Don't Retire...Graduate!
Eric Brotman
Don’t Retire… Graduate! is the podcast that invites you to rethink what retirement really means. Hosted by Certified Financial Planner Practitioner Eric Brotman, we’re here to guide you in transforming the traditional concept of retirement into an exciting and enriching graduation—a time to embark on new adventures, embrace lifelong passions, and define what success and happiness look like in this new chapter of life.
Retirement isn’t just about stepping away from a career; it’s about stepping into a life filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment. Whether you're on the brink of retirement or just starting to think about it, this podcast will help you discover what it takes to not just survive, but thrive in your post-career years. We’ll explore how to live a fun, productive, and meaningful life by setting new goals, pursuing passions that light you up, and building a legacy that truly reflects who you are.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with a diverse range of guests—from award-winning authors and financial experts to influencers and everyday people with remarkable money stories. Together, we’ll uncover strategies for reaching financial independence, managing your wealth, and making informed decisions that support your dreams. You’ll learn practical tips on everything from saving money and paying down debt to raising financially literate children and growing your wealth at any age.
From personal finance and investing to retirement readiness, taxes, and more, we’re here to provide the knowledge and tools you need to confidently step into this exciting new phase of life. Topics include everything from budgeting, credit, and debt to health savings accounts, insurance, social security, the FIRE movement, and the latest in fintech and finance apps.
But we don’t stop at finances. Don’t Retire… Graduate! also dives deep into the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement. We’ll discuss how to maintain your mental and physical health, nurture relationships, and stay connected to your community. You’ll gain insights on how to design a lifestyle that keeps you engaged, curious, and excited about the future.
Our mission is to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up—even if you’re already grown. We believe that work should become optional, not just because you've reached a certain age, but because you’ve achieved the freedom to choose how you spend your time and energy. Whether it’s volunteering, starting a new hobby, traveling the world, or launching a second career, this podcast is your guide to creating a retirement that’s anything but retiring.
In addition to full episodes, we offer bonus content every other week where you get to meet the team of financial advisors at BFG Financial Advisors and hear their real stories from the frontlines of financial planning.
Retirement is not the absence of work, but the absence of needing to work. So why not graduate into a life of purpose, passion, and financial freedom? Tune in to Don’t Retire… Graduate! and let’s make your retirement the best years of your life.
Retirement isn’t just about stepping away from a career; it’s about stepping into a life filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment. Whether you're on the brink of retirement or just starting to think about it, this podcast will help you discover what it takes to not just survive, but thrive in your post-career years. We’ll explore how to live a fun, productive, and meaningful life by setting new goals, pursuing passions that light you up, and building a legacy that truly reflects who you are.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with a diverse range of guests—from award-winning authors and financial experts to influencers and everyday people with remarkable money stories. Together, we’ll uncover strategies for reaching financial independence, managing your wealth, and making informed decisions that support your dreams. You’ll learn practical tips on everything from saving money and paying down debt to raising financially literate children and growing your wealth at any age.
From personal finance and investing to retirement readiness, taxes, and more, we’re here to provide the knowledge and tools you need to confidently step into this exciting new phase of life. Topics include everything from budgeting, credit, and debt to health savings accounts, insurance, social security, the FIRE movement, and the latest in fintech and finance apps.
But we don’t stop at finances. Don’t Retire… Graduate! also dives deep into the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement. We’ll discuss how to maintain your mental and physical health, nurture relationships, and stay connected to your community. You’ll gain insights on how to design a lifestyle that keeps you engaged, curious, and excited about the future.
Our mission is to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up—even if you’re already grown. We believe that work should become optional, not just because you've reached a certain age, but because you’ve achieved the freedom to choose how you spend your time and energy. Whether it’s volunteering, starting a new hobby, traveling the world, or launching a second career, this podcast is your guide to creating a retirement that’s anything but retiring.
In addition to full episodes, we offer bonus content every other week where you get to meet the team of financial advisors at BFG Financial Advisors and hear their real stories from the frontlines of financial planning.
Retirement is not the absence of work, but the absence of needing to work. So why not graduate into a life of purpose, passion, and financial freedom? Tune in to Don’t Retire… Graduate! and let’s make your retirement the best years of your life.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 8, 2023 • 6min
Office Hours: When Should I Start Investing?
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Colby's question: “When should somebody start investing?”
The short answer is as soon as you have money available to invest, but the conversation doesn't stop there.
Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours!
[embed]https://youtu.be/xN-1MKc2Wfs?si=6WngnmPe6DsgWP1V[/embed]
Jun 1, 2023 • 36min
FIRE by AirBNB: Reaching Financial Freedom through Short-Term Rentals with Zeona McIntyre
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest has used Airbnb to reach financial freedom early and is teaching others how to do the same.
Zeona McIntyre is an author, realtor, investment consultant, and speaker who has been helping people house hack and build their portfolios of short and medium-term rentals for several years. She sat down with Eric to talk about how she has reached her financial goals, the lessons she has learned through experience, and how she has shaped her career to allow for her ideal lifestyle.
Listen to the conversation and then reach out to Zeona and tell her what it is that would make you happy.
In this episode we’ll talk about:
• How Zeona started with AirBNB when $50,000 in debt
• Things that can go wrong when managing rental properties
• Why you should install cameras in your rental properties (and what happened before Zeona learned that lesson)
• The FIRE movement and how she got involved
• Suze Orman and the traditional, slow retirement ideology
• How Zeona hit her retirement number within two years through real estate investing
• Why real estate investing is not actually passive income
• Protecting yourself from liability as a property manager
• Zeona’s succession plan
• Acting despite fear
[embed]https://youtu.be/QBqcUUyO4CU?si=EjX6_AH2ZhHl5zYc[/embed]
Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.
About Zeona McIntyre:
Zeona McIntyre is an Author, Realtor, Investment Consultant, and Speaker. She has been an Airbnb host since 2012, and she now uses her decade of experience to help her clients House Hack and build portfolios of short & medium-term rentals. She is an avid Real Estate Investor owning a double-digit portfolio of furnished rentals across five states. She is the co-author of the BiggerPockets book "30 Day Stay. A Real Estate Investor's Guide to Mastering the Medium-term Rental''.
Instagram: @zeonamcintyre
Facebook: zeona.mcintyre
YouTube: @ZeonaMTR
Website: https://www.zeonamcintyre.com/
May 25, 2023 • 6min
Office Hours: How Much Does Money Matter in a Relationship?
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Ava's question: “How much does money matter in a relationship?”
This is a multifaceted question with different types of relationships, but in all types, it is necessary to have communication, transparency, and honesty.
Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours!
[embed]https://youtu.be/BA9p7v_dzPE?si=Sjp_sLhYeuThWCWE[/embed]
May 18, 2023 • 37min
Embracing Wanderlust: Finding a Way to Live Your Passions with Rachael Schlimmer
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! This is an episode unlike any we’ve done before. Our guest is Rachael Schlimmer, a nomad who is traveling more often than she isn’t but is ready to start putting down roots and planning out her future.
While we promised not to call this an intervention (or a séance for that matter), Rachael was at a crossroads and needed someone to interfere, if only to help her stop doubting herself. She and Eric sat down for what is almost a financial planning consultation to discuss her goals, explore opportunities for cash flow, and get her to the realization that what you think your life is supposed to look like is not necessarily what it should look like.
And, like many initial financial planning conversations, there was very little talk of money and a lot of talk of what she wants to be when she grows up. Listen now to go on this self-discovery journey with us.
In this episode we’ll talk about:
• Turning your passions and hobbies into your career
• The career paths that allow for the nomadic lifestyle that Rachael loves
• Redefining the idea of “home,” and finding home in the people you meet
• The skills you need (or don’t need) to make a living
• Barbara Sloan’s book Tipped and the value it holds for those with less traditional income
[embed]https://youtu.be/uchLbxcbSEA?si=jKYCMtIDuFuvCFwH[/embed]
Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.
About Rachel Schlimmer:
I've been semi-nomadic for the last 5-6 years, working for most of a year, travelling for 8-10 months. I'm working towards putting down some roots and building some stability, and part of that is upping my long-term finance game. Fortuitously met Eric over the bar top of a hotel restaurant I'm newly coffee slinging for, and here we are!
May 11, 2023 • 7min
Office Hours: How to Find Balance Between Saving, Retirement, and Expenses?
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Matt's question: “How do you effectively balance among saving, retirement, and expenses?"
There is no rule of thumb here, but we may be able to find a balance that works for you.
Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours!
May 4, 2023 • 38min
Cashing Out: Unrigging the Financial Game with Julien and Kiersten Saunders
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! We have two very special guests today, Julien and Kiersten Saunders. They are the hosts of the Rich and Regular podcast and Money on the Table video series and authors of their recently published book, “Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away.”
The couple joins us to talk about how the finance game is rigged against minorities and how they built their wealth—and paid down mind-numbing debt—despite the challenges they faced. This is a powerful episode you won’t want to miss!
In this episode we’ll talk about:
• How not to start a relationship.
• Julien and Kiersten’s story and why they wrote their book the way they did.
• The barriers and challenges that people of color face, particularly in finance.
• Wage and income gaps and how they’re still prevalent.
• The history of slavery and share cropping and how they still impact us.
• Choosing your boss wisely and finding one that advocates for you.
• Paying yourself first and having courage to invest money.
• Treating personal finance as financial hygiene.
• Becoming a connector and the value of community, both virtual and in person.
• Paying off debt the way you chop down a tree.
[embed]https://youtu.be/7DRihjDq2uo?si=MUUEI4KyQigHHznN[/embed]
About Julien and Kiersten Saunders:
Julien and Kiersten are authors of Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game By Walking Away under Portfolio Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. They are also the creative voices behind the blog richandregular.com, hosts/producers of the award-winning video series, Money on the Table, and hosts of the rich & REGULAR podcast.
https://richandregular.com
Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.
Apr 27, 2023 • 6min
Office Hours: Investing in a 401(k) vs Saving for College
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Madeline's question: “Should I stop contributing to my 401(k) to pay for my daughter's college now or should I take loans and continue to invest in my retirement?”
This a question many are facing, and there is no one perfect answer. However, retirement is the one thing you cannot borrow for so it's important to take care of yourself first financially before your children. Eric explains why.
Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours!
Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.
[embed]https://youtu.be/G4-_9stQWLs?si=TUaeNqDQ2rQ39Fyu[/embed]
Apr 20, 2023 • 43min
Male, Pale, and Stale: The Growing Need for Diverse Voices in Finance with Michelle Waymire
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is as young and scrappy as her brand. Michelle Waymire founded her financial planning practice to help the LGBTQ+ community make sense of their finances in an environment that is uniquely designed for them.
Her approach to financial planning means making your money work towards building a joyful, abundant, and giving life and she is here to share more about her story and how she is changing the industry to be less male, pale, and stale.
Listen to her abundance philosophy and start changing your mindset. If not, well, bless your heart.
In this episode we’ll talk about:
• Michelle launching a financial planning practice right before the pandemic took over the world
• What it means to be a fiduciary
• How young clients don’t want their parents’ financial advisor and how important it is to have a multigenerational financial planning practice
• How women in finance are seen as assistants and secretaries regardless of position
• A collaborative approach to financial advising
• The abundance mindset vs striving for wealth
• Abundance as a means to an end instead of an end goal
• How financial planning for the LGBTQ+ community is different
• Partnerships and collaborations that can help the LGBTQ+ community find a better financial advisor for them
[embed]https://youtu.be/wjY56YEwT3U?si=szuIr4sgjITCHyVl[/embed]
Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.
About Michelle Waymire:
Michelle Waymire is a fiduciary financial advisor and financial coach, as well as the founder of Young & Scrappy, a specialty practice geared towards serving young professionals, artists/entrepreneurs, and LGBTQ+ folx. Michelle holds her Masters in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee, is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (tm) and has been quoted/featured in US News, Glamour, Bustle, local NPR, and many more. You can read about her work at www.youngandscrappy.com. Or check out The Young and Scrappy Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/theyoungscrappy/
Apr 13, 2023 • 7min
Office Hours: Can Money Buy Happiness?
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Alicia's question: “Can money actually buy happiness?”
Over his 30-year career, Eric has seen people with more money than they could ever need who were miserable and some who were happy. The same can be said for those with more modest wealth. So what's the answer?
Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours!
Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.
[embed]https://youtu.be/i1XowyWSXlI?si=m4j_XszsmiwpQP1p[/embed]
Apr 6, 2023 • 35min
FIRE By Real Estate: Advice for Future Real Estate Investors with Tom Brickman
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is known in the financial media space as the Frugal Gay and that frugality paid off. Tom Brickman reached financial independence through real estate investing and currently has 22 doors in Ohio and Texas.
He is here to share his experiences, advice, and mistakes he has made so you don’t have to.
In this episode we’ll talk about:
•How Tom retired in his 30s through real estate investing
•Advice for someone who wants to start in real estate with one house
•Liability as a landlord and setting up LLCs
•Setting up teams to handle maintenance for multiple homes
•Using side hustles as financial safety blankets
•The mindset shift that comes with financial freedom
•Other financial investments Tom uses to grow his portfolio
•The difference between income and wealth
•Starting with a budget and understanding where your money is going
•Setting goals for real estate investing and how to get started
[embed]https://youtu.be/urkpF8CwpHc?si=pGymG-0fqoh1G7Qr[/embed]
Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.
About Tom Brickman:
Tom Brickman 40, Married dog dad from Dallas TX. Recently retired from 9-5 to work on Real Estate (22 doors) a resale business and TheFrugalGay.com. Tom provides one on one coaching and covers financial literacy & real estate for building wealth.
Resources:
www.Thefrugalgay.com.com
https://twitter.com/Thefrugalgay11
https://instagram.com/thefrugalgay11
https://brotmanmedia.com/
