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.

----
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.

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.

---
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😭

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

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.

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.

----
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!