Ep 1 - Starting With Why

Hello, friends. This is Tyler Gardner welcoming you to another episode of your Money Guide on the Side, where it is my job to simplify what seems complex, add nuance to what seems simple, and learn from and alongside some of the brightest minds in money, finance, and investing.
So let's get started and get you one step closer to where you need to be. Welcome, everyone, to the first episode of my podcast.
I'm excited. And if you're tuning in, you probably know me from Instagram or TikTok, where I've been creating content about personal finance, investing and building wealth.
I'm Tyler Gardner. And genuinely, I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to begin this podcast for so many reasons, which we will get to throughout this episode.
And yes, I know that

everyone and their cousin has a podcast. So please know I have zero false illusions about where this

space might go, but I do have hopes where it might go. And there are five things that ultimately

excite me about this podcast endeavor. And in no particular order, I wanted to open by sharing some

of these reasons with all of you. So number one is the possibility of long form and patient content.
Oh my gosh, how I have craved a space to dive deeper. My creating to date has been in the form of short form videos, often between 45 and 75 seconds.
And yeah, it's been fun and it's quite the art to try to take a topic that deserves 10 hours and condense it into a few seconds. But too frequently, the short form content has left me feeling as if I have missed, well, many things.
And at times, it honestly also feels irresponsible. Finance is not a short form game.
And although I know we enjoy getting to the essence of something quickly these days, I would like to challenge us to spend some more time with these topics and take some time away from this instantaneous gratification to think more clearly and more thoroughly on a weekly basis. Number two is the ability to offer an additional service to you, the listener.
I owe you a lot. Honestly, I'm not sure if listeners and viewers ever fully appreciate that without you, without your comments, your feedback, and your guidance, and your patience while we screw up as creators week in, week out, none of this would exist.
So one thing you should know about this podcast in advance, and as will be true of all of my digital content always, it is and will remain free. I believe education should be accessible to everyone, and I am not here to put up paywalls or create VIP exclusive memberships.
And do not get me started on creating a $2,000 course for you to buy that has me repeating the same things I tell you all daily for free. As someone who's built a platform based on sharing honest and simple tools for wealth building, I want to and will keep that same spirit here.
As I have done with other platforms, I will also continue to explore different ways to monetize responsibly through sponsorships or partnerships. If I believe a product or service can help my audience, just know I will consider promoting them.
But rest assured that I

am absurdly picky when it comes to working with sponsors. So AG1 and Peloton, if you're out there,

my contact information is at the end of this podcast. And if you help others like you've

helped me, I'm in. Number three, there is more room in the podcast form for authenticity.
Platforms

like Instagram and TikTok are literally built for short, punchy content, often, and unfortunately, rewarding clickbait and a lack of nuance. I have been guilty of this.
And while they're great for quick tips or sound bites, they don't leave much room for discussion and careful consideration, two things that are invaluable if we're actually looking to learn together. This podcast is my opportunity to go deeper.
It's our opportunity to go deeper. For example, on social media, I might offer you five steps to start investing, each step being about 10 words in four seconds.
Otherwise, the algorithm will and does shoot it down. But here, my guests and I will have the time to unpack the why behind each step and share stories, research, and examples to make it all come to life.
So if you're someone who wants to go beyond the surface level, this podcast is for you. Or if you're like me and just prefer slowing down once a week and listening to how other people think through shared concepts, this will prove valuable for you.
Number four, this podcast will offer dialogue and a diversity of voices. Another reason I am very excited about this podcast is the chance to finally bring more voices into the conversation.
As I've been a solo wanderer in the woods of Vermont, aka a raging introvert who's terrified to go down to the local store just to buy milk, creating content by myself for the past few months, I am excited to bring other voices to all of you, especially if I can still stay in my house and talk to them via the internet. The single greatest gift of creating content thus far has been how quickly and incredibly a global community can open itself up.
I have connected with many voices who simply need to be heard in more depth. Guests will consist of financial professionals, business executives, professional athletes, and they will all have a common goal.
Educate and explore investing and finance and business together. I trust that each guest will bring something unique while also reminding you that most of the things you're feeling each day, those fears, those moments of anxiety, guess what? They're shared.
And this podcast won't just be about my perspective. Thank goodness.
In fact, that's almost the anti-goal, as I truly believe that the more we talk, the less we learn. I'll be interviewing guests with viewpoints that both complement and challenge my own.
My goal, as always, will be to foster dialogue, not monologue. Whether it's a CEO, a behavioral economist, or someone who's navigated their own journey to financial independence, I want to facilitate their sharing their stories directly with you.
And I will not bring someone on the show just for the sake of it. The goal will always be to add value to your life.
If I think someone can do that, you will hear from them. Number five, diversification of communication.
As a former teacher, I do know that we all learn in drastically different ways. Some people love reading blogs, others thrive on quick hit Instagram posts, and then there are those, like me, who enjoy the intimacy of audio.
I have always found that podcasts provide a unique way to engage with content. I often listen to podcasts like Tim Ferriss's during long car rides.
I love the slower pace, the deep dives, and the chance to reflect alongside some great minds. This podcast is my way of offering a weekly invitation to you.
You're invited to slow down, tune in, and spend a few minutes to a few hours each week really thinking about the bigger picture and how we can help one another learn and grow. Finally, number six, I want this podcast to cultivate a growth mindset in each of us.
One of the biggest lessons I've learned in my financial journey is that mindset matters as much as strategy. Without the right perspective, without the right psychological responses, even the best tools won't get us very far.
And sometimes all it takes is a weekly reminder that those things that scare you, yeah, they scare me too. And those things that make you worried or excited connect more of us than you might think.
Each episode will focus on actionable advice, but also on the attitudes and habits that lead to lasting success. We'll talk about resilience, gratitude, and the power of small, consistent steps.
My hope is that these episodes will inspire you not just to think differently about money, but to approach life with curiosity and optimism. Just the other day, I heard a guest on Tim's podcast remind us all that leading with curiosity is the ultimate art of shared experience.
Yes, so few of us have the compassion and empathy to practice this skill on a daily basis. So I hope that this space will provide you more insight as to how I think, how different guests think, and serve as both a reflection of, and perhaps a challenge to, some of your current best developed thoughts and habits.
So thank you for being here and for joining me on this new adventure. I'm excited to see where this podcast takes us, and if you have topics you'd like me to cover or questions you want answered, or if you want to be a guest on the show, feel free to reach out.
I value the connections that I have made thus far through short-form video, and I look forward to fostering even more and deeper connections as we shift gears and transition to a space that allows for more complexity and magnitude of thought. Until next time, wishing you all well, thanks for tuning in, and looking forward to being back with you next week.
Thanks for tuning in to your Money Guide on the Side. If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to visit my website at tylergardner.com for even more helpful resources and insights.
And if you're interested in receiving some quick and actionable guidance each week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter where each Sunday I share three actionable financial ideas to help you take control of your money and investments. You can find the signup

link on my website, tylergardner.com or on any of my socials at social cap official. Until next time,

I'm Tyler Gardner, your money guide on the side. And I truly hope this episode

got you one step closer to where you need to be.