We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Darla Bishop. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Darla below.

Darla, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I want to be remembered as someone who didn’t just talk about change—but actually made it happen.

A woman who kept it real about money. Who turned her own financial trauma into tools that helped other people feel capable, powerful, and in control.

A mom who said yes when her six-year-old daughter asked, “When do I get a darlabishop.com book?”—and meant it. A woman who believed kids shouldn’t have to wait until adulthood (or a financial crisis) to learn about money. A woman who built something with her child that’s going to help thousands of other families have better conversations, better habits, and better futures.

My daughter and I are co-authors of Madeline’s Money Adventure, a bilingual children’s book that’s part of our bigger program, Piggy Bank Pathways. We’re showing what it looks like to make money fun, not stressful. To teach healthy financial habits early. To give parents and caregivers the language they wish they had when they were growing up.

And we’re just getting started.

If people remember me for anything, I hope it’s this:
She made financial wellness feel possible—no matter where you started.
She broke the cycle.
And she left a playbook behind so the next generation could win, too.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Dr. Darla Bishop—financial wellness strategist, speaker, public health nerd, mom, military spouse, and creator of Piggy Bank Pathways. I wrote my first book, How to Afford Everything, because I was tired of watching smart, hard-working people—especially women of color—struggle with money simply because no one ever taught us how to manage it in real life. Now, as a sought-after speaker and educator, I make sure the next generation doesn’t have to unlearn what we weren’t taught in the first place.

Through my company, Finansis LLC, I create practical tools, workshops, speaking engagements, and curriculum that make money make sense. My work sits at the intersection of public health, behavioral science, and financial wellness—because money stress isn’t just a budgeting issue, it affects our bodies, our relationships, and our communities. I teach strategies that help people manage their money without shame, confusion, or overwhelm—and I partner with schools, universities, and organizations to build real-life financial skills into the places people already are.

One of the projects I’m most proud of is Piggy Bank Pathways—an early childhood financial literacy program built around the children’s book Madeline’s Money Adventure, which I co-wrote with my six-year-old daughter. The program is bilingual (English/Spanish) and designed to help kids as young as four learn how to earn, save, and give. What sets it apart? It’s joyful, research-based, and built with both families and institutions in mind.

Whether I’m speaking to a packed auditorium, training teachers, or reading to a room full of kindergarteners, my mission stays the same: to make financial wellness accessible, equitable, and empowering.

Because money shouldn’t be scary. And with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I didn’t set out to become a “TikTok finance expert.” I’m actually a professor of public health—and when I saw other professors bringing their classrooms to TikTok, I thought, why not me? So I launched a weekly series called How to Afford Everything 101, where I broke down real-world money concepts in plain language.

No shame. No jargon. Just helpful, practical advice on things like how to stop living paycheck to paycheck, talk to your kids about money, or start saving when everything feels expensive.

And to my surprise, it took off. I gained over 15,000 followers by being real, staying consistent, and making financial wellness feel possible—even joyful—for people who’ve been stressed about money for a long time.

What really attracted people was the tone. I wasn’t telling them to give up coffee or hustle harder—I was saying, “Here’s what works, here’s how I did it, and you can do it too.”

If you’re just starting to build your audience, my advice is this:
• Start with what you know and make it easy for people to understand.
• Be consistent—even if you only post once a week, let people know what to expect.
• Talk to one person—not the whole internet. Think about who you’re helping and speak to them.
• And don’t be afraid to show up as yourself. Social media is noisy, but authenticity cuts through the noise every time.

Your people will find you. Just keep showing up.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I’ve built my reputation by meeting people where they are and offering financial guidance that’s both research-backed and real-life tested. I’m not here to shame people into better habits—I’m here to show them that financial wellness is possible, even if no one ever taught you how money works in the first place.

What sets me apart is the way I bridge disciplines. I’m a professor of public health with a doctorate, and I approach money through that lens—understanding how stress, environment, and access all shape our financial outcomes. I combine that with behavioral science, lived experience, and a deep belief that we can do better when we’re given the right tools.

That mix of empathy and evidence is what’s helped me earn trust across different spaces. I’ve spoken at places like Harvard, University of Michigan, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and with organizations like GreenPath Financial Wellness. I’ve also been featured on over 50 podcasts, including top-ranked shows like Financial Feminist, Earn & Invest, and Talk Money with Tiff.

Whether I’m speaking to a room full of public health leaders or answering a DM from a young professional who just read my book, my goal is the same: to make financial wellness feel less overwhelming and more achievable. People appreciate that I’m not pushing perfection. I’m helping them build habits that feel good, that fit into their real lives, and that actually last.

That’s the reputation I’ve worked hard to earn—and the impact I’m committed to continuing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://howtoaffordeverything.com/
• Instagram: Https://www.instagram.com/my_finansis/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darlabishop
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@my_finansis
• Other: https://piggybankpathways.org

Image Credits

Blake Matthews, Paradiso Productions