Hey girlies,
We hear from a lot of you that investing feels… scary.
Trust us, we get it. As finance writers, we both shy away from the topic because we’re scared to get it wrong. But that doesn’t mean we don’t invest — we do, and we think you should too.
So does today’s guest, financial advisor Zina Kumok (wholikens investing to baking a pie — an unexpected yet delicious analogy ).
Zina started her career as a newspaper reporter covering everything from March Madness to murder trials.
After documenting her struggle to live on $28,000 per year, she found her way into freelance finance writing.
A decade later, the desire to help people one-on-one led her to becoming a licensed financial advisor.
This conversation covered a lot of ground, but these were some highlights:
👟 Why Zina believes just starting to invest — even with $5 — beats waiting until you know everything or have thousands in the bank. (It’s like running a marathon. You don’t start with 26 miles, you start with 1.)
🏰 How her parents taught her to manage her own money before she even finished elementary school. (8-year old Zina saw right through those Disney World gift shop markups.)
💡 The moment Zina realized she didn’t know less than her male peers — she just wasn’t as confident.
👫 The unique challenges, perspectives, and advantages of growing up with immigrant parents who were transparent about money.
🧒 The finance advice for kids that drives Zina crazy — and what she recommends instead.
We want to be clear: This wasn't just another "here's how to start investing" conversation. Zina is literally a financial advisor, meaning she helps people with their finances for a living. She’s got the experience — but she also remembers the fear of starting.
Whether you're finally ready to tackle investing, trying to teach your kids financial responsibility, or you just want to hear from someone Cassidy deems “so freaking cool,” this conversation delivers. ☺️
See ya next time,
Emily + Cassidy 💸
P.S. Want to connect with Zina? Find her on Instagram @advisorzina or learn more about working with her team at chdouglas.com.
