If money feels heavier than it should, this conversation will change how you carry it.

I’m sitting down with Priya Malani, founder of Stash Wealth, a financial advisor who works with high-earning millennials and helps them build real systems (not just budgets) that actually support the life they want. She’s seen behind the curtain of how smart, ambitious people handle money… and where they quietly sabotage themselves.

We’re unpacking the stories you’ve absorbed about money and how those narratives are shaping your financial behavior, whether you realize it or not. If you’ve ever felt financially “behind,” anxious about investing, confused about credit cards, or unsure what wealth even means for you, we go straight at it.

You’ll walk away understanding why mindset matters just as much as math, how automation creates freedom (not restriction), and why money is a tool, not a moral scorecard. Priya breaks down how to think about credit cards strategically instead of emotionally, and what it actually means to define wealth on your own terms.

This isn’t about hustling harder or cutting lattes. It’s about building a financial foundation that supports the life you’re designing, intentionally, confidently, and without quiet panic running the show.

Key Takeaways:

Automation can simplify financial management and reduce stress.

Understanding the difference between saving and investing is crucial for wealth building.

Emergency funds should be viewed as a first line of defense, not the only line.

Financial planning is not just for the wealthy; it is for everyone.

Defining what 'rich' means to you is essential for setting financial goals.

Financial anxiety can be addressed through education and support.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

03:01 The stories we tell ourselves about money

08:18 Automating your finances for freedom

09:24 Building systems that actually stick

11:41 Why credit cards can be your ally

12:19 The role of emergency funds

15:30 Budgeting is broken, here’s why

18:14 Tackling financial anxiety head-on

20:58 What does wealth really mean?

21:37 Designing a life that feels rich

22:17 Financial resources

23:24 Outro

Resources Mentioned:

What Every High-Achieving Woman Should Know About Money

I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi

Connect with Priya:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itspriyamalani/

Website: https://www.stashwealth.com/

The F Word Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5DjMQM98nj8yJobhxCJsmf?si=6f79219f95a249fa

More About Building Thinkers:

I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.

And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.

If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.

What if feeling stuck isn’t a personal failure… but a signal that the system you’re operating in no longer fits who you’re becoming?

I’m joined by Laura Peterson, a leader who lives at the intersection of strategy, culture, and human behavior. Her work centers on designing systems that actually function in the real world. Not theory. Not buzzwords. Real frameworks that grow leaders, strengthen culture, and drive meaningful outcomes while honoring how people actually develop and make decisions. She moves fluidly between data, design, and dialogue, helping leaders recognize patterns, ask sharper questions, and navigate uncertainty with confidence.

In our conversation, we explore what it really means to feel stuck, especially when your identity has been built around achievement, performance, or a title. We talk about the fawn response and how it can quietly shape leadership behavior. We dig into self-trust, reinvention, and the deeper questions that surface during seasons of change: What does success mean now? What kind of leader do I want to be? How do I move forward when the future feels unclear?

Laura brings both systems-level thinking and emotional intelligence to this discussion. She understands that transformation isn’t just personal, it’s structural. Whether you’re building a company of one or leading across continents, the patterns you operate in matter.

Key Takeaways:

Recognizing signals of being stuck is crucial for growth.

Your essence is different from your job title.

Reconnecting with your essence can lead to clarity.

Self-trust is essential for personal and professional growth.

Emotions provide valuable information about our state.

We should focus on learning and teaching, not just titles.

Creating a habitat for others to flourish is key to impact.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

04:05 Identifying signals of being stuck

06:47 Escaping vs. facing your discomfort

09:52 The importance of essence vs. job title

11:55 When your job shapes your sense of self

14:52 Rebuilding trust in yourself, step by step

17:14 The trust equation: are you self-serving or self-honoring?

25:45 The Acorn and the Tree: a new perspective on growth

27:58 Designing a space where others can thrive

32:10 The emotional journey back to yourself

35:20 Tapping into intuition and how to go deeper

36:22 Outro

Resources Mentioned:

https://drdianahill.com/

https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/

Connect with Laura:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurapetersonhr/

Connect with Me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyannclark08/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingthinkers/

Building Thinkers Newsletter: https://building-thinkers.kit.com/24cdc43dcf

More About Building Thinkers:

I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.

And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.

If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.