Financial independence is still achievable but most people are focusing on the wrong lever

About this episode

Mitchel Sneddon and Hayden Smith discuss the factors driving financial independence and the importance of spending and income over market performance.

Mitchel Sneddon sits down with Hayden Smith, co-founder of Pearler, to unpack whether FIRE is still achievable and what actually drives financial independence today. The conversation moves beyond theory into the real levers — spending, income, behaviour and simple ETF investing — and reframes investing as a tool, not the solution. Together they discuss: – FIRE remains achievable, but outcomes are driven by income, spending and family choices, not markets alone – Cutting spending is still the fastest and most controllable lever – A simple rule of thumb that anyone can start with – Many investors stall due to analysis paralysis on ETFs, when early decisions have minimal long-term impact – Starting small builds engagement and accelerates understanding – Growth vs income portfolios are shaped by tax position and psychology, not just returns or theory – Investing is not the solution — earning more or spending less drives wealth, with investing acting as a catalyst Resources for this episode Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset” Ask a question (select the Finance podcast) Show partner resources Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit Get 50% off your first two months…

People in this episode

Host: Mitchel Sneddon

Guest: Hayden Smith

Topics covered

• financial independence
• FIRE
• spending
• income
• ETF investing
• wealth building

Keywords

• financial independence
• FIRE
• spending
• income
• ETF investing
• wealth
• investing strategies

Sponsors

Pearler, PocketSmith

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pearler

Books & works: The Money Reset

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