The Money JAR

How can high school students change the lives of others? Hear the story of high schoolers who created an app to help them stay connected with each other and their school. Todd and Evan talk with Rachel Gorgas--CEO of CCA Today, the Junior Achievement Company of the Year. She visited the White House in November, 2015 as part of National Entrepreneurship Month.

A common aim of starting a business is to make money. But othersuse entrepreneurship for social innovation. What does thislook like and how can it be done? Find out how the CEO's lifewas changed by starting a business. Evan and Todd talkwith Joseph Fortuno - winner of the Junior Achievement-MicrosoftSocial Innovation Award. He visited the White House inNovember, 2015 as part of National Entreprene...

What happens when start or grow a business without spending a bunch of money on an office? That's the question that Portland's Centrl Office looks to answer. During a recent open house event at Centrl Office, the Money Jar sent producer Alex Ward to interview the co-founder of Centrl Office - alongside several entrepreneurs - about why and how they do what they do.

Finding what we love and doing what we love is a dream for all of us as we prepare for the world of work. Evan and Todd continue our series on cool careers by talking with professional musician Bob Reynolds. Hear about the glory and the hard work playing music for a living. Bob Reynolds is a saxophonist and composer who performs with John Mayer, Usher, and Snarky Puppy. His 2013 album "Somewhere i...

This week on the show we're changing the format up a bit. Instead of our usual conversion with a guest, we listen in to short interviews with several members of board from Junior Achievement of Oregon & SW Washington. Since we had a room full of successful businessmen, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, we thought "what better opportunity to get their take on what made them successful?" We ask...

It is commonly believed intelligence is the most important trait for children to succeed. But this is not true. Character traits such as grit, perseverance, and self-discipline are even more important. Todd and Evan discuss the huge implications for parents and students with Paul Tough, the best-selling author of "How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character" and contri...

The Money Jar is back! After a winter hiatus and we're joined in the studio by writer, podcaster, and marathon runner Sarah Bowen-Shea of Another Mother Runner to discuss turning your hobby into a career. Several years ago, Sarah and her co-founder Dimity McDowell decided to team up and write a book about balancing motherhood, life, and running. That book ( Run Like a Mother ) quickly evolved into...

What is one of the most important skill to learn as a teen?  In this episode, we make the case that learning how to get a job and creating your own opportunities are high on the list.  Experience helps in getting a job, but how do you get experience when you have not had a job before?  Natalie Pacholl, Training Program Specialist for SEH American, offers sage advice on how to get experience that l...

Getting a driver's license is a major life event and considered something of a rite of passage in American culture.  The milestone can also be one of the scariest times for parents in the course of raising children.  Hosts Todd and Evan talk with State Farm agent John Freeman about how families can prepare for this important time and for what related expenses they need to be planning.  Keeping it...

Preparing for the world of work goes beyond reading, writing, and math.  Evan and Todd talk with Eric Preisz, CEO of GG Interactive and Garage Games , why it's important all students learn to code.  Mr. Preisz discusses how to learn coding and potential careers in computer programming.

Hear the story of daughter Meagan Blaisdell and mother Rebecca Blaisdell.  Meagan dreamed of going to college, and she decided in middle school she would get her associates degree while in high school to save money.  Todd and Evan find out what motivated Meagan and how Rebecca used written contracts to encourage her daughters to save money.

This week's episode explores an approach to tackle the rising costs of a college education. Todd talks with Mitch LeClair, a technology, transitions, and higher education reporter for the St. Cloud (Minn.) Times and a USA Today contributor. Mr. LeClair discusses the growing trend of more students getting college degrees while in high school, balancing the pros and cons.

This episode breaks down the cost of achieving your goals and dreams.  Todd and Evan talk with Lisa Gillis, Chief Academic Officer for Junior Achievement USA.  She describes the “JA Build Your Future” app, created jointly by Junior Achievement and PWC.  The app guides teens through potential careers, career income, and cost of education.

Evan and Todd explore the experiences of online entrepreneurship while learning money tips along the way.  They interview Andrew Schrage, co-owner of MoneyCrashers.com, a personal finance website dedicated to educating its readers about better ways to save, spend, and invest their money.

JA BizTown, a program of Junior Achievement, provides a tremendous hands-on experience for young people to learn about work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.  Todd and Evan uncover how it makes a difference in kids' lives in both the short and long-term.  They interview Gina Huntington, Director of JA BizTown in Portland, OR and Sam Freeman, a college freshman who participated in...

Evan and Todd discuss an excellent resource for parents and kids to learn about money.  They interview Mark Robinson, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at T. Rowe Price and co-creator of MoneyConfidentKids.com.  Games are a big part of the site as well as examples of how to talk with your kids about money.

Hear the enthusiastic discussion how board games benefit kids and families. This passion can also turn into a business. Todd and Evan get great advice from Andrew Innes, the founder of Anomia Press, a maker of board games, and Senior Product Manager for Harvard Business Review. We also get board game recommendations for all ages from producer Alex.

As a way to prepare for the world of work, the paths to college and how to succeed in college are highly diverse. Evan and Todd draw from their own experiences and get advice from Julie Lythcott-Haims, former Freshman Dean at Stanford University and the author of the book, “How To Raise AnAdult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success".

Producer Alex goes on location to interview Kristofor Lofgren, the CEO of Sustainable Restaurant Group and the founder of Bamboo Sushi Restaurants. Kristofor talks about how he turned his love of sushi into a business. Despite starting his business during a deep recession, he gives advice on making a successful food business. Spoiler alert: a restaurant needs a soul to make it good.

This episode inspires listeners to pursue big dreams.  Todd and Evan talk with Barrington Irving, who despite a humble upbringing, became the youngest person to fly solo around the world.  Barrington talks about how he earned money for flying lessons and to build his own plane.  Now he teaches STEM-based lessons through his flying.  He is a National Geographic Explorer and the founder of FlyingCla...

We explore the lessons taught by sports and pursuing it as a career. Evan and Todd talk with former National Football League player Curt Warner and former Major League Baseball player Tom Lampkin about their passion for sports and give advice to kids who want to pursue a career in athletics.

Todd and Evan reflect on what they have learned from “Money JAR” interviews over the years and from their own experiences.  They discuss a research finding by a Harvard finance professor and talk specifics about using math concepts to save $1 million.   The most effective way to teach kids about money is a well-rounded approach including financial literacy programs from organizations such as Junio...

Is it even possible to pay for college without debt?  Todd and Evan find out the answer to this question and learn about the perils of student debt.  They talk with Celest Horton who shares her personal experiences raising four children and hosting a podcast and website on how to pay for college. And they talk with Sarah Arslanian who has a website devoted to helping students pay for college.  

Do you have a passion for video games?  Evan and Todd explore how playing video games can be beneficial for kids by talking with researcher Dr. Cheryl Olson.  Then, they explore how a love for video games can turn into a career by hearing the personal experiences of game developer Mark Erman.

A study shows 87% of students in poverty do not have any career aspirations and do not realize you can study and work towards a career. Todd and Evan talk with poverty expert Dr. Donna Beegle. The conversation goes beyond stereotypes to gain a better understanding how to combat poverty—for yourself and others. Dr. Beegle gives advice to students how to prepare for the world of work.