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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Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HerFirst100K 

Visit herfirst100k.com/ffpod to find any resources mentioned on our show!

We’re taking a quick break this week, but don’t worry, we’ll be back in your feeds next week. And next week’s episode is a BIG one. I’m going to be sharing about something that has cost our business hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last few years. But that’s not all––for the last three and a half years, we’ve been building this show together—and now, the Financial Feminist podcast is about to look and feel a little different. I can’t say too much just yet, but trust me, you don’t want to miss what’s coming! Tune in to hear how you can help.

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests, sponsors and more at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/i-need-your-help-bonus/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to love, weddings, and money — things can get messy. In this special episode, we’re re-releasing a conversation I had on the Here Comes the Drama podcast with Christa Innis, to talk about one of the most common (and costly) mistakes couples make: avoiding real conversations about money. From wedding budgets and bachelorette party expectations to navigating debt, boundaries, and financial transparency, we’re unpacking all the drama around love and money. Whether you’re planning your big day, standing beside a friend, or just love a juicy “Am I the A**hole?” wedding story, this episode is full of hot takes, practical scripts, and no-shame advice to help you protect your wallet and your relationships. Plus, we’ll talk about how to plan a wedding you can actually afford.

Resources & Links:

Grab your free bridal party script guide: herfirst100k.com/bride

Here Comes the Drama podcast: https://www.christainnis.com/podcast

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/couples-money-mistakes/

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

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I’ve been that multi-millionaire who rents, proudly defending why homeownership wasn’t the right choice for me—until now. At 31, I bought my first house, and in this episode, I’m sharing everything I learned along the way: the emotional rollercoaster of finding “the one,” the financial surprises (like hidden $50,000 repairs), why I chose a mortgage over paying cash, and what finally made me change my mind after years of renting. Whether you’re saving for your first home, debating if renting still makes sense, or just curious about how a self-proclaimed renter became a homeowner, this is the honest truth about what it really takes to buy a house.

Resources mentioned:

Gentle Giant moving company:

https://www.gentlegiant.com/, 1-800-442-6863 

Chelsea Moon - Keller Williams: https://www.sweetlivingrealty.com/agent-profile/chelsea-moon-12338728  

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/home-buying-lessons/

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp⁠ 

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

What does it really cost to survive — on reality TV and in real life? In this episode of Financial Feminist, I sit down with Parvati Shallow — Survivor legend, and author of “Nice Girls Don’t Win: How I Burned It All Down to Claim My Power.” We talk about her journey from growing up in a high-control spiritual community (yes, basically a cult) to winning multiple seasons of Survivor and becoming one of the most iconic players in reality TV history, and how the scarcity mindset shaped her money, relationships, and self-worth for decades. Parvati opens up about what it means to rewire survival into abundance, motherhood’s lessons in surrender, queerness, and why playing “villain” on TV mirrors the punishment women face for stepping into their power. If you’ve ever been told you’re “too much” or felt you had to play small to belong, this conversation is for you.

Parvati’s links:

Website: https://www.parvatishallow.com/

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

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/the-price-of-power/

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite
If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

Building a business on the side isn’t easy—I’ve been there, hustling before and after my 9–5, wondering if I’d ever make enough to quit. In this episode, I’m joined once again by my friend and fellow entrepreneur, Mallory Rowan, to break down the five biggest mistakes side hustlers make that keep them stuck, burnt out, and broke. From struggling to define your audience to falling into the “do it all” trap, we’ll share the exact shifts you need to make if you want your side hustle to actually become a sustainable business. It’s time to stop spinning your wheels, lowering your prices, and wondering how to grow beyond those first few “friends and family” sales. We’re going to give you the clarity you need to finally move forward.

Mallory’s links:

Website: https://malloryrowan.com/

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

Business Bootcamp: herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/side-hustle-mistakes/

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp

If you’re exhausted from carrying the invisible labor at home, this episode will feel like a deep breath. Today’s special best of episode features Eve Rodsky, who helps partners build more equitable relationships by helping bridge communication gaps and develop better systems in the home. In this conversation, she talks through her Fair Play Doctrine, offering exercises and conversation starters for couples to help get started in eradicating the labor disparity in their homes.

Eve’s links:

Website: https://www.fairplaylife.com/ 

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

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/building-equitable-relationships/

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

What if the “safe” choice—a steady paycheck, a traditional career path, playing small—was actually holding you back from building the business you’ve always dreamed of? In today’s episode, I sat down with Carrie Kerpen—entrepreneur, author, and founder of the Whisper Group—who built and sold an eight-figure company and now helps women transform their businesses into valuable, sellable assets. We get into how financial fear and freedom shaped her entrepreneurial journey, why most of us never feel “ready” to start, and the key shifts you can make to build a business that not only survives but thrives. If you’ve ever wondered how to create a business that lasts, this conversation is your blueprint.

Carrie’s links:

Website: https://www.wearethewhispergroup.com/
Book: https://www.wearethewhispergroup.com/the-whisper-way-book
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriekerpen/?hl=en
Find out how much your business is worth: http://whispercalculator.com 

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-to-build-a-business/

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

If you’ve ever thought, “I want to be my own boss, but I don’t even know where to start,” this episode is for you. I’m sitting down with my friend, business coach and entrepreneur Mallory Rowan, to talk about how to finally stop dreaming and start building your own business. We’re unpacking the fears that hold you back—like not having the “perfect” idea, worrying about failure, or feeling like you’re not the entrepreneurial type—and giving you the permission slip and playbook you need to move forward. From learning why “ready” is not a feeling to understanding how entrepreneurship can change your finances and your life, this conversation will inspire you to take messy action, trust the process, and start your journey from idea to income.

Mallory’s links:

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

Business Bootcamp: herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

Free Idea Generator: herfirst100k.com/idea 

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-to-start-your-business/

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp 

I asked our audience one simple question: How much money would you need to feel rich? What I didn’t expect was a tidal wave of answers that weren’t just about income—they were about identity, survival, trauma, and the deep psychology of money. In this episode, I’m digging into the thousands of responses we received—from those saying $70K makes them feel secure, to others needing $750K+ just to feel safe in their high-cost-of-living cities. But beneath those numbers lies something even more fascinating: how we define wealth, comfort, and enoughness, especially as women navigating a world that tells us we should be grateful for scraps.

This episode isn’t about hitting a random salary milestone—it’s about unraveling the emotional and psychological layers behind why we want more money and what it represents. From societal expectations to location-based cost pressures, from generational trauma to shifting lifestyle goals, I break down what your “rich number” might actually say about you—and challenge you to claim even more. Because financial safety isn’t simply a number. 

Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-much-money-do-i-need/

Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod  

Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools

Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Squarespace

Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase.

Indeed

Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD.

Rocket Money

Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD.

Quince

For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Netsuite

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD.

Saily

Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily eSIM data plans! Go to Saily.com/FFPOD download the Saily app and use code 'FFPOD' at checkout.

Masterclass

Get at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com/FFPOD.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices