Money Stories

Jeff Burningham has lived many lives. At 13 he was scrubbing carpets just to afford basketball shoes. Fast forward to today, he has built billion-dollar firms, traveled to more than 60 countries, run for Governor of Utah, and served as a Bishop in his church. From the outside, it looked like he had it all. But on a family trip to Mexico, Jeff realized he had missed the first 11 months of his daugh...

For years, Colin O’Farrell worked in the oil and gas industry, learning firsthand how deals are structured and value is created. He went on to co-found a private equity-backed company that delivered three times the investors’ money in less than two years. But when the deal closed, the personal toll was undeniable. On his last day of employment, he underwent major lower back surgery after a crushed...

For five years, he played in the NYC subways just to pay his bills. Then he got the call, and within a year, he was headlining Red Rocks. But his real transformation didn't start on stage. It began backstage, watching his 72-year-old musical hero admit he was still grinding just because he "needed the money." In this episode, Lyle Divinsky unpacks the beautiful, brutal reality of life as a touring...

At 10 years old, he stood in a cold bus station and vowed to do whatever it took to escape scarcity. He succeeded, founding, scaling, and exiting a natural remedies company. But Ret Taylor’s real transformation began on a frozen mountainside on Denali, when he finally admitted the truth: he was idolizing the wrong thing. In this episode, Ret unpacks the invisible script that drives so many entrepr...

Philip McKernan was $200 from broke, drowning in debt, and silently unraveling in the shadows of a failed real estate venture. But in the silence of that low point, he finally said the words that would change everything: “I’m gonna f-ing do this coaching thing.” In this raw and unflinching conversation, Philip shares the untold story behind his reinvention. He takes us through the emotional reckon...

He grew up skipping school to clean houses, so his mom wouldn’t drown in debt. Now he runs one of the top U.S. tax firms in Europe. But Ryan Larson’s real transformation didn’t start with money. It started the night he stood in his dream home, holding his wife, and finally admitted the truth: he was miserable. In this episode, Ryan unpacks the invisible weight entrepreneurs carry: the grind, the s...

Fourteen years building a publicly traded biotech company, then one fall, thirty feet, and everything changed. This is the story of how Artie Sandstone walked away from the grind of IPOs, lawsuits, and never-ending capital raises to rediscover the artist he buried under a CEO title. In this episode, we trace the arc from rebellious teen in a reform school to a driven founder leading a clinical-sta...

The day after his multi-nine-figure exit, Eric Spett flew to Costa Rica and told himself he was fine. He wasn't. In this episode, Eric opens up about the silent costs of success, the kind that don’t show up in earnings reports or exit headlines. We go deeper than business tactics and market timing. We talk about what happens when the engine that drove your ambition also drove you into the ground....

Preston Brown was the classic success story - until a call in 2019 shattered the illusion. His father was gone. And so was the meaning he'd tied to the empire he'd built. This isn’t a story about getting rich. It’s a story about what happens after. Preston built and sold multiple businesses and built a 9-figure net worth. But it took losing his father to realize he’d traded presence for performanc...

When Derek Haswell co-founded Ten Percent Happier, he wasn’t chasing profit, he was chasing peace. What he didn’t realize was that the drive powering his every move wasn’t purpose… it was unworthiness. In this conversation, Derek opens the hood on his journey; from growing up in a home where money was never discussed, to building a mission-driven company that served millions, to quietly unraveling...

At 15, Carm Huntress lost both his parents to cancer. By 45, he had founded two nine-figure companies. But the path between those moments wasn’t paved with strategy—it was survival, trauma, and a hunger to feel like he was enough. In this raw conversation, Carm opens up about what it cost to build a company from darkness—and what it took to finally lead from light. We explore the invisible forces...

Popcorn in hot dog buns. Running to Oklahoma. Living on one salary while building a business worth tens of millions. David Staley didn’t just bootstrap a nine-figure agency—he did it with grit forged in scarcity, loyalty, and a relentless willingness to do hard things. In this episode, we unpack the untold layers behind the Digible co-founder’s journey: the emotional cost of building a rocket ship...

Juliet and Kelly Starrett have trained Olympians, coached Navy SEALs, and built a global health & fitness empire. But what happens when your body becomes your brand—and the pressure to keep performing starts to erode the very health you’re trying to protect? In this episode of Money Stories, we explore the Starretts' evolution—from world-class competitors and clinicians to guides for sustainable,...

At age 14, Seth Conger made $225 in tips on his third day working at a golf course—and unknowingly walked into a trap that would define the next two decades of his life. His boss told him, “If I don’t see you sprinting, I assume you’re not working.” That offhand comment became his operating system. And like a lot of high-achievers, Seth built an identity on speed, sacrifice, and showing his value...

Most founders chase the exit. Mike Mathweg got his. Then came the 12-word call that stripped him of his identity, his status, and the illusion of safety he’d built his life around. In this conversation, Mike reveals how that moment became the line in the sand—forcing him to confront the version of success he had been sold, and step into the leader he actually wanted to be. We unpack: Why the call...

What if the path to financial freedom isn't just about investing—it's about mining your own opportunities? In this episode of Money Stories, Beau Turner reveals how Bitcoin mining is transforming passive income strategies for everyday investors. We explore his journey from real estate success to founding Abundant Mines and how he's helping clients build wealth through transparent, sustainable cryp...

What if your brand isn’t what you build—but who you are? In this episode of Money Stories, Kristen Brown pulls back the curtain on what most founders get wrong about branding—and why true alignment starts inside the walls of your company, not on its website. You’ll hear: • The gut-wrenching day Kristen lost 40% of her revenue—and why it set her free • How branding became the gateway to rebuilding...

What if the life you’re building... isn’t yours? In this episode of Money Stories, Kevin Dahlstrom unpacks what it takes to walk away from a “perfect” life—and why true wealth starts where societal success ends. You’ll hear: The boardroom epiphany that changed everything Why so many high-achievers feel trapped by the very lives they built The surprising role rock climbing played in Kevin’s path to...

What if the biggest ceiling in your business isn’t tactical—it’s relational? In this episode of Money Stories, Hollis Carter unpacks how real breakthroughs happen: not in spreadsheets or strategy decks, but in spaces designed for trust, truth, and the occasional hot tub conversation. We explore the journey behind Baby Bathwater Institute and how he’s helped hundreds of top founders grow without lo...

What does it take to spot the next billion-dollar startup? Michael Litt knows—and he’s sharing the secret. In this episode of Money Stories, you’ll discover: - How AI is unlocking a golden era of technology—and why startups ignoring it will fail - The asymmetric opportunities top investors chase (and how to find them) - Why companies now hit $100M in revenue with just 20-30 employees - The future...

Imagine selling your company for millions - and then buying it back for pennies on the dollar. That's precisely what Cathryn Lavery did. In this episode of Money Stories, you'll learn: How our superpowers eventually become our limitations The importance of setting boundaries as a founder Why so many entrepreneurs outsource their confidence and more!

Think hard work alone can solve your money woes? Behavioral scientist Blake Eastman says think again. In this eye-opening episode of Money Stories, Blake—founder of The Nonverbal Group and a former psych professor—reveals why our patterns, not our efforts, shape our financial reality. From childhood money stories to the psychology of risk, discover why grinding harder might be killing your finance...

In this episode, I sit down with one of my favorite people, Matthew Barnes, founder of Proteus Digital Lab (https://proteusdigitallab.com) and a genius at conversion rate optimization. Together, we dive into how to think like the 1%—and how you can too. Matthew shares mind-blowing wisdom on redefining wealth beyond just money, mastering delegation, and aligning incentives to skyrocket growth in bu...

In this powerful conversation, Mike Brown sits down with Dan Martell, entrepreneur, investor, and author, to discuss how you can shift your money mindset from lack to abundance and unlock the wealth you deserve. They dive into the strategies that have helped Dan Martell build a $100M empire and the mindset shifts that can lead to true financial freedom. In this podcast, you'll learn: - How to iden...