Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin

Behavioral scientist and bestselling author Jon Levy is back to unpack how we can leverage our own psychology to build wealth. He explains why publicly announcing your financial goals can actually sabotage them, how “if-then” plans outperform willpower, and why adopting the identity of “I’m an investor” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Then Nicole asks Jon what the science says about whether jerks make better CEOs, and he shares research-backed strategies for becoming a stronger leader.

He also gets personal: how growing up as the child of immigrants affected his money mindset, the road to becoming debt-free in eight years, and the amount of money he needs in his bank account to feel safe. Nicole and Jon also discuss how financial frameworks like the sunk cost fallacy apply to relationships and whether your partner might be the best investment you’ll ever make.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Get Jon’s latest book Team Intelligence 

Here’s what Nicole covers with Jon:

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 

01:47 Jon’s Famous Dinners Explained 

04:17 Why Money is a Mental Puzzle, Not a Math Problem 

06:16 Why Sharing Goals Fails 

07:56 From Housing Markets to Dating Markets

09:42 Is Your Partner the Most Important Financial Decision You’ll Make? 

15:09 Jon’s Leap From Debt to Social Currency 

33:37 Money Values in Marriage 

38:01 Should You Quit the Zombie Job?

39:27 The Chicken/Egg Problem with Success 

45:25 Do CEOs Need to Be Jerks to be Successful? 

49:53 What Makes a Leader 

58:12 How Self Deprecation Erodes Trust 

01:06:57 Jon Levy’s Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Four-year college isn’t the default anymore…  but saving for your kid’s future absolutely is.

Today, Nicole breaks down the modern playbook for affording college whether your kid is a newborn, or if they’re applying to colleges now. This is your simple guide to 529 plans, custodial accounts, Coverdells, prepaid tuition plans, and the newest government-backed savings option making headlines. If you’ve ever wondered, “What happens to a 529 plan if my kid doesn’t go to college?” Nicole will teach you a smart move there, too.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Here’s what Nicole covers today:

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?

01:11 Where To Start If You Have a Newborn

01:28 Everything You Need to Know About 529s

04:44 Where To Start If Your Kid Is in Grade School

05:42 The Pros and Cons of Custodial Accounts

08:17 Where to Start if Your Kid Is in High School

10:32 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.

Lucy Guo built one of the most talked-about AI companies in the world before most people finish college. Then, she made headlines when she dethroned Taylor Swift as the youngest self-made female billionaire. Today, she joins Nicole to talk about how she grew wealth, and how you can borrow the money lessons that only show up after you’ve already “made it.” 

Lucy tells Nicole about growing up bullied for not being able to afford the cool brands, scrappy strategies she used to save money when she was building her first company, and navigating the strange attention of being labeled a billionaire while most of that wealth still isn’t liquid. She explains the routines that kept her disciplined, the hard boundaries she set around lending money after getting burned, and stories of her wild money hacks like booking refundable flights to eat free meals in the airport lounges. 

Nicole and Lucy also dive into the hidden playbook of startup money and the creator economy: how Lucy’s fundraising secret is to manufacture FOMO, why the wealthy borrow instead of sell, and the monetization strategy all creators should adopt. 

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Keep up with Lucy on Instagram and learn more about Passes

Here’s what Nicole covers with Lucy:00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?

01:17 Lucy’s Routine and the Impact of Success on Hustle

03:39 Childhood Bullying05:08 Lucy’s Confidence Reset

08:20 Unpacking “Paper Wealth” and Liquidity

13:40 Should You Lend Money to Friends?

14:35 Lucy’s Investing Thesis

18:34 FOMO Strategy in Fundraising

22:22 Billionaire Money Tips

25:03 The Robbery Attempt

27:38 Money Saving Hacks

33:43 Stigma Around “Work Hard, Play Hard”

37:24 Passes and the Creator Economy

53:45 Lucy Guo’s Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Today, Nicole breaks down the viral tax strategy everyone on social media is talking about — the claim that buying a short-term rental can legally wipe out your taxes.

She explains the simple idea behind bonus depreciation, why it creates massive upfront write-offs, and how real estate investors use upgrades and accounting strategy to dramatically lower taxable income. But she also pulls back the curtain on the part influencers skip: why a $0 tax bill doesn’t automatically mean you made money, how much cash you still need to spend, and the risks hiding behind the hype.

The Money Rehab Episode About Whether Home Ownership is Overrated  

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 

00:53 Bonus Depreciation 101

03:10 What Changed with the  Big Beautiful Bill

03:38 What Qualifies (and What Doesn’t)

04:22 Fact-Checking the Viral Airbnb Example 

05:37 The Caveats

05:54 Cost Segregation Study Workaround

07:36 Don’t Let the Tax Tail Wag the Dog’ 

09:10 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Neil Patel’s origin story involves borrowing from his parents’ life savings to keep his startup alive. Not only did his plan work, but he built a million-dollar company, advised companies including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft— and, he paid his parents back.

Today, Neil breaks down the money lessons he learned once he made it big. He shares why he still drives a minivan despite being able to afford something bougie, the unusual way he teaches his kids about taxes, and the important distinction he makes between success and wealth.

Then, Nicole and Neil get tactical and dig into the future of getting discovered online. Neil explains why traditional search is dead and how to adapt, what founders can do if they have a $0 marketing budget, and the SEO do’s and don’ts of naming your business. 

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Check out Answer the Public, the free tool Neil mentioned in this conversation

Find more of Neil’s work and resources here

Here’s what Nicole covers with Neil:

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?

01:09 Launching Crazy Egg and Borrowing From Parents

06:42 Next Ventures and Kissmetrics 

09:43 Do’s and Don’ts of Naming Businesses

15:31 NP Digital’s Massive Success vs Personal Success

21:19 Neil’s Perspective on Wealth, and the “Big R” Framework

29:32 Hot Takes on Money

30:07 Teaching Taxes Through Ice Cream

32:15 Living with Less and Financial Goals

38:45 Trust Funds and Regrets

42:09 Actionable Digital Marketing Advice for Business Owners

42:26 Choose Your Fighter: Email List, Website or Instagram?

44:59 Why Traditional Search is Dead

46:59 SEO vs AEO

55:29 Marketing Tips for a $0 Budget

01:00:49 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank