Money Stories

Mike Brown
  • 5.0 (20)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Every entrepreneur has invisible scripts about money that shape their success. Join host Mike Brown, former F-18 pilot and 8-figure founder, as he guides successful entrepreneurs through the raw, unfiltered conversations about wealth that no one else is having. Discover the childhood experiences that formed their money mindset, the catastrophic mistakes that nearly cost them everything, and the transformational shifts that unlocked their potential. Beyond tactics, this podcast explores the emotional dimensions of wealth and what makes a truly rich life.

  1. APR 10

    Hunter Terpenny: Being Poor is a Calling

    Most entrepreneurs track every dollar in and out. Very few stop to ask what the money is actually for. Hunter Terpenny grew up on 40 acres in rural Virginia, watching his dad quietly save for years to pay for college, in a household where you earned what you got and nobody handed you anything. 2008 wiped it out almost overnight. That moment stuck with him and shaped the path that followed, including walking away from a funded startup and spending three years living out of his truck with a climbing rack, a surfboard, and a futon mattress. When he was done wandering, he started Humm Accounting with four clients and grew to over 100 businesses in under two years, entirely through word of mouth. We unpack: • How watching a parent lose everything shapes your entire money story • What three years of living with almost nothing teaches you that success never will • Why the goal of accumulating money is really just the goal of never having to think about it • How your resource level changes the way you experience time • The thought experiment every entrepreneur needs to do before setting a financial goal About Hunter Terpenny: Hunter Terpenny is a CPA and founder of Humm Accounting, a full-stack financial services firm built to help entrepreneurs understand their numbers and make decisions with confidence. Husband, rock climber, powder chaser, accounting enthusiast, business owner, and blissfully exhausted father of two. Connect with Hunter: Website: https://hummaccounting.com/ Email: unter@hummaccounting.com For listeners of this episode, Hunter is offering 20% off setup, onboarding, and accounting stack reviews.

    59 min

  2. APR 3

    Keith Roberts: Never Build a Business Until You Understand This

    Most entrepreneurs are good at making money. Far fewer are good at keeping it, or knowing what it's actually for. Keith Roberts spent 24 years building Zen Man, a creative agency that grew into a machine that nearly broke him. He traded his time for money, weathered lawsuits, hid foreclosure notices from his employees, and hit rock bottom before finding his way out. In this conversation, Keith shares the full arc from starving artist to agency founder to author and speaker, and the lessons that only come from building something real and nearly losing it all. We unpack: • Why being great at making money can actually create a poor relationship with it • The difference between building a business and building a life • How Keith used ancient Eastern wisdom to navigate the chaos of modern entrepreneurship • Why the hustle mindset eventually stops working, and what comes next • How to hold big goals without attaching your self-worth to the outcome • What wealth actually means when you strip away the comparison and the scorecard This is a deeply honest conversation about the cost of success, the power of intention, and what it looks like to finally build something that serves your life instead of consuming it. About Keith Roberts: Keith Roberts is a transformational leadership speaker and founder of Zen Man, where he spent 24 years creating digital solutions for major brands like Frontier Airlines, Remax, and The Lumineers. Author of The Zen of Business, he blends ancient wisdom with modern leadership strategies, delivering powerful, story-driven keynotes that help leaders navigate change with intention, clarity, and purpose. Connect with Keith: Website: https://keithrobertsiii.com/about-keith-roberts Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zenman42/ X - https://x.com/Zenman42 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenman/ Book: The Zen of Business: Ancient Wisdom to Help Modern Leaders Lead with Intention, Clarity, and Purpose

    54 min

  3. MAR 6

    Niraj Shah: The Mindset That Turns Success Into Freedom

    Many entrepreneurs achieve success only to realize they are further away from freedom than when they started. Niraj Shah has spent his career building businesses and working closely with entrepreneurs navigating success. Over time, he began to see a common pattern: the pursuit of achievement can quietly pull people away from the life they hoped success would create. In this conversation, Niraj shares how early lessons shaped his thinking about ownership, entrepreneurship, and building wealth that actually supports the life you want. We unpack: • Why many entrepreneurs achieve success but never find freedom • The difference between income and ownership • How investors think about time, risk, and opportunity • Why clarity about your life changes every financial decision • The mindset shift that turns success into freedom This is a thoughtful conversation about building wealth with intention and using entrepreneurship as a vehicle for freedom rather than just achievement. About Niraj Shah: At 30, Niraj survived a major stroke that permanently changed how he sees time, energy, and success. What could have ended his story became fuel. Since then, he’s co-founded 5 companies, invested in or advised more than 50 founders, and built an investment portfolio that balances reliable income with high-risk bets. Today he runs DKZ Equity, an M&A advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs create and capture more value from the businesses they’ve spent years building. He also writes about entrepreneurship, energy, and freedom. These topics shape how he thinks, works and lives. Connect with Niraj: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niraj5hah/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niraj5hah/ X: https://x.com/niraj5hah For a refreshing take on M&A: https://www.dkzequity.com/ Subscribe to his newsletter: https://www.nirajs.com/#/portal

    58 min

  4. FEB 6

    Chris Girbés: Why Financial Growth Alone Is Never Enough

    Chris Girbés has built a life rooted in intention, family, and meaningful work, yet his journey with money has been anything but simple. In this episode, Chris and I reflect on how success and fulfillment are shaped not just by what we build, but by how we relate to it. We explore why financial growth does not create a sense of enough and how old money stories continue to drive high performers. Chris also shares what it looks like to redefine wealth around values, family, and lived experience. We unpack: • Why success on paper often fails to deliver a felt sense of safety • How early money stories continue to influence adult decision making • The difference between awareness, insight, and integration • What it really means to define enough • How presence and family reshape the definition of true wealth This is a grounded conversation about building a life you don't need to escape from and using money as a tool to support what matters most. About Chris Girbés: Chris is the co-founder of Five Oceans Advisory, a firm built to reimagine traditional financial advice for entrepreneurs. He spent over a decade in the financial services industry, including years building his own practice in performance driven environments. Chris helped launch Five Oceans alongside his friend and mentor Marc Campbell to create a values aligned, life first approach to wealth strategy. He grew up in San Diego and earned a degree in Business Administration from Principia College, where he played both football and baseball. Chris currently lives in Southern California with his wife Alexis and their two sons. Connect with Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgirbes/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisgirbes Check out Five Oceans Advisors, his financial life planning company: https://fiveoceansadvisors.com/

    59 min

  5. JAN 30

    Special Episode: Confronting the Painful Truth

    Step inside The Inner Circle, where Kevin Dahlstrom and I speak freely and honestly without judgment, challenging each other in pursuit of truth. A single question frames this conversation: What’s the most painful truth you’ve had to accept about yourself? Drawing from different stages of life, Kevin and I share the kinds of realizations that only come with time and self examination. The discussion is honest and raw, with their perspectives converging around growth and self awareness. We explore: • How painful self awareness becomes a catalyst for growth • The difference between accountability and self condemnation • What aging and limitation reveal about priorities and presence • How regret and compassion can coexist • Why confronting reality reshapes how you live the next chapter This conversation offers a grounded look at self reflection, and the clarity that can emerge when difficult truths are faced honestly and carried forward into daily life. Connect with us on X for more from The Inner Circle, and let us know how you're liking the new format. Kevin Dahlstrom: https://x.com/Camp4 Mike Brown: https://x.com/mbrown_co

    19 min

  6. JAN 16

    Jon Bowerman: Finding Fulfillment Beyond Achievement

    Jon Bowerman built and sold a multimillion-dollar agency before realizing that success on paper doesn’t guarantee fulfillment. His story is about rediscovering the artist within and finding that true wealth comes from alignment, not accumulation. Jon shares how growing up with scarcity shaped his drive for success and what it took to walk away from security for a life of greater authenticity and purpose. He reveals how embracing vulnerability helped him reconnect with creativity, joy, and meaning. We unpack: • The cost of tying identity to achievement • How letting go of old definitions of success created space for peace • Why vulnerability became Jon’s greatest strength as a leader • What it means to live a life you never want to retire from About Jon: Jon Bowerman writes with the heart of a parent and the mindset of an entrepreneur, creating stories that inspire clarity, confidence, and possibility. A lifelong builder, designer, and founder, Jon brings real-world experience and creative insight to help others rethink what’s possible—at any stage of life. Whether launching ventures or guiding the next generation, his work is rooted in one belief: it’s never too late to design a life that honors the dreams of your inner child. Connect with Jon: Website: https://jonbowerman.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonbowerman.co LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbowerman Check out his book - You're Not Lost...You're Just Starting! and download his Everyday Entrepreneur Action Guide: https://notloststarting.com/ _________ Did something in this episode resonate with you? Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money. It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else. If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place. Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/learn-more

    57 min

  7. JAN 9

    Nathan Barry: Redefining Wealth Through the Success of Others

    Nathan Barry built ConvertKit (now Kit) into a nine-figure company helping creators earn a living online. His journey reveals how early experiences with money can ignite ambition and how the pursuit of mastery can evolve into a deeper sense of purpose. In this conversation, Nathan shares how a childhood moment of scarcity became the spark for a lifelong pursuit of understanding wealth. He reflects on what it means to treat making money as a skill, and how his definition of wealth has evolved from security to freedom to helping others succeed. We unpack: • What happens when your self-worth is tied to your output • The mindset shift that turned making money into a skill, not luck • The turning point that brought Nathan back from burnout • How shifting from “me” to “we” became his greatest unlock Nathan’s story is a reminder that money can begin as fuel, but it can become something far greater. About Nathan Barry: As the CEO of Kit, Nathan Barry has a front row seat to what’s working in the most successful creator businesses. He's helped tens of thousands of creators earn a living online and is a big believer in teaching everything you know—something he does every week in his newsletter and podcast. In previous careers, Nathan has been a designer, author, and blogger. After learning the power of email marketing, he gave up a successful blogging career to build Kit. Outside of work, Nathan spends his time playing volleyball, soccer, woodworking, and chasing after his three boys. Connect with Nathan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanbarry/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanbarry/ _________ Did something in this episode resonate with you? Check out Unbreakable Wealth, a private community for conscious entrepreneurs, high performers, and athletes ready to build multidimensional wealth beyond just money. It is the space for the conversations you cannot have anywhere else. If you are ready to live, lead, and build from alignment, you are in the right place. Learn more and apply now: https://go.unbreakablewealth.com/learn-more

    1h 7m

  8. JAN 2

    Special Episode: Failure Is the Best Teacher

    Step inside The Inner Circle, where Kevin Dahlstrom and Mike Brown speak freely and honestly without judgment, challenging each other in pursuit of truth. In this first episode, we unpack one of Mike's most controversial statements: “I wish upon everyone a failure that brings you to your knees.” We’re not talking about pain for pain’s sake, but about what failure can teach us that success never will. We cover: • Why the wins don’t teach you nearly as much as the losses • The identity trap we fall into and how to escape it • Why letting go of control can be the most liberating move you make • How to teach your kids resilience without manufacturing pain • The shift from fixed identity to fluid self-definition • What it really means to redefine wealth, purpose, and alignment as fathers and entrepreneurs If you’ve ever wished for a place to bring your real questions and hear unfiltered truth, this is it. The Inner Circle is where iron sharpens iron and honesty inspires growth. Connect with us on X for more from The Inner Circle: Kevin Dahlstrom: https://x.com/Camp4 Mike Brown: https://x.com/mbrown_co

    20 min
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5
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

Every entrepreneur has invisible scripts about money that shape their success. Join host Mike Brown, former F-18 pilot and 8-figure founder, as he guides successful entrepreneurs through the raw, unfiltered conversations about wealth that no one else is having. Discover the childhood experiences that formed their money mindset, the catastrophic mistakes that nearly cost them everything, and the transformational shifts that unlocked their potential. Beyond tactics, this podcast explores the emotional dimensions of wealth and what makes a truly rich life.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Brown
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Money Stories
  • Show Website
    Money Stories

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