MONEY WITHOUT MATH

What if you could stop overthinking and start doing? What if you could show courage while on the darkest, most difficult road in your life? 

Cara Brookins did just that by building a house with her kids using YouTube tutorials.

In this inspiring episode, Karen Coyne welcomes Cara to share her extraordinary story of courage, resilience, and the power of going all-in on a bold, radical idea. Cara, a mother of four, fled an abusive relationship, which led her to build not only a home but also a new outlook on life for herself and her children.

Talking points include:

• Building Against All Odds: Cara shares how extreme adversity led her to the radical decision to build a house with her kids, turning a need for stability into a family project
• Family Bonding Through Building: The hands-on experience of constructing the house helped Cara's children, aged 17, 15, 11, and 2, to regain control of their lives and heal from trauma
• Impact of No Plan B: Cara emphasizes the significance of grit and resilience, illustrating how fully committing to a goal without fallback plans can lead to monumental achievements
• Financial Struggles and Resilience: Undertaking this project during the 2008 financial crisis added an extra layer of difficulty as Cara navigated securing a construction loan amidst economic turmoil
• Motherhood and Resilience: Cara reflects on the profound impact this project had on her children, fostering resilience and confidence that have carried into their adult lives
• Choosing to Speak Up or Stay Silent: In considering whether or not to share her deeply personal story, Cara decided she could not remain silent
• Encouragement to Pursue Big Dreams: The episode concludes with a powerful message about tackling big challenges and fully committing to one’s goals, inspired by Cara’s incredible journey
• And much more!

Resources:

• "Rise: How a House Built a Family" by Cara Brookins

Connect with Karen Coyne: 

• Clarity Planning
• [email protected]
• 301-739-7002
• LinkedIn: Karen Coyne, CFP®
• X: @karencoyne
• YouTube: @karencoynecfp
• Instagram: @moneywithoutmath

Connect with Cara Brookins: 

• LinkedIn: Cara Brookins
• CaraBrookins.com
• X: @cmbrookins
• Facebook: Cara Brookins
• Instagram: @carabrookins

About Our Guest: 

Cara Brookins is best known as the mom who built her own house with her kids using YouTube tutorials. With her eager construction crew consisting of her four young children, Brookins laid the block, framed the walls, and even ran the plumbing and gas lines for her two-story house. She shared her story in her #1 best-selling memoir, "Rise: How a House Built a Family".

Now an international speaker and author, Cara’s incredible story went viral amassing more than two billion views in over 100 countries. 

Ever felt disconnected from your financial goals? Consider writing a statement of financial purpose to better connect your money with personal meaning.

Join Karen Coyne as she engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Alina Fisch, the founder of Contessa Capital Advisors. This episode explores how aligning financial goals with personal values can lead to more fulfilling and intentional financial decisions.

Key Highlights:

• Statement of Financial Purpose: This tool aligns personal values with financial goals, making financial planning more meaningful
• Tailored Approach: Alina shares a story of a client who transitioned from a corporate job to entrepreneurship by aligning her financial plan with her personal values
• Quality of Life Focus: Women often approach finances with a focus on life quality rather than just financial metrics
• Future Visualization: Visualizing long-term goals can make present-day financial decisions more impactful
• Long-Term Perspective: Research shows that considering a longer-term perspective on life can enhance well-being
• Practical Advice: Alina advises starting with long-term goals and adjusting current spending to align with these goals. She emphasizes making the financial planning process enjoyable
• And much more!

Resources:

• Hal Hershfield

Connect with Karen Coyne: 

• Clarity Planning
• [email protected]
• 301-739-7002
• LinkedIn: Karen Coyne, CFP®
• X: @karencoyne
• YouTube: @karencoynecfp
• Instagram: @moneywithoutmath

Connect with Alina Fisch: 

• LinkedIn: Alina Fisch, CFA
• ContessaCapitalAdvisors.com

About Our Guest: 

Alina Fisch, the founder of the independent, fee-only RIA Contessa Capital Advisors, has worked in financial services for more than 25 years. Her focus now is helping single and divorced women with their finances, a topic she also loves to write about. (For more information and to subscribe to her weekly posts: ContessaCapitalAdvisors.com) A single mother herself, Alina loves to travel with her teenage son and is an avid reader, animal lover, and occasional vegetable farmer.

Are we really practicing self-care, or just buying it?

Join Karen Coyne, CFP® as she explores the real meaning of self-care with Taylor Elyse Morrison, coach, speaker, and author of "Inner Workout." Taylor shares her journey from struggling with self-care to making it her career and challenging the commercialized view of wellness along the way. She emphasizes that self-care is about internal reflection and responding lovingly to one's needs. While we don’t necessarily need to purchase self-care solutions, there is a cost to ignoring our well-being. 

Key Highlights:

• Redefining Self-Care: True self-care is about listening to yourself and responding with available resources, not just buying products
• Listening Within: Many find it hard to pause and listen amidst a busy life. Effective self-care means understanding and addressing personal feelings
• Tailoring Practices: Tailor self-care practices to your individual needs to avoid misalignment
• Proactive and Responsive Practices: Scheduled check-ins, body scans, breathing exercises, and journaling can help maintain self-awareness
• Don’t Ignore Your Needs: Regular, intentional self-reflection helps break the habit of ignoring one's needs
• Accessible Self-Care: Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or solitary. Taylor provides resources, including an app and a self-care assessment on her website
• And much more!

Connect with Karen Coyne: 

• Clarity Planning
• [email protected]
• 301-739-7002
• LinkedIn: Karen Coyne, CFP®
• X: @karencoyne
• YouTube: @karencoynecfp
• Instagram: @moneywithoutmath

Connect with Taylor Elyse Morrison: 

• LinkedIn: Taylor Elyse Morrison
• Instagram: @taylorelysemorrison
• TaylorElyse.com
• InnerWorkout.co

About Our Guest: 

Taylor Elyse Morrison turned being bad at self-care — and being firmly convinced of every human’s potential — into a career. She’s the founder of Inner Workout and the award-winning author of a book by the same name.

 Recently named one of Fortune’s 10 Innovators Shaping the Future of Health, Taylor is tired of aspirational 'wellness as usual.' Instead, she makes well-being and personal development more accessible. 

You're just as likely to see Taylor facilitating a workshop at a Fortune 100 as you are to see her talking about TikTok and body image with a high school class. Wherever she goes, Taylor's sure to use her coaching, mindfulness, and movement training to meet people where they're at and offer actionable steps toward creating a world without burnout.

How does addiction intersect with financial planning, and what role can financial advisors play in addressing this critical issue?

Karen Coyne discusses the complexities of addiction with Amanda Koplin, a licensed mental health counselor and CEO of Koplin Consulting. Tune in and discover the expansive definition of addiction and learn how it affects financial planning across all demographics, including wealthy families.

Key Highlights:

• Expanding the Definition of Addiction: Beyond drugs and alcohol, addiction includes behaviors like sports betting, shopping, and social media
• Understanding Root Causes: Addiction often begins with self-medicating for underlying mental health issues
• Concerning Statistics: 15% of American adults have a substance use disorder, and addiction-related deaths are rising
• Addiction Among Older Adults: The role of prescribed pain medications leading to opioid and heroin use
• Role of Financial Advisors: Recognizing cognitive decline, elder abuse, and addiction in clients
• Building Trust with Clients: The importance of open-ended questions and creating a safe space for discussions about addiction
• Challenges for Affluent Individuals: Addressing addiction amidst fear of public scrutiny and stigma
• Advisors as First Responders: Recognizing signs of trouble and connecting clients with the right resources
• Empathy and Compassion: Treating clients as family members and approaching the role with care
• And much more!

Connect with Karen Coyne: 

• Clarity Planning
• [email protected]
• 301-739-7002
• LinkedIn: Karen Coyne, CFP®
• X: @karencoyne
• YouTube: @karencoynecfp
• Instagram: @moneywithoutmath

Connect with Amanda Koplin: 

• Koplin Consulting
• LinkedIn: Amanda Koplin, LPC
• Instagram: @ucmh_crisiscare
• UCMH.com

About Our Guest: 

Amanda Koplin, LPC, is a mental health counselor, entrepreneur, and thought leader who creates innovative solutions to fill gaps in the mental healthcare system. In 2014, she created and developed an idea for a mental health urgent care clinic and sold it in 2016 to create Koplin

Consulting, a nationwide concierge mental health treatment team service. Amanda is passionate about helping people achieve mental wellness and creating sustainable support systems and solutions that integrate seamlessly into real life.

She is a speaker and a nationally sought-after consultant who specializes in creating

unique treatment plans and recommendations for individuals struggling with psychological concerns such as addictions, eating disorders, lack of motivation, and other issues impacting mental wellness. She is particularly adept at involving trusted advisors and family members in order to create the greatest impact.

Ever wondered how harnessing positive energy can transform your workplace dynamics? 

Join Karen Coyne as she explores the profound power of positive relational energy with Kafi London. Get ready to explore clever strategies to combat burnout and enhance your leadership through human connection and dynamic energy.

Key Highlights:

• Positive Relational Energy: How contagious energy between people transforms workplace dynamics
• Personal Journey: From corporate success to burnout, Kafi's pivot to energy-focused leadership
• Ripple Effect: How positive energy influences leaders, teams, and clients
• SparkAbility Factor: The five tenets with a focus on vitality, vibe, and voice
• Energy Practices: Tips for maintaining high energy levels, including short meditation sessions and "boogie breaks"
• Effective Communication: The importance of tone and delivery in leadership
• AI vs. Human Connection: Emphasizing the irreplaceable value of authentic human interactions
• Virtual Engagement: Techniques to bring energy to remote teams
• Energy Audit: Assessing and improving personal energy for a better presence
• And much more!

Connect with Karen Coyne: 

• Clarity Planning
• [email protected]
• 301-739-7002
• LinkedIn: Karen Coyne, CFP®
• X: @karencoyne
• YouTube: @karencoynecfp
• Instagram: @moneywithoutmath

Connect with Kafi London: 

• Kafi London
• LinkedIn: Kafi London
• Instagram: Kafi London

About Our Guest: 

Kafi London, a seasoned leadership expert with over 30 years of experience in the people game, partners with leading organizations in the US and UK to elevate their leaders, teams, and talent. As Chief Energy Officer and Author of Fired Up! How to Lead with Energy Kafi is a dynamic facilitator, speaker, and communication coach whose unique approach will help you leverage positive energy to keep your client and team interactions fresh, memorable, and impactful. 

Regardless of what field you work in, the size of your organization, and whether you are just starting out in your career or are a seasoned leader - the future of work affects all of us. Today we will take a look at trends affecting the workplace and how we can best prepare for the changes ahead. For starters, the pandemic put remote and hybrid work in the spotlight and reset expectations around where and how we work; how does this look going forward? What are the implications of the increasing presence and utilization of AI? Will the increased awareness around wellness continue, or fizzle out against pressures of an aging workforce and other challenges? What are we not even seeing or thinking about that we need to be? Dr. Janel Anderson  is a future of work speaker, author, and strategist who joins us to answer these questions and more.

Do you daydream about leaving your corporate job and pursuing more of what really lights you up? Are roadblocks like financial considerations, time constraints, or a lack of confidence standing in your way? The thing is, there will rarely be a clear path or a perfect time to do anything. Whether it’s your work, your money, relationships—anything—if you want to change your life, you need to get off of auto-pilot and start living more intentionally, stat. It’s not too late to change your life! It helps to hear from people who’ve taken similar steps, and our guest today is still knee-deep in her own journey. Danielle McCombs didn’t just dream of a different life, she’s living it and coaching others to do the same. Join us for real talk about packing up, starting over, overcoming doubt, facing risk, and tuning out the messages that don’t apply to you.

Since the pandemic, many Americans are thinking about death more, but they still don’t want to TALK about it. It turns out most Americans would rather talk about sex, politics, religion, money—any of the traditional taboo topics—over death. Not surprisingly, they haven’t planned for death either, and a number admit to hoping they die a quick death and avoid end-of-life planning entirely. Unfortunately, that’s not exactly a plan. Opening up the conversation around death is essential before moving on to the practical and emotional preparation. Guest Gail Rubin is an unconventional death educator who uses humor, games, films, and more to bring light to this dark topic. If you’ve been avoiding planning—or talking—about the inevitable, let this be your sign from the other side!

Social Security is a significant source of income for most retired Americans. But understanding the rules and benefits of the program is no easy task, and it’s made even more difficult by the amount of misinformation that is regularly circulated. In this episode Marcia Mantell, Owner and President of Mantell Retirement Consulting, Inc, addresses some common myths and misconceptions. You’ll learn how marriage and divorce can impact your benefits, the cost of underestimating longevity, the unknown Medicare connection to HSA contributions that can lead to tax complexities, and more.

Viral dance videos helped cement TikTok’s popularity, but it offers more than just entertainment. As the most downloaded social media app, TikTok has become a force as a search engine, particularly among younger generations. A 2024 survey by Adobe cites that 4% of Gen Zers and 49% of millennials saying they’ve used TikTok as a search engine. And a significant chunk of these younger users are using the site as their go-to source for financial advice. When it comes to personal finance content, creators, or “finfluencers” run the gamut from ex-Wall Streeters to young professionals with no finance background who share their personal experience with common challenges like paying off debt or building credit. In contrast to the stuffy, boring world of traditional finance, it’s no surprise that TikTok’s edutainment approach to all things money has been effective. But with popularity, and without regulation, there are also plenty of bad, and very bad takes. In this episode, Anna N’Jie-Konte, CFP®, President of Re-Envision Wealth, to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of TikTok finance.