START WELL® Podcast
Welcome to the START WELL® podcast – I’m Dawn Thomas, your host. As a mother, financial adviser, and researcher, I’m here to guide you on empowering the next generation’s financial journey. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or the coolest aunt or uncle, join me in exploring how impactful conversations about money can shape a young person’s future. During each episode, we will be unpacking a resource or money concept, so you can take the conversation home with you. Let’s harness their superpower of time and your superpower of influence to ensure they START WELL® and thrive for a lifetime.
Welcome to the START WELL® podcast – I’m Dawn Thomas, your host. As a mother, financial adviser, and researcher, I’m here to guide you on empowering the next generation’s financial journey. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or the coolest aunt or uncle, join me in exploring how impactful conversations about money can shape a young person’s future. During each episode, we will be unpacking a resource or money concept, so you can take the conversation home with you. Let’s harness their superpower of time and your superpower of influence to ensure they Start Well and thrive for a lifetime.
Episode Overview
In this episode of START WELL®, Dawn sits down with financial educator, adviser and author Jessica Brady to explore the powerful ideas behind her book Get Growing: A No-Nonsense Guide to Cultivating Wealth and Financial Freedom.
This conversation goes beyond budgets and spreadsheets and dives into the emotional, behavioural and social forces that shape how we think about money. Together, Dawn and Jess unpack how our childhood experiences, gender norms, shame, stress and identity influence financial decisions and how parents can model healthier money conversations for the next generation.
About Jessica Brady
Jessica Brady is a financial adviser, financial educator, and host of the Financially Fierce podcast. With more than two decades of experience in financial services, Jessis known for her honest, accessible and practical approach to money education.
Through her work, she helps everyday Australians build confidence with money by combining behavioural insights with clear financial strategies. Jess is passionate about improving financial literacy, challenging traditional money narratives, and creating a more inclusive financial future, particularly for women and underrepresented communities.
Her book, Get Growing, blends personal storytelling, financial psychology and actionable guidance to help readers understand their money history, reshape limiting beliefs, and cultivate long-term financial freedom.
What We Discuss in This Episode
Money Mindset & Learned Behaviour
- Why money skills are learned, not inherited
- Understanding how culture, family and life experiences shape money beliefs
- The concept of a personal “money memoir”
Childhood Money Lessons
- What children unintentionally learn about money at home
- Why kids often witness financial stress but not healthy money practices
- How gender norms influence financial confidence and opportunity
Practical Tools for Families
- Money shame and how it quietly shapes financial choices
- Why parents may need to heal their own money stories first
- Creatinga “money alter ego” to build new financial habits
- Growing Wealth Realistically
- The simple (but not easy) truth: spend less, earn more, or both
🎧 Listen & Follow
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General Advice
Warning – This Podcast contains general advice. The information, including tax information and any advice provided in this Podcast, does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of that, you should before acting on the advice, consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to those things. If the advice relates to a particular financial product, you should obtain the relevant Product DisclosureStatement for any product mentioned and consider its contents before making any decision. You should consider talking to a financial adviser before making a financial decision. Dawn Thomas is a Senior Financial Adviser and is anauthorised representative of TWD Licensee Services Pty Ltd ABN 88 605 064 480 Australian Financial Services Licence No.475964 (TWD Licensee Services).
START WELL® Resources
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The 100-Year Life
In our latest podcast, Dawn and Michelle review The 100-Year Life book and explore what living longer means for retirement, reinvention and future planning.
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Can financial education reduce stress at work?
Financial wellness programs reduce stress and boost performance. Our START WELL® equips the next generation with lifelong money skills and confidence.
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How to ensure your children START WELL® financially
Cara Graham discusses with Quorum the rationale behind the START WELL® financial literacy program, and tells us why, what and how you should discuss money with your children.