Tori Dunlap

4 years ago, I made a deal with my mom.

If I ever got the call to by on the Today Show — I would fly her out to be in-studio with me.

My parents often don’t understand my work. They don’t have social media, they don’t see our community engaging or the daily wins. Her First $100K is largely a digital company, and my parents don’t do digital. 🤣

But this? An interview with an icon whom my mom has watched on her television every day for almost a decade? This, they get.

And they’re on a plane to New York right now.

So tomorrow at 8:35 am, they’ll see the physical manifestation of my hard work. They’ll see the impact of the Financial Feminist movement we lead. And you’ll see my face bright and early on millions of televisions.

See you tomorrow, Today. Thanks for making a Dunlap family dream come true.

herfirst100k.com

3 years ago, I went through a breakup. He called me, told me that he needed to end things, and 2 hours later, our relationship was over.

As I left his apartment for the last time, he asked me, “I'd love to remain friends. When can I see you next?“

I turned, looked him dead in the eye, and said, “the next time you see me will be in the New York Times.“

So today, pour one out for my ex, who just spat out his morning coffee reading the news.

When people online see that I’m a multimillionaire, they think mansions and designer bags and luxury cars.

They don’t think I rent (I do.)

They don’t think I drive a used car (I do.)

They don’t think my house is messy (it usually is.)

And while I’ve upgraded parts of my life, much of it is still pretty standard.

I want you to see that wealth shows up in ways that aren’t flashy.

Wealth means I get to run a business that teaches people financial literacy, and employs nearly 20 women.

Wealth means I never have to stay in a toxic situation.

Wealth means I get to donate to organizations and causes I believe in.

This is the feeling I want for every single woman on this planet. ❤️

The future of finance is female.

When using AI to generate a photo of someone who is confident about money, less than 2% of the images generated were of women.  Picturing the 98% to be the Finance Chads women are often stuck needing to turn to in order to get information - as long as they’re lucky enough to not have it gatekept from them.

From my years of experience educating women about money, I know that when given a chance, women are AMAZING at money. They carry less credit card debt, run better businesses, and are better investors compared to men.

It’s time to make a serious change to the face of finance – and AI won’t make a change until we do. 

Thanks to SoFi and Nasdaq for the opportunity to be surrounded by women who are unabashed in their work to get their (and other women’s) money right.

Learn more at sofi.com/change

Last year, a company asked me to speak at their virtual summit. I asked for $8K, and never heard back.

This year, my assistant and I got flown first class for me to speak for that same company for $40K.

Update: you can learn more about me and my business here, herfirst100k.com

I'm ending 2025 with a net follower loss, for the first time ever, on Instagram.

Not because of the algorithm. Not because our content stopped resonating. Not because we made a mistake.

But because we chose to speak — clearly and publicly — about Donald Trump, his rhetoric, and the real financial consequences of his policies on women and marginalized communities.

Some people unfollowed immediately.

Others sent messages telling us to “stick to money.”

A few warned us that taking a stance would hurt the brand.

But here’s the thing: money has never existed in a vacuum.

In 2025, women’s finances were directly impacted by political decisions — around healthcare, reproductive rights, taxes, labor protections, and economic inequality. To pretend otherwise would have been dishonest. And dishonesty was never an option for Her First $100K.

We didn’t build this company to be neutral at all costs. We built it to be useful, truthful, and aligned with the lived realities of the women we serve.

So yes — some people left.

But what stayed was far more important.

The community that remained was deeply aligned. Engagement got more meaningful. Conversations became more honest. Trust increased.

And as a founder, I learned (again) that values don’t just attract — they clarify.

If your growth depends on silence, that growth is fragile. If your brand only works when you say nothing, it doesn’t actually stand for anything.

In 2025, we chose integrity over comfort. And I would make that same decision every single time.

Because leadership isn’t about keeping everyone happy. It’s about being clear — especially when it costs you something.

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If you're new here, I'm a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap

Your company gives an average of 10 days of PTO a year.

We give our employees 10 paid days off just for the holidays, then another week-long break every quarter where the whole company shuts down PLUS unlimited PTO.

We are not the same.

A man just called my advice trash. But the “kiddo” is what really got me.

I’ve been called everything from a b*tch to a c*. Been told to kill myself and that no man would ever love me. That I’m a whale and should lose weight.

This harassment is a multiple-times-per-day occurrence. In my comments. In my messages. In my email.

Men feel *so* threatened by my success — too bad I’m a multi-millionaire, bestselling author who has helped millions of women. Too bad I have sooo much more money and love and support than they’ll ever have. Boo hoo.

Over 4 years ago, I started Financial Feminist, our podcast about women and money, with a $99 microphone off Amazon.

No prior experiencing in producing a podcast, no connections at any podcasting networks...

But when we debuted, we were the NUMER ONE business podcast in the country.

We beat Dave Ramsey, Gary Vee, Tim Ferris, Planet Money, How I Built This, and more.

And we were the only woman-focused, women-hosted show in the top 30.

Now, we are listened to in over 60 countries, have over 25 million lifetime downloads, and are the #1 show about money for women in the world.

And as of October, we bought back creative and financial control of our show and are 100% independent. We handle everything -- audio, video, guest management, ad sales -- in house.

Give a woman a microphone, she'll change the world.

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If you're new here, I'm a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap

This week, I got a text that stopped me mid-scroll.

A founder I’ve angel invested in messaged our group chat and said they’d just broken a record at Costco.

207 units sold. In one week. At a single location.

“Half a pallet in ONE MF WEEK,” she wrote. "It's the most we've ever sold in one week."

And then she said: “That’s what I like to call the Tori Dunlap effect.”

If I’m your angel investor, I’m not just wiring money and disappearing.

Yes, I bring capital. But more importantly, I bring leverage.
I bring:

-- Strategy from building a multi-million-dollar, profitable company
-- Distribution through an audience of millions
-- Retail, brand, and media experience most founders don’t have
--Pattern recognition from watching hundreds of businesses scale (and stall)

I don’t just ask, “What’s your burn?” I ask, “What’s your plan to win?”

I don’t just celebrate the raise. I help think through the next 12–24 months so the raise actually matters.

And I don’t believe in passive investing — especially when women are building companies in systems that weren’t designed for them to succeed.

I invest in founders the way I wish more people invested in me early on:

With belief. With honesty. With active support, not performative cheerleading.

That Costco win didn’t happen by accident. It happened because two smart founders, Michelle Razavi and Nikki Elliott, CPA, built a great product and had support navigating distribution, visibility, and momentum.

Because when women win in business, it’s not just a personal success. It’s economic power. It’s job creation.

It’s changing who gets to decide what “successful” looks like.

And frankly? It’s really fucking fun to watch founders I believe in blow past milestones they once thought were impossible.

If you’re building something bold and you want an investor who actually shows up — not just on cap tables, but in the work — that’s the kind of angel I strive to be.

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If you're new here, I'm a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap

the best Christmas gift ever😭

Let’s clear something up.

This was never about luxury. Or Lamborghinis.

It’s about freedom.

Freedom to leave. Freedom to choose. Freedom to rest. Freedom to speak.

In political climates that threaten women’s autonomy, money becomes more than money. It becomes agency.

I’ve watched women stay in unsafe situations because they couldn’t afford to leave. I’ve watched women delay healthcare decisions because of cost. I’ve watched women shrink their dreams because “it’s not realistic.”

That’s not a mindset problem. That’s a money problem.

And money problems are solvable.

Getting rich isn’t about ego. It’s about insulation. Insulation from chaos. From instability. From systems that don’t care if you fall through the cracks.

When women build wealth, they don’t hoard it. They reinvest it.

In their families. In their communities. In other women.

That’s why financial education matters. That’s why investing matters. That’s why we talk about money openly — even when it makes people uncomfortable.

Because silence has never protected women. But money has.

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If you're new here, I'm a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap

I got this DM this morning.

It's one of thousands, and it's lead us to lose tens of thousands of followers.

"It sucks you're political now."

Babe -- I've BEEN political. Because money has always been political.

Who can open a bank account.
Who can get a loan.
Who is trusted with credit.
Who gets paid fairly.
Who can leave a bad job.
Who can leave an unsafe home.

Those aren’t abstract ideas. They’re policy decisions. They’re systems. They’re power.

When women couldn’t have credit cards without a husband’s signature until the 1970s — that was political.

When the gender pay gap persists — that’s political.

When reproductive rights are tied to financial security — that’s political.

When healthcare, housing, childcare, and education determine who builds wealth — that’s political.

I don’t wake up thinking, “How can I be political today?”

I wake up thinking, “How can people be safer?”

“How can they have more options?”

“How can they say no?”

“How can they leave?”

“How can they build something better?”

And money is the common denominator.

If helping women build wealth feels political to you, it’s probably because wealth has been systematically denied to them for a very long time.

Silence isn’t neutral.

It just protects whoever the system already works for.

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If you're new here, I'm a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap

when someone recommends people listen to Dave Ramsey

Four years ago, I launched Financial Feminist with a $99 Amazon microphone.

No studio.
No network.
No connections.

We debuted as the #1 business podcast in the country—beating Dave Ramsey, Gary Vee, Tim Ferriss, Planet Money, and How I Built This.

Today, we’ve passed 30 million downloads, listeners in 60+ countries, and this past fall…
we bought back the show and became 100% independent.

Give a woman a microphone, and she’ll build an empire.

⸻

If you’re new here, I’m a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap

I get about 100 "can I work for you" messages every week. 99% of them are bad.

While I am very honored that so many people love our mission, culture, and benefits -- and want to be a part of it -- it's a great example of how *not* to send a pitch.

"I love what you do and I really want to work for you, I'm at a bad company right now and I've been following you on IG for years, and I'll do anything any role I love you and Her First $100K so much"

Not only are you fangirling (while sweet, tells me nothing about how you could add value), you're giving me *nothing*. No actually information.

Let me fix it: tell me exactly what your superpower is, and how you'd fix an already existing problem.

"I've lead program development for X person, and grew their revenue by Y%. I noticed you don't have a program that is higher ticket (most expensive program is a $497 annual subscription) -- I would love to find a way to join the team to develop, market, and grow a program like the one I grew for X."

This works for PR pitches, "pick your brain" requests, or asks of any kind. Make them specific, add immediate value, and solve an existing problem.

See the difference?

A reminder: taking your personal finances seriously is a form of protest.

When you're financially well, you're able to show up, advocate, and support causes you believe in.

In 2025, Her First $100K lost Instagram followers.

For the first time in our company's history, we didn't grow on our most active platform -- we actually *lost* thousands of followers.

And yet — 2025 is our most profitable year ever.

Let me say that again for the people still equating success with vanity metrics:

Follower count went down. Revenue went up.

Why?

Because we built a business based on alignment, not appeasement.

When we choose to speak openly about Trump-era policies and their financial impact on women, some people disengaged. They were never our customers. They were never our community. They were never aligned with our mission.

What remained — and what grew — was a deeply engaged audience that trusted us.

And trust is the most valuable currency in business.

I got tagged in a post yesterday "ranting" about our company benefits.

At Her First $100K, we offer things like:
• a fully paid, collective week off every quarter
• paid menstrual leave
• generous parental leave
• flexible, remote work
• strong retirement benefits

In this post, a founder said:

"...shaming an entire community when your business is not only insanely small from an employee population and built online means you have the ability to do things other can't, and that doesn't make them or you, right or wrong."

We didn’t add these benefits instead of building a sustainable business.

We built a sustainable business so we could offer them.

Last year, we were 60% profitable. I don't know any other company who can say that.

These policies didn’t appear overnight. They came after years of careful financial planning, conservative forecasting, and a lot of “not yet” decisions.

Every benefit we offer is modeled, documented, and revisited as the company grows.

And if you feel "shame" from my post -- then it's time to take a look in the mirror. Because in no way was a post about *my* company's benefits targeting your company. I think it secretly means you know companies could do better.

What I do believe is that founders should regularly question whether their systems are rooted in necessity… or just habit.

Not:
“Everyone should do this.”

But:
“What assumptions am I making about work, productivity, and trust — and are they actually true?”

I also want to say this clearly, because it matters:

Most small business owners are doing their absolute best.
They’re not hoarding cash.
They’re not swimming in excess.
They’re not making 700% more than their lowest-paid employee.

They’re making tradeoffs. Constantly.

Talking openly about what has worked for us isn’t meant to shame anyone. It’s meant to expand the conversation about what’s possible when people and profitability are treated as connected — not competing — priorities.

Visibility isn’t a mandate.

It’s not a moral judgment.

It’s simply sharing one example of a different approach.

Not every policy scales the same way.

But values should.

And if a policy can’t scale forever, that doesn’t make it useless — it makes it a starting point for a better question.

That’s the conversation I care about having.

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If you're new here, I'm a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap

When I quit my job to run Her First $100K full-time, I carried something with me that I didn’t fully realize at the time:

A list of everything I never wanted to replicate.

I remembered the manager who said “We’re a family” right before asking us to work through the weekend.

I remembered the panic of requesting PTO like I was confessing a crime.

I remembered watching supervisors hide menstrual pain, pregnancy complications, mental health days, because “letting people know you’re struggling” was considered unprofessional.

And I kept thinking: If I ever have a team, I’m not doing it like this.

Fast forward to today — Her First $100K is a thriving, multi-million-dollar company helping over 5 million women take control of their financial lives.

But I’m prouder of something else: We built a workplace I would have desperately wanted in my 20s.

At HFK, our team gets:
• A fully paid week off every quarter (the entire company shuts down)
• Paid menstrual leave — no justification required
• Four months of paid parental leave, regardless of the path to parenthood
• 401(k) matching
• Flexible work-from-anywhere schedules
• A culture where rest is productivity

This wasn’t a branding decision. This wasn’t a PR strategy. This was a promise — to my younger self and every woman who’s been punished for having a body, a life, or boundaries.

I tell you this not to say, "look at me" -- but rather to remind you what's possible.

Entrepreneurship requires courage. But you know what else requires courage?

Refusing to run your company the way the world runs you.

This is the company I wish every woman could experience.

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If you're new here, I'm a multi-million dollar business owner who teaches over 5 million women how to be better with money. Follow my work: Tori Dunlap.

things I do as a female CEO that send men into a coma

1. I shut down our company once a quarter to give my employees a paid, collective week off

2. I don’t care where you work from – take a call from a European cafe or school pick up

3. We give our employees paid menstrual leave

4. We give employees free money when they contribute to their 401(k)s

5.We’re a team of all women who support each other’s goals in and outside of work

6.Take time away for a doctor’s visit or to workout midday – no worries here!

7. Unlimited PTO (in addition to our quarterly weeks off)

This is the power and impact of female-founded companies – and why we need more women entrepreneurs

I want to show you once again: when you have money, you get to make the kind of world you want to see.❤️

I feel like a proud mom!!!! congrats to Michelle Razavi and Nikki Elliott, CPA — make sure you find their yummy and nutritious brownies at a Costco near you!