Written by Hazel Secco, CFP®, CDFA®
What if you didn’t have to work one single more day? For many high-achieving women, the climb up the corporate ladder leads to a surprising realization: success on paper doesn’t always equal peace of mind.
In the season premiere of Her Honest Money Talk, our founder, Hazel Secco, gets personal. She shares her journey of becoming a self-made millionaire in her 20s and the burnout that followed when she realized she didn’t know how to stop. This episode kicks off our season-long exploration of the Work Optional life—a revolutionary way to look at wealth, meaning, and your future.
Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple Podcast / Spotify / YouTube
Key Takeaways from the Episode
- The Option-Based Definition of Wealth: True wealth isn’t a number in a bank account; it’s the number of options you have. We discuss how to move from working out of necessity to working based on meaning.
- The Fiduciary Standard (7 Days a Week): Hazel explains why she founded a fee-only firm rooted in radical transparency. Learn why “part-time” honesty in financial advice isn’t enough—and why you deserve a 100% fiduciary partnership.
- Unique Challenges for Women: From longer life expectancies to career gaps and the wage gap, women face a unique financial landscape. We explore how to turn these challenges into strategies for financial freedom.
- Freedom vs. Escape: Why a Work Optional life isn’t about escaping your life, but having the security to fully live it on your own terms.
This Week’s Freedom Step: The “Future You” Conversation
In every episode this season, we provide a “Freedom Step”—a small, actionable move toward your goal.
The Exercise: Set aside 30 uninterrupted minutes with a journal. Ask yourself: “If money were no object, how would I spend my days?”
- What time do you wake up?
- Who are you with?
- What work would you do (if any)?
Remember, you can’t create what you haven’t first imagined.
Coming Up Next Week
Join us next week as we tackle the most important question on this journey: How do we know what is “enough”? Hazel will share the specific formula she uses with clients to calculate their personal “enough” number.
Want to share your definition of enough? Join the conversation on our Instagram page!