No one plans to lose their financial independence. But for many women, it happens slowly, quietly, over years of caregiving and career pauses. In today’s episode, Jessi Hempel sits down with Steph Wagner, expert voice in women’s wealth and financial empowerment and author of Fly: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom and Building a Life You Love, to talk about what it really takes to rebuild your financial life.

Steph began her career in investment banking, drawn to numbers, strategy, and financial control. A brief pause from work to focus on motherhood turned into 14 years, during which she lost her income, confidence, and ultimately her marriage. When she discovered her husband’s double life, she was surprised to find herself financially unprepared.

Her story is one many women will recognize, whether the catalyst is divorce, job loss, grief, or a major life transition.

Jessi and Steph discuss:

How women slowly lose financial power, and how to take it back
The emotional toll of financial dependence, shame, and starting over
Why so many of us carry scarcity mindsets we don’t even realize we learned in childhood
How to identify your “money personality” and how it shapes your habits
How compounding interest and awareness of opportunity cost can quietly transform your financial future
Why traditional budgets fail and Steph’s 45/20/35 model that actually works
How to talk about money with partners, kids, and family members who have their own money beliefs
What it really looks like to rebuild your identity after financial and emotional collapse
And how to build healthier relationships without giving up your financial autonomy again

Steph’s story is a reminder that financial freedom isn’t about having more money, it’s about understanding your choices, aligning them with your values, and believing you’re capable of steering your own life. The skills are learnable. And it’s never too late to begin.

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