Top Five Personal Finance Queens
When I started immersing myself in the social media world of personal finance, five fabulous women emerged....and I have been obsessed with them ever since, for various reasons. The fact that they are all women obviously makes sense since I am an UNAPOLOGETIC FEMINIST (and how anyone would claim to be anything less is beyond me), but each woman has their own particular brand of genius that I find inspiring and infinitely helpful.
So, without further ado, here we go!
Jamila Souffrant - JOURNEY TO LAUNCH Jamila is my personal OG of Personal Finance, even though she's actually kinda new-ish to the space. I think I just love her so much because it was her podcast that introduced me to so many other PF public figures. Jamila's podcast taught me the idea of FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early), but actually her pod covers all sorts of topics...from career changes, to motherhood, to anti-racism, to generational wealth....all through the prism of personal finance. She's smart as a whip, warm, and feels like she could be one of your best girlfriends. Oh, and from time to time she offers workshops, which I also highly recommend!
Stefanie was one of Jamila's podcast guests, and as soon as I heard her talking I thought, "She's my people!" See, not only does she know PF like the back of her hand; she's also from the world of theatre! So I knew I had to have her as a guest on The Nuance. Of course, I wasn't sure if she'd have time for me or even be interested in speaking with me, but she was kind enough to agree to be interviewed. (Thanks, Stefanie!) Her website is FILLED with amazing information and tips, and she herself makes frequent TV appearances as a PF expert. And of course, when she and I spoke we talked about the challenges of PF as an artist, so definitely check out that episode if you haven't already!
Berna Anat - HEY BERNA
You know those people who navigate the zeitgeist like they own it? And you burn with envy while watching them because you think you could never be that cool? Yeah, that's this gorgeous lady right here, Berna Anat. She's the "Financial Hype Woman" you've always needed to know, and she's literate in millennial-speak in a way that my forty-five (almost forty-six, holy sh#$%!) year-old brain simply will never grasp. But no matter, 'coz she also breaks down PF in a way that is fun, entertaining, and intelligent. Just check out her videos! And her Instagram is super-entertaining. I love this woman, and bonus - she's Filipino like me, so I GET HER. (That's my not-so-subtle message to her saying, "Berna! Let's be cousins! We probably already are anyway!")
Chelsea Brennan - SMART MONEY MAMAS
Motherhood is a big part of my identity and my daily life, so OF COURSE it is part of my journey with money. Enter Chelsea Brennan, whose website Smart Money Mamas and podcast Mamas Talk Money, covers the vast subject of PF with a particular focus on moms and motherhood. Chelsea is a former Wall Street banker who gave it all up to be a PF pro, and one of the hallmarks of her success is the annual Mamas Talk Money Annual Summit, where women from all over the PF space give talks about their particular area of expertise, be it saving for college, or estate planning, or career navigation...Chelsea and her friends have covered it all. Plus she's, like, so accessible, which should not be a surprise except that when I think of someone who used to work on Wall Street I think of Gordon Gekko, or Damien Lewis in "Billions". You know, white and male and smug in their self-perceived superiority. Chelsea is NOTHING like that, and instead she's taken those years of Wall Street experience and molded them into a business that serves the larger good.
Tiffany Aliche - THE BUDGETNISTA
I can rarely watch someone's solo Instagram Live in its entirety, especially if it's more than five minutes long! BUT. Once in a while I am just RIVETED by a speaker. They're sharp, funny, on point, and motivational. That was my experience the first time I watched Tiffany Aliche on Instagram, and you wanna know what she was talking about? Real Estate. That's right, REAL. ESTATE. Like, she was talking about property value assessment, and I was hooked. Since then, I've watched her speak on dozens of topics, and every time I take something new from her wisdom. She has a fascinating story - from pre-school teacher to millionaire! And somehow she's managed to stay real and practical about all things finance. I'm so grateful for her story, and for her straight-talk brand of humor, because it's people like Tiffany who show us that anyone can achieve PF success.
So there they are! Five women who continue to educate and inspire me on a daily basis, thanks to social media. If you're looking for advice, or direction, or even just a fun listen to smart women talking about money, be sure to go to the websites I've linked to above. Each woman offers lots of ways to engage with their content, and some of them even offer community and coaching. If you're considering upping your PF game, and you don't know where to start, any of these women's websites is a great place to begin!