FI Minded - Financial Independence Without the Extremes

Today’s guest is Jay Williams, the Founder of Maskless Men, an community based organization built for men to discuss the things we normally don’t get to talk about: break ups, emotions, family and parenting issues, sex, porn, the feeling of being inadequate, and more. Jay started Maskless Men after he saw the need for men to have a place to open up, share how they’re feeling, and gain some reassur...

Today’s guest is Jared Schuster, Founder of Sparks of Consciousness which focuses on serving people who feel purposeless. In this conversation, Jared brings us through his last decade which included graduating through the 2008 recession, learning from yogis in India, a car accident that broke both of his legs, working with Shaman in South America, and much more. By listening to this episode, you’l...

Today’s guest is Christen Brandt, Co-Founder and Chief Programs Officer at She’s the First, an organization working to create a world where girls are safe and have equal rights. At the end of 2019, She’s the First had a presence in over 21 countries, had over 500 graduates of partner programs, and reached over 11,000 girls. 2020 has brought even more success for She’s the First, Christen, and her...

There is no doubt that humans are causing long-term destruction to the environment because of our decisions. So what can we do to do our part in helping the planet? Today’s guest, Tippi Thole, was asking herself the same question when she heard her son talking about zero waste. That kicked off a News Year’s resolution to reduce her trash. Her efforts paid off. Today, her family’s weekly trash can...

Today’s guest is James Aiken, Founder and President of Legacy Search, an independent recruiting agency in South Carolina. Over the last 8 months, COVID has wreaked havoc on many industries causing massive layoffs. I’ve had friends that have worked for airlines, restaurants, hotels, oil and gas, entertainment all lose their job. I’ve also heard from those that are gearing up to make a change. One g...

Today’s guest is Dr. Benjamin Ritter, Founder of Live for Yourself Consulting. Ben’s current chapter of life began when he got a wake up call walking into work one day. He was on his way to a Chicago medical center where he worked as an Executive in healthcare administration. As he glanced at fellow commuters that passed him on the sidewalk, he realized they all carried the same feelings on their...

Today’s guest is Dany Dao, the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Renaissance Group. Dany is a wildly interesting skill builder whose list of competencies include photographer, videographer, tailor, barber, magician, break dancer, and linguist. Dany was a computer science major turned college dropout with the intention of pursuing photography full-time. Quite an uneasy decision for someone with A...

Today’s guest is Ryan Bennett, who developed a method called The Intentional Growth Model to help people reach their full potential.  Ryan’s profile includes being an ESPN Academic All-American, founding member of a tech start-up, high-performance coach, speaker, and author of The Intentional Day. But these titles didn’t come easy. With the competitive fire leftover from collegiate baseball and a...

Today’s guest is Angela Marie, Founder of Find Your Purpose and Shine. During a thriving 19-year career in network marketing, Angela often found herself giving advice and coaching other professionals on how to succeed in the industry. That experience, and going through a live transformation of her own, lead her to creating her coaching business and writing a book titled “Get Overself Yourself and...

Today, I go solo and speak on the importance of skill acquisition. I believe learning new things will not only lead to professional advancements but a more meaningful, personal life as well. In this episode, I give a framework for how you can start learning something new. I will also caution you on obstacles to look out for and how to overcome them. This episode is perfect for someone who feels th...

Today’s guest is Brenden Kumarasamy, a speaking coach and Founder of MasterTalk. Growing up poor in Montreal, Brenden started seeking a better life for himself and his mom. He competed in case competitions in college which landed him a consulting job at IBM. After speaking over 400 times, he has now turned his attention to helping others find their public speaking talents. He founded MasterTalk wi...

Today’s guest is Jonathan Miller, a speaker, facilitator, and communication coach. He is also the host of the incredible podcast, Mindful Communication, where he has conversations with thinkers and influencers about the art and science of connection. In this episode, Jonathan and I discuss why there is not a right or wrong whenever it comes to communication. He also gives advice on how to say no t...

Today’s guest is Steve Gillen, Senior Executive at Marsh & McLennan Agency, with over 35 years of management and leadership experience. I was fortunate to work along side Steve for over 7 years. He’s a people first leader whom is both fair and challenging. In this episode, we will discuss how to become a better leader, addressing performance issues within your team, how to gain trust with more sen...

Today’s episode is a little different than the usual interview style format. Gaby Deimeke and I have officially been dating for one year, so I invited her on the show to have a discussion about the past year together. We share insights including what we’ve learned about each other, what we plan to work on in year two, and break down what’s worked for us so far. We are far from perfect but we are h...

Today’s guest is Lee Chambers, a Workplace Wellness Consultant that wants to help people live a healthier version of themselves. At a critical time in his life with a young child and a pregnant wife at home, he lost the ability to walk. After 11 months of rehabilitation, he regained mobility and decided to start a coaching business called Essentialise. During our conversation, Lee shares advice on...

Today’s guest is Daniel “Dee” Goines, who has spent the last 15 years crafting an impressive career in higher education. His story illustrates how you can create opportunities for yourself and capitalize on them. He has an infectious personality with a humble storyline. Oh, and he shook The Rock’s hand (you’ll hear more about it in the episode). This episode is perfect for someone who has been goi...

Today’s guest is Kate Holtz, a good friend who I admire for her ability to follow through with scary decisions. As a left-brain dominate, I’ve find sanctuary hearing that most of Kate’s big decisions are based on a gut feeling. In this episode, Kate and I discuss her decision to go to Butler University, how she found herself in San Francisco post-college, and handling the transition to long distan...

Today’s guest is Geoff King, a communication expert and all around great human. In this episode, Geoff and I discuss why we believe effective communication is the number one skillset that everyone should be investing time into mastering. Geoff shares some of his insights he’s learned from growing his real estate business, being President of a Toastmasters club, and competing and coaching in speech...

This is a special episode for me. With a group of friends in April, I completed a running challenge called the Calendar Club. I invited our group onto The Struggle is Real to discuss the challenge and lessons learned. We have lots of laughs throughout as everyone shares stories about their personal experiences. This light-hearted episode is perfect for those looking to learn more about a fitness c...

Today’s guest is Alexandra Dickinson, Founder and CEO of Ask For It, a negotiation training and coaching business. In this episode, Alexandra and I discuss how negotiating doesn’t need to feel combative and unpleasant. She gives tactics and advice on a myriad of topics including figuring out an appropriate salary range, practicing for a salary negotiation conversation, and handling the question “h...

Today’s guest is Luis Savery, Founder of Templo Education. In this episode, Luis and I discuss why he started an organization focused on educating young adults about financial literacy. We talk about why he believes your purchases reflect what you truly value, how to get someone to be your mentor, and the small yet significant difference between discipline and impulse. This episode is perfect for...

Joining me on the podcast today is Kevin McWilliams. In this episode, Kevin shares his story of developing a growth mindset and the impact that shift has had on his life. Kevin and I discuss how to align your time with your priorities to get what you want. We also dive into his love for sports, his complicated relationship with his dad, and spotting career opportunities. This episode is perfect fo...

Joining us on The Struggle is Real is Shane Jenne. In this episode, Shane and I discuss his early struggles with weight and how he was bound to a life filled with chronic health issues. Instead of fulfilling this prophecy though, Shane transformed his life losing 80 pounds the summer after his freshman year of college. He didn’t stop there though. His transformation inspired him to help those star...

Today’s guests are Jeff and Abby Nickel. These high school sweethearts share tips to have a successful relationship. We discuss the importance of forgiveness, creating a separate and joint identity, planning a wedding together, and the challenge of buying a house and moving in together. Throughout the 10 years of knowing them and watching their relationship grow, they have inspired me to become a...

Today we are speaking with my brother, Kyle Peters, who is a recent college graduate. At first he was destined to become a doctor yet took a left turn when he found what he was really looking for in retail leadership.   Key Takeaways: [0:58] Kyle shares why he choose going to college and becoming a doctor [3:10] Kyle talks about managing with the uncertainty around his degree choice [6:53] Why bei...