🎙️ Just wrapped an inspiring Money Misfits episode with Isabella Vaka, a former student of mine who’s charting an incredible path.

From community college at CSM → transfer to Cal Poly → internships in D.C. → now on Capitol Hill, Isabella shows what’s possible when you mix grit, financial discipline, and a willingness to pivot.

We dug into:

Why she chose community college during the pandemic — and how financial aid, scholarships, and support programs shaped her journey.

The challenges of being a Pacific Islander in spaces where few looked like her — and how she let her work speak for itself.

Landing internships through persistence (even unpaid at first), then turning them into meaningful opportunities in advocacy and policy.

How budgeting, overspending on food (we laughed at this one), and slowly building credit all became part of her real-world money education.

Choosing fulfillment and impact over a big salary — with her eyes set on law school and political campaigns in the near future.

💡 Isabella’s story is a powerful reminder: community college can be the launchpad to Capitol Hill.

🎓 From Community College to Cal Poly & SDSU | Money Misfits Podcast

What’s it really like to transfer from community college to a four-year university? In this episode of Money Misfits, Professor Heath sits down with Ana Floyd (Cal Poly) and Aiden Takeuchi (San Diego State)—two former students who share their candid experiences navigating the transfer process, social challenges, financial struggles, and building their future careers.

💡 What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How Ana and Aiden decided between schools like UCLA, Berkeley, SDSU, and Cal Poly.
• The social and academic challenges of being a transfer student.
• Honest takes on imposter syndrome, making friends, and finding community.
• The financial shocks of moving out—jobs, savings, and learning to budget.
• Credit cards, Roth IRAs, and high-yield savings: how they’re already building financial independence.
• Networking wins (and fails): from hiding in bathrooms to nailing the elevator pitch.
• Clubs, internships, and why you should start networking NOW at community college.
• Real advice for CSM students on preparing for transfer and career success.

✨ Key takeaway: Transferring is hard—but with the right mindset, financial planning, and willingness to put yourself out there, it’s also an opportunity to grow, connect, and get ahead.

In this episode of Money Misfits, Professor Heath sits down with Mikky, the powerhouse behind Mikky and the Doom—a self-described “musical cult” fusing pop-punk, rock, and raw creative energy. 🎸🔥

Mikky opens up about her journey from stand-up comedy and voice acting to fronting a boundary-pushing band. She shares how discipline, sports, and resilience shaped her career, and how she built her brand with the same precision as running a tight business. We dive into:

The origin of Mickey and the Doom and its “cult-like” community of artists

Turning personal struggles into a villain origin story through music

Lessons from the 2008 financial crisis and how it shaped her views on money and survival

Balancing creativity with the business side of music

The importance of discipline, preparation, and setting boundaries

Why financial wellness fuels artistic freedom

This episode is packed with real talk about art, money, and survival—and it’s a must-listen for anyone navigating creative industries, chasing dreams, or just trying to get their financial house in order while living authentically.

👉 Support Mikky by pre-saving “H2HO” (link in her bio). Every pre-save helps push independent artists onto Spotify’s radar.

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories where money meets misfits.

#MoneyMisfits #MikkyAndTheDoom #PersonalFinance #IndieMusic #PopPunk #FinancialFreedom #CreativeEntrepreneurship

In this episode of Money Misfits, Professor Heath sits down with Coach Hansen Sekona, Defensive Coordinator for the College of San Mateo Bulldogs.

Coach Sekona’s journey is raw, real, and inspiring:

Growing up in a large immigrant family in Southern California and the Bay Area

Navigating survival mode, poverty, and missed opportunities in school

Spending time in juvenile hall and finding a second chance through community college and football

Earning a scholarship to Kansas State University and experiencing culture shock in the Midwest

Building a career in coaching and mentorship through the Built for Life philosophy

Learning financial literacy later in life: credit scores, budgeting, Roth IRAs, emergency funds, and the power of compound interest

Why giving back to your community and investing in others creates lasting impact

This is more than a football story—it’s about resilience, education, money, and the power of second chances.

If you’re a student, athlete, educator, or anyone overcoming setbacks, this conversation will hit home.

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more Money Misfits episodes exploring the real-life intersection of money, struggle, and success.

🎧 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts: [insert links]
📲 Follow Professor Heath on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professor_heath/
🌐 More at: ProfessorHeath.com

#MoneyMisfits #ProfessorHeath #CoachSekona #CSMBulldogs #CommunityCollege #StudentAthlete #SecondChances #FinancialLiteracy #BudgetingBasics #CompoundInterest #CreditScores #FromSetbacksToSuccess #BuiltForLife #MentorshipMatters #Resilience

What happens when two former student-athletes grind their way from cramped apartments, long commutes, and shared Domino’s pizzas at College of San Mateo… to finishing finance and accounting degrees, walking on at D1 basketball, and landing Big Four job offers? In this episode, Professor Heath sits down with Desai Lopez (San Diego State, PwC audit associate) and Kori “Co” McCoy (Cal State East Bay, future finance grad and fashion entrepreneur) to talk about the JUCO hustle, the transfer grind, and the lessons they wish they learned earlier about money.

They open up about growing up in big families with limited money but big dreams, commuting hours every day, and even sleeping in cars between practices. We dive into what it was like to balance basketball, books, and bank accounts that were always stretched thin, and how that prepared them for the reality check of transferring to a four-year university. Both Kori and Desai share their experiences navigating rejection, finding mentors, and discovering financial literacy—whether it’s understanding taxes, credit, or the power of a Roth IRA.

This conversation is raw, funny, and inspiring—full of real talk about perseverance, networking, and building wealth from the ground up. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to transfer from community college, play college ball, or break into professional careers while broke, this one’s for you.

Money Misfits, Episode 2 – I sat down with Dr. John Ulloa—a community college dean, cultural historian, and lowrider builder—who unpacks his journey from welding shops to classrooms and car shows. I loved this conversation as it’s a dive into the economics of culture, identity, and education. I walked away from the conversation more convinced than ever that personal finance isn’t just about spreadsheets—it’s about how we invest in who we are, and where we come from. Personal finance is just another tool for us to do really fuckin cool things.

Dr. Ulloa shares how lowriding became more than just a car hobby: it became a form of cultural expression, resistance, and identity. He traces its roots from Chicano postwar pride to the modern-day realities of gentrification. We learn how the price of building a lowrider today is “like buying a house”, and what that says about the shifting accessibility of the culture.

But this isn’t just about lowriding. Dr. Ulloa opens up about his own educational and financial journey—from struggling student to college professor, and eventually, academic dean. He talks about the cost of education, student loans, the sacrifices he made for his family, and how he had to hustle both in and outside the system to stay afloat.

Money Lessons from the Episode

• Gentrification has an economic cost: what used to be built with scrap parts now costs tens of thousands. Cultural authenticity is being priced out.
• Welding = equity: Learning a trade gave John more than a paycheck—it gave him a path to financial agency and creative expression.
• Student loans were a necessity: His path through higher ed wasn’t easy or cheap, but it was intentional. He talks openly about debt and return on investment.
• Budgeting passion: Whether it’s building a lowrider or raising a family, John discusses the need to align your finances with your values.

Im obviously just getting started here with this podcast, but the value from these conversations is already becoming clear to me. Real misfits fold sound personal financial literacy concepts into their daily lives to chase dreams and goals. The rest of us should learn how to do the same!

Professor Heath

This episode dives into the world of pop-punk through the lens of Betty Mauritz, whose band Gold Steps has rocked stages across the country — from Vans Warped Tour to South by Southwest. But it’s not all crowd-surfing and stage lights. Betty opens up about the real costs of making music: maxed-out credit cards, DIY tour budgeting, and the hustle of forming a band-as-business through an LLC.

She talks about discovering financial literacy through Clark Howard (yep — the OG money nerd), learning to track every penny, and how financial independence isn’t just a dream — it’s a necessity for indie musicians. You’ll hear how Betty blends art with strategy and how the band navigates merch sales, booking agents, and financial burnout on the road.

Whether you're a musician, a misfit, or just someone trying to figure out how to turn passion into survival, this one hits. Betty is a fucking rockstar and role-model to girl, or anyone for that matter, fronting a band, doing life, or just being a bad ass.