The Clever Girls Know Podcast With Bola Sokunbi

What do financially successful women have in common?
After more than a decade of building Clever Girl Finance and speaking with hundreds of women who have built significant wealth, I've noticed something: they didn't all start in the same place, follow the same investing strategy, or build wealth at the same age. But there is one trait I see again and again: they take ownership of building their wealth.
In this episode, I'm breaking down what that actually looks like and four behaviors you can start practicing in your own financial life.
What you'll learn:
The #1 trait I've consistently observed in financially successful women
Why taking ownership of your finances does not mean knowing everything about money
Why wealthy women aren't afraid to ask questions or admit what they don't know
How financially successful women think about risk, investing, career opportunities, and entrepreneurship
Why understanding both the potential downside and upside matters when making financial decisions
How playing the long game can help your saving, investing, income, and financial decisions compound over time
Why building wealth isn't about being fearless or financially perfect 
How to become a more active participant in your own financial future 
Building wealth isn't one perfect decision or one lucky break. It's learning, making informed decisions, taking calculated risks, adjusting when life changes, and staying in the game long enough for your decisions to compound.
 
Latest Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

On this episode of the podcast, we're joined by Lara Olutunbi, Founder and Creative Director of LarAllan, a London-based contemporary handbag brand known for timeless statement pieces that blend sculptural design, functionality, and African heritage.
Originally from Nigeria, Lara built an international career in financial services across the UK, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States before turning a lifelong passion for design into a business. 
After training at Central Saint Martins and completing the Fashion Executive Masterclass through the London School of Economics and Africa Fashion Week London, she founded LarAllan in 2017. Since then, the brand has earned international recognition through Nordstrom.com, the ADAN x Zalando Black-Owned Brands Accelerator, CANEX, and other global fashion platforms.
In this episode, Lara shares how she made the transition from finance to fashion, the realities of building and growing a product-based business, the financial lessons that have shaped her as an entrepreneur, and why creating greater visibility for African luxury is such an important part of her work.
 
What Lara Discussed on the Podcast:
Her journey from an international career in financial services to founding LarAllan.
Turning a lifelong passion for design into a viable fashion business through education and preparation.
The early realities of launching a handbag brand, from funding and manufacturing to product development and finding customers.
The challenges of building and growing an independent luxury accessories brand.
Financial lessons around pricing, inventory, cash flow, and deciding where to invest in the business.
How her finance background shaped her approach to risk, growth, and strategic decision-making.
What a career in finance couldn't prepare her for about entrepreneurship.
Creating opportunities that led to international recognition and retail placement on Nordstrom.com.
How to evaluate opportunities and say no when something doesn't make financial or strategic sense.
What African luxury means to her and the importance of increasing its visibility within the global fashion industry.
The decisions and lessons that have shaped nearly a decade of building LarAllan.
Advice for women who want to explore a creative business idea without immediately walking away from an established career.
AND SO MUCH MORE
 
How to Keep Up With Lara:
Shop on Website: https://LarAllan.com  and on Nordstrom.com
Instagram: @larallan
 
Latest Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

Some of the most popular financial advice sounds great in theory, but doesn't always work in real life. After more than 10 years in personal finance and helping hundreds of thousands of women through Clever Girl Finance, I've learned that technically correct money advice can still be bad advice when it's too rigid, unrealistic, or impossible to sustain.
On this episode, I'm sharing 4 pieces of financial advice I no longer give, why I've changed my perspective, and what I believe works better for building wealth over the long term.
What you'll learn:
Why you don't necessarily need to pay off all debt before you start investing
When it actually makes sense to use your emergency fund
Why cutting every small joy out of your budget can make your financial plan harder to sustain
Why waiting until you feel completely ready can keep you from investing, negotiating, starting a business, or pursuing bigger financial goals
How to think beyond rigid personal finance rules and make smarter decisions for your own circumstances
Why sustainable financial habits matter more than trying to follow a "perfect" money plan 
The biggest lesson I've learned is that personal finance is rarely all-or-nothing. The goal isn't to follow the strictest financial rules—it's to build a financial life you can realistically sustain for decades.
 
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

AI can help you plan a vacation, write an email, compare products, and answer almost any question you can think of, so it's no surprise that more people are turning to tools like ChatGPT for help with their money, too.
In this episode, I break down how to use AI as a helpful financial education and research tool without handing over your financial decision-making. From understanding financial concepts and asking better questions to recognizing when AI might be giving you incomplete, outdated, or simply incorrect information, this conversation is all about staying informed and keeping yourself in the driver's seat.
What you'll learn:
The difference between financial education and personalized financial advice
Smart ways to use AI to learn about money
Why AI doesn't know your complete financial situation
How AI can give incorrect information with a lot of confidence
Why changing tax rules, contribution limits, and regulations should always be verified
The risks of blindly following AI-generated investing recommendations
Financial and personal information you should be cautious about sharing with AI
How to use AI to ask better financial questions instead of making decisions for you
Why consequential financial information should be verified with trusted primary sources
When it may make sense to consult a qualified financial, tax, or legal professional
Why financial literacy matters even more in the age of AI
How to keep yourself, not AI, as the CEO of your financial life
The bottom line: AI can be your research assistant, brainstorming partner, and financial education tool, but it shouldn't become the CEO of your financial life. Use it to become a more informed decision-maker—not to hand over your decision-making.
 
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

Wanting to build wealth doesn't make you greedy, selfish, or ungrateful. But for many women, believing that intellectually and truly believing that wealth is available to them are two very different things.
On this episode, I'm talking about why so many women struggle to believe they deserve wealth, from the examples we grew up seeing and the pressure to always be the giver, to imposter syndrome, financial setbacks, guilt around wanting more, and the money stories we carry with us.
What you'll learn:
Why some women struggle to believe they deserve wealth
How the messages and examples you grew up with can shape what you believe is financially possible
Why wanting wealth is not the same as being greedy or selfish
How imposter syndrome can quietly affect your earning, investing, and financial decisions
Why always being the giver can make prioritizing your own financial future uncomfortable
How past financial setbacks can cause you to limit what you believe is possible
Why healing your money story is an important part of building lasting wealth
How to start shifting the beliefs that may be holding you back financially
I also share how my mother's sacrifices shaped what I believed was possible for my own life, and why building wealth requires more than budgeting, saving, and investing. We have to examine the beliefs driving our financial decisions too. Because wealth isn't greed. Wealth is options. Wealth is security. Wealth is the ability to take care of yourself, support the people you love, give generously, and make decisions from a place of greater freedom.
If you've ever wondered whether you're allowed to want more financially, this conversation is for you.
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance