Sustain This! Podcast Summary
Episode: From Corporate to Full-Time Content Creator: How Sharing Her Life & Money Online Changed Her Life (ft @alexonabudget)
Release Date: May 13, 2025
Hosts: Alyssa Beltempo, Christina Mychas, & Signe Hansen
Guest: Alex Petrakieva (@alexonabudget)
1. Introduction
The episode opens with Alyssa, Christina, and Signe welcoming listeners to "Sustain This!", a podcast dedicated to mindful consumption, personal style, and building a more intentional life and wardrobe. They introduce their special guest, Alex Petrakieva, known for her popular TikTok and Instagram presence under the handle @alexonabudget.
2. Transitioning from Corporate to Content Creation
Alyssa initiates the conversation by highlighting Alex's significant life change—quitting her corporate job to pursue full-time content creation. Alex shares her "origin story," detailing how she initially didn’t plan to leave her full-time job. However, after paying off debts and witnessing her social media channels gain rapid traction, she and her husband decided to support her transition.
Alex (02:06): “I was feeling a little unmotivated with my job and I found myself really just clocking in, clocking out, not really putting the extra effort in. I had to make the decision to do one a hundred percent.”
3. The Viral Breakthrough
Alex recounts how her journey began in December 2023 when she started posting on TikTok to fulfill a creative itch. Her breakthrough came unexpectedly in January with a video discussing her and her husband's strategy of living on one salary to pay off debt. The video went viral, garnering around 5 million views in a few days, which propelled her follower count to 10,000 within days.
Alex (04:07): “I sat at the kitchen table and just started kind of blabbing about why my husband and I live on one salary... and it went super viral.”
4. Financial Impact of Viral Content
The hosts delve into the financial repercussions of Alex's viral success. Alex explains how each viral video not only increased her follower count but also led to direct financial benefits, such as paying off her car loan.
Alex (13:17): “Each video would make me hundreds and hundreds of dollars, and I just use that money immediately to make the next car payment.”
5. Navigating Social Media Feedback
A significant portion of the discussion centers on the polarized feedback Alex received. While many appreciated her transparency, others criticized her financial decisions, particularly regarding her car payment.
Alex (09:06): “A lot of Americans do have debt, but they don't feel comfortable talking about it. When I share, some people resonate while others criticize.”
The hosts and Alex discuss the emotional toll of negative comments and the importance of focusing on positive feedback to stay motivated.
Alex (16:35): “Even to this day, I'm just waiting for everything to fall apart... But I keep focusing on the positive comments.”
6. Transparency in Financial Sharing
Christina emphasizes the importance of Alex's transparency, noting how it challenges the taboo surrounding discussions about money and debt.
Christina (17:15): “You are inspiring me to maybe just be a bit more open about that because it's important to see the potential of what you can earn.”
Alex elaborates on her decision to share financial details, attributing it to her desire to help others and demystify financial struggles.
Alex (19:08): “I see it as numbers. It doesn't define who I am. I'm helping others by sharing my journey.”
7. Balancing Personal Life and Content Creation
The conversation shifts to Alex's relationship with her parents and the challenges of explaining her career shift to them. As immigrants, her parents prioritize traditional corporate roles, making it difficult for Alex to convey the legitimacy and potential of her content creation career.
Alex (40:19): “It's not that I'm hiding it from them; I'm just trying to figure out how to explain it so they would understand.”
Christina shares her own experiences with supportive yet initially skeptical parents, highlighting the generational differences in understanding modern careers.
8. Challenges of Content Creation
Alex discusses the multifaceted nature of content creation, emphasizing the need to juggle various roles—from writing and filming to editing and engaging with the audience. She acknowledges the emotional and mental challenges, including dealing with criticism and maintaining consistency.
Alex (52:53): “As a content creator, you are the writer, the actor, the editor, the producer... It is hard work.”
The hosts agree, sharing their own struggles with maintaining schedules and avoiding burnout.
9. Preparing for the Transition
Alyssa and Christina underscore the importance of preparation before making significant career changes. Alex shares her meticulous planning, including saving an emergency fund and setting realistic expectations to ensure financial stability during her transition.
Alex (56:48): “Please have some type of data behind you in terms of you're already making money that can sustain you before you actually jump.”
10. Future Plans and Excitement
Towards the end of the episode, Alex expresses her excitement about the newfound flexibility and the potential opportunities that come with full-time content creation. She looks forward to experimenting with different content types and exploring uncharted territories in her creative journey.
Alex (62:38): “I'm most excited to have the flexibility to experiment... I believe the opportunities will be really, really good.”
11. Rapid Fire Segment
To wrap up, the hosts engage Alex in a rapid-fire round, providing listeners with quick insights into her personal preferences:
- Vacation Spending: Alex spends on experiences like hotel stays but saves on flights.
- Book That Changed Her Life: I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi.
- Digital or Paper Agenda: Digital calendar and paper for notes.
- Favorite Meal of the Day: High-protein breakfast.
- Top Three Wardrobe Staples: Jeans, white tee, and a cardigan.
- Favorite Platform to Engage With: TikTok.
- Where to Find Her: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube (@alexonabudget).
12. Closing Remarks
The episode concludes with heartfelt thanks exchanged between Alex and the hosts. They encourage listeners to support Alex's platforms and subscribe to "Sustain This!" for more conversations on mindful living and sustainable choices.
Key Takeaways:
- Intentional Transition: Alex's shift from a corporate job to content creation was a well-planned move supported by financial stability and personal passion.
- Impact of Transparency: Sharing personal financial journeys can both inspire and polarize audiences, highlighting the importance of authenticity.
- Balancing Challenges and Passion: Content creation is multifaceted and demanding, requiring dedication and resilience despite the inherent challenges.
- Value-Based Living: Emphasizing experiences and meaningful investments over material possessions aligns with a sustainable and intentional lifestyle.
- Community Over Competition: Building and nurturing a supportive community is crucial in the content creation landscape, fostering collaboration over rivalry.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to dive deeper into Alex's inspiring journey and gain valuable insights into mindful consumption and intentional living.