Well, hi. Welcome to the first edition of a new series that’s going to be popping into your inbox every other Thursday. 🥹
In this first edition, you’re going to find:
Some REAL talk about turning 30
An interview with Maggie Sellers of Hot Smart Rich
A reminder that life gets better with age
And I can’t wait for you to scroll through. 💗 Psst… this edition is too long for email, so tap over to view it in your browser or in the Substack app.
When I was younger, being 30 seemed like the peak of adulthood.
I just *knew* that once I made it to 30, I’d be married, have 2 kids (at least!), live in a massive home, drive my kids to school in my Tahoe (I was fixated on having a Tahoe), and then spend all day editing magazines from the desk in my high-rise office.
There was really no question in my head about it — THAT was what 30 was going to look like for me.
I was sure of it.
I’m sure you can imagine my HORROR when I realized that 30 was, well, not going to look like that for me.
After all, did life not realize that I was on a TIME CRUNCH?! That I had not yet had the opportunity to buy my TAHOE?!
Am I going to be an old, Tahoe-less spinster forever? I’d wonder (at the ripe old age of 26).
Am I — GASP — going to turn 30 without any of the things?
It sounds dramatic to me now, but it didn’t always.
After all, when you’re really young, everyone else is really old. It’s — no pun intended — a tale as old as time.
It’s why Rachel and Joey sobbed on their 30th birthdays. Why Sally broke down in front of Harry about the fact that she’d be 40 in just 8 short years. Why Charlotte resigned herself to marrying Mr. Collins.
The examples are endless.
But this school of thought is preeeeetty damn absurd, isn’t it?!
Because being in your 20s isn’t the end of the road. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s barely even the start of it.
Like, we haven’t even left the dealership yet in our 20s — much less driven off with the Tahoe.
We might think that our twenties are our ‘defining decade’ — the thing that’s supposed to push us towards the ultimate goal of the marriage and the family and the Tahoe — but what if they’re NOT?!
What if life gets better with age?!
What if things start to get deliriously good in your 30s, once you’re a little more confident and a little more together and a little more at home in yourself?
What if the lesson Jenna Rink learned was the RIGHT one?
What if your 20s are supposed to be the decade where you don’t have a lot of money? Where you’re unsure of who you are? Where you’re navigating it all with blinders on, blissfully unaware of how good it’s actually gonna get?
For some people, sure — maybe that means that you get a marriage and a house and a Tahoe.
But what if the marriage and the house and the Tahoe aren’t the goal?
What if the GOAL is just building a life that gets better and better and better? And learning every step of the way?
THAT is the energy I want to bring into *my* 30s, and this is your invite to join.
Enter: Thirties on Thursday → Part interview series, part magazine advice column, and part life handbook from some incredible women in their 30s who are doing it WELL.
The goal? Getting inspired to love every SECOND of our thirties — and to take back this weird narrative that getting old is bad.
Because, guess what? Getting “old” is a freakin’ gift.
So, drumroll please…
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
The first guest of Thirties on Thursday is one of my favorite creators…
Maggie Sellers of Hot Smart Rich! ⚡️
So, who’s Maggie? (I can’t WAIT for you to find out!)
Maggie is a multifaceted gal — and she does… a LOT. In good ole’ professional terms, she’s a startup advisor, angel investor, and the founder of Hot Smart Rich — a top podcast and community dedicated to helping women know and build their worth. (Like, literally build their worth.)
As an investor and advisor, Maggie supports women-led brands from a financial and strategic perspective. You know and love the brands in her syndicate portfolio — like Katy Perry’s De Soi — and she’s invested in deals with brands like Allara Health & Deux, as well as advised companies like Nudestix, Locker, Ohza, and a whooooole bunch more.
Basically, she’s a rockstar.
However, Maggie’s not just a finance girl. Not even close. When I started following Maggie on TikTok years ago, she was showing the world a side of angel investing that had been kept secret — and she was bringing an unapologetically smart, feminine, and confident attitude to an industry that has been looooong dominated by men.
A big part of her message? You can be hot, and smart, and rich… and you can do it all at the same damn time.
Now, when she’s not investing capital or talking strategy, she’s writing a weekly newsletter that breaks down all things consumer news & trends, recording a top podcast with people shaping the world as we know it, collaborating with brands like Nudestix, and developing educational tools to help women build wealth.
How would you describe yourself in your own words?
“A multi-hyphenate creative entrepreneur who loves life and is kind, proactive, creative, spontaneous, and reliable.”
What's a product, habit, or ritual you’ve fallen in love with in your 30s?
“Not being part of the 5AM club anymore. Counterintuitive to what you hear about successful people, but I used to push my body SO hard in my 20s. Try to fit in everything. Try to be so "perfect." Now that I am much more slow in my practices and life, I am so much happier and fulfilled. I no longer feel like I'm rushing through life. I am enjoying the process of life.”
What’s a non-negotiable in your routine?
Gua Sha.
Walking.
Drinking tons of water.
If you had to recommend ONE THING to everybody, what would it be?
Do whatever makes you happy. You are so unique, don't worry about fitting in.
What’s a small luxury you literally refuse to feel guilty about?
Spray tans. I get them every 10 days...
What’s been your favorite ~big~ splurge?
My princess girl apartment that I moved into when I had gone through a breakup in my early 30's. I splurged for sure and it was a stretch but it also made me feel so safe at my own home that it was so worth it!
What’s something that being in your 30s has taught you about friendships, or boundaries, or relationships, or, well, LIFE?
It's not about quantity. It's about quality.
What’s something about your 20s that you’ve had to unlearn?
It's okay to not have it all figured out. What you think might happen is probably not what will happen, so having vision and a clear idea of what you want, but not being married to the way you get there is KEY!
What’s a piece of advice that actually changed the game for you?
There is nothing more freeing than being yourself, so the people looking for you can find you. The people you are worried about judging you are not your people!
What do you hope more women realize sooner about getting older?
You step way more into your power.
What’s the hardest (but best) boundary you’ve set in your 30s?
Saying no. A lot.
What’s your ideal Thursday night?
Going out for dinner with friends and coming home to getting a spray tan before the weekend.
What’s one thing you have to have in your fridge at all times?
Midday Squares or Gato Dates
Coffee order? (The more specific, the better)
In the winter, hot latte with whole milk.
In the summer, iced latte with whole milk.
In both winter and summer, there is a scoop of collagen and a scoop of colostrum.
Current binge-watch or podcast obsession?
Hot Smart Rich!!! DUH.
Favorite way to move your body these days?
Trainer 3x a week for weights
2 days a week: at home workout (pilates or strength)
Walking every single day
Current life soundtrack:
Anything Charli XCX
Three words to describe your vibe in your 30s:
Confident. Sexy. Feminine.
1 thing you want to do more of in your 30s:
I'm living my dream life in my 30s. So, I want to just really slow down and appreciate it. Also, be more present and intentional.
Something you’d say to someone who was nervous about getting older:
JUST WAIT TO SEE HOW GOOD IT GETS!
There you have it, my friends — that was Maggie freakin’ Sellers!
I hope you learned something from her and feel inspired about YOUR 30s (and beyond), too. And, honestly, I hope you’re feeling motivated to be HOT! And SMART! And RICH!
I can’t wait to keep doing these, and would LALALOVE any:
A. Recs for people who should be in the series.
B. Advice YOU have on questions YOU’D love to see answered.
I’m 36 and I LOVE this! I promise your 30s are amazing - one of my friends described it as going from a travelodge (UK cheap hotel chain) to a “boutique hotel” and it’s accurate!
I love this!!! I am turning 31 this year and I've been worrying about the ticking clock a little bit. However, Im a big believer that life just keeps getting better :)
I’m 36 and I LOVE this! I promise your 30s are amazing - one of my friends described it as going from a travelodge (UK cheap hotel chain) to a “boutique hotel” and it’s accurate!
I love this!!! I am turning 31 this year and I've been worrying about the ticking clock a little bit. However, Im a big believer that life just keeps getting better :)