We've hit 400 episodes. That's hundreds of hours helping borrowers make sense of one of the most complicated (and emotional) parts of personal finance. In this milestone episode, I sit down with Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, AFC®, one of our longest-serving planners and a key part of SLP since 2018. Together, we look back on how it all started — a spreadsheet that accidentally went viral — and how far we've come since then. We talk about the biggest surprises in today's student loan system, the stories that still move us years later, and where SLP is heading next.

Key moments:

(02:37) How a viral spreadsheet launched a national business

(9:34) From Olympian to planner: Lauryn's journey to helping borrowers with student loan debt

(14:50) The biggest shock about student loans today compared to 2016

(22:00) Client stories that still stick with us

(32:15) Why today's system is simpler—but still not simple enough

(38:54) What's next for SLP: building the SLP Insiders app to bring borrowers together

Resources mentioned:

• Financial Free Era podcast
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• Heather Jarvis, Student Loan Expert

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