Welcome to the very first episode of the Talk Money Podcast — a space for women who want clarity, confidence, and grown‑woman truth around money, relationships, and self‑worth. Since we’re launching in February, this episode kicks off our theme: Love, Money, & the Ties That Bind. And today, we’re diving into a topic that so many of us are whispering about, debating online, or quietly wrestling with: modern dating and the new financial expectations shaping it.

In this cinematic, story‑driven conversation, Sherri Brown unpacks the rise of “dating in your price range,” the pressure to perform luxury, and the way social media has turned dating into a financial audition. Through real‑life scenarios, cultural commentary, and personal reflection, she explores how money has become a mirror — reflecting our insecurities, our desires, and the parts of ourselves we haven’t fully built yet.

You’ll hear about:

• The psychology behind “pay me for my presence” energy
• Why self‑worth and money boundaries are deeply connected
• How men and women are both navigating unrealistic expectations
• The difference between lifestyle performance and true alignment
• The generational pressures Black women inherited — and how they show up in dating today
• What barbershop conversations reveal about the “budget of being chosen”
• Why character, clarity, and emotional maturity matter more than cash flow

Sherri also reframes the conversation through the story of Ruth and Naomi, reminding us that strategy, identity, and grounded self‑worth have always been the real foundation of partnership — not aesthetics, not performance, and not financial tests.

This episode is for you if you’ve ever wondered:
Am I dating from insecurity or identity? Am I choosing from alignment or attention? Am I setting a standard I haven’t built the self to sustain?

You’ll walk away with a luxurious mantra to anchor your choices and a simple, doable action step to help you build the habits, clarity, and emotional stability that make healthy love — and healthy money — possible.

Mantra: 
“Don’t set a standard you haven’t built the self to sustain.”

Action Step:  
Start with yourself. Before you demand a lifestyle, build the habits that align with it. Before you ask for financial stability, create emotional stability. Before you choose a partner, choose your identity.

If today’s conversation stirs something in you — a memory, a question, or a next step — trust that feeling. That’s your clarity speaking.