Hi,
Thanks for being part of the Get Ready Movement navigating life’s what’s if’s by changing the way we think (and talk) about money.
Financial readiness starts before the plan, the product, or the numbers. It starts with awareness, understanding how we make decisions, who we trust, and how we talk about money when things feel uncertain. This week’s Get Ready newsletter explores what happens when we bring curiosity, communication, and intention to the center of our financial lives.
This week:
💡 The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Scammers (and How to Outsmart Them)
💡 Lessons in Money, Family and Insurance
💡 Good Money Revolution: Turn Your Income Into Impact
🧠 Thought of the Week
Preparedness isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about knowing when to slow down, who to talk to, and how to decide.
1️⃣ The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Scammers (and How to Outsmart Them)
1️⃣ They Trigger Emotion, Not Logic
Scammers know panic overrides reason. They create fear, urgency, or even excitement so you react before you think.
👉 Pause before you act.
2️⃣ They Manufacture Urgency
“Act now or lose everything.” Time pressure kills good decision-making.
👉 Slow down. Nothing legitimate requires instant action.
3️⃣ They Exploit Trust and Loneliness
Romance scams, fake friendships, and long-game relationships all build emotional leverage.
👉 Connection is good, however always verify before you trust.
4️⃣ They Isolate You
Scammers tell victims, “Don’t tell anyone.” Isolation keeps control.
👉 Always talk to someone a friend, advisor, or your bank, before taking action.
5️⃣ They Prey on Greed
“If you act fast, you’ll make money” or “You owe this fee.” They use emotional hooks to justify financial loss.
👉 If it sounds too good or too urgent, it’s probably a trap.
6️⃣ They Ask for Odd Payment or Access
Non-traceable/vanishing communication channel, gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, or requests to click suspicious links are all red flags.
👉 Legitimate organizations don’t demand untraceable payments.
7️⃣ They Use Just Enough Personal Information
They’ll share partial info (a birthday, last digits, hometown) to appear credible.
👉 Be skeptical, scammers buy leaked data to sound legitimate.
💭 Tony’s Take: Falling for a scam isn’t a sign of ignorance. These operations are advanced and manipulative. Awareness and open conversation are your best defense. Let’s stop scams by talking about them.
🎙️ Cameron Huddleston, Cathy Sikorski, Neil Granger and Tony Steuer on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast (here)
2️⃣ Lessons in Money, Family and Insurance
Abbe F. Large’s journey into financial services and how she thrived in a male-dominated industry. The importance of authenticity and personal resilience in building a successful career.
How major life events shape financial viewpoints and planning decisions. Strategies to help clients take action on insurance and estate planning before crisis hits. Why open communication about money within families is critical for long-term financial health
💭 Tony’s Take: A plan is only a piece of paper until you put it into action and have conversations with your loved ones.
🎙️ Abbe Large and Misty Lynch on the Demystifying Money Podcast (Listen Here)
3️⃣ Good Money Revolution: Turn Your Income Into Impact
We talk about“generosity purpose” and how it can help reduce burnout, make your work feel more fulfilling, and even fuel business growth. Derrick also shares what he's learned as the former owner of a top financial firm, from the power of simple communication to the small, human touches that build trust and make clients want to work with you.
💭 Tony’s Take: When money is aligned with purpose, burnout decreases, trust increases, and work becomes more meaningful.
🎙️ Derrick Kinney and Larry Sprung on the Mitlin Money Mindset Podcast (YouTube)
4️⃣ Plutus Corner: Elevating Financial Voices: Building Community & Credibility with The Plutus Awards
We talk a lot about financial literacy. However, we don’t talk about who we trust to help shape it. Community, media literacy, and diverse voices matter more than ever in a world flooded with financial content. When we’re exposed to perspectives different from our own, we sharpen our judgment, challenge our assumptions, and grow.
💭 Tony’s Take: The future of financial literacy depends on more than numbers, it depends on credibility, inclusion, and community. Financial literacy is stronger when all voices are represented.
🎙️ Harlan Landes and Tony Steuer on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast (here).
🏆 The 15th Annual Plutus Awards and Impact Summit are coming to Charlotte, NC on May 6-8, 2026. Join the (wait list)
5️⃣ The Conversations That Shape Legacy: Why Families Avoid Them and Why They Matter Now More Than Ever
Legacy Planning Requires Bravery and Boundaries. On the surface, this kind of planning looks straightforward. But anyone who has ever gone through the process of settling a loved one’s estate knows it is anything but simple. There is a lot wrapped up in it. Money, aging, expectations, old communication patterns, and the weight of wanting to protect the people we love. Legacy planning is not just about documents. It is relational and emotional. It asks you to consider the people you love, the values you hold dear, and the story you want to leave behind.
💭 Tony’s Take: Having a successful life and estate plan is about understanding mindset, emotions, values, goals and communication. Legacy conversations with your family help everyone get on the same page and understand wishes and choices.
📖 Leah Hadley on (LinkedIn)
6️⃣ Money, Grief, and Guidance: Lessons from Loss
What happens when grief turns into guidance? In this episode, Sarah Brady shares her deeply personal story of surviving a 74-car accident that took her father's life, and receiving a six-figure wrongful death settlement at just 17. She opens up about the emotional complexity of grief and money, the mistakes she made with her windfall, and the importance of preparing for the unexpected through wills, estate planning, and honest conversations. Preparing your legacy is one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind.
💭 Tony’s Take: Empathy is key to helping others, whether it’s in life or with their money. Grief is one of the most vulnerable moments for financial mistakes and exploitation.
🎙️ Sarah Brady and Dr. Severine Bryan on the Dr. Sev Talks Money Podcast (YouTube).
7️⃣ How to Build the Investor’s Edge: Smarter Choices in Risk and Reward
What if the real “edge” in investing is about mastering risk and reward rather than predicting the market. Avoid unnecessary risks by creating calm, intentional decision environments. Small, deliberate steps compound into better long-term outcomes. Risk isn’t just theory, it’s the potential downside you must define and prepare for.
💭 Tony’s Take: You can improve your decision making framework by understanding risk and human behavior.
🎙️Joseph Pach and Tony Steuer on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast (here)
8️⃣ Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards (MAIA) Change Makers 2025
This year’s list reflects the moment we are in. There is a stronger focus on scam prevention, digital risk, and consumer protection, alongside long-standing efforts in financial education, inclusion, and transparency. What unites them is impact. These are the people making money clearer, fairer, safer, and more humane, and in doing so, helping others make better decisions about their lives. This is not a ranking. It is a recognition. An acknowledgment.
💭 Tony’s Take: Around the world, there is a large movement to help people change the way we the think and talk about money. The MAIA’s celebrates diversity and excellence in helping people understand money.
👉 Check out the MAIA Changemakers 2025 (here)
🏆 The 2026 MAIAs Open for Entries! Enter or nominate (here).
9️⃣ Quick Hits
🎙️ Negotiate Like a PRO in 2025 with Bernadette Joy and Acquania Escarne on The Purpose of Money Podcast (YouTube)
📖 Inside the Cartoonishly Evil World of Private Equity by Jess Fickett for Bitches Get Riches (read)
📓 The State of Retirement Income for 2026 from Morningstar (here)
📓 2024 Financial Literacy Annual Report from the Consumers Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) (here)
📓 2025 Life Insurers Fact Book from ACLI (here)
🔟 Week #2 Action Item: Define your goals and priorities
Financial success requires thinking about your goals first. We need to consider what we want to accomplish and then see what product will help us achieve our goals. This helps you stay focused and on track.
💡 Here’s what works: Set your goals with the SMART principles + priority.
- Specific. What do you want to accomplish?
- Measurable. How much do you need?
- Achievable. How can you accomplish this goals?
- Relevant. Can you (and will you) meet this goal?
- Time-bound. When do you need to complete this goal?
- Priority. How important is this goal?
💭 Tony’s Take: Setting goals and priorities will give you a clear mission for your financial journey.
🛠️ Member Resources:
Access your resources for this week's action item (#2) from your dashboard (located in Monthly Focus Area 1: Habits and Planning):
- The Get Ready Blueprint week 2 worksheet where you’ll enter your three big goals for the years and apply the SMART principles plus priority.
Source: The Get Ready Blueprint: A 52 Week Guide to Changing the Way You Think About Money - an easy-to-use road map that illuminates how everything in your financial life fits together and shows you how to take the steps toward financial preparedness. (Amazon) (Bookshop)
📅 Timely Reminders:
- January 15th: 4th Quarter Estimated Tax Payment due for those who are self-employed or have other fourth-quarter income that requires you to pay quarterly estimated taxes.
- January 15th. Individual health care coverage open enrollment ends for the Federal Health Care Insurance Exchange at (here). States that maintain their own health care exchange will have open enrollment typically starting on November 1st of the prior year, and will usually have longer open enrollment periods. Links to your state’s health insurance marketplace are also available (here)
🧠 Final Thought
Financial readiness is built through awareness and conversation, not perfection. When we understand our emotions, clarify our values, and talk openly about money, we move from reacting to life to preparing for it. That’s how money becomes a tool for confidence, clarity, and purpose.
✅ Stay ready.
💬 Start a conversation.
💡 Share what sparked something — with a friend, client, or in the comments.
— Tony
Coming Next Week: Money Made Easy with Rishi Vamdatt
P.S. Start your new year off with The Get Ready Blueprint: A 52 Week Guide to Changing the Way You Think About Money - an easy-to-use road map that illuminates how everything in your financial life fits together and shows you how to take the steps toward financial preparedness. (Amazon) (Bookshop)
🤝 In Partnership with the Plutus Awards, presented by the Plutus Foundation — celebrating excellence in financial media and education.
