Growing Money with Sean Trace

In this episode, I sit down with Drew Boyer, CFP and founder of Boyer Financial Group, to talk about the powerful connection between music, money, fatherhood, and what real wealth actually means. We dive into how Drew went from being a drummer to becoming a financial advisor, why rhythm and repetition matter in personal finance, and how good habits shape everything from saving money to raising resilient kids. We also get into financial literacy for children, the responsibility that comes with parenthood, how to avoid raising entitled kids, and why generational wealth is about so much more than just passing down money. This conversation touches on college savings, Roth IRAs for kids, debt, long-term thinking, health, lifestyle, and the freedom that comes from building a life with intention. If you care about personal finance, being a better parent, creating options for your family, and redefining wealth in a more meaningful way, this episode is packed with practical insights and real perspective.What is one money lesson you want your kids, or your future kids, to understand earlier than you did?

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with financial and career coach David Gibbs for a real conversation about money habits, debt, budgeting, financial literacy, behavior change, and why so many people stay stuck even when they want better for themselves and their families. We get into why I started this podcast, how trying to teach my daughter about money pushed me to get serious about learning personal finance for myself, and why understanding the “why” behind our spending matters so much. David shares his approach to coaching, including how he teaches families to replace allowance with commission, how to build better money habits through accountability, and why your financial goals need to be tied to a deeper vision for your life. We also talk about emergency funds, saving for predictable expenses, staying out of debt, controlling what you can control, building momentum with small choices, and why financial peace creates the freedom to help yourself and other people. This episode is packed with practical personal finance advice for parents, families, anyone trying to break bad money patterns, and anyone who wants to build a more intentional, less stressful financial life.What is one money habit you know would change your life if you finally stayed consistent with it?

One thing I’ve noticed after talking to financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and families is that making more money doesn’t magically make money stress disappear. In fact, sometimes it makes it worse.In this episode, I sit down with financial advisor Ryan Johnson, who works with high-earning young families making anywhere from $200K to $500K a year. And what surprised me is that the biggest problem they face isn’t usually investments or market timing. It’s uncertainty. It’s that quiet voice in the back of your head saying, “I finally make good money… what if I mess this up?” We dig into the real questions people ask when their income starts growing. Can I actually afford that vacation? Should I save more for my kids’ college or my own retirement? How do you build a financial system that lets you enjoy life today without destroying your future?Here’s the question I’d love to hear from you: If your income suddenly increased tomorrow, would your first instinct be to spend more or save more, and why?

In this episode, I sit down with Certified Financial Planner Cristian Mundy to talk about what really happens when people start making more money but still do not build real wealth. We get into financial literacy, lifestyle creep, immigrant family pressure, generational wealth, athlete and entertainer money mistakes, and why high income does not automatically mean financial security. Cristian shares what he sees behind the scenes with pro athletes, executives, and entertainers, and we unpack how money trauma, identity, and the wrong circle can quietly wreck someone’s future. This conversation is really about how to stop confusing income with wealth, how to pay your future self first, and how to build a financial life that actually lasts.

In this episode of Growing Money, I introduce one of the strangest, and honestly most fun, frameworks I have ever used to explain personal finance. I am building a new book that breaks financial survival down through the lens of a zombie apocalypse. It sounds ridiculous at first, but the more I thought about it, the more the metaphor made sense. In every zombie movie there is always a moment before everything collapses, that first week when something feels off but people are still going to work, ordering food, scrolling their phones, and pretending nothing is wrong. That moment is exactly what financial problems look like in real life.I talk about how rising credit card balances, minimum payments, empty savings accounts, buy-now-pay-later debt, and inflation slowly eating your income are the financial equivalent of those early infection signs. Nothing explodes overnight. It creeps in quietly while people convince themselves everything is fine. I also share some of my own mistakes with debt and credit cards and why so many people hide money problems from their families even when those problems are getting worse.The real danger is not the crisis itself, it is ignorance. Most people were never taught how interest works, how banks profit, how inflation erodes purchasing power, or how the financial system actually functions. When the system shakes, the uninformed panic. The informed prepare. That is why week one of this book is not about investing or fixing anything yet. It is about reconnaissance. I challenge listeners to map out their income, expenses, debt interest rates, credit score, and net worth so they can actually see the system they are living in.Financial literacy is not paranoia. It is preparation. In the same way the smartest characters in apocalypse stories board their windows early and study patterns, the smartest financial survivors learn the system before it becomes a crisis.So here is the question I want to leave you with: if your financial life had a “week one warning sign” right now, would you recognize it, or would you ignore it like everyone else in the zombie movies?

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Matthew Filepp, CFA, CFP®, founder of PB Wealth in Charlotte, North Carolina, to talk about what actually makes financial progress stick, especially for people who are busy, high-achieving, and still feel like their money disappears. We get into why fee-only, advice-only financial planning builds real trust, how lifestyle creep quietly turns higher income into long-term stress, and why “what you’re approved for” is not the same thing as “what you can afford” if you want freedom later. Matthew breaks down a simple money checklist, spend less than you earn, build an emergency reserve that fits your real life, and automate investing so you stop relying on willpower. I share my own stories, credit cards, profit-first buckets, pineapple cakes at 3 a.m., and even Muay Thai habit stacking, to show how money is basically the same as fitness, the basics work, but only if you do them consistently. If you want less anxiety, fewer money fights, and more control, this conversation is a practical reset on how to build your financial future by design, not by default.

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Bryan Jepson, a former emergency medicine physician who just retired after a 30 year career and made a bold transition into the financial world as a CFP financial advisor. We talk about why so many people feel behind with money, and why that feeling is usually not about a number, it is uncertainty and a lack of structure. Bryan breaks down what it really takes to make real change, clarity, a simple plan, and a team that keeps you accountable, the same way a gym partner helps you stay consistent. We also get into true wealth, not chasing more, but having enough assets to control your time, create meaningful experiences, and build deep relationships, plus the power of giving back. We tackle one of the biggest practical questions people ask, debt versus investing, including how to think about high interest credit card debt versus lower interest debt, and why waiting too long to start investing can quietly cost you years of compounding growth. If you want a smart move you can make this week, this conversation brings it back to the simplest answer that actually works, decide to get clear on where you are, define where you are going, and commit to consistent actions that compound over time.

Uziel Gomez, a CFP who empowers first-generation wealth builders and founded Primero's Financial. He explores money mindset, survivor mentality, overspending versus hoarding, and why fundamentals beat fancy strategies. They discuss cultural pressures, supporting aging parents, spending plans versus budgets, and habits that protect stability as income rises.

Two years ago, I recorded this conversation with Ramon Ray for the Growing Money podcast. And then… the audio failed.At the time, I couldn’t properly process it. The quality just wasn’t there. So it sat. Now, with new AI tools, I’ve been able to restore the audio and finally bring this conversation back to life.Quick apology to Ramon for the long delay, and big shoutout to him. His message on visibility, trust, and building a strong personal brand is just as relevant today as it was then.This episode is a reminder that attention builds trust, and trust builds opportunity. Whether you’re a financial advisor, entrepreneur, or creator, being known in your space changes everything.My question for you: If someone in your industry needed what you offer today, would your name come up first?

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with returning guest Sandra Park, a Ramsey financial coach, engineer, single mom, and debt free multimillionaire, to get brutally clear on what “debt free” actually means in real life. We break down the difference between being consumer debt free versus truly 100 percent debt free, why credit card interest rates are the real silent killer, and why people with good intentions still end up stuck in the cycle. I share my own credit card payoff journey, the mindset shift that helped me stop seeing a credit limit like it was cash, and how I now use credit cards with tight guardrails for business necessities, travel, and points without sliding back into old habits. We talk about Profit First and the bucket method, how systems beat willpower, why tiny purchases add up faster than big ones, and how debt can quietly steal your freedom by borrowing from your future self. Sandra also gives a simple, powerful move anyone can do right now, a 30 day spending audit that reveals what you actually value, not just what you say you value, so you can move toward financial freedom without going extreme.What is one “small” expense you used to ignore that you now realize was quietly wrecking your money decisions?