For The Love Of Money Podcast | Business | Philanthropy | Entrepreneur | Lifestyle And Success With Chris Harder

  After having a conversation with my guest, Craig Ballantyne, it’s hard to believe that he once struggled with crippling anxiety despite living “the life.” It’s what he likes to call the “paradox of freedom.” He had the freedom, but was still trapped when it came to having panic attacks. Sometimes his attacks came out of nowhere and other times they were predictable (drinking excessive amounts of caffeine or alcohol). He knew it was time to do something about them, however, when he had an anxiety attack for nearly six weeks straight.   Having since gotten a handle around his anxiety, Craig now enjoys sharing his story to help others work through theirs. And because we talk a lot about gratitude in this podcast, I love that one of his biggest tips is practicing gratitude and helping others daily.   Craig’s transparency in this interview is invaluable and I hope that if you or someone you know suffer from anxiety that you discover some helpful tools to help you control them moving forward.     --   Question Hi

What’s the real reason you want wealth? The power, the “things” or the social standing? While all those things are great here’s my thoughts on being wealthy just to be wealthy.   “Don’t get rich just to get rich because you won’t feel any different than you do today.”   Get rich for the gift of who you become during the process to get there. Money isn’t going to make a lick of difference unless you change who you are. Now don’t get me wrong – I’m sure you’re an amazing individual already – but we’re looking for the upleveled version of you.   “The wealthy you should be an enhanced version of what you are today.”   You have to grow new strengths, be more open, expand your network and people and become more giving. After all, the more you give, the more you get, right?   “In order to really grow wealthy, you need to really grow.”   Yes, that means you need to be more consistent and more disciplined. But it also means – and here’s the kicker – you need to be more caring!   “Becoming wealthy is really a side effe

  I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of my friend and mentor, Lewis Howe’s book, Mask of Masculinity. I devoured the book in just a couple of days and love how it brought me just as many moments of enlightenment and breakthroughs as it did resistance. And this is why I was so honored to have an in-person interview with Lewis the other day to talk about it.   If you’re a man who wants to understand the masks he wears or a woman who wants to obtain the “keys to the kingdom” and the tools to connect with the men in her life, I definitely recommend buying the book (or pre-ordering – it releases Oct. 31) and for sure listening to this episode as he explains more about his journey with this book and also gives an in-depth into his sincere and giving nature.   --   Question Highlights: Why did you write Mask of Masculinity and why right now? Was the book a healing process for you as well as other men? Do women wear these masks as well? Which of the 9 different masks did you tend to wear the most? Whe

  Do you know someone (or are you that someone) who struggles with growing their income? Today we’re going to crack the code of this financial struggle wide open and talk about ways to eliminate it!   Most often people think that it’s because the person is lazy, scared, or afraid to try new things. Or perhaps that they lack drive or the resources. I believe that it’s none of the above. In my opinion, I believe it’s because these people aren’t regularly expanding their minds. They become stuck because they’re not shifting paradigms and they’re not seeking different perspectives.   “You cannot expect to have new levels of success with old levels of growth.”   You will never reach new heights in your business if you are still applying old ideas and methods.   “When you exercise your mind, everything else expands right along with it.”   So how do you exercise your mind anyway? I say, expand, expand, expand!   Expand your circle of influence (you will likely transcend some in your current circle) Expand your abil

  By all accounts, today’s guest and CEO of PingTank, Jeremy Greene, shouldn’t be running one of the most successful tech companies around. As a child who grew up poor, spent years in the foster care system and barely graduated high school, he was certainly not groomed to be an entrepreneur, but there was one difference… he had an innate sense to survive and hustle to get where he’s at today.   From a start in the music business to the face filters you see today in social media, Jeremy’s 8-Mile-esque story is mind-blowing. If you’re looking for an inside scoop on pitching your ideas and turning them into realities, Jeremy’s no-nonsense talk will set you straight about what works – and what doesn’t. --   Question Highlights: Tell us how you got started in the music industry Why did you drop your career in music? Where did you get the posture to present yourself to billionaires? When you were figuring out how to be an entrepreneur, were there setbacks? What’s your best trait as an entrepreneur? How do you get

Today we’re doing a deep-dive on the topic of masterminds – why they work, what you might not know, how you can create or become a part of one yourself, and so much more.   First off, let’s define what a mastermind is. A mastermind is essentially a group of people all working together to mastermind on each other’s business (or another area).   “The idea is to go into a mastermind with massive, audacious goals and come out on the other end smashing those goals.”   Lori and I have personally invested and been involved in two business masterminds – one we didn’t complete, however we still learned so much from it. Our most recent has been a raging success exploding our income with an additional seven figures beyond our existing goal.   So how was this success possible? Below are some key areas that will help ensure a healthy ROI on your investment:   Family mentality: Everyone is treated as family and everyone is open to helping each other when they can facilitate – think any aspect of business that you don’t kn

So, why do so many businesses fail, or more to the point, why do so many not even get off the ground? It may surprise you to know that often it’s not because it’s a bad business. It’s not because it’s a bad idea or product, and it’s not because the person isn’t a good “business person.”  “The reason 95% of all businesses fail is because everyone is allowed to call themselves an entrepreneur without actually acting like an entrepreneur.” So many people seem to think that being an entrepreneur is this fun, romantic and energizing endeavor – like a magical entrepreneurial movie. But it’s actually quite the opposite. It’s gritty, dirty, scary and downright uncomfortable at times. Entrepreneurship consumes your life. “You don’t build a business in your spare time, you build your business all the time.” If you’re not willing to do that, your business and your entrepreneurial career isn’t likely to go too far. It’s all about going that extra mile. You ask for help. You face rejection over and over. You have to learn

I think you’re all really going to love my conversation with founder of Peak Performance Group and profitability expert, Thor Conklin. He first caught wind of entrepreneurship while caddying for successful businesspeople at the age of 13. Not only did he help them navigate through challenging golf courses, he also asked questions, listened and learned tips on navigating his own businesses down the road. Of course he didn’t start any at that age, but he credits many foundational elements to that time in his life.   Today, Thor does his best to pay it forward by being the “caddie” for others in their businesses by helping them maneuver around problem areas or obstacles that can stray one off their path to profitability. He challenges his clients (and others) to use accountability as a tool to reach new levels of success (hint: you don’t have to do it alone!).   I love how Thor operates both in his businesses and his life – giving both his time and money to ensure others are moving forward to create maximum resu

  Today I want to talk about having faith and how it ties to abundance. Faith is no small thing. It truly has the power to make or break different situations in your life. If you believe it will happen, it will happen.   You don’t have to know the how or the where… you just have to know. It’s acting on something even when you’re scared because you know abundance is out there.   My trainer, Abe, recently had a faith-testing situation. He hadn’t had a vacation in five years and desperately wanted to unplug with a month-long trip in Bali. But of course there was fear around it. Obviously a vacation like that is a lot of money, but on top of that, he wouldn’t be getting paid for that entire month while he was away. Long story short, Abe booked the vacation on faith.   “I had faith that the finances would work out.”   And they did! Abe’s finances appeared seemingly out of the blue. Here’s how abundance showed up for him… I hired him to train me 3-4 sessions a week. Plus, he received a surprise bonus and had the bu

I am so grateful that I was able to catch best-selling author, Chris Guillebeau, during this 100-city book tour and pick his brain about his current book, Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days. If you’re thinking of picking up a side hustle, be sure to tune in as he talks about important factors to consider when choosing one and following through with it. Hint: His book offers a simple path that with hard work will help you rock your side hustle.   --   Question Highlights: After visiting every country in the world (193), what have you learned about business, money or people that has absolutely blown your mind? What have you noticed when it comes to entrepreneurship compared to the U.S.? How do people in other parts of the world view the idea of working so hard and long to make money compared to the U.S.? Do you have a favorite moment of giving? How realistic is it for someone to have a successful side hustle up and running, churning out cash, in 27 days? What’s one of your all-time favorite side hustl

My Two Cents – Ep. 59 – The “Up-Leveling Trap” and How to Avoid It   We’re often told that if we want to get further and have more success we must start surrounding ourselves with those who are doing what we want to do or are doing bigger things. This is a good thing, however, when we continually spend time with these types of people we start falling into the “up-leveling trap,” which is comparison.   We start feeling like we’re not doing enough because we’re not where they are. But here’s the thing…mentors are supposed to be ahead of you! Don’t compare your journey to theirs. Be conscious of your own journey and love where you’re at.   “You have to pause and look back at how far you’ve come instead of looking at how far you have left to go.”   Be grateful that someone else has done it first and is willing to share how to get you there. Be grateful they’ve given you a “roadmap.”   “Be grateful for who you are and what you have right now and what you’re doing, but be equally excited about where you’re going.”

I am so glad that today’s guest and wildly successful entrepreneur, Joey Fazio, and I were recently introduced by a mutual friend. Growing up in a military family, his life was a bit atypical as his father was gone often (at age 12 his dad was deployed and didn’t come home for three years). Joey left his parents’ home at the age of 17, joined college a little after only to eventually drop out at age 20 and join the military (Air Force) himself.   Always having an innate drive for success and dreams of bigger things, he left his secure military job to pursue the unknown. Unfortunately, his wife at the time (who had two children with) did not share his passion, and they divorced. So, at the age of 26, Joey started over with a negative net worth, but knew he would become a multi-millionaire by age 36. Spoiler alert: He’s now 36 and a multi-millionaire.   You don’t want to miss this episode as Joey shares his amazing, but sometimes difficult entrepreneurial journey. I truly appreciated how authentic and vulnerabl

Take a poll on how people feel about sales and my guess is that you’ll see a large portion of people who are uncomfortable with it or just plain don’t like it. If sounds like you, I encourage you to stay put and hear my take on it.   First off, sales intrigues me. I’m kind of a nerd that way, but I like it! And maybe it’s because I do approach it from a more positive perspective.   “You’re always selling someone on an idea that you believe in.”   Whether it’s a point of view or a product, I think most can agree with that statement, but link it to money and that’s when people start to get uncomfortable. And it’s likely because they had bad experiences that helped support that feeling. So my goal with this episode is to change those opinions and feelings around selling and help you get comfortable with it.   Let’s take the words “sales” and “money” out of the equation. Now you can focus on the people, and offer them a valuable solution for their problem.   “You’re currently placing too much value on money and n

Top fitness entrepreneur and founder of JillFit, Jill Coleman, has always had a love for fitness and was confident in her ability to effectively train herself and others. It was only when she decided to move her business completely online that she realized she had a lot to learn.   Immersing herself in all things business from books to a business coach, Jill built a business that now helps others build an online platform for their own fitness business. As with anything, her success didn’t grow overnight, however with an abundant and authentic mindset, she now has waitlists for her programs.   Jill truly believes that there is enough for everyone and if you’re staying authentic to who you are, you’re always going to attract the right people – and more money to go with it. If you’re looking to catapult your fitness business (or any other business) forward, this podcast is sure to inspire you to take action – especially if that action isn’t perfect. Don’t miss business lessons and nuggets of wisdom from this sea

Ah, balance – it’s something you hear a lot of about. So is it real or is it a fairy tale? If the mere mention of balance has you feeling conflicted, you’re not alone. Do we let flow just happen or do we take the bull by the horns and make it happen?   As an entrepreneur, you have people like Tim Ferriss who promote a four-hour workweek while spending your time on remote islands or anywhere else in the world you want to work. And then you have the die-hard, Gary Vaynerchuk’s, who are all about the hustle and working harder and harder.   Honestly, I agree with both sides of that coin because either way and at some point, you’re going to feel guilty. It sets in when you’re working hard and take a break or not working as hard. Or it happens when you’ve got your sleeves rolled up, working hard and people tell you you’ve gotten out of touch and they never see you. That’s why I believe that daily or weekly balance is a myth – or at the very least, it’s misleading.   “Balance is something that’s always changing and

Now that I’ve got your attention, I’d like for you to meet Polly Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of Unbound, a sexual wellness company. Raised in the Midwest, this was not the path she saw herself taking early on in life, however after a cancer diagnosis in college and consequently a premature onset of menopause at the age of 21, she was compelled to dig when she found a lack of information in regard to it. What started as a small quest to more comfortably purchase sexual wellness products, Unbound has now grown into a wildly successful business (despite multiple barriers and misconceptions to break down) that empowers countless women to explore their sexuality. Don’t miss this inspiring story that proves that anything is possible! -- Question Highlights: • What thoughts went through your head when you were diagnosed with cancer? • What is Unbound? • Where did you get the idea for it and how did it get started? • What was one of your biggest business challenges? • Was there any hesitation about starting a company

My Two Cents today is about a simple, but powerful topic, and it’s about the importance of becoming more open…waaaay more open. Currently, I know a lot of people who don’t understand why they’re not further ahead than they are in life. The common denominator? All are working in silos – ideas, groups of people, etc. They’ve gotten so used to the way things are (and should be in their minds) and they aren’t open to anything different. I can say this because I’ve been this person. I’ve shut down so many different opportunities all because I had already made a decision as to what it would be like. But once I became more open to entrepreneurship, networking and new point of views, the new possibilities rolled in and became new realities. And as embarrassing as it is to admit, I’m also more open to new people that I may have judged in the past. In order to make this shift though I had to get over the fear first. “Our lack of openness comes from fear or fear of change.” I know that change and everything that goes al

  I heard today’s guest, Olenka Cullinan, speak at an event recently and I just knew her story had to be shared with this audience. In a nutshell, this entrepreneurial powerhouse left Russia at age 19 with only $450 to her name (that she borrowed from her uncle) determined to seize the American dream and build anything she wanted. While growing up in an entrepreneurial household (her mom was a die-hard entrepreneur with her own company), she chose to pursue education instead in an effort to distance herself from the entrepreneurial world. Once in the U.S., she worked three jobs at one point to complete her education degree (and completed it without owing a cent!).   While Olenka loved teaching people, she soon felt the pull to do more and leapt back into the entrepreneurial world while combining it with her training in education. She may have started off with humble beginnings, but she has since used the skills she knew she had and BUILT her own success. Olenka is determined to help others discover their pass

What would you say if I told you that your future is fully in your control with the help of one empowerment hack? Too good to be true? Possibly, but then you’re not using the hack. ;)   Today’s Two Cents talks about accepting 99.9% responsibility for your current situation. Think about it… The dots (your choices) always connect back to you. Whether it’s a moment of weakness where you said yes or no to something or you missed an appointment because your car broke down…it doesn’t matter. Whatever the “event” was, you made a choice and that choice is why you’re where you’re at now.   Look, I’m not trying to be an ass (maybe trying to offer a bit of tough love), but this is meant to be a wake-up call to empower yourself by owning your choices!   For example, when I lost my job some years ago, I could have blamed the recession, the company etc. But I didn’t. I blamed myself because I chose that profession and I could have saved more money so it wasn’t such a scary thing. I owned where I was and that day I made the