What if pressing pause on your career was actually the smartest, most strategic move you could make? In today’s episode, I’m joined by Neha Ruch, author of The Power Pause, to challenge the myths we’ve all been fed about stay-at-home motherhood, caregiving, and career pauses. We dig into why our culture undervalues care work, how identity gets tangled up in motherhood, and what it actually looks like to take a pause. Whether you’re considering stepping back from work to raise kids, support aging parents, or simply regroup, Neha shares smart ways to protect your finances, keep your skills sharp, and eventually re-enter the workforce on your terms.

Neha’s links:Website: https://www.thepowerpause.com/ 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro & Identity and Career Breaks

01:06 Myths & Stereotypes of Stay-at-Home Motherhood

04:13 The Financial Realities of Motherhood

08:21 Identity Shifts & The Power Pause Concept

12:27 Making Career Pauses Temporary, Not Permanent

14:53 Building Skills & Staying Connected During a Pause

21:56 Validation & Measuring Success in Caregiving

28:11 Positioning a Career Pause on Your Resume

31:50 Financial Power Dynamics in Relationships

40:09 Elder Care vs. Child Care Pauses

47:04 Reentering the Workforce: Pitfalls & Strategies

49:54 What Does a Successful Power Pause Look Like?

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What happens when the life you’ve spent decades building shatters overnight? Today’s guest, Jen Hatmaker, joins me to talk about the moment everything collapsed—and how she rebuilt her identity, her faith, her confidence, and her finances from the ground up. In this deeply honest conversation, we explore what it means to wake up to your own power after betrayal, divorce, and a total life upheaval, and how taking control of your money can become the foundation for reclaiming every part of your story.

Jen’s links:

Book: https://jenhatmaker.com/awake/

Website: https://jenhatmaker.com/

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

00:54 The Story We Tell Ourselves vs. Reality

02:04 The Moment Everything Changed

04:00 Why We Ignore Red Flags

06:36 The Cost of Disruption and Divorce

09:14 Money Reckoning After Divorce

12:07 Why Women Opt Out of Finances

15:19 The Emotional Labor of Money

17:22 The First 90 Days: Financial Overwhelm

20:06 Becoming Financially Literate

22:44 From Shame to Action

25:22 Taking Ownership and Finding Safety

28:22 The Cost of Self-Erasure

31:07 What Happens When Women Have Money

34:07 Deconstructing Faith and Identity

38:42 Finding New Definitions of Church

41:18 Advice for Anyone in Upheaval

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Saving money doesn’t have to feel like a punishment, and in today’s episode, I’m proving it. I’m diving into coaching questions from listeners about how to save without feeling deprived, how to break out of scarcity mindset, and how to balance long-term goals with actually enjoying life. From processing layoffs and using your emergency fund without guilt to understanding why fear hijacks your finances, this episode is packed with practical money advice, emotional mindset shifts, and actionable tools for creating a sustainable financial plan that still lets you have a life. If you’ve ever struggled to save without feeling deprived, or wondered how to make money choices that feel good today and set you up for tomorrow, this coaching session is for you.

Mentioned in this episode:

Millionaire Mindset: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/millionaire-mindset-taking-risks/

How to Get Out of Financial Survival Mode: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/financial-scarcity/

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 – Money Coaching With Tori: Ask a Multimillionaire Anything

01:00 – Listener Win: Starting a Side Hustle With Confidence

02:15 – Why Women Struggle With Taking Risks

04:00 – How to Start a Business When You’re Scared of Judgment

05:00 – Question 1: “I’m Afraid to Touch My Savings After a Layoff”

06:15 – How to Use Your Emergency Fund Without Guilt

07:00 – Navigating Layoffs, Uncertainty, and a Volatile Job Market

08:00 – Is It Time for a Career Pivot or Freelancing?

09:00 – Resetting Your Career After a Job Loss

10:00 – Why You Need a Personal Project During a Job Search

11:00 – Question 2: “How Do I Stop Living in Scarcity Mode?”

12:00 – Balancing Saving, Spending, and Generosity

13:00 – Understanding Your Financial Trauma & Scarcity Triggers

14:00 – How Fear Lies to You About Money

15:30 – The “Put Fear in the Back Seat” Strategy (Liz Gilbert Method)

17:00 – How to Budget for Generosity Without Derailing Your Goals

18:30 – Why You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup (Money Edition)

20:00 – How Scarcity Mindset Affects Your Financial Decisions

21:00 – Why You Must Talk About Money in Therapy

22:00 – Question 3: Balancing Saving for Retirement With Wanting to Live Now

23:00 – YOLO vs. Long-Term Money Goals: Finding the Middle Ground

24:00 – Make Retirement Feel Real: Visualizing Your 65-Year-Old Self

25:30 – “Saver vs. Spender” Is a Myth — Here’s What You Actually Are

27:00 – How to Trick Your Brain Into Enjoying Saving Money

28:00 – Using the Three-Bucket Budget to Spend Guilt-Free

29:00 – Lightning Round: Emergency Funds, Life Insurance, and Over-Saving

31:00 – What Life Insurance Should Actually Look Like

32:00 – How Much Is Too Much in Savings?

33:00 – Free Resources: 7-Day Money Reset + Stock Market Workshop

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Dave Ramsey has millions of followers who swear by his money advice, but does his one size fits all approach actually help or hurt? In today’s episode I’m breaking down the full picture––what he gets right, where his advice becomes harmful, and why so many people feel shame, fear, or financial stagnation after following his rigid frameworks. From emergency funds and credit cards to retirement timing, debt payoff, and the systemic barriers Ramsey ignores, I’m diving into the nuance he refuses to acknowledge—so you can take the helpful parts and leave the rest behind. If you’ve ever struggled to explain why Dave Ramsey isn’t your financial cup of tea, save this episode.

Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

01:59 Dave Ramsey’s “Baby Steps” framework

02:56 Dave Ramsey’s appeal

03:17 Lack of nuance and ignoring systemic issues

04:04 What Dave Ramsey gets right 

07:10  Major problems with Ramsey’s advice

07:37 $1,000 emergency fund is too low

09:36  “All debt is bad” is harmful and misleading

10:45 The 7% rule: When to pay off debt vs. invest

11:20 Unrealistic mortgage and home-buying advice

12:20 Why rigid rules are easier to sell, but less helpful

13:28 The role of shame and discipline

15:32 Use of Christianity and morality in marketing

16:47 Advice on combining finances in marriage

18:21 Lawsuits and toxic workplace allegations

21:48 Out-of-touch advice on childcare

22:45 How to use Ramsey’s advice mindfully

24:36 Systemic oppression in personal finance

25:44 Credit scores and credit cards

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Healthcare in America shouldn’t feel like a rigged game––but too often it does. Leaving many people feeling swindled by confusing insurance plans, surprise medical bills, and endless fine print. To help navigate this complex system, I'm joined by Dan Weissmann, journalist and host of the NPR podcast An Arm and a Leg. Dan explains why U.S. healthcare feels broken––and how to get the most out of a flawed system. He'll share strategies to protect your finances and well-being, from selecting the right health insurance during open enrollment to identifying billing errors, challenging unfair charges, and saving hundreds on prescriptions.

Dan’s links:

Website: https://armandalegshow.com

Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

01:15 Why Healthcare Is So Expensive

03:00 The System Is Confusing by Design

06:00 Understanding What You Actually Owe

08:30 What To Do When You Get a Medical Bill

10:45 How To Talk to Your Insurance Company

13:00 The Hidden Traps in High-Deductible Plans

15:30 Should You Pay Your Bill Right Away?

18:00 How Medical Debt Affects Your Credit

20:15 How To Negotiate a Medical Bill

22:00 What To Do If You Can’t Afford Care

24:30 The Emotional Cost of Healthcare

27:00 Why Women Carry More Medical Debt

30:00 The Future of Healthcare Transparency

33:00 The Wildest Story From An Arm and a Leg

36:00 How To Be Your Own Healthcare Advocate

38:00 How To Find a Fair Price for Care

41:00 Quick Wins To Save on Medical Costs

43:00 What True Financial Wellness Means

44:00 Outro + Resources

Special thanks to our sponsors:

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We all make financial mistakes, but what happens when those mistakes literally cost you everything? In this episode, I sit down with money expert, author, and host Nicole Lapin, who shares her deeply personal story of losing her home and studio in the LA fires just two weeks after giving birth—and the painful lessons she learned in the aftermath. From skipping business insurance to the emotional toll of rebuilding from scratch, Nicole gets brutally honest about the financial oversights that even experts can make, and how you can protect yourself before disaster strikes. We also talk about the realities of new motherhood, navigating shame, estate planning, and why money isn’t just about numbers—it’s about safety, security, and learning how to trust yourself again.

Nicole’s links:

Website: https://nicolelapin.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolelapin/?hl=en 

Podcast:  https://moneynewsnetwork.com/podcast/money-rehab/

Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

00:41 LA Fires & loss

01:51 Documenting for insurance

02:35 Money & safety

05:02  Insurance tips

11:11 Parenthood finances

16:37 Childcare costs

19:00 Parenting boundaries

21:41 Teaching kids money

22:41 Investing basics

25:07 Money priorities

29:40 Estate Planning

32:26 Debt & leverage

34:20 Imposter syndrome

38:57 Building your path

41:57 Financial shame

Special thanks to our sponsors:
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If you’ve ever felt like no matter how hard you try, you can’t get ahead — like you’re constantly putting out financial fires instead of building the life you want — this episode is for you. I’m breaking down exactly what financial survival mode looks like, why it’s not your fault, and how to finally get out of it. We’ll talk about the emotional and psychological patterns that keep you stuck, how to retrain your brain to take control of your money, and the simple, actionable steps you can start today to move from scarcity to stability. Because you’re not bad with money, you’re just trying to survive in a system that wasn’t built for you. 

Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 — You’re Not Bad With Money (Here’s Why You Feel Stuck)

01:00 — What “Financial Survival Mode” Actually Looks Like

02:00 — Signs You’re in Financial Scarcity Mode

04:00 — “I’m Bad With Money” Is a Lie We’ve Been Taught

05:00 — Free Resource: The 5-Day Debt Payoff Challenge

06:00 — How Scarcity Mindset Affects Your Decisions

07:00 — Why “Just Work Harder” Advice Misses the Point

08:00 — The Real Source of Money Stress (It’s Not What You Think)

09:00 — The Gas Tank Metaphor: Know What’s in the Tank

10:00 — The Horror Movie Rule: Face the Monster

11:00 — How to Get Out of Financial Scarcity Mode (Step-by-Step)

12:00 — What a “Money Date” Looks Like

13:00 — How to Analyze Your Spending Patterns

15:00 — The Hidden Benefit of Tracking Progress

16:00 — Setting Money Goals That Actually Work

18:00 — A Goal Without a Plan Is Just a Wish

19:00 — Your 30-Day Action Plan for Financial Progress

20:00 — Small Wins Create Big Momentum

21:00 — The Power of Accountability (And Why We All Need It)

23:00 — The Role of Mindset and Financial Trauma

24:00 — Must-Listen Episodes to Go Deeper

25:00 — Final Pep Talk: You’re Doing Great

Special thanks to our sponsor:

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Ever wish you could go back and give your younger self some honest, no-nonsense financial advice? In this episode, we’re talking about the money lessons we all wish we’d learned sooner. Today I’m joined by Courtney Alev, Intuit Credit Karma’s Consumer Financial Advocate. Courtney helps shape Credit Karma’s products with real people in mind—empowering millions to know, grow, and protect their wealth. Her insights have been featured in everything from The New York Times to Marie Claire, and she’s basically your financial big sister: here to make money feel less overwhelming and help you build confidence with every dollar. Together, we’re diving into credit, debt, savings, and how to make smarter financial decisions that give you more freedom and less stress.

Thanks to Credit Karma for sponsoring this episode! Get personalized, judgment-free insights on how to pay off debt and make your money work harder for you with Intuit Credit Karma! Visit: https://www.creditkarma.com/lp/financialfeminist 

Visit ⁠⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 – Intro: The Money Advice I Wish I Took Sooner — with Credit Karma’s Courtney Alev
01:10 – Why Money = Freedom
02:05 – How to Define What You Actually Want (Not What You “Should” Want)
03:10 – Credit 101: Building Credit in Your 20s
04:00 – Easy Credit Score Tips That Actually Work
05:30 – Tori’s Favorite Credit Utilization Trick
06:30 – Should You Keep Old Credit Cards Open? (Yes—Here’s Why)
07:15 – Why Credit Cards Are Tools—Not Traps
08:00 – How to Pay Off Debt and Improve Your Credit Score
09:15 – The Great Debate: Save First or Pay Off Debt First?
10:45 – Why Women Need an F-Off Fund
12:00 – Money ≠ Math: Why It’s Really About Emotions
13:20 – Letting Go of Shame Around Debt & Spending
15:00 – Why Avoiding Your Money Makes It Scarier
16:30 – Are High-Yield Savings Accounts Still Worth It?
17:20 – High-Yield vs. Regular Savings: What’s the Difference?
18:40 – Mindful Spending 101: Stop the Doom-Spending Cycle
20:15 – How to Curb Impulse Shopping Habits
22:00 – Ask Yourself: “Why Do I Want This?” Before You Buy
23:10 – The “Would I Move This?” Trick for Spending Less on Stuff
24:10 – Boundaries, FOMO, and Saying No to Overspending
26:30 – How to Handle the Cost of Weddings and Friend Events
29:30 – Budgeting with Irregular Income (Freelancers, Creators, etc.)
31:20 – Understanding & Paying Off Student Loans
34:00 – Credit Card Debt vs. Student Loans: What to Tackle First
35:20 – Saving for Retirement While Paying Off Debt
36:15 – The Power of Compound Interest (Explained Simply)
37:30 – How to Start Investing — Even with $20 a Month
38:00 – Final Thoughts + Where to Find Credit Karma’s Free Tools

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What if earning more starts with ditching the BS toxic hustle culture we’ve been sold?

In today’s episode I’m sitting down with Amanda Goetz — two-time founder, four-time CMO, single mom of three, and author of Toxic Grit: How to Have It All and Actually Love What You Have. We’re talking about how to earn more, buy back your time, and redefine ambition on your own terms without falling into the trap of hustle culture. From the rise and fall of the “girlboss” era to the guilt that comes with labels like “tradwife” and “soft girl,” Amanda shares how to find balance between building wealth, protecting your peace, and creating room for every version of yourself. If you’ve ever felt torn between chasing big goals and actually enjoying your life, this episode is for you.

Amanda’s links:

Book: https://www.toxicgrit.com/ 

Website: https://www.amandagoetz.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ 

Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

01:23 Amanda on Applying Mindset Shifts

02:06 The "Girl Boss" Era and Its Impact

04:06 Competing Versions of Ourselves

05:02 Seasons of Hustle and Avoiding Burnout

07:10 Defining Toxic Grit

09:15 Surviving Divorce and Building Resilience

12:18 Outsourcing, Rituals, and Reclaiming Time

15:55 Scarcity vs. Abundance Mindset

19:54 Defining Toxic Grit for Women

21:15 Creating Checkpoints and Avoiding Spin Cycles

23:28 Burnout, Alignment, and the Ambition Cycle

29:31 The Five-Phase Ambition Cycle

33:34 The Importance of Rituals and Transitions

38:48 New Models for Ambition and Redefining Success

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It took me three years — and more than half a million dollars — to learn this lesson.

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the biggest business mistake I’ve ever made: ignoring my gut, following “expert” advice, and paying the price. We’re diving into what happens when you give away your power for credibility, why trusting yourself is the best business strategy, and how to rebuild self-trust after a big mistake.

If you’ve ever been told, “That’s just how it’s done,” this episode will remind you that sometimes the best thing you can do is trust your instincts — even when it goes against the norm.

You’ll learn:

In this episode:

00:00 — The mistake that cost me $500,000

03:00 — What it means to sign with an agency or network (and why it’s risky)

05:00 — Losing transparency and control in my own business

07:00 — When credibility costs more than it’s worth

08:30 — The moment I realized I’d given away 40% of my revenue

10:00 — The danger of doing things just because “that’s how it’s done”

13:30 — What running everything in-house has taught me

14:00 — The deeper lesson: self-trust, transparency, and ownership

16:00 — How to support independent creators and shows like this one

17:00 — Learning from mistakes without shame

17:30 — The challenge: where can you trust yourself more?

Want more resources from this episode, like our FREE money quiz, tools, or challenges? Head to https://www.herfirst100k.com/ffpod

Check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/herfirst100k

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