Money Stories

Philip McKernan, a speaker and author, shares his journey from the brink of financial ruin to self-discovery and purpose. He candidly discusses how inherited beliefs about money shaped his self-worth, nearly sabotaging his future. The conversation reveals the emotional toll of chasing wealth and the importance of vulnerability in connecting with others. McKernan emphasizes that true fulfillment comes from serving others, not just accumulating success. His SoulSet philosophy encourages individuals to strip back to their authentic selves and embrace their gifts.

He grew up skipping school to clean houses, so his mom wouldn’t drown in debt.Now he runs one of the top U.S. tax firms in Europe.But Ryan Larson’s real transformation didn’t start with money. It started the night he stood in his dream home, holding his wife, and finally admitted the truth: he was miserable.In this episode, Ryan unpacks the invisible weight entrepreneurs carry: the grind, the scarcity, the self-betrayal, and what it takes to finally break the cycle. This isn’t just a conversation about tax strategy. It’s about identity, inner wealth, and the quiet courage to rebuild your life from the inside out.We unpack:• Why financial security didn’t bring peace and what finally did• The burnout moment that forced Ryan to rewrite his internal story• How the “scarcity script” hijacks success (and how to escape it)• The role of service in transforming from survival to significance• Building resilience through daily rituals, not just business wins• Why vulnerability, not hustle, is the path to real connectionAbout Ryan Larson:Ryan Larson is the founder of US Tax Services AG, one of the most trusted American tax firms in Europe. From cleaning houses in Alaska to running a multi-national firm in Zurich, he’s lived both sides of the financial spectrum. His real work now is helping globally mobile clients and fellow founders align prosperity with purpose.This is a conversation about money. But more than that, it’s about choosing yourself.Connect with Ryan:Website: https://www.ustaxservices.ch/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-larson-a520312b/- - -This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth, a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Ready to kickstart your dream life?Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot, a financial freedom calculator for busy entrepreneurs:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a

Fourteen years building a publicly traded biotech company, then one fall, thirty feet, and everything changed.This is the story of how Artie Sandstone walked away from the grind of IPOs, lawsuits, and never-ending capital raises to rediscover the artist he buried under a CEO title. In this episode, we trace the arc from rebellious teen in a reform school to a driven founder leading a clinical-stage company, until a literal fall forced him to stop, heal, and ask what kind of life he actually wanted. Artie doesn’t just share business lessons. He reveals what happens when success leaves you empty, and how to build a second act that finally feels like yours.What We Unpack• How being the “top kid” in a reform school taught him humility and thick skin• The mentorship moment that changed his life at 26 and why he never forgot it• What it really costs to build a biotech company from scratch (emotionally, financially, spiritually)• The brutal fall that shattered his leg and rewrote his relationship with risk and gratitude• Why he finally ditched the suits and leaned into life as a full-time artist• How creating pop art became his vehicle for legacy, healing, and authenticityArtie Sandstone is a visionary pop artist and former biotech founder who built and sold Fresh Tracks Therapeutics after 14 years in the trenches. Known for his bold colors, playful characters, and contagious energy, Artie now runs a gallery studio in Boulder, where he creates vibrant, character-driven pieces that help people reconnect with their inner child. His art invites you to stop, smile, and feel something real.This isn’t just a pivot story. It’s a reclamation.A reminder that you can walk away from the grind, follow your joy, and still build something extraordinary.Because real wealth isn’t what you have.It’s who you become.Links:Website: https://www.artiesandstone.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/artiesandstone/?hl=enTwitter: https://x.com/artiesandstoneFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtieSandstone/- - -This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth—a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Ready to kickstart your dream life?Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a

The day after his multi-nine-figure exit, Eric Spett flew to Costa Rica and told himself he was fine. He wasn't.In this episode, Eric opens up about the silent costs of success, the kind that don’t show up in earnings reports or exit headlines. We go deeper than business tactics and market timing. We talk about what happens when the engine that drove your ambition also drove you into the ground.From $100K in credit card debt to building a category-defining SaaS company, Eric’s story is one of grit, collapse, and reassembly. But what stands out isn’t just how he built; it’s how he unraveled. And why that unraveling might have saved his life.We unpack:• The moment Eric realized success wouldn’t save him, and what came next• The mental loops that haunted him post exit (even with all the money)• How childhood wounds shaped his drive and nearly broke him• The mentor who saw through his breakdown and bet on his potential• Why identity reinvention is harder than product market fit• The unseen cost of getting everything you thought you wantedAbout Eric Spett:Eric Spett is a three time founder and the CEO of Scalebound, where he coaches B2B SaaS founders scaling from $100K to over $10M ARR. Best known for leading Terminus to more than $30M ARR and a nine-figure exit, Eric’s real work began after the exit. He turned inward and rebuilt from the inside out. Today, he helps other CEOs do the same.Connect with Eric:Website: https://scalebound.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericspett/Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scaleboundceo/- - -This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth, a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Ready to kickstart your dream life?Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot, a financial freedom calculator for busy entrepreneurs:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-

Preston Brown was the classic success story - until a call in 2019 shattered the illusion. His father was gone. And so was the meaning he'd tied to the empire he'd built.This isn’t a story about getting rich. It’s a story about what happens after. Preston built and sold multiple businesses and built a 9-figure net worth. But it took losing his father to realize he’d traded presence for performance, and automation became the path back to love. In this conversation, Preston lays bare the emotional inheritance that shaped him, the blind spots that broke him, and the wisdom he earned on the way to reclaiming his life. What emerges is a new definition of wealth: one that begins where grind ends.We unpack:• The childhood moment that rewired Preston’s relationship with money• How losing his dad triggered a complete personal and business transformation• The silent cost of hustle culture and how to build without breaking• The real power of automation (and how it saved more than just his time)• A raw redefinition of wealth, success, and what it means to be free• Why your greatest teacher might be the problem you’re trying to avoidAbout Preston BrownPreston Brown is a business strategist, systems evangelist, and real estate investor who’s built, scaled, and exited multiple 7 and 8-figure companies. Known for his no-BS clarity and deeply human insights, Preston teaches entrepreneurs how to turn chaos into cash flow and automate their way to actual freedom. He’s proof that you can build businesses that run without you and still come home to what matters most.LinksWebsite: https://theprestonbrown.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/preston-brown-41605b20/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprestonbrown/Twitter/X: https://x.com/ThePrestonBrownYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePrestonBrownBusinessBigger is PossibleBreak free of the corporate money game and find your greatest future.https://theprestonbrown.com/- - -This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth, a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Ready to kickstart your dream life?Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot, a financial freedom calculator for busy entrepreneurs:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a

When Derek Haswell co-founded Ten Percent Happier, he wasn’t chasing profit, he was chasing peace. What he didn’t realize was that the drive powering his every move wasn’t purpose… it was unworthiness.In this conversation, Derek opens the hood on his journey; from growing up in a home where money was never discussed, to building a mission-driven company that served millions, to quietly unraveling at the height of “success.” What followed was a retreat-induced reckoning, a season of depression, and a reorientation toward enoughness. We unpack:• Why founders often ignore money until it's too late• The moment Derek realized his entire drive was rooted in shame• What it really means to lead from a place of worth• The “crater” moment that birthed Ten Percent Happier• How clean and dirty fuel show up in entrepreneurship (and why both matter)• The unseen cost of excluding yourself from your missionAbout Derek Haswell:Derek Haswell is a product builder, meditation advocate, and co-founder of Ten Percent Happier. For over a decade, he helped shape the intersection of mindfulness and tech, building tools that demystify inner work without losing depth. Today, he coaches high-performing founders who want to lead from a place of alignment, not achievement. His work is less about scaling businesses and more about scaling wholeness.The truth? You can build something beautiful for the world and still burn yourself out doing it. This episode is a map for founders who feel that tension… and are ready to choose differently.—Connect with Derek:Website: https://www.derekhaswell.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drhaswell/Twitter: https://x.com/drhaswell—This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth — a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Ready to kickstart your dream life? Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot — a financial freedom calculator for busy entrepreneurs:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a

At 15, Carm Huntress lost both his parents to cancer. By 45, he had founded two nine-figure companies. But the path between those moments wasn’t paved with strategy—it was survival, trauma, and a hunger to feel like he was enough.In this raw conversation, Carm opens up about what it cost to build a company from darkness—and what it took to finally lead from light. We explore the invisible forces that drive founders, the false gods of hustle culture, and the quiet unraveling that often follows external success.This isn’t a story about scaling—it’s a story about shedding. About facing the hard truth that even when you “win,” it might not be your life you're building.We unpack:• How Carm turned grief into his first startup—and why distraction became his lifeline• The near-collapse of RxRevu, and why he bet everything he had (and lost almost all of it)• The boardroom moment that shattered his identity—and what rose from the wreckage• The shift from people-pleasing to value-aligned leadership• How Credo Health is using AI to transform “sick care” into true healthcare• Why your greatest trauma might also be your deepest giftAbout Carm Huntress:Carm Huntress is a mission-driven founder and technologist who’s spent 20+ years building ventures that challenge the healthcare status quo. He was the Founding CEO of RxRevu, pioneering real-time prescription benefit tools now used nationwide. Today, as CEO of Credo Health, he’s tackling one of healthcare’s biggest blindspots—fragmented patient data—by giving providers a full clinical picture before a patient even walks in.His fire used to be fueled by pain. Now, it’s powered by purpose.Listen and let it shift you. This isn’t just about business—it’s about building a life that’s actually yours.Connect with Carm:Website: https://www.credohealth.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmhuntress/Credo Health on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/credo-health/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmhuntress/Discover how Credo works alongside providers to simplify workflows, surface insights, and power care decisions, seamlessly: https://www.credohealth.com/schedule-a-demo- - -This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth — a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Ready to kickstart your dream life?Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot — a financial freedom calculator for busy entrepreneurs:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a

Popcorn in hot dog buns. Running to Oklahoma. Living on one salary while building a business worth tens of millions.David Staley didn’t just bootstrap a nine-figure agency—he did it with grit forged in scarcity, loyalty, and a relentless willingness to do hard things. In this episode, we unpack the untold layers behind the Digible co-founder’s journey: the emotional cost of building a rocket ship, the trade-offs of being a loyal partner, and the quiet battle to finally advocate for himself.We unpack:• How growing up in scarcity shaped David’s drive—and his blind spots• Why he lived on one founder’s salary with his wife… while running a $100M+ company• The $20/month food challenge that proved he could survive anything• What happens when your co-founder flips the script at the 11th hour• The identity unraveling (and rebirth) that follows a life-changing exitAbout David Staley:David Staley is the founder of Digible, a nine-figure agency that redefined growth for the multifamily space. He’s a post-exit operator with scars, not slides—who spent his 20s surviving on popcorn-stuffed hot dog buns before building a business that gave him and his wife true freedom. Today, he’s focused on what wealth was always meant to buy: time, health, and a life that feels like his.This episode is a reminder:Success doesn’t start with strategy.It starts with survival.And if you’re brave enough to heal — You can build a life that finally feels like yours.Connect with David:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwstaley/Digible: https://digible.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGfz7t5SQp3BMoQMEoxFuRQ/featuredInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/digibleinc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digibleincLet Digible handle your marketing, so you can take the credit:https://digible.com/contact-us/- - -This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth — a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot — a financial freedom calculator for busy entrepreneurs:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a

Juliet and Kelly Starrett have trained Olympians, coached Navy SEALs, and built a global health & fitness empire.But what happens when your body becomes your brand—and the pressure to keep performing starts to erode the very health you’re trying to protect?In this episode of Money Stories, we explore the Starretts' evolution—from world-class competitors and clinicians to guides for sustainable, pain-free living. This isn’t about elite performance. It’s about durability. And the unseen toll of building success without stability.We unpack:The quiet damage of “just push through” culture—and how to break itWhy your health is the foundation of true wealthThe turning point that made Juliet walk away from litigation and toward health sovereigntyKelly’s philosophy on pain as information—and how entrepreneurs ignore it at their perilHow to future-proof your body using 10 minutes a dayThe Starretts' definition of readiness—and how to build a body that can carry the life you actually wantAbout Juliet & Kelly Starrett:Juliet and Kelly Starrett are the co-founders of The Ready State, a movement, mobility, and healthspan platform used by everyone from NFL teams to everyday desk workers. Juliet is a world champion athlete and former attorney; Kelly is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and NYT bestselling author. Together, they’ve helped over a million people reclaim their movement, reduce pain, and stay durable for life.This is about sovereignty.Your body. Your systems. Your life.And what it really takes to be ready—for anything.Explore The Ready State:Website: https://thereadystate.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereadystateYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheReadyStatePodcast: https://thereadystate.com/podcastsThis episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth—the movement for entrepreneurs building multidimensional wealth that lasts.Download the One Page Wealth Snapshot:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a

At age 14, Seth Conger made $225 in tips on his third day working at a golf course—and unknowingly walked into a trap that would define the next two decades of his life.His boss told him, “If I don’t see you sprinting, I assume you’re not working.” That offhand comment became his operating system. And like a lot of high-achievers, Seth built an identity on speed, sacrifice, and showing his value through effort alone.But eventually, the hustle stopped working. In this conversation, Seth unpacks the uncomfortable truths that forced him to evolve—from proving himself to building systems, from over-functioning to operating with leverage.We unpack:• The hidden cost of external validation—and how to reclaim your value without someone else’s permission• Why “just work harder” is the ceiling, not the strategy• The $225 day that built a work addiction (and what finally broke it)• How the Sauna Squad became a world-class accountability engine• The two biggest mistakes founders make when scaling—and what elite operators do differently• A new definition of wealth that balances money, time, impact, and relationshipsTrue wealth isn’t found in the sprint. It’s built in the space you create when you finally stop running.About Seth Conger:Seth Conger has spent the last decade proving that medicine doesn’t have to be reactive—or broken. After scaling a seven-figure Functional Medicine clinic to exit and co-founding the first venture-backed Alzheimer’s reversal startup, he turned his focus to building the business infrastructure for the post-sick care model. Seth is the COO of Freedom Practice Coaching, Vibility, and Aptogenix—an ecosystem of companies designed to equip practitioners with the tools, technology, and strategic support needed to reclaim their time and transform patient lives. His mission is simple: make chronic disease optional.Connect with Seth:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-conger-77911949/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethconger/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FreedomPracticeCoaching - - -This episode is brought to you by Unbreakable Wealth — a community for conscious entrepreneurs building true wealth (beyond just money).Ready to kickstart your dream life?Download the FREE One Page Wealth Snapshot — a financial freedom calculator for busy entrepreneurs:https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/wealth-snapshot-opt-in-a