Journey To Launch

A 7% interest rate looks like a wall to a lot of buyers, but Erika Brown sees a market where deals are landing $45,000 and even $150,000 under asking. In this episode, I sit down with Erika, a real estate investor and serial entrepreneur whose portfolio generates over six figures a year, for an update five years after her first appearance. Erika left banking, got her real estate license, and built a team. She went on to acquire almost 40 rental properties, start a nearly seven-figure landscaping company, and co-found a Georgia brokerage with over 250 agents. It all began with a goal of making $5,000 a month so she could attend her kids' activities without asking permission. Today, she and her husband are selling properties to pay off properties, shrinking the portfolio while increasing cash flow. Erika also breaks down how to read a market, fund a first investment property, and decide whether you are an owner, an operator, or a passive investor. Her bigger point is that building wealth is about having options, including when to push, when to pause, and how much of your life to spend on what matters. In this episode, Erika shares: Why high interest rates can create real estate opportunity instead o nog f closing the door How to fund a first investment property with the step-up strategy, a 401k loan, a HELOC, or a self-directed IRA The difference between owners, operators, and passive investors, and how to choose your role Why she is paying off properties and prioritizing options and time with her family over more hustle Check out Erika's Conference The Owning It and Living It Experience happening November 13 to 15 at the Starling Hotel in Midtown Atlanta. Use code FREEDOM for 30% off tickets, which close October 31. What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your ticket to The Owning It and Living It Experience. Use code FREEDOM for 30% off tickets Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./' Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Erika: Instagram: @erikabrowninvestor Facebook: OiliCommunity Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Health insurance is one of the biggest questions standing between you and leaving your job, and for a lot of families, it's the reason one spouse never does. In this episode, I welcome back Jordan Grumet, hospice physician, host of the Earn & Invest podcast, and author of Taking Stock, The Purpose Code, and his newest book, The Healthcare Heist. Jordan lost his father, a physician, when he was seven and made it his mission to become a doctor like him. Once he got there, he burned out fast, and financial independence became his way out. He breaks down what healthcare really costs once you leave an employer plan, how long-term care can drain a family's assets, and how insurers, drug companies, and private equity have pulled money out of the system. Jordan makes the case that real change starts when doctors and patients share their stories and push for reform together. Until then, there are practical steps you can take now, from appealing insurance denials to planning for long-term care early. In this episode, Jordan Grumet shares: Why healthcare is one of the biggest obstacles to financial independence and early retirement The limits of ACA subsidies, health sharing ministries, Medicare Advantage, and Medigap plans How long-term care costs, Medicaid spend-downs, and the five-year lookback affect families Everyday ways to protect yourself, from appealing denials to choosing generics and physician-owned practices What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: The Healthcare Heist: jordangrumet.com/books Taking Stock and The Purpose Code: jordangrumet.com/books Episode 281, Lessons About Living From the Dying: journeytolaunch.com/episode281 Episode 407, Building a Life of Purpose & Finding Meaning in Everyday Life: journeytolaunch.com/episode407 The White Coat Investor: whitecoatinvestor.com Health Insurance Marketplace: healthcare.gov Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Jordan Grumet: Website Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Simplicity and the concept of 'less is more' can be beneficial in much more than finance. The tiny home movement has proved to be a great new option for a lot of people looking to live a simpler, more abundant life. This week's guest, Jewel Pearson, is not only a tiny homeowner but she is also an advocate and community leader that shares her tiny living experiences and assists others in achieving their tiny living dreams. Over the course of a decade, Jewel worked toward downsizing her life and in 2015 she built the tiny home of her dreams in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her 360 sq ft home has been featured on HGTV's shows "Tiny House, Big Living" and "How Are They Now" and has been featured in several other media outlets. As a proud supporter of tiny living and the simpler lifestyle that it offers, she provides support through her consulting services and workshops that she teaches around the country. Jewel has also founded the Tiny House Trailblazers; a duo collaboration of powerful and uniquely talented women of color who together are a strong representation and voice for diversity and inclusion within the tiny house movement. In this episode we discuss: Why everyone should redefine or rather choose for themselves what tiny living means The misconception some people have that living in a tiny home means you sacrifice quality, luxury, and design & why tiny living does not mean "small living" How downsizing and living this life helped Jewel to live her life fully and abundantly What Jewel's life was like before the tiny home and what prompted the change The steps it took to actually make the changes she needed to move into her home How to start the tiny living process Jewel's mission to bring the tiny home movement to more people of color and some of the racism she has experienced in the community The different tiny home options Factors to consider in making the transition to tiny home living Jewel's thoughts on the FIRE (Financially Independent, Retire Early) movement What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Tiny House Communities Info Tour of Jewel's Tiny House–(more updated pics available on social media sites) Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./' Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Jewel: Ms. Gypsy Soul Instagram: @msgypsysoul Facebook: Ms. Gypsy Soul Twitter: @msgypsysoul Connect with the Tiny House Trailblazers: Tiny House Trailblazers Instagram: @tinyhousetrailblazers Facebook: Tiny House Trailblazers Twitter: @tinyhousetrailblazers Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Arlan Hamilton was homeless when she launched a venture capital fund dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech. In 2015, she created Backstage Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in high potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or members of the LGBT community. Today, Backstage Capital has raised more than $7 million and invested in more than 130 startups companies led by underestimated founders. In this episode of the Journey to Launch podcast, Arlan and I are talking about the mindset, confidence, and self-care that led to Arlan's ultimate success. We also discuss Arlan's new book, It's About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated Into Your Greatest Advantage. Arlan's story is inspiring and this is an episode you don't want to miss. In this episode you'll learn: How to use confidence to fuel your success What it means to invest in yourself The importance of self-care and how to set boundaries How to write a successful, tailored pitch What really matters in life, and more What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get Arlan's book It's About Damn Time Check out my interview on Arlan's podcast, Your First Million, where I talk about reaching 1 million podcast downloads and my journey for Journey to Launch. Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./' Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Arlan: Website Instagram: @ArlanWasHere Twitter: @ArlanWasHere Facebook: @ArlanWasHere Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

In this week's episode, Brian Portnoy simplifies the complex world of money. Brian has over two decades of experience in the personal finance space, and he's also an investor, educator, writer, and entrepreneur. In his book, The Geometry of Wealth, he tackles the challenges of making better investment decisions and how money fits into a joyful life. In this episode, we go beyond the numbers and talk about the behavioral science behind your relationship with money. Learn how your behavior impacts your ability to become wealthy and why your brain chooses survival over wealth. In this episode you'll learn: The difference between wealthy and rich Why your brain is wired to make terrible money decisions The meaning of the Geometry of Wealth How to set goals to become wealthy (and not just rich) What a comprehensive financial plan looks like, and more What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freed A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./' Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Brian: Website Instagram:@bportnoy Twitter:@BrianPortnoy Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Myra Strober, labor economist and Professor Emerita at Stanford University and Abby Davisson, social innovation leader and career development expert, join the Journey to Launch podcast to discuss how to make conscious decisions about money with love as the primary framework. We chat about the intellectual roadmap for life's biggest decisions, why we need to have difficult conversations before we're ready and how love and money are intertwined in all of life's challenges and phases. In this episode, you'll learn more about: Making decisions about money with love at the forefront of consideration What the 5 C framework is and how you can implement them in your life right now Why you should be having conversations about personal topics alongside the professional ones How to be an agent of change within the institutions you participate in The importance of checking in with those you admire and trying to anticipate the consequences of life's choices + more What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Read Money and Love by Myra and Abby Strober & Davisson Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./' Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Myra & Abby: Website Instagram:@Abby.Davisson Twitter:@AbbyDavisson Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Cindy Zuniga went to law school to make an impact in her community. After three years in law school and $215,000 of debt later, Cindy realized the real cost of her decision. Her first year out of school she paid $24,000 towards her student loans. However, only $4,000 went towards her loan's principal balance, and the other 20,000 paid off just the interest on her loan. That's when Cindy said enough is enough and devised a plan to pay off all of her debt in 48 month. Find out how Cindy paid off $215,000 in 48 months and kept her expenses low while living in New York. In this episode you will learn: What to consider before taking out student loans for a degree How to educate yourself and your family about student loan debt 3 reasons to refinance your student loans How to stick to your financial goals in any environment Tips for talking about finances with your partner How to lower your expenses, save money, and more What's New in the Paperback Edition of Your Journey to Financial Freedom: A bonus chapter: When Life Happens: Staying on the Path to Financial Freedom Through Setbacks, Shifts, and Uncertainty A book club and discussion guide with prompts, exercises, and action steps Updated corrections from the original hardcover Exclusive bonuses when you purchase the paperback, including: The Fire Starter Course The Find Your FIRE Number Worksheet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your paperback edition of Your Journey To Financial Freedom if you haven't already. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here./' Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide