If you’ve ever thought, “I want to leave this job… start the thing… pivot… but I can’t afford to,” this episode is for you.

I’m joined by the Financial Feminist herself, Tori Dunlap, founder of Her First $100K. After graduating with degrees in communication and theater, Tori landed in a toxic corporate job she couldn’t afford to leave. That’s when everything shifted.

She realized money wasn’t about being rich — it was about having options.

So she set a bold goal: save $100,000 by age 25. What started with a $20 domain, three blog posts, and $49 coaching sessions at Starbucks eventually became a movement empowering women to take control of their finances.

But here’s the truth: the $100K wasn’t the win.

Freedom was.

In this episode, we talk about financial autonomy, documenting your journey for accountability, and why building revenue isn’t about validation — it’s about choice.

Click play to hear all of this and:

[00:00] Why Money Is About Freedom, Not Just Wealth

[06:35] How $49 Coaching Sessions Built a Business Foundation

[12:10] The Real Cost of Staying in a Toxic Job

[18:45] Why Documenting Your Goal Creates Accountability

[24:20] From Blog Posts to a Movement: Building Her First $100K

[31:05] Scaling Beyond Coaching: Avoiding the “Not Scalable” Trap

[38:40] Money as Power: Creating Options for Women

Listen to Related Episodes:

• The 3 Financial Mistakes Ambitious Founders Keep Making
• Build Wealth by Changing the Way You Think About Money with Anthony O’Neal
• Wealth Building Strategies: How to Budget, Invest, and Raise Your Prices

Connect With Tori Dunlap:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herfirst100k/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/herfirst100K/
• Website: https://herfirst100k.com/

📧 Join my Newsletter for a weekly cocktail of insider business strategy, personal reflections, and the journey of being a thought leader: https://jasminestar.com/newsletter 📧

For full show notes, visit jasminestar.com/podcast/episode623