Disrupt Your Money: Liberation through Financial Education for Marginalized Business Owners

In this episode of Disrupt Your Money, we’re dragging tariffs out of the headlines and into real life—specifically, what Donald Trump’s latest tariff chaos means for your business, your bank account, and yes, your Nana’s 401(k). 

Meg breaks down what tariffs actually are (no econ degree required), how Trump’s “Tariff Oprah” moment and his whiplash 90-day “10% for everyone” reversal set the stage for market manipulation, and why these moves are less about strategy and more about profit and power for the ultra-wealthy.

This episode will help you see exactly how these policies raise prices, squeeze small business margins, fuel inflation, and destabilize global relationships—and what you can actually do to fight back.

⏱️ In This Episode:

00:00 – Introduction: The tariff whiplash

03:30 – Why tariffs are a small-business + 401(k) problem

04:30 – Tariffs 101: What they are & who actually pays

06:42 – The current tariff map: China, allies, and retaliation

09:31 – Everyday fallout: Prices, margins, and inflation pressure

12:41 – Market chaos & your retirement accounts

14:30 – Global relationships, supply chains, and security

16:02 – Layoffs, local economies, and who gets hurt first

18:22 – Five ways to fight back (without starting your own trade war)

20:24 – Closing: Tariffs as a threat to generational wealth
 

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

👉 Wealth is Resistance Action Kit → https://equitablemoneyproject.com/kit

👉 Call Your Representatives (Meg’s weekly action scripts) 

👉 Tariffs Hurt the Heartland – national anti-tariff campaign 

👉 Coalition for a Prosperous America (trade + tariff advocacy org) 

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

🚀 Your Next Step:
Ready to use your money as a tool for resistance and protection in a rigged system? Download the free Wealth is Resistance Action Kit → https://equitablemoneyproject.com/kit

We are facing a reality that feels like a dystopian rerun: Trump is back in office, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs are under full-scale attack. For marginalized business owners—women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled—this is more than politics. It's a direct threat to our livelihoods. But we're not backing down. We're getting strategic. In this episode, we'll unpack what's happening, how it impacts your business, and how to keep building inclusive, equitable futures—regardless of who's in power.

Meg Breaks Down:

• The executive order that gutted DEI in federal agencies

• Massive funding cuts to the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

• Elimination of supplier diversity requirements in federal contracts

• Rollbacks at the EEOC that weaken workplace discrimination protections

• The attack on ESG investing—and what it means for marginalized founders

• The broader impact: fewer contracts, less funding, more barriers—and a hard turn back to the old boys' network

What You'll Learn:

• Why this rollback is about more than politics—it's an economic power grab

• How marginalized founders are already fighting back, from Iowa to Atlanta

• Real-life examples of businesses protecting trans rights, crowdfunding capital, and embracing employee ownership

• Creative ways to keep inclusivity alive—without using the term "DEI"

• How to access alternative funding, build your own networks, and keep pushing forward even when the system fights back

They can try to shut us out—but we're not going anywhere. We adapt. We organize. We build. Because equity isn't a trend—it's the future.

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

This podcast is hosted by Meg K. Wheeler, CPA and Biz Money Coach and Founder of the Equitable Money Project. Meg is on a mission to turn online educators, service providers and coaches from Not Numbers People to Badass Money Makers. Are you ready to Disrupt Your Money? Learn more about Meg here!

• Need to get your money stuff set up right? Check out our financial foundations course the Biz Money Blueprint!

• Submit Your Questions - DisruptYourMoney.com

• Leave A Review- Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen 

This podcast is intended for informational & educational purposes only and is not intended as professional financial advice. 

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

Connect with Meg across social:

Facebook

Instagram- Equitable Money Project

Instagram- Meg K. Wheeler

Pinterest

Song Credit: Midnight Specials by Ash Nino

In this episode of Disrupt Your Money, we drag the real job killers: anti-immigrant policies. Meg breaks down how the current administration’s deportations, visa crackdowns, and weaponized bureaucracy aren’t just cruel; they’re actively sabotaging small businesses, local economies, and generational wealth-building.

Meg walks you through how to use your vote, your voice, and your business to fight back—from supporting immigrant-owned businesses and local orgs to treating immigrants as allies in the push for true economic equity. This isn’t just “their” issue; if you care about small business, community, or generational wealth, this is your fight too.

⏱️ In This Episode:

00:00 Introduction: Why immigration policy is a money issue
02:49 How visa restrictions & work-authorization barriers choke immigrant entrepreneurs and their teams
04:13 “I’m not an immigrant, this doesn’t affect me” (spoiler: it does)
05:30 Small business ownership as a path to economic freedom
06:50 Debunking the “immigrants are taking our jobs” myth
06:54 How we fight back
07:38 Using your business as a platform
09:34 Policy & community-level action
10:35 Call Your Representatives, building solidarity, and treating immigrants as allies in the fight for economic equity

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

👉 Call Your Representatives – Meg’s weekly Substack with scripts to call your reps
👉 Biz Money Blueprint – Meg’s financial foundations course for small business owners
👉 Disrupt Your Money – submit your questions or money story for a future episode

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

🚀 Your Next Step:
Ready to make your money match your values—and help fund the world you actually want to live in? Download our free Wealth is Resistance Action Kit → https://equitablemoneyproject.com/kit

In this episode, we're getting riled up about a topic that's stirring up economic chaos (again): tariffs. Specifically, Donald Trump's latest tariff threats and the damage they could do to your wallet, your business, and even your Nana's 401(k).

Meg breaks down:

• 💸 What tariffs really are (hint: a tax you end up paying)

• 🔥 Why Trump's "Tariff Oprah" strategy could ignite inflation and global tension

• 📉 The ripple effects on small businesses, consumer prices, and retirement funds

• 🧮 The brutal math of squeezed margins and rising costs for entrepreneurs

• 🌍 How global trade drama affects your everyday life

What You'll Learn:

• The not-so-hidden costs of tariffs for working families and scrappy business owners

• How history (Smoot-Hawley, anyone?) shows us exactly where this road leads

• Why tariffs aren't just an economic issue—they're a small business survival issue

• Smart, practical ways you can fight back and protect your business

If you're building something beautiful in a broken system, this episode is your rally cry. Tariffs may be painted as economic strategy, but in practice? They're a tax on your hustle. Get informed, get loud, and don't let bad policy kill your power.

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

This podcast is hosted by Meg K. Wheeler, CPA and Biz Money Coach and Founder of the Equitable Money Project. Meg is on a mission to turn online educators, service providers and coaches from Not Numbers People to Badass Money Makers. Are you ready to Disrupt Your Money? Learn more about Meg here!

• Need to get your money stuff set up right? Check out our financial foundations course the Biz Money Blueprint!

• Submit Your Questions - DisruptYourMoney.com

• Leave A Review- Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen 

This podcast is intended for informational & educational purposes only and is not intended as professional financial advice. 

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

Connect with Meg across social:

Facebook

Instagram- Equitable Money Project

Instagram- Meg K. Wheeler

Pinterest

Song Credit: Midnight Specials by Ash Nino

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

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

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

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

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

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

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

The current administration's immigration policies aren't just cruel—they're actively hurting small businesses, the economy, and anyone who cares about economic growth. In this episode, we break down:

• How deportations, visa restrictions, and bureaucracy are crushing immigrant entrepreneurs

• The massive economic impact—$1.3 trillion in contributions and millions of jobs at risk

• Why this isn't just an immigrant issue—it affects all small business owners

• What you can do to fight back—voting, advocacy, and supporting immigrant businesses

This is a call to action. When immigrant businesses suffer, we all lose. Tune in, get informed, and let's push for change.

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

This podcast is hosted by Meg K. Wheeler, CPA and Biz Money Coach and Founder of the Equitable Money Project. Meg is on a mission to turn online educators, service providers and coaches from Not Numbers People to Badass Money Makers. Are you ready to Disrupt Your Money? Learn more about Meg here!

• Need to get your money stuff set up right? Check out our financial foundations course the Biz Money Blueprint!

• Submit Your Questions - DisruptYourMoney.com

• Leave A Review- Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen 

This podcast is intended for informational & educational purposes only and is not intended as professional financial advice. 

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

Connect with Meg across social:

Facebook

Instagram- Equitable Money Project

Instagram- Meg K. Wheeler

Pinterest

Song Credit: Midnight Specials by Ash Nino

Today's episode is a must-listen for small business owners, especially those from marginalized communities, as Meg tackles the gutting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

What's happening to the CFPB is a textbook example of how powerful interests rig the system against everyday people. We'll break down: ✅ What the CFPB is and why it matters for small business owners ✅ The recent attacks on the agency and their impact on consumer protection ✅ How a weakened CFPB puts marginalized entrepreneurs at even greater risk ✅ Actionable steps we can take to fight back

If you care about fair lending, economic justice, and stopping financial predators in their tracks, this episode is for you. Let's get into it.

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

This podcast is hosted by Meg K. Wheeler, CPA and Biz Money Coach and Founder of the Equitable Money Project. Meg is on a mission to turn online educators, service providers and coaches from Not Numbers People to Badass Money Makers. Are you ready to Disrupt Your Money? Learn more about Meg here!

• Need to get your money stuff set up right? Check out our financial foundations course the Biz Money Blueprint!

• Submit Your Questions - DisruptYourMoney.com

• Leave A Review- Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen 

This podcast is intended for informational & educational purposes only and is not intended as professional financial advice. 

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

Connect with Meg across social:

Facebook

Instagram- Equitable Money Project

Instagram- Meg K. Wheeler

Pinterest

Did you Disrupt Your Money, build your bank account, and transform your way of life?  Tell us how this episode impacted you and leave a review at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. 

Breaking down financial systems is always better with a buddy - tell a friend about this podcast so you can Disrupt Your Money together: http://disruptyourmoney.com

Song Credit: Midnight Specials by Ash Nino

In this episode of Disrupt Your Money, we bring your fitness habits and your money habits into the same room and gently (okay, lovingly) call them out. Meg is joined by health coach Mackenzie “Coach Mack” Holznecht of Running with Bacon to talk about why both movement and money feel so loaded—and how the secret to changing both isn’t willpower or shame, it’s habits that actually fit your real life.

Coach Mack also shares her own money story—how she went from feeling stressed to building systems and using tech to automate her finances. If you’ve ever thought, “I know what to do, I just need to do it” about either fitness or money, this conversation is your permission slip to stop starting over and start building habits that quietly change everything. 

⏱️ In This Episode:

00:00 Introduction: Why we’re talking about fitness and finances together
00:28 Meet Coach Mack & Running with Bacon: habits over quick fixes
01:49 What actually creates long-term change
04:06 Making habits feel easy enough that you’ll actually stick with them
06:29 What to do when you feel overwhelmed and can’t even “show up”
09:42 Meg’s daily check-in story
12:16 Designing habits that fit your life, energy, and season
16:11 Coach Mack’s financial journey
20:44 Getting started when you’re busy, exhausted, or feel like the world is against you
23:08 Everyday micro-habits for fitness and money
24:49 How to connect with Coach Mack & start building habits that actually stick

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

👉 Running with Bacon – Coach Mack’s health coaching & habit-building programs

👉 Biz Money Blueprint – Meg’s financial foundations course for small business owners

👉 Submit your questions or money story for a future episode → https://disruptyourmoney.com

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

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

In this episode of Disrupt Your Money, Meg interviews Bernadette Joy, personal finance author and coach, who shares her inspiring journey of going from $300,000 in debt to achieving a net worth of $2 million. Bernadette Joy discusses the importance of building sustainable financial habits, the power of negotiation, and the release of her book 'Crush Your Money Goals'. Bernadette Joy's approach to personal finance teaches us that self-care spending is essential, mistakes in budgeting are normal, and your money story is always evolving. 

About Bernadette Joy: 

As the eighth child in her father's brood of nine and a first-gen Filipina-American, Bernadette Joy understands those who feel like they missed the money memo.

Sure, she boasts two bachelor's and a master's, and a decade of Fortune 100 and startup experience. But her real street cred? Paying off a jaw-dropping $300,000 of debt in three years and investing her first $1 million in her 30s! 🚀

She's also the CEO of Crush Your Money Goals®, a personal finance training company serving up education with a side of pizzazz. A top journalist featured in Forbes, CNBC, and CNET and has appeared on more than 50 podcasts, national radio shows, and TV segments.

Her debut book, Crush Your Money Goals, published by Simon & Schuster, is available now and was named one of Oprah Daily's top 10 books for personal growth in 2025! Purchase your copy at EquitableMoneyProject.com/READ or here. 

Today, she coaches hundreds nationwide, sharing her 5-step secret recipe for ditching debt, mastering savings, and investing for financial peace. 💸

When she's not speaking, she's practicing early retirement: K-Pop, yoga, karaoke, and spoiling her nieces and nephews as their traveling rich auntie.

You can connect with Bernadette Joy on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

This podcast is hosted by Meg K. Wheeler, CPA and Biz Money Coach and Founder of the Equitable Money Project. Meg is on a mission to turn online educators, service providers and coaches from Not Numbers People to Badass Money Makers. Are you ready to Disrupt Your Money? Learn more about Meg here!

• Need to get your money stuff set up right? Check out our financial foundations course the Biz Money Blueprint!

• Submit Your Questions - DisruptYourMoney.com

• Leave A Review- Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen 

This podcast is intended for informational & educational purposes only and is not intended as professional financial advice. 

💰✊🏾💸✊🏽💵✊🏻

Connect with Meg across social:

Facebook

Instagram- Equitable Money Project

Instagram- Meg K. Wheeler

Pinterest

Song Credit: Midnight Specials by Ash Nino

In this episode of Disrupt Your Money, Meg introduces herself as a CPA, entrepreneur, and loud-mouthed political nerd who actually likes tax (don’t worry, she explains), and lays out why this podcast exists in the first place: to help marginalized business owners use money as a tool for liberation, not just survival.

Through stories about real estate, corporate tax, and walking away from a career that looked “successful” on paper, she connects the dots between personal career choices and the bigger systems that were never designed for most of us to thrive.

If you’ve ever felt like business advice wasn’t written for you or wondered why a money podcast keeps talking about politics, this episode is your primer. Meg lays out exactly who Disrupt Your Money is for, what we’re disrupting, and how this show will help you build wealth and a world that actually works for you.

⏱️ In This Episode:

00:00 Introduction: Why the Disrupt Your Money podcast exists right now
01:23 Who this podcast is for
02:51 What Disrupt Your Money is here to do
04:15 Meg’s winding path: from econ & philosophy major to real estate to
the car-ride comment that nudged her into accounting
08:10 Leaving corporate after burnout
09:25 Starting One for Women and experimenting with a values-led business
10:14 Pivoting into teaching money & building the Equitable Money Project
12:24 Naming the mission: using this podcast to disrupt our money, the financial system, and the wider economy together
13:58 What to expect going forward
16:56 Closing gratitude

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

👉 Disrupt Your Money – submit a money question for a future episode 

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

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