From Poverty to Prosperity: Practical Investment Strategies

The Confidence to Invest: Small Steps That Lead to Big Money Wins

How a $50 Mutual Fund Changed My Life: My Journey to Becoming a Financial Powerhouse

The fourth episode on the money series focused on the practical steps to building wealth. For this  topic, I asked financial powerhouse, CFF, and author of the new book, “She Grows Rich”,  Audrey Faust, to join me. We discussed her journey to financial abundance, the financial  decisions and investments she made that helped her build a strong financial portfolio. Audrey  also shared a blueprint you can follow to grow your finances. Here are excerpts from that  interview in Audrey’s own words. 

For most of my twenties, I never pictured myself becoming someone who’d one day write a  book called “She Grows Rich: How to Become a Financial Powerhouse”. Back then, my focus  was just—survive. I was 27, working administrative jobs, raising two children, without a degree,  and certainly no blueprint for financial empowerment. 

Everything changed one evening as I sat hunched over a tax return, the result of a night class I'd  taken just to make a little extra money. When my tax software spat out an unusually large refund,  I panicked, thinking I'd made a mistake. But the numbers were right—I had qualified for the  earned income tax credit, intended for families at the poverty line. Our income for the year was  $24,000 for a family of four. 

That moment shook me to the bone, especially the memory of my own mother’s struggles— trapped in a marriage because she didn’t feel she could support herself financially. Her constant  refrain echoed in my ears: “Make sure you can support yourself.” 

I swore then that I would. I decided to go back to college as an adult, and eventually got my  accounting degree. But along the way, I picked up a part-time job at Vanguard. I had no idea then  just how transformative those two and a half years would be—six weeks of training, endless  phone calls with investors, and the realization that the only thing you can really do wrong with  investing is never start. 

I get it—investing, mutual funds, stock markets—it sounds overwhelming, right? I was scared,  too. So many women I meet still are; they’d rather stash their savings in a money market  account, just to be “safe,” even though that safety can cost you more in lost opportunity than  anything you risk by putting your money to work for you. 

But let me tell you a story from my early years. I didn’t know what a mutual fund was, but I  spotted a Money Magazine article at the grocery checkout counter: A couple had invested $100 a  month for 20 years and ended up with $100,000. That seemed like lottery money to me, but it  sparked something. I couldn’t afford $100 a month, but I could do $50. And I did. Even in my 

lowest income years, I made sure to treat that $50 mutual fund contribution like any other bill— my electric bill. Non-negotiable. 

And that, my friends, is where compounding works magic. Year after year, my modest  investment started growing. And as it did, so did my confidence. I learned that smart money  moves don’t come from intimidation, but education and small, manageable steps. 

That’s why I wrote She Grows Rich—to share both my personal journey and the simple  blueprints that helped transform my finances. Whether it’s understanding the difference between  “good” and “bad” debt (hello, my 7% rule for prioritizing payoffs), separating business and  personal finances (seriously, keep those accounts separate!), or just giving yourself permission to  raise your prices and not make decisions for your clients, my book is about actionable strategies  as much as mindset shifts. 

I’ve worked with countless women who feel overwhelmed—by numbers, investments, the  general busyness of life. The most common challenge I see isn’t lack of income or opportunity;  it’s lack of confidence. Most of us never learned this stuff in school or from our parents, and the  financial world can seem designed to keep us out. But it’s not rocket science. Sometimes all it  takes is the courage to get started, even if you’re starting small. 

And celebrate your wins! Whether that’s listening to an audiobook and saving thousands in taxes  (I learned about a $80,000 capital gains strategy from Rich Dad Poor Dad) or simply sticking to  your own financial blueprint for the month, give yourself that credit. 

No matter where you are, it’s never too late. The best time to start investing was yesterday; the  second best is today. Even if it’s $50 a month, you’re committing to your future, your  independence, and your peace of mind. 

If you need a little guidance or a step-by-step, no-jargon blueprint for your personal or business  finances, check out the book, “She Grows Rich: How to Become a Financial Powerhouse” available now on Amazon. You’re not alone— with the right tools, you can shift your mindset,  build your wealth, and reclaim your financial power.