Money Misfits

In this episode of Money Misfits, Professor Heath sits down with former College of San Mateo student Sasha Gret, now a transfer student at UCLA, to talk about the real experience of transitioning from community college to a major university—and the pressure to land internships along the way. Sasha shares what the first weeks at UCLA were actually like: the shock of huge lecture halls, the fast-pac...

Financial aid is supposed to help… so why does it make so many students feel broke? In this episode of the Money Misfits Transfer Arc, we break down the real experience of financial aid — not the version schools advertise. Because here’s the truth: 👉 Your financial aid doesn’t show up when you need it 👉 It hits all at once… and disappears fast 👉 And if you don’t understand the timing, it can co...

Episode 1 opens the Transfer Arc by breaking one of the biggest myths about transferring from community college to a four-year university: the hardest part isn’t the classes — it’s everything else. In this episode, Professor Heath sits down with Yasmina Asfour, a former College of San Mateo student who transferred directly from community college into her junior year at New York University. Togethe...

If you finally started investing — or you WANT to — but feel stuck wondering “Okay… now what?” this episode breaks it down step-by-step. No hype, no confusing jargon — just a simple path you can actually follow. In this In Detention breakdown, we talk about what to do after your first investment, how to build confidence over time, and the exact long-term system I make my own kids use. We’ll cover...

Three community college students. One $100 challenge. Zero investing experience. In this episode of Money Misfits, I sit down with three of my students—Tyreece Bramwell, Kayson Dahl, and Kenyon Shabazz—to talk about what really happens when young people take their first step into investing. The confusion. The procrastination. The fear. The wins. The losses. The “is this normal?” moments. No hype....

If you're getting your first credit card, this episode will save you from the mistakes almost every college student makes. I sat down with Hannah and Zion—both currently authorized users on their parents’ cards—and broke down the myths, the traps, and the real rules you need to follow if you want to build credit the smart way. In this in-detention episode, I explain why utilization matters mo...

If you’re 18–22 and thinking about getting your first credit card, this episode is your blueprint. Professor Heath sits down with two real college students — Hannah and Zien — to break down what actually happens when you’re an authorized user, how to choose your first card, and the biggest mistakes students make when building credit. We cover EVERYTHING your friends, parents, and TikTok never expl...

Welcome to Money Misfits: In Detention, where Professor Heath breaks down real financial lessons from college students—no guests, no fluff, just straight talk. In this solo episode, we follow up on the powerful conversation with Areefa and Dayana to uncover the six money topics every student needs to understand before life hits harder: 1️⃣ Budgeting & conscious spending 2️⃣ Building an emergen...

Most people don’t fail at budgeting — they just never start tracking. In this Money Misfits episode, Professor Heath breaks down how to build a budget that actually works in real life — no spreadsheets, no guilt. 🔥 Whether you’re just opening your first bank account or figuring out how to manage your post-grad paycheck, this episode will help you: ✅ Track your spending without overthinking ✅ Ca...

What really happens when college students look at their bank statements? Spoiler: it gets ugly. 😬My second installment of Money Misfits: College Cash Conversations. In this Money Misfits: College Cash Conversations episode, Professor Heath sits down with three real students — Umit, Sophia, and Michael — for a brutally honest talk about budgeting, spending habits, and what it really means to “adul...

Guests: Dayana Romero & Areefa Ali Host: Professor Stephen Heath In this kickoff episode of Money Misfits: College Cash Conversations, Professor Heath sits down with two of his online managerial accounting students, Dayana Romero and Areefa Ali, to create the blueprint for Season 1 — the six money topics college students actually want to talk about. Dayana opens up about moving out at 18, lear...

I had the chance to sit down with Cainã Barbério, an 18-year-old professional skater from Brazil, along with translator Liza dos Santos. We talked about:  🛹 Cainã’s journey from skating at age 4 to competing professionally.  🎶 How punk rock and skate culture fuel his passion.  📚 Balancing college, competitions, and sponsorships.  💰 The real challenges of managing money as a young athlete—trave...

🎙️ Just wrapped an inspiring Money Misfits episode with Isabella Vaka, a former student of mine who’s charting an incredible path. From community college at CSM → transfer to Cal Poly → internships in D.C. → now on Capitol Hill, Isabella shows what’s possible when you mix grit, financial discipline, and a willingness to pivot. We dug into: Why she chose community college during the pandemic — and...

🎓 From Community College to Cal Poly & SDSU | Money Misfits Podcast What’s it really like to transfer from community college to a four-year university? In this episode of Money Misfits , Professor Heath sits down with Ana Floyd (Cal Poly) and Aiden Takeuchi (San Diego State) —two former students who share their candid experiences navigating the transfer process, social challenges, financial s...

In this episode of Money Misfits, Professor Heath sits down with Mikky, the powerhouse behind Mikky and the Doom—a self-described “musical cult” fusing pop-punk, rock, and raw creative energy. 🎸🔥 Mikky opens up about her journey from stand-up comedy and voice acting to fronting a boundary-pushing band. She shares how discipline, sports, and resilience shaped her career, and how she built her bra...

In this episode of Money Misfits, Professor Heath sits down with Coach Hansen Sekona, Defensive Coordinator for the College of San Mateo Bulldogs. Coach Sekona’s journey is raw, real, and inspiring: Growing up in a large immigrant family in Southern California and the Bay Area Navigating survival mode, poverty, and missed opportunities in school Spending time in juvenile hall and finding a second...

What happens when two former student-athletes grind their way from cramped apartments, long commutes, and shared Domino’s pizzas at College of San Mateo… to finishing finance and accounting degrees, walking on at D1 basketball, and landing Big Four job offers? In this episode, Professor Heath sits down with Desai Lopez (San Diego State, PwC audit associate) and Kori “Co” McCoy (Cal State East Bay,...

Money Misfits, Episode 2 – I sat down with Dr. John Ulloa —a community college dean, cultural historian, and lowrider builder—who unpacks his journey from welding shops to classrooms and car shows. I loved this conversation as it’s a dive into the economics of culture, identity, and education. I walked away from the conversation more convinced than ever that  personal finance isn’t just about spre...

This episode dives into the world of pop-punk through the lens of Betty Mauritz, whose band Gold Steps has rocked stages across the country — from Vans Warped Tour to South by Southwest . But it’s not all crowd-surfing and stage lights. Betty opens up about the real costs of making music: maxed-out credit cards, DIY tour budgeting, and the hustle of forming a band-as-business through an LLC. She t...