In this episode, we sit down with Donna Cirillo, founder of Smart Money Changes Everything, to explore how she built a purpose-driven career in financial education that serves everyone from teens in libraries to adults rebuilding after major life transitions. Donna shares how her journey began in a high-pressure bank call center, where overwhelmed staff and frustrated customers pushed her to create her first informal financial training. That experience sparked a lifelong mission to teach money skills in practical, compassionate, and genuinely transformative ways.
We unpack how Donna uses a clear program-implementation framework to tailor education for very different audiences. She explains how she identifies learner pain points, designs outcome-focused sessions, and documents results through assessments and storytelling - positioning herself as a trusted partner for organizations seeking more than a basic budgeting talk.
Whether you're new to financial education or working to deepen your impact, Donna’s story demonstrates what becomes possible when empathy, curiosity, and professional standards come together. Her message is simple and powerful: with the right approach, smart money truly can change everything - for learners, families, and entire communities.
Main Website https://smartmoneychangeseverything.com
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-miano-cirillo/
Case Study Video https://smartmoneychangeseverything.com/case
