In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with financial coach Hannah Newberry from Map Your Money to talk about the real foundation of personal finance, budgeting, debt payoff, saving, and starting to invest without getting sucked into market panic or the nonstop noise of social media.

We break down why “confident advice” from friends or family can still be wrong, how to spot the difference between helpful guidance and loud opinions, and what it actually looks like to stay calm when your 401(k) drops or you feel crushed by a mountain of debt. Hannah shares practical ways to build financial resilience, including focusing on small wins, building consistent habits, using clear goals and visuals to stay motivated, and learning the rules of the money game, tax basics, and smart spending so you can make decisions with control instead of emotion.

If you’re trying to get out of consumer debt, improve money management, and build long-term wealth through steady saving and investing, this conversation is a reset for your mindset and a simple path forward when everything feels chaotic.

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Steven Fox, a former Marine turned CFP who built, scaled, and sold his financial planning firm, and is now reshaping how financial advice works.

We dig into the uncomfortable truth behind traditional financial planning, why so many advisors are really salespeople in disguise, and how everyday people get stuck buying products they do not actually need. Steven breaks down what real financial planning should look like, why advice only models remove hidden incentives, and how to spot whether someone is truly helping you or just making money off you. We talk about money anxiety, decision making, life planning, and why most people are not as far behind as they think.

This is a conversation about cutting through the noise, finding clarity with your finances, and building a money strategy that actually fits your life.

In this episode of Growing Money with Sean Trace, I sit down with Michigan State finance professor and registered investment advisor Steve Schiestel to talk about personal finance basics that actually stick, especially saving habits, wants versus needs, building an emergency fund, and why most people do better being consistent savers than trying to be genius investors.

We start with kid level money questions like what money is, how to save even a little, what to do with ten dollars, and how kids can earn money, then we zoom out into the real gaps in financial education, the psychology behind spending and investing, and why money behavior is often simple but not easy. I share a real dad moment trying to explain banks, limits, and saving to my daughter when she wants a gaming PC, and we get practical about budgeting rules of thumb, how much to save, housing cost targets, and why emergency funds can save a family when life hits. Steve breaks down common money mistakes like not saving early and trying to time the market, explains why low cost index investing and long term discipline beat chasing hype, and we connect it all to the casino style dopamine loops that make investing feel like a game.

We close with a clear guide for choosing a financial advisor, including fiduciary duty, fees versus commissions, credentials like CFP, and the trust factor, plus Steve’s advice to his younger self about taking smart career risks while still building long term financial security.