{"podcast":{"title":"Australian Finance Podcast","slug":"australian-finance-podcast-1163565","podcast_index_feed_id":1163565,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/RRKKR5925883975","website_url":"https://www.raskmedia.com.au/podcasts/australian-finance-podcast/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/92992eb0-1181-11ed-950d-73315c1fbe30/image/8e27fe75e7dbf62d98a37879f1052f43.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Rask","episode_count":400,"summary":"The Australian Finance Podcast is your guide to sorting out your finances, one episode at a time. Owen Rask, Chief Investment Officer, & Gemma Mitchell, Senior Financial Adviser, bring you actionable strategies and knowledge that you can put into practice today. Save money, invest better and live life on your terms. ~~ New to the show? We recommend that you head back to our Starter Pack series of the podcast in Jan/Feb 2024, to get your head around some really important concepts! More advanced listeners might enjoy our other show, The Australian Investors Podcast. ~~ SHOW NOTES: https://www.raskmedia.com.au/podcasts/australian-finance-podcast/ ~~ DISCLAIMER: The information in this podcast series is general financial information/advice only. That means, the advice does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the advice is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on the information. In addition, you should obtain and read the product disclosure statement (PDS) before making a decision to acquire a financial product. If you don’t know what your needs are, you should consult a trusted and licensed financial…","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/australian-finance-podcast-1163565"},"episode":{"title":"Financial independence is still achievable but most people are focusing on the wrong lever","slug":"financial-independence-is-still-achievable-but-most-people-are-focusing-on-the-wrong-lever","published_at":"2026-04-06T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/australian-finance-podcast-1163565/financial-independence-is-still-achievable-but-most-people-are-focusing-on-the-wrong-lever","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/australian-finance-podcast-1163565","url":"https://www.raskmedia.com.au/podcasts/australian-finance-podcast/","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/RRKKR6809066247.mp3?updated=1775023404","summary":"Mitchel Sneddon sits down with Hayden Smith, co-founder of Pearler, to unpack whether FIRE is still achievable and what actually drives financial independence today. The conversation moves beyond theory into the real levers — spending, income, behaviour and simple ETF investing — and reframes investing as a tool, not the solution. Together they discuss: – FIRE remains achievable, but outcomes are driven by income, spending and family choices, not markets alone – Cutting spending is still the fastest and most controllable lever – A simple rule of thumb that anyone can start with – Many investors stall due to analysis paralysis on ETFs, when early decisions have minimal long-term impact – Starting small builds engagement and accelerates understanding – Growth vs income portfolios are shaped by tax position and psychology, not just returns or theory – Investing is not the solution — earning more or spending less drives wealth, with investing acting as a catalyst Resources for this episode Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset” Ask a question (select the Finance podcast) Show partner resources Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith View Betashares range of funds Rask resources All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always c…","meta_description":"Mitchel Sneddon sits down with Hayden Smith, co-founder of Pearler, to unpack whether FIRE is still achievable and what actually drives financial independ…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2274,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/australian-finance-podcast-1163565/episodes/financial-independence-is-still-achievable-but-most-people-are-focusing-on-the-wrong-lever/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/australian-finance-podcast-1163565/financial-independence-is-still-achievable-but-most-people-are-focusing-on-the-wrong-lever.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}