Episode 335

From Scarcity to Security: How Michele Novack Built Financial Resilience & Cyber Confidence

Published on: 12th August, 2025

What if the key to your financial breakthrough wasn’t another budget, but a bold mindset shift?

In this powerful episode of I Date Money, Lisa Drennon sits down with Michele Novack—cyber engineer, author, and financial resilience mentor. Michele shares her extraordinary journey from growing up in a motel with a single mom to working 30 years in the financial industry and stepping fully into entrepreneurship.


This conversation dives deep into emotional money cycles, how to stop overthinking your ability to make money, why cybersecurity matters for entrepreneurs, and what building a healthy relationship with money actually looks like.


You’ll learn practical steps to stop paycheck-to-paycheck living, protect your assets, and use your multi-passionate gifts to create a financially secure life.


Topics Discussed


  • Michele’s story of overcoming financial scarcity and her path into cyber engineering
  • What it means to “date your money” and develop a loving relationship with it
  • How trauma and generational patterns shape our financial behavior
  • Building a business without debt (and why Michele ditched credit)
  • Simple steps for single moms and entrepreneurs to create emergency funds and financial safety
  • The power of paying yourself first—even if it’s $5
  • Using envelopes, 401Ks, Roth IRAs, and T-bills to build true wealth
  • Why your mindset is more important than any spreadsheet
  • Michele’s advice to entrepreneurs stuck in fear and overwhelm

A Quote to Remember


“There’s no such thing as 100% security—only being proactive. That’s true in cybersecurity and in your finances.” – Michele Novack

🔗 Connect with Michele

🌐 Website: www.CarnelsBiteByte.com

🔗 LinkedIn: Michele Novack


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Intro/Outro music "IDM" by Christa Lily

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About the Podcast

I Date Money
iDateMoney® helps mompreneurs manage cash flow, ditch debt, and build true wealth—without shame. Hosted by Wealth Activator Lisa Drennon, creator of the Money Multiplier System. It’s not what you make—it’s what you do with it. 🗝️🌬️💖💸
iDateMoney® Where Women Date Their Finances and Build Wealth—Without Shame.
They’ll tell you to hustle harder. Save more. Budget better. But here’s the truth: It doesn’t matter how much money you have—it’s what you do with it. 🗝️🌬️💖💸

Welcome to iDateMoney®, the podcast that helps mompreneurs take back control of their finances with clarity, strategy, and soul. Hosted by Lisa Drennon—Wealth Activator, money mindset expert, and creator of the Money Multiplier System—this show is where taboo ends and true wealth begins.

Each week, you’ll get a mix of raw conversations, mindset rewrites, spiritual insights, and practical strategies to help you crush debt without budgeting shame, master cash flow in your business and personal finances, save, spend, and give with purpose, and create a wealth plan you actually love living.

This is not your accountant’s podcast. This is real-talk money coaching for women ready to multiply what they already have and step into their financial sovereignty.

You’ll hear real stories. Tangible tools. Energetic alignment.
And the occasional money rant (because let’s be honest, some things need to be said).

Tune in, shift your money story, and start dating your finances—because wealth is your birthright, and it’s time to own it.

About your host

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Lisa Drennon

Lisa Drennon, Wealth Activator & founder of I Date Money™️ has been in the finance & insurance industry since 1987. Her unconventional Money Multiplier System transformed her money relationship to become a self-made millionaire, retire 2 ½ years early, pay $100K of debt in 6 months, & relocate to her beachfront dream home.