Unicorn Millionaire Podcast: LGBTQ+ BIPOC Financial Coaching to Crush Debt & Retire Early

In this episode, Charly interviews Jkiillem, a queer nightlife entertainer, creator, and influencer, for a rare conversation about money, career pivots, and building income outside the 9–5.Jkiillem has built a career in queer nightlife through dance, content creation, brand work, and community-centered events. In this episode, she shares what it actually looks like to earn money as a creator, how she’s diversified her income over time, and why learning to invest mattered once her creative career stabilized.This is one of the first times Jkiillem has spoken publicly about money and investing, making this episode especially valuable for queer creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build a financially sustainable life outside traditional career paths.You will learn: How Jkiillem built a career in queer nightlife without a traditional jobWhat diversifying income really looks like as a creator and entertainerThe financial realities of being self-employed in creative workWhen and why she started thinking about investingWhy creative people don’t need a single “main thing” to build wealthIf you’re queer, creative, allergic to the 9–5, or trying to figure out how to make more money without burning out, this episode will help you think differently about income, career paths, and long-term stability.Jkiillem is a 32-year-old creative and face for the LGBT+ community. Born and raised in South Jersey, she now lives in Los Angeles and travels the world as an entertainer, bringing a unique energy centered on sensuality and performing for queer spaces. You can find her on socials as @Jkiilem. If this conversation got you thinking about your own income, investing, or long-term financial plan, I want to invite you to my next investing class on January 20th:The 2026 Gay Agenda: Retirement Investing Made SimpleIn this class, you’ll learn exactly which retirement investing moves to make right now:How Roth IRAs and 401(k)s actually workWhich accounts grow your nest egg vs. just hold your cashHow to set up and invest inside your Roth and 401(k)What to prioritize even if you’re paying off debtWhy your non-retirement investing account is your side hoeYou’ll walk away knowing where your money needs to go in 2026, with a clear plan instead of vague advice.The class is in person in Portland, Oregon or virtual. Anyone is welcome.👉 RSVP for the class on 1/20 hereIf you want hands-on support crushing debt, improving your credit, and starting to build a six-figure retirement—even if you don’t make six figures, book a call to start six-month one-on-one coaching:Book a call here to start 6 month coaching.

I break down 3 easy year-end money moves for your cash, credit, and retirement so you can be work-optional sooner instead of working forever. You don’t need a perfect year or a six-figure salary to make progress with your money. I also share a life update: navigating an ER visit alone and uninsured as a queer, nonbinary, single person estranged from family, and how the wealth I’ve built changed my options, my stress levels, and my ability to advocate for myself.We’ll cover:Why your checking account is the worst place for your savings and how to quickly move your cash into a high-yield savings accountHow to look at your credit score, APR, and credit cards without shame—and start using credit as a tool for passive income, not a trapThe exact retirement questions to ask yourself at the end of every year (401(k), Roth IRA, IRA), even if you’ve never “maxed out” anything beforeWhat it actually looks like to make these moves as a low-income, queer, first-gen personI want to invite you to my next investing class on January 20th: ⁠⁠The 2026 Gay Agenda: Retirement Investing Made Simple. ⁠⁠You’re going to learn exactly which retirement investing moves to make right now—Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and the accounts that actually grow your nest egg, not just hold your cash. You’ll walk away knowing where your money needs to go in 2026, how to set up and invest inside your Roth + 401(k), what to prioritize even if you’re paying off debt, and why your non-retirement investing account is your side hoe. ⁠⁠RSVP for the class here. It is in person in Portland, Oregon, or virtual. Anyone is welcome. ⁠I help LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and first-gen folks crush debt and start building a six-figure retirement—even if you don’t make six figures. If you’re done trying to DIY this and want a customized plan for your savings, credit, and investments, I am taking clients.⁠Book a call here to start six-month one-on-one coaching. ⁠Coaching includes bi-weekly calls, daily messaging, and a full curriculum covering savings, credit cards, debt payoff, investing, and money mindset. Investment: $6,000 or two payments of $3,100.⁠Sign up for my Crush Debt, Retire Early emails here.⁠About your host:Charly Stoever (they/he/papi) is a nonbinary Latinx money coach, speaker, and host of the Unicorn Millionaire Podcast. They help LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and first-gen folks crush debt, boost their credit scores, and start building a six-figure retirement—even without a six-figure salary. They’re a formerly undocumented Mexican American and ex-stockbroker who has traveled solo to 39 countries and is a full-time international pet sitter.

Viridiana Ponce, a Latina business consultant who turns cooks into CEOs and teaches entrepreneurs to build profitable, financially confident businesses, joins me. We talk about the money stories we inherited, why financial education is liberation for our communities, and how Latina business owners can stop hustling in survival mode and start building real wealth. Viridiana has spent over a decade guiding women through the realities of brick-and-mortar life: startup costs, funding, pricing, cash flow, debt, and what it actually takes to scale without burning out. Her perspective is powerful not just for food entrepreneurs but for anyone who wants to build a sustainable business without sacrificing their joy, health, or family.We talk about growing up in immigrant households where money wasn’t discussed, why so many women undercharge, the fear of looking at your numbers, the shame around debt, and how to build the financial confidence to make bigger moves. We also talk about how she helps clients secure funding, raise their profit margins, and transition from cooks to CEOs with strategy and clarity.If you're a first-gen entrepreneur, a creative, or a business owner who’s tired of working hard without seeing the financial results you want, this episode will help you see what’s actually possible when you get support instead of trying to figure it all out alone.About today's guest: Viridiana Ponce is a Latina Business Consultant and Food Expert on a mission to help Latinas stop playing small, make that money, and go from cook to CEO. As founder of VP Consulting, she has spent more than a decade guiding entrepreneurs with strategy, financial clarity, and the confidence to scale. She has helped secure millions in funding and turned hundreds of food dreams into profitable, sustainable businesses. For Viridiana, financial education is how we claim freedom, build legacy, and rewrite the narrative of what Latina entrepreneurs can do.Find Viridiana here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vpconsultingsf/Website: https://vpconsultingsf.comWork with Charly: I want to invite you to my next investing class on January 20th: ⁠The 2026 Gay Agenda: Retirement Investing Made Simple. ⁠You’re going to learn exactly which retirement investing moves to make right now—Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and the accounts that actually grow your nest egg, not just hold your cash. You’ll walk away knowing where your money needs to go in 2026, how to set up and invest inside your Roth + 401(k), what to prioritize even if you’re paying off debt, and why your non-retirement investing account is your side hoe. ⁠RSVP for the class here. It is in person in Portland, Oregon, or virtual. Anyone is welcome. ⁠If you want help getting control of your finances, rewriting your money story, and building toward a six-figure retirement without needing a six-figure salary, ⁠book a call here to start six-month private coaching.⁠

This episode shows how my 6 month money coaching client, Nora, went from impulse shopping and feeling scattered with money, to first-time homebuyer at 28 in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country.Nora is a first-gen Latina, eldest daughter, and spiritual alchemist who used coaching, discipline, intuition, and astrology to transform her finances. She boosted her credit, helped her siblings and best friend improve theirs, and used money as a tool to create stability, safety, and long-term wealth for her family and community.In this episode, Nora shares:– How she shifted from impulse buying on Amazon Prime to long-term financial clarity– How she healed first-gen money trauma and learned to trust her intuition– How she boosted her credit score and helped loved ones raise theirs– How to advocate for yourself as a woman of color in the workplace– How she navigated the first-time homebuyer process and secured down-payment assistance– How she thinks about renting, house hacking, and long-term wealth as a first-gen LatinaIf you’re a first-gen listener trying to build wealth, improve your credit, or prepare for buying a home, this conversation will help you feel less behind and more empowered.Join me December 3rd at 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET to use credit card rewards to make passive income. Learn how to turn your holiday spending into ore cash back, learn which cards actually pay you, and boost your credit score. RSVP here for my free class on 12/3: Credit Card Rewards: Holiday Spending to Passive IncomeBONUS: The first five in-person attendees to the class will get a free 30-minute coaching call. Virtual attendees also get a surprise bonus.Work with Charly If Nora’s transformation resonates and you want support crushing debt, improving your credit, and building a six-figure retirement without a six-figure salary, book a call here to start six-month one-on-one coaching.About NoraNora Lozano is a first-gen Latina, eldest daughter, and spiritual creative who blends astrology, intuition, and financial empowerment. She became a first-time homebuyer at 28 and now inspires her community to pursue aligned, intentional wealth-building.Find Nora on Instagram at @noracane_ and @carnelian_cosmos.

What if being transparent about money could make you a millionaire?In this episode of the Unicorn Millionaire Podcast, I’m joined by Hannah Williams, founder of Salary Transparent Street, who went from being underpaid to becoming a million-dollar creator and global advocate for pay transparency.After realizing she was being underpaid as a data analyst, Hannah and her husband, James, created Salary Transparent Street, a viral video series where they ask strangers how much they make to normalize pay transparency and expose real wages. Their movement has sparked international conversations, inspired corporate shifts, and even influenced legislation.Hannah has testified in support of pay transparency bills in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.—with the latter two now passed into law. In 2024, she made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and in 2025, she was named one of TIME100’s Most Influential Creators.We get into how she turned activism into a seven-figure creator business, how she monetizes ethically, and what it means to build wealth publicly while staying true to your values.You’ll learn:🦄 How Salary Transparent Street became a million-dollar creator brand🦄 The business model behind their viral content and partnerships🦄 The mindset shift from underpaid employee to CEO creator🦄 How pay transparency can close wealth gaps and empower workers🦄 Why sharing your salary can be a revolutionary actIf you’ve ever wondered whether being transparent about money can actually build wealth—this episode proves that it can.Follow Hannah:Instagram: @thatmoneystreetgirlSalary Transparent Street: @salarytransparentstreet⁠Book a call here to start six-month one-on-one money coaching with Charly.⁠Coaching includes bi-weekly calls, daily messaging, and a full curriculum covering savings, credit cards, debt payoff, investing, and money mindset.Investment: $6,000 or two payments of $3,100.Get Charly's "Crush Debt, Retire Early" emails here.⁠Charly Stoever (they/he/papi) is a trans Latinx money coach, speaker, and host of the Unicorn Millionaire Podcast. They help LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and first-gen folks crush debt, boost their credit scores, and start building a six-figure retirement—even without a six-figure salary. They’re a formerly undocumented Mexican American and ex-stockbroker who has traveled solo to 39 countries and is a full-time international pet sitter.