Get Ready: Before Life Happens Podcast

Tony Steuer

Get Ready: Before Life Happens brings together diverse voices, guides, and changemakers from around the world who are helping people and professionals navigate life’s what-ifs with clarity, integrity and confidence.  Hosted by Financial Readiness Advocate Tony Steuer, the show explores the insights, stories, and tools that strengthen financial readiness and reshape how we think about money, life, aging, caregiving, resilience, and purpose. Want more? Join The Get Ready Movement at www.tonysteuer.com [CLAIM:D51LCAQS]

  1. 2d ago ·  Video

    Why Families Need to Talk About Money Before It’s Too Late

    Send us Fan Mail The most important inheritance conversations are about trust, context, and relationships. Emily Bouchard, TEDx speaker, founder of Family Focused Wealth, and host of the Wealth Coherence Podcast joins Tony on the Get Ready Before Life Happens podcast to talk about why families need safe, transparent conversations around money, trust, and inheritance. They explore how trust, communication, and shared values help families build resilience, prepare beneficiaries, and reduce the emotional impact of inheritance and loss. Key Takeaways 🔹 Inheritance conversations should focus on relationships before numbers. 🔹 Safe spaces allow families to share concerns, values, and expectations. 🔹 Trust is built through sincerity, reliability, competence, and care. 🔹 Beneficiaries need context and preparation, not just financial assets. 🔹 Lack of communication can increase inheritance trauma and confusion. 🔹 Understanding each other’s money stories strengthens family resilience. 🔹 Small, consistent conversations build trust and clarity over time. 🧠 Tony’s Take Money changes family dynamics the moment it enters the room. Financial readiness means creating trust, context, and safe conversations before decisions are forced by life transitions. Connect with Emily Bouchard: Website: https://emilybouchard.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-bouchard-5a9a049/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily4families/ Books:   Beginners Guide to Purposeful Prenups: Three Essential Elements for a Successful Prenup Conversation by Emily Bouchard and Emily Chase Smith (Amazon)Estate Planning for the Blended Family by L. Paul Hood, Jr. and Emily Bouchard (Amazon) Podcast: Wealth Coherence Podcast: https://emilybouchard.com/podcasts/ Resources mentioned: TEDx Talk: How to talk about inheritance (without talking about money) - (YouTube) The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni (Amazon) Bio:  Emily Bouchard is a coach and consultant to enterprising families and is dedicated to unlocking the full potential of individuals, couples and families, by guiding them through the complexities of wealth, relationships, and leadership. She is an author and speaker with over 20 years of experience coaching multigenerational families, with specializations in blended family dynamics and family business succession. As a fractional Chief Learning Officer, she designs personalized learning experiences that focus on lifelong growth, emotional intelligence, and financial acumen. She lives on 10-acres with 9 horses, where she facilitates transformative retreats. ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  2. 5d ago ·  Video

    What It Really Takes to Settle an Estate

    Send us Fan Mail Being named executor is more than a title. It’s a responsibility most people are not prepared for. Julie Rains, author and storyteller joined me on this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, to talk about the realities of settling a parent’s estate and what it truly means to serve as an executor. Drawing from her personal journey, Julie shares practical lessons around cash flow, access to accounts, beneficiary designations, financial institutions, and why family conversations before a loss are one of the greatest gifts we can give. Key Takeaways 🔹 Executors often need access to cash before estate assets are released. 🔹 Court appointment and estate rules can vary significantly by state. 🔹 Beneficiaries and heirs are not the same under the law. 🔹 Financial institutions may freeze accounts or provide incomplete information. 🔹 Wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations can produce very different outcomes. 🔹 Clear family conversations about wishes, access, and responsibilities reduce stress later. 🔹 Preparing before death is one of the most meaningful gifts to loved ones. 🧠 Tony’s Take This conversation is a reminder that estate planning is not just about documents. It is about making sure the right people have the information, access, and support they need when life changes. Financial readiness includes preparing others to step in with clarity and confidence. Connect with Julie Rains: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julierains/Website: www.julierains.comInvesting to Thrive website: https://investingtothrive.comSave.Invest.Protect.Preserve Newsletter (Substack): https://julierains.substack.com Books:   Growing Wealth: Essential Money Lessons From My Garden to Yours (Amazon) Bio:  Julie Rains is a writer and finance professional with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a concentration in Finance from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When she became executor of her father's estate — right in the middle of finishing her first book, Growing Wealth: Essential Money Lessons from My Garden to Yours — she found herself navigating a strange new world. Despite her background and her dad's relatively simple estate, she was astonished at the complexity involved in making straightforward claims. What began as a desire to change systems evolved into something more tangible: helping people stay sane through one of life's most overwhelming responsibilities. Julie writes about estate work and legacy at her Substack, Save. Invest, Protect. Preserve. and is working on a novel that draws on her experiences. Whether you're settling an estate or planning, Julie’s mission is to illuminate what's really going on — so you can make informed decisions, choose the right professionals, and strengthen the relationships that matter most. ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  3. Jul 10 ·  Video

    How Early Money Conversations Shape Financial Behavior

    Send us Fan Mail What you learn about money as a child can shape your decisions for life. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, Tony talks with Dr. Bilal Pandow about how childhood experiences shape lifelong money habits, why even highly educated people struggle with financial decisions, and how simple, consistent conversations can help build confidence and better financial behaviors over time. Key takeaways 🔹 Behavior is a central component of financial literacy, rather than just understanding concepts. 🔹 Early experiences with money shape lifelong habits and confidence. 🔹 Even highly educated people struggle without practical financial behaviors. 🔹 Children learn about money through observation and everyday conversations. 🔹 Simple, consistent habits matter more than complex financial strategies. 🔹 Storytelling helps make financial concepts concrete, memorable, and relatable. 🔹 Financial literacy is for everyone and can be built at any stage of life. Tony’s Take: Financial readiness starts earlier than we think. The habits, conversations, and experiences we have around money in childhood shape how we make decisions for the rest of our lives. The goal is not perfection. It is building simple, consistent behaviors that help people see money as a tool, not a source of stress. Connect withDr. Bilal Ahmad Pandow: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-bilal-pandow-a5204a16/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financewithbilal/ Books:   A to Z of Finance for Children: https://a.co/d/01ECYihDMoney Villa: Learn to be Money Smart: https://amzn.in/d/0c0fhGou Bio:  Dr. Bilal Ahmad Pandow is an Associate Professor of Finance at Bahrain Polytechnic and a researcher, editor, and advisor working across financial literacy, financial inclusion, sustainable finance, and climate-related economic resilience. He is a recipient of the Obada Prize in Social Sciences, an international award recognizing innovative and interdisciplinary research excellence. His work focuses on helping individuals, families, and communities make better financial decisions, with a particular interest in children's financial education, policy-relevant research, and practical approaches that bridge academia and everyday life. Dr. Pandow has authored books designed to disseminate complex financial concepts to broader, non-academic audiences, particularly children, demonstrating his commitment to financial literacy. These include the children's storybook MoneyVilla: Learn to be Money Smart and A to Z of FINANCE for CHILDREN. ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  4. Jul 7 ·  Video

    How to Build Financial Confidence in a New Country

    Send us Fan Mail How do you build financial confidence in a new country? It starts with learning how money works where you are. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, I spoke with Bisola Tijani, the Whiz Queen, about building financial confidence when navigating a new country, learning how money works in a different system, and taking ownership of your financial future. Key Takeaways 🔹 Learn how money works where you live. 🔹 A growth mindset helps you adapt, learn, and take ownership of your financial decisions. 🔹 Start with the essentials by setting up identification, banking, and credit systems early. 🔹 Building credit intentionally expands your access to housing, employment, and financial opportunities. 🔹 Confidence grows through action by learning, experimenting, and making small, informed decisions. 🔹 Protect your money by working with regulated professionals and taking time before making decisions. 🔹 Money is a tool that supports your life, your goals, and the people you care about. Tony’s Take: Starting over creates opportunity. Financial readiness begins with understanding the system you’re in and taking ownership of your decisions. Connect with Bisola Tijani: Website: https://whizqueen.caLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-tijani/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiz_queen/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhizQueen/featured Podcast: The Whiz Queen Show: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhG7IsMTPnBNn2MMAoXzDal7cJR7R6jDP Bio:  Bisola Tijani, known as WhizQueen, is a Nigerian-Canadian content creator and financial educator with 150K+ followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. She's on a mission to make money simple, accessible, and actually enjoyable — especially for first-generation immigrants and newcomers building wealth in a new country. Through her community Smart Money Group and her education platform, she teaches investing, income building, and the kind of financial clarity that changes how people live — not just how they save. ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  5. Jul 3 ·  Video

    Why Authentic Communication Builds Better Relationships

    Send us Fan Mail It’s easier to be yourself, and that’s what builds real trust. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, I spoke with Derek Pollard, founder of Constellar Creative, about why authentic communication is the foundation of strong relationships. We explored how finding your voice, staying curious, and focusing on small human moments can help you build trust and communicate more effectively in a digital world. Key takeaways  🔹 Authentic communication builds trust through clarity, consistency, and relatability. 🔹 Your voice develops by saying what you mean and standing behind it. 🔹 Understanding context and nuance helps your message connect. 🔹 Small acts of kindness and gratitude strengthen relationships. 🔹 Strong connections come from knowing people, not just sharing information. 🔹 Practicing your voice creates confidence and better communication over time. 🔹 Carefully curate your network.  🧠 Tony’s Take Better relationships start with better communication. When you show up as yourself, speak with clarity, and focus on real connection, you build trust that lasts. Financial readiness is built on strong relationships, and those relationships begin with authentic conversations. Connect with Derek Pollard, PhD: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekpollard-phd/Constellar Creative Website: https://constellarcreative.com Bio:  Dr. Derek Pollard has spent thirty years editing New York Times bestselling authors and Guggenheim Fellows, helping them sound unmistakably like themselves. He founded Constellar Creative, featured on the Kitces Advisor Services Map, to do the same for financial advisors. ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  6. Jun 30 ·  Video

    How Families Can Have Better Money Conversations

    Send us Fan Mail Clear money conversations help families prepare before life happens. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, Tony talks with Jacqui Clarke, author of Stop Worrying About Money, about how better money conversations help families navigate caregiving, loss, divorce, and rising financial pressure.  They explore why money is often left unspoken, how that creates risk, and what families can do to build clarity, reduce anxiety, and prepare for what’s ahead. Key takeaways 🔹 Having conversations with your spouse and family is essential for aging planning and legacy planning.  🔹 Knowing where assets are and what things cost is essential during life transitions. 🔹 Financial responsibility often defaults to one partner, which creates vulnerability for the other partner. 🔹 Many women face financial gaps due to caregiving, career pauses, and unequal roles. 🔹 Estate plans need context and communication, not just documents. 🔹 “Planet Squeeze” is real as families balance aging parents, kids, and rising costs. 🔹 Being optimistic about money can be really empowering. 🔹 Advisors have a responsibility to meet with both spouses.  Tony’s Take When families share information, understand their finances, and align on decisions, they create clarity before life gets complicated. The goal is making sure no one is left trying to figure everything out alone. Connect with Jacqui Clarke: Website: jacquiclarke.meLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquiclarke/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquiclarke000/ Substack Newsletter:  Your Personal CFO: https://jacquiclarke.substack.com Books:   Stop Worrying about Money: The Award-Winning book about how you can start planning now to secure your financial future (Amazon US)(Amazon AU) (Barnes and Noble)Free sample chapter: https://www.jacquiclarke.me/book  Bio:  Jacqui Clarke FCA, FTI, GAICD, JP, author of Stop Worrying About Money, is a trusted advisor, board member, executor and veteran business executive. As a personal wealth and money management expert and over three decades of experience, 25 years at Deloitte and PWC helping high-net-worth families, individuals and business owners to build, manage and preserve their wealth. Her message is simple: with careful planning and effort, you can manage your money, so it doesn’t manage you. https://www.jacquiclarke.me/ The Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards (the MAIAs) celebrate the increasingly important work being done to help people understand money better. Learn more: https://www.maiawards.org.    ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  7. Jun 26 ·  Video

    What Happens When Financial Planning Starts With Better Questions?

    Send us Fan Mail In many financial planning conversations, the loudest voices tend to shape the outcome. Yet some of the most important perspectives in the room often go unheard. What happens when we start asking better questions and make space for every voice to be part of the conversation? On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, I spoke with Colleen Bowler, entrepreneur, speaker, and creator of The Passport Package, about the human side of financial planning.  We explore why listening is one of the most powerful tools advisors and families have, how planning conversations can bring out quieter voices, and why meaningful financial decisions begin with understanding what truly matters to the people involved. 🔹 Financial planning works best when advisors listen before offering solutions. 🔹 Asking thoughtful questions helps uncover what truly matters to clients. 🔹 Important perspectives can be missed when quieter voices are not invited into the conversation. 🔹 More than 70% of widows change advisors after losing a spouse when they feel unheard. 🔹 Engaging the next generation helps families prepare for transitions, many next-generation heirs move on when there’s no relationship. 🔹 Retirement planning becomes more meaningful when people move toward something purposeful. 💭Tony’s Take; Financial readiness begins with understanding people. When advisors and families create space for every voice and ask better questions about what truly matters, planning becomes more than numbers. It becomes a conversation about the life people want to build. Connect with Colleen Bowler, CFP: Website: https://thepassportpackage.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-bowler-cfp®-09576796/ Books:   Generous Kids (Amazon: https://amzn.to/49zoitC) Bio:  Colleen Bowler, CFP® is an entrepreneur, speaker, and coach who transformed personal hardship — losing her father at 16, later navigating divorce as a single mom with a sick child — into a 25+ year financial planning career that took her from earning $14,000 her first year to building Strategic Wealth Partners into a top 1% Texas firm, managing half a billion in AUM. After successfully selling her practice, she co-founded C&J Innovations, LLC, where she created The Passport Package™ (patent-pending) — a proven framework that helps financial advisors grow revenue, referrals, and retention by embracing the human side of every financial decision, creating what she calls a "waterfall of impact" that lasts for generations. ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  8. Jun 23 ·  Video

    How Emotions Shape Financial Decisions and Readiness

    Send us Fan Mail Many financial decisions feel logical in the moment. Yet emotions often shape the choices we make about money. Understanding that connection can help us make better decisions and build stronger financial readiness. On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, I spoke with Mark Crowley, author and advocate for heart-based leadership, about how emotions shape the way we make decisions, build relationships, and respond to life’s uncertainties. 📝 Key Takeaways 🔹 Financial decisions are often driven by emotions . 🔹 Awareness of emotional signals leads to more thoughtful choices. 🔹 Connection and belonging strengthen resilience. 🔹 Small moments of appreciation and trust build stronger relationships. 🔹 Collaboration and support systems help people navigate uncertainty. 🔹 Self-awareness helps us recognize emotional influences on decisions. 💭 Tony’s Take: Financial readiness involves understanding how emotions influence our decisions, relationships, and responses to uncertainty. When we build self-awareness, strengthen our connections, and approach decisions with intention, we create a stronger foundation for navigating life’s unexpected moments. Connect with Mark Crowley: Website: https://markccrowley.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markccrowley/Twitter: @MarkCCrowley Books:   The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams (Amazon)Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century (Amazon) Podcast: Lead From the Heart: https://blubrry.com/leadfromtheheartpodcast/ Bio:  Mark C. Crowley is the author of “Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century,” and “The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement To Build Flourishing Teams.” His mission is to fundamentally change how we lead people in workplaces around the globe.  Mark is a regular columnist for Fast Company Magazine and has been published in Psychology Today, Inc. USA Today, Reuters, Forbes, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Huffington Post, Gallup, The Financial Times, and the Seattle Times.    ☕ Support the Get Ready Movement. If these conversations help you think differently about money or prepare for life’s what-ifs, your support helps expand financial readiness education and keep this work accessible. 👉 Support (here) Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Get Ready: Before Life Happens brings together diverse voices, guides, and changemakers from around the world who are helping people and professionals navigate life’s what-ifs with clarity, integrity and confidence.  Hosted by Financial Readiness Advocate Tony Steuer, the show explores the insights, stories, and tools that strengthen financial readiness and reshape how we think about money, life, aging, caregiving, resilience, and purpose. Want more? Join The Get Ready Movement at www.tonysteuer.com [CLAIM:D51LCAQS]

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