Ep 229: Building Wealth & Influence Through Books, Podcasts & Personal Branding

Ep 228: Franchising: The Perfect Hybrid Between Employee and Entrepreneur

Ep 227: From Chaos to Clarity:  Understanding Your Business Finances

Ep 226: The Hidden Truth: About Money, Inflation & Power

Ep 225: Infinite Banking: The Strategy That Changed My LifeIn this episode of Money & You, Michelle Perkins speaks with Kish Rao of KKR Wealth Group about the concept of infinite banking and how it can help people rethink the way they use, store, borrow, and build with their money, and how it changed the guest's life forever.

Kish shares his personal story of working long hours in the corporate tech world, commuting for hours each day, and wondering why his income was not translating into the financial freedom he expected. That frustration led him to discover infinite banking — a strategy built around specially designed dividend-paying life insurance policies that can create access, flexibility, and long-term control.

Together, Michelle and Kish explore why this concept can feel confusing at first, why whole life insurance often triggers skepticism, and how shifting the way we think about money may be just as important as shifting where we put our money.In This Episode:
Michelle and Kish discuss:

• What infinite banking is — and what it is not
• Why Kish says this is a financial strategy, not an investment
• How dividend-paying whole life insurance can be used as a personal banking system
• Why access, control, and flexibility matter in financial planning
• How people use this strategy for cars, college, emergencies, business opportunities, debt, and other life expenses
• Why borrowing against the policy is different from withdrawing money
• The mindset shift required to think differently about capital
• Why Kish introduced this concept to his own family
• How fear and confusion can keep people stuck in familiar financial systems

Key Takeaways:
One of the biggest themes in this conversation is control. Kish explains that many people are doing what they were told to do financially, yet still feel trapped by payments, debt, interest, and limited access to their own money and time.

Infinite banking offers a different way to think about money flow. Instead of sending money out and losing access to it, the idea is to build a pool of capital that can continue growing while still being available for use.

Michelle also highlights an important point: financial strategies often require more than information. They require a shift in how we think about money, risk, security, and possibility.

Featured Guest:

Kish Rao helps professionals and entrepreneurs rethink how they use their money so they can create more control, flexibility, and long-term financial growth. After more than three decades in the corporate world, Kish became passionate about helping others understand how money can work more effectively in their lives through infinite banking and capital control strategies.

Resources:

Book: Becoming Your Own Banker by Nelson Nash
KKR Wealth Group podcast resource page:
kkrwealthgroup.com

For more tools and conversations about money mindset, practical financial tips, confidence, and financial empowerment…

Subscribe to the “Money & You With Michelle Perkins” Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/money-you-with-michelle-perkins/id1365907575

Please rate, review, and share the show with friends and family who want to feel more confident and in control of their financial lives — it really helps us!

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Community & Newsletter:

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In this follow-up solo episode of Money and You, Michelle continues the conversation about financial preparedness and readiness—but this time focuses on the practical side of preparing for financial success.Following Part 1’s deep dive into mindset, identity, and emotional readiness, Michelle explores the daily habits, financial systems, and practical decisions that help reduce anxiety, build stability, and create long-term financial confidence.This episode is a grounded and compassionate reminder that financial well-being doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from awareness, consistency, preparation, and creating systems that support your future self.Michelle discusses why so many people avoid their money, how emotional overwhelm affects decision-making, and the simple actions that can dramatically improve your financial clarity and confidence over time.If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, behind, disorganized, or unsure where to begin financially, this episode offers a calmer, more empowering way to approach money.In This Episode, Michelle Covers:

• Why mindset and practical action must work together
• How financial preparation creates emotional calm
• The importance of knowing your numbers
• Why avoidance is often the real source of money anxiety
• Building a spending plan instead of “random spending”
• Starting small with saving and financial habits
• Creating systems that reduce decision fatigue
• Using automation to simplify money management
• Why stability should come before growth
• Emotional overwhelm, consumer culture, and impulse spending
• Flexibility, resilience, and adapting when life happens
• The importance of asking better financial questions

Key TakeawaysPreparation Creates ConfidenceThe more prepared you are financially, the calmer and more capable you feel when opportunities or challenges arise.Know Your Numbers Without DramaYour numbers are information—not a judgment of your worth.Small Consistent Actions MatterFinancial stability is often built through small habits repeated consistently over time.Avoidance Fuels AnxietyMuch of the stress people feel about money comes from not looking at it directly.Stability Comes Before ExpansionEmergency savings, debt reduction, and organization create the foundation for future growth.Memorable Quotes from the Episode“You don’t necessarily need more money first. You need to prepare yourself for more money.”“Numbers always tell a story.”“We get very melodramatic with our money.”“It doesn’t actually matter as much that you’re not where you want to be yet. What matters is that you’ve got the steering wheel.”“Most of our anxiety around money simply comes from avoiding it.”Timestamps

• 1:38 — Recap of Part 1: mindset and emotional preparedness
• 5:44 — Why practical financial preparation matters
• 7:59 — The importance of starting now
• 9:31 — Know your numbers without emotional drama
• 12:59 — The core financial numbers everyone should know
• 14:48 — Why avoiding money creates anxiety
• 16:50 — Creating a true spending plan
• 19:20 — Why stability comes before growth
• 21:15 — Reducing financial decision fatigue
• 24:16 — Automating savings and debt payments
• 25:24 — Planning for real life and unexpected events
• 27:10 — Preparing yourself to receive more money

Resources & Mentions

• Michelle’s Vision Workbook: Link
• Money preparedness worksheets mentioned in the episode: https://limitfreelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/LFL-Financial-Prep-Guidelines.png
• Limit Free Life®
• Book a Free Virtual Coffee Chat with Michelle

Connect with Michelle PerkinsFor more conversations about money mindset, financial confidence, practical money strategies, and building a healthier relationship with money: Subscribe to Money and You Limit Free Life® Website
Join the Newsletter & Community
Michelle M. Perkins MBA on LinkedIn
Instagram @livealimitfreelifeIf this episode helped you, share it with someone who may be feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or avoidant around money. Sometimes one conversation can completely shift the way we approach our financial lives.

In this solo episode of Money and You, Michelle explores a powerful but often overlooked concept: preparation. Not just practical preparation with budgets, investing, or financial planning—but the emotional and mental preparation required to receive greater financial success.Inspired by the book How to Get Anything You Want, by Elsie Lincoln Benedict, Michelle dives into the connection between financial identity, mindset, readiness, and the opportunities we’re able to recognize and receive.Many people say they want more money, greater success, or financial freedom, but unknowingly remain emotionally unprepared for those outcomes. In this episode, Michelle explains how limiting beliefs, avoidance, fear, and negative self-talk quietly shape financial decisions—and how shifting your preparation can begin changing your financial reality.She also shares personal examples from her own business growth, discusses how preparation creates opportunity, and introduces practical ways to strengthen both your financial mindset and your financial structure.If you’ve ever thought:

• “I’m not good with money.”
• “I’m not ready yet.”
• “I’ll deal with it later.”
• “I can’t afford that.”

…this conversation may completely change the way you think about financial growth and readiness.In This Episode, Michelle Discusses:

• Why preparation is essential for financial success
• The difference between practical readiness and emotional readiness
• How your financial identity affects your outcomes
• The subconscious thoughts that block money growth
• Why waiting to “feel ready” often creates procrastination
• How preparation allows you to recognize and act on opportunities
• The importance of financial literacy and awareness
• Shifting negative money self-talk and limiting beliefs
• Increasing your emotional capacity to receive more wealth
• Why avoidance sends powerful signals about your relationship with money

Key Takeaways:Preparation Creates OpportunityFinancial success often requires preparation before the opportunity arrives—not after.Your Financial Identity MattersThe stories you tell yourself about money shape your decisions, behaviors, and outcomes.Awareness Is the First ShiftNoticing your thoughts, fears, and patterns around money is the beginning of transformation.Practical + Mindset Work Must Work TogetherBudgets, investing, saving, and planning matter—but mindset determines whether you sustain them.Memorable Quotes from the Episode“You don’t rise to the occasion. You fall to your preparation.”“We have to prepare so we can receive opportunities when they show up.”“If you are avoiding your money, you’re sending a message that you don’t really want to deal with it.”“Preparation is readiness.”Timestamps

• 3:37 — Why preparation matters more than most people realize
• 5:25 — Clarifying what financial success actually means to you
• 8:06 — Preparing for money before it arrives
• 9:55 — The balance between mindset and practical preparation
• 11:00 — Becoming aware of limiting thoughts and emotional reactions
• 15:44 — Your financial identity and self-perception
• 18:21 — Practical ways to build trust with yourself around money
• 21:41 — What you attract and what you’re prepared to receive
• 23:28 — Catching negative money language in real time
• 24:37 — Preview of next week’s Part 2 episode

Resources:

• How to Get Anything You Want
• Michelle’s Vision Workbook, Get it  here:
• Limit Free Life®
• Book a Virtual Coffee Chat with Michelle

Connect with Michelle PerkinsFor more conversations about money mindset, financial confidence, practical money strategies, and creating a healthier relationship with money: Subscribe to the Money and You Podcast or watch on her YouTube Channel - Limit Free Life. Limit Free Life® Website
Join the Newsletter & Community
Michelle M. Perkins MBA on LinkedIn
Instagram @livealimitfreelifeIf this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who could use a healthier, more empowered relationship with money. Reviews and shares help more people discover the show.

This episode of The Money and You Show dives deep into the hidden strategies of college funding with college funding financial expert Brian S. Eyster. The conversation reveals that paying for college isn’t just about saving—it’s about strategic planning, tax positioning, and negotiation.Brian challenges common assumptions around tools like 529 plans, exposes how colleges actually price tuition, and explains how families—regardless of income—can reduce costs dramatically. He emphasizes that most families either overpay or under-plan, often due to lack of knowledge, not lack of resources.The biggest takeaway: college funding is a strategy game—and those who understand the rules win.Brian is the founder of The Grad Process, a system designed to help families fund college intelligently while protecting their long-term financial stability and retirement goals. Drawing from both professional expertise and his own experience navigating college planning for his daughters, Brian shares practical insights into 529 plans, FAFSA strategy, tax positioning, negotiating with universities, scholarships, grants, and why timing matters more than most people realize.This conversation goes far beyond traditional college savings advice. Michelle and Brian discuss:

• Why many parents feel overwhelmed and avoid college planning
• The truth about 529 plans and their limitations
• How some families dramatically reduce college costs
• Why extending tax returns may help with financial aid strategy
• FAFSA vs. CSS Profile
• Negotiating financial aid offers with schools
• Tax strategies business owners should know
• The emotional side of college planning and money shame
• Why financial guidance in this area can create enormous long-term savings

Brian also explains how he helped reduce his daughter’s college costs from a $68,000 annual sticker price to roughly $11,000 per year through strategic planning and negotiation.If college funding feels confusing, stressful, or financially intimidating, this episode offers both practical guidance and reassurance that there are more options than most families realize.In This Episode We Covered:

• College financial planning
• Paying for college strategically
• FAFSA explained
• CSS Profile explained
• 529 plans
• College scholarships and grants
• Negotiating college tuition
• Tax strategies for college funding
• Student loans
• Business owner tax strategies
• Financial aid planning
• College planning for parents
• Retirement vs. college funding

Key Takeaways

• College sticker prices are often negotiable.
• Many private colleges discount tuition significantly.
• 529 plans can be useful — but they are not always the best or only strategy.
• Tax planning timing can impact financial aid opportunities.
• Parents should not assume they “make too much” to qualify for aid or discounts.
• Shame and avoidance often prevent families from exploring better options.

Memorable Quotes“Do not confuse the objective with the method.” — Brian Eyster.“The average discount for a private school is 56%.” — Brian Eyster.“Most people don’t know where to start. They’re embarrassed. Don’t be.” —Brian Eyster.“There are always options.” — Brian Eyster.What Michelle Shares in This Episode

• Her own experience saving for her children’s education
• Navigating a son returning to college later in life
• Why parents often delay or avoid college planning conversations
• The emotional stress and shame many families feel around money and education costs

Learn more about Brian Eyster. and his college funding strategies:

• Essential Strategies Website: https://essentialstrategies.net

Timestamps

• 01:40 — Why Michelle wanted to cover college finances on the show
• 02:45 — Meet Brian Eister and The Grad Process
• 05:45 — What families are feeling when college planning begins
• 07:30 — Why Brian spent years mastering college funding strategies
• 10:40 — How Brian reduced a $68,000 college bill to $11,000
• 15:15 — The truth about 529 plans
• 18:00 — Why Brian challenges traditional 529 advice
• 24:00 — Why extending tax returns can matter for college planning
• 28:45 — FAFSA timing and tax return strategy
• 33:00 — State reciprocity and changing 529 rules
• 35:00 — Using 529 plans to pay student loans strategically
• 38:00 — Why college offers are often negotiable
• 41:00 — How families can negotiate tuition offers
• 46:00 — Subsidized loans and misunderstood financial aid opportunities
• 48:30 — The emotional side of college planning and money shame
• 52:00 — How to connect with Brian and learn more ________________________________________

For more conversations about money mindset, practical financial strategies, confidence, and financial empowerment…Subscribe to the Money and You Podcast:

• Limit Free Life Website
• Join the Newsletter Community
• Book a Virtual Coffee Chat
• Michelle M. Perkins MBA on LinkedIn
• Limit Free Life Instagram - @livealimitfreelife

Please rate, review, and share the show with friends and family navigating college planning, financial decisions, and building a more confident relationship with money.

In this solo episode of Money and You, Michelle Perkins explores a powerful concept that has recently shifted the way she thinks about money, success, and personal growth: alignment.After a conversation with an energy alignment coach, Michelle began looking at money through a new lens — not just from a practical or strategic standpoint, or even mindset,  but from an energetic and emotional one. In this episode, she unpacks what “money alignment” really means and why it may be the missing piece between setting financial goals and actually achieving them.Michelle shares how misalignment can quietly show up in:

• The way we think about wealthy people
• Our spending habits and financial decisions
• The disconnect between our goals and our beliefs
• Fear-based or impulsive money behaviors
• Trying to build a life based on what others want instead of what truly matters to us

Drawing from both her background as a former CPA and corporate finance executive and her years of coaching around money mindset, Michelle explains why financial success is about much more than budgets, investing, or strategy alone.This episode is an invitation to become more intentional, self-aware, and aligned with your values, your purpose, and the kind of life you truly want to create.In This Episode We Covered:

• Money alignment
• Financial mindset
• Relationship with money
• Energetic alignment and finances
• Values-based spending
• Intentional financial decisions
• Wealth and purpose
• Fear-based spending
• Financial self-awareness
• Journaling and money habits
• Vision setting with AI tools
• Personal growth and money

Key Takeaways

• Your financial decisions are deeply connected to your beliefs and emotions.
• Misalignment often happens when your goals and your internal beliefs conflict.
• Wealth and purpose are not opposites — they can support one another.
• Intentional spending creates more clarity, fulfillment, and financial flow.
• You cannot fully compartmentalize your personal life, business life, and financial life — the energy flows through all of them.

Memorable Quotes“Nothing works that well unless you have a really good relationship with your money.”“If your intentions are here, but your thinking is taking you over there… you’re going to miss.”“A purpose-driven life requires resources.”“You can be you and still have a lot of money.”Mentioned in This EpisodeMichelle references a Vision Prompting Workbook designed to help listeners:

• Clarify their vision
• Explore their goals and values
• Use AI tools to help organize and summarize their ideas
• Align business and personal goals more intentionally

The workbook link is included here: Timestamps

• 02:20 — What “alignment” actually means financially and emotionally
• 03:10 — The importance of self-awareness and money habits
• 04:00 — Why mindset matters more than financial knowledge alone
• 06:45 — Alignment between your values, goals, and money decisions
• 07:50 — How negative beliefs about wealthy people create misalignment
• 10:50 — Journaling prompts to uncover money misalignment
• 11:15 — Using AI to help create a life vision
• 13:00 — Limiting beliefs that block financial growth
• 14:25 — Values-based spending and intentional money choices
• 16:40 — Moving away from impulsive and fear-based financial decisions
• 18:00 — Why wealth can support a purpose-driven life

For more conversations about money mindset, practical financial strategies, confidence, and financial empowerment…Subscribe to the Money and You Podcast:

• Limit Free Life Website
• Join the Newsletter Community
• Book a Virtual Coffee Chat
• Michelle M. Perkins MBA on LinkedIn 
• Limit Free Life Instagram- @livealimitfreelife

Please rate, review, and share the show with friends and family who want to feel more confident, intentional, and empowered in their financial lives.

In this episode of Money and You, Michelle Perkins sits down with international bestselling author and investing educator Robert Rolih to break down investing in a way that actually makes sense.Robert shares the painful financial loss that changed the course of his life after trusting advisors and investment products that quietly drained his wealth through hidden fees and risky strategies. That experience launched a deep journey into financial literacy, investing, and long-term wealth building that has now helped thousands of investors across more than 70 countries.Together, Michelle and Robert discuss:

• The hidden danger of investment fees
• Why ETFs are often a smarter choice than high-fee mutual funds
• How emotions and “herd mentality” impact investing decisions
• The psychology behind buying when others are fearful
• How AI tools like ChatGPT can help investors ask smarter questions
• Bitcoin, gold, diversification, and long-term investing strategy
• Why simplicity often outperforms complexity in investing

Robert also shares one of the most powerful lessons from his book:“Love risk when making money. Hate risk when investing money.”If investing has ever felt overwhelming, intimidating, or overly complicated, this conversation will help simplify the fundamentals and empower you to think more clearly about building wealth over time.In This Episode We Covered:

• Financial literacy
• Investment fees explained
• ETFs vs. mutual funds
• Long-term investing
• Bitcoin investing
• Investing psychology
• Fear & greed in the market
• AI and personal finance
• Diversification strategies
• Wealth building fundamentals

Memorable Quotes“Our brains are not built to understand the long-term effect of small fees that compound every year.” — Robert Rolih“People are drawn to the next shiny object in investing.” — Robert Rolih“Love risk when making money. Hate risk when investing money.” — Robert RolihResources & LinksLearn more about Robert Rolih and access his free investing masterclass:

• Robert Rolih Official Website
• The Million Dollar Decision on Amazon

Timestamps

• 07:00 — Robert shares how he lost most of his money trusting advisors
• 09:00 — The Brian Tracy conversation that changed everything
• 12:30 — The hidden danger of investment fees
• 14:50 — ETFs vs. mutual funds explained simply
• 18:45 — Using AI tools to understand your investments
• 26:30 — Herd mentality and emotional investing decisions
• 29:00 — Robert’s Bitcoin investing strategy
• 33:45 — Why ETFs are enough for most investors
• 35:45 — Gold, Bitcoin, bonds, and portfolio balance
• 39:15 — Why fear in the market can create opportunity
• 41:50 — Robert’s most important investing philosophy

For more conversations about money mindset, practical financial strategies, confidence, and financial empowerment…Subscribe to the Money and You Podcast or to the Limit Free Life YouTube Channel:

• Limit Free Life Website
• Join the Newsletter Community
• Book a Virtual Coffee Chat
• Michelle M. Perkins MBA on LinkedIn
• Limit Free Life Instagram: @Livealimitfreelife

Please rate, review, and share the show with friends and family who want to feel more confident and in control of their financial lives.