Negotiating Your Worth as a Woman: Lessons from Your Rich BFF Vivian Tu

In this episode of SHE MD, host Mary Alice Haney welcomes Vivian Tu, the financial literacy expert behind "‍Your Rich BFF" Vivian shares her journey from Wall Street to social media stardom, offering invaluable insights on women's financial empowerment. The conversation covers everything from negotiating salaries to teaching children about money. Vivian introduces her "STRIP Method" for building wealth and offers practical advice on investing, avoiding lifestyle creep, and changing money mindsets.

On a global mission to make the financial industry accessible for all, Vivian Tu is a former Wall Street trader turned expert, public speaker, host, entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and the founder and CEO of the multi-platform brand, Your Rich BFF. In just over three years since her first video, her dedication to promoting financial literacy has earned her cross-platform fame and notoriety, having garnered over 8M followers and counting across socials, as well as honors on both the Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30 – Social Media’ (2023) and ‘Top Creators’ (2022, 2023) lists. In addition to her breakout digital content, Vivian continues to spread her wealth of knowledge on her top-charting podcast, Networth and Chill, a first-of-its-kind offering accessible advice and lessons in finance, featuring Vivian alongside notable experts, professionals, and famous faces to break down the economics of our lives. The podcast debuted in March 2023 and immediately climbed to the top of the Business charts. The top charting podcast is returning this fall for a second season where Tu deep-dives into an industry or breaks down a new financial topic into words you’ll actually understand, just as if you were chatting with your best friend. Vivian’s talent at turning finance into an approachable topic for all generations and walks of life has transformed her into one of today’s most sought after speakers for panels and keynote presentations at events including the Glow Recipe Empowerment Summit, Snapchat’s Financial Seminar, Forbes Top Creator event, BuzzFeed Content Creators Showcase, and the NextShark AAPI College Readiness Conference. Vivian has landed partnerships with major brands and organizations such as SoFi, Marshalls, Substack, Amazon, Allergan Aesthetics, Skinceuticals, Nestle CRUNCH, Lululemon, Metlife, Carnival Cruise Line, Carmax, Adobe, Zola, and much more. In 2022 her debut New York Times bestselling book, “RICH AF” (released 2023) was sold in a seven-figure publishing deal to Portfolio, a division of Penguin Random House.

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Vivian Tu’s 5 Key Takeaways:

Secure Your Financial Foundation: Your Rich BFF, Vivian highlights that women should actively participate in their personal finances. The "STRIP Method" (Savings, Total debt, Retirement, Invest, Plan) provides a comprehensive approach to personal finance management.

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Smart Money Habits With Kids and Family: Involve teens in budgeting, investing basics, and college savings (e.g., 529 plans). Use allowances as teaching tools—split into Save/Spend/Give categories. Plan a "money date" with your partner to review finances together so you can establish your financial expectations as partners.

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Create Multiple Income Streams: Monetize skills (freelancing, consulting) or invest in rental properties/dividend stocks. Side hustles and passive income accelerate wealth and provide security.

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Invest Strategically for Long-Term Growth: Maximize retirement accounts (401(k), IRA) and invest in low-cost index funds or ETFs. Time is still on your side—compound growth works even in your 40s/50s.

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Plan Your Legacy Now: Draft a will, set up trusts, and discuss inheritance plans with family. Estate planning avoids legal battles and ensures your wealth benefits loved ones.

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In This Episode:

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(00:00) Introduction

(01:24) Who is Your Rich BFF - Vivian Tu?

(02:33) Vivian's journey from Wall Street to TikTok

(05:33) Your Rich BFF Podcast: Networth and Chill

(06:23) Women's underrepresentation in venture capital

(09:20) Biggest financial lesson from Wall Street

(11:35) Importance of choosing the right partner

(19:46) Teaching children about financial literacy

(24:09) Advice for women returning to the workforce