making content and then transitioning to make money with her brand. She’d always wanted to run her own business and building her brand was a perfect convergence of her goal and personal actions. Her initial actions were talking about personal finance, then she wrote a book in 2016 (geared towards youth) Attending FinCon and meeting other creators in the space really opened up her mind as to what she could do from a content creation standpoint. Patrina’s first book was self-published and the one thing she wished she’d done better was marketing her book. Standout products or service that she enjoys is speaking in-person to her community I wonder how COVID impacted her business People were finding Patrina via her website and she’s her own walking brand. She intentionally wears her t-shirt wearing how to find her People also finds her via Google 2019 was her highest revenue generating year. 2020 was supposed to be the same and then COVID had a huge impact on her business. She had to figure out what to do next. The question “What do I do next?” became the question that she focused on. She reframed her availability to virtual and became comfortable with showing up online. The second quarter of 2020 was severely impacted. This pivot actually helped with the growth of her business and she brought in more people to her team. I ask an awkward question about her revenue and how it was impacted. (It DROPPED) Patrina and her virtual assistant pulled out her whiteboard and reworked the process. Quarter 4 is when she saw the difference and they really talked about where to put her focus and time. Patrina also works a 9-5 in addition to her business I wonder about how Patrina found people to support her in her business. She needed time back in her day and wanted to focus on the parts of her business that she excelled in She worked with paid interns that she found via YWCA Then she transitioned to a Virtual Assistant, podcast editor, etc. Patrina focused on what was NEEDED in her business and found people to help her via her community. What was it like building a community (The Squad) vs. just having content out there? The community were the people who were always engaging with her content I ask Patrina about how she views affiliate marketing and what is it? The promotion of other folk’s products and services. It’s not MLM or a pyramid scheme She loves affiliate marketing so much that she created a course and has earned 4 figures just from affiliate marketing. What’s the deal with the idea that affiliate marketing is an MLM play? Don’t become an affiliate of everything, just of the things you love. Patrina LOVES Honeybook 3 easy things content creators can do to monetize their platforms via affiliate marketing What are the products and services that you use? Look for affiliate programs on the product’s website Share the affiliate link often and talk about the product often and in a natural way. Avoid sounding like you’re selling. Have a strategy. EXECUTE your strategy Patrina has a podcast and I wonder if she uses it as part of her affiliate marketing strategy She does and includes a call to action within her conversations. If the guest happens to have something she can become an affiliate of she may consider becoming an affiliate. I wonder if Patrina has a YouTube channel. She leverages YouTube in two different ways Records her podcast via Zoom puts the video on YouTube Uses show notes She also records short video episodes and shares links on her videos Patrina has a spreadsheet that details everything related to the affiliates that she shares. How does Patrina know what’s a good fit for her community? She asks A LOT of questions Building community via Facebook Asking questions for clarity and getting people on her email list It is a lot of time Community members who DON’T purchase are valuable in different ways   Where to Find Patrina Patrina Dixon: itsmymoney_ https://Itsmymoneyjournal.info The Money Exchange YouTube: It’s My Money with Patrina Dixon

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Knowing When it's Time to Let Part of Your Business Go with Joseph Hogue of Let's Talk Money

Release Date: 6/29/2022

Duration: 2400 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Joseph Hogue

Description: Joseph Hogue is creator of the Let’s Talk Money YouTube Channel with over 500,000 subscribers. We talk about candidly wanting to earn money as an online creator, letting go of projects that aren’t serving you well and the important questions that multi-passionate content creators need to ask themselves in order for their projects to grow. Equity analyst background-private wealth management and in 2013 decided to start an online business and discovered that blogs don’t make money but learned how to monetize quickly. He started a YouTube channel that currently has over 500,000 subscribers Joseph went into the personal finance space with the idea of making money. Looked at blogging first as a business Self-publishing was a great way for him to repurpose the content that he was creating on his low views websites. I share why I rebranded and included the phrase “money hungry” Content creation is still really in its infancy and people aren’t aware of how much work goes into creating digital content. We dig a little deeper into why Joseph began self-publishing and how he researched the different ways that content creators are making money online. He created a content strategy around self-publishing I wonder how people found his books? This was a total gamble. Joseph used SEO Why did YouTube resonate with him? Why did he stick with YouTube? He encountered success really quickly on the channel and was able to monetize within 4 months and focused on hot topic videos Joseph shares one of his favorite strategies-go to a (5-10) channels similar to yours, sort that person’s most popular videos top 10-15 videos. Pay attention to the keywords and topics. Find the topics popular on all of those channels and then share your take on the topic YouTube prefers to promote channels that are siloed into specific content Graham Stefan Andre Jek He tried to do different topics and Joseph found that multiple topics slows down the momentum of the other videos on a person’s channel Focus on the person vs. what they're talking about on the channel Joseph shares his monetization verticals Self-publishing Video courses Downloadable spreadsheet YouTube ads which are around ¼ of his income (more than he expected) Affiliates Sponsors Mastermind group He points out that content creators have to have metrics around the progress around their monetization and in the beginning when you have a smaller community the approach is different Multiple revenue streams are important to have because of the uncertainty around each revenue streams How does Joseph avoid “Squirrel” syndrome with all of these areas of focus He has a very defined and definite schedule Joseph works on all content strategies. He has a list and works through them outside of the normal ideas that come up each year on the calendar. Affiliates and sponsors influence this strategy as well Right now Joseph is in the midst of a major pivot and I know that a lot of multi-passionate content creators will pay attention to the pivot he’s working through. He found that he just didn’t have the time or motivation to focus on the other project. There’s a point where you have to ask yourself “what to do when you have a split focus?” He’d tried to find business partners, managers and other stop gaps that just never worked. He also realized that he didn’t want to manage other people and that wasn’t the way he wanted to scale his business. For people who are new to content creation, test out the different types of media to see which one resonates best with you. Spend time on working your content strategy and monetization process Most people need to earn money I ask an awkward question-How is Joseph hedging the danger of building a business on a platform that he doesn’t own? He shares how he’s protecting himself. Make the money while you can Grow your email list and have a newsletter Diversified income off of YouTube There’s content and products-content creators have to be able to focus on both Once he sells his 2 blogs he will be able to focus better. Joseph shares two pieces of advice to help new content creators in the online space. Don’t believe it when people say an area of content creation is dead 2017 started working on YouTube and he grew it. Study income sources and be strategic in your business Learn strategies and business concepts Books he recommends Primal Branding Superfans Storybrand Atomic Habits The 12 Week Year Where to Find Joseph Let’s Talk Money-YouTube https://mystockmarketbasics.com  

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Monetizing a Mission-Driven Financial Brand

Release Date: 6/22/2022

Duration: 2648 Mins

Authors: Michell Jackson, Angela Rozmyn, Regina Moore

Description: Angela and Regina are co-founders of Women’s Personal Finance, a massive community that is a safe space for women to talk about all aspects of how money shows up in women’s lives. We talk about monetizing a community like this one, the purpose it serves and being able to lean deeper into the brand mission through intentional monetization. Regina is a pharmacist by background, Coast FI and is not really working as a pharmacist anymore. They both shifted Women’s Personal Finance into becoming a business entity about 13 months ago. The ladies have been friends for quite a few years. Regina shares how she got into the personal finance space via Twitter. She wasn’t blogging but wanted spaces that gave her the opportunity to talk about money. She purchased a property in her 20’s and her financial trajectory was unique and she wanted to connect with other people that had a similar experience. She wanted to create a place where she could share more content (rants) 2017 Angela remembers the details. Regina kept her blog anonymous which would allow her to speak freely about her interests and connected with Angela when she reached out to write a post on “Prepper FI” on Angela’s website. Angela was a lurker in the personal finance community for YEARS. Was a completely passive consumer of that content. She decided to start blogging after joining Twitter. Meet the Women of the Personal Finance Community Post that went viral. Decided that Women’s Personal Finance be an inclusive space and not niche down to only being a FIRE group. I ask why Angela and Regina were the ones to create this community? They didn’t need a list but an actual community What surprised them about creating an online community (I disclose that I’m a member of the community) No longer letting things “happen” in the group and have become protective of the group. Surprising realization that the group isn’t for everyone. Initially it was uncomfortable to do but now it’s clear that it’s a part of how they protect women in their space. Could you talk about the tensions that have arisen as you’ve monetized this project? Regina talked Angela into monetizing the project Why was Angela reticent about monetizing the community? There were things not showing up in the Facebook feed and Angela was sent to Facebook jail because of saying “Smelly potato” and they can’t rely on Facebook They decided to add a premium community and this leaned into their community building and advocacy work offline. They wanted to really make a community that wasn’t ABOUT them vs. the community Neither Regina or Angela have added content onto their website and focus on elevating other people with their platform. I note that Women’s Personal Finance, Elevate Community and Plutus Foundation When you began selling products what was the response like? They definitely got pushback about the products. The first thing they monetized was paying the moderator using Ko-Fi and realized that there was something “here” with the community though Angela has had to work through the tension of getting paid for a passion project. I share why I rebranded my project to “Michelle is Money Hungry” and how someone was offended by the name and I wanted to have a conversation about money There is a lot of work that goes into content creation. If we’re not getting paid what are we modeling to our communities and the people that we serve? They found that higher earners who don’t want people to earn money and are unlikely to pay for what they’re producing. 52,000 members in the group and a ton of moderation work, ego and emotion Paying writers and speakers-a focus on compensating people for their work as soon as money is available “Paying Women for their Work” The first year they made $50,000 I ask about grants, they do have a Plutus Grant What have been the most impactful conversations that they’ve seen in the group Angela makes the point of how Facebook makes money off of the groups that are hosted on the platform. I ask about the initiatives that they’ve undertaken in the group A focus on women’s reproductive health-The ladies set up a reproductive health fund Gifting memberships-Annual members vs. a free month The conversations in the Women’s Personal Finance group move me on an emotional level. I love seeing the uniquely specific financial conversations about women’s money. What does the future look like? Where is the premium community currently hosted? Discord I circle back and ask about why Twitter worked so well for them? They share how. Content creator connections happened via Twitter For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2022/angela-regina-mission-driven-brand

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How Jillian Johnsrud Fired the Haters

Release Date: 6/15/2022

Duration: 2101 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Jillian Johnsrud

Description: Jillian Johnsrud is the author of Fire the Haters, a book that isn’t about the FIRE movement, but is all about creating content online and the challenges that may impact your brand. We talk about how different seasons of life influence her business, the pushback on content creators positioned in the FIRE space aren’t they allowed to make money too? And why Jillian has decided not to attend any events in 2022 Jillian writes and creates at Jillian Johnsrud.com, wrote a book, coaches, course creator and event host. I wonder how Jillian is able to do all of the things that she’s doing. Jillian is candid about how she doesn’t have a 9-5 job and that her husband also doesn’t work a 9-5 while outsourcing everything possible. How did Jillian know when it was time to outsource different aspects of her business. She shares that she started off by doing things the wrong way. I share my Virtual Assistant onboarding experience-I was the problem. Most entrepreneurs are behind the eightball when they hire. Choose the uber professional-who is more expensive Or, the person who you have to train Hiring is an important part of the monetization conversation Jillian shares her financial story and how she wanted to have a different financial experience. Became financially independent when she was 32 years old How does she make FIRE relatable to people? Create financial freedom and flex that freedom I ask a weird question: “When did you notice that you’d become a financial brand?” She started writing a few years before FIRE became a “thing” and wasn’t planning on creating a brand. She asked herself: Am I hobbyist Am I myself Or, am I a company? Jillian shares that she’s opted to become a personal brand Her season of life influences the type of content creator that she is. What is going on with the pushback on FIRE content creators making money? Does FIRE actually work where you DON’T need income in the future Jillian designs her business differently because the purpose of income in her business is to funnel money towards the projects that she’s passionate about vs. optimize profits. What defining moment influenced the writing of Fire the Haters? About 4 months into her writing career and the title of her post was changed by the editor on a large curation site. Readers were pissed off and Jillian was trying to defend herself. She reached out to Jay Money and asked “How do you deal with this? I’m not sure if I’m cut out for creating online” Jay Money laughed “Oh, honey, you don’t read the comments.” FIRE the Haters has three main content sections How do we deal with creating content online? What are our boundaries? The internal critic What to do when things go wrong and how do we regroup? What has the feedback been like for the book? Very good and that readers who aren’t content creators are able to apply the lessons in the book to their lives. What has it been like incorporating this book into her FIRE focused brand since it’s an online business book vs. FIRE? It’s ok that the book isn’t for everyone in her audience? There are different points in a content creators journey and the challenge of splitting your focus/branding and clarity issues How did Jillian find an audience for her book? She was super passionate about the book and the content and was ok with it taking longer. “I didn’t write this for year 1 sales, I wrote it for year 5 sales” I ask Jillian to share the different parts of her brand and I wonder why she said “yes” to the projects/products she said “yes” to Trying and working on products is the only way to know if something works. 2022 no conferences-Event free year as a way to see if she misses. My VA travesty was influenced by my travel to events This year I’ve decided to only attend 3 events. How is Jillian maintaining relationships and how have her relationships impacted her brand’s growth? She and her family have been traveling a lot and being intentional about meeting with people during her travels. Hosting(in the loosest sense) a get together in Mexico at an all-inclusive resort “There’s no I would be doing this without the friendships that I’ve made” The advice Jillian would give to a personal finance content creator considering monetizing their brand. What are you better than the average at? Start with a headstart that amplifies your success? What’s NOT your skillset and outsource it. Being FIRE allowed Jillian to be a lot more candid about what she doesn’t need to do in her business. Jillian uses a journaling activity focused on “What are your superpowers?” She refers back to this spreadsheet and information so that she is able to look back at what she’s shared with herself. What does the future look like in Jillian’s business? Focusing on scaling down Less is more creation #1 Tip for future content creators=Just FOCUS because 1 or 2 of the things that you do will give you 80% of your results. Ask yourself what actually moves the needle for your brand. We talk about Jillian’s in-person event, will she do it again? Jillian admits that she used to be an event junkie She discovered that having the event was wonderful but the behind the scenes planning of an event took a lot "I admit that I don’t have the capacity to host another event"

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Explicit: No

Julien and Kiersten of rich & REGULAR Share How to Monetize Your Personal Finance Brand

Release Date: 6/8/2022

Duration: 2704 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Julien and Kiersten Saunders

Description: Today's guests are Julien and Kiersten Saunders of Rich and Regular. We talk about the importance of knowing how to talk to your audience vs. at your audience. How they decided on a monetization strategy that allowed them to stay out of the pockets of the community that they serve with their content and the goals that they have for their upcoming book. Julien and Kiersten Saunders introduce themselves “Rich and Regular” and their upcoming book “ Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game By Walking Away” They share how they got into the personal finance space-they were content consumers and got excited about being involved They soon realized that a lot of people that they knew weren’t interested because they didn’t see themselves in the content. How to resonate with specific audiences became a driving question in the creation of their brand. I ask them to expand on what they do as content creators and I wonder why they decided to lean into video in the way that they did. What does it take to get their financial message to resonate with their audience? It had to stand out and be approached in a different way. Rethinking the design of their content and decided it had to be entertaining. Found a videographer that they paid and designed their content Why are so many personal finance content creators staying on the surface vs. digging deeper? Instructor vs. Connecting via story and role modeling The nuance of expression, questions, etc. communicate story better-but, might not be good for social media algorithms Creatives who don’t view themselves as creatives who are unclear about marketing Why vs. How to (do it) Why did personal finance content switch from story brands to SEO driven only? I ask “Is blogging dead?” No. Kiersten breaks down why this is a silly belief Were there concerns around your monetization strategy and the impact on your brand and community that you’re serving? They decided that they didn’t want to be a line item in their community’s budget. So, the Rich and Regular monetization strategy had to be approached in a different way. They focused on creating compelling content that attracts brands vs. monetizing directly from their community Brands reach out to Rich and Regular because it’s clear who they’re connecting with their content Recognizing the middle point in a business’s life cycle which needs different types of connection and content I ask Julien and Kiersten about what they invested in with their business specifically-editing their Money on the Table, etc. Julien points out that brands appreciate the level of investment that they’ve put into their personal content and that it will translate to the content that they would create for a brand. Be so unique you couldn’t unsee it In 2022 Julien and Kiersten are publishing “Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away” We discuss their upcoming book and what does “winning” look like in a 9-5 career? I share a story about how people’s beliefs may influence their ability to accept the message that Julien and Kiersten are sharing with their book Kiersten makes the point that the majority of retires are retiring early based on data 97% of Black employees do not want to return to the office How did Julien and Kiersten decide that they should be the ones to write their book “Cashing Out Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away” Having thousands of conversations helped inform Julien and Kiersten on what content actually resonates with their community I ask about how they decided to be on the cover of their book? Because Black people on the cover of a book like this is so rare I share that I would have missed seeing them on their book as a fan If you want to sell your book take the actions that will get likely buyers to actually buy your book. What is considered success for the book? Readers reaching out or is it sales? Or, a combination of the two metrics. The Black Experience at work as a welcomed critique within business spaces What’s their next goal after publishing their book Get rid of the vanity metrics and talk to your audience in person to gauge if your content is resonating. Sometimes you won’t see the return in metrics even though the community loves the content. Resources https://richandregular.com June 14, 2022 “Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away”

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Explicit: No

Monetizing and Selling a Seven-Figure Financial Website - And What's Next

Release Date: 6/1/2022

Duration: 3590 Mins

Authors: Michelle Jackson, Harlan Landes

Description: Welcome to another episode of the Plutus Awards Podcast. Our community is filled with hundreds of stories from creators and entrepreneurs just like you. And through this show we share these stories of challenges and successes from bloggers to podcasters from writers, speakers and more. In today’s episode I share how and why I decided to monetize my personal finance brand. It wasn’t an easy decision and for those of you making the decision my monetization story will highlight the fears and concerns I had about the process leading with the following question that I needed to answer “Will monetizing my brand impact the authenticity, brand mission and purpose of my project and negatively impact the community that I serve with my content?” In the first episode of this season I spoke with Harlan Landes, founder of the Plutus Awards, Plutus Foundation and Plutus Voices events. It’s a great conversation about the evolution of the Plutus ecosystem and what motivates Harlan to do the work that he does. The main question that the Plutus Foundation will be exploring this season is the tension that content creators in the personal finance space feel when deciding whether or not to monetize their brand. I absolutely felt this tension and nervousness at the time that I decided to monetize my brand partly because I had to ask myself if I was being inauthentic, greedy or disingenuous as a person in the personal finance space. I thought it would be interesting to share what I thought about, what I was afraid of and how and why I ultimately decided to say “yes” to making money as a personal content creator. The Beginning I started blogging about money in 2012 and honestly, what I put out for the first couple of years was messy. I started with Blogger, a free blogging platform until eventually I decided that I liked blogging enough to tackle using Wordpress. I’ll never forget sitting in Eric Rosenberg’s apartment in Denver wanting to use his turntables on Christmas Eve and hanging out with his girlfriend who would become his wife as he transferred my website to Wordpress. Something that I couldn’t afford to pay for at the time. I wasn’t a prolific blogger, but I was passionate about the space, the community and the content that I was putting out there and my hope was that if I could help at least one person by sharing my story-I’d made a difference. 2012 soon became 2013, 2014, and then 2017 arrived. It was around that time that I was really having some deep private conversations with myself about the value of my time vs. what I was putting out. I still had debt that I was paying off, I had made the leap into self-employment and was navigating what I enjoyed doing as an entrepreneur and I was increasingly asking myself the following question “Does it make sense for someone in the personal finance space to say “no” to money…especially when they needed it? They… meaning me. And the other question that I literally spent years working through is how can I make money, still be authentic and still advocate for the financial changes and empowerment that I talked about on my platform. I didn’t want to make money with credit card sign ups, I loved affiliates but hadn’t yet found many affiliate programs that were a good fit and “lit me up” At the heart of the conflict that had over monetization was how to do it in such a way that I could still share what I believed without having the products or services that I partnered with negatively impact my brand? Finally I figured out how to monetize authentically while staying true to my brand. I became incredibly clear about the overall mission of my brand which is to empower Black and Brown communities while educating and partnering with allied communities to increase access to financial tools, products and opportunities that were previously inaccessible to these communities. This looked like sharing free content in the form of podcast episodes, leads for projects and sharing opportunities such as grants, jobs and scholarships. Basically, kicking the door open and getting rid of financial gatekeeping. Being candid about wanting to unapologetically want to earn more money. I decided to rebrand and “Michelle is Money Hungry” was born. I made it clear that I was modeling, earning more for other Black and Brown women to see and feel good about. I also shared the statistics that backed up why this initiative was so important. Black women earn significantly less than white men We are typically financially responsible for other relatives or friends who need financial support. We’re battling what we don’t know such as the right wage to negotiate for We have to bridge the financial gap that Americans find themselves dealing with in the form of: health insurance, childcare costs, expensive housing and more. Also, the math wasn’t mathing. I was known for being in the process of paying off my debt. I had no business not making as much money as possible in order to achieve that goal I sought out affiliates, projects and partners that were 100% in alignment with my brand and thoughtfully grew my content to support my monetization moves. I said “no” to anything that would be off brand, inauthentic or just felt wrong for my community. No more weird backlinks on the website, no more yesses sponsored blog posts that felt random on the website, no paid projects that had my name on it that felt off-brand. Those became ghostwritten projects if I even said “yes” Always leading with my community in mind and having a greater purpose. Because of these moves the projects that I was attracted to work on paid better over time and were just enjoyable to do. Additional actions that I took as I undertook the monetization process I kept my side-hustles and used that money help me avoid saying “yes” to things that I should be saying “no” to I did not and do not judge other creators who’ve opted not to monetize their brands. This could be their life’s opus and who am I to judge their decision around how they spend their time. I designed products, goods and services that allowed me to say “no” to anything that didn’t serve me well. I added applying for grants and scholarships so that I could continue to create content that serves without compromising the integrity of the work. Some last thoughts and reflections Monetizing your personal finance brand is personal. You earning money (however much you earn) may create some tension between you and other content creators If you’re able to monetize beyond a decent wage-basically, make epic money, be prepared for some feedback around this. For example: are you FIRE or just an entrepreneur? There is no right or wrong answer on whether or not you should monetize your brand. There will be people who disagree with your decision either way. It took me 4 years to say “yes” to monetization and even then I was uneasy about it at the time. Creating a mission and monetization rubric helped me be clear about what I could say “yes” or “no” to authentically. Ultimately, I also moved all business of content creation of my website and launched a new how to build an online business brand where I could comfortably share affiliates and other resources that didn’t accidentally cannibalize the spirit and mission behind “Michelle is Money Hungry” What say you? Do you plan on monetizing your personal finance brand? What are your fears and concerns?

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Explicit: No

Money Should Be a Side Effect of Your Business, Not Its Purpose

Release Date: 10/6/2021

Duration: 1688 Mins

Description: Can your business succeed if making money isn’t its guiding factor? Perhaps in the most successful businesses, creating monetary value isn’t the primary objective -- or, at least, owners have another purpose in mind. In this episode, Sarah Li Cain has a candid conversation with J.D. Roth, founder of Get Rich Slowly. J.D. discusses the benefits of getting away from the idea that money is the primary goal in business, how to blend your business and personal life together and enjoy meaningful and successful work, and why he is not fond of search engine optimization (SEO). Episode highlights J.D. discusses different types of goals when making money is not top priority in your business How its ok for your purpose to change for your business and personal life J.D. expresses the importance of creating meaningful work How pivoting Get Rich Slowly from a blog to something meaningful to J.D. For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/money-business-purpose

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Explicit: No

Candice Latham - Work Backwards to Achieve Success in Your Business

Release Date: 9/29/2021

Duration: 1546 Mins

Description: Success is not necessarily defined by how much money you make or how many subscribers you have. You can create your own vision of success, and your metrics may be unique to you. It helps to know what’s within your control and what’s beyond your control, and define your success accordingly. In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Candice Latham, brand business owner of Latham Agency. Candice shares what it means to own your own version of success, how she shifted and pursued her goals in her business and life, and how you can work backwards to capture the feeling of success in your business. Episode highlights         Candice describes what success meant to her in the past         How seeing other people’s success changed her definition of success         How to deal with the competing versions of success         How to pinpoint what habits you need to accomplish your goals  About Candice Latham  Candice Latham was born and raised in the inner city of Boston. She started using her skills from her nine-to-five ad agency job to start her own design business on the side which later became her full-time hustle. Candice documented my journey of paying off $47,000 of debt and investing, going from a negative net worth to a positive one.  She believes that even if you grew up in an environment where you didn’t see opportunities & possibilities, you can still defy the odds, build wealth, and think differently for yourself and your family.

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Explicit: No

Having Options: Creating Passive Income So You Can Quit If You Want

Release Date: 9/22/2021

Duration: 2191 Mins

Description: You love the idea of becoming an entrepreneur, but without some of the struggles that past generations have faced. Passive income can play a role in taking some of the obstacles away from creating a life where you have options. Acquania Escarne, wealth strategist,and host of The Purpose of Money, went deep in conversation with our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss how she discovered her own path to entrepreneurship by watching her mother’s journey, the importance of creating passive income, and how she manages incoming cash flow for the day she decides to leave her 9 to 5.  Episode highlights   Acquania discusses why she wanted to become an entrepreneur She walks us through the steps on how she grew her network How she is focusing on other arms for creating passive income Acquania explained her strategy behind having passive income About Acquania Escarne Acquania Escarne is a Wealth Strategist who helps clients across the country build and maintain generational wealth through saving and investing. With more than a decade of experience, Acquania follows a step-by-step system that helps individuals and families maximize their income and leverage money they are already spending to produce residual and tax-free income. Her Podcast and Blog, “The Purpose of Money,” teaches Women of Color about saving, investing, and building wealth through real estate, investing in the stock market, life insurance, unique savings strategies, and more. Acquania’s guests are working women and entrepreneurs that have found ways to build wealth and create more freedom in their lives today.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Why Creating Boundaries Is Crucial for Your Business

Release Date: 9/8/2021

Duration: 1860 Mins

Description: Ep. 77. Creating boundaries is crucial to any sport. You can’t play football or soccer without the referee reminding you to stay inbound., but what about creating  boundaries in a business or a side hustle. Is this something a business should have in place? Yes, creating boundaries within a business not only helps your business grow but helps your mental state remain healthy.  Whitney Hansen, the host of the award-winning podcast, The Money Nerds, had a detailed conversation with our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss the importance of setting boundaries around her business, and how having boundaries keeps you from creating identities solely around the business.  Episode highlights   Whitney discusses the importance of creating boundaries She walked us through the steps on how to establish boundaries in your business Whitney touches on giving yourself permission to take days off She lists the benefits in creating boundaries About Whitney Hansen I’m Whitney Hansen.  I’m a personal finance coach and entrepreneur. I teach overwhelmed millennials how to pay off debt and be financially independent by giving them the tools to have more fun with money and sprinkling in a little silliness. Some of my accomplishments are paying off $30,000 in 10 months, buying my first home at 19, and paying $472 for my master’s degree.

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Explicit: No

Identify Your Priorities and Pivot Your Business

Release Date: 9/1/2021

Duration: 1605 Mins

Description: To expand any business, you must be open to change. Some businesses are afraid of change because they don't know what to expect. They are afraid of the unknown, but without change how would your business grow. Growth requires change! Harlan Landes, the founder and executive director of Plutus Foundation, had a detailed conversation with our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss when to know when to quit a business or side gig even when things are going great, and he digs deep into the types of self-awareness that is needed to find both personal and outward success for professional projects.  Episode highlights Harlan discusses the ideas of prioritizing a business He explains the challenges of making tough decisions How to pivot around situations when things change course Harlan expresses the importance of reflecting on your business For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/identify-priorities-pivot-business

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Break the Rules When Creating Content to Grow Your Audience

Release Date: 8/25/2021

Duration: 2230 Mins

Description: There’s nothing inherently wrong about keeping it safe when writing and creating other content about personal finance. Many who do want to provide actionable and interesting information that gets the job done and helps their audience. But maybe, just maybe, you can have a bigger impact by breaking some of the rules and not playing it safe. If your audience sees your authentic self in the insight you share, even if it pertains to personal finance, you will have a better chance at connecting with and growing your audience while influencing them to take action. Piggy and Kitty, the founders and writers of Bitches Get Riches, had an exciting conversation with our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss how they grew their blog with being true to who they are, why they believe it's a disservice to the finance industry if people delivered the same content, and steps on how you can monetize your blog without relying on corporate dollars.  Episode highlights Piggy and Kitty discusses their ideas on breaking the rules They share how they collaborated choosing their brand They touched on how monetization can cause you to stay in the box with content How they grew their audience with being who they are

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How to Successfully Collaborate on Writing a Book

Release Date: 8/18/2021

Duration: 1743 Mins

Description: A book deal is a writer's dream but writing a book with your business partner may seem like a daunting task. You both have great ideas, but how will this work? What organization tool will you use, and how will you divide the work between the both of you? Don't worry, we have the answers for you. Vicki Cook & Amy Blacklock, co-authors of Estate Planning 101, and co-founders of Women Who Money, joins our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss how they got a book deal, how they were able to complete the writing and editing within three months, and why Twitter DMs helped them be more productive in completed their book.  Episode highlights Vicki and Amy discuss the logistics of writing their book together They share the tools used to organize in helping writing the book Amy and Vicki share how they navigated boundaries within their personal and work life How the content on their website paved the way for the content in their book

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How Illustrations Can Grow Your Social Media Following

Release Date: 8/11/2021

Duration: 1659 Mins

Description: Everyone wants that instant stardom within the social media world. Selfies after selfies are what people think will increase their followers, but can you grow your followers with content such as illustrations or stories? Listen on for the answer to this question. Alyssa Davies, the founder of Mixed Up Money and content specialist for Zolo, joins our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss the turning point on why she switched to illustration content on Instagram, and how she uses stories as her main way to increase followers on social media. Episode highlights Alyssa’s transition into illustration content on social media. How Alyssa pivoted her posting to gain followers Alyssa discusses how she schedules and plans her content Alyssa talks about the challenge with Instagram community About Alyssa Davies Alyssa Davies is a content specialist for Zolo and a published author living in Calgary, Alberta. She is the founder of the two-time award-winning Canadian Personal Finance Blog of the Year, Mixed Up Money that has over 40,000 followers across social media. Through her work, she has been featured in many notable publications, including The Globe and Mail, FLARE, Global News, and more. Her first book, The 100 Day Financial Goal Journal, was published in 2020. For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/illustrations-social-media/

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How to Obtain a Stable Income Within the Gig Economy

Release Date: 8/4/2021

Duration: 1752 Mins

Description: So, you are looking for ways to make extra money. The gig economy may be the steppingstone you need, but what is the gig economy?  How does the gig economy work? Are you able to quit your day job to become a successful gig worker? Listen on to discover the answers to these questions. In this episode, Sarah Li Cain chats with writer, side hustler, and blogger Kevin Ha from financialpanther.com..Kevin talks about how he quit his job as an attorney, how he uses the gig economy as a stable income source, and the challenges he faces growing his website. Episode highlights   Kevin’s breaking point that led him to quit his 9 to 5 How Kevin views the gig economy as a side hustle Kevin discusses different types of side hustles that is scalable How Kevin was able to make the gig economy more efficient  For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/stable-income-gig-economy/

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Overcome Challenges and Fears As a Full-Time Mission-Driven Freelancer

Release Date: 7/28/2021

Duration: 1946 Mins

Description: Freelancing can offer the flexibility and empowerment that we often do not find in a typical 9-to-5 job. If you have made the decision to take up freelancing, then you may wonder how to navigate the challenges of quitting your 9-to-5 and finding full-time freelance work.  In this episode, Bethany McCamish, the founder of Bethany Works, joins our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss how she began her journey as a freelancer while teaching full-time, how she then transitioned from freelance writing to owning a design business, and the different challenges she had to face in this period of major change. Episode highlights Bethany discusses what led her to freelance writing How Bethany set pricing that is sustainable and profitable for freelance writing Bethany discusses the process in selecting the right clients How Bethany cut the cord from freelance writing to focus on her design business For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/full-time-freelancer

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How to Manage a Paid Membership Group and Why You Should Start One

Release Date: 7/20/2021

Duration: 1870 Mins

Description: Your idea gained traction. Four thousand people have joined your free members group. Hard as you work to provide your expanding membership with content and materials, you know you could create a lot more value with more resources. It is time to transition into a paid membership group. But how will you get your free members to welcome this change? Danielle Desir, the founder of The Thought Card, joins our host, Sarah Li Cain, to discuss how she monetized her free Facebook group, the pricing models for her membership community, and how her members’ success stories fueled her passion. Episode highlights Danielle discusses what motivated her to start her membership only group How Danielle attracted the interest she needed to transition her free group into paid membership only How Danielle set membership pricing that is sustainable and profitable Danielle discusses the different challenges paid groups face For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/paid-membership-group

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How Your Personal Experiences Can Result in a Book Deal

Release Date: 7/14/2021

Duration: 2220 Mins

Description: Have you ever watched a talk show or listened to a podcast and thought you had the answers to what was being discussed, but then the host brings out an expert? As the expert gives their expert opinion, you are shouting, THAT’S WHAT I SAID as you shake your head back and forth in agreement with the expert. Have you ever wondered how these people became an expert on that subject? Did they have to go to school to become an expert, or were they able to turn what they know into what they do? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain had a heartfelt conversation with award-winning personal finance journalist Cameron Huddleston and author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations with Your Parents About Their Finances. Cameron shared how she had a pivotal moment in her personal life in becoming her mother’s caregiver, how writing a book turned her into a subject matter expert, and how she leverages that into other business opportunities. Episode highlights Cameron discusses how she managed writing and taking care of her mother. How Cameron expanded her idea on writing her book How to turn your life story into a book, including how to create a successful proposal For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/book-deal

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Your Side Hustle Is a Crucial Path to Success

Release Date: 7/7/2021

Duration: 1766 Mins

Description: Monday through Friday is on constant repeat. You are fighting through rush hour traffic trying to be on time for your 9 to 5 job. You settled down at your desk with your cup of coffee in your hand only to be reminded that you do not have enough money to eliminate your debt. You cannot leave your 9 to 5 just yet, but you have so many ideas on how to make extra money. Some may call it a side hustle, but this side hustle may be your way to get out of debt. Do you take a chance on your side hustle, or do you continue living paycheck to paycheck? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Jason Butler, the owner of My Money Chronicles, a website where he discusses personal finance, side hustles, travel and more. Jason shared how he began flipping thrift store items, a side hustle to pay down his student loan debt, and how he used this experience to begin his blog. Jason also discusses what made him take his website more seriously in 2015 and his plan to scale this aspect of his business. Episode highlights Jason discusses his experience with EBay selling How he juggled his side hustle (flipping) and blogging business He shared his metric for success Jason discusses his five-year end goal for his each of his businesses. For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/side-hustle-success

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Own Your Identity to Build Your Platform

Release Date: 6/30/2021

Duration: 2388 Mins

Description: As children we were always taught to be yourself and not worry about what people may think, but into adulthood, we realize this may not be the case. We get to a point where we try to build our platform, but somehow, we get boxed into what society wants us to be or what they want us to represent. We sometimes lose our identity in the process, all while forgetting the valuable lessons we were taught as a child. Do you want society to represent you, or do you want to own your identity and build your platform on just being you? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Natalie Torres-Haddad, an international award-winning author, educator,and bilingual podcast host of Financially Savvy in 20 mins. Natalie shares why she stopped hesitating on using her Latina identity in her marketing, how she stands out without being a token, what she does to help lift others up, and her goals with her portable podcast studio. Episode highlights Natalie discusses how she embraces her Latina identity The challenges she is facing with tokenism The specific values she has in her business and how she expresses them Long-term goals for the Savvy Trailer For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/own-identity-build-platform

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Build Your Business During a Financial Setback

Release Date: 6/23/2021

Duration: 2274 Mins

Description: Losing a job unexpectedly can be devastating especially if you do not have a backup plan or enough money in your emergency fund to sustain your lifestyle. You are racing against time. Your family is looking at you for answers. So, you decide it is time to turn your passion into your side hustle, but can you do it in the midst of your financial setback? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Pete McPherson, the founder of Do You Even Blog, an award-winning blog, podcast and YouTube channel dedicated to helping businesses profitable on the internet. Pete shared how he had to manage three years without a steady income source after quitting his job, moving to another city, and losing the part-time job he had planned on working to give him time to scale his side businesses. Episode highlights Pete discusses what he did to monetize his online business How he scaled his business with little money Pete discusses what is or is not justified in terms of investing in one’s business How Pete grew his listeners and newsletter subscribers in the community For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/build-business-financial-setback

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Creatively Maneuver Your Way out of Financial Bind

Release Date: 6/16/2021

Duration: 1448 Mins

Description: With the pandemic shutdowns, most businesses and individuals no longer make the kind of income they have grown to expect; nor do they spend as much as they would have, pre-Covid times. So how do we find a way to pivot and maneuver our way out of this earning shortfall?  In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with author and speaker Tarra Jackson, known as Madam Money®, about Tarra’s creative methods of leveraging and positioning her books, the skills that unexpectedly saved Tarra from a financial bind, and the evolution of Side Gig Con.   Episode highlights Tarra discusses the income from her speaking engagements How Tarra positions her book as a marketing tool and a leverage to generate speaking gigs’ income The start of the pandemic and an unexpected pivot Tarra discusses the pros and cons of turning Side Gig Con virtual   About Tarra Jackson Tarra Jackson, known as Madam Money®, is the author of the best-selling books, "Financial Fornication" and "4 Financial Languages: The Secrets to Communicating about Money." Tarra is also an animated International Speaker and Personal Financial Expert. Tarra’s extensive professional background in the financial services industry includes Vice President of several financial institutions across the country, as well as Interim President & CEO of an Atlanta, GA based credit union. Her experience, knowledge and witty sense of humor makes her a valued resource and favorite financial commentator for national and international media outlets such as Fox News, Cheddar TV and Al Jazeera News - English. Tarra is a regular financial contributor for national magazines, such as Black Enterprise and Upscale Magazines; and has appeared in numerous syndicated radio shows, like the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, and national events, like the Essence Music Festival. Tarra is the host of the popular podcast on Spotify, "Financial Fornicating with Madam Money & Friends," where she shares fun financial tips for a more fun and healthier relationship with money and credit. She is also the founder of DUALpreneur®, an organization that provides support services and events for entrepreneurs who have full-time or part-time jobs. Tarra's passion is to help people experience more pleasurable and enjoyable relationships with their finances through fun interactive presentations, webinars, and keynotes.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Invest in Hiring and Delegation to Grow Your Business

Release Date: 3/31/2021

Duration: 1605 Mins

Description: Hiring somebody to complete tasks in your business can be dreadful, as any cost directly chips away at your bottom line. So how do we determine whether a hiring decision makes financial and business sense?  In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Carter Cofield, the founder of Cofield’s Concepts, about the birth of Cofield’s Concepts, the decision-making process and pay-off from his hiring choices, and how to leverage hiring as an investment to grow your business.    Episode Highlights The first product by Cofield’s Concepts Lessons Carter learned from other content creators How Carter outsources and delegates How to decide if a hiring decision is smart About Carter Cofield Carter Cofield is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs save money on taxes. He's spent years learning the best tax savings strategies so that he can teach them to entrepreneurs and business owners everywhere. He’s also the owner of Cofield’s Concepts which is a financial literacy website teaching people how to make more money, pay less taxes, and be their own boss! Check out his website and podcast for free resources at cofieldsconcepts.com.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How To Prioritize Your Work Despite Major Life Changes

Release Date: 3/24/2021

Duration: 1736 Mins

Description: The pandemic has catalyzed more changes in our lives than we could ever have predicted. How should we go about factoring these changes into the stride of our daily lives and the progress of our work?  In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Emily Guy Birken, a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer and book author, about the systems that Emily set in place for herself and her family to reorganize their routines and adapt to both the pandemic and the change in Emily’s work intensity from her new book contract.     Episode Highlights How the pandemic impacted Emily’s work and life priorities  How Emily and her family handle the change in her work intensity The systems Emily implements to organize her work and home life Emily discusses lessons from writing her book   About Emily Guy Birken Emily Guy Birken is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. Her background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson. Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Kiplinger's, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online. She is the author of The 5 Years Before You Retire, Choose Your Retirement, Making Social Security Work for You, and End Financial Stress Now. Emily lives in Milwaukee with her engineer husband, two elementary-aged sons, a retired racing greyhound, and a cat that doubles as a throw pillow.   You can find Emily at her EmilyGuyBirken.com and on Twitter

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How Your Financial Advice Is Stronger With Empathy and Validation

Release Date: 3/17/2021

Duration: 2050 Mins

Description: Personal experiences shape the way we approach our finances, and sometimes those experiences hinder us from making the best financial decisions. How do we go about empathizing with the experiences of our audience to better provide more nuanced, applicable, and actionable financial advice? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Elyssa Kirkham, the founder of Brave Saver, about Elyssa’s emphasis on honoring the experiences of her audience, acknowledging how personal experience informs financial decisions, and creating nuanced financial advice.   Episode highlights How Elyssa’s relationship with money inspired the start of Brave Saver Elyssa’s thought process in creating content honoring her audiences’ experiences Elyssa discusses the reason content creators rush to offer solutions Elyssa’s approach to finding a voice in creating content   About Elyssa Kirkham Elyssa Kirkham is a personal finance writer who has spent 8 years covering everyday money topics like budgeting, debt, and saving money. She founded Brave Saver in January 2019 to write about the behavioral, mental, and emotional side of managing money. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brave_saver/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/elyssajk?lang=en

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Boost Engagement Through Relatable Gamification and Story-Telling With Paul Vasey

Release Date: 3/10/2021

Duration: 1488 Mins

Description: The concepts of personal finance, while directly applicable to daily life, often appear unfamiliar to the average student. A former teacher sets out to transform how students interact with financial concepts through gamification and story-telling. In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Paul Vasey, the founder of Cash Crunch Games, about the educational impacts of gamification, and the ups and downs of building his business from gamification to change how students learn personal finance. Episode highlights: Paul’s vision for Cash Crunch Games in educating students on personal finance Marketing lessons from Cash Crunch Games Paul’s search for business partners Paul’s thoughts on selling Cash Crunch Games For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/boost-engagement

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Attract Lifetime Paid Subscribers With a Membership Site

Release Date: 3/3/2021

Duration: 1620 Mins

Description: Offering a membership site can be a profitable decision, but the benefits of this model are entwined with its unique challenges. How should we go about deciding whether a membership site is suitable for our business and navigate the teething troubles of adopting this model?    In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with David Stein, the founder of Money For the Rest of Us, about the intricacies of operating a membership site and the steps he took to set his membership site up for success.   Episode highlights How David came up with his pricing model How David marketed his membership site The systems David set in place to operate his membership site smoothly How David converts podcast listeners to membership and forum subscribers How David responds to the biggest challenges in operating a membership site For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/paid-subscribers-membership

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How Kevin L. Matthews Turned His Side Hustle into a Money-Making Business

Release Date: 2/24/2021

Duration: 1824 Mins

Description: There are no lack of challenges when turning a side hustle into a full-time business. But once we have made the switch, how do we optimize the resources at hand and take our business to the next level? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Kevin L. Matthews, the founder of Building Bread, about his journey building a business, the support he received from his spouse, and the mindset shifts that needed to take place before he could maximize the value proposition of his business. Episode highlights How Kevin managed to balance the workload between his full-time job and side hustle The systems Kevin set in place to maximize efficiency Making the switch to running a professional business The mindset change that took Kevin's business to the next level Kevin's take on how a full-time job can help us achieve our personal goals For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/side-hustle-money-making-business/

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Leaping into Freelancing After Being Laid Off

Release Date: 1/20/2021

Duration: 1548 Mins

Description: The gig economy has made it easier for many of us to find pleasure and success in our side hustles. How do we manage the multitude and magnitude of the freelancing work we take on without burnout or compromise to work quality? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Scarlett McCarthy, the founder of Literally Broke, about Scarlett’s experience balancing a full-time job, multiple freelance gigs, and personal health and happiness. Episode highlights How Scarlett finds side hustles to undertake The biggest challenges when balancing a full-time job and freelance work How Scarlett handles being overwhelmed with changes and uncertainties How Scarlett manages her work-life balance About Scarlett McCarthy Scarlett is a freelance writer, screenwriter, and playwright. In January 2020, she founded Literally Broke, a personal finance platform for artists and creatives. When she’s not writing, you can catch Scarlett creating memes and defending her latte habit. For more information, visit the show notes at https://plutusfoundation.org/2021/leverage-multiple-side-hustles

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Cultivate an Abundance Mindset to Fight for Happiness Featuring Jessica (Mrs. Fioneer)

Release Date: 1/13/2021

Duration: 2048 Mins

Description: When a job takes more than it gives, it is time for a personal reflection of our priorities. How can we decide when to leave the stability of a day job to pursue our personal aspirations and projects? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Jessica F., aka Mrs. Fioneer, the co-founder of The Fioneers, about the thought process that led to Jessica leaving her job, how an abundance mindset propelled her forward, and the keys to cultivating and maintaining an abundance mindset. The Fioneers won Plutus Awards in 2019 (Best New Personal Finance Blog) and in 2020 (Best Content Series for the Slow FI interview series). Episode highlights The decision-making process that led Jessica to leave her job How Jessica makes financial projections How to develop an abundance mindset The moment that sparked Jessica to fight for her personal happiness How to maintain an abundance mindset while avoiding burnouts About Jessica F. Jessica is a Co-Founder of The Fioneers, a financial independence blog focused on the intersection between financial independence and lifestyle design. By day, Jessica is an HR Manager at a nonprofit organization. By evening and weekend, Jessica is a writer and lifestyle design coach.   Socials: Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefioneers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefioneers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefioneers

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Protect yourself before a partnership falls apart featuring Rich Jones

Release Date: 1/6/2021

Duration: 1740 Mins

Description: When partners no longer share a vision or priorities, it is difficult to move forward together. How do we decide when it is best to end a partnership and pursue something independently, and what systems should be put in place to ensure a smooth transition? In this episode, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Rich Jones of Paychecks and Balances about how he and his podcast co-host decided to go their separate ways, the difficulties of a one-man operation, and the lessons from this split. Episode Highlights: A more detailed account of the split between the co-hosts of Paychecks and Balances How Rich Jones found the motivation to press on despite near burn-outs The future vision and direction for Paychecks and Balances Hindsight and lessons from the split with his co-host Rich is the founder CEO & Founder of Paychecks & Balances, a multimedia platform dedicated to helping millennial professionals navigate their finances and career so they can achieve the freedom they want. Beyond P&B, Rich has 11 years of experience working in staffing and human resources across industries and in 2018 became 100% debt-free. He’s been building online brands since 2008 and podcasting since 2013. By day, he’s an Internal Communications & Change Management Specialist at Google.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How This Couple Regained Focus and Motivation During the Most Trying Times with Julien and Kiersten Saunders

Release Date: 12/16/2020

Duration: 2091 Mins

Description: How do you manage during the difficult times in life? Through this past year, it has been hard to balance the realities of everyday life with the arduous situations that are impacting our society. Julien and Kiersten speak with our host, Sarah Li Cain, about their coping mechanisms at the beginning of the pandemic. They share the different tools they utilized to create better strategies, boundaries, and systems so they can flourish in business and family. - How they moved from unhealthy to healthy coping mechanisms - The importance of bringing in help when pressure is building up - Their goals of using their brand to impact their community and drive social change - The creative ways they set systems and boundaries in how they communicate Julien and Kiersten are the couple behind the award-winning blog and forthcoming book, rich & REGULAR ® . They are also producers of the original series, Money on the Table which blends their passion for food with conversations about money. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, their mission is to inspire the African American community to consider and adopt the FIRE lifestyle as a path to building generational wealth. The couple has used frugal living, real estate, index fund investing and their online business to set themselves on a path to achieving financial independence by 2021. They’ve paid off $200,000 in five years and their story has been featured in The NY Times, Forbes, CBS This Morning, Marketwatch and more. When they're not sharing stories about their experiences with money, they are parents to their son Beau, traveling the world or searching for their next great meal.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How Aligning Your Personal and Business Values Positions You for Success with Jason Vitug

Release Date: 12/9/2020

Duration: 2100 Mins

Description: Many of us want to be successful, whether by making more money or being a person of distinction in our niche. But does this kind of success really equate to happiness and fulfillment? Jason Vitug, of Phroogal, talks with Sarah Li Cain about the journey he has taken since achieving what others would define as success. He delves into what his business is now becoming as he focuses on his personal values as his true metric of success and happiness. - Why he was unhappy at the height of his success at Phroogal - The conflict he faced when it came to internal and external methods of success - The clear requirements Jason has developed for him to work with a company - Growing and sustaining a business that truly aligns with his values Jason Vitug is a wellness expert helping a generation achieve a victorious life through health and wealth. Jason is a bestselling NY Times reviewed author, You Only Live Once. Founder at phroogal.com, creator of the Plutus Award-winning project the Road to Financial Wellness, a certified yoga teacher and breathwork specialist. He's backpacked around the world after resigning from his corporate executive job and has road-tripped across the US multiple times covering over 30k miles.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

The Creative Thinking That Strengthened This Business During the Pandemic with Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez

Release Date: 12/2/2020

Duration: 1569 Mins

Description: Dealing With Income-Loss Grief and Forming New Partnerships.     Many of us are trying to figure out how to move forward through this pandemic. While trying to care for ourselves and loved ones, how do we deal with the loss of security and loss of income that adds to the ordeal? To discover ways to get unstuck in difficult times, Sarah Li Cain speaks with Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez about her business and financial struggles during COVID. She shares how she dealt with the loss of income and stability and the ways she was able to pull through. - How the pandemic affected Stefanie's business - How she worked through losing 6 figures of income - Some of the values she connected with through this difficult time - The shift in how she wants to present content Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez is a nationally recognized millennial money expert and author or the book, ‘The Broke and Beautiful Life’. Stefanie has appeared on CBS News, Fox & Friends, ABC World news, and the Dr. Oz Show. A regular contributor at SUCCESS magazine, her work has been featured in outlets like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Glamour and more.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Preparing For and Overcoming a Break In Income

Release Date: 11/25/2020

Duration: 1456 Mins

Description: Whether in the form of an illness, caring for a loved one, or the loss of a loved one, sometimes life steps in and you need time away from work. What do you do when difficulties enter your life and you can no longer bring in any income? Our host, Sarah Li Cain, speaks with Laura Gariepy about the recent loss of her father, how it affected her freelance career, and the kind of relationships she developed that allowed understanding with her clients. Laura also shares about the safeguards she had in place that allowed her the time away and what things are like now that she is working again. How her father's illness affected Laura's outlook on money vs family What it was like navigating a return to work during the pandemic How using LinkedIn has been profitable in gaining clients The biggest lesson she has learned about her business and herself Laura Gariepy is the owner of Every Day by the Lake, LLC, a freelance written content creation company that helps busy business owners stay top of mind with their target audience. She is also a business coach to new and aspiring freelancers and runs an online resource hub for freelancers called Before You Go Freelance. You can learn more about her by visiting her website: www.beforeyougofreelance.com You can follow her on Twitter @EverydayLake or connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauragariepy

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Pivot Your Business Effectively During The Pandemic with Jessica Moorhouse

Release Date: 11/18/2020

Duration: 1920 Mins

Description: The pandemic has negatively affected many businesses. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, most small businesses are concerned about financial hardship due to prolonged closures (70%) and more than half (58%) worry about having to permanently close. Jessica Moorhouse joins our host, Sarah Li-Cain, to discuss her experience with setbacks due to COVID-19. Jessica shares what her business looked like pre-COVID, how her business changed once the pandemic happened, and how she pivoted so she can continue diversifying her income. - Jessica discusses what her business was like before the pandemic - The emotions that most overwhelmed her as her streams of income dried up - How she handled the negative feedback she received by selling a course during COVID - The mindset shifts she went through to make the best of 2020 Jessica Moorhouse is a millennial money expert, Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada®, speaker, award-winning personal finance blogger and host of the Mo’ Money Podcast. Aside from being a regular guest on CTV’s Mind the Gap, she is also frequently featured in major publications like The Globe and Mail, BNN Bloomberg, CBC News, Yahoo Finance, and MarketWatch. Jessica is also the founder of the Millennial Money Meetup®, a financial literacy event for young adults in Canada.

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

How an Unlikely Collaboration Inspired Podcast Excellence

Release Date: 11/11/2020

Duration: 1790 Mins

Description: What do you when you are on a comfortable trajectory and things suddenly change? With the pandemic, many of us have experienced unexpected turns in life and business and are trying to figure out our next step. Doc G speaks with Sarah Li Cain about the changes he made to his podcast and website when he faced his own time of uncertainty. He explains the opportunities that opened up as well as the shifts in his mindset that needed to happen. - Some of the lessons he incorporated into rebranding his podcast successfully - How to identify your strengths and weakness and strategically fill in the gaps - One of his greatest mindset struggles he had to overcome as his podcast changed - The ultimate goal of his partnership and all his efforts Doc G was an internal medicine physician when he discovered the personal finance community through a book called The White Coat Investor. Since then he has left clinical practice to pursue his passion for deep conversations about money and life. He loves his family, side hustles, contemplating retiring early, and the philosophy of financial independence (FI). https://earnandinvest.com https://twitter.com/earnaninvest https://www.instagram.com/earnaninvest https://www.facebook.com/groups/earnandinvest

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No

Latina Women's Equal Pay Day: Closing the Pay Gap

Release Date: 11/4/2020

Duration: 3102 Mins

Description: According to Forbes, "Latinas make just 53 cents for every dollar the average white, non-Hispanic man makes. Compare that to the 79 cents white women earn on average compared to white men, and the 63 cents that black women make. Latina women must work 305 extra days into the next calendar year just to earn what the average white man earns in a year." Harlan Landes sits down with Daniella Flores, Athena Valentine, and Natalie Torres-Haddad to discuss Latina Women's Equal Pay Day and the Latina pay gap. They delve into why this day exists, the struggles of their community, and ways that we can all help to further the cause of equal pay for Latinas. - What is Latina Women's Equal Pay Day and why it is not a day of celebration - How does being the family's caregiver affect forward progression in a career - Some resources available for Latinos that offer career development, scholarships, and/or mentorships - The struggles Latino families face due to the pandemic - Some helpful tips for negotiating pay

Is Closed Captioned: No

Explicit: No