Best Jesse Mecham Podcasts (2024)

1
Money Gets Out of the Way 6:48

3h ago6:48

6:48

When you practice the four habits of YNAB, money just gets out of the way. In today's episode, Jesse reflects on his thought process about paying for kids' college. Where he used to be against it, now that he has kids in college, he is helping them pay for it. As he has talked about on the podcast many times, his thoughts and opinions change over t…

1
Making Sense (Part 2) | Andy Hickman 1:34:14

5h ago1:34:14

1:34:14

What are your emotions really trying to tell and how can you use them to teach you? In part two of this two-part episode of Potent, Steven is joined once more by Andy Hickman, founder of hēl, as they explore personal growth through emotional insight and sensory engagement, emphasizing the significance of addressing physical sensations and emotions …

1
20 Years! 9:30

3d ago9:30

9:30

Twenty years ago, in a galaxy far, far away... Jesse Mecham launched youneedabudget.com with a budgeting spreadsheet and a modest goal: cover the $350 a month in rent he owed for the next couple years until he and his wife graduated from college. Since then, YNAB has grown leaps and bounds beyond Jesse's original idea. In today's episode, Jesse ref…

1
Gardening, Compost, and Business Complexity 32:45

6d ago32:45

32:45

Good gardens require good soil, and good soil takes compost and plenty of time. Jesse shares his experiences composting soil for his garden, and how it applies to business. Like compost, good business ideas take time to execute. They can be executed more quickly, but that often involves more complexity. Mark and Jesse then pivot to discuss complexi…

1
Money Ready, Spend With Joy 4:50

4d ago4:50

4:50

Jesse shares a YNAB win from his strength coach, Andrew, who is an avid YNAB'er. Andrew was shopping at REI when he ran across a pair of returned ski boots that were marked way down. They fit perfectly. Normally he would hem and haw over a purchase like this, but because he had been slowly funding a category for new ski boots the money was there. N…

1
The Practical Path to Being | Steven Lawson 34:04

10d ago34:04

34:04

Does completing ten menial tasks compare to completing one meaningful task? On today’s solo episode of Potent, Steven explores the process of how to best prioritize essential tasks by zooming out on life goals and reducing unnecessary actions, as well as challenging the notion that doing and being are mutually exclusive, advocating for a harmonious…

1
More Isn't More 6:17

11d ago6:17

6:17

Many people bemoan the fact that they don't earn more money. But what baffles many who eventually do earn more money, is that it doesn't fix any of their financial problems! There is no income that cannot be outspent. Put another way, broken spending habits lead to broken spending, and when you have more money, that just leads to more broken spendi…

1
The Economics of Content, and the Case for Word of Mouth 41:29

15d ago41:29

41:29

The algorithm has come to rule media, and it is a voracious beast. It consumes as much content as people can create, as often as they can create. The ones who rise to the top seem to be those who create the most content, on as many platforms as possible, but what do the economics of this look like? Mark asks the question whether playing the content…

1
Earning With Purpose 10:20

18d ago10:20

10:20

The first habit of YNAB is to give every dollar a job. We tend to think of it purely as a spending exercise, as in, what do these dollars need to do for me? Buy clothes, groceries, pay the rent, etc. But Jesse points out how this process of giving your dollars jobs can help you find more meaning in your earning, not just your spending. When you kno…

1
Making Sense (Part 1) | Andy Hickman 1:50:11

28d ago1:50:11

1:50:11

Making Sense (Part 1) | Andy Hickman What are your emotions really trying to tell and how can you use them to teach you? On part one of this two-part episode of Potent, Steven is joined once again by Andy Hickman, founder of hēl, as they explore self-awareness and personal growth through a live therapy workshop, highlighting the mapping of experien…

1
Tentacles and Rainbows 9:55

29d ago9:55

9:55

Money sinks its tentacles into nearly everything, and those tentacles can feel like, well, tentacles, or they can feel like rainbows. Jesse wants you to look at money and see rainbows, blessing all the facets of life that money touches. Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email: askjesse@ynab.com Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.you…

1
Escaping the Gravity Pull of Phones 25:08

29d ago25:08

25:08

Jesse shares one of his recent experiments, inspired by a guest on the Art of Manliness podcast. The challenge was to delete the apps on your phone, especially the ones you feel a "pull" from -- a pull to open it and check it every time you see it (most social media apps would meet this criteria for most people). As Jesse explains, phones don't jus…

1
You Need Frugality? 6:52

1M ago6:52

6:52

Frugality is a virtue. At least, that's what many people in the financial space would claim. Being frugal is commonly seen as a good thing, presumably because it enables you to save more money. The environmentally conscious might see value in frugality as a means to reducing overall consumption. YNAB, one could argue, aims to make you more frugal. …

1
What's the Purpose of Your Money | YNAB Founder Jesse Mecham 44:12

1M ago44:12

44:12

TITLE: What's the Purpose of Your Money | YNAB Founder Jesse Mecham Do you have trouble in your relationship with the money you earn? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by personal finance expert and founder of YNAB, Jesse Mecham, to discuss the philosophy and principles of YNAB (You Need a Budget), an app designed to help users align t…

1
Give Up, or Downshift? 9:44

1M ago9:44

9:44

Jesse shares a story about taking a group of kids hiking, and coming down with altitude sickness on the first day. He could have quit, but he figured out a way to re-route the hike where he could safely get through. It's not so different when working with personal finances. It's tempting to just quit when things get hard, or road blocks come up, bu…

1
Taking a Hard Look in the Reality Mirror 27:32

1M ago27:32

27:32

On previous epsidoes, Mark and Jesse have discussed the importance of scarcity, and how limitations drive creativity. Mark even goes so far as to argue creativity can't exist without limitations! YNAB, then, is a tool for viewing reality through the lens of money -- a reality mirror if you like. By understanding the tradeoffs you are making with yo…

1
Big Goals? Check. In the Meantime... 7:10

2M ago7:10

7:10

Big financial goals are great. It's what we live for at YNAB! But, life happens in between those big goals, and Jesse reminds you that it's ok to spend some money "in the meantime." Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email: askjesse@ynab.com Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com Follow YNAB on social media: Facebook: …

1
A Fun Way to Do Fun Money 7:19

2M ago7:19

7:19

Jesse shares a fun way to handle "fun money" from long-time YNAB software engineer Kyle. Kyle suggests creating separate bank accounts for fun money with separate budgets as well. His method evolved from the desire to keep the visibility of fun money separate from his spouse, so they could 1.) take any judgment or guilt away from spending fun money…

1
Lessons from YNAB's Price Increase 42:09

2M ago42:09

42:09

Mark and Jesse discuss YNAB's recent price increase, and the psychology of customers around pricing. You can't make everyone happy, whether you justify the price increase by citing your own increased costs or by plainly stating your price increase without explanation or caveat. Jesse points out that some customers that have complained about the pri…

1
Befriend Your Inner Creative Genius | Prof. Elizabeth Wimer 54:10

2M ago54:10

54:10

What’s holding you back from reaching your fullest capability for creativity? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by Syracuse University’s Professor Elizabeth Wimer to discuss a range of topics from providing practical advice for avoiding burnout, to understanding the Pareto principle to identify impactful relationships, fostering creati…

1
The Utility (or Not) of the Month 5:28

2M ago5:28

5:28

We organize our lives by the calendar, and the calendar is organized into months. It's no surprise then, that we tend to think of finances in terms of months -- monthly payments, monthly contributions, having 3-6 months of expenses saved. The month has a lot of utility, but it is an arbitrary division of time. Jesse examines how the month can be us…

1
Cheap Business Advice 31:28

2M ago31:28

31:28

Mark and Jesse reminisce about the early days of YNAB, and a conversation over lunch in which Mark gave Jesse (what he thought was) sage advice -- to raise prices. Genius right? Jesse recounts how they raised prices in the earliest incarnations of YNAB's product, from spreadsheets to software to software-as-a-service. He also candidly breaks down a…

1
Maybe Just Buy the Thing (and Costco) 7:21

2M ago7:21

7:21

Jesse waxes poetic about Costco and how simple their model makes purchasing decisions. He also brings up the point that we often spend a lot of time searching for the best deal, for that one hot tip that will maximize our dollars for a certain purchase. Our time and attention is a resource as well, and perhaps we should just go buy the thing, and b…

1
Stealing Fire Back From Procrastination | Steven Lawson 26:18

3M ago26:18

26:18

Do you know the real cause of why you procrastinate? On today’s solo episode of Potent, Steven tackles the concept of procrastination, and how while many may view it as a lack of discipline, in reality it’s more rooted as a fear response. Through his experience with the Monk Manual and coaching entrepreneurs over the years, Steven identifies patter…

1
Let's Be Clear, I Hate Debt 10:52

3M ago10:52

10:52

Jesse delivers a good old fashioned rant about the evils of debt. While he may have softened his rhetoric over the past decade, Jesse is no less serious about his distaste for debt! Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email: askjesse@ynab.com Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com Follow YNAB on social media: Facebook: …

1
Run Like You Stole Something (to HR) 8:30

3M ago8:30

8:30

Well meaning companies will bring in financial advisors to extol the virtues of investing in 401ks and matching plans, while some of their employees are still living paycheck to paycheck. With YNAB, you can take control of your money and get off the paycheck to paycheck cycle, then run to HR and take that 401k match like you stole it! Got a questio…

1
ChatGPT and Learning to Let Go of Control 38:18

3M ago38:18

38:18

After a conversation about using ChatGPT to organize the weekly recipe calendar for the Mecham household, Mark and Jesse talk about the concept of letting go of control in a business. Mark posits an idea: you can have control or you can have growth, but not both. And Mark hates it! Jesse draws a distinction between control of the business -- that i…

1
The Problem with Isolation - Community, Purpose, and Monks | Joe Rutten 51:18

3M ago51:18

51:18

Does placing too much importance on personal individualism separate us from each other more than we realize? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by Joe Rutten, Director of the Benedictine Leadership Institute at Mount Marty University, to discuss the importance and impact of communal monasticism based on the principles of St. Benedict. J…

1
Money Is Chaotic, Money Is Boring 6:34

3M ago6:34

6:34

Money can be chaotic, noisy, tinged with anxiety and fear. Or, with YNAB, it can be boring! At YNAB we strive for money to be boring, so that life can be rich, exciting, and full. Got a question for Jesse? Send him an email: askjesse@ynab.com Sign up for a free 34-day trial of YNAB at www.youneedabudget.com Follow YNAB on social media: Facebook: @i…

1
Shock Absorbers 6:53

4M ago6:53

6:53

As the saying goes, "stuff" happens. Life throws curveballs, sometimes several in a row, and YNAB'ers prepare for this financially by following the Four Rules: Give every dollar a job Embrace your true expenses Roll with the punches Age your money Today's episode is mostly about rule #3. When you roll with the punches, you reassign money you have s…

1
The Hero's Journey of Customer Service 52:36

3M ago52:36

52:36

Mark and Jesse discuss the role of customer service in a business, and how the alignment of customer expecations with the business owner's strengths (or working genius, if you like) is crucial to customer satisfaction and avoiding burnout. Mark shares an example from his virtual CFO business, which was highly profitable but making him miserable as …

1
Understanding Yourself: MBTI, Enneagram, and Core Gift | Leslie McDaniel 58:18

3M ago58:18

58:18

Are you holding yourself back from knowing the real you? On today’s episode of Potent, Steven is joined by Leslie McDaniel to discuss her lifelong journey of self-awareness through personality typology and core gifts, as well as how her curiosity has shaped her life. Through emphasizing body awareness and presence, the two highlight some of the mos…

1
Category Tractor Beam, Sucked Me Right In 9:19

4M ago9:19

9:19

Those categories that you love to spend in, those categories that suck you right in. What if you could increase your spending in that category by 50%? Jesse challenges you that you can in fact do this, by honing in on the things you love, and the things you don't. Spend less on the things you don't love -- not because you are cutting! -- but so tha…

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Jesse Mecham Podcasts

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