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You know that feeling when money seems like this big, mysterious force that other people understand but you somehow missed the memo? That was my guest, Mel Dorman, author, real estate investor, and self-described financial activist, who went from living in the slums of Kolkata to building a seven-million-dollar real estate portfolio. Wild, right?

But this isn’t one of those “grind harder” stories. Mel started out as a social worker who believed that being broke meant being good. They actually practiced what they called financial celibacy, opting out of capitalism on moral grounds until life smacked them with a wake-up call. When their dad got sick and needed $7,000 a month in care, Mel realized that staying small and “pure” wasn’t helping anyone. That moment flipped everything.

Mel learned that money isn’t dirty; it’s neutral. And when you use it consciously, it can create freedom for everyone. We talk about how they built financial literacy from scratch, started investing through a strategy called seller financing (basically, cutting out the banks and keeping money circulating in the community), and why the real transformation wasn’t in the dollars; it was in the mindset.

Even if you never want to touch real estate, you’ll get so much out of this conversation. Because this is really about power, purpose, and possibility. It’s about rewriting the story that money is evil and learning to see it as a tool for impact. And yes, there’s some woo-woo in there too.

Grab your earbuds and get ready to feel a whole lot more empowered about your financial future.

What’s Inside:

• How Mel went from social worker to millionaire investor using seller financing
• Why rejecting money doesn’t make you moral; it keeps you small
• The mindset shift that turned financial guilt into empowerment
• Real examples of creating wealth that benefits your whole community

What does “riching” right look like to you? Is it buying the most expensive bag—or being so financially free you can give away more money than you keep? Changing the world while changing your own life? Look, that could be you.

If this conversation got you thinking differently about what wealth really means, come tell me about it on Instagram. I’d love to hear what “financial freedom” looks like for you.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Mel Dorman
Bank on Your Neighbor
Kiva.org
Oonagh Duncan on Instagram
Fit Feels Good
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