SugarMamma’s Fireplay

The Biggest ETF Investing Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)
Think you've built a great ETF portfolio?
Before you invest another dollar, make sure you're not making one of these common mistakes.
In this episode of SugarMamma's Fireplay, Canna Campbell shares the biggest ETF investing mistakes she has seen over more than 20 years as a financial adviser—and, more importantly, exactly what to do instead.
Whether you're a beginner investor or already have an ETF portfolio, these practical tips will help you build wealth with greater confidence while avoiding costly investing mistakes.
In this episode you'll learn:
Why buying multiple ETFs doesn't always mean better diversification

The hidden danger of choosing ETFs based purely on the lowest fees

Why chasing the best-performing ETF can backfire

How to avoid becoming overexposed to one sector, country or asset class

Why trying to time the market rarely works

The importance of staying invested through market volatility

How regular investing can help build wealth over time

Why constantly changing your portfolio can hurt long-term returns

Why focusing on passive income—not just portfolio value—can change the way you invest

The power of patience and letting compounding do the heavy lifting

If you're investing in ETFs—or thinking about getting started—this episode will help you avoid the common traps that can quietly reduce your long-term returns.
Remember: Successful investing isn't about finding the perfect ETF. It's about building a diversified portfolio, investing consistently, and giving your money time to grow.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who is starting their investing journey.
💡 If you want my help with your Budget or Money Mindset
Want more support on your financial journey? Here’s how we can work together:
The SugarMamma Budget & Cashflow Academy
Sick of living paycheque to paycheque or feeling overwhelmed by your money?
This course includes aone-on-one appointment with me so I can personally help you.
👉 Enrol here
Money Mindset & Manifestation Mentorship
Join my program for ongoing support, clarity, and motivation around the way to show up and work on your financial goals and dreams, including attracting the life that you want. Get started here.
📚 My Books
If you’re ready to deepen your financial knowledge, check out my books:
Best Seller:The $1000 Project
**Mindful Money](https://amzn.to/3RV0poc)
Motivated Money by Peter Thornhill(a huge inspiration for me): Read it here
(These are Amazon affiliate links to my own books.)
🌟 Stay Connected & Inspired
Instagram:@SugarMammaTV — money, budgeting, cashflow & motivation
Instagram:@CannaCampbellofficial — lifestyle, capsule wardrobe fashion, motherhood
Substack Quiet Wealth: https://substack.com/@sugarmammaquietwealth
Keynote speaking book via canna@sugarmamma.tv
TikTok:@SugarMammaTV
YouTube:SugarMammaTV — over 500 bite-sized videos with more than 12 million views!
Website:SugarMammaTV.com
Don’t forget my other podcast:How Do They Afford That? 👉 Listen here
⚖️ General Advice Warning
While we discuss financial topics, everything shared here is general information only — never personal, product, or investment advice. Always:
Do your own research.
Weigh up the pros, cons, fees, caps, taxes, and risks.
Seek professional advice before making financial decisions.
📜 Financial Planning License Details
The information in this podcast does not take into account your personal circumstances, goals, or needs. Always read relevant Product Disclosure Statements before acquiring any financial product, and seek independent financial advice where appropriate.
Canna Campbell is an Authorised Representative and Financial Adviser of Links Licensee Services Pty Ltd (AFSL No. 700012 | ABN 97 678 975 589).

Topics: ETF investing, ETF mistakes, beginner investing, ASX ETFs, investing for beginners Australia, passive investing, diversified portfolio, long-term investing, wealth building, financial freedom, personal finance Australia, passive income, investing strategy.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you reach 65 and your finances don't look anything like the retirement plan you thought you'd have?
Today's Start Here question comes from a 65-year-old woman who is single, still working FIFO and still has a mortgage. After attempting retirement at 60, she discovered that the lifestyle she'd imagined left her feeling isolated — and she spent a significant amount of her superannuation in the process.
She returned to work, bought a home and started rebuilding.
Now she's worried about what would happen if her income disappeared before she's financially ready to retire.
In this episode, we look at how to create financial security when you're starting — or perhaps restarting — later in life, without feeling as though you need to spend the rest of your working years frantically catching up.
We cover how to:
Work out what “enough” actually looks like for your retirement

Balance paying down a mortgage with building accessible emergency savings

Create a financial runway so losing your job doesn't immediately become a housing crisis

Think about alternative or part-time work before you actually need it

Consider whether downsizing could improve both your finances and your quality of life

Assess lifestyle and retirement villages beyond simply looking at the purchase price

Understand why community, connection and purpose belong in a retirement plan too

Avoid assuming you're automatically eligible for the downsizer contribution

Start thinking about superannuation and Centrelink before you retire

Know when specialist financial and legal advice can help you make a major decision with greater confidence

Most importantly, we challenge the idea that retirement success simply means reaching a certain age with a paid-off home and a huge super balance.
Sometimes retirement doesn't go according to plan. Sometimes the life you thought you wanted turns out not to suit you. And sometimes you find yourself starting again much later than expected.
That doesn't mean the only answer is deprivation or desperately trying to make up for lost time.
Perhaps financial freedom at this stage of life isn't necessarily about stopping work.
It's about reaching the point where you no longer have to work.
Because the goal isn't simply to retire.
It's to build enough security, income, connection and choice to create a next chapter that actually works for you.
This episode contains general information and education only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider seeking appropriate licensed financial and legal advice before making decisions regarding your mortgage, superannuation, Centrelink entitlements or retirement/lifestyle village arrangements.
💡 If you want my help with your Budget or Money Mindset
Want more support on your financial journey? Here’s how we can work together:
The SugarMamma Budget & Cashflow Academy
Sick of living paycheque to paycheque or feeling overwhelmed by your money?
This course includes aone-on-one appointment with me so I can personally help you.
👉 Enrol here
Money Mindset & Manifestation Mentorship
Join my program for ongoing support, clarity, and motivation around the way to show up and work on your financial goals and dreams, including attracting the life that you want. Get started here.
📚 My Books
If you’re ready to deepen your financial knowledge, check out my books, including our new one:
Twelve Months To Financial Freedom: https://link.amazon/B0hPdGjCm
Best Seller:The $1000 Project
**Mindful Money](https://amzn.to/3RV0poc)
Motivated Money by Peter Thornhill(a huge inspiration for me): Read it here
(These are Amazon affiliate links to my own books.)
🌟 Stay Connected & Inspired
Instagram:@SugarMammaTV — money, budgeting, cashflow & motivation
Instagram:@CannaCampbellofficial — lifestyle, capsule wardrobe fashion, motherhood
Substack Quiet Wealth: https://substack.com/@sugarmammaquietwealth
Keynote speaking book via canna@sugarmamma.tv
TikTok:@SugarMammaTV
YouTube:SugarMammaTV — over 500 bite-sized videos with more than 12 million views!
Website:SugarMammaTV.com
Don’t forget my other podcast:How Do They Afford That? 👉 Listen here
⚖️ General Advice Warning
While we discuss financial topics, everything shared here is general information only — never personal, product, or investment advice. Always:
Do your own research.
Weigh up the pros, cons, fees, caps, taxes, and risks.
Seek professional advice before making financial decisions.
📜 Financial Planning License Details
The information in this podcast does not take into account your personal circumstances, goals, or needs. Always read relevant Product Disclosure Statements before acquiring any financial product, and seek independent financial advice where appropriate.
Canna Campbell is an Authorised Representative and Financial Adviser of Links Licensee Services Pty Ltd (AFSL No. 700012 | ABN 97 678 975 589).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How To Build Your First ETF Portfolio (Step by Step)
You’ve saved the money. You’ve opened the share trading account. Now comes the big question… which ETF do you actually buy?
With hundreds of ETFs to choose from, getting started can quickly become overwhelming. Australian shares, international shares, high-growth funds, dividend ETFs, sector ETFs, bonds—the choices are endless.
In this episode of SugarMamma’s Fireplay, I strip away the noise and walk you through a practical, step-by-step process for building your first ETF portfolio.
We cover:
How to set a clear investment and passive income goal
Why your timeframe and risk profile should come before choosing an ETF
What an ETF actually is and how diversification works
The difference between Australian, international, diversified, sector and defensive ETFs
How to give each ETF in your portfolio a clear purpose
Why more ETFs doesn’t necessarily mean better diversification
How to identify and avoid unnecessary overlap
How to work backwards from your passive income goal
Why an $80,000 annual passive income target could mean aiming for approximately $1.6 million invested at a hypothetical 5% yield
How to actually purchase your first ETF
The important administration to complete afterwards—including your TFN, bank details, share registry and record keeping
Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRPs) and how reinvesting distributions can help compound your portfolio over time
The goal isn’t to build the perfect portfolio overnight.
It’s to build a simple, diversified portfolio you understand, keep contributing to it and give yourself enough time for growth, income and compounding to do their work.
And this is only Part One.
Next week: I’m sharing the biggest ETF investing mistakes I see—from doubling up on the same investments and chasing past performance to unnecessary fees, overcomplicating your portfolio and constantly changing strategy.
If you’re serious about using ETFs to build long-term wealth and passive income, make sure you listen to both episodes.
💡 If you want my help with your Budget or Money Mindset
Want more support on your financial journey? Here’s how we can work together:
The SugarMamma Budget & Cashflow Academy
Sick of living paycheque to paycheque or feeling overwhelmed by your money?
This course includes aone-on-one appointment with me so I can personally help you.
👉 Enrol here
Money Mindset & Manifestation Mentorship
Join my program for ongoing support, clarity, and motivation around the way to show up and work on your financial goals and dreams, including attracting the life that you want. Get started here.
📚 My Books
If you’re ready to deepen your financial knowledge, check out my books:
Best Seller:The $1000 Project
**Mindful Money](https://amzn.to/3RV0poc)
Motivated Money by Peter Thornhill(a huge inspiration for me): Read it here
(These are Amazon affiliate links to my own books.)
🌟 Stay Connected & Inspired
Instagram:@SugarMammaTV — money, budgeting, cashflow & motivation
Instagram:@CannaCampbellofficial — lifestyle, capsule wardrobe fashion, motherhood
Substack Quiet Wealth: https://substack.com/@sugarmammaquietwealth
Keynote speaking book via canna@sugarmamma.tv
TikTok:@SugarMammaTV
YouTube:SugarMammaTV — over 500 bite-sized videos with more than 12 million views!
Website:SugarMammaTV.com
Don’t forget my other podcast:How Do They Afford That? 👉 Listen here
⚖️ General Advice Warning
While we discuss financial topics, everything shared here is general information only — never personal, product, or investment advice. Always:
Do your own research.
Weigh up the pros, cons, fees, caps, taxes, and risks.
Seek professional advice before making financial decisions.
📜 Financial Planning License Details
The information in this podcast does not take into account your personal circumstances, goals, or needs. Always read relevant Product Disclosure Statements before acquiring any financial product, and seek independent financial advice where appropriate.
Canna Campbell is an Authorised Representative and Financial Adviser of Links Licensee Services Pty Ltd (AFSL No. 700012 | ABN 97 678 975 589).

This episode contains general financial information and is for educational purposes only. It does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether the information is appropriate for your circumstances and seek professional financial advice where required.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With so many skincare products, ingredients and promises competing for our attention, how do we know what is actually worth investing in?
In this special episode of SugarMamma’s Fireplay, proudly partnered with La Roche-Posay, Canna sits down with leading dermatologist Dr Shreya Andric to cut through the noise and unpack the science of skin longevity, ageing and the appearance of pigmentation.
Together they explore why dark spots, sunspots and uneven skin tone can become more noticeable as we age; the different types of hyperpigmentation; why they can be so stubborn to address; and the active ingredients backed by dermatological science.
Dr Andric also explains the science behind Melasyl™, how it works alongside ingredients including Niacinamide and Proxylane, and the innovation behind La Roche-Posay’s NEW MELA DOUBLE DOSE, which contains double the concentration of Mela B3 Serum.
Most importantly, this conversation is about helping you feel informed and empowered when choosing where to spend your money on skincare — understanding what matters, what the science says, and how consistency and prevention play a role in supporting healthy-looking skin over time.
Ask your pharmacist about the NEW MELA DOUBLE DOSE from La Roche-Posay or head to laroche-posay.com.au to learn more.
This episode is a paid partnership with La Roche-Posay.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeling overwhelmed by money? You're not alone.
If you've ever thought:
"I know I should be doing something... I just don't know where to start."
This episode is for you.
Today I'm joined by my co-host, Michael Thompson, to talk honestly about what it was really like before he took control of his finances.
We unpack the fear, confusion and overwhelm that kept him stuck, the moment he realised procrastination was costing him more than taking action ever would, and the simple steps that helped him finally begin building financial confidence.
Because the truth is, financial freedom doesn't begin with having lots of money.
It begins with making one decision:
To start.
In this episode we discuss:
Why so many intelligent people still procrastinate with money
How fear and overwhelm keep us financially stuck
Michael's personal turning point
The biggest mistakes beginners make
Why you don't need to know everything before getting started
How small, consistent actions create extraordinary results over time
The mindset shifts that changed everything
How our new book can guide you step-by-step through your own financial journey
If you've been waiting for the "perfect time" to organise your money, invest or start building wealth, consider this your sign.
Our new book, Twelve Months To Financial Freedom, was written to remove the confusion, simplify the process and help you build financial confidence one month at a time.
Whether you're starting from scratch or simply want a clear roadmap, we hope this book becomes the guide we both wish we'd had when we first started.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review and share it with someone who has been saying, "I really need to sort my money out."
Because sometimes all it takes is one conversation to change someone's financial future.
Grab your copy here: https://link.amazon/B05PhKmRm
💡 If you want my help with your Budget or Money Mindset
Want more support on your financial journey? Here’s how we can work together:
The SugarMamma Budget & Cashflow Academy
Sick of living paycheque to paycheque or feeling overwhelmed by your money?
This course includes aone-on-one appointment with me so I can personally help you.
👉 Enrol here
Money Mindset & Manifestation Mentorship
Join my program for ongoing support, clarity, and motivation around the way to show up and work on your financial goals and dreams, including attracting the life that you want. Get started here.
📚 My Books
If you’re ready to deepen your financial knowledge, check out my books:
Best Seller:The $1000 Project
**Mindful Money](https://amzn.to/3RV0poc)
Motivated Money by Peter Thornhill(a huge inspiration for me): Read it here
And of course Twelve Months To Financial Freedom! : https://link.amazon/B05PhKmRm
(These are Amazon affiliate links to my own books.)
🌟 Stay Connected & Inspired
Instagram:@SugarMammaTV — money, budgeting, cashflow & motivation
Instagram:@CannaCampbellofficial — lifestyle, capsule wardrobe fashion, motherhood
Substack Quiet Wealth: https://substack.com/@sugarmammaquietwealth
Keynote speaking book via canna@sugarmamma.tv
TikTok:@SugarMammaTV
YouTube:SugarMammaTV — over 500 bite-sized videos with more than 12 million views!
Website:SugarMammaTV.com
Don’t forget my other podcast:How Do They Afford That? 👉 Listen here
⚖️ General Advice Warning
While we discuss financial topics, everything shared here is general information only — never personal, product, or investment advice. Always:
Do your own research.
Weigh up the pros, cons, fees, caps, taxes, and risks.
Seek professional advice before making financial decisions.
📜 Financial Planning License Details
The information in this podcast does not take into account your personal circumstances, goals, or needs. Always read relevant Product Disclosure Statements before acquiring any financial product, and seek independent financial advice where appropriate.
Canna Campbell is an Authorised Representative and Financial Adviser of Links Licensee Services Pty Ltd (AFSL No. 700012 | ABN 97 678 975 589).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.