Get Ready: Before Life Happens Podcast

Send us Fan Mail What you learn about money as a child can shape your decisions for life. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, Tony talks with Dr. Bilal Pandow about how childhood experiences shape lifelong money habits, why even highly educated people struggle with financial decisions, and how simple, consistent conversations can help build confidence and better financial behaviors o...

Send us Fan Mail How do you build financial confidence in a new country? It starts with learning how money works where you are. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens , I spoke with Bisola Tijani, the Whiz Queen , about building financial confidence when navigating a new country, learning how money works in a different system, and taking ownership of your financial future. Key Takeaways...

Send us Fan Mail It’s easier to be yourself, and that’s what builds real trust. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens , I spoke with Derek Pollard, founder of Constellar Creative, about why authentic communication is the foundation of strong relationships. We explored how finding your voice, staying curious, and focusing on small human moments can help you build trust and communicate mo...

Send us Fan Mail Clear money conversations help families prepare before life happens. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens , Tony talks with Jacqui Clarke, author of Stop Worrying About Money , about how better money conversations help families navigate caregiving, loss, divorce, and rising financial pressure.  They explore why money is often left unspoken, how that creates risk, and w...

Send us Fan Mail In many financial planning conversations, the loudest voices tend to shape the outcome. Yet some of the most important perspectives in the room often go unheard. What happens when we start asking better questions and make space for every voice to be part of the conversation? On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens , I spoke with Colleen Bowler, entrepreneur, speaker, and...

Send us Fan Mail Many financial decisions feel logical in the moment. Yet emotions often shape the choices we make about money. Understanding that connection can help us make better decisions and build stronger financial readiness. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens , I spoke with Mark Crowley, author and advocate for heart-based leadership , about how emotions shape the way we make...

Send us Fan Mail What if your best years are ahead?  On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, I spoke with Tamara Cortoos, midlife coach and founder of Midlife Crossroads Academy, about making your next chapter your best one by aligning your time, energy, and money with who you’re becoming. Key Takeaways 🔹 Be curious, follow the little signals and see where it takes you. 🔹 Small, consis...

Send us Fan Mail In financial services, three voices dominate the conversation: regulators, institutions, and technology. Julia Chin believes there’s a fourth voice we need to hear more clearly:  the human voice trying to make sense of it all.  On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens , I spoke with Julia Chin, financial crime fighter and founder of JFourth Solutions why financial crime pr...

Send us Fan Mail End-of-life planning is about more than death, it’s about leaving your family with clarity, stability, and peace of mind. On this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast , I spoke with Greg Barnsdale, death doula and author of Do Not Ignore Your Mortality about why end-of-life planning is one of the most meaningful acts of preparation we can make for our families. 📝 Takeaways  🔹...

Send us Fan Mail The best financial plans start with who you are and the life you want to live. On this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast, I spoke with Mike Milligan, CFP and author of The One of a Kind Financial Plan Book about how to build a personalized financial plan and retirement strategy that aligns your money, values, and relationships with the life you want to live. Takeaways 🔹 One-...

Send us Fan Mail What if the next chapter of your career is an opportunity to design a life filled with meaning, contribution, and new possibilities? On this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast , I spoke with Maria Dastur, Founder of Second Half Community about rethinking retirement and designing a portfolio life that blends purpose, contribution, and financial security. Key Takeaways:  🔹 A po...

Send us Fan Mail Are you trading your health for money?   On this episode, I speak with Stevyn Guinnip, author of Grow Wellthy, about the idea of “health net worth,” the compounding effect of daily habits, and why retirement planning should focus on health span, not just life span.  Key Takeaways: 🔹 Your health is an asset that directly impacts your financial life. 🔹 Retirement planning should c...

Send us Fan Mail Are you making financial decisions consciously, or being nudged by forces you do not see? On this episode, I speak with Ceres Chua, Money Psychologist and Financial Coach about the hidden psychology shaping our financial decisions. We explore how unconscious biases, money scripts, and marketing language influence the way we think about spending, saving, and sufficiency.  Key Takea...

Send us Fan Mail With the right financial plan and clear intention, your goals become achievable, not abstract. On this episode, I speak with Dr. Severine Bryan, Accredited Financial Counselor and host of The Dr. Sev Talks Money Podcast about how our money story shapes our decisions, how to process financial setbacks without shame, and why community, clarity, and a plan can help turn goals into re...

Send us Fan Mail When control shapes financial decisions, listening becomes the most important tool we have. In Part 2, I spoke with Joy Slabaugh, CFP, about how advisors and advocates can thoughtfully respond when they suspect a power imbalance is shaping financial decisions. 🔹 Financial abuse is controlling someone’s ability to acquire, use, or maintain economic resources.  🔹 Advisors should b...

Send us Fan Mail Financial abuse often begins quietly, with small patterns of control that slowly reshape someone’s financial agency. In part one of this two-part episode, Joy Slabaugh, CFP® and I explore what financial abuse is, how it shows up in relationships, and what advisors and families should be listening for. Key Takeaways 🔹 Financial abuse is about control, using money to limit another...

Send us Fan Mail AI is moving fast. The real question isn’t whether it will replace jobs. It’s which skills will still matter. In this episode, Chris Heye and I explore how AI may reshape financial planning, why communication and coaching are rising in importance, and what advisors must develop to stay relevant in the next 3–5 years. 🔑 Key Takeaways 🔹Most technologies create more jobs than they...

Send us Fan Mail Long-term care will impact most families, the question is whether you plan for it or react to it. In this episode, Nathan Sanow breaks down what long-term care really means, how insurance works as a leverage tool, and why planning early protects both dignity and relationships. Key Takeaways 🔹 Everyone needs a long-term care plan whether or not it includes insurance. 🔹 Medicare a...

Send us Fan Mail Philanthropy is more than writing a check, it’s an opportunity to shape the world you want to live in. In this episode, Deborah Goldstein, Philanthropic Advisor and Founder of Enlightened Philanthropy, shares how philanthropy becomes a reflection of your values, your legacy, and your vision for the future. Key Takeaways 🔹 Philanthropy is an opportunity to create the world you wan...

Send us Fan Mail Investing confidence begins with asking better questions and taking consistent action. In this conversation, Diana Perkins shares how curiosity, emotional regulation, and asking better questions can shift you from reactive to confident, especially for women who’ve been conditioned to stay on the sidelines.  Key Takeaways 🔹Curiosity builds investing confidence by shifting you from...

Send us Fan Mail Money decisions are rarely just about numbers. They’re shaped by identity, lived experience, values, and psychology, especially for people who are highly sensitive or hold marginalized identities. In this conversation, Diana Yanez, Certified Financial Planner and host of the Highly Sensitive Money Podcast explores how understanding who you are and what you care about can help you...

Send us Fan Mail Retirement today looks nothing like it did a generation ago. With fewer pensions, longer lifespans, and more personal responsibility, the real question isn’t when you retire, it’s who you become next . In this conversation, Joy Levin, Certified Professional Retirement Coach reframes retirement as an encore chapter; one rooted in values, meaning, community, and intentional experime...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast , I spoke with Rahkim Sabree , financial therapist and author of Overcoming Financial Trauma , about how our earliest experiences with money shape our behavior, stress responses, and sense of safety, often long before we have the language to understand what’s happening. Rahkim explains that financial trauma isn’t a personal failure or...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast , I spoke with Els Lagrou , author and financial literacy expert, about why financial literacy alone isn’t enough and how financial resilience, inclusion, and wellbeing must be part of the conversation. Els explains that even people with strong financial knowledge can experience stress and insecurity if they lack resilience. We explor...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast, I spoke with Julie Pinkerton, CEO and founder of Evozen and creator of the ClientFirst platform, about why human connection, not algorithms, drives meaningful professional relationships. Julie shares why the most effective way to grow your business often comes through peer relationships, how understanding behavioral styles improves c...