The Hardest Business Decision I’ve Ever Made (An Update from My Sister!)

This episode is going to be one of the most honest conversations I’ve ever had on Yo Quiero Dinero. It's a raw, unfiltered conversation about what happens when you mix family and business—and spoiler alert: it gets messy as hell. My sister Lianne is back after a year-long hiatus, and we're spilling ALL the tea. From her rapid social media growth that turned into a nightmare with death threats, to being diagnosed with MS at 37, to almost filing for bankruptcy—this episode holds nothing back.

We talk about what it was really like when she worked for me while I was a brand new mom, how her personal struggles spilled into the business, and why we ultimately had to make the difficult decision to part ways professionally. This isn't some sanitized "family business success story", it is the real shit that nobody talks about.

If you've ever worked with family, hired a family member, or wondered if you should mix business with blood, this episode is required listening.

WE GET INTO:

00:00 - Intro: Family, Business & Messy Dynamics

02:03 - From 0 to 100K Followers to Death Threats

05:03 - MS Diagnosis, Hospitalization & Bankruptcy

07:20 - "I Was a Horrible Employee": Taking Accountability

10:58 - The Performance Improvement Plan & Final Warning

30:38 - The Money Problem: 1099 Tax Chaos

37:26 - Digging Out of the Spiral: The Brutal Reality

41:36 - Landing the New Job & Finding Peace

54:56 - The 2026 Comeback: What's Different This Time

58:29 - Should You Work with Family? The Real Answer

KEY TAKAWAYS:

• ​​The gift and curse of rapid social media growth
• Why follower counts don't equal money
• How to navigate difficult conversations with family in business
• Recognizing when a business relationship has reached its expiration date
• The importance of boundaries in ALL relationships
• How to rebuild after burning everything down

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Listen: Episode 179: 2 Sisters, 2 Survivors | Lianne Torres | Watch Us Thrive Podcast
• Erica Kramer

CONNECT WITH LIANNE:

• Website
• Instagram: @watchusthrivepodcast

TAKE THE NEXT STEP:

• Yo Quiero Dinero Private Membership
• Read my book: Financially Lit
• Leave me a voicemail

*Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of mental health struggles, financial hardship, and online harassment.

This episode of Yo Quiero Dinero was produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

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