How Much Can I Make? — Real Jobs. Real Stories. Career Insights

By Mirav Ozeri - Career Insights JournalistBusiness Entrepreneurship Arts Performing Arts Careers

How Much Can I Make? — Real Jobs. Real Stories. Career Insights episodes

October 26 Book Doula: A Career Helping Authors Write
We talk with book doula Michelle Fiordaliso about what it really takes to bring a book to life, from finding your voice to choosing a publishing path. We also get honest about author income, ghostwriting rates, AI in writing, and why the human touch still matters.
If you’ve been waiting for permission to start, consider this your nudge. Subscribe, share this with a friend who “has a book in them,” and give us a like, so more listeners can find the show.
Connect with Michelle: https://michellefiordaliso.com/
Explore more creative careers ➡️
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Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
26 min
October 19 Financial Advisor Career: How They Make Money & Build Wealth
“Save until it slightly hurts” sounds harsh, but it might be the most realistic wealth-building advice you’ll hear all year. We sit down with Donna Stephens, a seasoned financial advisor who also brings an attorney’s lens to the money choices that shape your life. We get very specific about what real financial planning looks like when you’re not already rich.
And because this is How Much Can I Make?, we explore the career itself: how financial advisors get started, attract clients, and earn money through consultation fees ranging from $500 to $7,500, as well as ongoing investment management.
Listen, share it with someone who needs a little financial guidance, and subscribe to How Much Can I Make? for more real conversations about careers, money, and making a living.
For a full breakdown of financial advisors earning range ➡️
Connect with Donna: The Stefans Group
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Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
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Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
28 min
October 12 AI Jobs: New Careers Created by AI
Everyone’s talking about the jobs AI might replace. But what about the jobs it’s creating?
In this episode I talk with Meg Columbia Walsh about where the new AI career opportunities are, what kinds of jobs are already emerging, and what you need to learn to stay competitive.
We get into AI engineers, data analysts, cybersecurity, prompt design, marketing and why you don’t have to be a programmer to work in this new world.
If you’re trying to figure out where the job market is headed, this is a good place to start.
Connect with Meg:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megcolumbiawalsh/

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Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
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Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
26 min
October 05 How Movie Deals Get Made: Inside Hollywood Producing
You can build a successful career by playing it safe, but you rarely build something great that way. We sit down with Larry Kasanoff, veteran movie producer and former studio head whose credits include Platoon, Terminator 2, True Lies, and the Mortal Kombat franchise. Larry has raised over a billion dollars for film projects and takes us behind the scenes of how movies actually get financed, how producers get paid, and what it really takes to put a Hollywood deal together. We also talk about his book, A Touch of the Madness, and the funny, outrageous stories behind some of the biggest deals of his career.
Larry's website: https://www.atouchofthemadness.com/
Larry's book: A Touch of Madness
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Send us Fan Mail
Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
Visit howmuchcanimake.info

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
42 min
September 28 The Business of Hypnosis: What Hypnotists Really Make
What does hypnosis really feel like, and can hypnotherapy actually help with anxiety, chronic pain, smoking cessation, habit change, and performance?
We sit down with Tommy Giorlando, a professional hypnotist with 20 years of experience in stage hypnosis and hypnotherapy, to separate fact from fiction. He explains what hypnosis is, why it works, how it differs from the dramatic version we see in movies, and what is actually happening when someone enters a hypnotic state.
We also talk about hypnotherapy as a career and business, including safety, client work, earning potential, and how hypnosis is used to help people change automatic patterns without medication or traditional talk therapy.
Tommy shares how hypnosis can be used for chronic pain, anxiety, smoking cessation, behavior change, confidence, performance psychology, and flow state, including techniques similar to those used by elite athletes.
If you’re curious about becoming a hypnotist or hypnotherapist, how much hypnotherapists make, what hypnosis can help with, or whether hypnosis really works, this episode offers a practical look at the science, the business, and the real-world applications of hypnosis.
Explore more unique and unusual jobs →
Connect with Tommy:
Website: http://www.hockeytownhypnotist.com
10% discount on first session: https://hockeytownhypnotist.com/referral-discount?am_id=mirav7749
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommygiorlando/
Send us Fan Mail
Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
Visit howmuchcanimake.info

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
39 min
September 21 Bartender Career: Salary, Tips and Life Behind the Bar
That big mirror behind the bar is not there for vanity, it is there because a bartender’s back is turned at the exact moments something can go wrong. We sit down with Tom Ostoyich, a career bartender who has worked since the late 1990s across New York City, New Orleans, and the Hudson Valley, to pull back the curtain on what bartending actually demands and what it can realistically pay.
Then we go to the parts that rarely make it into the glamorous version of nightlife: handling drunk or hostile guests, the legal risk of over serving, strict ID requirements, and the reality of watching for predatory behavior and possible drink tampering. But Tom also shares what's great about the job.
If you are exploring bartending jobs, service industry careers, or tip based work, this conversation is a grounded guide.
Explore more unusual and unique careers, and what they pay →

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Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
Visit howmuchcanimake.info

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
23 min
September 14 Doula Life: What It’s Really Like to Be a Birth Doula
A job where your “office” might be a hospital room, a birth center, or a stopped car on a bridge sounds impossible until you hear how a doula actually works. We sit down with Mary Riley, a doula who has supported more than 2,500 births, to unpack what real labor support looks like when plans change, policies shift, and emotions run high.
Then come the stories that make the work feel real: coaching a couple through an unplanned car birth in bumper-to-bumper traffic and the surprising ways memory and trauma can surface during labor.
If you’re curious about hiring a birth doula, becoming a doula as a career or side hustle, understanding doula costs in New York and beyond, or learning how birth advocacy can change outcomes, this conversation will stick with you.
Explore more careers in health & Wellness fields
If you like what you hear, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s planning a birth or a career pivot, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.
Explore More Careers in Health & Wellness →
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Send us Fan Mail
Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
Visit howmuchcanimake.info

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
37 min
September 07 Behind the Scenes on Broadway: What a Stage Manager Really Does
We talk with Billy, a Broadway stage manager with 30 years of experience, about what it really takes to run a live theater production. He shares how he built his career, what stage managers do during rehearsals and performances, and how they handle missed cues, technical problems, injuries, and emergencies—all while keeping the show moving.
Billy also explains how to become a stage manager, the skills you need, the demanding Broadway schedule, job security, union benefits, and how much stage managers can earn—from low-paying early jobs to around $200,000 a year at the Broadway level. Plus, hear what it was like working with stars including Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, and Scarlett Johansson.
If you’re considering a career in theater or curious about what happens behind the curtain, this episode offers an honest look at the pressure, rewards, and earning potential of Broadway stage management.
Explore more creative jobs →
Send us Fan Mail
Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
Visit howmuchcanimake.info

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
28 min
August 31 Plumber Career: Salary, Training & What the Job Is Really Like
A plumber shows up when your home is one bad valve away from a flood, and that pressure is exactly why the career can pay so well. I’m Mirav Ozeri, and I sit down with Mark Anderson, the plumber I’ve worked with for years, to get the unfiltered truth about plumbing as a job: the crawl spaces, the soot, the late-night calls, and the very real satisfaction of fixing a problem nobody else can solve.
If you’ve been hearing that Gen Z is turning to the trades, we unpack what’s driving that shift and why plumbing remains one of the most AI-proof jobs out there. But know what you're getting into.
Explore More AI-Proof Careers →
Subscribe (it's free) for more real numbers and real career stories.
Mark's Company - A Team's Website: https://www.ateamcomfort.com/
Send us Fan Mail
Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
Visit howmuchcanimake.info

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
17 min
August 24 Architect Career: Salary, Training & What the Job Is Really Like
We sit down with architect Rob DuPont for an honest look at what an architect career is really like—from architecture school, licensing, and finding your first job to building codes, client demands, long hours, and running your own firm. Rob also breaks down architect salary and earning potential, including why starting pay can be surprisingly low and how experience, networking, specialization, and business ownership can change what an architect can make.
We also explore AI in architecture, sustainability and energy-efficiency requirements, working with builders and contractors, and the skills it takes to build a successful architecture career over the long term.
If you’re wondering how to become an architect, how much architects make, or whether architecture is still a good career in the age of AI, this episode gives you a firsthand look at the profession.
Explore more creative careers →
Send us Fan Mail
Trying to figure out what career might actually fit you? Take my QUICK CAREER QUIZ and see your matches, NO EMAIL, NO HASSLE, just 5 questions ➡️
Visit howmuchcanimake.info

Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
About the host: Mirav Ozeri has always been drawn to storytelling and journalism, especially the stories of everyday people. A former CBS Producer and a documentaries filmmaker.
During her years at CBS, Mirav developed a television pilot built around a simple idea: giving people an honest look at what different careers are really like. Although the pilot was never picked up, the concept stayed with her. Years later, she brought it back as How Much Can I Make?, a podcast that explores real jobs, real stories, and the many paths people take to build a career.
31 min