Shows
Weird FinanceHow to Think Like a Financial Planner with Cristina Livadary and Stephanie BuckoStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. In this episode of Weird Finance, host Paco de Leon, along with Stephanie Bucko and Cristina Livadary from Mana Financial Life Design (@manafld), dive into the essentials of thinking like a financial planner. They discuss targeting clients with growth mindsets, particularly those in helping professions and the sandwich generation. Stephanie explains the trade-offs for business owners aiming to keep taxes low versus paying more into Social Security and retirement plans. Christina shares insights on mastering personal finance and emphasizes the importance of understanding fin...2024-07-0856 min
Weird FinanceHow to Build a Million-Dollar Business with Rachel RodgersStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Rachel Rodgers. Rachel shares her personal tale of going from lawyer to exhilarating business coach, emphasizing the significance of pursuing work that fuels your passion. They delve into the intriguing world of making bold business decisions for financial abundance, tackle the idea of "broke-ass decisions," and dissect the psychological hurdles that can impede financial growth.
They also discuss the importance of trusting one's intuition in business decisions, the strategic moves to scale a b...2024-02-121h 03
Weird FinanceWhy Cultivating Your Creative Community Is Essential with Bryce Dallas HowardStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco speaks with renowned actress and director Bryce Dallas Howard (@brycedhoward) about the challenges and opportunities in the entertainment industry, her work supporting emerging entertainment entrepreneurs through Nine Muses Entertainment, unrealistic expectations about financial success in Hollywood, creative mastery, the importance of personally defining success and why it’s essential to cultivate a creative community.
A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode.
Thank...2024-02-041h 15
Weird FinanceReimagining Our Relationship to Work and Ambition with Amina AlTai
Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, our host Paco delves into a conversation with Amina AlTai about reimagining our relationship to work. The conversation covers a range of topics, beginning with the notion of shame and guilt tied to earning money, with Amina revealing that around half of her clients grapple with these emotions, particularly those from historically marginalized groups. Amina, who transitioned to coaching following a burnout in her marketing career, illuminates her holistic approach to overcoming these feelings through mind...2024-01-2850 min
Weird FinanceDebunking Frugality Myths with Jen Smith and Jill SirianniStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco unpacks the hottest new personal finance trend of loud budgeting with frugality experts Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni from the Frugal Friends podcast. Jen and Jill delve into their stories: what prompted them to begin their frugal journeys, how they’ve changed their relationship to frugality along the way, and some of their frugal fumbles.
Jen and Jill tackle and debunk widespread myths about frugality head-on, from the false belief that being frugal is only f...2024-01-2149 min
Weird FinanceHow to Unravel Money Guilt with Kristan SargeantStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, we dive deep into the intertwined realms of financial health and personal growth with our esteemed guest, Kristan Sargeant. Kristan shares the transformative power of accessing the unconscious to unlock healing and potential. Touching on the entanglement of money, guilt, and shame, Kristan unveils how these emotions often dwell in our shadow selves.
Our host Paco reveals her personal shadow exploration journey, with Kristan advising the embrace of one's ambitions without guilt. The conversation further del...2024-01-141h 05
Weird FinanceI Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt with Madeline PendletonStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this compelling episode of Weird Finance, Madeline Pendleton, the dynamic owner of the vintage clothing company Tunnel Vision and TikTok's "Gen Z's Aunt Madeline," dives deep into the complexities of financial control, economic destiny, and the interplay between personal agency and systemic forces. Madeline shares her personal journey of overcoming poverty, the illusory nature of the American dream, and the struggles of her generation during and following the Great Recession. She offers an honest reflection on the limitations of hard work in ach...2024-01-0759 min
Weird FinanceWhy You Need a Will and Maybe a Trust with Patrick HicksStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco speaks with Patrick Hicks of Trust and Will about the ins and outs of estate planning. Patrick explains why it’s crucial for everyone—not just the wealthy—to understand wills, trusts, and probate. He debunks the common misconception that trusts are strictly for the rich and shares invaluable insights into the evitable challenges, analysis, and decisions required for the proper preparation of an estate plan. Patrick also talks about his personal life journey, sharing anecdotes from his...2023-12-3144 min
Weird FinanceEmotionally Balanced Money Management with Marsha BarnesStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this insightful episode of Weird Finance, our guest Marsha Barnes takes listeners on a deep dive into personal finance, financial planning, and the emotional connections to money. Marsha shares her journey from banking to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing earnings over job titles. She shares the need for a shift in focus from job titles to salaries and long-term financial planning. Shouting out the significance of financial education, she encourages everyone to manage their finances wisely. Marsha talks about her role at...2023-12-2451 min
Weird FinanceHow Prenups Support Marital and Money Health with Aaron ThomasStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco chats with lawyer and financial expert Aaron Thomas to discuss prenuptial agreements. Aaron shares his journey from skepticism to appreciation for prenups, emphasizing that they can be more than just a safety measure in case of divorce. He discusses the importance of financial transparency, explicit conversations, and predetermined rules, which can all contribute to a healthier, conflict-free marriage. Aaron also takes a deep dive into the world of postnuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements, explaining why more cou...2023-12-1750 min
Weird FinanceBreaking the Taboo of Talking About Money with Maya LauStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Maya Lau to pierce the taboo surrounding money talks. They delve deep into Maya's journey from being an investigative journalist to starting her podcast, Other People's Pockets, a venture that allowed her to explore her guests' careers, including their finances. Together, they acknowledge the awkwardness and fear when discussing finances, transitioning career paths, valuing one's skills, and introducing personal finance discussions to the younger generation. The talk rounds up with Maya's insights about money, her...2023-12-101h 08
Weird FinanceThe Surprising Ties Between Money & Relationships with Joel LarsgaardStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco speaks with Joel Larsgaard about how his childhood experiences shaped his relationship with money and catalyzed his personal finance journey. Joel discusses the evolving world of podcasting, the dangers of having too much money, and the importance of reaching financial comfort - a point where money doesn't burden you with stress. He emphasizes the crucial role of personal values and preferences and the impact of childhood experiences on financial decisions. In a captivating conversation, Joel expresses con...2023-12-031h 04
Weird FinanceEverything that Money Can't Buy with Khe HyStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this thought-provoking episode of Weird Finance, Paco’s conversation with Khe Hy reveals insights on issues that money can't resolve, such as the universal need to feel worthy of love and the influence of our environment on emotional well-being. Khe sheds light on the misconception about viewing home renovations as investments capable of yielding increased value single-handedly. They delve into the consequences of lifestyle creep, reflecting on Khe’s personal experiences and how he addresses money and peace in his life. He tactful...2023-11-261h 21
Weird FinanceThe Joys and Challenges of Travel Hacking with Julia MenezStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Julia Menez about the world of travel hacking. Starting with the basics, Julia highlights the importance of being responsible with credit cards, advising listeners to start small and ensure balances are paid off monthly to reap maximum rewards. Julia shares her journey from actuary to successful travel hacker and podcast host, explaining how reading finance blogs and interest in points systems led to creating GeoBreeze Travel. As well as travel advice, she offers her uni...2023-11-1951 min
Weird FinanceHow You Can Save Now, Buy Later with Michael HershfieldStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Michael Hershfield about the innovative concept behind Accrue, a co-branded savings wallet that aims to revolutionize how we save money.
Michael also addresses the lack of innovation in US saving options, the challenges American consumers face in effective savings, the personal experiences and beliefs that drove the creation of Accrue, and Michael and Paco’s personal beliefs on buy now, pay later options for consumers.
Michael is the Founder and CEO of...2023-11-1257 min
Weird FinanceWhat to Do When You're Drowning in Debt with Leslie TayneStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Leslie H Tayne about the daunting topic of being overwhelmed by debt. As a renowned expert in debt resolution and founder of her own law firm, Leslie shares her invaluable insights and advice on what to do when you find yourself drowning in debt, from identifying reputable debt settlement companies and avoiding scams to understanding the complexities of bankruptcy and federal student loans.
Leslie H. Tayne, Esq. (@LeslieHTayneEsq,@lesliehtayne) is an accomplished fina...2023-11-051h 19
Weird FinanceEverything You Need to Know About Making Your Student Loan Payments with Dan RookerStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Dan Rooker about everything you need to know about making your student loan payments. Dan is an expert in the field and will be sharing valuable insights on income-driven repayment plans, recertification requirements, the benefits of consulting a student loan professional and the double-consolidation loophole. We'll also dive into Public Service Loan Forgiveness, the importance of researching career paths before pursuing grad school, and how to navigate the ever-changing landscape of student loan forgiveness pro...2023-10-2958 min
Weird FinanceGetting Out of Wealth Purgatory with Krista St-GermainStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Krista St. Germain about becoming a grief expert and coach, the misconceptions about grief, the importance of integrating grief into one’s life, the concept of wealth purgatory, normalizing discussions around grief and money, the challenge of receiving a large sum of money in the aftermath of loss, and the practical and emotional aspects of managing finances, including healing and challenging belief systems around money.
Krista St-Germain (@lifecoachkrista) is a Master Certified Life C...2023-10-2254 min
Weird FinanceStrategies for Negotiating Your Pay with Nadia De AlaStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Nadia De Ala about strategies for negotiating pay, including the importance of research, mindset, and self-advocacy. They discuss Nadia’s journey of leaving an unfulfilling sales job to create a brand focused on empowering marginalized communities, coping with impostor syndrome, and the importance of negotiating pay and creating a more equitable workplace for marginalized communities.
Nadia De Ala (@nadiadeala) is the founder of Real You Leadership, an ex-techie turned leadership and negotiation coach...2023-10-151h 08
Weird FinanceHow to Achieve Creative Euphoria with Joshua Evan GreenbergStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Joshua Evan Greenberg about his experience as a creative professional and his experience making music videos, creating commercials and building a brand incubator. Joshua speaks about his perspective on how to achieve key to creative euphoria, the decline of the creative services industry and the importance of having a strong foundation.
Joshua Evan Greenberg is an advertising & entertainment executive, primarily working as a producer. He's one half of 2talJuez, an immersive directing duo...2023-10-081h 14
Weird FinanceMoney Out Loud with Berna AnatStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Berna Anat about becoming an influencer in the personal finance space, the complicated relationship between social media as a tool for both earning money and reinforcing scarcity and lack, the various ways influencers can make money, the pitfalls of relying on an algorithm for income and the pros and cons of being paid to be yourself.
Berna Anat is an award-winning author, speaker, producer and Financial Hype Woman, which is her made-up way...2023-10-011h 15
Weird FinanceBehind the Scenes of the Hollywood Strike with Damian GomezStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Damain Gomez about his 20 years of experience as a working actor in Los Angeles, from his first paying job to how he got his union status, his perspective on the strike and why he feels hopeful, the ups and downs of a career in the arts, and the value of creativity.
Born in San Francisco but residing in Los Angeles, Damian(@mrdamiangomez) has made a career for himself in the entertainment world. Hi...2023-09-171h 06
Weird FinanceStrangers Share Their Salary with Hannah WilliamsStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Hannah Williams about her own struggle with being underpaid because of a lack of salary transparency, the job she’s created for herself asking strangers how much money they make, the pros and cons of salary transparency and tips to start talking about salary and money with co-workers and friends.
Hannah Williams (@salarytransparentstreet) is a popular Gen Z Finance creator and CEO of "Salary Transparent Street," which tackles a major issue: salary trans...2023-09-1050 min
Weird FinanceMoney, Spirituality, and The Karma of Success with Liz TranStay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter.
In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Liz Tran about her philosophy on money, how her past experiences have shaped her relationship with money, how her biggest financial failure gave her the most confidence, the role of gratitude and receptiveness in getting what you want and Buddhist economics.
Liz Tran (@heyliztran) is an executive coach to the CEOs and founders of tech companies. Altogether, her clients have raised over $400 million in funding and created $4 billion in enterprise value. She's al...2023-09-0359 min
Weird FinanceBecoming a Community-Made Millionaire with Angel TrinidadIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Angel Trinidad about their philosophies around goal setting, reprogramming her mindset around money and scarcity, how helping others through the tools we create can be the most meaningful work we do, the challenges of sudden wealth and the idea of abundance being shared enoughness.
First-generation, queer, Filipina American, Angelia “Angel” Trinidad (she/they) is the CEO and Founder of Passion Planner. After graduating from UCLA with a B.A. in Art and a Minor in Arts Education, she found herself depressed, spiraling down, and struggling to find direction. With...2023-08-2059 min
Weird FinanceHow To Be A Crypto Skeptic with Molly WhiteIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Molly White about how she became one of the most vocal critics of web3, crypto decentralized finance, and web3, the limitations and false promises of these technologies, the parallels between the current AI hype and the previous crypto hype and how cannot be divorced from its societal impacts.
Molly White (@molly0xFFF) is a software engineer, writer, and critic of the cryptocurrency industry. She founded and maintains the website Web3 is Going Just Great, which highlights examples of how cryptocurrency and web3 projects are failing to live up...2023-08-1358 min
Weird FinanceKeeping Finance Personal with Leo AquinoIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Leo Aquino about their experience immigrating to the United States, their path to becoming a personal finance journalist, how being true to yourself can translate into earning more money, the impact of anti-trans bills on trans people's finances, and advice for taking small actions towards personal financial transformation and social change.
Leo Aquino (@queerandtranswealth) is a poet, screenwriter, storyteller, and award-winning journalist covering anti-capitalist personal finance.
This episode also features The Economic Outlook with financial astrologer Susan Gidel. Susan, our resident economic cosmonaut, does what many huma...2023-08-0656 min
Weird FinanceDeveloping a Mindful Money Practice with Paul Montoy-WilsonIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Paul Montoy-Wilson about the importance of a mindful money practice, how his app, Allo works and helps users create a mindfulness and awareness around their spending, Paul's experience selling his previous company and coming into a life-changing sum of money, and how Paul applies mindful money practices to his own finances.
Paul Montoy-Wilson, originally an Electrical Engineering student at Stanford, pivoted to Computer Science following the iPhone's launch. His career took off when he led the Google Play launch, then co-founded Aviate, a mobile contextual search firm, with...2023-07-3051 min
Weird FinanceInvesting Is for Everyone with Amanda HoldenIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Amanda Holden about her journey from working in finance to teaching women how to invest, common myths that keep women from investing, paycheck routines, ethical investing, when to start saving for retirement, and easiest way to get started on your investing journey.
Amanda Holden is an award-winning money writer, speaker, educator, and... ex-finance bro. You may know her as @dumpster.doggy on the internet, where she can be found dishing out financial literacy education and flaunting her best #trashion outfits (or—if we go with cheese dress, "her ou...2023-07-161h 02
Weird FinanceThe Economics of the Housing Market with Daryl FairweatherIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Daryl Fairweather about how economics is fundamentally about decision making, why housing is so expensive, how climate change might impact housing, and the philosophical reasons why a land value tax makes sense.
Daryl Fairweather (@FairweatherPhD) is the chief economist of Redfin. Her insights have been featured on 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News, as well as in the New York Times and Washington Post. Prior to joining Redfin, she was a senior economist at Amazon working on problems related to employee engagement and managing a team of analysts. During the...2023-06-1842 min
Weird FinanceHow to Navigate Abundance When You Grew Up In Scarcity with iO Tillett WrightIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to iO Tillett Wright about his childhood in New York, how growing up in the scarce environment and surrounded by poverty has shaped him, his journey to homeownership, how he cultivates abundance and inner peace in his life, and the importance of community-oriented work.
iO Tillett Wright (@iolovesyou) is an author, screenwriter, producer, and podcast creator. He has been a public speaker, photographer, journalist, artist, curator, and actor.
iO has exhibited and curated artworks in the US, Europe, and Japan. His writing and photos have been published...2023-06-1153 min
Weird FinanceOvercoming Financial Anxiety with Lindsay Bryan PodvinIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Lindsay Bryan-Podvin about her journey in becoming a financial therapist, healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with financial anxiety, the four money personas, and how to know when it’s time to seek financial therapy.
Lindsay Bryan-Podvin (@mindmoneybalance) is a biracial financial wellness expert, speaker, and author of "The Financial Anxiety Solution." A practicing social worker since 2012, she uses a shame-free approach to help people get their minds and money in balance by focusing on the intersection of money and mental health using financial therapy. While financial literacy is...2023-04-3056 min
Weird FinanceFinancial Astrology and the Air Economy with Susan GidelIn this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks with Financial Astrologer Susan Gidel about how being a sixth-generation farmer has played a role in her work in economics and astrology, what exactly financial astrology is, understanding how it applies to the financial markets. Finally, Susan explains her predictions on the air economy.
Susan Abbott Gidel specializes in financial astrological market research and publishing. She also provides astrological consulting to help people succeed financially in career, business, investments, and trading.
After 35 years in the commodity futures business as a journalist and brokerage firm marketing executive, Susan...2023-03-1946 min