Nashvillian Austin Hankwitz is unlike any 28-year-old you have ever met. As one of the hosts of the Rich Habits Podcast, his resume of accomplishments is astounding. With a bachelor’s degree in finance, he has climbed his own personal “ladder” and achieved things many people believe are unattainable. From ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to being invited to the White House, Hankwitz is an everyday guy doing huge things. Rich Habits Podcast, a financial literacy show for anyone ready to take back control of their money, is one of those “things.”
In a nutshell, what is the Rich Habits Podcast?
My co-host, Robert Croak, and I demystify the financial habits of the rich, share our own mistakes and shortcomings, and lay out the blueprint for anyone to succeed with money. Our show revolves around three main subjects: business, finance, and mindset.
Business: Robert is a very successful entrepreneur with more than $300 million in lifetime company revenue under his belt. I’ve also started my own media consulting business that has done more than $6 million in revenue throughout the last four years.
Finance: I have a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in economics. Personal finance and investing are our passions, and we love sharing our strategies and ideas with our listeners every week.
Mindset: Arguably the most important hurdle for new listeners to grasp is the mindset surrounding money and entrepreneurship. Not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, but everyone wants to be rich — and deserves to be. We share our favorite mindset shifts for
people to continually make in their day-to-day lives to win with their money.
How did the podcast get started?
Robert and I got connected on TikTok. I had been making short-form videos on TikTok about personal finance and investing and
quickly built a following of over 750,000. Robert began posting short-form videos to TikTok in late 2022 and had a video go crazy viral (over 25 million views). It popped up on my "For You" page and I thought Robert was articulate and had a wonderful story to tell, so I reached out to him. After getting to know the guy, I realized we should start a podcast that offers two unique perspectives on rich habits everyday people could begin implementing in their daily lives. One perspective from an industry expert, Robert, and the other, myself—someone who’s in their late-20s and trying to build a business and become a multimillionaire in his lifetime.
What is your background?
I worked in corporate finance for Amedisys straight out of college {University of Tennessee at Knoxville}. In March of 2021, I quit my corporate finance job to go all-in on entrepreneurship and creating content online. I’ve since consulted for Fortune 100 companies on their online marketing strategies, I actively hold advisor positions at multiple centi-million and billion-dollar technology companies, I'm considered an industry expert in the creator economy by venture capitalists, and sold the newsletter I started writing in 2020 to GRIT Capital for seven figures.
What makes the podcast work?
I believe the podcast works for three reasons.
The age gap. I’m 28 and he’s 59. That 30+ year age gap allows us to talk to and relate to a wide range of individuals. People who might not take me seriously because of my young age instead listen to him. People who might want a “younger” take on a topic lean toward me.
The actionable insights. Every episode we share our insights on a specific topic. They’re real, have easy steps to take to implement them, and have proven results (either Robert or myself have implemented them).
Our consistency. Every episode is the same. We’re either answering listeners’ questions or we’re sharing a personal finance strategy broken out into three simple steps. Sure, we have guests on the show here-and-there, but for the most part our podcast listeners know what to expect when they tune in every week.
Listen to the Rich Habits Podcast on Spotify, iHeartRadio podcast, and other streaming platforms. RichHabitsPodcast.com
"Arguably the most important hurdle for new listeners to grasp is the mindset surrounding money and entrepreneurship. Not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, but everyone wants to be rich."