June was a whirlwind of work and travel and myriad of end-of-the-school-year activities. But the big news this month in the Stanberry household is my dad’s retirement.
Allow me to wax poetic for a moment about something that may not seem directly related to The Purse or women and money. I’ve written here before that I inherited my dad’s workaholic tendencies, but I’m not sure I’ve ever explained just how much his career and success have influenced me.
According to family legend, my dad, Larry, always knew he wanted to be a scientist. Just picture a classic ’50s kid with a crew cut and a chemistry set. My grandparents didn’t have a lot of money, but my dad always had a lot of drive. He graduated from Southwestern University in Texas in the late ’60s. (Thank god he had a high draft number, or I might be writing this from Canada.) After a brief detour to work a food science job in Indiana, he attended medical school in Chicago, did his residency in Utah, and landed at the Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, where he worked for nearly two decades as a pediatrician and virologist.
In the early 2000s, he became chair of the department of pediatrics at the University of Texas, Galveston, where he also oversaw the world-renowned vaccine center. And in 2008, he joined Columbia, where he ran the department of pediatrics for a decade. After he stepped down, he took on a global health role, and before Covid-19, he frequently traveled to Africa, working with local hospitals to help them become better prepared to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Did I mention he’s also written a few books about herpes? When I was a teenager, I thought it was especially funny that his area of expertise was sexually transmitted diseases. What a thing to discuss at the dinner table!
But simply summarizing his résumé doesn’t begin to explain his impact, and in writing this, I feel frustrated that I can’t find the right words to convey just what a big fucking deal he is. He’s a world-famous researcher, and he’s also my dad—a very good dad—who showed me that if you’re lucky and determined, you can do work that you love that helps people and have a lot of fun and adventures along the way.
My dad has probably been working in some kind of job for the last 60ish years. I’m sure it’s weird for him that today he’ll turn in his badge, and tomorrow he won’t have a job. His career has been such a huge part of his identity, but he’s so much more than that. Larry Stanberry is a Scotch connoisseur, a world traveler, a lover of art and literature, a staunch Democrat, a mentor, and a friend. He taught me and my brother to be curious and kind and always cover our mouths when we yawn.
I wouldn’t be here, writing this newsletter, taking this risk running my own business, if it wasn’t for my dad’s support. I’m very lucky, and I’m very, very proud of him.
Now on to the June newsletter roundup!
June 2025 on The Purse
The Purse celebrated its second birthday, and I shared my annual behind-the-scenes look at the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.
Is my imposter syndrome holding me back?A year ago, I sat down and wrote a newsletter about my first year running The Purse. It’s my second most popular post to date, and people still reach out to tell me how much they liked it. You dear readers seem to really enjoy it when I pour my heart out.
Lindsey Stanberry
I found this month’s Home Economics to be very relatable—the writer quit her full-time job last year after dealing with some big-time burnout, and now she and her family are figuring out how to get by on a lot less in a high-cost-of-living area.
Home Economics No. 30: What it's like to quit your job and live on (a lot) lessBefore I kick things off today, I just want to acknowledge that it’s yet another week where sending this email feels very weird because of the state of our world. I don’t really know what else to say other than hug your loved ones close, help your neighbors, and GO VOTE. Early voting for the mayoral primary (and many other local races) starts in New Yor…Lindsey Stanberry
In the Group Chat, I asked some very smart women, including Fran Hauser and Julia Turshen, What advice would you give your 30-something self? Bookmark for a future date when you need a pep talk!
Group Chat No. 5: What advice would you give your 30-something self?Late May through early June is graduation season, and each year there’s inevitably a flurry of inspiring commencement addresses encouraging new grads to “have the courage to follow your heart and intuition” and “trust your gut [and] don’t listen to the critics.”Lindsey Stanberry
I wrote about the four questions you should consider before setting up an allowance for your kid(s). (Plus, this newsletter has a great paid subscription offer you don’t want to miss!)
The Purse Guide to Kids and Money: Allowance EditionA big thank-you to our sponsor Acorns Early, a banking app for families! Right now, we’re offering a special deal: Get a free one-year annual subscription to The Purse when you sign up for an Acorns Early account.Lindsey Stanberry
June’s paid Home Economics is a good one, about a couple in Maine who are working hard to build careers as independent artisans while renovating an old farmhouse.
Home Economics No. 31: Married, living on $70k—and getting some help from familyGood morning! My editor (ahem, my husband, Ken) is away, and I’m finishing up this newsletter (including writing the intro) all by myself. If there are any typos, they are all my fault! (Like is there supposed to be a comma in the last sentence?! I don’t know!!)Lindsey Stanberry
And last but certainly not least, the Division of Labor features a professor and a drywaller raising two small kids in Edmonton, Canada and struggling to make it all work when neither has a flexible schedule. I’m obsessed with the detail that they hire someone to pick up their dog poop in their yard. This is something I’d definitely do, too, if I had a dog or a yard!
Division of Labor No. 18: A professor and a drywaller raising 2 small kids in CanadaDivision of Labor is one of my favorite series, but it’s also one of the most difficult to pull together each month. While I do have a form where people can submit their stories for consideration, I usually try to ask people I know to participate. It’s quite a bit of work to do the diary for the day, and if both people in the couple aren’t invested, it …Lindsey Stanberry
Beyond the newsletter
- The CashApp team invited me to a morning-long financial wellness retreat with Lindsay Bryan-Podvin at the Remedy Spa in Soho. It was so fun to finally meet Lindsay in person (I’ve long been a fan of her work), and I always love a chance to talk money (and enjoy a spa treatment!).
- I took a solo trip to Traverse City to celebrate a dear friend’s wedding. It was a wonderful weekend, and I enjoyed traveling alone—except that everyone I encountered wanted to chat, especially all the Uber drivers I rode with. I was so relieved to get back to New York City on Sunday and take a quiet cab ride home from the airport.
- I had the best time chatting with Katie Gatti Tassin about her new book, Rich Girl Nation, at the 92nd Street Y! The audience asked the best questions! Also, buy Katie’s book! It’s so good! (Yes, every single exclamation point in this paragraph was necessary!)
- Meggie Palmer, the founder of PepTalkHer, hosted a simply gorgeous salon last week with Nina Neumann, one of the founders of Female Invest. It was so much fun to spend a couple of hours with a group of brilliant women chatting about investing, careers, and so many other things.
What’s coming up in July
- Extra Credit is back with a piece on decision-making.
- A fun Home Economics from New Orleans.
- And I’m still looking for this month’s Division of Labor. Submit your story here.
Behind the scenes…
I’ve been thinking about how much my time is worth.
