Today is the last Friday of the month and my regular listeners know that on the last Friday of the month, I host a happy hour on the podcast where I gather great friends with me to drink cheap drinks and talk about money topics. 

If you can believe it, this is the last Friday of 2020. We made it! In the final Happy Hour of the year, the ladies and I reflect on our highs and lows of the previous year, the goals we set for 2020, and we set goals for 2021. Of all the episodes I recorded this year, I believe this was my favorite, probably because it is the final one from a year that has challenged all of us in the best and worst ways. I don’t know about you, but I am so excited to send this year off and put it behind us, and celebrate a new one.

For more information, visit the show notes at https://martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/2020-year-end-review-with-the-happy-hour-ladies

At the Financial Gym, we call the first meeting you have with a trainer, the “financially naked session”. In this meeting, you share everything about yourself financially so the trainer knows where you’re starting so that he or she can make the plan for how you can get where you want to go. Above all other meetings, this one scares clients the most because they are afraid or ashamed of their financial situation. Over two years ago on this podcast, I shared my financially naked session and it led to a request for more. Now, this is a regular series on this podcast. 

At this point, I’ve gotten naked with dozens of people on this podcast and many of you ask about update episodes so we can check in on people’s journeys. Well, joining me today is Alyssa who is going to give us an update on her finances. The last time we got naked with Alyssa, she was finishing up a bankruptcy process and working professionally as an opera singer. With the pause of live performances in 2020, you can imagine this was a tough challenge for Alyssa to get through. She joins me today to share all of her digits and what she’s doing online until she can get back on stage.

For more information, visit the show notes at https://martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/financially-naked-follow-up-with-alyssa

It’s December of 2020, and at this point, I feel like I could write volumes of books on lessons I’ve learned this year. Honestly, as awful of a year as it’s been, I really do value these lessons, no matter how painful they may seem. For me, one of the greatest lessons is the importance of challenging conversations. I’ve had a few of these on my podcast, and today’s episode is a result of a conversation that happened offline that I felt could benefit everyone online. None of us is perfect. All of us need to consider ourselves active students, especially when it comes to empathy, and the best way to learn is through honest conversations. 

Joining me today is Lynn, a long time Financial Gym client, who raised her hand after something on this show rubbed her the wrong way. I’m glad she raised her hand and I hope you enjoy hearing about her family’s immigrant story. 

For more information, visit the show notes at https://martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/avoiding-generalizations-with-lynn

Seven years ago, I had an idea for a business that took me on the wildest journey filled with my highest highs and my lowest lows. From the second I became an entrepreneur, though, I felt a kinship with other founders, especially female founders. This summer, when it seemed like the world was blowing up and we were trying to decide how to respond as a business to the world around us, my gut told me that supporting Black Female founders was the path that we should take. 

The Financial Gym partnered with iFundWomen to identify five black female-founded businesses to receive a scholarship from us as well as business coaching and any other resources the Gym could provide to help these women create even more successful businesses. A few months back, we highlighted Take a Break Babysitting and Pathway to Purpose, and this month we’re highlighting Joslyn and Brittney from Fit and Nu and Emilie from Ashe Birthing Services. They join me today to share more about why they decided to start a company, how 2020 has impacted their business, and where they’re taking their businesses next year and beyond.

For more information, visit the show notes at https://martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/ifundwomen-winners-part-2-with-emilie-joslyn-and-brittney