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Women's Money Wisdom

Women's Money Wisdom

By: Melissa Joy CFP®
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You’re working hard, caring for everyone else, and managing a thousand details a day - but when was the last time you focused on your finances?

As a woman, you might carry the emotional and logistical weight of caregiving, parenting, career-building, and household management. It’s no wonder financial planning tends to fall to the bottom of your list -yet it’s one of the most important tools you have for protecting your future, your family, and your peace of mind.

Women’s Money Wisdom is here to change that.

Hosted by Melissa Joy, CFP®, founder of Pearl Planning in Dexter, Michigan, this weekly podcast is your space for practical insights and relatable advice to help you take control of your financial life. From investing and retirement to navigating life transitions and shifting your money mindset, you'll gain the clarity and confidence you need to make empowered decisions.

Maybe you’re preparing for retirement, juggling the needs of both kids and aging parents, or growing a business you’ve built from the ground up. You want to build wealth in a way that reflects your values. You want guidance that honors your full life, not just your portfolio. And most of all, you want a trusted partner who sees the whole picture, not just the numbers.

If you’re ready to stop putting yourself last - at least financially -this podcast is your starting point.

Subscribe to Women’s Money Wisdom and make your financial future a priority.


The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https://pearlplanning.com/

© 2026 Women's Money Wisdom
Economics Personal Finance Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Episode 319: The Financial side of Getting Hurt: Insurance, Disability and Personal Injury Law with Megan Burns
    Apr 14 2026

    No one expects to get in an accident. But when you do, and when injuries are involved, navigating the insurance system and legal landscape can feel overwhelming. Melissa Joy, CFP® sits down with Megan Burns, founder of Mirador Law and personal injury trial lawyer, to pull back the curtain on what actually happens after an accident and how to protect yourself before one ever occurs.

    Megan brings both professional expertise and personal experience to this conversation, having been seriously injured in a bike accident in her early twenties. From understanding your auto insurance coverage to knowing when you need a lawyer and when you do not, this episode gives listeners a practical, honest roadmap for one of the most financially and emotionally complex situations a person can face.

    What You'll Learn

    • Why your insurance policy is a financial hedge and how to treat it like one
    • The difference between fault states and no fault states and what that means for your coverage
    • Why uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is one of the most important protections you can have
    • How Michigan's 2020 no fault law changes affect what you are actually covered for
    • Why disability insurance may be as important or more important than life insurance
    • When you absolutely need a personal injury attorney and when you do not
    • How to find a quality personal injury lawyer and the red flags to avoid
    • Why hiring a trial lawyer specifically makes a significant difference in outcomes
    • What to expect from the legal process after signing with an attorney
    • How umbrella liability insurance works and why it matters for protecting your assets


    Connect with Megan: Website: www.miradorlaw.com

    The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

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    46 mins
  • Episode 318: Your Perfect Portfolio: How to Find, Build, and Stick to an Investment Strategy That Works for You with Cullen Roche
    Apr 7 2026

    Most people think investing means picking the right stocks and getting rich. But according to Cullen Roche, founder and CIO of Discipline Funds and author of Your Perfect Portfolio, that mindset is one of the most costly mistakes investors make. Melissa Joy, CFP® sits down with Cullen to unpack what investing actually is, why time horizons matter more than almost anything else, and how to build a portfolio you can stay loyal to when markets get uncomfortable.

    From the three fund portfolio to dividend strategies to the growing world of high fee distribution ETFs, Cullen breaks down a wide range of investment approaches with honesty and clarity. This is not a conversation about hot stocks or market timing. It is a conversation about building something that actually works for your life.

    What You'll Learn

    • Why investing is better understood as a reallocation of savings than a path to getting rich quick
    • How thinking about time horizons can transform the way you build and manage a portfolio
    • Why planning toward averages, including average life expectancy, can set investors up to fail
    • What the three fund portfolio is, why it works, and where it may fall short for some investors
    • The pros and cons of dividend focused portfolios and what investors often misunderstand about them
    • Why distribution ETFs are not the income generating bond alternatives they are often marketed as
    • How an asset liability matching approach can help investors align their money with real life goals
    • Why managing your own behavior is the most critical component of long term investment success
    • What the financial media gets wrong and how to tune out the noise without missing what matters


    Connect with Cullen:

    Website: https://disciplinefunds.com

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cullenroche

    X: https://x.com/cullenroche


    The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • Episode 317: Your Retirement Sketchbook: How to Envision, Plan, and Live Your Best Retirement with Jamie Hopkins and Bonnie Treichel
    Mar 31 2026

    Retirement is one of the most talked about financial milestones, but the concept of retirement itself, what it looks like, how it feels, and how to actually envision it, often goes unexplored. Melissa Joy, CFP® sits down with Jamie Hopkins, CEO of Bryn Mawr Trust, and Bonnie Treichel, CEO of Endeavor Retirement, to talk about their new book, Your Retirement Sketchbook. Equal parts workbook, coffee table book, and retirement roadmap, it covers 125 snackable concepts designed to help readers think about retirement in a whole new way.

    From vision boards to estate planning, adaptive spending strategies to the emotional side of leaving a career behind, Jamie and Bonnie bring both the technical and the human side of retirement planning into focus. This is a conversation for anyone who wants to move beyond the spreadsheet and actually picture what retirement can look like for them.

    What You'll Learn

    • Why most people build their retirement vision from someone else's experience and why that creates problems
    • How planning toward averages, including average life expectancy, can lead you astray
    • What adaptive retirement planning is and why it better reflects how people actually live
    • Why many retirees with significant savings actually underspend and how to give yourself permission to enjoy what you have built
    • How retirement vision boards work and why putting yourself on the board changes everything
    • Why your relationship with money follows you into retirement and how the book addresses that head on
    • What the sketchbook concept means and how the book invites you to evolve your plan over time
    • Why end of life planning remains the most overlooked piece of retirement and what to do about it
    • How Jamie and Bonnie each updated their own estate plans while writing the book

    Connect with Jamie: www.bmt.com

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiehopkinsfinancialservices


    Connect with Bonnie: www.endeavor-retirement.com

    IG: @retirementrisks

    The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
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