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Growing Money with Sean Trace

Sean Trace

Welcome to the Personal Finance and Entrepreneurship Podcast with your host, Sean Trace! In this podcast, we explore a range of topics related to personal finance, business, and entrepreneurship.

With Sean as your guide, we dive into the world of personal finance and learn about how to manage and grow your money effectively. From saving for retirement to investing in the stock market, we cover everything you need to know to achieve financial freedom.

In addition to personal finance, we also explore topics related to business and entrepreneurship. Whether you are a seasoned business owner or just starting out, this podcast provides valuable insights on how to start, run, and grow a successful business.

Throughout each episode, Sean shares his own experiences and tips, as well as featuring interviews with experts in the field. By the end of each episode, you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of how to empower yourself financially and achieve your business goals.

So, whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or simply interested in learning more about personal finance, tune in to the Personal Finance and Entrepreneurship Podcast with Sean Trace.

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28 episodes
Avg 36 min
English

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Thursday · 41 min
The Truth About Generational Wealth and Legacy | George Burnette | Growing Money with Sean Trace
In this episode, I sit down with George Burnett, Director of Philanthropic Consulting and Wealth at Callan Family Office, to talk about what happens after you build wealth and why the hardest part often has nothing to do with investment returns. We get into generational wealth, estate planning, wealth transfer, philanthropy, family communication, and the money anxiety that can exist at every level of financial success. George explains why families can spend decades accumulating wealth but wait until the last minute to plan what happens next, and why communication may matter even more than the legal documents themselves. We also explore the danger of chasing more without remembering why you wanted financial success in the first place, how scarcity can affect even ultra-wealthy families, and why a strong financial plan should create a “floor” of stability for the people you love. Ultimately, this conversation is about building a legacy measured not just by money, but by relationships, intention, impact, and what you leave behind.
- Transcript
August 28 · 38 min
Why More Money Never Feels Like Enough | Matthew Nelson | Growing Money with Sean Trace
In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Matthew Nelson of Perspective 6 Wealth Advisors to talk about something that gets lost in most conversations about financial success: what does “enough” actually look like? Matthew works with business owners, executives, and people with equity compensation, and we dig into why a high income doesn’t automatically create financial freedom. We explore the psychology of money, why successful entrepreneurs keep chasing the next milestone, the danger of spreading your time and money across too many opportunities, and why focusing on one meaningful goal can actually get you further faster. Matthew also explains the difference between financial independence and simply earning a lot, why business owners need to protect their time and energy, and how succession planning becomes about purpose and legacy, not just a payday. At some point, building more wealth stops being the only question. How do you know when you actually have enough?
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August 27 · 42 min
Why Income and Financial Confidence Aren't the Same | Robyn E. Jameson | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with certified financial planner Robyn Jameson, who's spent 24 years helping successful families build real wealth. Robyn breaks down why so many high earners still feel financially anxious, and the answer isn't about income at all, it's about clarity. We talk about concentration risk hiding inside portfolios that people assume are diversified, the danger of comparing our everyday lives to everyone else's highlight reel, and why the biggest financial mistakes aren't dramatic, they're small decisions repeated for years. What's one financial habit you wish you'd started earlier?
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August 26 · 30 min
The Truth About Business Loans and Cash Flow | Snohomish Brown | Growing Money with Sean Trace
Being busy doesn’t automatically mean your business is making money. In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Dr. Snohomish Brown, senior business advisor with Rock Financial and a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, to break down what business owners really need to understand about cash flow, business funding, debt, and financial health. We talk about why profitable businesses can still run out of cash, why the best time to explore business financing is often before you desperately need it, and how working capital, lines of credit, SBA loans, equipment financing, and accounts receivable funding can serve very different purposes. We also dig into the warning signs business owners shouldn’t ignore, from declining balances and payroll stress to avoiding the numbers altogether. The biggest lesson keeps coming back to one thing: know your numbers. Revenue might look exciting, but profit, cash flow, customer acquisition costs, margins, and cash runway are what keep a business alive. What’s one number in your business you know you should be paying more attention to?
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August 25 · 48 min
What Clarity Before Crisis Actually Means | Ben Bolen | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with wealth management expert and author Ben Bolen who wrote Clarity Before Crisis after watching families fall apart, not because of money, but because nobody talked before a crisis hit. We dug into why kids struggle to ask their parents the tough questions, why grief changes how we think, and why an estate can be technically "in order" while the family behind it is falling apart. Ben shared personal stories from his own family and his time as a combat veteran, and broke down the four-step conversation every family needs to have about care: what level of care is needed, who provides it, where someone will live, and how it gets paid for. If this episode resonates with you, head to claritybeforecrisis.com to take Ben's free clarity assessment and find out exactly where your family stands. If something happened to you tomorrow, does your family actually know what you'd want, or are they guessing?
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August 24 · 3 min
Why I Keep An Emergency Cash Fund In My Wallet | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I have a bad habit with cash: if it’s in my wallet, I tend to spend it. But not carrying cash has created its own problems — especially when something unexpected comes up and suddenly cash is the only option. So this week, I’m trying a simple experiment: Emergency Wallet Cash. I keep a fixed amount of cash in my wallet, but mentally treat it as money that has already been spent. It isn’t available for coffee, snacks, random purchases, or anything else. It’s there only for those annoying little situations where cash suddenly becomes necessary. It’s basically the envelope method, just inside my wallet. Personal finance isn’t always about complicated math. A lot of it comes down to understanding your own habits and creating rules that protect you from the decisions you know you’re likely to make. Sometimes even changing the name of your money can change how you behave with it. So now it’s not “cash in my wallet.” It’s my cash emergency fund. I’m testing this for a week and I’ll check back in to tell you whether I actually managed to leave it alone. How do you keep yourself from spending the cash in your wallet?
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August 20 · 38 min
How To Find Your Financial North Star | Otto Rivera | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with Otto Rivera, a certified financial planner who built his entire career out of loss. He lost his mother at 18 after his father's terminal diagnosis, dropped out of college, worked forklift jobs and kitchen shifts to support his 3 younger brothers, and eventually found his way back to school and into finance at General Electric, before launching his own practice, Mindful Wealth Planning. We talk about faith, isolation, and why community is the antidote to almost every hard season in life. We also get into the emotional side of money, why "financial freedom" means something different for every person, and the advice he'd give his younger self standing at rock bottom. If you could give your younger self one piece of financial advice, what would it be?
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August 20 · 11 min
What My Rescue Puppy Taught Me About Money Trauma | Growing Money with Sean Trace
Nai came into our lives scared, nervous, and unsure if she was safe. Now she is one of the most loving little dogs you could imagine. That transformation got me thinking about money. A lot of us carry financial fear from things that happened years ago. Maybe it was growing up without enough, losing money, getting into debt, or simply never feeling financially secure. And even when life gets better, that fear can stick around. In this episode of Growing Money, I talk about Nai, what it took for her to finally feel safe, and why healing our relationship with money can work the same way. Sometimes building wealth is not just about earning more. Sometimes it is about finally believing you are safe.
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August 18 · 43 min
Why Debt-Free People Still Feel Guilty Spending | Justin Bennett | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sit down with Justin Bennett, owner of Strong Tower Consulting and author of Level Up Your Finances, to unpack why so many of us feel broke even when we're earning more than ever. We dig into the real reason budgets fail, why a budget is really just a glorified shopping list, and how tracking every small purchase reveals the death by a thousand cuts that quietly drains bank accounts. Justin also opens up about the shame so many people feel around money and why courage, not perfection, is what actually changes a financial trajectory. What's one small daily purchase you didn't realize was quietly adding up until you actually tracked it?
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August 13 · 41 min
Why Rich People Still Feel Like Impostors | DonJay Rice FBS® | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with DonJay Rice, a financial behavior specialist who spent 28 years as a financial advisor before dedicating his career entirely to the emotional and psychological side of money. We dig into why so many of us carry hidden money beliefs formed in childhood, why budgeting classes fail nine out of ten people, and why knowledge alone never changes behavior. Donjay breaks down the three money personalities: distant, domineering, and dutiful and explains how our subconscious hijacks our decisions the moment we feel unsafe. We talk about stress spending, money guilt among high earners, the shame of feeling like you're "bad with money". Which money personality do you think you are: distant, domineering, or dutiful and where do you think that belief first came from?
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August 11 · 41 min
Redefining What Wealth Means | Danielle Frazier | Growing Money with Sean Trace
In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Certified Financial Planner Danielle Frazier to explore what financial success actually looks like beyond expensive cars, luxury purchases, and the version of wealth we constantly see on social media. Danielle brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services, along with a background in psychology, which makes this conversation less about numbers and more about our relationship with money. We talk about financial peace, lifestyle creep, instant gratification, saving consistently, and why having more money doesn’t automatically create happiness. We also dig into the difference between looking wealthy and actually building financial security, why social media can distort our definition of success, and how having savings can turn a financial disaster into a manageable inconvenience. Danielle shares why contentment, preparation, balance, and understanding your personal “why” may matter more than chasing an arbitrary number in your bank account. If money is supposed to improve your life, what would financial success actually look like for you?
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August 10 · 35 min
Is Your Budget Setting You Up to Fail? | Kelsa Dickey | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sit down with financial coach Kelsa Dickey to unpack why so many smart, disciplined people still struggle with money. I learn that traditional budgeting fails 80% of people, not because they lack willpower, but because the whole system is built backward, obsessively tracking what we already spent instead of planning for what's coming. Kelsa walks me through her three-movement framework, spend fixed, spend future, and spend freely, and shows me how mapping paychecks forward instead of reviewing them backward eliminates guilt, decision fatigue, and the constant feeling of being two steps forward, two steps back. If you've ever felt like a failure for abandoning a budget app, this episode will change how you see money completely. What's one recurring expense you know is coming but never actually prepare for until it hits you?
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August 7 · 49 min
Why 78% of People Are One Paycheck From Crisis | Scott Miller | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with Scott Miller, a financial outcome coach who spent nearly a decade climbing out of tens of thousands of dollars in consumer debt after losing his job in 2008. Scott breaks down the real difference between a financial coach and a financial advisor, why "awareness is curative" might be the three most important words you ever hear about your finances, and how tracking your spending, not cutting coupons or chasing a perfect FICO score, is the single habit that changes everything. We talk about lifestyle inflation, the shame that keeps people from asking for help, and why the first step out of debt is never about willpower, it is about knowing exactly where you stand right now. What is one expense you have never actually tracked?
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August 3 · 32 min
Success Isn’t What You Think | Mike Kelly | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with Mike Kelly, CFP®, founder of Kelly Financial Planning and Right Path Enterprises, for a conversation that went far beyond investing, retirement, or how much money you need to be successful. We talked about why so many people spend years climbing a ladder they never consciously chose, chasing money, status, recognition, and success without stopping to define what they actually want from life. Mike shared how working 16 to 18-hour days, neglecting his health and relationships, and eventually reaching a breaking point forced him to reconsider what success really meant. We explore life planning, finding your purpose, defining your “enough,” building habits around what matters, and why your calendar and spending can reveal your true priorities better than your goals ever will. We also discuss how to get unstuck, the power of mentors and accountability, and why financial freedom means very little if you lose your sense of purpose along the way. If money and status disappeared from the equation, what would success actually look like for you?
- Transcript
July 31 · 36 min
Why Smart Kids Still Get Trapped in Debt | Wally Luckeydoo | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with Dr. Wally T. Luckeydoo, a high school personal finance teacher in Smyrna, Tennessee, for a conversation that hit way closer to home than I expected. We got into why money is still one of the most taboo topics in American households, even though it touches literally every part of our lives. Wally shared his own story of ending up trapped in student loan debt because no one ever told him trade school was an option. We talked about why kids form money habits way earlier than we realize, and why compound interest might be the single most powerful lesson no one teaches before graduation. What's one money mistake you made young that you wish someone had warned you about?
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July 29 · 35 min
The Hidden Psychology That's Keeping You Broke | Vered Frank | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with Vered Frank, certified financial planner and founder of Stack Wealth, and we got into why so many people who make good money still feel completely stressed out about it. Vered breaks down why having an actual financial plan can boost your confidence by over 80%, versus just 40% for those winging it, and it's not about how much you earn. We talk about the shame that keeps people from even looking at their bank accounts, and why she tells her own clients to use AI tools like Claude to review their spending without judgment. What's one money habit you picked up as a kid that you're still trying to unlearn today?
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July 27 · 32 min
Risk On Early | Hayden Ess | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with Hayden Ess, a wealth management expert with deep experience in annuities, advisor transitions, and financial planning, to unpack why so many of us feel lost when it comes to money. Hayden breaks down why financial advisors are becoming less like number-crunchers and more like life coaches, and why fee transparency should be the baseline, not the exception. We dig into why young people are more comfortable day trading than actually investing for the long haul, and why that's backwards. We also talk about his work with Fiduciary Gives, a nonprofit helping future CFPs earn their certification through scholarships. What's one money lesson you wish someone had taught you before you turned 18?
- Transcript
July 24 · 45 min
Trust Beats Expertise | Joshua I Wilson | Growing Money Podcast
In this episode of Growing Money, I sit down with Dr. Joshua Wilson to explore the psychology behind money, trust, marketing, and business decisions. Joshua explains why expertise, credentials, and technical knowledge are not enough to earn someone’s trust. Before people evaluate your financial plan, service, or business offer, their brains are already deciding whether they feel safe, understood, and comfortable with you. We discuss neurobehavioral finance, emotional decision-making, financial anxiety, and why people often feel first and justify their choices later. Joshua also reveals why successful entrepreneurs and high earners can remain deeply insecure even after achieving financial success. More money may improve the numbers, but it does not automatically create peace, confidence, or emotional stability. We also explore what separates great financial advisors from technically skilled ones, why generic marketing makes businesses invisible, and how trust becomes the first real sale. This conversation is a powerful reminder that people do not simply buy information, they choose the person they trust to deliver it. Has achieving more ever made you feel safer, or did it simply give you more to worry about?
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July 22 · 35 min
Your Health Bank Is Leaking | Stevyn Guinnip | Growing Money with Sean Trace
I sat down with Stevyn Guinnip, a health coach who works exclusively with financially minded people, and this conversation completely reframed how I think about wealth. Stevyn treats health like a financial asset, using money language to explain biology: abdominal fat as high-interest debt, muscle as a currency you spend down after forty, stress as a tax bracket quietly eroding your reserves. We talk about her own near-death experience with sepsis, the four-part framework she calls Mind, Mend, Meals, and Move, and why muscle loss after thirty might be the most underrated threat to long-term wealth. Do you know your own health "credit score" and are you investing in it the way you invest in your money?
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July 20 · 43 min
Fear Runs Your Wallet | Joy Slabaugh | Growing Money with Sean Trace
Money is never just money - and this episode of Growing Money proves it. I sat down with Joy Slabaugh, a CFP turned licensed trauma counselor, who's spent her career at the exact intersection of finance and emotional healing. Joy walked me through why our anxiety around money almost always traces back to three deep human needs: safety, freedom, or connection. We got into the "eating cat food alone" fear that shows up again and again in her sessions with wealthy clients, why financial advisors are rarely trained to sit with emotion, and how compulsive spending, hoarding, or even chasing the next dollar often has nothing to do with logic and everything to do with a story we inherited. What's the earliest memory you have about money, and do you think it's still shaping how you handle it today?
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