Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin - Maye Musk Couldn't Pay Rent at 50. Now She's a Full-Time Model at 77.

Episode Date: September 15, 2026

Maye Musk is a model, dietician, and author. But before any of that success, she was 50 years old, newly single, and unable to make rent. Today, Maye joins Nicole to talk about her new memoir, Timeles...s, and the financial reinvention that came after everything fell apart. Maye opens up about the financial abuse she experienced in her first marriage, including how her ex-husband removed her signing rights from their joint account and took her savings, and why she still advises women to keep some money of their own, no matter how it might be received. She shares what it was like starting over in a new city with almost nothing, working her way back from a $2,000-a-month apartment she could barely afford, and the confidence it took to build two entirely new careers from scratch in her 50s. Then, Maye and Nicole get into why she didn't become a full-time model until her 60s, how she reframes aging as an asset instead of something to hide, and the mindset that let her keep saying yes to jobs, rejection, and reinvention well past the age most people consider their prime. Here's what Nicole covers with Maye: 00:00 Maye's Life Starting Over at 50 02:00 Not Being Able to Pay Rent for the First Time 06:38 Escaping a Financially Abusive Marriage 08:41 Why Maye Advocates for Women Having Their Own Bank Account 11:02 Starting Over With Nothing 21:45 Confidence, Rejection, and Getting to "One Out of 20" 23:04 Becoming a Full-Time Model at 60 26:36 Why Age Became an Asset, Not a Liability 27:11 Having to Stop Her Practice as Her Fame Grew 37:31 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank ----------------------- Start investing at https://SoFi.com/MNN Private Wealth Collective: Nicole's boutique wealth management practice for people who want more than a robo-advisor and less than a hedge fund minimum. Real strategy, real relationship. https://privatewealthcollective.com The Money School: Nicole's $149 investing course that actually breaks down stocks, ETFs, crypto, and building a real portfolio, no jargon, no judgment, lifetime access. https://themoneyschool.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:03:49 your way with Square. Get started today. I had to stop my practice just because Elon became so famous. People would book appointments with me and then they'd bring gifts for him. and want to talk about him for the hour, because they paid for the hour. And I would say, take your money back and take that gift. May is a model, a dietitian, an author, and mom to three very accomplished entrepreneurs, Kimball, Towska, and Elon Musk.
Starting point is 00:04:12 May started full-time modeling at an age where most people retire, and she argues that age is an asset, not a liability. She came on Money Rehab to talk about how she got out of a financially abusive relationship. My ex-husband was earning a living as an engineer. He had signing rights on my money. my bank account. When I got divorced, he removed my signing rights and then he took my money.
Starting point is 00:04:33 And advice for raising ambitious kids. As children and as parents, we didn't know what other people were doing because there was no social media and we didn't have to compare ourselves to anyone. I think it's pretty tough now because you think, oh, they're doing better than me. The lessons in her new memoir, timeless, like how to reframe aging to be empowering. I've never been nervous about aging and my mother didn't either. I never thought it was too late for me at any time and I still don't. Would you ever get married again? I...
Starting point is 00:05:00 And Nicole Lapton, the only financial expert you don't need a dictionary to understand. It's time for some money rehab. May Musk, welcome to money rehab. Thank you. I'm excited for the interview. I'm excited to have you here and I really want to dig into your new book, Timeless. It starts as a memoir at age 50, which is a wonderful, lesson for women in particular who think that their peak is at 30? Yes, yes, well, I never thought of my peak at 30 at all. I was too struggling then. Did you feel like your life really began when you were
Starting point is 00:05:49 50? I moved to New York then, and that's when I wanted to start all over. And I did. And it was fantastic. Yeah. Tell me more about what your life was like then, because in the book, you talk about not being able to pay your rent? What did that feel like in your body? I'd always been able to pay rent, and especially I was renting a one-bedroom apartment. I mean, it wasn't like it was expensive, but my practice wasn't taking off. The doctors were not used to a dietitian being in private practice. So they weren't referring patients to me, and also insurance doesn't cover dietetic counseling. So I was really struggling with that, and the modeling jobs were, We're very small and far between.
Starting point is 00:06:36 It was San Francisco. It's not a big modeling city. I just really felt for the first time that I was struggling, you know, that I couldn't make my rent. And it wasn't much, you know. How much was it? Well, the one bedroom was $2,000. It was a furnished apartment. And the only reason they would rent it to me, because I didn't have a credit score in America,
Starting point is 00:07:03 was because a woman had died in it. And so nobody wanted to rent this apartment. And it was fully furnished with this woman's taste. I didn't care. It was the only place that I could get. But then... You got a deal on it because nobody wanted it. People got weird about that stuff.
Starting point is 00:07:26 Yes. Okay, so you're 50, not able to pay rent. your memoir starts at that age. That's such an interesting metaphor for how to think about time and age. Well, you know, I was always kind of struggling to survive, always having this pain in my stomach. You know, I didn't realize it until it slowly went away. Well, let's back up for a second because a lot of your financial problems at the time were really marriage problems. Is that right?
Starting point is 00:07:59 Yes. well, when I was married, then I actually, my mom had taught me how to balance bank statements. And so I did that for us. And then, but everything was in his name. My ex-husband was earning a living as an engineer. And then it became better. He started earning better. And then at 28, you know, I think I put it in the book,
Starting point is 00:08:25 and then my mother stopped him from beating me up. So I could then go back to being a dietitian and having a practice because he couldn't stop me. And then I realized I could earn a living. And then the weirdest thing is that they needed Mother of the Bride in runway shows. And you can't have a 17-year-old walking mother of the bride. So there was an opportunity for me. And because I didn't have bruises anymore, I could do it. So I did it.
Starting point is 00:08:55 May you say it with a smile, but I'm so sorry that you... Other women, other women have suffered more than me. First of all, I had an education, and I had two professions I could work on, and I didn't know that, that I could actually earn well so that I could actually have savings. And for the first time I had savings, but being the good wife, my husband had signing rights on it. And I had signing rights on his savings, which were much more than mine. and I didn't know that he would actually take it away from me. Money is often used as a weapon in abusive relationships. And you talk about different types of abuse that you faced.
Starting point is 00:09:39 Was financial abuse part of that? Yes. Well, when I got divorced and he'd removed all my savings. Or as it said, he stole my savings. How did that happen? Well, he had signing rights on my. bank account and I had signing rights on his but he removed my signing rights and then he took my money. So now he said he will make me return to him because he, because I would be poor.
Starting point is 00:10:09 But you can you can actually live on very little when you're free. First of all, you're not having someone screaming insults at you is just so wonderful that anything else is is worth doing. In what way do you feel like you were controlled by that? Were there years where you felt like I'm not going to be able to pay for things on my own? I must stay. When did you break free from that cycle? Well, I actually ran away with her three kids at 31 years of age.
Starting point is 00:10:43 And that's very unusual in those days for a woman to do that. But I knew I had savings, but as I say, they disappeared. So then I really worked hard. I moved to a new city and to contact the doctors. And remember in those days you don't have social media. You wrote letters. And to all the doctors to send me patients and they were thrilled to have a consulting dietitian. So they sent their patients to me.
Starting point is 00:11:11 And once I got their cholesterol lowered or their diabetes under control or weight loss or eating disorders improved, they started. they started sending me many patients. So then that picked up, but it did take the first few months were hard. Although modeling started right away just because they needed one old lady. Well, it sounds like you believed in yourself, your entrepreneurial spirit to be able to figure it out, to start a whole new profession later in life. In the chapter of your book about leaving your husband, you say, ladies, get your banking in order.
Starting point is 00:11:52 Yes. Can you talk more about why this is such an important topic for women in toxic relationships? Yes, well, first of all, you need to make sure he doesn't have signing rights on your bank account. And that's hard because you could be beaten up over that. I think if I tried that, but again, I could have tried that and he wouldn't really know unless the bank notified him. So maybe I could have done that, but I didn't expect him to take my savings because I had three children I had to feed. And they were his as well. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:12:29 And so what should women think about with properties in particular? Because it sounds like Errol kept most of the properties in his name. Did you feel like that was setting a financial trap for you to stay? Well, I just had this one property in my name. So I feel very privileged to have run away with a property in my name and just a mortgage to pay. How do you think about now as you have a platform to talk to other women about the importance of having your own money in any relationship? Yes, well, you know, I'm sure men are not going to be happy if I say keep a separate bank account. It might be hard for women depending on how much you are controlled.
Starting point is 00:13:17 and how angry he would get if you did your own thing, you know. So you have to take a chance. So would you advocate for secret bank accounts? Ooh, that'll cause troubles. I don't know. I don't know if you, I just felt as a wife you have to share everything. And it will be difficult for a woman to have a separate bank account. I think it could be hard because if he finds out you could be in trouble.
Starting point is 00:13:52 I think of it as a parachute fund, like just in case, like a break in case of emergency, where you always have your back. Yes, you could also tell whoever your partner is that you're just doing this account. So there's a safe place too in case he has a problem. Yeah. And if he... Maybe if you can convince him. Well, if they have a problem, then that tells you a lot too.
Starting point is 00:14:16 Yeah. Would you ever get married again? I never did. I did date, of course, because, you know, models get dates. And I did have some nice boyfriends, but I didn't want to take it further because I didn't want them for the rest of my life. And I didn't want another divorce. So I would be committed to them, but then they would want it to go further, and then they'd dump me or cheat on me. you know, break my heart many times.
Starting point is 00:14:51 And you do recover. But the day is young, May. Like, we could get married today. You're never as young as you are today. So never? I've never wanted to marry anyone. It won't happen. No, because as you say, if you get married,
Starting point is 00:15:07 you want it for the rest of your life. And I didn't see any of that happening with anyone I dated. Are you dating? somebody now? No. I'm really happy, but I do have two dogs, so they make me very happy. It's a great relationship. What would you tell other women who are watching this now who might be in toxic relationships themselves or might be controlled by finances? Yeah, you've got to make a plan then. You have to turn to your family and friends. When my last book came out and my family and my friends saw how I struggled financially.
Starting point is 00:15:47 They said, why didn't you come to us? We would have helped you. And I didn't. And so I think women must go to family and friends. I didn't realize this at the time, but when you were leaving South Africa, you also couldn't take money with you. Is that right?
Starting point is 00:16:02 Yes. They have, the government prevents you from taking money out of South Africa. So I think it was $2,000 or even $10,000 anyway. I can't remember how much I could take out. But fortunately, there was one, I met a couple in South Africa who wanted to rent their one-bedroom apartment, and I could pay for it before I left South Africa. So that covered three months of rent, you know, which was great. And then I met another South African who said there's a rent-controlled apartment, and we can get it for you.
Starting point is 00:16:41 And he would then, because you need somebody to guarantee that you're a good person, you know, you need references. And so then it did take Elon Tosker and I about three weeks to clean it up. But it was great. Well, you talk about calling Kimball, actually, to borrow money when you needed it. Well, that was after I'd left Toronto. The rent control department was in Toronto. I could go to Canada because I was born in Canada. So then I went to San Francisco again to find an apartment
Starting point is 00:17:19 and I got a one-bedroom apartment. But then, as I say, it was $2,000 a month and my practice didn't pick up at all in the beginning. And my savings were just, they were gone very quickly. And then I moved to a studio apartment. on the border of the Tendalowin district, and that was $1,000 a month. But then I called Kimball,
Starting point is 00:17:50 and I couldn't believe that my practice was not picking up, and I just couldn't get doctors to refer patients to me. And modeling was small. You know, the Nordstrom shows, you get paid $150, but then there's the agency, commission, then there's me renting a car the night before so that I can drive early that morning to go and do the show. And then by then you make $50 a week. It wasn't enough. I couldn't cover the rent. And of course, Kimball was shocked. And he just said,
Starting point is 00:18:32 of course, we can pay your rent. We don't have time to spend our salary. So, so. So that did help. Actually, our mother. I know, but I still had never thought I would have to be in that situation. What does that teach you about asking for help, even from your kids when you're in need? I think you should ask. You know, they can always say no. And you can ask for anything.
Starting point is 00:18:58 You can always get a no. For example, when I would visit doctors to ask them to send me patients, one out of 20 would send me a patient when I would go for auditions for modeling jobs sometimes there were 300 women lining up and if you don't line up you don't get a job. Answers always no. It's always no.
Starting point is 00:19:24 So I think I would get a job one out of every 20 in modeling as well but because you didn't have to be a model to do a car ad or a plane ad or a teeth ad, although I did all those. You've great teeth. You mentioned in your book that you were embarrassed to call your son for help with rent, but you invested in Zip 2 with Elon and Kimball, right?
Starting point is 00:19:54 So how is that different to invest in your kids or say yes to them when they're asking for money help? They didn't ask for help. I just gave them the money because they needed to pay rent. and to pay for printing and pay for their office because they were living in the office. So they didn't formally ask, but you knew they needed it. They needed it, yes, to keep going because they had a good idea. It was door-to-door directions.
Starting point is 00:20:22 Now, I know you think that's easy because, you know, I just put in this address and I'm here. But in those days, you didn't have it. Not only that, but people didn't have computers. So it was like, it's a great idea. dear, but who's going to use it? And then, of course, everybody started signing up for it and they did very well. And I wasn't used to asking anyone for money. And of course, they were generous. You invested $10,000. Yes. And they obviously gave it back and then some. It was a huge success. They didn't give me the $10,000 back. They gave me much more when they sold them to, much more.
Starting point is 00:21:03 Because they said, go and buy yourself a house and a car. And that's when I started searching in San Francisco. And then my daughter was going to, in the film industry in L.A. So I looked there. She wanted me there. And then I had to give a talk in New York. And I just at the Dietetic Conference because I was a nutrition entrepreneur. I have actually an award about that because I always ran my own business.
Starting point is 00:21:32 Congratulations. Yeah, thanks. And then I just said, this is where I want to be. And my kids were surprised that I didn't want to be with them. And I said, no, I can be on my own now. I love the story, too, that they gave you like a little house and car and said that one day they'll give you the real size. Yeah. At my 50th, at my 50th, they had the party at an investor's home, because of course, we couldn't really afford it. And they went and picked up supermarket platters. And everybody brought their own wine or whatever they drank.
Starting point is 00:22:09 And that's when I got the little wooden house and the little wooden car. And I'm sorry I didn't keep it. Can you imagine? And then when they gave it to me and said, we'll get you a house in a car one day. And I just thought, oh, my kids are so cute. You know, not expecting anything within a year. I had a home in New York. What kind of advice would you give parents or family members investing in other family members' businesses?
Starting point is 00:22:40 Well, if you think the business is good and the outcome will be better for humanity, invest. There is no trepitation that you had? No, I haven't at all. I always thought what they were doing is better for them and better. for the community. And was that a big part for you to make sure that this company would be better for humanity, that there was more of a social why behind it? Well, you know, as a model, you would have to find locations and you have a big book
Starting point is 00:23:11 with a map. And then you're going down the highway, you take the turn off, then you have to stop and look and flip the pages. I don't know if you did. I don't know if you had. Yellow pages. You're quite trying. Thomas guide.
Starting point is 00:23:26 Yeah, the maps. And then you would see, okay, now I have to make a right here and a left there. And then you do that and then you have to flip it open again. And it takes a long time. And then this I could do on a computer. However, few people had computers at that time too. That was great. Actually, when I went to Hamburg for a modeling job,
Starting point is 00:23:49 And my former boyfriend had a German boyfriend who sent me to study German. I can doysprachan. And yeah. But then I'm fluent in Afrikaans and it does help, you know. And so then I went and I stayed with him because I was still on a budget, you know. I couldn't stay in hotels or anything. And then he actually printed out how to get to these different. auditions, you know. And that was cool. That is cool. Yeah. I mean, the whole story is cool and how you got back on your feet in your 50s. For anyone listening or watching now who's in their 30s, 40s, 50s, struggling financially and feeling embarrassed about that and that their life is over and it's too late for them, what would you want them to understand? Well, I never thought it was too late for me at any time and I still don't. But, um,
Starting point is 00:24:49 Financially, yes, I did struggle a lot. And when I think back, the people who were wealthy didn't invite me to their homes. But I'm thinking back on that, but not that I noticed it at the time. I know I was modeling with, we were the six models that did all the jobs in Durban after I got divorced. And one of the models said, oh, I'm having a dinner party, May. I'm sorry I can't invite you because you don't have a partner and it's going to be all couples. And I thought, oh, I didn't think about that. But that was fine, you know, if that's how she feels about it.
Starting point is 00:25:32 But I was surprised that that's a problem. But then I look back and I say I was 31 divorced. Nobody else was divorced and struggling with three kids. But nobody knew I was struggling because I didn't complain. I mean, I had enough to feed them and I could get secondhand school uniforms, which were in good condition because kids grow so quickly. So that was, I made it in a public school. It was very inexpensive to go to school.
Starting point is 00:26:03 Have you always had this type of confidence? Because at 60, right, you became a full-time model. If I had said that, people would have said, we got to lock this woman away. She's crazy. I know I didn't expect that and then again getting book deals you don't expect that
Starting point is 00:26:23 well you're in a world in a society that tells women they should look younger or erase their age when you used it as more of an asset and so at what point was it in your 70s that you felt like experience
Starting point is 00:26:39 in age was more of an asset than a liability despite what your kid's brainwashed I don't even think about the age But I do notice that for runway shows like Paris Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Berlin Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week. I was never ever invited to sit in the back row of these Fashion Week shows. And now I was walking in them. And it is interesting that they wanted one older model. And I was happy to be there.
Starting point is 00:27:09 What message would you want other women to take away from your story who, are nervous about aging? I've never been nervous about aging and my mother didn't either. She lived until 98 and she stopped working at 96. So I had a good example ahead of me. But don't, why would you want to be nervous? Well, I love the line that you have that fearlessness was better than a facelift. Yes. People think I'm really, really fearless. Well, I pretty much go into a lot of things and do a lot of things. Yeah. And if I don't like it, I don't do it.
Starting point is 00:27:49 And do you think you won't stop working, like your mom, no matter how much you have in your bank account? Yeah, I won't stop working. No matter what. Well, I need something to do and I like and I get excited. With every job, I get excited. With now the book coming out, I'm very excited, and I'm sure to do a lot of interviews and hop a cop,
Starting point is 00:28:12 Collins are keeping me so busy and I think it's, they're just wonderful, they efficient, they kind, they enthusiastic and so I am too. Well, I just love your confidence. I feel it just oozing out of you and hopefully I can take some in through osmosis. Do you think that it just appeared one day? Has it always been there? Was it a result of repeated behaviors over time that has led to this beautiful confidence that you exude?
Starting point is 00:28:42 Actually, you exude that confidence too. So you're doing just well, girl. Thanks, Mac. Yes. I've always thought I'm, I really thought I was a really good dietitian. Otherwise, you can't keep patients going unless you have good results. There, I thought I was really good. I also did talks as a nutrition entrepreneur.
Starting point is 00:29:04 In other words, I would give talks all around the country in many countries in South Africa, Canada, America. Within two years in America, I'd already given talks in 37 states because scientists are not good at promoting themselves. They are very modest. And I recently gave a talk in Milan at a medical school because medical doctors, no matter how much you tell them, you have to let people know what you do,
Starting point is 00:29:38 they are shy. You know, and so I had a really great opportunity to let people just tell people what you're doing so that you are going to, you know, succeed. So it sounds like it's not just confidence. Confidence isn't enough. You have to be really good at where you do. You really have to back it up. Yes, you have to know you're good. Your book also argues that possibility can sharpen with age.
Starting point is 00:30:07 What do you think were some of the opportunities that only became available? to you as you got older. Well, as you know, I had to stop my practice just because Elon became so famous. I couldn't have people coming in, bringing me gifts of for Elon. Was that happening? Yeah, that's what happened. I had a practice in L.A. And Elon became famous, so people would book appointments with me.
Starting point is 00:30:30 And then they'd bring gifts for him and want to talk about him for the hour because they paid for the hour. And I would say, take your money back and take that gift. Yeah. And then they would be upset about that. Really? Because they'd chosen a lovely gift for him. But you never took it to him. No, I had security pick it up.
Starting point is 00:30:50 You can't accept gifts when you're becoming well-known. It's actually unsafe to accept gifts. Did you ever think about changing your last name? Actually, when I got divorced, my friends said, why don't you change your name and go back to Holderman? And I said, I can't do that. because my three children are masks. But then again, what had happened,
Starting point is 00:31:15 my speaking engagements had picked up and consulting. And then I was doing weekly columns for an online website. And then I was also modelling. So I had a variety of things. And now with social media, it's so great. It's so great because you get so many requests for, jobs. Inbound. Are you checking your DMs? I check those too. Yeah. You also talk about how much you love being a mother and a grandmother. I am a new mother. My daughter is 18 months old. What advice would
Starting point is 00:31:54 you have for me? Well, first of all, it's the greatest joy in your life. And you just have to keep them at that stage, just stop them hurting themselves. You know, you have to be careful they can walk. Once she started walking, she's running. Exactly. I was like, I can't wait until she starts walking. And now I'm like, I think I'll help her a little longer. They can get into small areas and hurt themselves, you know. So you always have to watch them.
Starting point is 00:32:27 But daughters are fabulous. I'm so glad my third child was a daughter. Because boys are inclined to jump off roofs and out of trees and off tables and hurt themselves and daughters play more with their dolls. Well, you also say in your book that their sons were kind of rough housing. Yeah, yes. Like physically they were. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:32:50 Yeah, that's what boys do. All of your kids are so independent. You also talk about your daughter, which is an incredible story that you're thinking about selling your home, South Africa. She was 15 years old and she found an offer for you. Yes. She found a contract for you. How this?
Starting point is 00:33:09 Well, she was five foot ten, so nobody knows she's 15, all right? And then she put the house on the market. I was away for three weeks with Elon, just going to universities, where do I get my PhD? And because I was going to the university in Cape Town and Johannesburg, they both said I could get a scholarship there. And so Toska said, well, why don't we go to Canada, go and explore it with Elon? So Elon and I went to these universities. And everyone said, fine, you know, I could do a PhD there. And then we went to model agents as well.
Starting point is 00:33:47 And they all needed one older model. So I could work that way. And then I get back and she's standing in the driveway with other people and she's got the contract because she sold the house. And then she sold the furniture and the car. So there's nothing I can do. crazy. But I had to sign everything because there's contracts there. Do you think it was nature, nurture, both, this type of independence that she had? She just says what is best for her,
Starting point is 00:34:21 what's best for her, what's best for me, or her children now, or family. And she says, we do that. Why postpone it? So as a parent myself or other parents hoping to raise success, children. What are the secrets? Well, with my children, I think it's the same as my parents. They worked from seven in the morning until six at night. All right. So we were used to that. We were very independent. We had to walk to school as little kids and we had to bicycle to school as we got older. And they didn't ask about school. They didn't check our homework. They didn't they weren't concerned about us. I guess if we'd failed anything, they would have been concerned,
Starting point is 00:35:11 but they weren't, but we didn't. But my mom did make my ballet costumes, and she wanted us to go to piano lessons, and I did five exams, hated them, because I have no talent. But my mom had the talent of she can hear music and play it. you know, she thought one of her children would have that talent and we didn't. You've other, many other talents.
Starting point is 00:35:40 Yeah, yeah. And then my mom was also a drama teacher and a ballet teacher. So she wanted us to do that. So it sounds like they weren't extremely involved in your lives. Well, my father was always working, but he worked next door. Well, first of all, we stayed in the clinic. and then as we got older, they bought the house next door. So we were next door.
Starting point is 00:36:06 And then, yeah, if we needed my mom, she was there for us. But wasn't overly hovering like a helicopter parent now? And now we have, you know, bulldozed parents, this sort of movement to just pave the way for them to go to school or, you know, all of the college scandal stuff that happened so that everything is set up for them. Do you think parenting has changed or the expectations? I think people can find out more about what other people are doing nowadays. We didn't know what other people were doing because there was no social media and we didn't have to compare ourselves to anyone. I think it's pretty tough now because you think, oh, they're doing better than me, you know,
Starting point is 00:36:52 as children and as parents. So to raise successful children, just kind of let them be. They made their own decisions. They, when I was a research officer at the University of Toronto, they could come there for free if they studied medicine, any aspect of medicine. And they didn't want to. So they chose their own universities. I didn't even read the contracts. They had to get loans.
Starting point is 00:37:19 They had to get scholarships. I didn't even care because they had a choice and they made their choices. And so they went to their universities. At the end, they're $100,000 in debt, all three of them. I didn't care because that wasn't your problem. It's not my problem. I am an entrepreneur. My husband is an entrepreneur.
Starting point is 00:37:43 I feel like even though my daughter is so young, she already is sassy and independent. You can see she has like these entrepreneurial qualities. So she might want to be an entrepreneur. But I worry about that because it's so stressful, of course. Oh, but it's so nice. I mean, would you like to have? have a boss? No, exactly. So you see, you can make that choice and be an entrepreneur. If it's in you, you do it. Yeah. But if you have a nice job, you don't have to be an entrepreneur.
Starting point is 00:38:10 So how would you suggest that I switch mindsets from being the entrepreneur myself to raising a successful entrepreneur child? Make sure she's safe. And then she'll see what you're doing. Because People say, so to Tosca, how did your mom raise you? And she says, I never saw her. She was working all the time. And I would say, but I worked in the house because I would use a bedroom as an office. Or if I didn't have a bedroom, my dining room table was my office. And yeah, I worked all the time.
Starting point is 00:38:51 So she had to bring herself up. I think that's a really important point because I think about that a lot. my daughter sees exactly what I do. She mimics, even at a very young age, exactly what I'm doing. Touch your nose. Go like, blow a kiss. Go like this. And she does that.
Starting point is 00:39:09 And I think about this all the time that she's going to copy my money behaviors, the way I work. But she is going to see her mom working and showing her that it is possible to raise a daughter and work at the same time. And I don't actually have to tell her anything. I just have to do it myself. I let them go their own way. And I mean, for example, Tosca, of course, studied a film.
Starting point is 00:39:30 So she has her own platform because she was working in the film industry and she felt it was male dominated and many movies were abusive to women. You know, had violence in their movies. And she said, that's why she started Passion Flix so that these are based on bestselling romance novels where the woman is not abused, and she's the main character, and there's a happy ending. Of course there's drama, because it's romance, but that's what she wants to do, and that makes her happier.
Starting point is 00:40:07 Well, it sounds like for all of your kids, it's not just success. There's a why behind that. There's a mission behind that. It's been such a pleasure chatting with you, May. Thank you so much. We end all of our episodes by asking our guests for one final money tip that listeners can take with them. today? You don't need a lot of money to eat well. So if you find you're struggling, then
Starting point is 00:40:31 choose foods that you don't have to have organic produce. You can take the cheapest and you can actually survive well on bean stew and if you can't afford meat, fish and chicken. So just budget your food, because I'm saying this because I'm a dietitian, to be healthy. To be healthy, because health is everything. Health is well. Do you wish you could just hit skip on the worst parts of your life? You know the same way you can skip an ad? I get it.
Starting point is 00:41:10 I'm Siyaya and I live in Ice Cove. I've made some questionable decisions that didn't end up the way I planned. And today I'm still figuring it out. Somehow things usually get worse before they get better. Apparently that's how I roll. So bundle up and come along. for the bumpy ride. Stream a new episode of North of North Tuesdays on CBC Gem.

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