Trading Secrets – Episode 276

Guests: Blake Horstmann & Giannina Gibelli

Release Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Jason Tartick

Overview

In one of the most candid and relatable Trading Secrets episodes yet, Bachelor and Love is Blind alumni Blake Horstmann and Giannina Gibelli return to talk about their whirlwind lives together. Now parents and soon-to-be-married business partners, the couple dives deep into real conversations around financial transparency, planning a wedding, expanding into family content, evolving income streams, managing the pitfalls of social media, and openly dissecting household finances—including navigating money discussions through therapy.

From negotiating wedding budgets and sharing influencer rates, to explaining why they co-sleep with their child and their exact approach to buying a ring, Blake and Giannina peel back the curtain on taboo money topics, emotional realities of parenthood, and what’s next in their media careers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Engagement, The “Shut Up” Ring, and Budgeting for Milestones

[04:12–12:37]

• Proposal Backstory:

  • Blake considered proposing as soon as they learned they were pregnant, but Giannina wanted to avoid rushing:
    • "I could marry you right now. And I'm like, no, honey. Like, I just want it to be us for like, a little bit." – Giannina (06:42)
    • The ring was sometimes called the "shut up ring" by friends:
      • "That's like, oh, my... The shut up ring. The shut up ring." – Giannina (07:07)

• Ring Selection & Budgeting:

  • Blake did in-depth research and chose a ring from Brilliant Earth—focusing on appearances and value over price.
    • "I wanted to find one that looked like it was six figures but didn't break the bank." – Blake (11:29)
    • "She didn't expect me to drop like 100k on that. ...I knew that she didn't expect me to spend six figures." – Blake (10:41)_

• Natural vs. Lab-Grown Diamonds:

  • Giannina is open-minded:
    • "If it looks like that, who cares? Get your diamond.” (12:02)
    • She’s partial to natural diamonds for their “energy,” but sees value in lab-grown for affordability.

2. Household Spending & Income Growth

[12:59–18:45]

• Monthly Spending:

  • Blake used to spend around $35,000/month (including business expenses), now reduced to $15–20k.
  • Giannina’s monthly spend increased from $8k to $10–12k.

• Early Hustles & Commissions:

  • Giannina on her sales days:
    • "I made triple what I did at a 9 to 5... at the mall, I would make $6,000 a month." (15:45)
  • She leveraged commission margins for flexibility in pricing ("girl math").

• Digital Income Spike:

  • By 2024, Giannina hit her goal of 7-figure annual income:
    • "I had the best year of my life. It was just a combination of everything—entered this new market of moms, landed a T-Mobile commercial…" (18:36, 18:46)
    • A T-Mobile campaign alone brought in just over $200k, and a baby formula partnership delivered $75k for a reel and three stories.

3. Monetizing Parenthood & Facing Mom-Content Backlash

[20:37–25:26]

• Motherhood as a Brand Expansion:
  • Giannina describes becoming a “trusted mom” as a lucrative, credibility-building move.
• Monetizing Milestones:
  • Two massive 2024 deals—their T-Mobile commercials and baby-product partnerships—totaled approx. $300k.
• Mom Critique:
  • Sharing about co-sleeping and travel, Giannina received both strong support and harsh judgment from the parenting community:
    • "It's not just...annoying. It's scary. ...You're just like, I'm not here for that energy." (25:26)
  • She’s implemented strong boundaries:
    • "I've had to set up boundaries pretty quickly...not showing things anymore...just showing us one day to the next."

4. Realities of Raising a Child & Family Finances

[28:06–32:35]

• Biggest Unexpected Expense:
  • Hospital bills for their son's birth totaled $8,000 to $12,000—even with good insurance.
    • "It ended up being like 8 to 12,000. ...with good insurance." – Giannina (28:48)
• Financial Planning for Son:
  • They have a savings account for Heath and a frequent-flyer miles account started at age 2 (he already racks up points through their extensive travel).
• Travel “Trading Secret”:
  • Blake is a “Southwest guru”—maximizing companion passes and free travel for the family (31:09).

5. Navigating Couple Finances & Therapy

[32:57–37:13]

• Intercultural Money Rules:
  • Blake bought their house before Giannina, but she renovated it into their ideal home—fueling financial and emotional debates.
• Therapy as a Tool:
  • Their main therapy topic: money, especially as household roles and who pays for what ebb and flow.
  • Blake wants to set up a trust so the house becomes a true family asset and can transfer to Heath tax-efficiently.
    • "I want to create a trust… do it right. ...So that's in the works." – Blake (35:49)
  • They split costs: Blake covers the mortgage; Giannina covers food, au pair, and in-home needs.

6. Career Updates: DJing, Entertainment, and Reality TV

[38:49–46:14]

• Blake’s DJ Career & Market Shifts:
  • The nightlife industry post-pandemic is suffering: ticket sales down, iconic clubs closing, fewer big spending nights.
  • Blake’s DJ income is down 15–20% from peak years:
    • "The DJ industry... the nightlife industry... is hard out there right now." (38:49)
    • His biggest DJ years (2022–23): $350–400k/year. 2026 is lower, but he’s grateful for the family time it’s afforded.
• Crystal Ball on Kids:
  • Giannina: "I would love, like, five, but I'll settle for three." (41:56)
  • Blake: “We’ll see.” (42:02)

7. Wedding Planning & “Love Tax” Realities

[43:02–48:35]

• Love Tax:
  • Vendors charge more for weddings than for parties—a floral “birthday” quote may be $1k, wedding $10k.
    • "That's called the love tax." – Giannina (43:02)
• Planning Abroad for Value:
  • They chose a European wedding for value—getting a castle venue, better food, longer celebration, and the “dream wedding” for less than half the U.S. price.
    • "I've found people that are willing to work with us. ...getting a banger of a wedding for probably a little less than half of what you’d get in the States." – Giannina (44:49)
• Budget Disagreements:
  • Blake’s budget: $40k, Giannina’s true ideal is $120k (excluding custom dresses).
    • "My 40k is going towards the wedding where she's got 40k just for like hair, makeup, dress, shoes. It's insane." – Blake (47:43)
    • Giannina: “No, like 120.” (48:10)
    • She leverages brand deals and influencer partnerships to offset costs:
      • "The wedding is paid for… by one... two ads, one brand....we wouldn't have got these deals if it wasn’t for the wedding." (51:05)
• Wedding Dress Cost:
  • Custom couture, made-to-measure, not included in the general budget.

8. What’s Now & What’s Next: Content, New Shows, and Career Moves

[52:05–57:25]

• Emerging as Hosts:
  • Giannina hosted the Love is Blind Reunion Season 9 watch party; she and Blake co-host What’s the Reality podcast during the regular host’s maternity leave.
• New Projects:
  • Teasing an upcoming media project based on their reality TV and relationship journey—likely a show or podcast.
    • "Wouldn’t have happened without Blake and I kicking down doors..." – Giannina (53:32)
• Reality TV Aspirations:
  • Giannina has auditioned for shows like NBC’s The Traitors; hoping to land more spots.
    • "I've had conversations to...casting. I've gone through the final rounds. ...It's been happening… Whereas, like, five years ago, I was just casted. So now I'm actually... having to...really fight for the role."' (54:38)
  • Blake would love to do “Special Forces” or “Dancing with the Stars.”

9. Closing Reflections & “Trading Secrets”

[57:47–59:58]

• Blake’s Advice to Younger Self:
  • “Don’t be afraid to be thirsty. Be cringy. Don’t be afraid what your boys will say. ...Just be yourself and post what you need to and how you want to.”
• Giannina’s Advice to Younger Self:
  • "Always trust your gut... if you're sitting across from somebody and don't feel like you're in the right place, get up and go...look out for yourself in this business."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Engagement:

  • "I'm having a great time. I'm like, with the love of my life. I'm having my baby. And I just got the ring of my dreams. So I don't give a what you call it, but, yeah, apparently this is a shut up ring." – Giannina (07:14)

• On Influencer Monetization:

  • "The biggest one ... was definitely T-Mobile. Three days of filming, had to fly out... just over 200 [thousand]. Massive." – Giannina (23:11)

• On Motherhood Backlash:

  • "It's not just...annoying. It's scary. ...I'm not here for that energy." – Giannina (25:43)

• On Wedding Costs:

  • "I'm getting all the bells and whistles, but I'm doing it with just the resources that I have… So instead of one photographer being $12,000, I'm getting three photographers [for a deal]." – Giannina (48:28)

• On Couple Finances:

  • "We go to therapy for this one question... That is literally all we talk about in therapy. Is finances actually." – Giannina and Blake (33:31–33:44)

• On Social Media Mindset:

  • "Don’t be afraid to be thirsty. Be cringy. ...just do what you need to do." – Blake (58:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Engagement, Ring, and Budgeting: 04:12–12:37
• Household Spending, Early Hustles: 12:59–18:45
• Brand Deals & 7-Figure Earnings: 18:18–23:41
• Navigating Mom Content: 25:26–28:09
• Childbirth Costs & Baby Miles: 28:31–31:33
• Managing Couple Finances & Therapy: 32:57–37:13
• DJ Career Realities: 38:49–41:46
• Wedding Planning and “Love Tax”: 43:02–51:26
• Upcoming Projects & New Media: 52:05–56:36
• Trading Secrets (Advice to Selves): 57:47–59:58

Final Thoughts

This episode is a masterclass in financial transparency, relationship negotiation, and creative entrepreneurship in the influencer age. Blake and Giannina show you can pursue big dreams, set boundaries with online critics, argue and grow as a couple, and still laugh about custom wedding dress math and companion airline hacks. Their willingness to openly share numbers, admit struggles, and celebrate wins gives listeners an honest, actionable look at building both a business and a family in the public eye.