Advertiser Disclosure: rich & REGULAR is a member of affiliate marketing programs and may receive commission in exchange for promoting products and services.
Last month we celebrated the one-year publishing anniversary of our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away. Yet, even now, whenever we walk into a Barnes & Noble, stroll over to the business section and autograph a copy for a future reader, we’re brought back to our twenties and reminded of how this book is a physical manifestation of our dreams come true.
Since its release, readers have shared their financial wins, stories of grief, overwhelm, and weird hang-ups with us. They’ve asked questions and even given us advice on wildly introspective topics that affect our financial lives. Amidst the chaos of social media, it has made the comment section a joyful experience. And in real life, having also spent time with readers in their offices, campuses, church groups, and book clubs; it’s made meeting strangers—not so strange at all actually.
Yet, there are still moments we find ourselves frustrated that conversations about money aren’t shifting faster, because in our minds, there’s so much more to money than saving it, spending it, and investing it.
Money is political, emotional, cultural; and most importantly, personal.
Since there’s only so much we could fit inside the 243-page manuscript, we wanted to keep the conversation going. In particular, we wanted to challenge readers and listeners to truly evaluate their relationships with work since the two—money and work—go hand in hand.
Introducing the Cashing Out podcast
The Cashing Out podcast is a continuation of our mission to inspire better conversations about money by connecting you to experts, authors and friends who help us better understand the financial implications of a broader range of subjects. Our hope is that with each episode, you learn something and feel motivated to have broader, deeper and more nuanced conversations about money in ways you may not have before.
In season 1, we talk with one of the country’s leading divorce lawyers, experts on mental health, a group of fathers, thought leaders on motherhood, an expert on diversity, equity, and inclusion and more. We chat with a collection of fathers with varying degrees of experience, one of the leading voices in index fund investing, leaders in tech, early retirees and a few people who’ve already “cashed out” to better understand the emotional strength required to kiss corporate life goodbye.
Before you dive in, there are three things you should know:
1. The Cashing Out podcast is a video-first podcast, also known as a ‘vodcast’, which means it was first edited and distributed through YouTube
After filming 2 seasons of Money on the Table, we knew YouTube would eventually become the world’s biggest classroom. And after recording over 100 episodes of the rich & REGULAR podcast, we’re convinced the impact of audio and video content is just beginning to be unlocked. Combining the two to create the Cashing Out podcast flexed a very different creative muscle for both of us and came with its own set of challenges.
For one, we speak at different volumes. I’m naturally louder but when I get excited, you can really hear it. Julien has more of a quiet-storm, radio-friendly voice, and sometimes when he’s making a really good point, I find myself squinting just to hear it better.
One day we were having a heated discussion about who should adjust their vocals. I called him ‘soft-spoken,’ and without missing a beat he turned to me and said,
“I’m not soft-spoken. You just don’t know what it’s like to live in small spaces!”
As soon as he said it, a lightbulb went off in my head. Even though we’ve been together for over 10 years and married for almost 8 of them, I’d never made the connection between the environment he grew up in and the tone he speaks with. That kind of realization is at the heart of what we want this podcast to do for you, because
sometimes listening to other people’s stories can unearth a hidden-in-plain-sight detail that is impacting your own journey in sneaky ways.
2. New Orleans serves as the backdrop to the conversations because it’s a city that inspires us
It’s where we got married and it’s a place that has faced adversity and come out stronger time and time again which is why it serves as the perfect backdrop for the conversations we had with our guests.
As we walked around New Orleans, we noticed the scars of the city but we also found stories of resilience. When we looked beyond the beads hanging from balconies, we saw poetry on walls and sidewalks like little affirmations or signs of support. In episode 2 where we discuss mental health in the workplace, you hear from individuals like Rwenshaun Miller and Rich Jones who embody that same spirit.
And of course, we can’t forget the food! Everywhere we ate reflected the nuance in the stories we were trying to tell. One night, we stumbled into our hotel lobby and discovered a restaurant called Ginger Roux which was a fusion of Creole and Cantonese cuisines. There, we ordered dishes like Gumbo Dumplings and Lemongrass BBQ Shrimp out of curiosity more than anything. We were skeptical of how the flavors would work together but much to our surprise, we left asking why they weren’t prepared this way, to begin with. It was ahhmazing!
We enjoyed happy hour at Elysian Bar where the drinks were delicious, complex, and a little bitter too—similar to the marriage advice Aaron provided in Episode 1 as we tackled prenuptial agreements. And when we dined at TAVA Indian Street Food, we got a timely reminder of how ordinary ingredients can shine if you just put them in the position to do so. It was a mouthwatering lesson in simplicity, just like the one JL Collins gave us about investing in Episode 3.
From collard green melts at Turkey & The Wolf to frog legs and caviar at Bar Marilou, the level of innovation we saw was unmatched. It proved that like workplaces, when restaurants challenge traditional expectations and value diverse perspectives, the result is truly amazing.
3. You don’t need to listen or watch in any particular order
The Cashing Out podcast is seasonal which means we aren’t releasing episodes weekly like the rich & REGULAR podcast. Each episode stands alone so you’re welcome to binge it the same way you would your favorite Netflix show, or feel free to just pick a topic that resonates with whatever is happening in your life. It’s totally up to you.
Also, while it is a video-first podcast, you can also find it in audio only format via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts and all major podcast platforms. If there’s a platform missing you’ve grown accustomed to, send us a note at hello@richandregular.com and we’ll see what we can do to get it published there as well.
Conclusion:
Four years ago, during the early stages of the book writing process, you could not have convinced us we’d be where we are today. Cashing Out has been featured in major television, print and digital media across the country. We’ve been interviewed by dozens of podcasters and thousands of readers/listeners have purchased copies.
We traveled the country on our book tour using the momentum and excitement as a lever to fight food insecurity. Shortly after launch, Cashing Out was top ranked on Amazon in multiple categories in both formats (hardover and audiobook) for over a week and Business Insider named it the 2023 Best Overall personal finance book for Investing. Considering less than 6% of published authors are Black we’d say that’s pretty awesome for a couple of creative people who don’t act, sing or play professional sports.
To be clear, we don’t just want people to rethink their money and quit their jobs for the sake of doing it or to gain some slice of notoriety. Those aren’t the stories we’re interested in. As we wrote in the book, we’re far more interested in hearing “
The stories of the couples who avoided divorce because they could afford to take vacations and truly unplug together. The story of the rock-star employee who hopped off the corporate ladder to prioritize their mental health, children, or caring for an aging parent. Or the stories of non-profit organizations that achieved their funding goals by a handful of anonymous donors. All of these instances combined advance our families, influence policies and improve our local communities.
That is what cashing out is all about.”
Kiersten Saunders
Advertiser Disclosure: rich & REGULAR is a member of affiliate marketing programs and may receive commission in exchange for promoting products and services.
Last month we celebrated the one-year publishing anniversary of our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away. Yet, even now, whenever we walk into a Barnes & Noble, stroll over to the business section and autograph a copy for a future reader, we’re brought back to our twenties and reminded of how this book is a physical manifestation of our dreams come true.
Since its release, readers have shared their financial wins, stories of grief, overwhelm, and weird hang-ups with us. They’ve asked questions and even given us advice on wildly introspective topics that affect our financial lives. Amidst the chaos of social media, it has made the comment section a joyful experience. And in real life, having also spent time with readers in their offices, campuses, church groups, and book clubs; it’s made meeting strangers—not so strange at all actually.
Yet, there are still moments we find ourselves frustrated that conversations about money aren’t shifting faster, because in our minds, there’s so much more to money than saving it, spending it, and investing it.
Money is political, emotional, cultural; and most importantly, personal.
Since there’s only so much we could fit inside the 243-page manuscript, we wanted to keep the conversation going. In particular, we wanted to challenge readers and listeners to truly evaluate their relationships with work since the two—money and work—go hand in hand.
Introducing the Cashing Out podcast
The Cashing Out podcast is a continuation of our mission to inspire better conversations about money by connecting you to experts, authors and friends who help us better understand the financial implications of a broader range of subjects. Our hope is that with each episode, you learn something and feel motivated to have broader, deeper and more nuanced conversations about money in ways you may not have before.
In season 1, we talk with one of the country’s leading divorce lawyers, experts on mental health, a group of fathers, thought leaders on motherhood, an expert on diversity, equity, and inclusion and more. We chat with a collection of fathers with varying degrees of experience, one of the leading voices in index fund investing, leaders in tech, early retirees and a few people who’ve already “cashed out” to better understand the emotional strength required to kiss corporate life goodbye.
Before you dive in, there are three things you should know:
1. The Cashing Out podcast is a video-first podcast, also known as a ‘vodcast’, which means it was first edited and distributed through YouTube
After filming 2 seasons of Money on the Table, we knew YouTube would eventually become the world’s biggest classroom. And after recording over 100 episodes of the rich & REGULAR podcast, we’re convinced the impact of audio and video content is just beginning to be unlocked. Combining the two to create the Cashing Out podcast flexed a very different creative muscle for both of us and came with its own set of challenges.
For one, we speak at different volumes. I’m naturally louder but when I get excited, you can really hear it. Julien has more of a quiet-storm, radio-friendly voice, and sometimes when he’s making a really good point, I find myself squinting just to hear it better.
One day we were having a heated discussion about who should adjust their vocals. I called him ‘soft-spoken,’ and without missing a beat he turned to me and said,
“I’m not soft-spoken. You just don’t know what it’s like to live in small spaces!”
As soon as he said it, a lightbulb went off in my head. Even though we’ve been together for over 10 years and married for almost 8 of them, I’d never made the connection between the environment he grew up in and the tone he speaks with. That kind of realization is at the heart of what we want this podcast to do for you, because
sometimes listening to other people’s stories can unearth a hidden-in-plain-sight detail that is impacting your own journey in sneaky ways.
2. New Orleans serves as the backdrop to the conversations because it’s a city that inspires us
It’s where we got married and it’s a place that has faced adversity and come out stronger time and time again which is why it serves as the perfect backdrop for the conversations we had with our guests.
As we walked around New Orleans, we noticed the scars of the city but we also found stories of resilience. When we looked beyond the beads hanging from balconies, we saw poetry on walls and sidewalks like little affirmations or signs of support. In episode 2 where we discuss mental health in the workplace, you hear from individuals like Rwenshaun Miller and Rich Jones who embody that same spirit.
And of course, we can’t forget the food! Everywhere we ate reflected the nuance in the stories we were trying to tell. One night, we stumbled into our hotel lobby and discovered a restaurant called Ginger Roux which was a fusion of Creole and Cantonese cuisines. There, we ordered dishes like Gumbo Dumplings and Lemongrass BBQ Shrimp out of curiosity more than anything. We were skeptical of how the flavors would work together but much to our surprise, we left asking why they weren’t prepared this way, to begin with. It was ahhmazing!
We enjoyed happy hour at Elysian Bar where the drinks were delicious, complex, and a little bitter too—similar to the marriage advice Aaron provided in Episode 1 as we tackled prenuptial agreements. And when we dined at TAVA Indian Street Food, we got a timely reminder of how ordinary ingredients can shine if you just put them in the position to do so. It was a mouthwatering lesson in simplicity, just like the one JL Collins gave us about investing in Episode 3.
From collard green melts at Turkey & The Wolf to frog legs and caviar at Bar Marilou, the level of innovation we saw was unmatched. It proved that like workplaces, when restaurants challenge traditional expectations and value diverse perspectives, the result is truly amazing.
3. You don’t need to listen or watch in any particular order
The Cashing Out podcast is seasonal which means we aren’t releasing episodes weekly like the rich & REGULAR podcast. Each episode stands alone so you’re welcome to binge it the same way you would your favorite Netflix show, or feel free to just pick a topic that resonates with whatever is happening in your life. It’s totally up to you.
Also, while it is a video-first podcast, you can also find it in audio only format via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts and all major podcast platforms. If there’s a platform missing you’ve grown accustomed to, send us a note at hello@richandregular.com and we’ll see what we can do to get it published there as well.
Conclusion:
Four years ago, during the early stages of the book writing process, you could not have convinced us we’d be where we are today. Cashing Out has been featured in major television, print and digital media across the country. We’ve been interviewed by dozens of podcasters and thousands of readers/listeners have purchased copies.
We traveled the country on our book tour using the momentum and excitement as a lever to fight food insecurity. Shortly after launch, Cashing Out was top ranked on Amazon in multiple categories in both formats (hardover and audiobook) for over a week and Business Insider named it the 2023 Best Overall personal finance book for Investing. Considering less than 6% of published authors are Black we’d say that’s pretty awesome for a couple of creative people who don’t act, sing or play professional sports.
To be clear, we don’t just want people to rethink their money and quit their jobs for the sake of doing it or to gain some slice of notoriety. Those aren’t the stories we’re interested in. As we wrote in the book, we’re far more interested in hearing “
The stories of the couples who avoided divorce because they could afford to take vacations and truly unplug together. The story of the rock-star employee who hopped off the corporate ladder to prioritize their mental health, children, or caring for an aging parent. Or the stories of non-profit organizations that achieved their funding goals by a handful of anonymous donors. All of these instances combined advance our families, influence policies and improve our local communities.
That is what cashing out is all about.”
Kiersten Saunders