Growing Money with Sean Trace

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Max Jackson, Managing Director at Ballast Rock and manager of its renewable energy private credit fund, to explore one of the biggest investment themes hiding behind the AI boom: energy.

As data centers, AI, electric vehicles, and an increasingly electrified economy push electricity demand higher, Max explains why energy infrastructure could become one of the most important economic bottlenecks of the next decade. We talk about why renewable energy has shifted from a moral argument to an economic one, how solar and other renewables can help meet rapidly growing power demand, and why private capital is playing such an important role in getting new projects built.

Max also breaks down how renewable energy private credit works, why investors may be overlooking infrastructure, and how tools like renewable energy tax credits can create opportunities for individual investors while helping finance real-world projects.

If electricity becomes the fuel behind the AI revolution, should investors be paying more attention to the infrastructure producing it?

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Melissa Murphy Pavone, a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, to talk about something that affects almost every relationship: our emotional connection to money. Melissa explains why people often avoid financial conversations until there is a crisis and how making long-term money decisions while angry, scared, or overwhelmed can create consequences that last for years.

We talk about financial communication in marriage, why couples can earn plenty of money and still fight about it, and how different money values around security, experiences, debt, spending, and saving can create tension. Melissa also shares what people should understand financially before and during divorce, why keeping the family home is not always as simple as it seems, and why both partners need transparency even when one person handles most of the finances.

What stood out to me most is that financial confidence often starts with something simple: stop avoiding the numbers, start asking questions, and replace fear with facts.

What money conversation do you think every couple should have before it becomes a problem?

overspending, poor habits, and bad decisions usually build slowly too.

In this episode of Growing Money, I use my absolutely ridiculous haircut as a reminder that big outcomes are usually created one small step at a time.

We talk about building better money habits, increasing your income, budgeting, paying attention to where your money is going, continuing your financial education, and regularly checking whether your current choices are actually taking you where you want to go.

For me, getting rich isn’t just about having a bigger number in a bank account.

It’s about freedom.

Freedom to spend more time with my daughter. Freedom to make better choices. Freedom to build a life that actually feels wealthy.

So take a look at your own financial direction.

What are the small choices you’re making today, and where are they taking you?

Getting rich doesn’t happen overnight.

It happens one decision at a time.

#GrowingMoney #HowToGetRich #BuildingWealth #PersonalFinance #FinancialFreedom #MoneyHabits #WealthBuilding

I used to think being good with money was mostly about knowing the right numbers, but this conversation reminded me that money is deeply emotional. In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Alex, a startup founder and personal finance coach who helps people in tech make better financial decisions. We talk about why money isn’t simply a math problem, it's also about behavior, habits, fear, relationships, and the stories we inherit growing up.

We explore the difference between building wealth slowly and chasing quick wins, why fear-based financial content can push people toward bad decisions, and how financial planning is really about setting a direction rather than predicting the future. We also talk honestly about money conversations between couples, financial shame, and the importance of creating a sense of safety around money.

For me, the biggest takeaway is simple: you don’t have to gamble your future to build wealth. With the right plan, consistent habits, and enough time, financial progress can become something that feels empowering instead of terrifying.

What would change about your relationship with money if you stopped being afraid of it?

I sat down with financial educator Laina Brown because I wanted to get real about why so many of us stay stuck in debt even when we genuinely want out. 

We talked about the mindset traps that keep people broke, the "I'm just not good with money" excuse. 

Laina broke down why willpower alone doesn't work and why building systems: automatic savings, tracking, waiting periods before purchases, beats relying on discipline in the moment. We got into emotional spending, the "buy now pay later" trap making debt easier to fall into than ever, and how small daily choices compound just like investments do. 

What's the excuse you tell yourself most when it comes to money?

There was even a famous TV announcement:

“It’s 10 PM. Do you know where your children are?”

And that got me thinking…

Do you know where your MONEY is?

For a long time, I didn’t have a clear picture of where my money was going either. I wasn’t consistently checking my accounts, tracking spending, watching my debt, or looking closely at my cash flow.

So I’m trying to change that.

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I talk about learning to become more aware of my finances, using tools like Monarch Money, checking my balances regularly, understanding cash flow, and making smaller, more intentional decisions with money.

I definitely don’t have everything figured out. I’m learning this in real time.

But one thing is becoming very clear:

You can’t make good financial decisions if you don’t know where you currently stand.

Three things to start with:

1. Know how much money you actually have.
2. Know how much you owe and where your money is going.
3. Look at your cash flow and choose one small thing to improve.

And seriously… how were lawn darts ever legal?

Let me know in the comments: Do you track your money regularly, or do you avoid looking at it?

#GrowingMoney #PersonalFinance #MoneyManagement #Budgeting #CashFlow #FinancialLiteracy #GenX #Xennial #MoneyHabits #SeanTrace

Arielle Tucker is a certified financial planner, IRS enrolled agent, and author of The Expat Money Playbook, and she's currently building her life in Switzerland while helping Americans navigate the wild world of moving abroad. 

We got into why US citizens still owe taxes no matter where they live, and why that first year abroad can either make you or completely break you. I shared my own story about almost missing a transit paper for my dog and living through my own honeymoon phase here in Vietnam, and Arielle broke down exactly what kind of emergency fund you actually need before you book that one-way ticket. 

This isn't about romanticizing expat life, it's about planning for it the right way so it actually sticks. 

What's the one thing holding you back from making the move abroad?

Doing everything yourself might feel like you're saving money, but what is it actually costing you?

Entrepreneurs, business owners, and even everyday investors often fall into the same trap: “Why should I pay someone else when I can just do it myself?”

I’ve done it too.

On a recent filming trip to Napa, I was the camera operator, interviewer, producer, and everything in between. When I got home and looked at the footage, I realized something important: when you’re responsible for everything, it becomes very easy to miss things.

And the same problem can happen with your money.

In this episode of Growing Money, I talk about the hidden cost of doing everything yourself, the value of buying back your time, and how to start building a team of professionals around your finances and business.

I'm not a CFP, CPA, or financial guru. I'm figuring this stuff out too! And Growing Money is all about figuring it out together.

If you have a personal finance, investing, business, or money question, drop it in the comments. I’ll continue bringing in professionals who can help us find better answers.

I sat down with Paul Walter, founder of The Donor's CPA, to talk about something most business owners get completely wrong: waiting until tax season to think about taxes at all. 

Paul spent a decade working everywhere from small family firms to the Big Four before starting his own practice built around a simple idea: helping generous business owners avoid surprise tax bills and actually maximize their giving. 

We got into why so many entrepreneurs treat taxes as an afterthought, the biggest mistake charitable people make when donating without a plan, and how something as simple as giving appreciated stock instead of cash can double your tax benefit. 

Do you think you have to be wealthy before you can start giving back?

I sat down again with Cristian Mundy, a certified financial planner and senior wealth manager working with professional athletes and entertainers. 

Cristian broke down how a first big paycheck isn't the finish line, it's the start of a whole new game, and how spending becomes permanent even when the income isn't. 

We talked taxes nobody budgets for, why surrounding yourself with the wrong people can be more dangerous than signing a bad contract, and why athletic discipline doesn't automatically translate into financial discipline. 

What's the first thing you'd do if a big check landed in your account tomorrow?