A Fresh Story

This episode answers the question: How do I build a budget without feeling like I am living a small life?

In this episode, we chatted with Financial Expert and Fresh Starts Expert Jen Reid, who shared her insights on how to build a budget without feeling like you’re living a small life. Jen emphasizes that a budget isn’t about restriction but about gaining control over your cash flow and making intentional choices that align with your values. She explains that understanding your income and breaking down expenses monthly are key first steps and offers simple tools, like pen and paper or a spreadsheet, to track spending easily. Jen talks us through making a simple budget and why everyone needs to have a budget. If you’ve never made a budget, Jen has great tips on how to get started making an easy budget that isn’t scary!

Jen also discusses her group coaching program and one-on-one services, where she helps people reshape their money mindset and build sustainable budgeting habits. By reframing budgeting as a path to financial empowerment rather than limitation, Jen provides an approach to finances that’s all about living intentionally, without feeling restricted.

Learn more about Jen Reid on her Fresh Starts Profile: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/base

We chatted with Erica Anenberg, a visionary entrepreneur who shared her inspiring journey from creative beginnings to thriving success in the construction and tech industries. Erica opened up about her drive for financial independence, how family dynamics and a love for freedom influenced her early path, and the bold pivots she made from fashion design to construction. Through this journey, Erica embraced her identity as a creator and innovator, channeling her energy into various industries to carve out a unique space for herself.

In our conversation, Erica discussed the birth of her brand, Girl Flip, and her mission to empower women in construction, an industry where female representation is still rare. She explained how the lessons learned from her grandfather, a salesman, helped her value the operations side of business as much as the creative. Erica’s story also includes reflections on personal experiences, from her unexpected love story to the challenges of fresh starts, all underscoring the importance of energy, choice, and passion in following one’s true calling.

We also explored Erica’s latest project, BuilderBud, a tool designed to simplify construction management for both homeowners and contractors. With this tool, she aims to fill the gap in the construction industry by making project management accessible and streamlined. Throughout, Erica’s insights emphasized that success stems from passion, the desire to help others, and the courage to navigate the unknown.

Learn more about Erica: https://www.girlflip.com/

We chatted with Korean American writer Suzanne Park about her incredible journey from a corporate marketing job to becoming a successful, prolific author. Suzanne opened up about the challenges of promoting her books, connecting with readers, and the perseverance it takes to revise manuscripts and make them marketable. She shared her experiences of balancing book tours with personal time, emphasizing the importance of avoiding burnout and finding the right communities to engage with as an author.

In our conversation, Suzanne delved into her writing process and how she draws inspiration from rom-com movies, incorporating their charm into her stories. She discussed the importance of relatable, earned happy endings and how her themes of family, fresh starts, and intergenerational relationships shape her novels. Suzanne also gave insight into her approach to world-building and character development, and even touched on the possibility of writing a movie script one day.

We wrapped up the episode by chatting about the lighter side of life, including Suzanne’s love for trying new snacks like chocolate churro-flavored turtle chips. Suzanne’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, balance, and staying true to one’s creative vision.

Learn more about Suzanne Park on her website: https://www.suzannepark.com/

In this conversation, Olivia speaks with Liuba Grechen Shirley, founder of Vote Mama, about the importance of having mothers in political positions. They discuss Liuba's journey as a political mom, the challenges faced by women running for office, and the structural barriers that need to be addressed to empower more women to participate in politics. Vote Mama aims to support and endorse women candidates, particularly mothers, to create a more inclusive political landscape. The conversation emphasizes the need for policy changes that reflect the realities of motherhood and the importance of community support for women in politics.

Liuba Grechen Shirley is the Founder and CEO of Vote Mama, an interconnected trio of organizations dedicated to electing mothers, transforming the political system, and advancing family-friendly policies. These organizations include Vote Mama PAC, the nation’s first Political Action Committee focused on electing Democratic moms across the ballot; Vote Mama Foundation, the leading source of research and analysis on the political participation of mothers in the United States; and Vote Mama Lobby, which collaborates with elected officials from both parties to support policies that benefit families and children. These organizations aim to elect mothers, transform the political system, dismantle barriers for mothers running for office, normalize candidacies of mothers with young children, and promote family-friendly legislation.

Liuba's career highlights include her historic congressional campaign for New York’s 2nd District, where she achieved the highest vote share of any Democrat against the incumbent in 25 years and raised over $2 million without corporate PAC money. She made history as the first woman to receive federal approval to spend campaign funds on childcare. Previously she worked in international development in Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, with a focus on women’s economic empowerment. Liuba has been recognized as one of Long Island’s 100 Most Powerful People and has been featured in major media outlets like CNN, The Today Show, and TIME Magazine. Her academic background includes an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and a BA in Politics and Russian from NYU. Liuba resides on Long Island with her husband and three children.

Check out Vote Mama: https://www.votemamapac.org/

Vote Mama on Instagram

Liuba Grechen Shirley on Instagram

Episode trigger warning for anti-semitism and abusive language.

On August 7th, 2024, Olivia tweeted: "Can my husband find out who I am voting for in the Presidential Election?" We've been getting this question a lot, so we rounded up some helpful facts.” This one tweet became a national conversation, and a lot of people had a lot of things to say about it. Olivia and Jenny sat down to talk about how the tweet came to be, the backlash from the tweet, and why it’s incredibly important to keep reminding women that their vote is their vote. So, can my husband find out who I voted for? We wanted to make sure this answer was clear - and we appreciate the response from The Washington Post, NPR, Salon, Elle, Buzzfeed, Octavia Spencer, Jodie Sweeten, Christine Lakin, and many more.

In this episode, you will hear voice actors reading tweets - all of these tweets were publicly tweeted, from public accounts, and we do not reveal anyone’s twitter handle. We wanted to share the full story of the feedback of this conversation, and many, many first hand accounts of people attempting to silence women’s voices and votes.

We specifically want to thank the following people for reading the tweets for this episode: Josh, Lisa, Marissa, Melissa, Alex Frankel, Becky Schwarz, Bridget Cosgrove, Brooke Forry, Chelsea Long, Cheryl Searing, Christine Gritmon, Dawn Montgomery, Jake Sanders, Joseph Azam, Lynn Swayze, Matthew Searing, Meg St-Esprit, Molly Jenson, Nikka Kowidge, Rachel Bell, Richard Dedor, Jackson Searing, Harry Dreizen, Lis Dreizen

For more info, head to: http://votewithoutfear.com or call 888-291-3027 (English) and 866-675-1561 (Spanish)

Elizabeth almost died of an ectopic pregnancy. The only reason she survived? Because she was is in New York. In this conversation, Olivia and Elizabeth discuss the critical state of women's health in America, focusing on Elizabeth's personal experiences with ectopic pregnancies and the emotional and physical challenges that accompany them. They explore the lack of adequate healthcare and aftercare for women, the trauma associated with such experiences, and the importance of sharing stories to foster understanding and support among women. Elizabeth emphasizes the need for better communication and care in women's health, advocating for a more compassionate approach to healthcare that addresses both physical and emotional needs.

In this episode, Olivia chats with IBMA award winning musician Jim Hurst about the evolving political landscape in the United States since 2016. Jim reflects on his experiences as a musician in Nashville, noting how COVID-19 has shaped political conversations among his peers. They dive into the challenges of navigating political discourse in a polarized environment and explore the importance of maintaining open dialogue, even when opinions differ. Throughout the conversation, Jim emphasizes the need for empathy, understanding, and fair representation in political discussions.

Jim and Olivia also explore the influence of media on shaping political views, the role entertainers play in expressing their political beliefs, and the critical importance of voting for the future. Jim reflects on his upbringing and shares personal stories, expressing concern over issues like the treatment of women and minorities in the workplace. The discussion touches on how misinformation can influence public opinion and highlights the need for musicians to stay engaged in political discourse despite potential backlash.

The episode concludes on a lighter note, with Jim sharing his love for food and family, reminding listeners of the simple joys in life. He encourages community involvement and helping others, tying these values back to the larger conversation on politics, empathy, and understanding in today’s world.

You can learn more about Jim Hurst on his website: https://jimhurst.com/

Check out Jim Hurst’s newest single, One More Lonesome Train here!

Make sure to follow Jim Hurst on Facebook too: https://www.facebook.com/JimHurstMusicPage

We chatted with Meecham Whitson Meriweather, a culture writer, screenwriter, and soon-to-be author whose work has been featured in outlets like Vulture, New York Magazine, Men’s Health, and more. Meecham shares his journey from studying architecture to becoming a prominent voice in pop culture, diving into topics like the evolving nature of modern dating, the impact of celebrity relationships on public perception, and the importance of representation in media. He also discusses how his early writing experiences helped shape his career and the importance of storytelling in influencing society.

Meecham reflects on the cultural shifts in how we view celebrities, noting that society often owes apologies to women who have been unfairly treated in the spotlight. He emphasizes the need for diverse stories in media, while also acknowledging the growing portrayal of anti-heroes and how this influences our perception of character in film and television. The conversation also touches on the impact of influential media from childhood, the art of self-care, and how culinary experiences can be part of that practice.

Meecham shares his thoughts on upcoming projects and how they represent fresh starts and new opportunities. He offers insights into embracing individuality, encouraging listeners to be okay with "cringe" moments, and highlights the importance of both representation and self-care in navigating today’s pop culture landscape.

Meecham Whitson Meriweather is a culture writer, screenwriter and forthcoming author whose work has appeared in Vulture, New York Mag, Men’s Health, InStyle and more—you’ve no doubt seen his tweets if you don’t have him blocked—and he currently writes the pop culture newsletter Now That I Mention It on Substack.

You can follow Meech on Twitter: https://x.com/MediumSizeMeech

Read his Substack here: https://meechammeriweather.substack.com/

*this is not legal advice, but we wanted to share some general information

Early voting is a great choice for a number of reasons - given the extended nature of early voting the lines are usually shorter and voting becomes an easy, fast activity that fits into your schedule. Additionally, if you can vote on an alternate day (early) it relieves the polls on day of voting, meaning people who can only vote on election day will be met with shorter lines and poll workers will have a less stressful, rushed day - leading to improved poll worker performance. Early voting is also shown to increase voter turn out, as populations who might not be able to make it to the polls on Election Day are given the opportunity to participate in person voting at dates and times they are available.

Further, early voting allows campaign funds to be allocated to more necessary resources. Once you are marked as having voted, campaigns are more likely to remove you from door knocking and phone lists— this also allows the volunteers to focus on those voters who might benefit more from the outreach.

Check out your early voting options HERE: https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/early-in-person-voting

More information here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-want-to-vote-early

What if I make a mistake on my ballot?

*this is not legal advice, but we wanted to share some general information

In person voting with a paper ballot: If you make a mistake on your ballot you can and should totally ask for a new ballot! Do NOT try to cross out or cover up the mistake, just pop over to the poll worker and let them know you made a mistake and need a new ballot.

In person voting on an electronic voting booth: You do not need to vote quickly, take a breath and make sure your selections are what you meant to chose. If for some reason the machine is not able to select what you’d like or acting funny — pop out and find a poll worker!

Absentee or mail in ballots: If you were sent a PDF to print out of your ballot, rip up the mistake (in tiny pieces!) and print it off again. If you were sent a paper ballot in the mail, call your local election board ASAP.

Most importantly, we want to encourage you to vote intentionally and without rushing — there is no reason to rush through this process, take a breath and take a moment to make sure you’re filling out your ballot correctly.

More information here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-make-a-mistake-on-my-ballot