Taking Control of Your Finances: Interview with Jarrah Brailey (EP#10)
Psst! If you've ever doubted your ability to manage money, struggled with financial confidence, or felt unsure about what you should be earning, this episode is for you.
We’re joined by Jarrah Brailey, founder of Jampacked Agency, a digital marketing agency that helps businesses leverage the power of social media. In this conversation, Jarrah opens up about the biggest money myths she had to unlearn, the challenges of pricing her services, and how stepping up to take control of her finances changed everything.
Listen to Episode 10
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Money Isn’t Hard to Make: The biggest myth Jarrah had to unlearn was that making money is difficult. Instead, she discovered that focusing on delivering real value to the right clients made the money flow naturally.
Confidence in Pricing Changes Everything: Jarrah feared no one would pay what she was worth early in her business until she raised her prices, and clients accepted without hesitation.
You Have to Own Your Finances: No one will care about your business’s money more than you. Trusting someone else to “fix it” won’t work—you need to understand your numbers and take control.
Your Clients Will Pay for Value: Instead of assuming what clients can afford, offer your best work and let them decide. The right clients will see the value and invest.
Smart Business Owners Ask for Help: One of the biggest markers of success is a willingness to seek e. Surrounding yourself with financial mentors and business advisors makes a huge difference.
Taking Control of Your Finances: Interview with Jarrah Brailey (EP#10)
Money Secrets Podcast – Episode 10
Introduction
We've made a lot of progress as a society in many areas, but one thing that hasn’t changed enough is our relationship with money. If we want to tip the scales in favour of marginalised people, we need to understand the secrets to making money in small business.
The more we talk about money — especially the secrets that usually stay behind closed doors or on the golf course — the more empowered we become. My mission is to get more money into the hands of good people, specifically business owners like you.
Because I believe small business can change the world. And to do that, we need to be making more money.
Acknowledgement of Country
This episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. I’d like to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and water that I live, work and play on.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
The 19-Year-Old Founder Who Rewrote Her Money Story
What happens when a 19-year-old with a secret teenage obsession with social media turns that obsession into a thriving digital marketing agency?
In this episode of Money Secrets, Fi Johnston sits down with Jarrah Brailey, founder of Jam Pact — a social-led digital marketing agency working with clients across Australia.
Jarrah started her business sitting on the end of her bed on Zoom. Seven years later, she leads a team, serves national clients, and is now working with Fi on CFO-level strategy.
But this episode isn’t just about growth.
It’s about unlearning the biggest lies we’re told about money — especially as women in small business.
From Secret Instagram Strategist to Agency Founder
Jarrah’s love of social media didn’t start in a marketing degree.
It started at 11.
While most kids were posting casually, Jarrah was secretly developing engagement strategies — advising cousins on the best time to post and the language to use to maximise likes.
That strategic lens never left.
When she launched her business at 19, what felt like “common sense” to her turned out to be a highly valuable skill set for small businesses overwhelmed by social media.
Her gift?
Making complex marketing feel simple and manageable.
The Biggest Lie She Was Told About Money
Jarrah grew up watching her mum stretch $3 until Thursday.
Money felt scarce. Hard. Stressful.
The message she internalised was clear:
Money is hard to make.
There isn’t much of it.
Life is hard.
Starting her business challenged that belief.
As revenue began to grow, Jarrah realised something surprising:
Making money wasn’t as hard as she’d been taught — not when she was delivering real value.
That reframing is one of the biggest money shifts we see in successful founders.
Working harder isn’t the answer.
Creating more value for the right people is.
The Biggest Lie She Was Told About Money
Jarrah grew up watching her mum stretch $3 until Thursday.
Money felt scarce. Hard. Stressful.
The message she internalised was clear:
Money is hard to make.
There isn’t much of it.
Life is hard.
Starting her business challenged that belief.
As revenue began to grow, Jarrah realised something surprising:
Making money wasn’t as hard as she’d been taught — not when she was delivering real value.
That reframing is one of the biggest money shifts we see in successful founders.
Working harder isn’t the answer.
Creating more value for the right people is.
Shame, Comparison & “Not Being Good With Numbers”
Jarrah was 19 when she started her business.
She had dropped maths in school.
She believed she was “bad with numbers.”
She didn’t know what questions to ask.
And like many founders, she carried quiet shame about that.
She also felt the pressure of comparison:
Watching six-figure and seven-figure founders online
Wondering why she hadn’t hit those milestones yet
Questioning whether she was doing something wrong
But what changed everything?
Support.
Not outsourcing responsibility — but getting guidance while staying engaged.
Good Money Club
Are you a female or LGBTQIA+ business owner who wants to make more money and create meaningful change? My 6-month program, Good Money Club, is designed to help you do exactly that.
We work on your pricing, positioning, business model, and mindset — so you can build your bank account and your impact. Read more about Good Money Club.
The Biggest Money Mistake
Jarrah names it clearly:
“I was so scared of money that I stepped back and hoped someone else would sort it out.”
She trusted her accountant entirely.
She didn’t look at her profit and loss for 18 months.
She assumed someone would tell her if something was wrong.
What she learned the hard way:
No one will care about your business the way you do.
Even if you hire experts.
Even if you eventually bring in a CFO.
You must understand your financial foundations.
That shift — from avoidance to ownership — was one of the most empowering turning points in her business.
Asking for Money & Raising Prices
Early on, asking clients for money felt uncomfortable.
Now?
It still doesn’t feel “amazing” — but it feels grounded.
Why?
Because confidence in pricing isn’t about ego.
It’s about clarity of value.
Jarrah shares the moment Fi encouraged her to increase her pricing — and the shock when clients didn’t blink.
That’s another money secret:
The right clients who value your work will pay for it.
Revenue vs. Personal Income: The Hidden Blind Spot
Jarrah openly admits something many founders quietly relate to:
She doesn’t know exactly what she paid herself last year.
The business revenue? Clear.
Team wages? Clear.
Her own income? Blurry.
And that lack of clarity created:
Goal confusion
Property-buying hesitation
A feeling of stagnation
You cannot set strategic goals without knowing your baseline.
This is the difference between running a business and leading one.
Is She a Successful Business Owner?
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
And that confidence didn’t come from a revenue milestone.
It came from:
Building a team
Delivering value
Taking ownership of her finances
Seeking support instead of avoiding discomfort
Success isn’t perfection.
It’s willingness to engage.
One of the Biggest Money Secrets in This Episode
Fi closes the conversation with a powerful reminder:
We’ve been socialised to believe:
Making money requires working harder.
More money = more stress.
The world is hard.
But Jarrah’s story challenges that.
Making money became easier when:
She focused on delivering value.
She found clients who leveraged her work well.
She stopped outsourcing responsibility for her finances.
Working smart > working harder.
Want to Feel More Comfortable With Money?
If you’re resonating with:
“I don’t know what I don’t know.”
Feeling ashamed about your numbers.
Avoiding your P&L.
Not knowing what you actually pay yourself.
You’re not alone.
And you don’t need to figure it out alone either.
Inside Good Money Club, we help small business owners:
Understand their numbers without shame
Build confidence around pricing
Take ownership of their financial foundations
Grow sustainably — not chaotically
Because small business can change the world.
But only if it’s profitable.
Final Thoughts
Jarrah’s journey isn’t about overnight success.
It’s about:
Unlearning scarcity
Replacing shame with skill
Moving from avoidance to ownership
And understanding that money is a learnable skill — not a personality trait
You don’t have to be “good with numbers.”
You just have to be willing to look at them.
And that willingness?
That’s what separates stagnant businesses from successful ones.
Outro
Thank you for listening to Money Secrets. If you loved this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, or leave a review. Your support helps us get these conversations into the hands of more good people who deserve to thrive in business.
We’ve come so far as a society in many ways, but money is one of the areas where progress hasn’t been enough. If we want to tip the scales in favour of marginalised people, it starts with understanding the secret: money in small business.
In this podcast, Money Secrets, host Fiona (Fi) Johnston—Chartered Accountant, small business advocate, and impact enthusiast—dives into the conversations we need to have about money. The secrets that once stayed behind closed doors (or on the golf course) are finally out in the open.
Fi’s mission? To get more money into the hands of good people, like you. She believes small businesses have the power to change the world, and the key to making a bigger impact is to make—and manage—more money.
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Thank you to everyone involved for bringing this podcast together. We are excited to hear from you with any questions, feedback or suggestions for future episodes that you might have. Send a Direct Message to @peach.business
If you are excited for what’s to come, please like this episode, follow the podcast and share it with your friends. We are thrilled you're here.
Want to find out more about Good Money Club? It's for female and non-binary business owners ready to make more money and impact. Join us?
Check out my FREE Pricing Training you need to set your prices for profitability.
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This podcast episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation and I'd like to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and water that I live, work and play on. I'd like to pay respect to elders both past and present, and note that sovereignty has never been ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
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