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In this episode of Academics and Their Money, Neeka flips the script and interviews co-host Inga about her journey from Eastern Europe to academia, financial planning, and entrepreneurship.

Inga shares how growing up in a financially stressful household shaped her lifelong relationship with money, pushing her toward control, structure, and eventually a career helping others manage their finances. She walks through her unconventional academic path, from triple major undergrad to corporate finance, teaching, and a highly strategic approach to earning a PhD in finance during the financial crisis.

The conversation explores the realities of academia versus real world finance, how financial mindset evolves over time, and what it actually takes to build financial peace, not just wealth. Inga reflects on major life decisions, including paying off a house for emotional reasons rather than pure optimization, learning to spend without guilt, and finding balance between saving and living.

They also discuss practical advice for early career academics, why financial organization matters long before you feel “rich enough,” and how getting professional guidance early can dramatically shape long term outcomes.

This episode is part career story, part money mindset evolution, and part practical guide to building financial confidence at every stage of life.

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.

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In this episode of Academics and Their Money, Neeka Miremadi and Inga Timmerman sit down with Izidin El Kalak, associate professor of finance at Al Faisal University in Riyadh, for a deeply insightful conversation about money, academia, and global career mobility.

Izidin shares his non linear journey into academia, from growing up between Bulgaria and Syria, to working in Qatar to fund graduate school, to completing a PhD in the UK and eventually relocating to Saudi Arabia. Along the way, he reflects on how his relationship with money evolved from necessity, to stability, and ultimately to optionality and freedom.

The conversation explores practical money lessons learned early in life, including budgeting as a child, the missed opportunity of investing sooner, and the power of compounding. Izidin also offers candid insight into academic pay structures, the financial realities of the UK system post Brexit, and how compensation and benefits work differently in the Middle East.

The episode dives into important but often overlooked topics in academia, including salary negotiation, pension planning for expats, misconceptions around prestige and pay, and why moving to a seemingly lower ranked institution can actually be a smart financial decision.

Izidin closes by reflecting on why he would still choose academia even with unlimited financial security, emphasizing the value of research freedom, intellectual curiosity, and mentorship, along with a lighthearted discussion of recent purchases, including a VR headset win and the universal regret of buying slime.

This episode is a must listen for PhDs, academics, and anyone considering an international move or rethinking how money fits into a meaningful career.

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.

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In this episode of Academics and Their Money, hosts Neeka Miremadi and Inga Timmerman sit down with Oliver Schnusenberg, Professor of Finance at the University of North Florida, to explore a career path that has taken more turns than most academic CVs could handle.

Oliver shares how a German upbringing, an early interest in hospitality, and a family full of accountants somehow led him to a PhD in finance, a pioneering course in behavioral finance, and eventually a second act studying neuroscience and mental health. What began as curiosity about why people make irrational financial decisions has evolved into a passion for financial therapy and helping people untangle the emotions behind their money choices.

The conversation dives into the realities of academic life, including how disconnected research can feel from the “outside world,” the slow creep of lifestyle inflation, and why professors often struggle to implement their own financial advice. Oliver explains the three pillars of financial therapy, how attachment styles show up in money conversations, and why CFPs may need more psychology than spreadsheets.

He also reflects candidly on his own financial mindset, his discomfort with debt, and what it means to define “enough” after decades in academia. From hating a car purchase to questioning the purpose of academic research, Oliver brings humor, humility, and a refreshingly honest perspective on what it means to build a meaningful life with money instead of for it.

A thoughtful, funny, and unexpectedly personal conversation for anyone who has ever wondered whether the numbers tell the whole story.

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.

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In this episode of Academics and Their Money, Neeka Miremadi and Inga Timmerman sit down with Roxy Pebdani to explore what it really looks like to build an academic career across borders, systems, and life stages, while keeping money, equity, and values in view.

Roxy shares her personal and professional journey as the child of Iranian immigrants, growing up as a third culture kid, studying and working across the US, and ultimately relocating her family to Sydney, Australia, with two very young children. She reflects on the realities of academic mobility, the financial and emotional tradeoffs of living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, and why some decisions that are not financially optimal can still be deeply right for quality of life and family well being.

The conversation dives into budgeting habits, long term thinking around money, and how Roxy’s relationship with spending evolved over time, particularly around sustainability, durability, and value versus simply choosing the cheapest option. She also compares the US and Australian academic systems in detail, explaining differences in promotion structures, leadership roles, union protections, salary norms, and negotiation practices.

Roxy offers an inside look at Australia’s superannuation retirement system and contrasts it with US retirement saving challenges, highlighting how structural differences can dramatically change long term financial outcomes for academics. She also discusses gender equity in academia, imposter syndrome, career progression, and the importance of mentorship, especially for women and underrepresented groups.

Finally, Roxy reflects on why she would still choose academia even with unlimited financial means, emphasizing her passion for leadership, equity work, and creating systems where academics feel supported, celebrated, and able to thrive. The episode closes with practical advice for academics applying for jobs internationally, stressing the importance of tailoring application materials to country specific expectations.

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.

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In this international edition of Academics and Their Money, Inga Timmerman and Neeka Miremadi sit down with Elena Hoffer, a German scientist living in Sweden who completed her PhD in immunology at the Karolinska Institute. Elena shares her journey from academic research to entrepreneurship and explains why she ultimately stepped away from the professor track.

Elena opens up about her early discomfort around money, why academics often undervalue themselves, and how she rebuilt her mindset by recognizing the real outcomes her work creates. She now co runs a job accelerator program helping PhDs, postdocs, and professors transition into industry roles. Their model centers on an initiation fee plus a success fee, and she talks candidly about why charging for expertise felt strange at first and how she grew into it once she saw the impact.

We talk about the enormous salary gap between what academics expect and what their skills are actually worth in industry. Elena explains how many clients end up earning roughly fifty percent more than they thought possible and why raising your income can be the most powerful financial strategy.

Elena also discusses money habits she wishes she had adopted earlier, especially investing small amounts consistently. Coming from a conservative financial culture, she had to overcome fears around ETFs and long term investing, and she encourages younger academics to start early to build the habit.

Finally, Elena walks us through what academic training and career placement look like across Europe and how social systems, salaries, and cost structures differ from the United States. She shares openly about the loneliness she felt in the lab, the limited stability she observed in postdoc paths, and the conscious choice she made to build a more fulfilling and financially stable career outside academia.

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.

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In this episode of Academics and Their Money, hosts Neeka Miremadi and Inga Timmerman sit down with Philip Gibson professor of finance, associate dean at Winthrop University, and founder of ElationWealth LLC to explore money mindsets, academic career strategy, and teaching the next generation about finances.

Philip begins by sharing how his early experiences in Jamaica shaped a scarcity mindset that later evolved into intentional planning, education, and goal setting. He highlights the power of mentors, explaining how key guidance early on propelled him toward a PhD and a dual-path career in academia and financial planning.

The conversation covers:

• Why money should always be tied to purpose and quality of life.
• The emotional side of money, including fear, generosity, and stewardship.
• What he wishes he had done earlier (hint: it involves investing at 19).
• How academics can strategically navigate promotion, tenure, and deciding between research, teaching, and administration.
• Why time management and boundaries are critical to preventing burnout.
• The lessons he’s passing to his young children about saving, earning, confidence, and the joy of being “uncomfortable but resilient.”

Philip also walks through his path from assistant professor to associate, to full professor, and into administration, emphasizing the importance of reading your faculty manual, understanding institutional policies, and aligning your decisions with both your strengths and long-term happiness.

Practical, warm, and full of lived wisdom, this episode blends financial insight with real talk about academic life, career choices, and the realities of balancing work, family, and purpose.

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.

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In this episode of Academics and Their Money, hosts Neeka Miremadi and Inga Timmerman sit down with Nik Volkov, Associate Professor of Finance at Mercer University, to trace his path into academia and the money lessons learned along the way.

Nik shares how a frugal upbringing shaped his financial discipline, the mindset shift that came from a single conversation about income versus expenses, and why he believes academics often underestimate their capacity to earn. The discussion dives deep into academic pay stagnation, side-income opportunities, and career strategy for young PhDs, including why loyalty in academia doesn’t pay and how to protect your financial growth without sacrificing purpose.

Nik also opens up about his thriving expert witness practice, the economics of academia, and his belief that professors are fairly compensated but often fail to fully capitalize on their freedom and flexibility. He closes with candid reflections on merit-based pay, financial independence, and the joy he still finds in the classroom.

A conversation packed with practical insights, humor, and hard-earned wisdom for anyone navigating the academic money maze.

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.

In this episode of Academics and Their Money, hosts Neeka Miremadi and Inga Timmerman talk with Pieter De Jong, who shares his unconventional journey from physical therapist to finance professor. Pieter reflects on growing up poor in the Netherlands, moving to the U.S. with nothing, and pursuing an MBA and PhD while raising a family, all driven by a deep desire for freedom and security.

He discusses what money has meant to him (“freedom, not happiness”), the lessons he learned about investing, and what shocked him most about academia. From navigating politics and inefficiency in faculty meetings to learning how to negotiate for research resources instead of salary, Pieter’s insights are both blunt and refreshingly candid.

The conversation also dives into emotional realities: retirement, identity, and what truly matters beyond professional success. As Pieter puts it, the goal isn’t to be remembered as a great professor but as “a good father and a good husband.”

If you’ve got questions, suggestions for future topics, or just want to say ‘hello,’ you can reach us at https://attainablewealthfp.com/schedule-a-call/.

Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.