What's The Exchange Rate On Joy?

I’ve been thinking differently about money lately, and oddly enough, a YSL bag made me realize it.

I bought it on a layover, and it was without a doubt the most expensive fashion item I’ve ever purchased for myself. I wanted to move in abundance. I wanted to put out the energy I sought to get back. And I don’t regret it. That’s the thing about me and money: When I need to spend it to unlock a new experience — typically travel but it also manifests in ways like this milestone purchase — it’s usually a yes. That used to make me feel guilty and irresponsible; I’ve stopped letting that be the case.

I try to think of money as energy — time, decisions, experiences, the return of a choice made with intention. I think about this a lot now that I’m living in London, converting dollars and pounds (bless the calculator app feature), filing two sets of taxes as a dual citizen, tracking every invoice as a freelancer who knows the circulation of her money better than most. I save on coffee with a pour-over at home. I just cancelled my Descript subscription after realizing that Riverside, which I was already paying for, does the same thing. And when I knew I wanted to get to Rio for my bestie’s birthday last November, I aligned things with a summit that was happening the same week and built the trip around both. One decision yielded two incredible returns.

I’m always running the math; I’m just not letting it eclipse my life. I’ve decided that discipline and enjoyment were never meant to be in competition. That said, I know that’s easier said than done, and I know the world doesn’t make it simple. Seasons change. Emergencies happen. The economy is doing what it’s doing. Layoffs are happening left and right. And not everyone is working with the same financial reality. Mine, admittedly, is a massive work in progress right now.

But as Stella’s latest podcast guest puts it: if you can’t find moments of joy in the process, what are you actually building toward? For me, money without a quality of life isn’t the goal. Our conversation really helped me reflect on that. We get into all of it, including the fact that wealth-building looks different for everyone depending on where they’re at.

Now without further ado…

Stella Podcast: This Clever Girl Knows Money

Featuring Bola Sokunbi

Stella’s latest podcast guest is the incredible Bola Sokunbi, founder of Clever Girl Finance and author of seven books, her latest being Clever Girl Millionaire. I’ve known Bola since I pitched her for one of my first Forbes stories back in 2019. Her whole ethos is that financial empowerment shouldn’t come at the cost of actually living, and that the wealth-building conversation has gone on long enough without women, particularly women of color, at the center of it. Bola saved her first $100k on a $54k starting salary — and built a million-dollar portfolio from there. She’ll be the first to tell you about every stumble along the way.

Stay tuned, because we also have a giveaway coming your way. In the meantime, check out our convo:

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE

Stay In The Groove

Upcoming events for your calendar:

• HUE Affair (May 30, NYC)

• Black Food & Wine Experience (June 18–21, Napa)

• Girls Link Up Gala (June 27, London)

• Wine & Culture Fest (July 25, Philly)

• The Black Ballad Weekender (July 31-August 1, London)

• Sip N’ Slay (August 29, NYC)

Some job opportunities I’m seeing:

• UK Staff Reporter - ARTnews

• Creator Talent Manager - Kensington Grey

• Editorial Director - Vox

• Director, Social Media - Bon Appétit

• Audience Editor, Dining - Eater

Stella Selects:

• Without Community, Who Is Setting Up Single Black Women? by Dontaira Terrell

• The real cost of content: She’s So Lucky podcast host (Les Alfred) on community and creativity

• The Music Is Black: 125 Years of Black British Music, Legacy, and Cultural Influence

• The Complicated Intersection of Digital Creators and Journalists by Dominique Fluker

• Heritage tourism is leading to an African travel boom – here’s why Black travellers are embracing the trend by Vivienne Dovi

• How to Overcome Social Anxiety & Build Real Confidence - First episode of Tai Beauchamp’s The SHIFT

• Tia Williams, Renae Bluitt, & Tricia Lee On The Friendship Rules Ambitious Women Live By - Her Agenda

BEFORE YOU GO: I’m working on story for HubSpot exploring how AI has impacted the creator economy — for better or for worse. If this is relevant to you, I’d love to hear from you here.

Till next time x

Bri