297: [Darla Bishop] Take Advantage: How To Afford Everything

>> Dr. Darla Bishop: And it's. It's also easy. I think it's easier to listen to someone who starts with love, right? I always start with love. Instead of like, I can't believe you made that choice. Like the books, right? The full circle going back to the earlier in this conversation, like, instead of me, like, I can't believe you got into credit card debt. I can't believe you took out that kind of loan. I can't believe you chose that apartment. It's so expensive. It's like,

oh, well, why'd you choose that? Okay, what made you make that decision is that is this choice hurting other things in your life? And how do we make the adjustment? Like, starting with love, and that makes a big difference. And people willingness to listen.

>> Anthony: Welcome back, everybody, to another exciting show of the about that Wallet podcast, where we help the sandwich generation build strong financial habits where they can spend money, talk about money, and even enjoy their money with confidence. Today I have somebody who has been doing such an amazing job, even came up with a book on how

to afford everything. And you know what, you sandwich generation folks, it is very important that you know that it is tight with your money, dealing with your kids, and also dealing with your parents. And the person I have in on today is Dr. Dollar Bishop. How you doing today? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: I'm excellent. I'm so excited to talk with you. You know, in the pre show, we talked about how we were at Fincon together this, um, in 2024, and how I'm just super

thrilled to be with you today. Thank you for having me. >> Anthony: No problem. Are you going to fincon this year? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yes, I bought my ticket. I've been watching, um, flights, but I think it's too early to buy. Um, I'm really trying to get a speaking gig so that way the trip can be funded slash sponsored by somebody else. >> Anthony: I know, right? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: One of the ways to afford everything. Okay, there you go.

>> Anthony: It's, uh, it's not what they say. It's not who me, it's not what, not how, but who to figure out. Because I'm trying to do the same thing. And I was like, if I become a speaker, I'm like, who is going to sponsor my slides? Like, I want to put their. Their branding across the slides. Like, we can make this work. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yes. And like, my mama gonna be mad when I say this, but I'm for sale. Dr. Darla Bishop is for sale. Sponsor me.

>> Anthony: That's how we gonna start this show off. Okay, so she's up for sale. Um, but one of the things so you come up with the title, such a bold title on how to afford everything. Uh, what was the idea behind it, and what do you hope people to get away from it? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yeah, that's exactly it. I wanted to make a bold promise to

readers because I really wanted people who were either scared to pick up a book about money or who had previously been hurt by a book about money to pick this one up. And if you've ever worked on a big project, you know, like, when it came to this book, I was waiting for the book to tell me its title, right? I was like, okay, we're working through the chapter. I had a great editor. We were working through the chapters one by one. She's like, okay,

we got to start working on the COVID art. Uh, what's the title going to be? I'm like, I'm waiting for the book to tell us. I'm waiting for the book to tell us. And the book didn't quite tell us. She was like, well, I need you to tell me, because we got to make this cover. And so I just, like, got real quiet one day and thought, well, what. What is the promise of this book? What is it that I want people to see when they see the COVID and think about.

And I thought about all the conversations I had had with friends, family, co workers, people on the street who, like, let me get in business a little bit. And so much of what would come up is like, I just want to know how to afford everything. Like, I just want to know how to do. I just want to know how to. But that everything wasn't like yachts and trips to Bali for some. A couple people, it was. But it was like, I want to just

be able to put the bills on autopay. I want to be able to. When my kid is at the store and they ask for something that I want them to have to be able to say, yes. When my mom or my auntie or my uncle has a small problem that a little bit of money could solve, I want to just be able to solve the problem. Like, I just want to be able to do everything. And I was like, you know what? That's. That's the title.

How to afford everything. Because everything for you right now might be as simple as, I just want to be able to put these bills on auto pay. >> Anthony: Yeah. I mean, sometimes even just getting to that level, it's a lot. And I like that the title is so bold that you actually providing a way, like, hey, you can actually do this. Um, so you also mentioned that you read over, like, a hundred books in finances. So

what were the, like, the major things behind that? Like, what even drove you to even do that many books in finance? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yeah, so I did. I think the last count. I'm up to, like, 140something now, because it's. Now it's also just my favorite thing to read. Um, what really got me started is when I went to college, I got there on a prayer and a scholarship, not because I wasn't smart. Oh, I'm smart. Okay. Like, I have a whole doctorate to

prove, in case you ever wondered if I'm smart. But we had so many family things going on that financially, I wasn't sure I could even physically get to school by the day I needed to be there. Although I had a scholarship and although I had, um, the acceptance and the dorm assigned to me, it was like, can I even get a ride? Can I physically get to school on the day I'm supposed to be there? Because I don't even know if we have the money

for that, right? And I. And. But then I had classmates who had parents who, during the move in, were with us the whole week, taking us to dinner, you know, make. Asking us all about our lives, you know, taking us to the big box store and like, oh, get whatever you need. Um, and I had a classmate with a Range Rover, and I was like, okay, their lives are completely different than mine. I barely made it to school by the day I needed to be here.

And their parents dropped them off with their Range Rover and writing checks for tuition, and I'm here with them. And so I just got to learn the money part because I'm at smart, possibly even smarter than these kids, because I had to navigate a whole bunch of other stuff to get here at this educational institution. And so I can learn the money part. And let me tell you, as a poor kid, we spent a lot of time in the library. So me and the library go. Go together

real bad. So I was like, there got to be a book about this. There's a book about everything. So I went. And that campus had seven libraries. Plus, because we. If you lived on campus, you also had access to the city library. I was like, I got access to seven, eight libraries. So I started checking out books about money. I think one of the first books I read was Girl, get your credit straight. And, like, I didn't even have any credit, but I was like, it's a black author, is a black author.

Michelle Singletary wrote the. You know, the comment on the back, And I was like, she's huge. She walked. She writes money columns for the Washington Post, a national newspaper. Like, let me read this book. I think I read Personal Finance for Dummies. And then Susie Orman was big at that time. So I was like, oh, Susie Orman is my girl.

And so I just kept reading books because one, every book had a slightly different angle and a slightly different order and a slightly different set of stories and examples. And one of the things that drove me to read so many is so none of them had what I needed. So I kept looking for what I needed. I was looking for a book that would tell me how to contribute to my family at home

because I was contributing to my family back home. How could I do that and secure my own future without like, um, without saying no to them or myself? Like, how could I do both? And none of the books told me how to do that. The other thing is a lot of the books talk to me bad. Like I picked up, I, I took my time, I went to the far library, I put this book on hold,

it finally became available. I get the book. I'm excited to finally read it because I've been waiting and one of the first things you tell me is I'm stupid, I'm dumb, I made bad choices. And I'm like, hold up, that's not, that's actually not my reality. I'm out here doing the work, literally and figuratively to figure money out and you want to talk

bad to me? And I was like, mhm. I'm going to write a book that has that love in it and that celebrates wherever it, whatever it took you to get to the point of picking up a book or listening to this podcast because I didn't like books made me mad. I would still read it, but I would be mad as I was reading it. Like, don't talk to me like this. Don't nobody talk to me like this.

>> Anthony: You don't talk to me like this. You know who I am. Like you don't know me, you don't know where I came from. So um, but having that ah, understanding of what the love and care for the people. Because you know, I grew up in the Pirates neighborhood as well and figuring things out is interesting, uh, because we had to, you know, with the bare minimum. And it's funny that I can thrive in any environment. Like if we just say like, hey, as a leader who, you know, when you switch

jobs, they'd be like, hey, well we're just going to throw you in this pile. We're just going to Give you everything that we don't feel like dealing with. I'm like, cool. I pretty it up, make it look good, send it back, automate everything because I don't feel like doing it myself. And then they was like, well, good job paddling back, maybe get 25 cent raise. Okay. But I don't get upset with the raised part. I was like, at least I learned a new skill, move on to that next level.

And it seems as though you took a lot of this information that you've gained and try to, not try to, but you actually did turn this into a medium that is something that people can actually gravitate towards and actually build from your experiences to take themselves to the next level. So like, how has your parents like help with, I guess you could say the, the drive for everything that you're doing today?

>> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yeah, I mean part of it was, I remember thinking it shouldn't take this many books. It should not take this many books. Like, and I, I love to read, right? Like reading and now

listening to audiobooks and listening. I love consuming new information and learning things. But I know it's a lot of people who, if they never had to pick up a book again in their life, they would be fine. Right? And so if it really takes you 70, 80, 100 books, are you going to learn the skill? And so, so what drove me to do it was really like, maybe I can save somebody some years and some tears. Maybe if I put all this information and put it into stories from

my own life. Somebody who needed stories like this reflected to them along with the well researched lessons that they'll be like, oh, I get it now, I get it now. And my parents, what I will say is, while we might not have had money, you know, the women in my family gave me so many deep, wonderful gifts and richness in myself. Like, you know, some people talk about imposter syndrome. I don't even know what that

is. I can barely pronounce it. And part of that is because from a young age, from an early part, the, the people in my life told me, oh baby, you can do anything you want to do. Follow the rules, watch, pay attention, be kind and gracious, and that will get you incredibly far. And they were all right, right? Like, and if you are. And I remember, I can't remember what exactly happened, but there was some situation when I was a young child, I think I, oh,

it came to me. It came to me. I won a contest, I won an art contest for third graders. And the, my art was going to be in the Detroit Institute of Art. This is a world renowned, um, art institution, right? Like, it's constantly on the list of the best art institutions in the world. And I remember being like, nervous, like, well, why did they pick my picture? I didn't even think my picture was that good. And my mom told me, baby, anywhere in this life that you get invited to that you

accidentally happen on, you're supposed to be there. So go and be happy and introduce yourself. And so I've carried that with me everywhere. And so if we can teach people at every stage in their life that like, actually if you ended up somewhere, even if you ended up there by accident, you're supposed to be there and take advantage. Because, you know, take advantage has two meanings.

Take advantage means to take more than maybe you should, but it also means to be present and fully participate in the experience. So take advantage. >> Anthony: I like that because it's like how you said we both went to fincon, but it's like, did we really take full advantage of what they had to offer? And I

think yes, because obviously we're meeting now. Um, we taking advantage of the network, we took advantage of the space branding, um, getting connections with other financial folks that we didn't even know were possible or even out there. Um, shucks. I think without fincon, I don't think I would have gotten this far with the podcast. Honestly, I probably would have stopped a long time ago, but who knows? Um, and when it comes to taking event, um, Oh, I might

call that the episode title. Like this. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Oh, I love it. Yay. The episode told us it's title, right? >> Anthony: Uh, because it's like, how do you take advantage of, like, what does really taking advantage mean to you? Almost like. But I mean, you already gave me your answer. But I'm thinking for the person that's listening right now, what does

really taking advantage? Are you really taking advantage of your work, of your job, of uh, your living space, of your, your car, your vehicles, like whatever it is, Are you really taking full advantage of that? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yeah. Are you making full use? And one of the things that I've been working to, a part of my business I've been working to grow is doing financial, well, talks and workshops at, at employment,

at companies for their employees. Because what I figured out is even in the company I work for, people are not taking full advantage of their benefits, right? They might participate in their, their health insurance, their life insurance, they might be doing the, the savings accounts for, um, you know, child care or

for health. But many companies, especially if you work For a mid size or larger company, you have a ton of benefits available to you that could make your life work smoother, could reduce your out of pocket costs, could reduce your tax liability, and it's right there in the handbook. So are you reading the handbook? Are you checking when there's changes? Are you making sure that you're

getting the full match? Are you taking advantage of the fact that when you have the life insurance, you can get a basic will made through the life insurance company? Are you taking advantage of the enrollee, I'm sorry, the employee assistance program. Are you making full use of the different programs and discounts that your company has arranged for you? Because if you're not, did you know you're giving yourself a pay cut that's part of your compensation? And you not taking full advantage

is almost like giving yourself a pay cut. And do we do that? I don't think we do that. >> Anthony: We don't do that enough, I'll say that. Because the cool thing about the employee assistance program is that, ah, it renews every year. So if you need therapy, you can go to therapy that I think they give you 12 sessions. So once a month you go and then you can just re up next year. Like at least let me get south. Yeah. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: And I'm a military spouse and so we move

every. Our average will go up a little bit, but we move every 2.7 years. And so that means that I have to have all new helpers, right? I have to get a new therapist sometimes. I have to get a new hairdresser, I have to find a new nail shop. I have to find new doctors for myself, for my kids. Kids. And the amazing thing that the EAP helps with every time we move is it gives me a shortcut to a therapist. And a lot of times I can, through the health insurance I can say, hey, our address

is changing. Could you please help me find a new primary care doctor for my kids so that it saves me some of the stress of doing that by myself? Like I can ask for help. Like, please give me a list of pediatricians that are in this zip code that can help with this issue and treat patients this age. Right. So they're saving me time. And time, boy, is the most valuable thing we have. >> Anthony: Okay, yeah, that is true. And we don't have much of it when you really think about it.

Um, because you know, tomorrow's never promised. So. But the cool thing about it, at least while we're here, we take like taking advantage of our time by doing these things. And this Is awesome. I like this. Uh, my mind is going now, but let's go back to the family thing because, um, when it comes to. Because a lot of us, we either dealing with our family, we're dealing with our parents, um, and I don't have kids, but most people, like, people who have kids, are dealing with their kids

as well. What is it like, um, bringing your kids up into this new you when it comes to the finance side of the house? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Oh, we are so intentional about it, because I know that in my own journey, I did a lot of reflection on. Okay, what are the messages and the beliefs that I have in my brain about money? Which ones have served me and continue to serve me, and which ones maybe harmed me or kept me from doing something that would have been good

for me? Like what, what planted fear or hesitation or. And so we're really intentional about how we talk about money. And our kids are, um, now four and six. And so we're also trying to decide, like, how will money

work in terms of. Are we doing allowance? Is the allowance going to be based on certain activities they do in our home, certain activities they do at school, certain activities they do in the community, or will it be an allowance with no strings attached in terms of how they earn it, but maybe strings attached to how they spend it? So we're really doing a lot of thought about that because the.

The things that we learned at 18 to 22 while we were in college and beyond, we're hoping to plant the seeds of those lessons now and make it age appropriate and make it fun so that the relationship that my kids grow up with, money is one that they would say is healthy and. And positive. Right? Like, one of the things that I often ask people I'm working with as a coach is like, if you had to describe money as a person. Right. Personify it, how would you describe it? What's their name?

Are they your friend? Are they your friend of me? Are they your enemy? What things do you do together? What things do you avoid? Like how? Like, tell me about money as a person. If they were a person in your life. And I want my kids to be like, oh, money's my best friend. Money takes me places I've never been. Money helps me solve problems. Money helps me spend time with the people I love most. Like, I want that to be their narrative. And

so we're planting seeds for that. And I, uh. And I think it's working, actually. The. This morning I dropped my daughter off for school, and she noticed. She was like, oh, mommy, did you get new tires? Because I told her I wanted to get new tires. She was like, did you get them from. Because she's reading really good. And so she read the name of the tire. She, oh, did you get them from the store? Because she knows we

have that store right near our neighborhood. I said, oh, actually, no. That company has a tire store, but they also have a tire factory, so you can buy the tires from that tire store or from the factory at different stores. And she said, oh. So I told her I got it at our wholesale club. And I'm not saying nobody's names because I don't have no sponsors. Right. >> Anthony: Not yet. So. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Right. So I told her, oh, I got it from our. The same place we

get our apple juice. And she said, oh, okay. I said, because they had a coupon, and she knows what coupons are. I said, so at the tire store. The tire store, the tires would have cost $100, but with my coupon, I got it for $80. She was like, $20. Wow. That's a big difference, right? And so, like, working in these small examples of ways that we use our money and talking about money openly because, um. And when they ask for stuff, you know, not to be like, we ain't got it. We don't have no

McDonald's money. We don't have this. No, you can't have it. That's too expensive to just be, like, to say, well, thank you for telling me you want that toy. That's not what we came to the store for. Remember, we came for flash. We came for trash bags and light bulbs. Is that a trash bag or a light bulb? It's not. Okay, then. That's not why we're at the store today. Right? And so how we talk about money, we're very intentional about it because we. We want the kids to also have language for it.

>> Anthony: That is good that you guys are doing that, uh, for your child and for your children, actually. But how is that conversation happening now with your parents? Are they, like, listening to you now or you still got the diaper syndrome? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Oh, no, the. Um. Luckily, my mom has been a pretty good listener for, I would say, the last, like, 15 or 20 years, she's been a pretty good listener about money. Right? And, um, like, we actually, when I was in

graduate school, I put her on a budget. I was like, mom, you need to be on a budget. Like, you. You are on a budget. You don't realize that, but you don't behave that way. So we. We made a money plan for her. And she followed it, and things ran pretty smoothly on the plan that I made for her. And then when my siblings got of age and went to college and. And like, I also put. I put everybody. Everybody's on a plan. Everybody's on the plan. And I was really selfish. It was really a selfish

end. Right. 1. It was me kind of like testing that I actually knew what I was talking about. Because, you know, you can do stuff for yourself, but that doesn't mean you can teach other people how to do it. Right. But also, too, is my goal was to have none of them suckers living in my basement. They are welcome. They are welcome. There is space. If something truly happened, I, um, of course will care for my family and help them make the adjustments they need to make. And my goal is that they

don't ever need to pull that lever. Right. And so luckily, my sister listened very good. My brother listened very good. They're doing, in some ways financially better than me because we have children, so we have a lot of expenses with our children. Our childcare bill. Our childcare bill is crazy. >> Anthony: If you can solve that, that's a billion dollar industry right there.

>> Dr. Darla Bishop: If you can solve that, our childcare bill is crazy. And so in some ways, my siblings who don't yet have children, they are doing differently and m. In some ways better than us financially because their obligations are just different. And because. Because I also caught them early as they were getting those first jobs, as they were getting that first, you know, student loan. Okay, how do I. How do I pay this off?

How do I manage it? As they were thinking about opening that first credit card, I was there along the way to kind of be like, okay, well, think about this. And so they made really good financial decisions as young people. So now that they're in their 30s, it's smooth sailing. >> Anthony: Yeah. And that's good that they actually listened to because it's. Sometimes they don't want to listen because, like, uh, who you think you are you better than me or whatever? We grew up in the same

household. Like, no, you're there to kind of help each other out like you want to, but they just don't listen sometimes. I don't know. But I like the motivation. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Uh, yeah. And it's. It's also easy. I think it's easier to listen to someone who starts with love, Right? I always start with love. Instead of like, I can't believe you made that choice. Like the books, right? The going full circle, going back to earlier in this conversation,

like, instead of me, like, I Can't believe you got into credit card debt. I can't believe you took out that kind of loan. I can't believe you chose that apartment. It's so expensive. It's like, oh, well, why'd you choose that? Okay, what made you make that decision? Is that is this choice hurting other things in your life? And how do we make the adjustment, like starting with love. And that makes a big difference in people's willingness to listen to you.

>> Anthony: Okay. That would be really helpful for people who are listening right now to start having that conversation with their family. Thank you for sharing that. Um, we're going to slide over to the features a little bit. What do you feel is really going to help improve your life or even your career? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: There's a couple things I'm working on right now. Um, and part of it is I'm seeking good advisors. I feel like in a lot of places and spaces in my

life, I have been the advisor. I'm the oldest child, so I'm the oldest sister. I am often seen as a leader at work or among my friends groups or in community groups. And so I feel like. But I need some guidance now. And so I'm really working to find a business coach. I'm looking to find mentors who are going where I think I might be going, even though it might change

by the time we talk. Right. Because I recognize the power of having someone who's a little bit ahead of you, who can just help you see the things that you can't see from this side, but they have already walked through it from the other side. Um, and that will help me. That will help me a lot. And then the other thing is, I'm checking in on my friends at the time we're recording

this. Um, there's a ton of uncertainty because there's a new federal administration and they are reshaping the federal government. And I work in three industries that are going to be shaped likely. First, I work in health insurance. I work for a Medicaid health plan. And so government insurance programs are likely to be reshaped pretty quickly.

My background. And so almost all of my colleagues, all the people I went to graduate school with and worked with at other places work in public health being reshaped. And I'm a professor, so I work in education. So between federal grant changes and changes to the Department of Education, I'm seeing that a lot of the people in my life are experiencing, uh, one, uncertainty, but also trying to figure out, well, what do I do? What will I

do? And so One of the things that I'm really boiling down in the way that I'm posting content online and talking with folks is, okay, what do you have control over when it comes to your money? Let's exert that control to your full potential right now while things are uncertain. Because one, having that control will help you feel better as all this stuff happens around

you. And two, by exerting the control you do have, it may mean you can weather the storms that are coming a little bit more smoothly or perhaps even longer because you took stock of what money you had, what money you didn't, what things could be shifted, delayed, cut, um, what things needed to be increased to make, make it just run smoothly, what things could come

or go, what order to do things. And doing that work at the very beginning, when you have a big change or slightly before, if you anticipate a change to your income is coming, can just make you feel better. >> Anthony: I like that. Is there anything that you want to leave the audience with before we dive into the final four questions? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: No. I'm so excited for these questions. >> Anthony: Awesome. Alrighty. Question number one. What does wealth mean to you?

>> Dr. Darla Bishop: Wealth means I have choices. It means that if a problem arises, if there's something I want to do, that I have choices for solving that problem or doing the thing that I want to do. Wealth is choices. >> Anthony: Number two, what was your worst money mistake? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: So when I, you know, it's about to be good. So this is so. So buckle up.

So when I was in graduate school the second time, when I was working on my doctorate, I was in graduate school for eight years. Eight years. Okay. And I had a small student loan balance from my master's degree, something really like 10 or $12,000. And because I was always registered for classes, my

loans were deferred. So for eight years my loans were deferred and I should have just been making payments on them because then my student loans would have been gone and my payments on that 10 or $12,000 of debt were like 150amonth. So why I didn't continue making my student loan payments while I was in graduate school, I still have no idea why I didn't. And I'm still mad at myself because those loans could have been gone. Gone. Yeah. >> Anthony: That's a whole nother episode. Okay.

>> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yeah. But it's okay. I did, I did do that. Eight years. And George Washington University had let me leave with a degree, but I left with zero new debt. >> Anthony: That's, uh, so. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: So that's how I redeemed Myself a little bit is that I got that doctorate with zero new debt, even though I foolishly did not continue making the payments on the little bit of debt I had for my master's degree.

Mad. Still mad. As you see, I'm still mad. You heard that at the beginning. >> Anthony: Yes. With you. Uh, number three, is there a book that inspired your journey or changed your perspective? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Uh, well, we're going to talk about how to afford everything. >> Anthony: You know, eyebrows. Eyebrows. Okay. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Right, Right. You know, the, um. The. The journey to writing this book was

10 years in the making. You know, like, after I read, like, 20 books, I was like, I could probably write a book. After I read 40 books, I was like, I definitely can write a book. Books. I was like, why haven't I write a book? And one day, my husband. I had just finished yet another personal finance book, and we were sitting on the couch, and he noticed I'd finished. I think I was listening to one. He noticed I finished it. He's like, oh, how'd you like that? I was like, man, I could have

wrote this book. He was like, you know, you've been saying that for a few years. Um, you're done with school. I think we have our childcare set up really solid right now. What. What would it take for you to write a book? And I was like, I think I need an editor because I have too many ideas in my brain. I need somebody to help me kind of untangle them, because it's probably two or three books in my br. But you can't write one

book that's really two or three. You'll lose people. So I need somebody to help me, like, untie what's book one and what's book two and what's book three so that people can get something from it. He was like, okay, go find an editor. So I find an editor. I interviewed, I think eight. And, you know, in the one or two that I like the best, I said, you know, could I buy an hour of your time? And we do a sample work session. I just want to make sure we'll be working well together,

because this project has been on my heart for a decade. And so I need it to go well because I'm finally, like, committing to doing it. And so the editor I ended up going with, we outlined all 10 chapters in 37 minutes. And she was like, okay, so we. We didn't use the whole hour. What are you thinking? How do you want to use the last, uh, 20 minutes of our call? And I was like, actually, I think I'M good. Thank

you for the outline. She was like, so are you thinking you're gonna move forward? I was like, I am. Please send me the contract and the agreement. And. And I'll pay from the time I paid my deposit for her fees to the time I was holding. And this is the actual one, the first one I took out of the box. This is my emotional support copy of how to afford everything was 127 days. That's, uh, quick, because between the outline and having the path, it poured out of me. And so

this. This is why. That's the book that changed everything.

>> Anthony: Got you. Um, I do have a question, because it's. One of the listeners actually is looking to write a book, but she is like, you have so many ideas. Is it best to get an editor after you wrote your thoughts out, or is it best to get one early on just to get the outline and then you can hire them back when you're ready to write the rest of it? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Yeah, so there's a different. There's different types of editors. So you can look

for something called a developmental elevator. I'm sorry, a, uh, developmental editor. And this is an editor who specializes in helping you develop the story and develop the path. And so this could be someone who you might have a couple hours of sessions with. So it might not be a huge expense because you're just. Just talking through what you've been thinking. And they help. They ask you, they guide you through how to put that in a way that makes sense. So that might just be a couple hours of

sessions and may not be a huge expense. And frankly, once you have that, you might be ready to just write. And then you get the editor, a different type of editor, someone who's going to check for grammar and for flow later once the project is done. And so you can get editors for different types of support. And if, you know, you only need help with this. This component, you

can. You know, you can do that at a lower cost than hiring an editor for the whole project when you're not fully in the project yet. >> Anthony: That makes sense. Okay. Thank you for that. I was asking for myself, really, but thanks. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Great. Hey, I think that's. That's the. The privilege of having a podcast, right? You get people on your show you want to talk to because you got problems you working through. You want solutions? Heck, yeah. Take Advantage.

>> Anthony: All right? Take. This is the show. Take Advantage. I love it. Uh, number four, what is your favorite. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Dish to make m. Okay, so my kids are in their picky food stage, so I haven't been cooking, um, the flavorful things that I usually like. But a couple months ago, I had this hankering for something Indian. And where we're living right now are. The Indian restaurants are not that great. Great. They're just. They're just not.

And that's okay. It's okay. We're gonna move. We're gonna move soon, and we'll be in a place where the Indian restaurant is better. And so. And the okra at the grocery store just looks so beautiful. Like, you ever go to the grocery store and some vegetable just looks like, I don't know what I'm gonna do with it, but I'm buying that vegetable and I'm gonna do something with. The okra was just gorgeous. So I bought, like, two big

handfuls of okra. I cut it up, and I made bendi masala, which is so simple. It's just okra, onion, tomato, and then all of the seasonings. And the tomato makes this little soft kind of sauce that comes in with all the seasonings. And I put that on top of some rice, and it. It hit so hard. Like, the okra was perfect. It was seasoned so good. Like, I'm gonna make it again. I just been waiting for the okra to look as good. The last few times I went to the grocery store, the okra has not looked as

beautiful as it did that day. Day. >> Anthony: Okay, so what kind of rice we looking at? Like, basmati. >> Dr. Darla Bishop: So that day I had jasmine. Basmati would have been better, but I had Jasmine is what I had. So I made it work. I made it work. >> Anthony: Okay. All right, well, we gotta catch back up and let you know. I need to see a picture because it sounds so good and simple ingredients. You know, I'll text.

>> Dr. Darla Bishop: I. I have the picture because I told everybody. I told. I have some. I have some Indian friends who are always impressed when I tell them I can cook a little bit of Indian food. And so I said. I said, look at this bindi masala. And they were like, oh, that looks really good. I was like, see, I told you. Okay, so I can send you the picture. >> Anthony: Yeah, yeah, please send that thing.

Um, this is the last question of the show, which is where could people find out more about you? >> Dr. Darla Bishop: Oh, please come find me@darlabishop.com Social. And the reason I have, I have a specific landing page, so that way you can just find all the things you could ever find without having to look for me. So all the social. Socials are there. Um, the links to the different freebies I have. So darlabishop.com social alrighty.

>> Anthony: Well, thank you Darla, for so much information about really taking advantage of, uh, everything that you have, whether it's you're coming from poverty or coming from, you know, your silver spoon background, you have to take advantage of those opportunities and actually put your own spin on it, put your own stink on it. Some with some say this is your opportunity. You have what it takes, everybody.

And please make sure that if you made it this far, just want to say thank you so much for sticking with us this long. And you all have a wonderful day. Yacht peace.