Living Not So Fabulously

You may know Phil Schraeder as the innovative CEO of GumGum, a cutting-edge AI digital advertising firm that’s changing the way brands connect with audiences. But before rising to leadership in a challenging industry with a focus on diversity and inclusion, Schrader navigated his own financial hurdles, including a life-changing experience on the game show “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?”. In...

You may know Mo Welch’s creative and cutting-comedy from her “Dad Jokes” comedy special or her recently concluded stand-up tour with Brett Goldstein (known for his role as Roy Kent in the Apple TV+ sports comedy series “Ted Lasso”). But before becoming the next big up-and-coming comedian, she had to learn the hard way how to grow her career while managing her bills. On this week’s episode of Livin...

Many pressures impact how we manage our money, from friends pressuring you to spend money you don't have on a big trip to trends in the news swaying you into more risky investments. Even coworkers offer unfounded advice on your approach to wealth management. But have you ever considered the impact of toxic masculinity on your money? On this episode of Living Not So Fabulously, hosts David & John A...

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, better known as DEI, initiatives have been coming under increased scrutiny since President Trump took office. Several companies have ended or reduced their DEI push. Most recently, JPMorgan (JPM) dropped most of its references to DEI from its annual report. On the latest episode of Living Not So Fabulously hosts David & John Auten-Schneider spoke with Fuerza Strat...

Angel investing is somewhat of a mystery to many. Where does their money come from? How do they spot a good startup? How does the market and politics impact their investments? However, small business owners and entrepreneurs know that an angel investor’s insights might hold the key to their big break. On this week’s episode of Living Not So Fabulously, hosts David & John Auten-Schneider speak with...

With President Trump eliminating almost anything remotely DEI-related in the federal government, as well as erasing all HIV and LGBTQ+ medical care guidance from the CDC website, today’s guest on Living Not So Fabulously couldn’t be more timely. From climbing out of credit card debt by launching a small business to preparing his finances for coming out publicly as HIV positive and then turning his...

When applying for a mortgage, small business owners often face extra challenges, as banks perceive their income as risky and volatile. Elizabeth Gore, President and Co-founder of Hello Alice, shares her experience of struggling to buy a home while starting her business. Despite the potential for wealth creation, small business owners—particularly those from marginalized groups (women, people of co...

What does it take to succeed as a small business owner in today's economy? According to former Biden administration official Jonathan Lovitz, it's not just about surviving but ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. As the director of public affairs & senior adviser at the US Economic Development Administration (within the US Department of Commerce), and the former senior vice presid...

Not every big business dream will come to life—it’s a hard pill to swallow. In fact, both the Small Business Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics report that 20% of small businesses fail within the first two years. Even more staggering is that that 45% of small businesses fail in their first five years, and 65% in their first ten years. So what’s an entrepreneur to do? BKLYN LEAGUE Fo...

As most entrepreneurs can attest, the journey to success is not linear. It's a path where failures sometimes teach greater lessons than wins, one where failing forward might just offer the key to prosperity. Motivo Scar Care founder and CEO Jadis Montijo learned first-hand how to be a better businessman from his mistakes in his first venture, The Kind Pen. Though he and his team saw much success a...

Since most people know a teacher, it's no surprise that an episode of Living Not So Fabulously about teacher salaries will address the invariable underpayment of educators. "Teachers don't make very much money," education director and advocate Cam Lieberson told hosts David & John Auten-Schneider, frankly. Though 2024 has seen the largest year-over-year teacher pay increase in over a decade, when...

Sitting in his home on a lazy Saturday morning, listening to an economics program, UBS Wealth Management Chief Economist Paul Donovan found himself absolutely appalled at the coverage he was hearing on the economics of marriage equality. "I was choking on my cup of tea. It was that bad a set of arguments," he told husbands and hosts David & John Auten-Schneider on Living Not So Fabulously. "It was...

Legendary musician Shira Yevin solidified her place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when her band Shiragirl crashed their hot pink bus into Vans Warped Tour in 2004. With no money in the bank and a lot of spirit, the bus was a DIY mobile stage built to offer a literal platform for women-fronted bands at—what was then—a de facto men-only-fronted-bands tour. "I was working on the tour the summer bef...

Engaging with money on a regular basis can be tricky, even for those who are well-versed in the nuances of personal finance, let alone for folks who have the added struggle of growing up in poverty. For NBC News and MSNBC correspondent Steven Romo, the money trauma that came from climbing out of childhood poverty stayed with him in life, he explained to Living Not So Fabulously hosts David & John...

For those of us who have practically lived on LinkedIn, Indeed, and the like as we've hunted for our next career opportunity, it might be a little deflating to discover that we could have been doing more, specifically with a mentor. LinkedIn Career Expert Andrew McCaskill joins Living Not So Fabulously hosts David & John Auten-Schneider to shed light on how jobseeker's can approach finding the rig...

Though the legendary Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn needs little introduction, his story does. Gunn wasn't always the celebrity we know him to be today; he was a career educator for 29 years. Gunn shared with Living Not So Fabulously hosts David & John Auten-Schneider that teaching is more of a calling than a job. He identified as a ‘pauper educator,’ with more of a focus on serving students than...

While most teenagers concern themselves with the latest social media trends, surviving middle school, and running around with friends, Michael Sayman was focused on building apps to support his family. Living Not So Fabulously hosts David & John Auten-Schneider speak with Sayman about his unique experience becoming Meta Generative AI Software Engineer & Friendly Apps Founder, which started as his...

Imagine having a brick thrown through the window of your small business, which you worked so hard to build after the pandemic. Now imagine that happening four times in just two months. That is the story for VERS LGBTQ+ bar co-owner and Give Lively CEO David DeParolesa. Opening the bar wasn't just about the bottom line — he had a mission to create a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community as similar ve...

Wage disparities across industries are stark, especially for LGBTQ+ folks where only 1 in 25 LGBTQ+ men hold high-paying jobs compared to 1 in 7 non-LGBTQ+ men, according to Prudential's 2018 Financial Wealth Census. With less money coming into the LGBTQ+ community than other demographics, how can the community find financial growth and success? In this episode of Living Not So Fabulously, hosts D...

On this episode of Living Not So Fabulously, hosts and husbands David & John Auten-Schneider, bring you the story of OkCupid Director of Brand Marketing Michael Kaye who's been making waves with his career and some unexpected personal finance insights. Starting out at a salary barely high enough to cover his commute, Kaye didn’t just play by the rules—he rewrote them. Catch how Kaye boosted his in...

Like a real-life, Rachel Green from the acclaimed TV series Friends, NYC-native Anthony Stratis always dreamed of working in fashion while seeking financial independence that he didn't have as a kid. But in New York City, known for a hustle culture and high price of living, growing personal wealth is incredibly difficult. Adding another layer to that, Stratis grew up in a financially unstable sing...

Can love, money, and show biz successfully mix? Married couple Eric Berger and Dan Amboyer prove it's possible, albeit rare. You might recognize actor Amboyer from hit TV shows like Younger and Uncoupled, while his husband Berger is a Senior Vice President of Wealth Management at UBS. On this episode Living Not So Fabulously, hosts David & John Auten-Schneider dive deeper into their story of the f...

Ready for a masterclass in resilience? In this candid conversation, Hosts Living Not So Fabulously, David & John Auten-Schneider, speak with trailblazer Executive Vice President and head of Wells Fargo's Commercial Banking Diverse Segments, Ruth Jacks. She shares her remarkable journey of overcoming extreme poverty and societal challenges as a queer, Black woman, to ascend the corporate ladder ove...

What if you didn't just survive a layoff, but thrived, instead? What if you could find real opportunities in a moment of hardship and set out to make a difference? Well that's exactly what the powerhouse CEO and founder of Out Leadership, Todd Sears did. In this episode of Living Not So Fabulously, David and John talked with Sears about career pivots, turning setbacks into launching pads, and how...

Is it possible to prepare for every emergency, stacked like a disaster Jenga? Patrick L. Riley would argue it’s a tall order. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an electrical fire destroyed his home and exposed a lapsed insurance policy. Riley’s battle with insurance companies and reliance on support networks is a lesson in resilience and the importance of solid financial planning. His story also under...