ARTICLE - From Misery to Meaning: 6 Steps to Take When You Hate Your Job
Publication Date: 3/8/2023
Publication: Greater Des Moines Partnership
Title: From Misery to Meaning: 6 Steps to Take When You Hate Your Job
Context: One particular episode of our Meaning Money Podcast has been going viral lately. It’s titled, “169 - I Hate My Job, But Don’t Know What To Do”. We aren’t quite sure why this episode from way back in October 2022 is gaining traction, but perhaps it’s because a lot of people are struggling with their work. I decided to write this article to give some encouragement and guidance to anyone out there who knows they need to do something, but not sure what.
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ARTICLE - When Life Spills Into Work
Publication Date: 12/12/2022
Publication: Greater Des Moines Partnership
Title: When Life Spills Into Work
Context: Life is messy. In theory, we should be able to keep our home life and our work life separate. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. I wrote this article to give business leaders some perspective of what people are dealing with, how it impacts their work, and what leaders can do to be part of the solution.
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ARTICLE - Why More Money Isn't Making Us Happier
Publication Date: 10/26/2022
Publication Name: Brainz Magazine
Article Title: Why More Money Isn’t Making Us Happier
Context: In this article, I delve into the cultural narrative that money makes us happy. To an extend, this is true. However, this is where the psychological aspects of this topic starts to trick us. You may or may not agree with my conclusion, but I hope it at least makes you think about your own life and your own journey.
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PODCAST - Money Does Not Equal Happiness
Publication Date: 10/20/2022
Podcast Name: Giving You Something To Talk About
Episode Title: Money Does Not Equal Happiness
Episode Summary: Melissa Krechler and Travis Shelton discuss how money doesn’t equal happiness, but it definitely helps! Join us to learn what money really does equal. Is your happiness tied into finances and what you do or don’t have? Do you want to be happy with yourself, doing what you love and being the person you want to be?
Context: This appearance wasn’t your traditional podcast interivew. First, it was a live broadcast (i.e. no benefit of having my dumb comments edited before publication) and it was a pure discussion format. There were no planned topics or questions, and it certainly didn’t flow like an interview. Just two new friends talking about some fun subjects. Melissa, you were awesome! Hope you all enjoy!
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TALK - Compensation Matters...But Less Than You Think
Publication Date: 9/21/2022
Organization Name: Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce
Talk Title: Compensation Matters…But Less Than You Think
Context: I was originally scheduled to deliver a talk with the same title to the same group of local business leaders on 4/1/2020. Yeah, two weeks after we got rocked with COVID-19. Needless to say, that talk got cancelled and I wondered if I’d ever have the chance to speak to the audience again. In this talk, I was hoping to explain why I believed something would eventually happen in our culture to shift the way people work. People would soon shift where, when, and why they worked….and no amount of compensation would drive loyalty and satisfaction. By “eventually”, I didn’t realize it was already upon us and we’d quickly see this new reality form in front of our eyes. Instead of compensation, we as leaders need to lean into culture and tap into people’s deeper drivers in order to create and sustain a winning team. It was an awesome event and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. You can check out a clip below.
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ARTICLE - A Fork in the Road
Publication Date: 8/24/2022
Publication: Greater Des Moines Partnership
Title: A Fork in the Road
Context: Leaders and employees alike seem to be staring at a fork in the road. These last few years have changed us and changed the environment/culture around us. In this article, I lay out the various paths many people are considering and how that impacts leaders. We can choose to ignore it or justify it away, but those who understand these dynamics and engage appropriately will ultimately create the best teams with the best people.
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PODCAST - Wake Up Every Day + Pursue the Meaning
Publication Date: 8/5/2022
Podcast Name: Small Business and Startup Stories DSM
Episode Title: Wake Up Every Day + Pursue the Meaning
Episode Summary: During the latest Small Business & Startup Stories DSM podcast, Travis Shelton, Founder and Owner of Meaning Over Money, author and podcast, discussed starting his business and how beliefs about money affect your life. With Greater Des Moines Partnership Startup Community Builder Diana Wright.
Context: Going into this interview, the plan was to spend the majority of our time discussing the origin story of my business and what that journey looked like. However, as soon as we began the interview, Diana took us down a different road. I had an absolute blast talking about the behavioral science of money, generational trends, what coaching looks like, and how we can all get better at this area of our life. Diana, thank you for such a fun conversation!
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ARTICLE - Reframing Risk: Making Better Decisions By Removing Fear
Publication Date: 8/1/2022
Publication Name: Brainz Magazine
Article Title: Reframing Risk: Making Better Decisions By Removing Fear
Context: My second article for Brainz Magazine is all about risk. Defining risk, hypothesizing why we as humans are typically bad at assessing it, and how we can each make better decisions throughout the course of our lives. It applies to all areas of life, but I specifically drilled down to the topic of investing. Is investing in the stock market risky? It depends on how we look at it. I hope you find it insightful!
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PODCAST - The Money Habits That Create a Meaningful Life
Publication Date: 7/19/2022
Podcast Name: Happily Ever Habits
Episode Title: The Money Habits That Create a Meaningful Life
Episode Summary: Podcaster and financial expert Travis Shelton shares how to use money as a way to a meaningful life. Most importantly, he shares the consistent habits to get there.
Context: We recently stumbled upon Jason Harwood’s podcast Happily Ever Habits and immediately knew it would be fun to have a discussion with him. He’s extremely thoughtful and communicates well the ideas around setting and maintaining habits for a better life. I was excited to spend some time with him, but it was even more fun than I could have imagined. He took us down the road of generosity, which I absolutely loved. I think you’ll love this conversation!
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ARTICLE - The Tension Between Meaning and Money
Publication Date: 6/22/2022
Publication Name: Brainz Magazine
Article Title: The Tension Between Meaning and Money
Context: A while back, I received a seemingly random LinkedIn DM from Brainz Magazine, asking if I’d be interested in a conversation. I wasn’t familiar with Brainz, so I did some digging. Brainz is a digital magazine based in Europe and is currently the 6th largest business magazine in the world. Needless to say, I was very interested in having this conversation. Fast forward a few months, I agreed to publish a series of articles for them over the next year. My intent for this first article was to get to the heart of what our big-picture objective is: illustrate the natural tension we have between meaning and money……and encourage people to pursue the meaning.
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PODCAST - Meaning Over Money with Travis Shelton
Publication Date: 6/22/2022
Podcast Name: Mining for Time
Episode Title: Meaning Over Money with Travis Shelton
Episode Summary: I sit down with Travis Shelton, a financial coach, writer, speaker, podcaster, husband and father of 2. We discuss many topics including:
• the importance of having relationships with people who will challenge your beliefs
• the blessing of living generously
• aligning your money habits with your values
• establishing a legacy defined by purpose rather than profits
and much more!
Context: One random day I was checking my e-mail and discovered an unsolicited message from a guy named Ryan Garvey. Ryan and I share a common friend, who recommended Ryan reach out to me. I’m so glad he did (thanks Colin!). Ryan and I set up a lunch and ended up spending a few hours together that day. He’s one of those people who feels like a long-time friend just minutes after meeting. I subsequently made this guest appearance on his podcast, where we continued the meaningful conversation. We hit a lot of different topics and hopefully, you find some value in it!
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ARTICLE - The Overlooked Silver Lining of the Great Resignation
Publication Date: 5/9/2022
Publication: Greater Des Moines Partnership
Title: The Overlooked Silver Lining of the Great Resignation
Context: People are leaving their jobs at a pace never seen before. 8.6 million people voluntarily left their jobs in Jan/Feb alone. Wow! The narrative in our culture seems to be people are “lazy” and simply don’t want to work. There’s also a frustration building by employers who have incurred many types of costs trying to navigate the situation. In this article, I wanted to provide an alternative perspective of what may really be going on here. In short, I think people are actually running TOWARDS something……and employers will ultimately be the biggest beneficiaries of this workforce reset.
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PODCAST - The Meaningful Value of Money
Publication Date: 3/14/2022
Podcast Name: Let’s Have This Conversation
Episode Title: The Meaningful Value of Money with Travis Shelton
Episode Summary: According to Bloomberg survey of more than 2,000 people in January 2022 it found Americans with “a dwindling sense of financial confidence.” In 2021's final quarter, 34% of respondents said they felt financially healthy, compared with 48% in early 2021. Travis Shelton is the host of the Meaning Over Money podcast, a financial coach, a public speaker, and has an online financial course for young adults.
Context: Our Media Director somehow discovered Kevin McShan and his podcast, and I’m so grateful she did. I have to admit, meeting Kevin was a humbling experience. This is a man who has achieved so much while battling cerebral palsy his entire life. He is a shining example of refusing to let our shortcomings hinder our journey and dreams. He’s an accomplished journalist and is always moving the ball down the field. I can’t wait to reconnect with Kevin soon!
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ARTICLE - Success Isn't Linear: Embrace the Hockey Stick
Publication Date: 3/8/2022
Publication: Greater Des Moines Partnership
Title: Success Isn’t Linear: Embrace the Hockey Stick
Context: For my second article published in the Greater Des Moines Partnership, I based it off a music video I had been watching over and over: “Ode To Sleep” by Twenty One Pilots. I love this song and I love this music video. What do you, me, Twenty One Pilots, and Apple all have in common? Check out this article to find out!
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ARTICLE - Compensation Season and the Hedonic Treadmill
Publication Date: 2/11/2022
Publication: Greater Des Moines Partnership
Title: Compensation Season and the Hedonic Treadmill
Context: When I sat down with our Director of Media to discuss 2022 goals, one that quickly rose to the top of the list was to write short-form blog content for outside publications. We didn’t know what that would look like, but enter the Greater Des Moines Partnership! The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines (DSM), Iowa. Together with 24 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce, more than 6,500 Regional Business Members, and 365+ Investors, The Partnership drives economic growth with one voice, one mission, and as one region. Greater Des Moines also happens to be my home, so I was doubly excited to produce content for them.
This article is the first of a series of articles I’ll be writing for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. My content will fall into the money-but-not-money camp. I’ll be writing about finances, but it’s not really about finances at all. I thought this first article fairly represented what we believe and what we teach.
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PODCAST - Meaning Over Money
Publication Date: 10/13/2021
Podcast Name: Price of Avocado Toast
Episode Title: Meaning Over Money w/ Travis Shelton
Episode Summary: Today’s episode features our interview with Travis Shelton from the Meaning Over Money brand. Travis is a fellow podcaster, financial coach, speaker and writer who focuses on helping young adults identify their meaning and purpose. We enjoyed talking with Travis and learning more about how we can put “meaning” over money.
Context: It was so good to spend some time with Justin and Haley Brown-Woods, who are the husband-and-wife team behind the Price of Avocado Toast Podcast. We met in early 2021 via IG and they were some of our biggest cheerleaders when we launched our podcast. What first drew me to them was their bootstrap approach of starting a podcast out of thin air from their kitchen table. Since then their podcast has blown up, which I primarily attribute to their willingness to be transparent, share their convictions, and engage with their audience so well.
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RADIO - Jon Leonetti in the Morning
Publication Date: 6/14/2021
Radio Show: Jon Leonetti in the Morning
Context: In May 2021, I was invited to be the keynote speaker for a group of Christian non-profit organizations. The title of the talk was When Money Comes Before Meaning, and I leaned into the cultural and psychological reasons why people struggle to be generous….even when they want to be. It was a fantastic event and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. On my way out the door, one of the audience members, who is an executive for a radio station, asked if I was interested in discussing similar topics on their daily morning show. Of course I did! Jon Leonetti and I had a great conversation about meaning and money. It was a great experience, though I admit it’s a different vibe when you’re live on air and don’t have the benefit of an editor to fall back on if/when you say something ridiculous.
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PODCAST - Does Money Buy Happiness?
Publication Date: 6/13/2021
Podcast Name: Road to Wealth
Episode Title: S1E18 - Does Money Buy Happiness? w/ Travis Shelton
Episode Summary: On today's episode, I have the honor to talk with Travis Shelton from Meaning Over Money. In a past life, Travis was very successful in a commercial real estate career and paid off over $200,000 in debt. He has left that life and started new work teaching people to find a deeper purpose with their money and in life. This episode was a follow up conversation of his podcast episode, "Money and Happiness: It’s Not What You Think". Travis and I talk through the behavioral science of money, the hedonic treadmill, and ultimately answer the question; "Does Money Buy Happiness"?
Context: I met Justin Nacpil (creator and host of the Road to Wealth Podcast) through money Twitter. Honestly, I think Justin really appreciated the beatings I regularly took on the platform. Over the course of time, we struck up an ongoing conversation and found ourselves engaging in the same Twitter threads. We also found a common bond around fatherhood and growing up Bulls fans in 90s. What I most appreciate about Justin is his willingness to engage in topics/ideas he may not necessarily agree with, but has a hunger to learn more about. On this particular episode, we continue the conversation around money and happiness that originally stemmed from an episode of our podcast. Justin and I talked for maybe another 90 minutes AFTER the mics turned off. I just loved chatting with him.
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PODCAST - Approaching Finances During COVID-19
Publication Date: 3/31/2020
Podcast Name: Cole Netten Show
Episode Title: Approaching Finances During COVID-19 w/Travis Shelton
Episode Summary: Travis Shelton shares his 5 key financial takeaways you should consider thinking about during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Those are my five key takeaways today. Stay the course on investing, keep as much cash in your emergency fund as possible, push pause on any major decisions, make sure you have health insurance, and keep being generous.” It's always a pleasure to have Travis on the show. He always brings wonderful financial insight and value to my listeners.
Context: As the financial realities and consequences of COVID-19 started to set in for Americans, Cole invited me back onto his podcast to share some simple and practical steps people could take to prepare for the uncertain times we were living in. Though the initial shock and fear of what COVID-19 do to us financially has long passed, this advice really wasn’t about COVID. It applies to any and all times we face uncertainty. Unfortunately, most of us will face many uncertain times in the years to come. It’s a when, not an if.
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PODCAST - $236,000 of Debt
Publication Date: 1/8/2020
Podcast Name: Cole Netten Show
Episode Title: $236,000 of Debt w/ Travis Shelton
Episode Summary: Today we talk about how Travis Shelton and his wife were able to pay off $236,000 worth of debt, his tips to becoming debt free, and his transition from his full time position to starting his dream of being a financial coach.
Context: When my friend and client, Cole Netten, asked me to be the first guest on his podcast, I was ecstatic. I wanted to support him and was grateful for the opportunity to share with his circle. We had no idea that, just a few months later after COVID-19 brought his filmmaking and my speaking to a halt, we’d become business partners and go on to launch our own podcast. I guess you could say this was the accidental and very public start of our media partnership.
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