Ina Coveney
I'm not gonna waste any words. It is so good to see you. I'm so excited to connect after so much time. So much has changed, and I’m really excited to share everything that's going on. We are going to talk about all of it. But first of all, I just wanted to say a huge congratulations on your new book, *Financially Lit*, which is out there now. People can go buy it. How does it feel?

Jannese Torres
Honestly, this has been the most out-of-body experience I've ever had. Just seeing your words on paper… it's an unreal experience. It's also the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. So for anybody who's aspiring to be an author, just prepare yourself.

Ina Coveney
We're going to be talking a lot about this book. I had a chance to take a look at it, and there are some really good nuggets in here. If anybody's looking to buy it, I'm going to put the link in the show notes so people can go and get it right now because you get into a lot of detailed strategies on how to improve your financial situation. But first, before we start, can you please remind everybody what is it that you do right now? And who do you help right now?

Jannese Torres
Oh, I love this question. So, my name is Jannese Torres. I am a personal finance expert and podcaster, and I help women, especially women of color, build businesses and gain financial freedom. Here’s the thing, I interviewed you back in the fall of 2021. Oh my gosh, right? It feels like a lifetime ago, and we got into your entire story—quitting your job and all of those things back then. So, if anybody's looking for that story, just go to Episode 55. We really went deep. We spent an hour just talking about how you got there, but a lot has happened since then.

Ina Coveney
And you're going to forgive me because we are going to start right into what people want to hear about. Back then, you were Jannese Torres-Rodriguez. Now, you’re Jannese Torres. And there is an entire story that comes along with that. You share about it in your book, and I want you to tell us just a little bit of why you got a divorce. What were the things that were happening at the time? This is stuff that you've been public about. I don’t want people to come after me like, “Why are you asking her such personal questions?” This is actually very, very relevant to your financial health. So, I want everybody to hear what that story was.

Jannese Torres
Yeah, absolutely. The crazy part of this whole thing is that this was actually happening while I was writing the book. So, it was not part of the original plan to write about prenups and divorce and how money affects your love life, but it evolved into a place where I needed to add this to the book because this is something that I had to personally navigate while I was on this journey. I realized early on in my relationship that me and my ex were completely different when it came to money. So, from very early on, when we moved in together, I always kept my finances separate. His credit was terrible, his money management skills were terrible, and it's not to say that you can’t have different ways of handling money in a relationship. But if someone doesn't want to change, that's kind of a red flag, you know? And I know that now with hindsight.

But for me, I was like, "Well, I don’t agree with how you operate, so I'm going to keep my stuff." And we got married, and nothing really changed from that perspective. We drifted apart. There was a lot of things that happened in the relationship. But I found myself in a place where I had to make a choice. It was time to go. But 18 months before that, I had had a life-changing conversation with a financial advisor that absolutely changed how this divorce could potentially have impacted me. And speaking to other entrepreneurs who had to go through divorce after building businesses, I know how catastrophic that can be, both emotionally and financially.

So, before all this happened—and this was right at the point where I was planning to transition from my career as an engineer into becoming a full-time entrepreneur—my Latina CFP (Certified Financial Planner) said, after reviewing my financial situation, "I would love for you to get a postnuptial agreement because you are out here building real wealth that you need to protect." Now, you never go into marriage thinking that it's going to end up in divorce, but you should absolutely have a plan if it happens. And so, I ended up getting a postnuptial agreement that basically separated all the assets that I had been building in my business.

So, when it came to a point that I was ready to file for divorce, the process was so much more streamlined. There was none of the chaos that I've heard from other entrepreneurs who’ve experienced this process. It was very much cut and dry. The courts reviewed the documents. Everything stayed separate. I didn’t have to pay any alimony. I didn’t lose my business. I came out of pocket $500 in total for my divorce, which—when you think about somebody that has multiple six-figure net worth, assets, properties, etc.—it could have been absolutely insane.

In that journey, I realized how critical it was for other people to have this information because I know there are so many people who are starting businesses that listen to my podcast, and I don’t want this generation of women—which is the first of its kind to be able to build the type of wealth that we're seeing—to lose it because they didn’t protect it. There have been so many changes in legislation and just society that have allowed us to create things that we couldn’t have even anticipated in the past. And we need to protect it. We need to move differently than maybe we saw our mothers and grandmothers move.

Ina Coveney
You need to tell us a little bit about what the conversation was like with your ex-husband about the postnuptial agreement. I had actually never heard of it before you mentioned it. I thought the prenup was your one chance, and if you missed it, that was it. So, when this idea came about from your financial planner and you went up to him, I’m sure all the women out there who have a tricky relationship with their spouse—who don’t like to talk about money because they know things are a mess—are wondering, "How did you approach it? How did that conversation go?" Because money conversations can get defensive, and it can feel like you're being targeted or attacked. How did you go about it emotionally? And how did that go?

Jannese Torres
Yeah, that’s a great question, and it’s a question that I get from a lot of people who’ve heard my story. They’re like, "Well, that sounds like a very awkward conversation to have." And honestly, for me, I think there were two things that were in my favor that made it a pretty normal conversation. One was the fact that we had never combined our finances. So, it wasn’t like I was asking for this system that we’d built together to now be separated, because that can be very difficult. You know, there’s a lot that goes into understanding who did what and who put in what. So, I think that was definitely an advantage I had because it was basically just how we were already operating.

Secondly, having the financial planner to kind of default this decision to—like, it wasn’t my idea, she just said it’s a great thing that we should both do because I’m building a business, there’s risk in that, and I don’t want you to necessarily have some sort of liability if something were to happen. It’s a marital asset, but it’s also protecting you. I think that’s a lot of the stigma that we need to get past when it comes to conversations about prenups and postnups. There’s always this stigma, like the person who has something to lose is trying to keep the other person down, or you hear those narratives played out in movies and TV shows. But I think when you get to the nitty-gritty, it’s meant to protect both parties. It’s meant to create an emergency plan for your marriage if it becomes unsustainable.

Ina Coveney
So, how is life now after all of that? If anybody has gone to your stories, we’re being introduced to a new kind of man who picks up a broom and does things without you asking. It seems like you’re in a different place. Please, share with us a little bit of your happiness right now because we all need some of that hope!

Jannese Torres
I love that! You know, when I got divorced, I definitely was spiraling in the sense of, “I’m in my upper thirties, I’m never going to find love, I don’t know what I’m going to do, life is over for me.” It’s crazy the things we tell ourselves. If your whole life isn’t figured out by 25, apparently there’s no hope for you, right? So, after about six months of therapy and working with different modalities, healing, and doing a lot of personal development work, I found myself ready to get back out there in the dating world. But I knew I didn’t want to go about it the same way I had in my teens because me and my ex met in college, so I didn

’t know who I was. I didn’t know what my life was going to turn into.

Now, having this established life, I knew I wanted to bring someone in who was going to be a complement to my life and who was going to understand the weird world we live in as entrepreneurs. This is not a normal life you sign up for when you’re with someone who doesn’t have a set schedule, works from anywhere, and can have projects come about and then time off. So, it was important for me to have someone who understood that lifestyle and who wasn’t going to subscribe to the toxic narratives, especially in the Latino community, about what women should do and what men should do. So, I put myself back out there, and I found an incredible partner who has broken a lot of taboos I had in my head. He’s younger than me, which I said I’d never do. He’s a former entrepreneur who went back into corporate because he realized entrepreneurship wasn’t for him at the time, but now he’s going back into it. There are so many synergies between our values, lifestyle, and what we want, and it’s been a healing experience just knowing there are good people out there. Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to explore the unknown when your existing environment no longer serves you.

Ina Coveney
Now that you mention it, it just makes me think—he seems very different from your ex. It’s not the norm for us to go from someone who has chaos in their life to changing our mind and going for somebody more established. There’s usually a lot of internal work and growth that needs to happen. Can you tell us about that change? Because I know you’ve done the inner work on this.

Jannese Torres
Yeah, I think if I have to distill it down to a phrase, it would be, “Date with intention, not for attention.” Loneliness and the desire to be with somebody can make us ignore red flags because someone is giving us attention, even if they’re not aligned with our values or lifestyle. You have to think bigger than just physical attraction. You have to ask, "How is this person going to fit into my life? What are they adding to it, both good and bad?" When you decide to bring someone into your life, you’re taking on both sides of that coin. So, I got intentional about bringing someone in who would add value to my life versus depleting it. That was a big part of my dating experience.

Let me just say, getting back into the dating world in my late thirties, with social media and dating apps, is not for the faint of heart. But I want people to know there’s still hope out there, even if you see narratives about dating being terrible. You can create the life and love you want, and you don’t have to settle for less. Life is too short for mediocrity in any part of your life.

Ina Coveney
Do you remember the moment when you knew this relationship was going to be different?

Jannese Torres
Oh, God! I think it was on our first date, which freaked me out because I was used to emotionally unavailable, toxic situations. When my partner was genuinely interested from day one, going out of his way to communicate and talk about feelings, I freaked out! I thought, "What’s wrong with you? Who are you? This can’t be real." It took me a while to trust that he was genuine and that I was worthy of being treated that way. That’s the biggest barrier for many people. When you’ve been made to feel less than or your worth was questioned, you can project that onto others and push people away who are being real.

Ina Coveney
When did he realize he was going out with a powerhouse like you? I imagine it’s not a first-date kind of topic, like, "I’m kind of a big deal." When did he know?

Jannese Torres
That story cracks me up. I think one thing I manifested, intentionally or not, was that I didn’t want to date someone in the business world or an influencer. It felt weird—like there could be competition or animosity if both people were in that arena. So, when I met my partner, he said, "I don’t have social media. I think it’s a waste of time." He only watched YouTube, so he had no idea who I was. When he asked what I did, I told him, sent him my link, and he went home and realized, "Oh, you’re a big deal!" He thought I was doing this as a hobby. But we never had an intense conversation about it because he’s always told me, "I don’t care what you do. I’m not here to be a fanboy. I’m here to be your partner. I love Jannese, not all the other stuff you have going on."

Ina Coveney
Thank you so much for sharing all of that with us. We’ve seen your growth, going through the divorce and now finding happiness. We are so happy for you. So, thank you for sharing all of this. Now, I want to ask you something about business. We have an entire audience of coaches watching you blow up, and we want to know the ins and outs. How do you organize your business right now? What do you consider your top offers that you're talking about all the time? What does your business actually look like? Help us paint a picture.

Jannese Torres
A lot of people would be surprised to know how lean my business is. I do earn multiple six figures a year, but I’m the only full-time employee. I have a couple of part-time contractors. One handles the podcast, editing videos, and content, and the other handles administrative stuff like my virtual assistant. They manage my schedule, travel, and business inquiries. I also work with an agent who handles my brand partnerships, negotiating contracts. My workdays are fluid because I didn’t want a regimented schedule like in corporate. I have dedicated days for specific tasks—podcast days on Wednesdays, admin days on Thursdays, content creation on Tuesdays. I work about three days a week.

I think people often feel like they need more support than they do because they don’t have systems in place. Before writing the book, I focused on automating my sales funnels, like webinars that play on demand, and email sequences triggered when someone joins a freebie or email list. These operate in the background and generate income without me needing to be hands-on. That allowed me to write the book without a big impact on my income, which is something many authors don’t talk about.

Ina Coveney
What’s your best tip for creating those funnels? I’m experimenting with ads and a masterclass, trying to ensure it converts before going evergreen. It’s a process! What’s your main takeaway?

Jannese Torres
For me, I realized I wasn’t equipped to do it on my own, so I hired an agency specializing in it. I made a significant investment—probably close to $40,000 over a year and a half. That was the best use of my money because creating new processes can be intimidating if you don’t understand software and systems. So, I admitted I wasn’t the smartest person for the job and hired professionals who got me there faster. They created infrastructure to support long-term growth.

Ina Coveney
How do you know when you're ready to get help? You’ve said you don’t need many people if you have systems, but also invest when you need help. What’s the right balance?

Jannese Torres
First, look at software before people because it’s cheaper. If scheduling software saves you hours, that’s better than outsourcing to a person. But for things needing a human touch—like editing videos, creating email funnels that sound like you—you may need to outsource. Before you hire, ensure you’re consistently making enough income to allocate money to a new project. Some business owners overspend without proven revenue systems, which can cause stress. Get good at making money before hiring.

Credit can be used strategically to make investments in your business without overwhelming your costs. When working with service providers, negotiate payment plans instead of paying large amounts upfront.

Ina Coveney
Let’s talk about the book. You mentioned needing systems to free up time. I want to hear how you went about writing it. How did you start? Did you get a publisher? Tell us the story.

Jannese Torres
I knew I wanted my book to be traditionally published because only about 7% of authors are Latina. It’s a hard industry to break into, and we’re underrepresented. I wanted to be part of that representation. So, I hired a book proposal coach, which is actually a thing! They help you put together a proposal to shop around to publishers. My coach has worked with incredible authors, including my friend and mentor Farnoosh Torabi, a big name in personal finance and podcasting.

We worked together for about three months to create an 80-page proposal. It covered everything: what the book is about, why I’m qualified, market research, and marketing plans. After that, I started meeting with publishers. I also got connected with an agent who negotiated contracts. I received an offer from one of the major publishers. The original timeline was 12 months, but it ended up taking about 18 months because of my divorce.

The book comes out in 2024, exactly three years to the day I quit my job to pursue this full-time. Fun fact—April 30th is my birthday!

Ina Coveney
Gosh, what an amazing day! That’s incredible. Cheers to Jannese Torres from three years ago for making that decision! How did you come up with the title *Financially Lit*?

Jannese Torres
It’s a play on "financially literate" and also the millennial love for the word "lit," as in, "This is so lit!" My first freebie was called *The Financially Lit Latina*, which covered side hustles, investing, and financial independence. It felt natural to extend that into my first book.

Ina Coveney
You’ve been featured on CNBC, Business Insider—you’re everywhere! It’s been incredible to see your brand take off. I care about the behind-the-scenes. How did you decide to prioritize PR when you were already successful? What role has PR played in your business?

Jannese Torres
This might surprise you—I’ve never spent money on PR! I’ve never had a publicist or pitched media agencies. All the press I’ve gotten is organic. I think it’s because my brand has a lot of public-facing aspects—podcasts, blogs, social media. I have a large reach, and my experience as a blogger taught me to create content that’s highly searchable. If you Google "personal finance for Latinos," I’m inevitably going to come up. Journalists find me because of that.

PR for me has just been about doing what I do and people noticing. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s really not more complicated than that. It’s about sharing your story and being open. People want to hear authentic stories, and I’ve gotten media coverage from that. My advice is to get comfortable telling your story because you never know who’s paying attention.

Ina Coveney
It reminds me of the saying, "Be so good they can’t ignore you." That seems to be what’s happening here. Now, knowing how amazing things have turned out, I have two questions. First, what is your biggest challenge right now? And second, what’s next for Jannese Torres?

Jannese Torres
My biggest challenge is not feeling like I’m in competition with yesterday’s version of myself. As entrepreneurs scale and grow, there’s always that voice saying, "I should be doing more." If I made six figures this year, I should make seven figures next year, or I’m a failure. I’ve had to get clear on where that pressure is coming from because it’s usually not my own. It’s external—comparison, imposter syndrome. I’ve had to work on defining what is enough and what success really means to me. It’s an ongoing struggle, but I’ve learned to ask, "Who am I trying to hit these milestones for?"

As for what’s next, I’m planning to take some time for myself. Writing a book requires a lot, and there are so many people you’re accountable to when you’re in that process. I’m looking forward to the book launch, meeting people in person on my multi-city book tour, and hearing how the book impacts their lives. You can find details at *FinanciallyLitBook.com*.

Ina Coveney
Are you coming to Boston?

Jannese Torres
I’m in the process of finalizing that! I’ll keep you posted.

Ina Coveney
Amazing! We’ll put the link below so people can check if you’re coming to a city near them. Before we wrap up, can you tell us the biggest misconception people have about you as a successful businesswoman?

Jannese Torres
I think people think I just started doing this recently. I’ve been doing online entrepreneurship for 11 years. It took me four years to make my first $10,000 and seven years to make my first $100,000 in a single year. People often don’t know about the long nights and sacrifices that went into the success they see now.

Ina Coveney
Finally, if everyone had to do one thing to become financially lit, and they had to do it in the next 24 hours, what would that be?

Jannese Torres
It’s not going to be pleasant, but it will change your life: Get clear about your financial situation. Calculate your net worth. Know how much you owe, how much you have saved. Knowing where you start is how you can make changes. It’s like a weight loss journey—you need a starting point to track progress. Once you know where you stand, you can start making a plan to reach financial freedom.

Ina Coveney
I love it, and everybody needs to go get your book! Jannese Torres, thank you so much for being here and sharing your story with us. You are changing lives!

Jannese Torres
Thank you so much, Ina! This was amazing!