Live And Earn

“There’s no such thing as being bad with money. You just have bad habits.”  -- Helen Ngo  When I turned 18 and went off to college, I thought I was going to be a dentist. Despite growing up in a family of female entrepreneurs, and later realizing a career in medicine wasn’t for me, I never dreamed of starting my own company.  The “aha” moment didn’t come until a few years after college, early in my career in the finance industry. When I asked my boss for a raise, he told me I’d be better off marrying rich.  That was the last time I would ever be shamed for being an ambitious woman.  My fire was lit. So, I fired that 9-5 corporate life for good. Never will I let someone control how much money I make. On this episode of Live and Earn, I take a turn as the guest with my friend and client Ashley Williams, host of the Birds Mean Business podcast. Ashley and I discuss how my identity and upbringing influenced the drive I bring to my business every day. I also share the one thing I wish I had done before becoming an

“Corporate does a really good job of making you feel like what you’re doing isn’t important.” -- Taylor Epley For years, Taylor Epley helped friends, family, and pretty much anyone who asked with résumés and cover letters, until a peer challenged her to find her first client, charge for those same services she’d previously done for free, and get serious about starting her own business: The Career Curator.  Now, as a career coach, Taylor specializes in helping people figure out where they want to be, and how to get there. In her words, she helps people see themselves the way she sees them. In this episode, Taylor explains what career coaching is and gives some insights into the reasons why so many people stay in jobs that don’t satisfy them. Taylor also shares a creative strategy to overcome imposter syndrome around salary negotiations.  Here’s Taylor. What we tackle in this episode:  What it’s like to work with a career coach and when to hire one for yourself How to find the value in the work you do, even if

“You don’t always have to wait for the whole dream. You can break it down into parts that can happen now.” -- Johanna White  Whether you track your goals with a spreadsheet, write your intentions in a journal, or keep your dreams close to the chest, charting out a path to your future achievements shouldn’t be that complicated. And it certainly shouldn’t be scary, but for so many of us, it can be.  If you don’t set goals or speak your dreams into existence, then you’ll never fall short of them, right? Wrong.  As entrepreneur and former goal-phobic Johanna White explains on this episode of Live and Earn, striving for a target you set for yourself is the only way you’ll get closer to what you really want and deserve.  She once believed goals were pointless -- maybe even something that simply set her up for failure -- but over the years, she’s figured out that achieving becomes a lot more manageable when you establish a series of smaller goals that get you that much closer to big success.  Johanna also shares her

“Today might not be the best day, but there's something really, really great on the other end of this, and it just hasn't revealed itself yet. But it's totally there —  it's there for my taking and when I get to it, I'll get to it.” -- Jamie Shank  If anyone could survive the pandemic job market, you’d think it would be a public health expert.  And you’d be right — but you might be surprised by the survival guide Jamie Shank created for her own career. Jamie uprooted her life in Kansas to put down new roots in Atlanta, Georgia — without full-time employment or health insurance during the Covid-19 pandemic. When she moved to Atlanta in 2020, she had several interviews lined up. Then came the Covid-19 hiring freezes.  Instead of crawling back to what she knew —her old job, Kansas City, public health departments — Jamie chose to embrace the blank canvas in front of her and founded her own company, Organizational Empowerment (OE for short). As the President and CEO of her company, Jamie draws on her years of expe

“Once you grow your business, it is a high like no other.” -- Joy Ugi Joy Ugi always had big dreams for herself. After so many years in marketing, she’d worked her way up the corporate ladder. Someday, she’d be CMO. Starting her own business never even crossed her mind, hesitating to start her own business as a single woman.  Finally, as so many of us have, Joy reached a point where she simply couldn’t abide the corporate world or the culture that came with it any longer. Because that was the only work environment she’d ever known, she couldn’t help but send some applications out to established companies, but Joy did something else, too.  She started reconnecting with old contacts, picked up some freelance work, and something just clicked. Her corporate days officially behind her, in 2017 Joy launched her own digital marketing agency: Hella Good Marketing.  On this episode of Live and Earn, Joy explains the circumstances that led to her leap of faith into the world of startups and freelancers. She also shares

“It's always better to have data backing up what your intuition is saying, and not just making decisions on intuition.” -- Jordan Gill   What’s your zone of genius and how do you use it to your advantage? Operations consultant Jordan Gill has a system to help entrepreneurs figure that out. In fact, she has a system for everything, really. As founder of Systems Saved Me, Jordan identified her own zone of genius early on in her career. In just five years, she’s turned her company into a million-dollar business that has the systems in place to survive almost anything, including every small business owner’s nightmare: turnover.  On this episode of Live & Earn, Jordan shares how she scaled up from making $110,000 in her first year to her first million only five years later. She also emphasizes the importance of balancing instinct with data and shares her best advice for fellow entrepreneurs who are new to building systems for their business.   What we tackle in this episode:  Launching a business and lining u

“I think overnight success takes like 10 years for everybody. And we don’t get to see the 10 years; we only see the lead-up … because we just found out about them.”   -- Porsha Thomas In her words, brand strategist Porsha Thomas has been dancing in and out of the corporate world for years. She knew from a young age that she wanted to create and lead but didn’t know how to make that her full-time job — so she went to work for other people and began freelancing on the side. Porsha has since founded her own creative agency, GOWRKGRLS, a dream 10 years in the making.  On this episode of Live & Earn, Porsha walks us through the pivots she made along the way to becoming an entrepreneur, building her business and brand into something bigger each time. Porsha also tells us the best advice she’s received and shares her own wisdom on everything from branding to meditating.  What we tackle in this episode:  Perfecting the pivot and transforming side hustles into full-time jobs  Translating a bright idea into a soun

“Money gives you the opportunity to be who you really are … so it boils down to: Who am I choosing to be? And whether I'm rich, whether I'm poor … whoever I am is my choice every day. And does the money let me be more of that? Who I wish to be and how I want to operate in the world? Or does it get in the way?” -- Liz O’Brien Everyone loves a rags-to-riches story.  Whether we’re watching ‘Cinderella’ or ‘Pretty Woman’ on the big screen or singing along when the radio throws it back to ‘Jenny from the Block,’ cheering on the underdog just feels right.  Right?  But when you’re the one who grew up pinching pennies, finally earning your way into a higher income bracket can come with baggage — and I’m not just talking about that Louis Vuitton purse or luxury vacation you can afford at last.  Our relationship with money doesn’t automatically change simply because we have more of it.  Like it or not, the money lessons we grow up with become the foundation for the beliefs that guide us as adults. The caution and fruga

“Life is to be lived, and if you're … spending all your days doing something that you aren't enjoying and is making you not very well, then you should do something about it.”  -- Dr. Juliet McGrattan   After 22 years practicing medicine, Dr. Juliet McGrattan hung up her white coat to pursue two of her passions full-time. Striking out on her own, Juliet faced a steep learning curve. When she became a running coach, she had to go out and find her own clients — unlike having patients come to her.  Newly self-employed, Juliet had to learn how to manage inconsistent income rather than being able to rely upon her regular paycheck from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service.  Since starting her entrepreneurial journey, Juliet has published two books — Sorted: The Active Woman’s Guide to Health (2017) and Run Well: Essential Health Questions and Answers for Runners (2021).  In this episode of Live & Earn, Juliet explains what she loved about being a doctor and why, after more than two decades in the profess

“We're not bothering anybody by asking for more money. We're not bothering anybody by asking, ‘where's my late payment?’ We need to be assertive and direct.” -- Lola Méndez Six years ago, Uruguayan-American journalist Lola Méndez packed up her New York apartment to travel around the world full-time. From Hong Kong and Chiang Mai to Mexico and Morocco, Lola has written about sustainability, social justice, identity and more for publications including CNN, ELLE, and Architectural Digest.  Unable to travel from her homebase of Montevideo, Uruguay, during the pandemic, Lola diversified her portfolio as a writer and even had her best earnings yet, making $10,000 in one month. Rather than keep the wisdom she’s acquired about negotiating and pitching to herself, Lola advocates for financial transparency in the journalism industry and for freelancers as a whole.  On this episode of Live & Earn, Lola takes us behind the scenes of what it’s like to travel for a living. She also shares some of the secrets to her suc

“We’ll go as fast as we can, but as slow as we have to.” -- AJ Vaden Personal life and work don’t always mix — but that was the first rule AJ and Rory Vaden broke when they set out to create their own recipe for success. Since meeting by chance as business partners in a startup, AJ and Rory have gotten married, started a family, and founded a series of multimillion-dollar companies.  Their latest venture is Brand Builders Group, a personal brand strategy firm for influencers, thought leaders and entrepreneurs.  In this episode of Live & Earn, AJ shares her secrets for ensuring her marriage and her family thrive just like her businesses. We also discuss the challenges entrepreneurs who are women and mothers might encounter as they look for community in the startup world.  What we tackle in this episode:  How to go into business with your spouse Applying certain business principles to managing a family Treating business meetings and date nights with equal importance The key to a happy family The value of t

“The sky's the limit when you have your own company.” Alessandra Pollina   Three months into her first job out of college, Alessandra Pollina had an epiphany: She didn’t need to spend her 20s paying her dues in a traditional 9-5. Living in Boston on just $20,000 a year, Alessandra didn’t have much to lose — but had everything to gain — when she walked away from her desk job to make a name for herself in PR. At just 23 years old, Alessandra launched her own company, Pollina PR and Marketing.  Since then, Alessandra’s business has grown into Quotable Media Company, she’s started a family, and she’s diversified her income through investment properties, giving herself the flexibility to enjoy quality time with her son and husband.  In this episode of Live & Earn, Alessandra tells us how she had the discipline to become a successful, young entrepreneur and the courage to become a mom at the same time. We also learn about how she found community with other women and millennial founders.  What we tackle in this

“The sweet spot is … just finding goals that are actually meaningful to you, or just finding joy in things that you do and not looking for these magical quick fixes, because there’ll always be a new magical, quick fix.” – Linsey Levy   Linsey Levy is a Certified Health Coach with a no-nonsense approach. Linsey believes in the power of small changes to create healthy habits that last a lifetime. Her science-backed philosophy is a stark contrast with the fad diets magazines and celebrities have pushed on us for decades, and more recently, Instagram influencers who promote obscure supplements to their vast audiences of impressionable women and girls. Linsey herself spent years searching for the “perfect” diet, until she realized it simply doesn’t exist. In this episode of Live & Earn, Linsey explains how she teaches clients to think about health holistically. She also describes the challenges of starting a business and becoming a mom during the Covid-19 pandemic.  What we tackle in this episode:  Becoming a

“Winning a divorce is not about what you financially gain from it. It's about how each of you become financially independent and thrive mentally, and being a healthier human being.” -- Renee Bauer  Divorce attorney, Renée Bauer, isn’t ashamed to admit she’s been divorced twice, but that hasn’t always been the case.  Renée’s second marriage came to an end while she was counseling clients through the very same thing — yet, she felt too embarrassed to tell anyone how well she could relate to the shame and sadness they felt about getting divorced. When Renée finally opened up about her second divorce, her law firm and digital platform became busier than ever before. Renée realized that discussing her personal story in a professional setting wasn’t inappropriate; instead, it has helped her make even more authentic connections with her clients at a time when they need it most.  On this episode of Live & Earn, Renée challenges the myth that divorce is something to be ashamed of. She also stresses the importance

“What you believe matters, but what you do about what you believe matters even more.” Johanna White For most of her life, Johanna White was be paralyzed by fear. Fear of being late. Fear of change. Fear of uncertainty.  Then, when she was 25, Johanna faced a battle most anyone would fear: a brain tumor, and along with it, actual paralysis. She couldn’t move the left side of her body. She couldn’t talk. She couldn’t swallow. The anxiety Johanna had always struggled to suppress only made her symptoms worse, so at that point, she made a decision to be done with fear. In this episode, we hear about how healing her mindset helped resolve Johanna’s symptoms. Johanna also explains how she founded three companies while battling her brain tumor and has continued to scale up her design business, Design by Jo.  What we tackle in this episode:  What it means to live a “full” life  Overcoming extreme anxiety and decision paralysis  Getting a new lease on life at age 25, when doctors discovered a brain tumor Growing from

“You can say you want more freedom. You can say you want more… adventure. You could want a loving relationship. But it’s not what you say you want — it’s what you actually believe.” Andrea Parker From her first day at the police academy, Andrea Parker knew a career in law enforcement wasn’t the right fit for her. Despite that, she went on to achieve great success, graduating at the top of her class, rising quickly to the rank of detective, making a salary over six figures. Still, even with the pride she took in serving the public, Andrea couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. That’s where her personal development journey began. Within 12 months of becoming a human potential coach, Andrea not only grew exponentially more grateful and grounded, but doubled her personal finances. In this episode, we learn what can happen when we learn to let go of limiting beliefs and learn to live from the heart.  What we tackle in this episode:  How to lovingly transition from one career to the next  The true

“Being an immigrant made me resourceful, made me a motivated individual. It changed my career track and the way that I view life, and the way that I’m going to teach my daughter to persevere.” -- Juanita Velez Moving from Medellín, Colombia to Atlanta, Georgia at the age of six — and on the first day of the ‘96 Olympics, to boot — Juanita Velez grew up bridging communities. As an adult, she’s made a career of it. Driven by her innate empathy for others, Juanita earned a degree in psychology followed by a master’s in international business, going onto run international communications campaigns for Delta and UPS, companies that are simultaneously homegrown and global — just like Juanita. Early on in the corporate world, Juanita noticed a gap. At networking events, she rarely met anyone like her: young, Latinx, immigrants. Yet she knew these people existed; they were her friends, her classmates, her mentees. To connect that talent with opportunity, Juanita founded HYPE: Hispanic Young Professionals & Entrepr

“We want money because of what it gives us. It's not the dollar bill or the number in our bank account… it's the freedom.” --Ashley Williams  Ashley Williams had it all: the high-power finance career at Barclays, New York City apartment, black car service, and a promotion waiting for her in either London or Hong Kong. Then, she landed a $4 billion IPO — and felt no excitement. That’s when Ashley realized the dream job she had hustled for was no longer her dream.  Following some soul searching, Ashley decided she wanted to become an entrepreneur.  After reconnecting with her now-husband Terry, who was crushing it in the fitness industry, Ashley moved back to Houston. Together, Ashley and Terry founded The League: Elite Training Facility. Today, Ashley is running three businesses, including her own firm Bird Williams Consulting, LLC.  On this episode of Live & Earn, Ashley explains what initially motivated her to chase after a challenge on Wall Street, and why she walked away from it when she did. Ashley al

“A misconception ... is that self-care is always a feel-good thing. It’s also doing the hard things sometimes.” Dr. Lauren Collins  Lauren Collins is a perinatal chiropractor, mama, devoted wife, doula, and holistic health advocate. On this episode of Live & Earn, Lauren redefines self-care and debunks misconceptions about chiropractic medicine. She also explains how she stopped asking for permission and learned to put herself first, both as a mother and a business owner. What we tackle in this episode:  The different definitions of self-care  How to balance the demands of motherhood and entrepreneurship The truth about alternative medicine How children and infants can benefit from chiropractic medicine  The importance of preventive health care  --- Ready to crush your income goals?  Grab your FREE 1-Page Business Revenue Planner to help you stay on top of your income goals and track your progress throughout the year. Get your copy by visiting  https://helenngo.com/revenueplanner/

“When someone tells you that it's not possible, or it's not going to work, that should motivate you even more to go out there and prove that it can be done.” Anne Gill is the founder of Haist Designs, her own brand of luxury handbags designed in Nashville and made in Italy. Haist is inspired by  Anne’s family — her husband, former professional ice hockey defenseman Hal Gill, and their three children Isabel, Sophie, and Talon — as much as her lifestyle as a globetrotting NHL wife and busy mom squeezing yoga classes and grocery runs in between the kids’ three different carpool schedules.  On this episode of Live & Earn, Anne explains her mission to redefine luxury — and why she was so determined to make Haist happen when fashion industry veterans told her, even with an MBA, she didn’t stand a chance. Three years into her startup journey, Anne pauses to reflect on what she wishes she had known about creating her own business, including how to ask for help.  What we tackle in this episode: How to become comf