MILMO Show

Sometimes what we talk about in public doesn't 100% mirror what our reality behind closed doors. Especially when it comes to money life.

In today's show, we are talking about finances unfiltered. My guest, Chris Browning from Popcorn Finance recorded this special episode with me live at Podcast Movement. While we were sharping our podcast skills in Orlando, we had a quick, fun and unfiltered discussion about finances and what people should really know about money. It's money real talk.

Chris Browning is a financial expert specializing in revenue analysis. He's also the creator and host of the Popcorn Finance podcast. His show was last year's Plutus Award winner for Best New podcast.

In this episode:

• Finding the positive in money: what you do well
• Paying bills on time
• Handling bills on the spot
• Financial weaknesses
• Controlling food spending
• Food preparation to save money
• The value of budgeting
• Finding what motivates you to improve your finances
• Favorite ways to save money
• What Chris wants you to know about money

Investing can be a little scary or a lot scary depending on how you feel about it. The terminology alone can stop people from starting. Today my guest, Erin Lowry, The Broke Millennial is here to talk about her second book Broke Millennial Takes On Investing: A Beginner's Guide to Leveling Up Your Money.

In this show, Erin shares advice on getting started without all the stress and fear. Plus the tools and resources to help you avoid mistakes.

If you didn't know it, you can make a ton of money online. I've interviewed many people that do it. But I didn't know you could make money selling printables. That is until I heard about Julie Berninger.

Today I'm talking with one half of the dynamic duo behind Gold City Venture, Julie Berninger to learn all about how to make some part-time or full-time money-making Etsy printables.

Julie Berninger is a 30-something pursuing financial independence living in Seattle, WA. She hosts a podcast where she interviews people with creative methods of pursuing financial independence, Fire Drill. She blogs about millennial personal finance at millennialboss.com. She also created a course that teaches people how to develop passive income streams by selling printables on Etsy, blogging, and freelancing at GoldCityVentures.com.

The show notes!

I have a goal to make the military community well versed on the resources available to them. Since I've talked about people not being aware of what's out there to help them with money. I've decided to be part of the solution instead of whining about it.

In today's show, I want to share all the resources I know that can help people in the military community with money.

Show notes

You can have all the financial knowledge in the world but if you aren't taking action on that intel or keeping healthy financial habits financial success might be hard to come by.

I'm talking with an expert in not only the area of behavioral finance but also in economics to discuss ways to improve your financial behavior to have financial success.

Robert Frick is Navy Federal's corporate economist. In addition to economics, Bob is an expert in personal finance, having worked as an editor at Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine for 15 years, and also is an expert in behavioral economics or the study of people's behaviors surrounding money.

In this episode:

• The role self truths play in your financial success
• How to gain self-awareness to improve your financial behavior
• Resources and techniques to help with poor financial behaviors
• The relationship between your financial and general behaviors
• How to strengthen your good financial behavior
• The role your past plays in how you manage money today
• The results of Navy Federal's latest survey
• Understanding what it means when the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates

Show notes

VA Home loans are one of the perks of military service but if you haven't used one before or bought a home before, the process can be like drinking through a firehose.

My guest today, Bryan Rodriguez, a real estate investor who served in the Army, is here to talk about understanding VA home loans and the process of getting started. He also shares a crazy story about a murder in the wholesale business. I won't spoil it but in this episode I finally have proof of Servicemembers buying Dodge Chargers!

In this episode:

• Bryan's wholesaling experience that led to a murder
• How to use VA loans
• New rules for VA loans under the Trump Administration
• Understanding the Funding Fee
• VA Disability and the Funding Fee
• Starting the process of getting a VA loan
• Getting the most out of your loan
• VA home loan mistakes to avoid
• Ways to be a responsible homeowner

Show notes

Infertility impacts many Servicemembers and their spouses. Not only does it impact there life and marriage it has financial impacts as well. I'm bringing in a subject matter expert to learn more about the finances of infertility and ways you can get financial help.

My guest today is Laura Coleman. She is a Tennessee-based Accredited Financial Counselor who helps couples prepare financially for fertility and adoption. She shares a lot of great resources and tips in our discussion.

In this episode:

• Laura's personal experience with adoption and infertility
• The average costs of infertility and adoption
• Costs of IUI vs. natural cycle IVF vs IVF
• The myths and benefits of Foster Care
• Fundraising for fertility treatment costs
• Upfront costs
• Infertility and Adoption grants
• Common mistakes in the process
• Marriage stress from infertility and how to cope
• What to do when you have debt
• What Tricare and the VA cover

Show notes

Today is the fifth and final part of my military entrepreneurship series. If you're joining the show for the first time, I have been interviewing entrepreneurs experts from within the military community to discuss resources, funding, product, and service-based businesses, making money in the blogging business and a whole bunch more. So be sure to check out episodes 52-55.

Today my guest, Mark L. Rockefeller is here to talk about the realities of business plus some additional resources you can use to start, fund and get coaching for your business.

If you don't know Mark, he's the CEO & Co-Founder of StreetShares, which is America's leading Fin-tech company focused on the military and veterans' community. He's also the Chairman of the StreetShares Foundation, which provides resources, coaching and grant funding to military-community-owned small businesses.

Episode Highlights

• What is Streetshares?
• The Streetshares Foundation's mission
• Advice for starting a business when you don't know what kind of business yet
• Starting a business with or without the entrepreneurial spirit
• Common mistakes that cause business failure
• Common strengths found in successful entrepreneurs
• Resources for people to increase or continue their business education
• The value of mentorship in entrepreneurship
• Advice for people with an idea for a business but are scared to start

Blogging can be big business. There's money to be made if you create valuable content that people can find. Often because it's a virtual business blogging or website management gets discounted as a viable business but today's show is going to make it clear, you can have a profitable blogging business.

Today is part 4 of my military entrepreneur series. In part 1, episode 52, Jen Pilcher founder of Military OneClick and CEO of Patriot Boot camp came on to discuss the basic training of Veteran and Milspouse entrepreneurship, PBC. In part 2 which is episode 53, Nick Bradfield came on to discuss Bunker Labs. In part 3, episode 54 I talked with Brandon Shelton from TFX Capital about business funding options.

My guest today, Ryan Guina is one of the most well know military money bloggers. In this show, he is sharing what blogging really is, how to get started at it and make money. Ryan also shares some of the common mistakes to avoid in blogging and the finances behind running a blog.

Ryan Guina is the founder of TheMilitaryWallet.com and CashMoneyLife.com. He is a writer, small business owner, military Veteran, and current member of the Air National Guard.

Be sure to stick around for What's on Lacey's Mind. The VA may owe us some money!

Blogging Business Episode:

• How Ryan started blogging
• What blogging is
• How people make money blogging
• How do you get started in the blogging business
• Common blogging mistakes to avoid
• Ryan's tips for blogging when you don't have experience
• How to not get overwhelmed by the blogging business
• Product based businesses and blogs
• Beginning a blog when you have debt
• The finances of a blog business
• How to handle challenges in business

Show notes

You want to start a business but how are you going to pay for it? What type of business are you going to start? Is a service-based business? Or is it a product based business.

My guest today is here to break down your business funding options and the business types they work best for. This is the third part of my series on military entrepreneurship.

Brandon Shelton is a strategy leader, a problem solver and a relationship builder. He led the grassroots effort that became Task Force X, a driven network of experts and advisors that evaluate talent and develop entrepreneurs and businesses. A veteran entrepreneur himself, Brandon first founded T2 Growth Advisors to help teams design and activate strategic frameworks to reach their goals.

Brandon developed his financial, strategic and operational skills through various experiences in high intensity and change environments from the military after 9/11 to Wall Street in 2008. Using military principles, Brandon helped client teams grow while a partner at a boutique strategy consulting firm with his largest client hiring him to drive growth, expansion and technology changes at a multi-billion dollar company in North America. Brandon founded T2 Growth Advisors to connect these skills to startups and small businesses. He also is a Board Director at NAVSO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of veterans and military families and a Board Director at StreetShares Foundation, America's small business funding community.

And last but not least, Brandon is also one of my mentors from Patriot Boot Camp.

In this episode, Brandon shares with us the common ways to fund a business, what venture capital is and how to figure out what the best funding for your business.

Show notes