Ep 50 | Jamila Souffrant

Written By Yasmin Nouri

Quitting the Rat Race & Achieving Financial Freedom

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Jamila Souffrant is the founder and CEO of the popular financial blog and podcast, Journey to Launch, where she shares her journey to reach financial independence while helping others do the same. 

Is this really what you want to do for the rest of your life? This was the question that Jamila asked herself a few years ago on a four-hour commute from Brooklyn to New Jersey for work while she was pregnant with her first child. This sparked an “Aha!" moment for her that led her down the path of learning how to gain financial independence with the goal of retiring early on her own terms. 

Jamila has now become a go-to financial thought leader in the personal finance space and is passionate about helping others reach financial freedom in an easy and attainable way. She has been featured in notable media outlets such as Money Magazine, CNBC, CBS, Business Insider, and more. 

In this episode, Jamila talks about her Jamaican heritage and how being raised by a young single parent shaped her view on finances. She shares the story of how she went from an unfulfilling job in corporate America to finding the courage she needed to step out on her own, explains her original goal of reaching financial independence by 40, and how this has evolved over the years, as well as what financial freedom really means to her. She also reflects on some of the common mistakes people make with their money, the importance of having a good money mindset, and how anyone can start taking steps in their life to achieve financial freedom.

Show Notes:

  • Hear about Jamila’s upbringing and how being raised by a single parent shaped her view of finances. [2:20]

  • Jamila shares her journey: how she switched careers and took ownership of her finances. [4:42]

  • What Jamila learned from the side hustles she had along the way. [7:33]

  • How binging on financial podcasts helped her shift her mindset and enabled her to change careers. [9:02]

  • Her initial goal to reach financial independence by 40 and how she defines financial independence now. [10:35]

  • How her goal shifted from being about money to being about freedom and flexibility. [11:31]

  • The importance of having the right money mindset. [14:07]

  • When Jamila realized that Journey to Launch could be a successful business. [17:29]

  • The importance of networking with others in the space. [19:11]

  • The importance of consistency and perseverance. [21:06]

  • Why you should focus on your own journey and not compare it with anyone else’s. [21:45]

  • How she knew she had something to offer: find something that’s missing and create it. [24:37]

  • How Jamila grew her business through consistency, collaborations, community, and media, as well as sharing her own journey. [26:27]

  • The greatest challenge she faced in the early days and how she overcame it: watching the money depleting faster than her income was growing. [29:56]

  • Some of the common mistakes people make with their money. [33:39]

  • How Jamila defines success now and what the next steps are for her business. [37:31]

  • How she juggles her high-growth business and being a mom of three. [38:50]

  • Jamila’s self-care rituals and how she supports her mental health. [40:29]

  • What she’s proud of that people may not know: her Jamaican heritage and showing Jamaican girls, Black girls, and women in general what is possible. [41:43]

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Yasmin Nouri
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Ep 49 | Loren Ridinger