Academics and Their Money
Ever feel like you’ve got a PhD in your field but only a 101-level understanding of your finances? Welcome to Academics and Their Money, the podcast where we make money talk as smart—and as entertaining—as you are. Because let’s be honest: knowledge is powerful, but a well-earned paycheck doesn’t hurt either. Whether you’re a fresh PhD navigating that first real paycheck, a tenured professor pondering what’s next, or a former academic with some ‘unique’ insights—this show dives into making your intellect work for you, tackling the financial quirks of academic life, and uncovering the untold money stories behind the ivory tower.
If you’re a fan of Planet Money, Freakonomics Radio, or HerMoney with Jean Chatzky, you’ll feel right at home here. But fair warning: this isn’t another boring money podcast. We keep it real, relatable, and just a bit irreverent to make finance feel fresh. Let’s get smarter about money—and wealthier—together!
Academics and Their Money
How PhDs Can Earn Fifty to Seventy Five Percent More: Elena Hoffer’s Not-So-Academic Story
In this international edition of Academics and Their Money, Inga Timmerman and Neeka Miremadi sit down with Elena Hoffer, a German scientist living in Sweden who completed her PhD in immunology at the Karolinska Institute. Elena shares her journey from academic research to entrepreneurship and explains why she ultimately stepped away from the professor track.
Elena opens up about her early discomfort around money, why academics often undervalue themselves, and how she rebuilt her mindset by recognizing the real outcomes her work creates. She now co runs a job accelerator program helping PhDs, postdocs, and professors transition into industry roles. Their model centers on an initiation fee plus a success fee, and she talks candidly about why charging for expertise felt strange at first and how she grew into it once she saw the impact.
We talk about the enormous salary gap between what academics expect and what their skills are actually worth in industry. Elena explains how many clients end up earning roughly fifty percent more than they thought possible and why raising your income can be the most powerful financial strategy.
Elena also discusses money habits she wishes she had adopted earlier, especially investing small amounts consistently. Coming from a conservative financial culture, she had to overcome fears around ETFs and long term investing, and she encourages younger academics to start early to build the habit.
Finally, Elena walks us through what academic training and career placement look like across Europe and how social systems, salaries, and cost structures differ from the United States. She shares openly about the loneliness she felt in the lab, the limited stability she observed in postdoc paths, and the conscious choice she made to build a more fulfilling and financially stable career outside academia.
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Any product or financial recommendations provided by Academics and Their Money, Inga, or Neeka are made solely in the author’s opinion and do not constitute professional financial or legal advice. All content is for educational purposes only.