Host Marion MacKenzie welcomes bestselling author Deborah Smith Pegues to The UPside Conversations for one of the most important discussions the show has tackled yet. Most women will face a season — through loss, or through a marriage that ends — when the finances suddenly become theirs to carry alone.On this episode of The UPside, Conversations that Light UP the World, Marion sits down with Deborah, author of The One-Minute Money Mentor for Women, for a warm, honest, and deeply practical conversation about facing financial independence — whether it comes by choice or by surprise.
Deborah breaks down why so many capable women freeze at the thought of "handling the money," how to release the fear that you're just"not a numbers person," and simple first steps toward real financial confidence. Whether you manage your finances hand-in-hand with a spouse or are navigating it entirely on your own, this conversation will leave you feeling equipped instead of overwhelmed.
As Deborah puts it, these are both the best and worst of times for women— more spending power, more leadership, more influence than ever before, and yet so many still quietly believe they simply don't "have a head for figures." She's candid about the real culprit: our financial decisions are rarely driven by math alone — they're driven by beliefs. Beliefs handed down from family, culture, even old movies, that convince capable women to hand over control before they ever try. Deborah walks through several of these hidden beliefs during the conversation, along with the biblical truth that dismantles each one, and makes the case that every woman already has what it takes to understand her own finances — she just may not have the knowledge yet, and that's simply a matter of choosing to learn.
Deborah also shares her free Financial Manifesto — a one-page declaration you can print and speak over your own life. It's a beautiful, practical starting point for anyone ready to move from financial anxiety to financial confidence, no matter what season of life brought them there.
