In this episode, I sit down with Certified Financial Planner Cristian Mundy to talk about what really happens when people start making more money but still do not build real wealth. 

We get into financial literacy, lifestyle creep, immigrant family pressure, generational wealth, athlete and entertainer money mistakes, and why high income does not automatically mean financial security. Cristian shares what he sees behind the scenes with pro athletes, executives, and entertainers, and we unpack how money trauma, identity, and the wrong circle can quietly wreck someone’s future. 

This conversation is really about how to stop confusing income with wealth, how to pay your future self first, and how to build a financial life that actually lasts.

In this episode of Growing Money, I introduce one of the strangest, and honestly most fun, frameworks I have ever used to explain personal finance. I am building a new book that breaks financial survival down through the lens of a zombie apocalypse. It sounds ridiculous at first, but the more I thought about it, the more the metaphor made sense. In every zombie movie there is always a moment before everything collapses, that first week when something feels off but people are still going to work, ordering food, scrolling their phones, and pretending nothing is wrong. That moment is exactly what financial problems look like in real life.

I talk about how rising credit card balances, minimum payments, empty savings accounts, buy-now-pay-later debt, and inflation slowly eating your income are the financial equivalent of those early infection signs. Nothing explodes overnight. It creeps in quietly while people convince themselves everything is fine. I also share some of my own mistakes with debt and credit cards and why so many people hide money problems from their families even when those problems are getting worse.

The real danger is not the crisis itself, it is ignorance. Most people were never taught how interest works, how banks profit, how inflation erodes purchasing power, or how the financial system actually functions. When the system shakes, the uninformed panic. The informed prepare. That is why week one of this book is not about investing or fixing anything yet. It is about reconnaissance. I challenge listeners to map out their income, expenses, debt interest rates, credit score, and net worth so they can actually see the system they are living in.

Financial literacy is not paranoia. It is preparation. In the same way the smartest characters in apocalypse stories board their windows early and study patterns, the smartest financial survivors learn the system before it becomes a crisis.

So here is the question I want to leave you with: if your financial life had a “week one warning sign” right now, would you recognize it, or would you ignore it like everyone else in the zombie movies?

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Matthew Filepp, CFA, CFP®, founder of PB Wealth in Charlotte, North Carolina, to talk about what actually makes financial progress stick, especially for people who are busy, high-achieving, and still feel like their money disappears. 

We get into why fee-only, advice-only financial planning builds real trust, how lifestyle creep quietly turns higher income into long-term stress, and why “what you’re approved for” is not the same thing as “what you can afford” if you want freedom later. Matthew breaks down a simple money checklist, spend less than you earn, build an emergency reserve that fits your real life, and automate investing so you stop relying on willpower. I share my own stories, credit cards, profit-first buckets, pineapple cakes at 3 a.m., and even Muay Thai habit stacking, to show how money is basically the same as fitness, the basics work, but only if you do them consistently. 

If you want less anxiety, fewer money fights, and more control, this conversation is a practical reset on how to build your financial future by design, not by default.

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Bryan Jepson, a former emergency medicine physician who just retired after a 30 year career and made a bold transition into the financial world as a CFP financial advisor. 

We talk about why so many people feel behind with money, and why that feeling is usually not about a number, it is uncertainty and a lack of structure. Bryan breaks down what it really takes to make real change, clarity, a simple plan, and a team that keeps you accountable, the same way a gym partner helps you stay consistent. We also get into true wealth, not chasing more, but having enough assets to control your time, create meaningful experiences, and build deep relationships, plus the power of giving back. We tackle one of the biggest practical questions people ask, debt versus investing, including how to think about high interest credit card debt versus lower interest debt, and why waiting too long to start investing can quietly cost you years of compounding growth. 

If you want a smart move you can make this week, this conversation brings it back to the simplest answer that actually works, decide to get clear on where you are, define where you are going, and commit to consistent actions that compound over time.

In this episode of Growing Money, I sat down with CFP Uziel Gomez to talk about something that doesn’t get discussed enough in personal finance, what it actually feels like to be a first-generation wealth builder. We didn’t just talk about investing or retirement accounts. 

We talked about money mindset, survivor mentality, overspending versus hoarding, being your parents’ retirement plan, and the guilt that can come with earning more than anyone in your family ever has. I shared my own experience of growing up without strong financial guidance, making mistakes when income increased, and realizing that earning more does not automatically create financial stability. Uziel broke down why financial literacy fundamentals matter more than fancy strategies, why a spending plan works better than traditional budgeting, and how culture, identity, and family expectations shape financial decisions for immigrants and minorities. 

If you are navigating family pressure, long-term care planning, supporting parents, or trying to build generational wealth without a blueprint, this conversation will hit home. This episode is about financial literacy, emotional intelligence with money, building wealth responsibly, and breaking cycles of scarcity so the next generation does not carry the same stress.

If your income doubled tomorrow, would your habits protect you, or would your old money story take over?

Two years ago, I recorded this conversation with Ramon Ray for the Growing Money podcast. 

And then… the audio failed.

At the time, I couldn’t properly process it. The quality just wasn’t there. So it sat. Now, with new AI tools, I’ve been able to restore the audio and finally bring this conversation back to life.

Quick apology to Ramon for the long delay, and big shoutout to him. His message on visibility, trust, and building a strong personal brand is just as relevant today as it was then.

This episode is a reminder that attention builds trust, and trust builds opportunity. Whether you’re a financial advisor, entrepreneur, or creator, being known in your space changes everything.

My question for you: If someone in your industry needed what you offer today, would your name come up first?

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with returning guest Sandra Park, a Ramsey financial coach, engineer, single mom, and debt free multimillionaire, to get brutally clear on what “debt free” actually means in real life. 

We break down the difference between being consumer debt free versus truly 100 percent debt free, why credit card interest rates are the real silent killer, and why people with good intentions still end up stuck in the cycle. I share my own credit card payoff journey, the mindset shift that helped me stop seeing a credit limit like it was cash, and how I now use credit cards with tight guardrails for business necessities, travel, and points without sliding back into old habits. We talk about Profit First and the bucket method, how systems beat willpower, why tiny purchases add up faster than big ones, and how debt can quietly steal your freedom by borrowing from your future self. 

Sandra also gives a simple, powerful move anyone can do right now, a 30 day spending audit that reveals what you actually value, not just what you say you value, so you can move toward financial freedom without going extreme.

What is one “small” expense you used to ignore that you now realize was quietly wrecking your money decisions?

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Joe Moss, founder of Advisor Techbook, to talk about a problem almost everyone has but few people solve, how to charge more money without feeling like a fraud. 

Joe breaks down a simple but mind-shifting idea, people invest in potential all the time, so your job is to get clear on what you are building, what you actually want to do, and how to back into the real value of your time. We get into the difference between earning what you want and becoming the person who can hold it, why distraction is quietly wrecking people’s income, and how tiny daily habits can unscrew the mess one turn at a time. I also share my own story of rebuilding after a serious health crisis, how my “why” snapped into focus when I saw my daughter’s ultrasound, and why I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep learning and teaching through these conversations. 

We end with two keys Joe lives by, one spiritual and universal, one super practical for online business builders, plus a real talk moment on why relationships, friendships, and the quality of your conversations might be the most underrated form of wealth.

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Asher Dahlgren, a young entrepreneur and founder of Dahlgren Social, to talk about financial independence, financial literacy, and what it actually takes to build wealth early without pretending it’s complicated. 

We get into why schools still don’t teach money basics, how stigma and jealousy keep people quiet about finances, and why I believe money is just a tool, not a personality test. Asher breaks down his simple “three buckets” framework, earning, managing, and investing, and explains why getting good at two makes you wealthy, and getting good at all three can make you very well off. 

I share the mindset shifts that helped me stop reacting to bills and start building systems like separate buckets, profit-first thinking, and spending based on priorities instead of guilt. We also talk entrepreneurship, compounding, budgeting at any income level, and why financial freedom is really the ability to say no, to bad clients, toxic living situations, draining relationships, and anything that pulls you off your path. 

If you’re trying to start investing, build better money habits, grow your income, and create real financial empowerment, this conversation will give you a practical, motivating roadmap you can actually use.

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Brian Carney, partner and founder of RiversEdge Advisors, an independent wealth management and registered investment advisory firm in Delaware, to talk about the side of money nobody can spreadsheet, the emotional, behavioral part that drives real decisions. 

Brian shares how he accidentally became a financial advisor after ditching a physical therapy path, and what it taught him starting in a world-shaking moment like September 11th, that trust and relationships matter before credentials, calculations, or perfect answers. We get into behavioral finance, market volatility, investing mistakes smart people still make, and why the most dangerous words in personal finance are “I don’t know,” because uncertainty creates anxiety that can lead to panic selling and expensive, irreversible decisions. I share stories from my own life, from hiring and staying calm under pressure to learning how a good advisor helps you do the financial work with you, not for you, and Brian explains what a healthy relationship with money looks like in real life, setting clear goals, building a cohesive plan across accounts, and creating a team where your financial planner, accountant, and attorney actually communicate. 

We also talk about cutting through influencer noise, why “fiduciary” is table stakes not a magic guarantee, how AI can give impressive looking plans that still create costly tax mistakes, and why the real path to long-term wealth is consistency, simplicity, and “get rich slow,” not the fantasy of timing the market or chasing a big strategic move.