The August jobs report shocked economists: just 22,000 jobs were added, pushing unemployment to 4.3%. Investors rushed into bonds, Treasury yields dropped to three-year lows, and whispers of falling mortgage rates grew louder. In this First Friday economic update, Paula Pant breaks down: Why the August jobs report rattled markets. How lower Treasury […]
By Paula Pant
#639: Q&A: How to Invest in Your Community (by Finding the Third Option)
Lesley is attracted to community bonds as a way to build collective wealth for the underserved. But do the same risks exist as they do in the traditional bond market?
Aisha is excited to share how some life-changing advice has played out for her career. She wonders now: what limiting beliefs has Paula and Joe […]
By Paula Pant
[GREATEST HITS] James Clear: How Small Daily Actions Compound Into Life-Changing Wealth [RERUN]
Fifty dollars. That’s how much this couple transferred to their “Trip to Europe” savings account each time they cooked dinner instead of going to a restaurant.
By year’s end, they had funded their dream vacation — not through budgeting or willpower, but by hacking their habit loop.
This story illustrates how James Clear approaches […]
By Paula Pant
#637: Q&A: Can You Open an IRA for Someone Else’s Kid? (And Should You?)
Nick wants to set up an investment account for his nephew to contribute annually, creating a nest egg for college since the parents are already opening a 529. He’s unsure whether a standard brokerage account, IRA or other options work best when you’re not the parent.
Diana asks whether she needs TIPS in her portfolio […]
By Paula Pant
#636: How to Talk to Your Parents About Money, with Behavioral Economist Etinosa Agbonlahor
Struggling with money conversations at home? Discover the hidden “money scripts” that derail family finances with Behavioral Economist Etinosa Agbonlahor.
Agbonlahor, CEO of Decision Alpha and former Director of Behavioral Science Research at Fidelity Investments, is the author of “How to Talk to Your Parents About Money.”
She studied financial management at Cornell […]
By Paula Pant
#635: Q&A: Gold vs. Stocks – and Why Inflation Panic Makes You Poor
Arielle’s head is spinning from the seemingly contradictory advice she hears about the best investments to hedge against inflation and a possible recession. What’s she missing?
Dave is curious about private investments after listening to a recent First Friday episode. What are they, and should he consider them for his portfolio?
Abbey is stoked about the raise she negotiated for her first job out of school. But she’s worried about liability risk related to her new position. How does she protect herself?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.
By Paula Pant
#634: Wharton Professor: The 7 Hidden Types of Entrepreneurs, with Lori Rosenkopf
Picture this: you’re 26 years old, fresh out of Wharton, and you decide to start a business with two friends. You spend years building a digital marketing firm that eventually works with Dollar Shave Club and Madison Reed. You bootstrap the entire thing without taking a dime of venture capital funding.
That’s exactly what one Wharton graduate did — and her story represents the reality of entrepreneurship that most people never hear about.
Lori Rosenkopf, a management professor at Wharton Business School and head of Venture Labs, joins us to shatter the biggest myths about starting a business. The Mark Zuckerberg college dropout story? It’s not just rare — it’s misleading.
Research shows that the most successful entrepreneurs, those in the top 0.1 percent of venture-backed firms, average late 30s to early 40s when they start their companies. Many continue launching businesses into their 50s and 60s.
Your age and corporate experience isn’t holding you back from entrepreneurship — it’s actually giving you an advantage.
Rosenkopf breaks down seven different types of entrepreneurs, from disruptors who overturn entire industries to bootstrappers who build profitable businesses using their own resources. You’ll hear about a founder who disrupted the hair color industry in her 50s with Madison Reed, and a banker who built an entire financial services division inside Square.
We cover the rise of direct-to-consumer brands in 2013, why 80 percent of entrepreneurs are bootstrappers, and how artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for people to start businesses without massive upfront investments.
Rosenkopf explains her “six Rs” of entrepreneurial thinking: reason, recombination, relationships, resources, resilience, and results. She argues that most people already think entrepreneurially without realizing it — even parents who optimize their family routines are solving problems through innovation.
We explore the world of “intrapreneurs” — people who build new businesses within established companies — and discuss acquisition entrepreneurship, where people buy existing small businesses instead of starting from scratch.
Whether you want to start a side hustle, position yourself for a promotion, or eventually launch your own company, Rosenkopf’s framework shows multiple paths to creating value through innovation.
By Paula Pant
#633: Q&A: How to Spot Investment Scams Before You Lose Everything
Paul is worried the private equity investment he’s about to make could be a scam. How can he do his due diligence and stay protected when there’s a shortage of reliable information?
Rob is questioning the purpose of a bond allocation in his eight-figure investment portfolio. Is he on to something, or is there a legitimate case to add them?
Dan can retire in a few years, but he’s itching to do it now. Would buying a business be the key to unlocking an earlier exit from his W2?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
#632: How to Get Everything You Want at Work, with Behavior Prof. Melody Wilding
#632: There are 10 conversations that a person should have at work in order to do a better job, have better relationships at work, and make more money.
Melody Wilding, Professor of Human Behavior at Hunter College, joins us to talk about how you can get the most out of your […]
By Paula Pant
#631: Q&A: Is ChatGPT’s Portfolio Better Than VTSAX?
Jason’s analysis of his retirement plan shows that the simple path beats the efficient frontier. Is he right or is he missing something?
Minerva is worried about the impacts of tax inefficiency to her wealth. Are her investments properly located?
Scott feels frozen because he doesn’t understand the nuances of the efficient frontier. Where can he get a simplified explainer so he can start taking action?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
