This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tori Dunlap, the 31-year-old founder and CEO of Her First $100K, a financial education company geared toward Gen Z and millennial women. She’s also an author and podcast host based in Seattle.
Dunlap saved and invested $100,000 by the time she was 25 years old, which became the origin story of her company. She credited her ability to save such a large sum at a young age to a combination of privilege and hard work, and graduating debt-free thanks to her college fund from her parents and the three jobs she worked while in school.
In June 2025, she spoke with Business Insider about why she chose to rent, rather than buy, her home, despite being a millionaire. At the time, renting fit her season of life due to its flexibility, convenience, and lower costs, but she said she didn’t think she’d do it forever. She has since purchased her own home.
Dunlap also previously shared about how she and her partner navigate finances in their relationship, given their difference in income. Dunlap’s partner earned $60,000 in 2024, working multiple jobs within the athletics and education space, as well as side gigs such as dog-sitting and private training.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I founded Her First $100K when I was 25 to fight financial inequality by giving women actionable resources to better their money.
I didn’t build a business to work so hard that I burn myself out. That’s why I left a 9-to-5 job. I built a company culture where we do really important work, but we say all the time, “We’re not curing cancer.”
Here’s what a workday in my life is like.
My day usually begins around 7:30 a.m.
I’m not up at 5 a.m. drinking my lemon water because I like my sleep. I’m not a coffee drinker, so if I don’t get at least eight hours of sleep, I’m a little grumpy.
If I have to be up early for a flight, a podcast, or a press interview, that’s going to impact my wakeup time, but if I have control of my schedule that day, I’m usually up about 7:30 a.m.
As soon as I get out of bed, I check my phone. I know I shouldn’t be doing so, and I don’t love that I do, but I do. I check emails and Slack, our social content’s performance, and my texts from friends.
Then I do what my friend Liz Moody talks about as a “circ walk” — a circadian walk. The idea is that if you can get sunlight in your eyes as soon as possible after waking up, your digestion improves, you feel more awake throughout the day, and your metabolism’s better. Honestly, it just makes me feel really good.
I bought a home close to the water, so I walk to the beach. Sometimes, the walk is only 10 minutes. Other times, it’s a half hour.
For breakfast, I usually split a berry chocolate protein smoothie with my partner. I’ve been drinking a version of that since 2016. He usually makes that while I’m doing chores around the house or preparing for calls.
I usually start work around 9 a.m.
I always find mornings to be most productive for me. I might have meetings with my team, be getting on a flight to speak somewhere, or just be answering emails.
Thursdays typically are our recording days. I record my own podcast, and then I may go on someone else’s show.
My company is fully remote. Those of us who live in Seattle try to see each other and work together once or twice a month. It’s nice to gather in person, but since we have people all over, we also offer virtual coworking on Zoom. That’s one way we keep up our company culture, even though we’re remote.
Lunch is a nice break for me
I usually cook lunch myself, or I have leftovers from the night before. Sometimes my COO comes over to cowork with me, and we might order lunch.
I really try not to eat while working. It’s a nice break, and I try to take at least half an hour.
I’ll usually watch a TV show, such as on Food Network or the Try Guys. I dream of being a guest judge on the Food Network, so I’m studying up. I’ve worked with the Try Guys before; I politely bullied them until they let me in, which is how I’ve gotten every opportunity in my business — just politely asking until they say yes.
I do things around the house during breaks
In the afternoons, I sometimes have more meetings and interviews. I also try to sneak in my actual work in between those — creating content, being the public face of the company, working on my next book proposal, and CEO work of big vision planning, thinking about our strategy, and testing certain things.
If I have breaks between tasks, I usually try to get something done around the house. I’ll throw in a load of laundry or tidy up. I have a house cleaning service come twice a month, and honestly, I’ll probably move to once a week because it’s really nice and frees up my time.
Taking time during the workday is something that we’ve built into our work and fully approve of and support through our company policies. We’re a team of all women — six full-time employees and nine contractors. People have lives outside work.
Our full-time employees already have unlimited PTO, but if someone needs to take the afternoon or a half hour off, they can do so without needing approval.
We also have menstruation leave at Her First $100K. As a menstruating founder, I lose at least five days a month to feeling gross, plus another few days during the luteal phase, during which I feel like an insane person. Men don’t have to deal with these things.
We also have quarterly weeks off for our employees during which they’re paid, but the entire company pauses.
My workday typically ends around 5 p.m.
If it’s a standard day, I’m off at 5 p.m. and I won’t touch my laptop again. If I get an idea or a spark, I’ll sometimes open my laptop after dinner or at 10 p.m., because I genuinely enjoy working on my business, but I don’t expect this of any of my other team members.
After work, I’ll typically either cook dinner, meet friends, or go out for date night. If I’m having dinner at home with my partner, our go-to option is splitting a salad kit and adding chicken because it’s healthy and quick.
Usually, after dinner — and I’ll sometimes do it in the morning, too — I do barre. It’s my workout of choice, and I try to do it three times a week.
I used to think that working out was about getting as skinny as possible. One of the things I love about barre is that you show up, make modifications, do the exercises that are right for you, and get as strong as you can. It really positively affected my relationship with fitness and with my body, and I think it has 100% affected the way I show up as a business owner.
I read and journal before bed
My partner and I might watch an episode or two of our show — right now, we’re watching Money Heist — or do some reading. I’m a big reader, and so is he. When I don’t read, I don’t feel as good. Currently, I’m reading “Wild Dark Shore,” a novel. I track every book that I read.
I read a variety of genres, including fairy smut fantasy, murder mystery thrillers, and general literary fiction. I read very little nonfiction because my entire life is a nonfiction book, and books are my escape.
I try to journal every single night, and I’ve done so almost every night for the last five or six years. The journal has been a huge part of helping me become the best person I can be and process my thoughts.
I try to be in bed with the lights out at 10:30 p.m., but usually that ends up being 11.
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