Podcast Summary: Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF

Episode: Why Financial Independence Is the Ultimate Power Move
Host: Vivian Tu (Your Rich BFF)
Guest: Tori Dunlap (Financial Feminist)
Date: February 25, 2026

Episode Overview

Vivian Tu welcomes financial educator and entrepreneur Tori Dunlap to discuss the power and purpose of financial independence, the realities of entrepreneurship, the challenges women face in building wealth, and actionable strategies for taking charge of your finances. This lively, no-nonsense conversation covers Tori’s financial journey, lessons from building her business, and advice everyone can use to gain more autonomy and power through money.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Landscape of Financial Advice & Misinformation

• Vivian and Tori's Motivation:
  Both were driven to create accessible financial content after seeing dangerous misinformation online, such as get-rich-quick schemes and risky crypto advice.
  • Vivian: "People promoting literal get rich quick schemes suggesting you put your rent money into meme coins... It was giving me actual shivers." (01:00)

2. Bad Financial Habits and Honest Confessions

• Tori’s Millionaire Mistake:

  • Tori admits she sometimes forgets to cancel subscriptions, showing that even financial experts aren’t perfect.
    • Tori: "There are some times where I find subscriptions six months after and I'm like, shit, I've been paying for that for how long?" (02:35)

• What’s Worth Splurging On?

  • For Tori, high-quality hotel stays and experiences bring the most value now.
    • Tori: "I just like, I wanna be surrounded and down comforter cocoons." (03:46)

3. Early Money Mindset & Upbringing

• Unique Financial Upbringing:
  Tori’s parents proactively educated her on money management, which she later realized was uncommon.

  • Tori: "I had parents who educated me about money... because my parents didn't grow up with a lot." (04:32)

• Privilege Check:
  She openly acknowledges the advantages she had, including graduating college debt-free due to family support and personal hustling.

  • Tori: "...that 100k wouldn't have happened as quickly as it did if I had a student loan payment." (06:39)

4. How Tori Saved $100K by 25

• Strategies:
  • Automated savings (up to 27% of take-home pay)
  • Early investing (Roth IRA at 22)
  • Value-based spending focused on three categories: travel, food, and "nesting" (making her home cozy)
  • Negotiating salary and job-hopping for better income
• Tori: "I was also really focused as well on value based spending... What are the three areas in your life where you get the most joy?" (07:04)
• First job: $55k/year, never over $77k in her 9 to 5.
• Side-hustle (Her First 100K) eventually became significant income.
  • Tori: "Job hopping gets such a negative reputation... but it's actually a really smart career and financial move." (09:48)

5. Building a Financial Education Platform & Entrepreneurship

• Growth Story:
  Her First 100K evolved from a scrappy side hustle to a multimillion-dollar brand and business, with income leaping from $127k in Q1 2020 to several million annually.
  • Tori: "My life changed pretty rapidly from 100k at 25 to I was a multimillionaire at 27." (13:01)
• Entrepreneurship as a Wealth Accelerator:
  Tori stresses that consistent saving and investing are great, but rapid wealth growth happened through entrepreneurship, not just traditional employment.

6. Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Be an Entrepreneur

• Tori’s Perspective:
  • More people, especially women, should consider entrepreneurship, but it’s not for everyone.
  • It’s especially hard if you have dependents or less financial flexibility.
• Tori: "We're so focused as women on being perfect. And you cannot... by definition, be a perfect entrepreneur." (16:21)
• Vivian: "Some people who can't stomach the instability... there's months where I haven't made a dollar." (17:42)

7. The Realities of Being a Boss

• Challenges:
  Firing people (contractors and employees) is the toughest part, especially emotionally and legally.
  • Tori: "If you have been dissatisfied with their work performance for months, but you have not documented that, you're in a world of hurt." (28:20)
• Decision Overload:
  No clear playbook; must become comfortable with risk and fast pivots as a leader.

8. Women, Financial Independence, and Financial Feminism

• Definition:
  Financial feminism is about having enough to live freely and use money as a protest for broader change.

  • Tori: "When you have all you need, you build a longer table and not a higher fence." (21:13)

• Financial independence = Options (leaving toxic jobs/relationships, supporting causes, safety from abuse)

  • Tori: "When you have money, your entire life changes." (22:29)

• Systemic Barriers:
  Hard work alone can’t overcome structural issues. Control what you can (education, habits), but also fight for bigger change.

9. Notable Quotes on Money and Mindset

• "Practice gratitude, but...if you are putting up with poor behavior because you're like, 'somebody's going to notice me,' they're not going to notice you, they're not going to give you a raise." – Tori (10:11)
• "I love being the patriarchy's worst nightmare. I'm like, let's go, baby." – Tori (21:36)
• "If you're just trying to get by, you're doing a great job." – Tori (32:02)
• "When you have money, you have options." – Tori (34:12)

10. Best & Worst Financial Advice

• Worst Advice:

  • "Index Universal Life Insurance is a replacement for your 401k. It's not."
  • "Crypto is kind of a scam... no more than 5% of your total portfolio."
  • "Pay off all your debt before you start investing" (not true for low-interest debt).
  • Gendered advice: Critiquing women’s “frivolous” spending (lattes/avocado toast) but not men’s hobbies.
    • Tori: "Frivolous spending...is only stuff that is feminine." (26:53)

• Best Money Move:
  Automate your savings—no matter how small the amount, start now.

  • Tori: "Automate your savings. You can do this in two seconds...it builds the habit of saving." (34:43)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:35] Tori confesses her millionaire money mistake (subscriptions)
• [04:32] The impact of Tori's financial upbringing
• [06:39] How she saved $100k by 25: privilege, strategies, salary history
• [13:01] Rapid transformation: from $100k saver to multimillionaire
• [16:21] Why more women should try entrepreneurship
• [21:13] What financial feminism means to Tori
• [22:29] How money gives women freedom and safety
• [28:20] The hardest business decisions: firing people and legal issues
• [32:02] Message for listeners feeling powerless in the current economy
• [34:43] The one money move everyone should make: automate savings

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Tori: "Done is better than perfect." (16:16)
• Vivian: "The influencer only-child pipeline is strong." (05:08)
• Tori: "Imagine if every woman on the planet had that. We live in a very different society." (21:38)
• Tori: "If you can manage $50,000, you can manage $500,000." (34:43)

Actionable Advice & Takeaways

• Automate savings and investing—even small amounts build the habit and returns (34:43)
• Focus spending on what you truly value ("three value categories") (07:04)
• Stay vigilant about recurring expenses and review subscriptions (02:35)
• Be open to new income sources, including side hustles and entrepreneurship (13:01)
• Negotiate your salary and be willing to job-hop for better compensation (09:48)
• Educate yourself continually—invest in courses, books, or coaching to grow your skills (23:53)
• Understand systemic barriers and take both personal and collective action for change (23:34)

Guest Links

• Tori Dunlap: @herfirst100k on all socials, herfirst100k.com (for personalized money plan quiz), Financial Feminist (book & podcast)
• Vivian Tu: @yourrichbff

This episode combines honest conversation, tactical tips, and passionate advocacy for women’s financial power, reminding listeners that financial independence is the core of choice and agency.