In this episode of Self Funded, Chrissie sits down with Eryn Schultz, founder of Her Personal Finance, to talk about building a trust-first business in an industry where trust is often hard to earn. Eryn shares how she went from working in grocery retail and asking hard questions about 401(k) fees to creating an advice-only financial planning firm that serves women and couples navigating major life and money decisions. They talk through her business model, the flywheel between education and advising, the reality of early-stage hustle, and how a personal decision to speak up about high-fee financial products ultimately led to a major New York Times feature that changed the trajectory of her business.

(00:01:24) Tailoring Financial Education for Women and Couples

(00:13:59) Trust-Centered Financial Services Approach by Eryn Schultz

(00:20:44) Navigating Entrepreneurial Growth Through Client Prioritization

(00:30:34) Managing Website Traffic Surge from Media Coverage

(00:34:28) Fostering Business Expansion through Service Diversification

(00:40:07) Personal Values Drive Self-Funded Ventures

Eryn's Links:

Check out her website: herpersonalfinance.com/
Follow her on Instagram: @her.personal.finance

Self Funded Links:
Substack: ⁠https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/⁠
Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459⁠
Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ⁠
The Long Game:
I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.
My Self Funded Tech Stack:
These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):
Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. ⁠https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf⁠
Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: ⁠https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X⁠
Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: ⁠https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona⁠
Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: ⁠https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3⁠

Michelle Penczak didn’t set out to build a multi-million dollar company. She just needed a job that could survive military life. After being turned down again and again because she might “move someday,” Michelle built her own path — starting as a virtual assistant, launching an LLC during her husband’s deployment, and eventually co-founding Squared Away. Today, her fully bootstrapped company has employed more than 1,600 military spouses worldwide and paid over $32 million to military families. In this episode, Michelle shares how she scaled from solo VA to CEO, why she refuses venture capital, how AI is transforming operational support, and her practical framework for delegation that every founder needs to hear. This is a masterclass in building a business around constraints — and turning them into your biggest advantage.
(00:01:36) Reclaiming Time: Building Businesses Around Constraints
(00:16:05) Efficient Growth Strategies for Virtual Assistance Businesses
(00:18:15) Remote Career Evolution for Military Spouses
(00:25:36) Supporting Military Families Through Employment Opportunities
(00:31:23) Enhancing Business Efficiency with Automation Tools
(00:36:34) Delegation's Role in Balancing Mom Entrepreneurship
(00:38:40) Passion-Driven Business Success
Michelle's Link:
www.gosquaredaway.com/
Self Funded Links:
Substack: ⁠https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/⁠
Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459⁠
Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ⁠
The Long Game:
I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.
My Self Funded Tech Stack
These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):

Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. ⁠https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf⁠

Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: ⁠https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X⁠

Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: ⁠https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona⁠

Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: ⁠https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3⁠

In this episode of Self Funded, Dana Hork, Founder & CEO of Beers With Friends, shares how she transformed her frustration with the traditional agency model into a five-day sprint business designed for modern marketers. Drawing on her experience at Wonder, Walmart, and Jet.com, Dana explains how she and her co-founder built a creative microagency rooted in trust, speed, and focus—offering “creativity on tap” without long retainers or bureaucracy. She discusses shared consciousness in co-founding, iterating toward product-market fit, and why senior judgment and perspective are more valuable than ever in an AI-driven world.
(00:00:01) Career Control Through Self-Funded Ventures
(00:08:49) Collaborative Decision-Making in Co-Founding Ventures
(00:15:28) Evolution from Flexible Projects to Productized Services
(00:28:12) Creating a Trust-Based Independent Agency Culture
(00:29:29) "Creative Collaboration for Business Success"
(00:33:34) Personal Friction: Entrepreneurial Success Recipe
Dana's Links:

Beers with Friends: www.bwfagency.com

Dana's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danahork/

BWF LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/beerswithfriends/

BWF Instagram: www.instagram.com/getbeerswithfriends

BWF YouTube: youtube.com/@beerswithfriends

BWF TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@beerswithfriends
Self Funded Links:
Substack: ⁠https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/⁠
Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459⁠
Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ⁠
The Long Game:
I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.
My Self Funded Tech Stack:
These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):

Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. ⁠https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf⁠

Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: ⁠https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X⁠

Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: ⁠https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona⁠

Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: ⁠https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3⁠

In this solo episode of Self Funded, Chrissie shares an aha moment that’s been forming over the past few years: the rise of the experience entrepreneur. She walks through how this idea emerged from watching talented professionals leave traditional roles and start building businesses around their own experience — not by starting over, but by changing how that experience is delivered. Chrissie defines what experience entrepreneurship is (and what it isn’t), explains how it offers a third path out of the competence cage, and unpacks why this model is becoming more viable right now — from fractional work and shifting views on credentials to the leverage created by AI. This episode is about naming a movement, putting language to a quiet shift, and exploring how mid-career professionals can build something ambitious without abandoning everything they’ve already built.

(00:01:28) Expertise Entrepreneurship

(00:03:12) Expertise-based Sustainable Business Ventures

(00:08:50) Self-Funding Success in Innovation

Self Funded Links:

Substack: ⁠https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/⁠

Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459⁠

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ

⁠The Long Game:

I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.

My Self Funded Tech Stack:These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):

Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. ⁠https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf⁠

Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: ⁠https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X⁠

Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: ⁠https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona⁠

Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: ⁠https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3⁠

In this episode of Self Funded, Chrissie sits down with Peyton Vitter, Founder and Managing Partner of SMG Capital, to unpack what institutional-grade finance actually looks like for growing, multi-unit businesses. Peyton shares his path from private equity and private banking to building a CFO advisory firm that supports restaurants, franchisees, and real estate operators navigating complexity, growth decisions, and capital events. They dive into niche focus, why most operators don’t need a CFO as early as they think, how financial clarity drives better decisions, and what it really takes to scale a services business without turning it into a bloated corporate machine.

(00:02:21) Strategic Financial Guidance for Multi-Unit Businesses

(00:07:14) Tailored CFO Advisory Services in Private Equity

(00:10:59) Navigating Diverse Franchise Business Models

(00:15:31) Scaling a Personal Brand into a Business

(00:20:14) Structured Data for Informed Financial Decisions

(00:29:33) Service-Focused Growth in Niche Markets

(00:35:22) Specializing in Niche Markets for Business Success

Peyton's Links:SMG Capital: https://www.smgcapitalgp.com

Connect with Peyton on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/peyton-vittersmgcapital
Self Funded Links:
Substack: ⁠https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/⁠
Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459⁠
Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ⁠
The Long Game:
I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.
My Self Funded Tech Stack:
These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):

Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. ⁠https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf⁠

Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: ⁠https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X⁠
Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: ⁠https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona⁠
Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: ⁠https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3⁠

In this solo episode of Self Funded, Chrissie Francona walks through how she’s intentionally setting herself up for success in 2026. She breaks down the two pillars she uses to guide her strategy, clear direction and the right enablers, and gets specific about the systems she’s putting in place this year. Chrissie shares why she’s managing energy instead of time, how she’s using metrics to stay objective in a self funded business, and why consistency matters more than volume when you’re building something sustainable. This episode is both a planning framework and an honest look at what it takes to stay grounded, focused, and realistic while growing a business around your own experience and expertise.

(00:05:05) Revenue-Driving Business Performance Metrics Analysis

(00:06:40) Daily Achievable Goals for Success

Self Funded Links:
Substack: ⁠https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/⁠
Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459⁠
Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ⁠
The Long Game:
I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.
My Self Funded Tech Stack:
These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):

Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. ⁠https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf⁠

Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: ⁠https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X⁠

Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: ⁠https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona⁠

Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: ⁠https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3⁠

In this episode of Self Funded, Chrissie Francona talks with Phil Levine, founder of Golden Gate Recruits, about how he turned his own jump from Bain to startup life into a specialized recruiting firm that helps ex consultants and finance talent land roles in tech and venture backed companies. Phil shares what it took to build credibility in a still-nascent career path, how he convinced both founders and candidates to bet on generalist operator roles before they were a known quantity, and why relationship-driven outbound became the real growth engine behind his early traction. He breaks down the moments that unlocked momentum, from a cold email that turned into a key customer to a network effect of referrals, and walks through how the business evolved from a solo operation with outsourced support into the Phil, Nick, and Mia team.

(00:07:30) Transitioning from Consulting to Tech Recruitment
(00:15:18) Authenticity: Key to Success in Business
(00:23:52) Leveraging Shared Connections for Networking Success
(00:31:37) Communication for Generating Inbound Leads
(00:32:57) Leveraging Prestigious Networks for Business Expansion
(00:43:25) Transition to Collaborative Team Dynamics in GTR
(00:47:09) Building Relationships for Success

Check out Golden Gate Recruits: www.goldengaterecruits.com
Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/levinephillip/

Self Funded Links:
Substack: ⁠https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/⁠
Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459⁠
Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ⁠

The Long Game:
I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.

My Self Funded Tech Stack:
These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):
Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. ⁠https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf⁠
Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: ⁠https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X⁠
Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: ⁠https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona⁠
Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: ⁠https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3⁠

In this solo episode of Self Funded, Chrissie Francona reflects on her first full year building The Long Game and shares three mistakes she made starting a self funded business. From launching with the end vision instead of revenue, to mismanaging her calendar, to getting emotionally attached to early opportunities, Chrissie breaks down what didn’t work and what she would do differently today. She talks candidly about leaving a VP role while pregnant, navigating the “trough of sorrow,” learning to prioritize business development, and shifting from scarcity to abundance. The episode offers a grounded look at what it really takes to get traction early and how to approach 2026 with clearer focus, better experiments, and more momentum.

(00:00:01) Action-Driven Revenue Building in Self-Funded Enterprises

(00:06:18) Strategic Talent Networking for Growth's Success

(00:14:08) Strategic Business Development with Intentionality

(00:18:50) Continuous Adaptation for Self-Funded Entrepreneurship Success

Self Funded Links:

Substack: https://selffundedbychrissie.substack.com/

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded/id1845157459

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5u4zA43k4hC183fM0PisKq?si=26bf586458934e49

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxW6fdMBQaTaLXsrAneZ2aQ

The Long Game:

I help growth-stage companies close the gap between strategy and execution for growth or exit through The Long Game. Learn more at longgametalent.com.

My Self Funded Tech Stack:

These are some of my favorite tools I use everyday in my business and podcast (affiliate links):

Collective: Powers my S-Corp from bookkeeping to paying contractors to tax prep. https://share.collective.com/mQHI7Bf

Flodesk: The easiest email platform with clean, easy-to-customize designs and a simple workflow interface: https://flodesk.com/c/19VL1X

Granola: I’ve tried several AI notetakers and this is my favorite. I take my own notes in the interface which are the enhanced after the call: https://go.granola.ai/chrissie-francona

Airtable: I’ve built my business operating system in Airtable, including my CRM, content management tool, and to-do list: https://airtable.com/invite/r/uq7tgTC3