How Much Can I Make? — Real Jobs. Real Stories. Career Insights

What does a life coach really do? Diane Martinez joins us to explain how life coaching helps people move forward, why so many successful people still feel stuck, and how coaching differs from therapy. We also talk about building a coaching business, what life coaches charge, creating recurring income with Patreon, and the daily habits that can help people change their lives. If you've ever wondered whether life coaching is the righ...

How do you become a successful personal trainer, and how much can you really make? In this episode, I sit down with personal trainer, licensed massage therapist, and martial arts expert Geoff Staz to explore the realities of building a career in fitness. We discuss personal trainer salary, certifications, getting clients, opening a fitness business, and why long-term success depends more on habits, nutrition, and self-trust than qu...

We talk with John Michelotti, of Catskill Fungi about turning mushroom obsession into a real career through education, value-added products, and deep respect for the forest. We break down what mycologists actually do, what’s safe for beginners, and where the money is in mushrooms versus where it simply isn’t. 

Connect with John and his farm:

Event schedule: https://catskillfungi.com/collections/events

Products...

Thinking about a career in e-commerce photography? In this episode, we talk with product photographer Julie Benedetto about what it really takes to build a successful business photographing products for online stores and developing retail brands. Julie explains what makes product images sell, why styling and lighting matter as much as the camera, and how much of the work happens before and after the shutter click. We also discuss p...

We talk with Feldenkrais practitioner Leigh Scott, author of Secrets Babies Hold, a multi-media book about how babies develop through movement, touch, and sensory experiences during their first year of life. Leigh explains the science behind the Feldenkrais Method, shares practical ways parents can support healthy infant development, and discusses common concerns about milestones, muscle tension, and learning to crawl and walk. Whe...

We talk with NYC urban planner Eddie Joe about what city planners actually do and how cities are designed in the real world. From post-pandemic retail strategy and neighborhood revitalization to affordable housing, zoning, and economic development, Eddie explains how urban planners help shape the communities where we live, work, and travel.

We also discuss urban planner salaries, career opportunities, transitioning from architecture...

Pam Meredith has a remarkable job: she’s a professional medium who helps people connect with loved ones who have passed away.

In this episode, she shares her career journey, offering unique insights into what it’s really like to work between the worlds of the living and the spirit.

What makes her perspective so compelling is her belief that mediumship isn’t rare, it’s a natural human ability that can be develo...

We talk with Joe Ness about building a career that combines filmmaking, travel, technology, and entrepreneurship. What started as a simple experiment with a vertical TV evolved into immersive video walls seen in casinos, hotels, healthcare facilities, and public spaces around the world.

Joe shares how he traveled to nearly 100 countries capturing extraordinary footage, the costs and risks behind creating world-class visual content, ...

How do you build a successful photography career in the age of smartphones and AI? In this episode of How Much Can I Make?, photographer Caroline White shares how she turned photography into a thriving business, from personal branding and online dating photos to her signature underwater maternity photography.

We discuss what professional photographers really earn, how photography pricing works, how to attract clients, and what it ta...

Nuttha Goutier came to Canada from a small village in Thailand with little money, limited English, and one clear vision: help people feel healthier and more connected. Today, her Sabai Thai Spa brand spans multiple locations and 13 franchise territories across Canada.

In this episode, Nuttha breaks down how she launched her first spa with less than $1,000 and no business background — and grew it into a brand where a single loc...

We sit down with franchise consultant Dr. Tom DuFore to get honest about what franchising really is and why it is not a set-it-and-forget-it income stream. We break down how to tell if a business can franchise, what fees and royalties actually look like, and what makes franchise systems succeed or fall apart over time.
• franchising as a growth and distribution method rather than a business type
• why “passive income&rd...

How do songs get placed in Netflix shows, commercials, films, and video games - and how much money can musicians actually make from music sync licensing? In this episode, Mirav talks with music sync licensing expert Elise Schiller about the business behind sync deals, music placements, and licensing songs for TV, film, streaming, advertising, and gaming.

Elise explains how songs are pitched to music supervisors, what makes a track &...

We talk with legendary NYC death investigator Barbara Butcher about what it really takes to walk into a death scene, read the evidence, and help the dead get justice. We also get honest about the human cost, the pay, and what she learned from 23 years and more than 5,500 investigations. Barbara shares the realities of forensic investigation, the emotional toll of the job, how people enter this career field, and how much death inves...

How to Build a Real Art Business: Selling Sculpture, Gallery Representation, and the Long Game - with Alex Kveton

What does it actually take to make a living as a sculptor? In this episode, we sit down with sculptor Alex Kveton and Barbara to trace a career that began with escaping communist Czechoslovakia and grew into a thriving fine art business - with stainless steel sculptures placed in prestigious institutions including MoMA a...

Landscape Designer Career

Landscape design is one of those careers that blends creativity with real earning potential - and you don’t need a degree to get started. In this episode, we talk with landscape designer and gardener Dean Riddle about what it actually takes to build a career in landscaping, what garden designers really do, and how much you can make.

We also talk about the realities of gardening in the Northeast- especi...

Jewelry Designer

A jewelry business can look effortless online, but behind it is real work—pricing, production, sourcing, and staying profitable as gold and silver prices rise. In this episode, jewelry designer Serena Van Rensselaer breaks down how to build a jewelry brand, from learning silversmithing to turning it into a sustainable business. We cover jewelry designer income, pricing strategies, startup costs, and how revenu...

Career Reinvention

Thinking about changing careers? We talk with Cynthia Cohen about how she pivoted without starting over by building on existing skills instead of erasing the past. From New York to today’s remote work landscape, we break down what it really takes to switch careers, stay competitive in a shifting job market, manage fear, and turn your experience into new opportunities.

Cynthia's Website: https://righta...

TV Producer Career Insights

Explore the career insights of a TV producer with Robin Feldman as she reveals what happens after filming wraps. This episode delves into the essential post-production phases, from managing tight deadlines and budgets to overcoming daily production challenges. Robin shares her journey breaking into the TV industry in Vancouver, highlighting key success factors like persistence, professionalism, and collab...

Systems Engineer

This week—timely with Artemis II—we revisit a standout episode with NASA contractor systems engineer Johanna Siegel.

Johanna reveals what it really takes to build mission-critical hardware for the Artemis program—and the career opportunities and earnings potential that come with it. In this deep dive, discover how engineers translate complex requirements like radiation protection and life support sy...