Money Stories

Money Stories

By Mike BrownBusinessEntrepreneurshipEducationSelf-ImprovementInvesting
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Money Stories episodes

  • Aaron Houghton: $169M Founder Reveals the Cost of Ignoring Your Limit - Money Stories Ep. 39
    Aaron Houghton built and sold a tech company for $169 million before his 30th birthday. At its peak, his business was generating $50 million in recurring revenue and employing over 350 people. But behind the scenes, he was unraveling. Chronic stress and panic attacks revealed a hard truth he could no longer outrun. The version of success he was chasing was costing him his health and his peace.
    In this conversation, Aaron opens up about the hidden toll of hypergrowth and the internal reckoning that followed his exit. He shares how he rebuilt his career and his sense of identity, and why he now believes peak performance has less to do with hustle and more to do with pace.
    We unpack:
    • The invisible pressure to always be the one with answers
    • How Aaron went from constant intensity to sustainable performance
    • Why the rebuild can be more powerful than the rise
    • The real story behind life after a big exit
    • The power of knowing your redline and honoring it
    About Aaron Houghton:
    Aaron has built and sold multiple tech companies, pushing himself to the absolute limit. Realizing his success came with hidden costs, he turned his focus to what really matters. Building a sustainable life from the inside out. Today Aaron helps high-performing founders manage stress without losing themselves in the process. He is developing tools, mentoring entrepreneurs, and writing a book to share what he has learned. His mission is simple: stay ambitious without burning out.
    Connect with Aaron:
    Website: https://www.aaronhoughton.com
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronhoughton/
    Check out DORY where Aaron helps high-pressure leaders turn into superhuman mental athletes who survive better and never burn out.
    https://www.instagram.com/thrivewithdory
    https://www.thrivewithdory.com
    Free Optimal Pace assessment for leaders: https://entry.thrivewithdory.com/optimalpace/start
    1 hr 11 min
  • What is Wealth? A Conversation with Pete Adeney and Kevin Dahlstrom - Money Stories Ep. 38
    We’ve been taught to chase success, but what if real wealth has nothing to do with money?
    Recorded live at the BaseCamp Boulder event, this conversation with Kevin Dahlstrom and Pete Adeney (Mr. Money Mustache) dives into what it truly means to live rich right now.
    We talk about freedom, purpose, and the five dimensions of wealth that go far beyond your bank account.
    If you’ve ever wondered what comes after success, this episode reveals how true wealth begins the moment you start living it.
    Connect with Kevin & Pete:
    Kevin Dalhstrom:
    Sign up for his newsletter: https://campfour.kit.com/newsletter
    Follow him on X: https://x.com/Camp4
    Pete Adeney (a.k.a. Mr Money Mustache):
    Website: https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/
    Follow him on X: https://x.com/mrmoneymustache
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    1 hr 16 min
  • Marshall Hayes: The Founder Who Found Peace After the Fall - Money Stories Ep. 37
    Marshall Hayes grew up in rural Oregon learning about money from a handwritten ledger his dad kept on a yellow pad. Those early lessons sparked a fascination with investing and entrepreneurship that led him from cleaning bathrooms to building and selling a multimillion dollar marketing agency.
    For years, he chased success at all costs. The business grew fast, but behind the scenes, he was burning out, losing his relationship, and unraveling under the weight of anxiety and perfectionism. When everything collapsed, Marshall realized that achievement meant nothing if it came at the expense of peace.
    What followed was a rebuild. Today, he helps other founders find confidence, balance, and freedom, without losing themselves in the process.
    This episode explores:
    How unprocessed pain can silently power your ambition
    The power of reflection and self awareness
    The value of finding happiness outside of money
    Why future earning potential is the overlooked pillar of wealth
    A new definition of wealth measured in energy, not earnings
    About Marshall Hayes:
    Marshall Hayes is a seasoned entrepreneur turned executive coach with a passion for the Founder journey. He empowers Founder/CEOs who have their footing in business ($10M - $100M+ in Rev) to structure their business in a way that allows them to live the life that they really want to live. Drawing from a blend of frameworks around personal growth and business - including Conscious Leadership, Authentic Relating, and Traction - Marshall helps Founders/CEOs access deeper relationships with themselves, their spouses, and the people that matter to them.
    Connect with Marshall:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshallphayes/
    Check out the party game he created: https://pickmeupgame.com/
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    1 hr 2 min
  • Keith Latson: Walking Away from the Career That No Longer Fit to Reclaim What Matters Most - Money Stories Ep. 36
    Keith Latson was living the dream he had built since childhood. He was operating on Kentucky Derby champions, making seven figures, and working with the most elite horses and trainers in the world. But despite the money and accolades, something was missing.
    In this conversation, Keith shares what it felt like to stand at the pinnacle of his profession and realize he no longer recognized the man he had become. What followed was a total reorientation. He left his career in equine surgery and stepped into the unknown, choosing family, freedom, and authenticity over the safety of success.
    We unpack:
    • What it really costs to live out of alignment with yourself
    • How Keith and his wife Kris turned a small side project into a thriving Amazon agency
    • The tension between achievement and presence in family life
    • What it means to lead with vision instead of validation
    About Keith Latson:
    Dr. Keith Latson began his career at the top of equine surgery, treating Triple Crown winners and serving as NBC’s veterinary commentator for the Triple Crown. Alongside his wife Kris, he has co-founded multiple seven and eight figure businesses rooted in intentional culture and service first leadership. Their brands, including FullBucket, 6666 Equine Supplements, and Revel Vet, blend high integrity care with real world impact through year round missions in rural Guatemala and a relational model for small animal care. Keith now splits his time between building purpose driven companies and exploring the remote corners of the Southwest with his family.
    Explore what they’re building:
    FullBucket Health - Equine and pet supplements with One-for-One giving built into every sale
    Revel Vet - Fear Free care powered by our "Best Human Ever" culture in Queen Creek, AZ
    ZQUARED - Amazon growth strategies from someone who knows culture drives results
    Connect with Keith:
    Connect with Keith to explore how service and belonging can become your competitive advantage—whether you're looking for a partner who shares these values, or want to learn how to build it into your own business.
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlatson/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_keith_latson/
    FullBucket Health: www.FullBucketHealth.com
    Revel Vet: www.RevelVet.com
    ZQUARED: www.ZQUARED.com
    6666 Equine Supplements: www.6666EquineSupplements.com
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    1 hr 17 min
  • Dr. Vass: The Inner Work Behind a Longer, Fuller Life - Money Stories Ep. 35
    Dr. Vassily Eliopoulos (Dr. Vass) spent more than a decade working in emergency rooms, treating people in moments that stripped away everything nonessential. Again and again, he sat beside patients who were facing the end and spoke the kind of truth that only becomes possible when there is no time left to pretend.
    Those moments became his teacher.
    In this conversation, Vass shares the quiet lessons that most of us miss in the noise. He speaks not just as a physician, but as someone who had to confront his own limits. His story is a call to reconsider what health really means, and why a longer life means nothing if it is built on the wrong foundations.
    We unpack:
    • The regrets people name most often in their final hours
    • Why many definitions of success leave us disconnected and exhausted
    • What longevity actually requires beyond labs and protocols
    • How connection and self-trust outperform any treatment plan
    • The practices that rebuild wholeness from the inside out
    About Dr. Vass:
    Dr. Vass is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Longevity Health, Board Certified in Emergency Medicine, and trained at Cornell University Medical College and the University of Colorado. After serving in the Peace Corps and working with the WHO, he spent over a decade in traditional healthcare before shifting to functional and regenerative medicine to focus on prevention, optimization, and longevity. Originally from Westchester, New York, he balances his medical mission with a lifelong passion for grappling—winning national and world titles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—as well as rock and ice climbing and whitewater kayaking.
    Connect with Dr. Vass:
    Learn more about Dr. Vass's Approach to Medicine: https://longevityhealth.clinic/doctor_vass_approach?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAac8lr0_t-FhY7uujpTzld6NF0Mv6ZzU00_Ybuo5dJFm0NsNHXyhbonkEMtjHw_aem_TWEgcjy8oNoys1BfXfxPBA
    Website: https://www.longevityhealth.clinic/
    Instagram:: https://www.instagram.com/dr.vassily/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassily-eliopoulos-m-d-5b8015143/
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    1 hr 15 min
  • Taylor Frame: How Finding the Right Community Changes How You Carry Success - Money Stories Ep. 34
    Taylor Frame learned to sell on a Mormon mission in North Carolina. For two years, he knocked on doors, faced rejection, and refined his pitch one conversation at a time. This taught him how to connect, adapt, and keep pushing.
    That mindset carried him into tech sales and eventually entrepreneurship. He built a seven-figure agency, moved his family to the beach, and created what looked like the perfect life. Beneath the surface, he was unraveling. The harder he worked, the more disconnected he felt from his family, his purpose, and himself.
    What changed everything was community. Surrounded by people who valued honesty over performance, Taylor began to rebuild. Today, he leads with presence, builds in alignment with his values, and feels deeply connected to his work, his family, and the life he has chosen.
    This episode explores:
    The invisible cost of chasing the wrong definition of success
    The emotional toll of high-achievement conditioning
    The liberation found in community and vulnerability
    The shift from transactional ambition to relational wealth
    The power of intentional living, especially in parenting and partnership
    About Taylor Frame:
    Taylor Frame is the co-owner and Chief Revenue Officer at Best Practice Media, where he helps entrepreneurs turn ambitious ideas into measurable results. With more than two decades in sales and marketing, he has helped hundreds of e-commerce and service-based businesses scale with clarity and control. He knows what it takes to grow fast, stay profitable, and lead from a place of alignment. Today, he prioritizes time outdoors with his kids, honest conversations with close friends, and building a business that reflects his values.
    Connect with Taylor:
    Website: https://bestpracticemedia.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-frame/
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    59 min
  • Melanie Balke: The 7-Figure CEO Who Turned Burnout into Balance - Money Stories Ep. 33
    Melanie Balke has built a life most entrepreneurs chase for years. Her business is thriving, her team is energized, and her days move with clarity and intention. She surfs, leads with presence, and shapes her calendar around the rhythm that brings out her best work.
    Her path reflects more than strategy. It is an identity shift rooted in emotional wealth, sustainable leadership, and the freedom to live life on her terms. This is the inner game of building something that lasts without losing yourself in the process.
    In this episode, we unpack:
    • How chasing success shaped her identity and nearly cost her everything
    • The mindset shifts that unlocked deeper trust and better leadership
    • Why slowing down made her a better leader
    • How she reshaped her business to support a sustainable life
    • Why she feels hustle culture can suppress the creativity of female founders
    • What real freedom looks like for a founder in full alignment
    About Melanie Balke:
    Melanie Balke is the founder of The Email Marketers, a retention marketing agency helping e-commerce brands build loyalty through email, SMS, and customer experience. She has grown the company into a seven-figure business by focusing on sustainable, relationship-driven growth that supports both founders and their teams. Outside the agency, she’s a surfer, speaker, and advocate for building freedom through intentional business design.
    Connect with Melanie:
    Website: www.theemailmarketers.com
    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melaniebalke
    X: https://x.com/Melanie_Balke
    Check out Retention Lab, a community for DTC brands who want to build their retention team in-house: https://www.theemailmarketers.com/retention-lab
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    52 min
  • Delroy Gill: The Mindset Shift That Turned Hustle Into Legacy - Money Stories Ep 32
    Delroy Gill grew up flipping candy in the playgrounds of South London, finding creative ways to make money at a young age. When he moved to America, saw the game from a different angle, and started building something far beyond himself.
    Early on a broken promise taught him that if he wanted something, he had to get it himself. That mindset carried him through the 2008 crash, into real estate, and all the way to the top of the luxury market. But the climb came with a cost. The walls he built to protect himself also kept people out.
    What followed was a personal rewiring. Through therapy, mentorship, and honest connection, the work turned inward.
    Along the way, Delroy discovered a richer definition of wealth. One rooted in legacy, stewardship, and the freedom to walk away from anything misaligned.
    Today, Delroy is a top luxury realtor but he’s not just selling homes. He is building legacy and blazing a trail for others to follow.
    In this episode we unpack:
    • Why representation matters in luxury spaces
    • The childhood betrayal that taught him to never ask for help
    • How he built a real estate career during a market crash
    • Why survival mode helps you win but keeps you isolated
    • How his definition of wealth evolved through healing
    • Why alignment matters more than achievement
    About Delroy Gill:
    Delroy Gill is America’s top Black real estate agent and ranks among the top 20 at LIV Sotheby’s International Realty in Colorado. With over $400 million in career sales, he advises CEOs, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, and industry leaders nationwide. Born in Britain with Jamaican heritage, Delroy has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years and brings a cultural fluency and professional edge that sets him apart. He is a number one trendsetter, a member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and nationally ranked by the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. His work has been featured in Robb Report, the Denver Post, and Business Den.
    Connect with Delroy:
    Follow him on Instagram: www.instagram.com/delroygill
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    1 hr 7 min
  • Jack Swift: How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Leadership - Money Stories Ep 31
    Jack Swift followed the path to success with precision.
    He graduated from West Point, served as an Army Ranger, and grew to CEO of TIFIN, a category-defining AI fintech platform valued at $842M.
    Jack spent years building a successful life. He had the titles, the income, and the momentum.
    Over time, the long hours and constant pressure wore him down, until even the wins stopped feeling meaningful.
    He realized he was building from fear instead of alignment, and it was costing him his health, his clarity, and his sense of purpose.
    On this episode of Money Stories, Jack shares how his definition of success changed, what AI is revealing about human potential, and why presence has become his most valuable asset.
    We dive into:
    • How Jack rebuilt his life around clarity, not achievement
    • Why alignment is now his filter for every decision
    • The inner practices that shaped a billion-dollar company
    • What leaders need to understand about the role of AI
    • Why creativity, not control, is the new edge
    • How to build coherence, not just culture, and why that changes everything
    About Jack Swift
    Jack Swift is a leader who has spent his career operating at the edge of performance and transformation. A West Point graduate and former Airborne Ranger, his foundation in the military shaped a leadership style built on discipline, resilience, and purpose. After his service, Jack brought those same principles into the world of finance and entrepreneurship, guiding companies through growth and reinvention. He helped scale Janus Henderson’s institutional business, co-founded Pacific Current Group, and later led TIFIN, an AI-driven fintech platform that is redefining how wealth and asset managers use AI. Today, Jack advises AI companies, Brightwave and Grid.aero, is Co-Founder of Sangha and serves as a Board Director for Lockton Companies and Bow River Capital.
    Connect with Jack:
    Website: jackcswift.com
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-c-swift/
    Check out his book coming out early next year titled Level 7 Leadership: Leading in the Age of AI
    _________
    Did something in this episode resonate with you?
    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.
    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.
    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.
    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long
    1 hr 11 min
  • Jack Swift: How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Leadership - Money Stories Ep 31

    Jack Swift followed the path to success with precision.


    He graduated from West Point, served as an Army Ranger, and climbed to Managing Director at a $2.7B firm. Later, he became CEO of a billion-dollar AI fintech company.


    He spent years building a successful life. He had the titles, the income, and the momentum. But over time, the long hours and constant pressure wore him down, until even the wins stopped feeling meaningful.


    This was the moment he realized he was building from fear instead of alignment, and it was costing him his health, his clarity, and his sense of purpose.


    In this conversation, we unpack what it means to lead from alignment instead of ambition. Jack shares how his definition of success changed, what AI is revealing about human potential, and why presence has become his most valuable asset.


    We dive into:

    • How Jack rebuilt his life around clarity, not achievement

    • Why alignment is now his filter for every decision

    • The inner practices that shaped a billion-dollar company

    • What leaders need to understand about the role of AI

    • Why creativity, not control, is the new edge

    • How to build coherence, not just culture, and why that changes everything


    About Jack Swift


    Jack Swift is a leader who has spent his career operating at the edge of performance and transformation. A West Point graduate and former Airborne Ranger, his foundation in the military shaped a leadership style built on discipline, resilience, and purpose. After his service, Jack brought those same principles into the world of finance and entrepreneurship, guiding companies through growth and reinvention. He helped scale Janus Henderson’s institutional business, co-founded Pacific Current Group, and later led TIFIN, an AI-driven fintech platform that is redefining how wealth and asset managers use AI. Today, Jack advises AI companies, Brightwave and Grid.aero, is Co-Founder of Sangha and serves as a Board Director for Lockton Companies and Bow River Capital.


    Connect with Jack


    Website:  jackcswift.com

    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-c-swift/

    Check out his book coming out early next year: Level 7 Leadership: Leading in the Age of AI

    _________


    Did something in this episode resonate with you?


    Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money.


    It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else.


    If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place.


    Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/vsl-long

    1 hr 11 min

About Money Stories

From the publisher's feed

Every entrepreneur has invisible scripts about money that shape their success. Join host Mike Brown, former F-18 pilot and 8-figure founder, as he guides successful entrepreneurs through the raw, unfiltered conversations about wealth that no one else is having.