Episodes

  • Episode 437: Design Your To-Die-For Life and Start Living With Purpose w/ Karen Salmansohn
    Jul 30 2025
    This week on the Journey to Launch Podcast, I’m joined by Karen Salmansohn, bestselling author, behavioral change expert, and creator of “Your To-Die-For Life: How to Maximize Joy and Minimize Regret Before Your Time Runs Out.” With over 2 million books sold, Karen brings a bold mix of research-based psychology and humor to help us snap out of autopilot and live with more intention. We dive into the powerful idea that mortality awareness isn't morbid, it's motivating. Karen introduces the concept of a "near-life experience" and how many of us are living life adjacent, not fully present. We also explore the connection between core values, money, happiness, and how to design your life with fewer regrets. In this episode we discuss: Core values that prevent future regret and help guide daily decisionsHow identity shapes habits and long-term financial wellnessThe difference between fleeting pleasure and deep fulfillmentWhy growth, curiosity, and authenticity matter more than productivityStrategies to discover your high-level purpose—even if you don’t know it yet Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Karen's book: Your To-Die-For LifeApply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Karen: WebsiteInstagram:@NotSalmonTwitter:@NotSalmon Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupJoin the Waitlist for My FI CourseGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    47 mins
  • Episode 436: How To Climb The Wealth Ladder & Build Wealth at Every Stage of Life With Nick Maggiulli
    Jul 23 2025
    Nick Maggiulli, bestselling author of Just Keep Buying and The Wealth Ladder, returns to the Journey to Launch podcast to share practical, data-driven insights for building wealth at any stage of life. In this conversation, Nick breaks down the six stages of financial progress using his new "Wealth Ladder" framework, explaining how to make smarter decisions with your money based on where you are on the ladder. From tackling low net worth to scaling into the millionaire range, Nick offers real talk on income, spending, and the mindset needed to grow wealth over time without sacrificing your life in the process. We also touch on work-life balance, the myth of overnight success, and why increasing your income is often more important than extreme frugality. In this episode, you’ll learn: The six levels of the Wealth Ladder and how to figure out where you areThe “0.01% rule” and how to spend guilt-free based on your liquid net worthWhy income is the biggest driver of wealth and how to grow itWhat most wealthy people do differently How Nick balances full-time work, writing, and life and what he plans to change after marriage and starting a familyWhy it's more impactful to "give now, not later" when supporting your loved ones Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Nick's book: The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies For Every Step of Your Financial LifeApply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Nick: WebsiteInstagram: @NickMaggiulliTwitter: @DollarsAndData Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupJoin the Waitlist for My FI CourseGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    45 mins
  • Episode 435- How To Balance a Happy Life & Financial Achievement + Pros & Cons of Quiet Quitting w/ Jason Vitug REWIND
    Jul 16 2025
    Jason Vitug, award-winning, best-selling author, speaker and entrepreneur joins the Journey to Launch podcast to discuss why money is a path to happiness, but it doesn’t embody it. Jason, once a corporate ladder climber, found himself stressed out, burnt-out and living a life he was no longer aligned with. Through trial and error… and rest, Jason discovered the intrinsic connection between mental health and money and how people can move forward to a healthier, happier path on their financial freedom journeys. In this episode, we also discuss: Quiet Quitting: what it is, why you need an exit plan and taking advantage of ALL your work perksWhat happiness dimensions are, why you need to implement them in your day-to-day life + actionable steps to make that happen TODAYThe reality of knowing yourself and what makes you happy outside of a financial number or achievement Why we need mental breaks, buying happiness by spending on wellness, stepping off the hamster wheel + more Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Jason's book: Happy Money Happy Life: A Multidimensional Approach to Health, Wealth, and Financial FreedomSmall Steps To Reach Big Dreams + Going From An Observer To Main Player In Your LifeApply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Jason: WebsiteInstagram:@PhroogalTwitter:@JasonVitug Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupJoin the Waitlist for My FI CourseGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    50 mins
  • Episode 434: How To Manage Your Money With ADHD & Unlocking Neurodivergent Financial Empowerment With Ellyce Fulmore REWIND
    Jul 9 2025
    Ellyce Fulmore, Canadian Queer and neurodivergent financial educator, joins the Journey to Launch podcast to talk about how she paid off high interest debt, ADHD and money, and her new book, “Keeping Finance Personal.” Ellyce is a full-time content creator and founder of Queerd Co., a financial literacy company. Her approach to finance goes beyond the conventional, focusing on the intersectionality of identities and lived experiences. We also discuss the importance of understanding how dopamine operates in your neurodivergent brain, ADHD hacks to get better with money, what “Momentum Surfing” is, and how to figure out (and stick to) a budget process that works best for you. In this episode you’ll learn more about: Challenges people with neurodivergence experience with finance + how they can become better at money managementThe strategy behind Ellyce paying off debt and investing while on an inconsistent incomeWhy becoming debt free isn’t “the ultimate” goal for everyone Celebrating people's differences, the validity of self diagnosis, sticker boards + more Check out the video to this episode on YouTube here. Other Links Mentioned in episode: Dopamenu with How to ADHD + Eric TiversApply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Ellyce: Website: QueerdCo.com Instagram:@Ellyce.FulmoreTik Tok:@QueerD.Co Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    57 mins
  • Episode 433: Paying Off $14K in Debt & Finding Financial Clarity w/ Journeyer Lori-Sara Gauthier
    Jul 2 2025
    This week on the Journey to Launch podcast, I’m joined by Lori-Sara Gauthier, a public health worker based in Toronto who is in the thick of transforming her finances and her mindset. Lori-Sara recently paid off $14,000 in consumer debt, is working on eliminating her student loans, and is intentionally charting a path toward financial freedom. Lori-Sara opens up about her spending habits, emotional triggers behind money decisions, and the moment she realized something had to change. Through self-awareness, therapy, and learning about the FIRE movement, she’s rewriting her money story and embracing the power of small, consistent actions. In this episode, we discuss: How Lori-Sara fell into and climbed out of $14K of credit card debtThe emotional connection between childhood scarcity and adult overspendingWhat she’s doing now: building an emergency fund, tackling student loans, and investing for the futureWhy she threw a party to celebrate being debt-free, and how running helped her stay on trackHer evolving thoughts on FI, public service pensions, and leaving room for future flexibility Other Links Mentioned in episode: Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin Clever Girl Finance by Bola Sokunbi You Need a Budget by Jesse MechamApply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupJoin the Waitlist for My FI CourseGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    38 mins
  • Episode 432: Creating a Future of Flexibility & Financial Security with Jackie Kasper
    Jun 25 2025
    This week on the Journey to Launch podcast, I’m joined by Jackie Kasper, a fellow Journeyer who’s intentionally building a life of connection and financial freedom. Jackie is a mom of two, a director of operations at a Chicago-based fintech startup, and someone who's actively pursuing Financial Independence (FI) within the next 2–7 years. We also dive into how she and her husband are navigating the journey together (even if they’re not always on the same financial page), the influence of motherhood on her long-term goals, and what reaching Coast FI means for her family’s options and freedom. In this episode, Jackie opens up about: How she got into the FI movement after being introduced by her sister-in-lawThe mindset and financial shifts she made to go from spending freely to strategically investingBuying her first multi-unit property with her brother at 25 and how real estate plays into her FI goals + much more.0 Other Links Mentioned in episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupJoin the Waitlist for My FI CourseGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    34 mins
  • Episode 431: Die with Zero & Get All You Can From Your Money and Your Life w/ Bill Perkins REWIND
    Jun 18 2025
    Bill Perkins, author and founder, managing partner and head trader for Skylar Capital, joins the podcast to discuss how to live your best life no matter your income and his two decades of experience in the trading industry. We talk about the importance of balancing your financial goals with your time-appropriate life experiences and adding joy in your life right now while being intentional with what you want to do. Bill’s book, “Die With Zero,” has been featured in The New York Times, Mr. Money Mustache, Success, and more. In this episode we discuss: How to enjoy your money and time now, instead of restricting yourself to the point of robbing you of your lifeBalancing optimizing your life to fulfillment and saving for the futureWhy certain experiences are useless for us at a certain point if we don’t use themConfronting fear-based mindsets by identifying goalsWhy waiting until we die to give our children a financial foundation doesn’t make sense + more Other Links Mentioned in episode: DiewithZero.com/welcomeApply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Bill: WebsiteInstagram:@BillPerkinsTwitter: @bp22 Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupJoin the Waitlist for My FI CourseGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    52 mins
  • Episode 430: How Christina Pivoted Careers, Tripled Her Income & Is Now on Track for Financial Independence with a $1.5M Goal
    Jun 11 2025
    This week on the Journey to Launch Podcast, I’m speaking to fellow Journeyer, Christina Cates, a pediatric surgery physician assistant in Florida who pivoted from her career as a dietitian to triple her income and build a path toward financial independence (FI). Christina first discovered the FI movement through the Journey to Launch podcast and went all in—educating herself, shifting her money mindset, and making bold career moves, including negotiating her salary multiple times. At age 35, she went back to school to become a physician assistant, all while managing ADHD, tackling debt, and staying committed to her long-term financial goals. She shares her journey from paycheck-to-paycheck struggles to becoming a confident investor with a plan to reach a $1.5 million FI number—all while enjoying the ride. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s “too late” to make a change or if you’re stuck in a low-paying field, Christina’s story will inspire you to rethink what’s possible. In this episode we discuss: Why Christina pivoted careers at age 35 and how she chose the PA pathHow she negotiated her salary increases (and why it paid off—literally)Balancing student loan debt with investing + her timeline to FIWhy mindset, not age, is the biggest barrier to change Other Links Mentioned in episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story here.Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom!Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more!Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review!Get The Budget BootcampCheck out my personal website here.Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast!YNAB – Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link.What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Christina: Instagram:@Rosie_d108 Connect with me: Instagram: @JourneytolaunchTwitter: @JourneyToLaunchFacebook: @Journey To LaunchJoin the Private Facebook GroupJoin the Waitlist for My FI CourseGet The Free Jumpstart Guide
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    42 mins