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Get Money by Kristin Wong

Check out Kristin Wong’s Financial Grownup episode here!

This Is the Year I Put My Financial Life in Order by John Schwartz

Check out John Schwartz’s Financial Grownup episode here!

The Fifth Trimester by Lauren Smith Brody

Check out Lauren Smith Brody’s Financial Grownup episode here

The Rocket Years by Elizabeth Segran

I recently stumbled on perhaps the ultimate guide to how much the years when many of us transition to adulthood impact the rest of our lives. 

The Rocket Years: How Your Twenties Launch the Rest of Your Life by Elizabeth Segran  is so on point. She's been featured all over the media including recently on Good Morning America 

On the Financial Grownup podcast we talk about how her love of travel shaped her early career years and why she believes getting a PhD was worth it- even if she doesn't use the degree in her current job covering the fashion business at Fast Company.

Bonus: Elizabeth is part of the new season's cast of Money with Friends. You can read more about that below! 

Check out Elizabeth Segran's Financial Grownup episode here.

And please subscribe/rate/review both podcasts!

The Big Stretch by Tenesha Warner

For those of us that need a personal career cheerleader, Teneshia Warner is your go-to grownup. Teneshia Warner's The Big Stretch: 90 Days to Expand Your Dreams, Crush Your Goals, and Create Your Own Success will give you a blueprint to push yourself closer to your goals. Warner is the founder, creator, and CEO of one of the country’s most successful multicultural marketing and communications firms, EGAMI Group, whose clients have included Procter & Gamble, Verizon Wireless, Dasani, General Motors, Target, KFC, Major League Baseball, Delta Airlines, and more


Listen to Teneshia's Financial Grownup episode here!

We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall

Next on my fiction list is the latest by Financial Grownup, Susie Orman Schnall: We Came Here to Shine. 

Susie and I go way back to our college days where we were roommates at the University of Pennsylvania. I'm so proud of her emergence as a best-selling author. Her past books include The Balance Project, On Grace, and my personal favorite The Subway Girls. 

Set at the iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair,We Came Here to Shine is historical fiction featuring two bold and ambitious women who navigate a world of possibility and find out what they're truly made of during a glorious summer of spectacle and potential

Listen to Susie's Financial Grownup episode here!

The Soulful Art Of Persuasion by Jason Harris

Financial Grownup Jason Harris is the brains behind NYC based advertising powerhouse Mekanism. 
His book, The Soulful Art of Persuasion: The 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master Influencer, was  written and released before we were all on lockdown. I whipped through the book, taking notes, and the advice in the book still works.  But we wanted to take it a step further given all the changes that have been happening to the way we relate to others now that we have to communicate through screens. 

So when we invited Jason to be on the Financial Grownup podcast, we asked him to take us through how we can adapt the principles and strategies in the book to the challenges we are experiencing online these days. 

For example, I truly believe there is a unique connection you form with someone if you meet with them in person. Even if it just once, it makes a difference. It is something that has literally sealed some of Jason's biggest deals.

But since that is not available for now, Jason has come up with new ways to bond with clients and potential clients through the tools that we do have. Things l had not thought of that are working for him- and can work for you regardless of your goals.

Jason also recommends being ready to share appropriate personal stories at the start of the meeting to create a personal connection before you get into business. Planning in advance is the key here, because not all of us are comfortable right off the bat when the camera light on the computer goes on!

Listen to Jason's Financial Grownup episode here.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Circling back to another book club favorite. I read this in two days. And there's a big financial grownup lesson here. 

On the surface Girl in Translation is about a young girl, Kimberly, who immigrates to the U.S. with her mom after her father passes away. She finds herself in two worlds- living in extreme poverty at home, and growing up with wealthy kids at the private school she attends on scholarship. The author, Jean Kwok, lets the story unravel with a nuanced depth that really brings you into the story and creates a strong bond with the characters, 

The reason this resonates so much at this time is because of what's going on economically with the college kids sent home this spring to complete the academic year.

Like many of them, Kimberly appears to be economically similar to her classmates at school. But the lack of financial resources at home has a huge impact on her ability to complete assignments. Her home is about to be condemned, and she works at a sweatshop in Chinatown with her mom, trying to do homework during breaks. Teachers are clueless and unforgiving. Friends assume her lifestyle is similar to theirs. 

That's been an emerging reality check as college students come home. At one extreme, some return to comfortable homes where they have the space and tools to focus on their studies. They don't think twice about having reliable wifi and an appropriate workspace. But at the other extreme, some students return to families in financial distress, without even a desk of their own, let alone access to consistent wifi and other resources. Just something that has been on my mind a lot recently.

Side Hustle by Chris Guillebeau

Financial Grownup Chris Guillebeau just released a new Fiction book, The Money Tree, which we discuss  on his Financial Grownup podcast episode.

But given the current economic mess going on, I also wanted to highlight another one of his best selling books:  Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days. It's all about realistic ways you can create a side income - many of which can be done from home. 

Pro tip:  He also hosts a podcast called Side Hustle School that highlights inspiring stories of entrepreneurs and side hustlers. 

Normal People by Sally Rooney

We just had our virtual book club meeting to discuss Normal People. I thought it was good, but not the best book ever. But the rest of my friends LOVED it. It's been a huge best seller and is coming to Hulu in late April. So I'm throwing it out there for you guys to judge for yourself!

It's kind of a peek into an on again off again romance of two people that are from very different backgrounds, and yet live in the same world. At school they pretend not to know each other, but in private they are hot and heavy. Lots of plot twists, missed connections and drama. A solid choice for your quarantine reading list. 

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

On the theme of people not being what they seem, the latest by Malcolm Gladwell explains why we are so trusting of strangers, and how it hurts us. This book surprised me. I thought it would teach us how to talk to strangers. It's actually about how little we know about the strangers that come into our lives and how easily fooled we can be. Think spies and criminals that deceive even the best of us. And misinterpreted communication that can lead to disastrous consequences.

Bonus: in the audio version, you can hear the actual voices of the people that Gladwell interviews. 

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

This is what my book club read one month and I truly enjoyed it. It was a Reese Witherspoon book pick for her Hello Sunshine Book Club. A lot of this is about life looking perfect to outsiders but things are not always what they seem, and those we believe are our friends often have agenda's we don't see. I love a good thriller especially when it has strong female lead characters. The book is filled with twists and turns and of course, skeletons in the closet.

Napkin Finance by Tina Hay

Think of this as a handy crash course in personal finance. With bite-sized lessons covering investing, credit scores, blockchain, and more—plus quizzes, quotes, and laughs to keep you turning pages—Napkin Finance is a must-have for anyone who wants to improve their financial savviness without dying of boredom.

(ClIck here to listen to her Financial Grownup episode)