One of my #SoMoney guests last week, Chris Brogan, astutely noted that there was a direct correlation between being yourself and making money, And I think that is extremely true, although it does involve taking risks, having the guts to go against the grain, be different, and speak your mind even if your opinion is unpopular.

Today’s guest is a New-York based journalist who is admired by many, for speaking her mind… Her name is Helaine Olen, author of the recent and highly acclaimed book Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry. She wrote the book not knowing how it would affect her career after it was published. But she took the risk anyway because she wanted to stay true to herself and be of service to the public. Fortunately, her fears did not materialize. Instead, her career took off in ways she never imagined.

Three takeaways from our interview:

— Helaine’s critical perspective on the financial services industry

— Why she invests in index funds

— Her golden rule of thumb that helps her stay true to herself

My favorite quote from this interview: “Don’t tell people to do stuff that you won’t do yourself.” – click to tweet

If you’d like to learn more about Helaine Olen, visit her website helaineolen.com or follow her on Twitter @helaineolen. And do check out her book Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry.