In this episode of Money on My Mind, I answer a question from one of my Budgetdog Academy OGs, Joe Sullivan, about the step-by-step process of starting a business. Whether you’re dusting off an old business idea or just getting serious about entrepreneurship, this no-fluff episode breaks down six essential steps—from finding your niche to scaling—without the distractions of logos, websites, or admin tasks.

I’m sharing hard-learned lessons on why most people aren’t cut out for entrepreneurship, common mistakes new business owners make, and what truly matters when starting out. Ready to stop talking and start doing? This episode’s for you.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:29 The harsh truth: 95% of people aren’t built to start a business—and why that’s okay.

03:28 Why your niche, product, and real results matter more than branding

07:28 Proving your concept and providing services that will make money

09:30 Making your business repeatable without trading time for money

12:13 Simple scales, fancy fails: Why overcomplicating your business is a recipe for disaster

14:02 Focusing on sales and marketing

17:41 Hiring talent from networking instead of job boards

22:12 Learning to delegate to scale your business the right way

23:14 Systemizing your business through SOPs and other tools

31:36 The importance of communication within your team

Quotables

“Ideas are pointless. Everyone has them. What matters is who takes action and gets paid for them.”

“Simple scales. Fancy fails. The more complex you make it, the worse your product probably is.”

“If you can’t sell it more than once, it’s not a business. It’s just a hustle.”

Links

Budgetdog

https://budgetdog.com

Asana

https://asana.com/

Quickbooks

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/

In this episode, I break down the five key aspects of human nature that often hold us back from achieving financial success. I dive into the psychology of money, emotional decision-making, and the societal pressures that shape how we manage our finances. Along the way, I share actionable solutions to help you overcome these natural tendencies and provide insights into creating lasting wealth through discipline, patience, and self-awareness.

Join me for relatable stories, practical advice, and a clear roadmap to help you navigate and conquer common financial pitfalls.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

02:16 The role of psychology in your success

03:34 Reason 1: The natural instinct to avoid pain

07:21 How to overcome the instinct to avoid pain

08:36 Reason 2: Survival instincts and short-term thinking

11:52 Understanding the difference between your needs and wants

13:30 Reason 3: Emotional decision-making

14:20 Logic vs emotions in wealth-building

17:58 Reason 4: Groupthink and trends

20:31 How to overcome groupthinking

24:28 Reason 5: The desire for good social standing

28:53 Starting the work with your mindset

Quotables

“Building wealth often requires embracing pain—it’s part of the process of growth.”

“If you always chase short-term gratification, you’ll never achieve long-term financial success.”

“The more self-aware you are about your psychology, the better your financial decisions will be.”

Links

Budgetdog

https://budgetdog.com

In this actionable episode of Money on My Mind, I share my step-by-step playbook for securing a raise, drawing from my personal experience of achieving a 17% raise during my time at Deloitte. I tackle common misconceptions about earning more, emphasizing that providing value is far more important than relying on tenure. I break down the critical strategies of gathering market data, tracking your performance metrics, and delivering a confident, compelling pitch.

Whether you’re looking to level up in your career or gain insight into employee dynamics, this episode is packed with powerful tools to help you achieve professional growth.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Shifting your mindset to understand the difference between time and value

02:48 How you should approach the idea of asking for a raise

04:24 Gathering market data and benchmarking salaries

06:22 Understanding your role’s market demand and timing your request

08:12 Exchanging value for money

12:36 The power of tracking performance data to quantify your contributions

15:29 Preparing for the big discussion: How to structure your pitch
16:36 The value of taking the lead

19:26 Presenting yourself confidently to get your raise

20:25 The importance of having a fallback position to strengthen your negotiation

23:55 Framework recap: How to get a raise

Quotables

“Time does not equal more money.”

“If you want a raise, you need to show up with facts, data, and confidence—it’s not just about asking.”

“Leaders naturally rise to the occasion—if you want to earn more, start thinking and acting like one.”

Links

Budgetdog

https://budgetdog.com