Lessons from a Quitter

If financial worries are holding you back from pursuing a new path, this episode is for you. I've found that whether it's through Instagram DMs, Facebook polls, etc., the number one thing that keeps people stuck is worrying about money. While those fears are valid, there are ways to deal with them.   Hopefully, today's guest might be able to ease your worries and give you a little more confidence in taking the leap. Erin Lowry is the author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Broke Millennial Takes On Investing: A Beginner's Guide To Leveling Up Your Money. Her first book was named by MarketWatch as one of the best money books of 2017. Erin has also appeared on CBS Sunday Morning, CNBC, Fox & Friends among many other outlets.   I loved this episode and Erin's take on finances because she makes things like loans and student debt easy to understand. She is full of knowledge and has the practical tips that we all need in order to face our financial worries. The best part? Erin's example of how to establish yourself as an expert and create a career around a topic you love. Erin doesn't come from a background in the financial industry. It was through creating her own blog around these topics that interested her that she created her career today.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• Why it's important to know your numbers (student loans, investing, 401k, etc).
• How every little bit you earn helps pay off your loans.
• The importance of starting a side hustle you love.
• And so much more!

Where to find Erin:  

• Website: https://brokemillennial.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokemillennialblog/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokeMillennial
• Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y34m9m94
• Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y2ts3ld9

Resources Mentioned:

• LFAQ Facebook Group
• July Challenge Sign Up

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

You can pursue a traditional career and yet still approach it in a unique way, making it your own, and that is the basis for today's interview. Prior to crafting her own career path, Jenny Dorsey was a management consultant in the fashion industry and went on to become the youngest MBA candidate in Columbia Business School. But it was then during a sabbatical between leaving her job and moving onto business school that she decided to enroll in cooking school. At the time, cooking was nothing more than a hobby and something she pursued purely out of her passion for food. Once she went back to her original path of business school, she realized something had changed and it no longer aligned with her. This lead to her final decision to pursue food instead. Throughout her journey in the culinary world, she worked both traditional and un-traditional kitchen jobs that eventually lead her to where she is today. Currently, Jenny is a professional chef, author, and artist specializing in multi-platform fusing food with social good. She uses cooking as a way to facilitate conversations about topics like race, privilege, and politics. She leads a nonprofit studio, Studio ATAO, is the co-host of Why Food? podcast on Heritage Radio Network, and runs a popular popup series named Wednesdays. Jenny's story is so inspiring because she could have easily taken the traditional route with her cooking career. She could have become a chef and considered that the end goal, but she didn't. Instead, she found a way to think outside of the box and combine all of her passions into a fulfilling career.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How there are many ways to do something.
• That it's normal to feel panicked when you don't know where your path is headed.
• Why you shouldn't do something just because you're good at it.
• How Jenny combines food and conversations about social topics.
• And so much more!

Where to find Jenny:

• Website: https://www.jennydorsey.co/
• Website: https://www.studioatao.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjennydorsey/
• Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/why-food

Resources Mentioned:

• LFAQ Facebook Group

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

You can pursue a traditional career and yet still approach it in a unique way, making it your own, and that is the basis for today's interview. Prior to crafting her own career path, Jenny Dorsey was a management consultant in the fashion industry and went on to become the youngest MBA candidate in Columbia Business School. But it was then during a sabbatical between leaving her job and moving onto business school that she decided to enroll in cooking school. At the time, cooking was nothing more than a hobby and something she pursued purely out of her passion for food. Once she went back to her original path of business school, she realized something had changed and it no longer aligned with her. This lead to her final decision to pursue food instead. Throughout her journey in the culinary world, she worked both traditional and un-traditional kitchen jobs that eventually lead her to where she is today. Currently, Jenny is a professional chef, author, and artist specializing in multi-platform fusing food with social good. She uses cooking as a way to facilitate conversations about topics like race, privilege, and politics. She leads a nonprofit studio, Studio ATAO, is the co-host of Why Food? podcast on Heritage Radio Network, and runs a popular popup series named Wednesdays. Jenny's story is so inspiring because she could have easily taken the traditional route with her cooking career. She could have become a chef and considered that the end goal, but she didn't. Instead, she found a way to think outside of the box and combine all of her passions into a fulfilling career.

 

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How there are many ways to do something.
• That it's normal to feel panicked when you don't know where your path is headed.
• Why you shouldn't do something just because you're good at it.
• How Jenny combines food and conversations about social topics.
• And so much more!

Where to find Jenny:  

• Website: https://www.jennydorsey.co/
• Website: https://www.studioatao.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjennydorsey/
• Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/why-food

Resources Mentioned:

• LFAQ Facebook Group

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

It's hard not to smile while listening to today's guest talk about his journey and you'll see why. Leslie's story is something we can all learn so much from. Through determination and a genuine love of teaching biology, he managed to land himself his dream job as a biology professor without getting a Ph.D! Crazy, right? So many of us are stuck believing that we have to go the traditional route to pursue the things we love, but that really isn't the case anymore. Before Leslie landed his dream job, he started out as a high school teacher with a huge love for science and biology. Coincidently, in 2008, he also stumbled upon a way to make money online through blogging. He used his newfound skills to create a blog, Interactive Biology, where he taught Biology the way he wanted. He would make interactive, high-energy videos illustrating various concepts like how an action potential works. It was this very blog that ultimately landed him his dream job. By chance, he had received an email one day about an open teaching position in a doctoral program. Was he qualified? Absolutely not. Did it stop him from applying? Not even in the slightest. Leslie interviewed for the job and made it very clear that he wasn't qualified, but he showed them his blog that was evidence of his knowledge and teaching style. Within an hour of leaving that interview, he received a phone call saying he got the job. Leslie's story is living proof that you don't have to do everything the traditional route. You can feel (and be) unqualified for the job or position that you want, but if you truly love something enough and you put in the work, the opportunities will come! But the best part of Leslie's story is the fact that blogging opened up a whole new world of impact for him. He realized how many lives he was changing by teaching other people how to grow and monetize their blogs. He ultimately decided to leave his dream job as a professor to focus exclusively on his latest blog, Become A Blogger, where he is taking on the mission of "Changing The World One Blog At A Time."

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• Why you should make a change in your life if you're unhappy.
• Why you don't need to pursue things the traditional way.
• How everyone has something they can share with other people.
• How the technology today makes it easy to start a side hustle.
• And so much more!

Where to find Leslie:

• Website: Becomeablogger.com
• Course: fromideatoblog.com

Resources Mentioned:

• 5 Steps To Figuring Out Your Calling
• Interactive Biology

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

 

It's hard not to smile while listening to today's guest talk about his journey and you'll see why. Leslie's story is something we can all learn so much from. Through determination and a genuine love of teaching biology, he managed to land himself his dream job as a biology professor without getting a Ph.D! Crazy, right? So many of us are stuck believing that we have to go the traditional route to pursue the things we love, but that really isn't the case anymore. Before Leslie landed his dream job, he started out as a high school teacher with a huge love for science and biology. Coincidently, in 2008, he also stumbled upon a way to make money online through blogging. He used his newfound skills to create a blog, Interactive Biology, where he taught Biology the way he wanted. He would make interactive, high-energy videos illustrating various concepts like how an action potential works. It was this very blog that ultimately landed him his dream job. By chance, he had received an email one day about an open teaching position in a doctoral program. Was he qualified? Absolutely not. Did it stop him from applying? Not even in the slightest. Leslie interviewed for the job and made it very clear that he wasn't qualified, but he showed them his blog that was evidence of his knowledge and teaching style. Within an hour of leaving that interview, he received a phone call saying he got the job. Leslie's story is living proof that you don't have to do everything the traditional route. You can feel (and be) unqualified for the job or position that you want, but if you truly love something enough and you put in the work, the opportunities will come! But the best part of Leslie's story is the fact that blogging opened up a whole new world of impact for him. He realized how many lives he was changing by teaching other people how to grow and monetize their blogs. He ultimately decided to leave his dream job as a professor to focus exclusively on his latest blog, Become A Blogger, where he is taking on the mission of "Changing The World One Blog At A Time."

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• Why you should make a change in your life if you're unhappy.
• Why you don't need to pursue things the traditional way.
• How everyone has something they can share with other people.
• How the technology today makes it easy to start a side hustle.
• And so much more!

Where to find Leslie:  

• Website: Becomeablogger.com
• Course: fromideatoblog.com

Resources Mentioned:

• 5 Steps To Figuring Out Your Calling
• Interactive Biology

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Can you imagine being able to pay off almost 90k in student loans in only 2.5 years? It may seem impossible, but it can be done! On today's episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Kevin Ha from The Financial Panther, a blog about financial independence and side hustling in the sharing and gig economy. Kevin was able to pay off his loans by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer, and it paid off, literally! In addition to paying off his loans, Kevin starting experimenting with the gig economy on his free time. He quickly learned that he could make a lot of money on the side doing things that he enjoyed. After 5 years of being an attorney and switching between three different jobs, he finally came to the conclusion that practicing law just wasn't the right fit. He just quit his job earlier this year after deciding to go all in on blogging and side hustling, which makes him the newest member of the #quitterclub. Now he pursues everything from Rover, to Post Mates, and beyond. I loved Kevin's story because he decided to push against societal expectations of what type of work is "acceptable". Not only that, Kevin shows us that it's possible to create a steady source of income by doing something (or many things) that bring you joy.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How it's possible to create a steady income through side hustles.
• Why it's important to learn about your finances.
• Why you should push against societal expectations.
• And so much more!

Where to find Kevin:

• Website: https://financialpanther.com/
• Blog Post: https://financialpanther.com/you-dont-need-to-start-your-career-in-your-20s/
• Blog Post: https://financialpanther.com/lawyers-doctors-and-the-appeal-of-the-clear-career-path/
• Blog Post: https://financialpanther.com/monetize-life-get-paid-live/
• Email: [email protected]

Resources Mentioned:

• 5 Steps To Figuring Out Your Calling PDF
• I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
• The Simple Path To Wealth by J L Collins
• Your Money Your Life by Vicky Robin
• The Bogleheads' Guide To Investing by Taylor Larimore
• The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Can you imagine being able to pay off almost 90k in student loans in only 2.5 years? It may seem impossible, but it can be done! On today's episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Kevin Ha from The Financial Panther, a blog about financial independence and side hustling in the sharing and gig economy. Kevin was able to pay off his loans by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer, and it paid off, literally! In addition to paying off his loans, Kevin starting experimenting with the gig economy on his free time. He quickly learned that he could make a lot of money on the side doing things that he enjoyed. After 5 years of being an attorney and switching between three different jobs, he finally came to the conclusion that practicing law just wasn't the right fit. He just quit his job earlier this year after deciding to go all in on blogging and side hustling, which makes him the newest member of the #quitterclub. Now he pursues everything from Rover, to Post Mates, and beyond. I loved Kevin's story because he decided to push against societal expectations of what type of work is "acceptable". Not only that, Kevin shows us that it's possible to create a steady source of income by doing something (or many things) that bring you joy.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• How it's possible to create a steady income through side hustles.
• Why it's important to learn about your finances.
• Why you should push against societal expectations.
• And so much more!

Where to find Kevin:  

• Website: https://financialpanther.com/
• Blog Post: https://financialpanther.com/you-dont-need-to-start-your-career-in-your-20s/
• Blog Post: https://financialpanther.com/lawyers-doctors-and-the-appeal-of-the-clear-career-path/
• Blog Post: https://financialpanther.com/monetize-life-get-paid-live/
• Email: [email protected]

Resources Mentioned:

• 5 Steps To Figuring Out Your Calling PDF
• I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
• The Simple Path To Wealth by J L Collins
• Your Money Your Life by Vicky Robin
• The Bogleheads' Guide To Investing by Taylor Larimore
• The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Today's episode is a perfect example of how to be intentional in your career. So often we do what we think we should be doing: working insane hours, building the biggest business possible, trying (and often failing) to balance life, etc. We go for the money or the title, even if that's not what we really want. Dona Bumgarner bucked that trend and is building the life, and career, that works for her and her family. Of course, it wasn't always like this. Dona started out in a position that many of us find ourselves in- climbing the corporate ladder. She was working at Apple for over 11 years and eventually landed herself in an upper management job at the company before quitting to pursue graduate school. But as she was starting school, she found out she was pregnant, which changed her priorities. She decided to leave school after one semester to become a full-time mom. Thankfully, she had saved up enough money to have a little bit of wiggle room before deciding what to do next, but not everything was smooth sailing. During this time period, she found herself struggling a bit when her life shifted from a conference room to a changing table. While this struggle led her to try multiple different careers, it ultimately helped her craft the career she wanted with intention. Through a coaching program, Dona realized that her passion was in helping other moms who have lost themselves in motherhood. She now works with other moms to help them unearth their passions and step back into their fierce, powerful selves, so they can live a life far bigger than just being Mom. However, she intentionally has kept her practice small, only working 10-15 hours a week, so that she can be the primary caretaker of her young daughter. Her decision to reject the pressure to build the biggest business possible in order to have the balance that she so deeply wants is inspiring and a great lesson for anyone on their quitting journey.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• Why it's okay to explore and try out different paths until you find the right fit.
• The importance of being intentional about how you want your life to look and feel.
• How it's normal to experience Imposter's Syndrome.
• And so much more!

Where to find Dona:

• Website: http://www.nurturedmama.net
• Podcast: http://www.nurturedmama.net/podcast
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nurturedmama/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nurturedmamablog/

Resources Mentioned:

• http://www.nurturedmama.net/quitter

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

Today's episode is a perfect example of how to be intentional in your career. So often we do what we think we should be doing: working insane hours, building the biggest business possible, trying (and often failing) to balance life, etc. We go for the money or the title, even if that's not what we really want. Dona Bumgarner bucked that trend and is building the life, and career, that works for her and her family.   Of course, it wasn't always like this. Dona started out in a position that many of us find ourselves in- climbing the corporate ladder. She was working at Apple for over 11 years and eventually landed herself in an upper management job at the company before quitting to pursue graduate school. But as she was starting school, she found out she was pregnant, which changed her priorities. She decided to leave school after one semester to become a full-time mom. Thankfully, she had saved up enough money to have a little bit of wiggle room before deciding what to do next, but not everything was smooth sailing.   During this time period, she found herself struggling a bit when her life shifted from a conference room to a changing table. While this struggle led her to try multiple different careers, it ultimately helped her craft the career she wanted with intention. Through a coaching program, Dona realized that her passion was in helping other moms who have lost themselves in motherhood.  She now works with other moms to help them unearth their passions and step back into their fierce, powerful selves, so they can live a life far bigger than just being Mom. However, she intentionally has kept her practice small, only working 10-15 hours a week, so that she can be the primary caretaker of her young daughter.   Her decision to reject the pressure to build the biggest business possible in order to have the balance that she so deeply wants is inspiring and a great lesson for anyone on their quitting journey.

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• Why it's okay to explore and try out different paths until you find the right fit.
• The importance of being intentional about how you want your life to look and feel.
• How it's normal to experience Imposter's Syndrome.
• And so much more!

Where to find Dona:  

• Website: http://www.nurturedmama.net
• Podcast: http://www.nurturedmama.net/podcast
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nurturedmama/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nurturedmamablog/

Resources Mentioned:

• http://www.nurturedmama.net/quitter

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast

The path that many of us have been brought up to follow usually goes a little something like this: take the right classes, get the good grades, get into the prestigious school, graduate, and then find a high paying job. We're taught that it is a linear path that you stick to and climb to the top. Well, in today's episode, Phil Black teaches us why you should buck that wisdom. Phil has one of the most interesting careers we've ever highlighted on this show. His story is a testament to following your curiosities and always re-evaluating what is most important. Among his many accomplishments, Phil played D1 collegiate basketball at Yale, worked as an investor at Goldman Sachs, was a Navy Seal Officer, went to Harvard Business School, is a firefighter, entrepreneur, father, and more. While it wasn't clear to him during his journey, he was gaining an incredibly useful skill: the ability to find his way into really competitive positions. This is, as Phil calls it, his "superpower" which later led him to create his current business venture, PrepWell Academy. The academy is an innovative approach to preparing high school students (and their parents) for the rigors of the college admissions process. His unique program is delivered online and focuses on the early preparation of students (freshman and sophomore year) interested in attending highly-selective colleges (e.g. Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, etc.), military service academies (e.g. Naval Academy, West Point, etc.), and those seeking athletic or ROTC scholarships. Visit our website to enroll your child in one of our custom programs (Pathway, Ivy, Military, Athlete). Phil's story is mindblowing and is a real testament to the fact that we're allowed to start over not just once, but as many times as we want!

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

• The process of how Phil reinvented himself multiple times.
• The importance of evaluating (and re-evaluating) your life.
• How Phil discovered his "superpower" and how it helped him build his current business.
• How it's okay to never settle on the idea of pursuing one thing forever.
• And so much more!

Where to find Phil:

• Website:http://www.prepwellacademy.com/
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/PrepWellAcademy
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepwell_academy/
• Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipablack

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Start Up Of You by Reid Hoffman
• What Are You Waiting For? by Nickelback

Follow along for more:

• www.lessonsfromaquitter.com
• https://www.facebook.com/lessonsfromaquitter
• https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromaquitter/
• https://twitter.com/quitterpodcast