The Sock Drawer

Have you ever stepped into a new season of life… only to realize your money story is still stuck in the old one?
In this episode of The Sock Drawer Podcast, Lisa sits down with Marc Shaffer (CFP®, AIF®, EA) — a financial planner who doesn’t lead with spreadsheets… he leads with people.

Marc shares why financial planning is often more about relationships, priorities, and “money scripts” than math — and why so many of us freeze when money gets loud during reinvention seasons.

You’ll hear how to slow down and get clear on what freedom actually means to you, how to spot a scarcity mindset before it drives your decisions, and why “knowing where you stand” is the simplest first step toward peace.

In this conversation, we cover:

Why money is a tool — and relationships are the real driver

The #1 misconception people have about “getting finances in order”

Scarcity vs. abundance mindset (and how it changes everything)

Why couples often struggle with saving vs. living

A practical way to stop avoiding your numbers and feel steadier fast

Marc’s “Tiny Dare” that strengthens relationships (and your future)

Guest: Marc Shaffer — CFP®, AIF®, EA | CFO + Principal (Searcy/CRC Financial Services & Allos Investment Advisors) | Author of One For All

Have you ever watched someone on YouTube and thought, “I could do that… but where do I even start?”
In this Sock Drawer Podcast episode, I sit down with Alexa Saarenoja, YouTube creator & coach who helps purpose-driven people turn their lived experience into a sustainable creator business.

We talk about the part nobody admits out loud: the real gap isn’t talent — it’s permission. Alexa shares how she went from a sudden layoff and an identity reset (mom/wife/work-me disappearing overnight) to finding her voice, building community, and creating momentum on YouTube — without the “million dollars in 10 minutes” nonsense.

You’ll learn:

How to start when you feel late, overwhelmed, or afraid of being judged

Why community matters more than most creators realize

How to turn your story into value for the viewer (not just “talking about yourself”)

A Tiny Dare you can do today to unlock your message and confidence

Tiny Dare: Ask yourself, “What do I want to say if there were zero repercussions?” Journal it or record it — and start there.

If the words Wall Street, AI, or markets make you want to hide under a blanket, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, Lisa sits down with Steven “BigBeat” Orr — Founder & CEO of Quasar Markets and one of fintech’s most recognizable voices — to strip the fear and hype out of money, markets, and AI. Steven shares how a live-on-air slip turned into a decades-long Wall Street nickname, why everyone is already an investor (even if you don’t own a single stock), and how AI can actually make finance more human and accessible instead of more confusing.

You’ll hear real talk on noise vs. truth, gambling vs. investing, and the tiny, courageous steps that can completely rewrite your money story — no PhD required.

If you’ve been doing all the “right” things with your money—saving, contributing to your 401(k), staying afloat—yet still quietly wonder, “What if I run out of money when I retire?”…this episode is for you.

In this Sock Drawer Podcast conversation, Lisa sits down with Derek Mazzarella, CFP®, author of Just Retire Already, to talk about the fears people rarely admit out loud: tax anxiety, stock plan confusion, information overload, and the emotional shift of life after work.

Derek breaks down why taxes are one of the most underestimated retirement risks, how “whack-a-mole finances” keep people stuck, and why company stock can either trap you in a job you’ve outgrown—or give you the freedom to step into your next chapter with confidence.

This isn’t a Wall Street lecture. It’s a kitchen-table conversation about clarity, confidence, and designing a life you’re excited to wake up to—one small, intentional step at a time.

What if “just surviving” isn’t the best you can feel — you’ve just never experienced a regulated nervous system?

In this episode of The Sock Drawer Podcast, Lisa Begley sits down with Courtney Yarch, founder of Harmonic Egg & Wellness GR, to unpack the real-life turning point that took her from living in trauma-mode and perfectionism… to feeling calmer, sleeping better, and responding to stress in a completely new way.

Courtney shares how she went from skeptical (even laughing at the concept) to opening a Harmonic Egg center with two Eggs within months, and why nervous system regulation is the foundation for everything — relationships, resilience, recovery, and clarity.

Lisa also shares her personal experience after doing a remote session and what changed for her in the first few days — including focus, happiness, and momentum.

Tiny Dare: Listen to your body’s whispers — before it has to scream.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to reinvent your entire life — not once, but over and over?
Today’s guest, Brad Leo Lyon, has lived more chapters than most people dream about. From growing up in Flint, Michigan with two competing passions — athletics and the arts — to competing internationally, running a minor league team, directing films, writing screenplays, and now launching The B-Stream, a home for B-movies and overlooked filmmakers… Brad’s journey is a blueprint in resilience, grit, and the courage to say yes to the next chapter.

In this raw and powerful conversation, Brad shares:

The surprising childhood struggle between acting and sports

How loss, grief, and financial pressure shaped his biggest pivots

What really happens behind the scenes in filmmaking

Why Hollywood needs a platform like The B-Stream

The mindset shift that helped him rebuild after everything collapsed

The one decision that changed the trajectory of his life

His Tiny Dare challenge that will help you finally take your next step

If you need a reminder that it’s never too late to start over, Brad’s story is your sign.
This episode is full of heart, humor, storytelling, and truth — and it just might give you the push you’ve been waiting for.

👉 Explore The B-Stream: https://thebstream.com

👉 Connect with Brad: Search “Brad Leo Lyon” on all platforms

Built For Better: How Matt Mizerek Survived Two Strokes, Reclaimed His Life, & Found Purpose Through Creativity

What happens when life turns upside down… not once, but twice?
In today’s powerful episode, host Lisa Begley sits down with Matt Mizerek — founder of Built For Better Apparel, creator of the nonprofit Art Always, and author of Revelations Through Resilience.

Matt survived two strokes, escaped a lifetime of toxic family dynamics, and rebuilt everything from the inside out. His story is raw, honest, and deeply human — a journey through trauma, identity, healing, creativity, and discovering purpose after nearly losing everything.

Together, Lisa and Matt unpack:

The before and after moments that changed his life

Growing up unseen, unheard, and learning to self-advocate

Surviving two strokes — and the out-of-body clarity that followed

Detoxing from 7 psychiatric medications and rebuilding his health

Why creativity became essential to his recovery

How Built For Better was born from meaning, not marketing

Why giving back matters more than “finding your purpose”

How to break free from toxic narratives and choose your own path

A powerful Tiny Dare challenge anyone can use today

If you’re navigating your own reinvention — or simply craving a story that reminds you what’s possible — this episode is for you.

Connect with Matt:
Built For Better Apparel → builtforbetterapparel.com
Art Always (nonprofit) → artalways.org
Book: Revelations Through Resilience → Amazon + Kindle Unlimited

Connect with Lisa:
The Sock Drawer Podcast → https://thesockdrawerpodcast.com/
Follow for more reinvention tools, stories & interviews.

Aging isn’t a decline — it’s a design.
In today’s powerful episode, healthy aging expert Kay Van Norman reveals the truth most people never hear about getting older: frailty is common and predictable… but completely reversible for the vast majority of us.

Kay blends research, real-life transformation stories, and the mindset shifts that help people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond reclaim strength, mobility, joy, and purpose. Her signature Vitality Portfolio® shows you exactly how to invest in your well-being with the same consistency you’d invest in your finances — small daily deposits that add up to a vibrant, independent life at any age.

You’ll learn:
✨ Why your daily choices, not genetics, shape your future
✨ The dramatic research showing older adults can gain 100%+ strength
✨ How to rewrite the “aging scripts” that limit your confidence and capacity
✨ What the Vitality Portfolio® is — and how to start making deposits today
✨ Simple “vitality actions” anyone can start right now

📘 Correction from Kay (Important + Inspiring!)

After our conversation, Kay shared a clarification about one of the inspiring stories she referenced:

The young man born with no legs who travels the world on his skateboard is Kevin Connolly, author of Double Take.

The young man born with partial limbs who became a champion wrestler is Kyle Maynard, author of No Excuses.

Both stories carry the same powerful message Kay champions:
overcoming limitations, building resilience, and choosing possibility.

💛 Special Offer for Sock Drawer Family

Kay is generously offering 25% OFF her Vitality Portfolio Online Course exclusively for our listeners.
Use code SOCKS25 at checkout.

👉 Explore Kay’s work, free downloads, and the Vitality Portfolio course here:
https://www.brilliantaging.com

What does reinvention look like when life has already demanded everything from you?

In this episode, Dr. Meghan “Meg” Waldron shares a powerful story of raising three boys on her own, navigating a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, returning to the classroom, launching and growing her tutoring company Smart Solutions, and going back to school later in life to earn her doctorate.

Meg opens up about early motherhood, the realities of being a single parent, building a side business out of pure necessity, and how her son’s 100-day NICU journey turned writing into a lifeline — and later into a tool she uses to help students find their own voice.

We also talk about how education is changing, what she’s seeing in students post-pandemic, why trades and community college deserve more respect, and how her simple “OHIO” rule (Only Handle It Once) can help you make decisions with more clarity and less second-guessing.

If you’re in a season of transition, burnout, or “something has to change,” this conversation will remind you that you’re allowed to rewrite your story more than once.

Have you ever hit a point in your 40s, 50s, or 60s where you quietly asked yourself…
“Is it too late for me?”

Today’s guest, Damon King, CFP®, will shatter that belief — and replace it with something empowering, practical, and transformative.

Before Damon became a trusted wealth advisor and radio voice, he was a singer, a fundraiser, a young professional swimming in debt… and a 24-year-old sitting in his car with 40 cents in his pocket wondering how he’d even get gas to drive home.

What happened next?
A reinvention story that will move you, shake you, and remind you that you are not behind — you are right on time.