Money Tales: Recent Episodes
Aspiriant
In American society, money is a taboo topic. By not talking with loved ones and friends about money, we miss opportunities to sort through the noise and learn the vocabulary and skills we need to effectively understand, evaluate and financially plan for what’s most important to us. Money Tale$ gives a voice to this uncomfortable topic. Co-hosts Sandi Bragar and Cammie Doder bring more than 35 years of combined professional experience in personal finance to each episode to demystify money and demonstrate what it’s like to speak openly about personal financial matters. Join us for interviews with modern day movers and shakers who share how money decisions intertwine with their daily lives and the wisdom they gained from those experiences.
When should parents start teaching kids about money? How do you raise financially independent children without making money a source of conflict? And what are the most important financial lessons teenagers wish they had learned sooner?
In this episode of Money Tales, musician and singer-songwriter Neda Patra joins her daughters, Parmeeda and Patris, for a candid family conversation about money, financial literacy, and the values that shape lifelong financial habits. Together, they explore how culture, parenting, allowance, budgeting, generosity, and open communication influenced each generation’s relationship with money. Through honest stories, playful disagreements, and shared perspectives, they reveal how talking about money at home can help children develop confidence, responsibility, and financial independence long before adulthood.
Whether you’re raising young children, parenting teenagers, or simply reflecting on the money lessons passed down through your own family, this episode offers practical insights into building healthy financial habits and creating more meaningful family conversations about money.
Three Money Conversations This Episode Explores1. Teaching financial independence starts earlier than most parents think.
Neda shares how giving her daughters an allowance, setting clear boundaries, and allowing them to make—and learn from—their own spending decisions helped build confidence, budgeting skills, and financial responsibility.
2. The financial literacy lessons many teenagers wish schools taught.
Parmeeda and Patris discuss why understanding budgeting, credit, earning money, saving, and everyday financial decision-making has proven just as valuable as traditional classroom subjects.
3. How to make family money conversations feel natural instead of awkward.
Through stories about spending, generosity, priorities, and even friendly debates over who pays the restaurant bill, this family demonstrates how open conversations about money can strengthen relationships and prepare children for adulthood.
About Neda PatraNeda Patra is an international singer, songwriter, actress, and performer whose career spans music, television, and theater. Inspired from an early age by artists such as Madonna, she developed a love for a wide range of musical styles, including Persian, Kurdish, Turkish, pop, hip-hop, and R&B. She began singing and dancing at just five years old, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion for the performing arts.
Throughout high school and college, Neda immersed herself in drama, theater, dance, and choir while continuing to pursue her artistic ambitions. After graduating from high school, she attended California State University and, at 18, moved out on her own. While building a career in the financial industry, she continued to develop her work as a singer, dancer, and actress.
Neda’s talent has earned recognition across the international entertainment community. She was featured by Javanan Magazine for her performance in the play Forbidden Chess and later as a rising recording artist. She also appeared on the magazine’s cover multiple times between 2018 and 2021 in recognition of her growing success as an international pop artist. Her work has also been featured in interviews on television networks including Manoto, ITN, OTIN, and TIN.
In addition to her music career, Neda hosted Patra’s Show, a successful television program that aired for a year before she chose to focus her full attention on creating music and performing.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
How do you build better money habits, overcome money shame and make smarter financial decisions? In this episode of Money Tales, money mentor Anne Lester explains why financial success isn’t about having more willpower. It’s about understanding the psychology behind your financial decisions. Whether you’re navigating your first paycheck, paying off debt, trying to save more or planning for retirement, Anne shares practical insights to help Millennials, Gen Z and anyone looking to build lasting financial confidence.
Fresh out of college, Anne thought she was doing everything right. She had landed her first job, was earning a paycheck and was building an independent life. Yet she was also carrying credit card debt, struggling to save while making financial choices that felt right in the moment. Those experiences eventually shaped a career spent helping people prepare for retirement and build healthier relationships with money. In this conversation, Anne talks about the lessons she learned from her own mistakes and why building a better financial life starts with understanding yourself.
About Anne Lester: Money Mentor and Financial Wellness AdvocateAnne Lester is the Money Mentor for Gen Z and Millennials. She is helping a generation of young adults, and those who serve and employ them, turn money shame into money power – so they can live their best life and do their best work now.
Her research for the award-winning book, Your Best Financial Life: Save Smart Now for the Future You Want, revealed that only 17% of GenZ and Millennials are confident in their money plan and on track to retire. The difference? They had a money mentor growing up.
Anne earned the 2020 Lillywhite Award for lifetime contributions to Americans’ economic security. During three decades at J.P. Morgan Chase, she launched and ran the SmartRetirement Target Date funds and Income Builder fund, and was named Morningstar’s Asset Allocator of the Year in 2014.
She’s a trusted keynote speaker, emcee, and media guest for audiences ranging from employees and professionals to Bloomberg TV, Barron’s, CNBC, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.
Looking for more practical guidance?Aspiriant’s advisors regularly write about the habits and decisions that build long-term financial confidence. If you’re just getting started, explore 4 Financial Tips for Young Adults for foundational advice on saving, credit and investing. You can also read The Road to Financial Wellness, which offers practical strategies for developing healthy financial habits and creating a sustainable approach to managing your money. Together, these resources reinforce one of Anne’s central messages: lasting financial success begins with small, intentional choices—not perfection.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
How do you prepare for the financial, emotional and logistical realities of caring for a loved one? In this episode of Money Tales, Lindsay Jurist-Rosner shares how nearly three decades of helping care for her mother after an MS diagnosis revealed just how unprepared most families are for the challenges of long-term care. From navigating healthcare systems and managing complex decisions to coping with caregiver stress and financial strain, Lindsay’s experience inspired her to found Wellthy, a platform designed to help families coordinate care and reduce the overwhelming burden that often accompanies caregiving. This conversation offers valuable insights for anyone supporting aging parents, caring for a family member with a chronic illness or planning for the future costs and responsibilities of care.
About Lindsay Jurist-Rosner: Transforming Family Caregiving Through InnovationLindsay Jurist-Rosner is the co-founder and CEO of Wellthy – a market-leading care concierge company that is revolutionizing the way families care for their loved ones and themselves. Wellthy combines digital innovation and human expertise so that family caregivers have the support they need to navigate any care situation throughout all life stages – ensuring that families can spend their time prioritizing love over healthcare logistics. Two million people have direct access to Wellthy’s services through some of the largest and best-known health plans and employers across the country, including Best Buy, Cisco, Hilton and Meta.
With Wellthy, Lindsay is building the company she needed throughout the 28 years she cared for her mother. Today Wellthy has more than 300 staff working to support family caregivers. In 2023 Wellthy was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” and one of the magazine’s “Top 10 Most Innovative Workplace Companies,” and Lindsay herself was named to Inc. Magazine’s “Female Founders 200” list celebrating dynamic women entrepreneurs.
Prior to founding Wellthy, Lindsay was in the advertising technology and media industries with responsibilities and leadership in marketing, product and sales. She served as the Senior Vice President of Marketing for NY-based advertising technology startup Simulmedia, ran Marketing Research at Machinima and worked in product and strategic marketing at Microsoft.
Lindsay received an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics-Operations Research from Columbia University. She’s written for Fortune, Good Housekeeping, Employee Benefit News and more, and has spoken at numerous panels and conferences, including most recently at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. She serves on the Board of Hilarity for Charity (HFC) a non-profit dedicated to supporting Alzheimers’ caregivers and founded by comedian Seth Rogen and his wife Lauren Rogen. Lindsay lives in New York City with her husband and four kids.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
What does self-awareness have to do with money, leadership and success? More than most people realize. In this episode of Money Tales, leadership expert Margaret Andrews shares how a single piece of difficult feedback early in her career sparked a lifelong pursuit of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and personal growth.
From her beginnings as a CPA to teaching some of Harvard’s most popular leadership and executive education courses, Margaret explores how the beliefs we hold about ourselves quietly influence our careers, relationships, decision-making and financial lives. Her story offers practical insights for anyone looking to become a better leader, make more intentional choices and develop a healthier relationship with money.
About Margaret Andrews: Harvard Leadership Instructor, Author and Expert in Emotional IntelligenceMargaret is a seasoned professional speaker, executive, academic leader and instructor whose work has been written about in a variety of publications, including BusinessWeek, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and The Times of India.
Her course, Managing Yourself and Leading Others, is among the most popular classes and executive programs at Harvard. In addition, Margaret teaches Unlocking Creativity, Leading with Emotional Intelligence, Strategic Leadership, Creativity and Innovation, and It Depends: Unpacking the Challenges of Leadership. She is also the Co-Faculty Director of the Executive Program for Senior Life Sciences Leaders at Harvard Medical School.
In the academic arena, Margaret has been Executive Director of the MBA Program at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Vice Provost at the Hult International Business School and Associate Dean at Harvard University.
On the business side, Margaret started her career as a CPA in San Francisco and has also been a marketing executive and a long-time strategy consultant. She now leads The MYLO Center, a private leadership development firm.
Margaret earned an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her graduate degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her writing has been featured in Leader to Leader, Training Industry Magazine and Psychology Today and her book, Manage Yourself to Lead Others, was published by Hachette in 2025.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
Sometimes the moments that challenge your identity the most end up reshaping your entire relationship with money. In this episode of Money Tales, Bobbie LaPorte shares what it looks like to navigate financial highs and lows with humility and resourcefulness. After years of corporate success, Bobbie found herself asking a very different question. What do you do when the path you expected disappears and you still need to move forward? Bobbie’s story is candid and full of hard-earned perspective and thoughtful generosity.
Bobbie is a leadership advisor, executive coach, Founder and CEO of Bobbie LaPorte & Associates, where she helps leaders navigate volatility, complexity, and constant change. She works with Fortune 500 companies, global organizations, and high growth start-ups to build confident leaders who can think and perform at their best when the ground is shifting.
Bobbie brings rare credibility to the conversation, having served as a CEO, COO and CMO in multiple Fortune 50 companies, including IBM, GE, and UnitedHealthcare, as well as leading two healthcare technology start ups. Bobbie is the and author of When the Curveballs Keep Coming. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Master’s in Positive Leadership and Strategy from IE University in Madrid.
Known for blending real world executive experience with science-based insight, Bobbie helps leaders strengthen personal agency, confidence and decision making under pressure. Her work spans keynote talks, leadership workshops, enterprise learning programs and one on one executive coaching.
When she’s not working with leaders, Bobbie is training for her seventh Ironman triathlon—often alongside her two Golden Retrievers on Bay Area trails.
Here are three money conversations this episode will help you navigate:1. How your relationship with money is shaped early and evolves over time.
Growing up between abundance and scarcity, Bobbie learned to be self-sufficient and still carries that lens into how she saves, spends and supports others today.
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What it really takes to get through financial uncertainty.
Bobbie shares the reality of starting over, including the humbling decision to take any job available while building something new, and how that shaped her confidence and independence. -
How to define “enough” when success keeps raising the bar.
Through her work with high-earning clients, Bobbie brings a grounded lens on balancing ambition and wealth with the relationships, health, time and everyday experiences that often get pushed aside in the pursuit of more.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
How do cultural beliefs, immigration and life experience shape our relationship with money? In this episode of Money Tales, Uday Wagle, a former director at the International Finance Corporation within the World Bank Group, shares his personal journey from India to the United States and the financial lessons he learned along the way.
Uday discusses how his perspectives on money were shaped across continents, cultures and decades. From growing up in India where money wasn’t discussed, to building a life in the United States with a young family and initially very little financial cushion, Uday’s story is thoughtful, grounded and full of perspective.
Uday is a seasoned executive, with 37 years in the corporate world, in diverse industries and roles. Most of his career has been in investing in the emerging markets private sector. In addition to his skills and experience in development finance, he has the natural skills of a coach and teacher. His empathetic nature has enabled him to help many individuals at difficult points in their lives, to think through and solve thorny problems and take difficult decisions.
Money Conversations: Three Topics This Episode Explores1. How cultural norms shape what you do and don’t say about money – Uday reflects on growing up in India where money was rarely discussed, and how that silence influenced his early understanding of saving and spending. 2. What it really feels like to start over financially – From early sticker shock to juggling a mortgage, family expenses and occasional overdrafts, Uday shares the reality of rebuilding stability from scratch. 3. Why sharing financial responsibility matters more than you think – After seeing friends struggle when one partner handled everything financially, Uday looks at his own marriage and the importance of making money visible, shared and understood.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
What happens when you realize the moments you feel most lost are the ones that end up giving you direction? In this episode of Money Tales, Caroline Gaynor, an endurance athlete who guides blind and visually impaired competitors through marathons and Ironmans, shares how helping others quite literally shaped her own path. From feeling unprepared for adulthood and money in her 20s to becoming a passionate advocate for financial education, Caroline’s story is honest and energizing.
Caroline is a vice president, relationship director and investment specialist at Avantis Investors®. Prior to joining Avantis Investors, Caroline served as a regional director at Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA). Caroline is also a sought-after public speaker who has presented at numerous events and conferences for end-investor and advisor audiences. She received her B.A. from Columbia University.
Here are three money conversations this episode will help you navigate:1. The gap between confidence and financial reality in your early career 2. How to think about investing before it feels urgent 3. Navigating money dynamics in modern relationships
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
Every multigenerational family carries a money story. How wealth is discussed, modeled and passed down influences family relationships, stewardship of wealth and the long-term success of a family’s legacy and enterprise.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Charles Eckhart. What began with childhood dreams of striking it rich through baseball cards evolved into a career helping ultra-high net worth families navigate the complexities of wealth, relationships and legacy. Charles reflects on how his early views of money shaped his path and shares insights on guiding multigenerational families through the balance of ambition, stewardship, purpose and responsibility across generations.
About Charles Eckhart: Guiding Families Through Wealth, Governance and Multigenerational LegacyCharles is the Founder and Managing Partner of Cathexis Group, a family engagement and governance consulting firm based in Santa Barbara, California. Charles consults with families and couples of significant wealth to catalyze family transitions and establish and evolve practices for effective family governance and collaborative decision making. Charles also consults with financial institutions to build, train, and support wealth advisors in family dynamics and governance. Prior to the founding of Cathexis Group, Charles had a career as a Clinical Psychologist, including numerous academic teaching and training roles in doctoral clinical training programs. He contributes publications, presentations, and thought leadership in the intersection between family wealth, legacy, governance, and relationships.
Three Discussion Topics on Multigenerational Wealth, Identity and Financial Relationships* How family legacy shapes financial identity. + Growing up inside a multigenerational story about ambition, earning and purpose can influence how you see your role, even when you choose a different path. * Building a business when financial security is on the line. + Charles shares how leaving a stable career to start something new brings real pressure, especially when a partner has a very different relationship with risk. * Navigating financial inequality in relationships. + When one partner brings significant wealth into a relationship, the emotional and practical decisions around spending, ownership and identity get complicated fast.
Ready to strengthen your family’s Governance and Multigenerational Legacy?
Learn how Aspiriant’s Exclusive Family Office (EFO) services help families navigate succession, governance and multigenerational wealth planning.
If you’d like to talk with one of our advisors about your own family enterprise or wealth planning needs, get in touch with us here.
Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music for more conversations on family enterprise, wealth legacy and purpose.
How Money Shapes Identity and Fulfillment – Money Tales PodcastMoney can open doors, but what happens when the life it builds no longer feels like your own? In this episode, Jane Bond shares her powerful journey of financial success, personal misalignment, and the courageous decision to dismantle an identity that no longer served her. From selling multimillion dollar homes to stepping back and redefining what truly matters, Jane explores how money, identity and values intersect.
About Jane Bond: Redefining Success in Luxury Real Estate and BusinessJane is a powerhouse in real estate and a dynamic entrepreneur, now making waves in the competitive markets of New York City and Philadelphia. Before her current ventures, Jane spent 14 highly successful years in Naples, Florida, building a lucrative career selling multimillion-dollar properties. She earned a reputation for her unmatched expertise and, most notably, her ability to close high-stakes deals, instilling confidence in her clients and peers.
Now, with her deep understanding of luxury markets, Jane continues to excel in New York and Philadelphia. Her keen eye for opportunity and passion for connecting people with their perfect spaces make her a top-tier real estate professional.
Jane’s approach to her professional and personal endeavors is marked by a relentless drive to push boundaries and explore new possibilities. Her ability to connect deeply with others and her sharp business acumen make her a standout in every field she enters. Whether she’s negotiating a high-stakes real estate deal or hosting a transformative podcast episode, Jane’s influence is felt far and wide, inspiring others to reach for new heights.
With roots in two of America’s most dynamic cities and a history of success in one of the nation’s wealthiest regions, Jane Bond is synonymous with innovation, empowerment, and success. Her journey is a testament to the power of authenticity and the limitless potential that comes from living life on your terms in her life’s journey.
Ready to Strengthen Your Relationship with Money?Jane’s experience is one we see often. Financial success can create opportunities, and it can also raise deeper questions about alignment, purpose and what comes next. At Aspiriant, we believe those questions are just as important as the numbers. Through our approach to wealth management and thoughtful, personal conversations, we help individuals and families reconnect their wealth with what truly matters. The result is a more intentional path forward, where decisions reflect your values, priorities and the life you want to lead.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
What does a sustainable relationship with money actually look like? In this episode, Denise Dunning, founder of Rise Up Together, shares how the idea of sustainability shapes everything from how she leads a global nonprofit to how she earns, saves, and raises her children. Her story reveals that building a meaningful financial life is not about extremes, but about creating something that can endure.
About Denise Dunning: Building a Global Model for Sustainable ImpactDenise is the Founder and Executive Director of Rise Up Together. She launched Rise Up Together following years of working closely with country-based leaders and organizations to develop a new, locally-led model for sustainable impact at scale. Today, Rise Up Together’s team builds power with leaders and partners in the US, Africa, Asia, and Latin America and has created lasting impact for more than 172 million people.
Previously, Denise worked at the David & Lucile Packard Foundation on global women’s reproductive health and rights, and the Inter-American Development Bank on poverty reduction strategies in Honduras. She was a distinguished Fulbright Scholar, National Science Foundation Fellow, and Stanford Social Entrepreneur in Residence.
Denise has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from UC Berkeley, a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Duke. Her work has been featured in media outlets including the Stanford Social Innovation Review, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Christian Science Monitor, and Alliance Magazine.
Denise has lived in five countries, and worked and traveled in many more, including her mother’s native Argentina. She speaks four languages, and now calls San Francisco home, where she resides with her husband, three children, and two cats.
Ready to build a more intentional relationship with money?Explore more conversations like this on Aspiriant’s Money Tales podcast, where we dive into the stories behind how people earn, save, and live with money.
And for deeper insights, visit fathom, our content hub for perspectives on wealth, values, and decision-making.
If you are thinking about how to align your wealth with your values, an Aspiriant advisor can help you clarify your purpose, structure your giving and build a thoughtful philanthropic plan that fits your family.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
Money and dating are rarely just about money—it’s about values, identity and the stories we each bring into a relationship. In this Money Tales Deep Dive, Cammie Doder and Sandi Bragar unpack why money can feel so difficult to talk about while dating, whether you’re in your 20s or later in life.
From early impressions to deeper commitments, Sandi and Cammie explore how our individual money histories shape the way we show up and why avoiding these conversations often creates more friction than clarity. Drawing on insights from past Money Tales guests like Jeremy Savlov, Sarah Van Voorhis and the concept of “Getting Financially Naked” from Steve Demaray, this conversation reinforces a core truth: when we’re willing to get honest about money, the stronger the foundation we build.
Throughout the episode, the conversation moves from emotional awareness to practical application. Cammie and Sandi discuss navigating differences in spending, saving and financial expectations. They also highlight the importance of curiosity over judgment—understanding why someone thinks the way they do about money before trying to align on decisions. Whether you’re just starting to date or building a long-term partnership, this episode offers a thoughtful lens on how to approach money conversations in a way that builds trust, not tension.
Three Listener-Relevant TopicsWhen to bring up money in dating – How early is too early and what signals it’s time to go deeper?
Understanding your partner’s money story – Why financial compatibility isn’t about sameness, but about awareness and communication.
Navigating differences without conflict – How to stay curious, avoid judgment, and build shared understanding even when perspectives differ.
Explore More on Money ConversationsWant to get better at talking about money—whether you’re dating, in a relationship or navigating family dynamics? Explore more Money Tales episodes and insights on Aspiriant’s Fathom blog. You’ll find practical perspectives on how to talk about money in relationships, financial communication, money mindset and building financial confidence—all designed to help you connect your financial life with what matters most.
If you’d like to work with an Aspiriant advisor to align your financial plan with your goals and values, connect with us here.
Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more inspiring stories on purpose, money and personal growth.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guests are Uma Viswanathan and Johann Berlin. What if the most powerful money tool is not a spreadsheet, but a pause? In this episode, Uma and Johann, cofounders of TruWorth, explore how our earliest experiences and cultural expectations shape the way we save, spend, give and talk about money, often without us realizing it. From immigrant family sacrifice to the lasting imprint of losing a home in the savings and loans crisis, they show how money stories can create both strength and shadow.
Johann is the co-founder of TruWorth, where he helps first-generation wealth builders, high earners, and leaders understand the deeper motivations shaping their financial decisions. His work sits at the intersection of behavior change, investing and identity, grounded in both lived experience and two decades of leadership across sustainable investing, fund management, leadership development and neuroscience-based tech. Johann brings a pragmatic and rigorous approach to helping people shift their behavioral patterns around wealth and worth.
Uma is the co-founder of TruWorth, where she helps people – especially women and first-generation wealth builders – rewrite the money stories that no longer serve them. Her work lives at the intersection of identity, culture, and finance, shaped by years of navigating those tensions in her own life. Before launching TruWorth, Uma led over $200 million in mission-driven investments through major foundations and collaboratives focused on racial equity, healing and systems change. She brings two decades of experience in psychology, philanthropy, and narrative strategy to help people move out of shame and into clarity, so they can shape a life that feels both aligned and abundant.
Explore More Resources on Money Stories and BehaviorLooking to go deeper? Explore more Money Tales episodes alongside insights from Fathom, Aspiriant’s blog, for practical guidance on uncovering the beliefs and experiences that shape your financial decisions—and how to shift them with greater awareness and intention.
If you’d like to work with an Aspiriant advisor to better align your financial plan with your values, behaviors and long-term goals, connect with us here.
Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more thoughtful conversations on the intersection of money, identity and personal growth.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Elisa Henry. For the first time in her life, Elisa Henry did something that felt almost impossible for a high performing dealmaker. She stopped. She took six months off work to disconnect from the constant noise of achievement, spend real time outdoors, and sit in the quieter questions beneath every money goal: Who am I if I am not producing? What do I want this next chapter to be about? In that pause, Elisa realized how tightly identity can fuse with work, how health and presence can become the real scarce resources and why the most meaningful financial plan is the one that supports a life you actually have time to live.
Elisa has spent over 20 years scaling communications and technology businesses — from building Communications Platform as a Service companies to being on the ground floor of commercializing artificial intelligence before it went mainstream. Most recently, she grew a CPaaS company over 7x in six years, culminating in a 10x earnings exit. Today, through her consulting firm Konversaitions, she partners with founders and CEOs to sharpen their commercialization efforts and build the operational infrastructure that helps founders increase the value of their business so they can get the most out of their exit.
But this episode is about something more personal. Life has a way of shifting how you think about money, time, and what truly matters – and for Elisa, that shift is now.
She opens up about raising her 10-year-old son with intention, living in the present, and what it means to build a life — not just a portfolio — with no regrets. When she’s not working, you’ll find her in the mountains, snow skiing with her family, traveling, and cherishing the moments that money can’t buy.
Preparedness, Perspective and Purposeful WealthThis conversation underscores the importance of staying actively engaged in your financial life. From reviewing insurance beyond autopay to planning for unexpected events, Elisa’s story shows that true security comes from regularly reassessing your coverage and aligning it with real-life risks. Her approach to negotiation and investing also highlights that money decisions are both strategic and human, requiring awareness, adaptability and a clear understanding of what matters most.
Through hands-on conversations with her son about earning, investing and recognizing opportunity, she demonstrates that financial legacy is built through everyday actions and shared perspective. If you want to align your financial decisions with your goals and values, an Aspiriant advisor can help you create a strategy grounded in purpose. Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more insights on making thoughtful, intentional money decisions.
In this Money Tales Deep Dive, Sandi Bragar and Cammie Doder explore one of the most meaningful and often avoided conversations: how to talk to kids about money before they leave home. They discuss why these conversations can feel uncomfortable for parents and reminding listeners that this guidance applies not only to your own kids, but also to nieces, nephews, and young people in your broader circle.
Drawing on insights from past Money Tales guests—including Vincent Valeri, Tim Ranzetta, Joyce Chung, Betsy Miller, and Dr. Marianne Cooper—they highlight how early money experiences shape a child’s understanding of security, independence, and decision-making. Throughout the episode, Sandi and Cammie offer a practical approach: start earlier than you think, use everyday moments as teaching opportunities, and focus on building confidence rather than perfection. They discuss the importance of normalizing money conversations in age-appropriate ways, giving kids hands-on experiences with earning, spending, and saving, and allowing room for small mistakes that lead to meaningful learning.
As reflected in many of the stories shared across Money Tales, the goal isn’t to raise financially perfect kids, but to raise capable, thoughtful adults who can make informed decisions and engage in healthy, open conversations about money throughout their lives.
Explore More Resources on Kids and MoneyLooking to go deeper? Explore our curated Money Tales episodes alongside insights from Fathom, Aspiriant’s blog, for practical guidance on teaching kids about money—from building healthy habits to gaining financial literacy and confidence.
If you’d like to work with an Aspiriant advisor to align your financial plan with your goals and values, connect with us here.
Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more inspiring stories on purpose, money and personal growth.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Janet Brunckhorst. What if your charitable dollars could do more than sit and wait to be granted out? In this episode, Janet shares how she began rethinking her donor advised fund as a giving vehicle and as a tool for investing in climate solutions. That shift opened the door to deeper money conversations about risk, liquidity, partnership and how to assign value to uncertain outcomes.
Janet is a climate tech advisor, investor, and fractional executive. She provides strategic and operational support to climate founders in the US and Australia. Janet has led cross-functional teams building software products for the last 20 years, with her time at Aurora Solar cementing her commitment to the energy transition. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, kids, and cat, writes songs about science, swims in the Bay, and misses Melbourne coffee.
Curiosity, Risk and Rewriting the RulesJanet Brunckhorst’s story shows how early experiences with money can shape our comfort with risk and uncertainty. Growing up with financial anxiety and later seeing a family safety net disappear taught her that wealth can be unpredictable. Those lessons helped her take thoughtful risks, from traveling on a loan as a student to moving across the world with a young child and no job lined up.
Her journey also highlights that money conversations are rarely just about numbers. Whether navigating different budgeting styles with her husband or deciding how to think about equity compensation in the tech world, Janet shows the value of curiosity, flexibility and honest dialogue.
Today, Janet is exploring how capital can be used more intentionally for impact through her work connecting philanthropic capital with climate technology startups. For more insights on the economic possibilities that addressing climate change can create, listen to the episode with Tito Jankowski here.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sid Kim. Sid didn’t become an entrepreneur by following a master plan. He taught himself how to write a business plan from a book, raised venture capital during the dot com boom, and found himself running a company before fully understanding what success or responsibility would actually demand. As the son of immigrants who rebuilt their lives from scratch, Sid saw entrepreneurship as a way to create stability and agency. In this conversation, he reflects on the lessons that came from early wins, sudden losses and building businesses across borders, and how those experiences reshaped his relationship with money, risk and purpose.
Sid is a global entrepreneur and business expansion strategist with nearly 30 years of leadership experience across Asia and the United States. His career has centered on building, scaling and diversifying ventures that bridge cultures, markets and industries.
As Founder of Vatos Urban Tacos, Urban Mix, Sid Burger & Craft Beer and KoMari, Sid has launched and managed over 20 restaurants and businesses across Singapore, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and the U.S. As Chairman of Vatos Capital Partners, he continues to oversee concept creation, fundraising, investor relations and brand growth.
At SAGE Partners Group, where he serves as CEO, Sid leads cross-border consulting initiatives helping Asian brands expand into the U.S. and guiding North American brands into Asia. From strategy and compliance to design-build and operations, he helps companies navigate the complexities of global expansion while focusing on execution and growth.
Beyond F&B, Sid founded GolfX, Singapore’s leading indoor golf facility, and serves on the Singapore Golf Association’s Golf Development Task Force, promoting the sport’s growth and accessibility in the region. Sid recently founded a golf import, export and distribution company for U.S. brands wanting to expand to Asia.
A frequent speaker and mentor, Sid shares insights on international expansion, entrepreneurship and cross-cultural leadership with founders, executives, and students worldwide. A Fulbright Scholar and former UC Berkeley Graduate Scholarship Advisory Board member, he combines academic rigor with entrepreneurial instinct—specializing in business development, financial strategy and scalable global ventures.
Risk, Reinvention and Redefining LegacySid’s journey shows that money is more than a measure of success. From his immigrant upbringing to building businesses across continents, his story reflects a thoughtful evolution in how he approaches risk, ambition and stability. Wealth, when guided by intention, creates freedom to pivot, tell meaningful stories and invest in the next generation.
Through open conversations with his son about investing and career choices, he illustrates that financial legacy is shaped as much by dialogue and example as by assets. Lessons about money come from experience and shared perspective.
If you want to align your resources with the life and legacy you want to create, an Aspiriant advisor can help you design a strategy grounded in purpose and discipline. Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more stories that guide smarter, more intentional money decisions.
Feeling financially successful on paper but trapped in real life can change everything. In this episode, C-suite executive and board director, Leilani Latimer, shares how unintentionally becoming house poor while living in Italy as a young adult forced her to confront anxiety, control and independence. When she sold the house, those lessons ultimately set the foundation for her to achieve a healthier, more balanced relationship with money.
Leilani is a global C-suite executive and NACD Certified Board Director who leads companies through critical inflection points. She drives growth, connects strategy to execution and builds operating models designed for scale and resilience.
Her track record spans B2B, SaaS, Marketplace, AI/ML and Enterprise Technology companies across public, PE-backed and venture-backed organizations. She has held executive roles in sales, marketing, commercial operations, product and customer success, bringing a comprehensive understanding of how these functions integrate to drive performance.
She is currently a strategic advisor to growth-stage technology companies, partnering with Founders, CEOs, VCs and PEs to shape business models, strengthen go-to-market execution and design the teams and structures required to scale. She has led early-stage companies in supply chain, retail and medtech through transformational growth, building commercial and marketing engines from startup through acquisition, delivering significant revenue growth and improved forecasting.
Leilani’s deep technology expertise includes 25 years with Sabre Inc. (NASDAQ: SABR), a global leader in travel, hospitality and transportation technology. In leadership roles spanning sales, product, marketing, strategy and sustainability across North America and Europe, key achievements include repositioning the hospitality business for IPO, developing award-winning enterprise sustainability systems and products, restructuring global product investment plans and helping build the Southern European division from inception to 15% market share.
Leilani currently serves as an Independent Board Director at Black Diamond Group (TSE: BDI), Sedex and Narratize, and as an Advisory Board Member at Fiutur and FoodMesh. Her board contributions span governance, strategic capital allocation, compensation and risk oversight. Her unique perspective on corporate risk and reputation is shaped by her expertise in sustainability, over 15 years of leadership in European markets and extensive experience across multiple industries. Based in San Francisco, she is a dual US and Italian citizen.
Independence, Investing and Intentional ChoiceLeilani’s story reminds us that financial independence is not a fixed destination but an evolution. From navigating cross-border careers and complex benefits systems to rethinking what fairness means in partnership, she shows how money can either create anxiety or expand possibility. Today, her focus on teaching her children to invest early, supporting female founders and building values-aligned portfolios reflects a deeper truth: wealth is a tool for choice. The freedom to decide where you live, what you support and how you show up in the world is the ultimate return on investment.
If you are considering board service, navigating career transitions or thinking more intentionally about how and where you invest, an Aspiriant advisor can help you align your wealth with your values and design a strategy that supports both independence and impact.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire smarter, more intentional decisions with your money.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Stephanie Ellis-Smith. Marriage caused Stephanie to face two hard truths at once. The medical career she had poured herself into did not fit the life she wanted to build with her husband. And perhaps even more unsettling, a career in medicine was not clicking the way she had always assumed it would. When she stepped away, Stephanie felt like she was walking out on an identity her family had invested everything in. Then, in the middle of that uncertainty, Stephanie said yes to a small volunteer opportunity. That single yes ended up rerouting her life into a decades long career in philanthropy, including founding three nonprofits and Phila Engaged Giving.
Stephanie is the CEO and founder of Phīla Engaged Giving, a philanthropic advisory firm established in 2017 that works with donors who are ready to activate their assets for social change. As an advisor and social impact specialist, she works toward a world where philanthropy is a nurturing and equity-centered practice that connects wealth to the people and communities who need it most.
Stephanie is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) with extensive experience in advising high-impact individuals and companies. She believes strongly in being a compassionate and generous member of society and brings nearly 30 years of professional and personal life experience in governance, family wealth and nonprofit leadership to the social sector. In the wake of the racial uprisings of 2020, she co-founded Giving Gap, an online database to help donors find and support Black-founded and led organizations in their communities. Having served in a variety of professional capacities—non-profit CEO, social enterprise COO, foundation and non-profit trustee and corporate board member—Stephanie’s extensive background and deep knowledge makes her uniquely well-positioned to be a trusted advisor to the world’s most generous families and institutions. Stephanie’s expertise in navigating wealth, impactful generosity and civic engagement is frequently sought by leading philanthropic institutions and mainstream publications and she has frequently appeared as a keynote speaker at major social sector convenings.
Several Seattle mayors and former Washington Governor Gary Locke have appointed Stephanie to serve on a variety of boards and public commissions. She is currently a member of the Seattle Art Museum’s Museum Development Authority Board and the board of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. She was appointed a Dean of Philanthropy in 2022 by The Purposeful Planning Institute. Stephanie has BA degrees from UCLA in both English Literature and Biochemistry. Given her keen interest in science, Stephanie’s post-graduate years were spent in university labs working on stem cell and AIDS-related research. She has two adult children and lives in Seattle with her husband, the historian Douglas Smith.
Finding Purpose Through PhilanthropyStephanie’s journey shows that philanthropy is far more than writing checks or serving on boards. It is a deeply human practice that shapes relationships, careers and how we understand money, power and purpose. From her own career pivot to the way she helps families navigate charitable giving, her story illustrates how generosity can change the giver as much as the causes they support. By speaking openly about her own money story, identity and career reinvention, she reminds listeners that meaningful giving begins with honest conversations and a willingness to learn.
If you are thinking about how to align your wealth with your values, an Aspiriant advisor can help you clarify your purpose, structure your giving and build a thoughtful philanthropic plan that fits your family.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that help us make smarter, more intentional decisions with our money.
Money decisions often feel like a tug of war between two “right” instincts. Protect the children or prepare the children. Spend for what you need today or save for what you might need tomorrow. In this episode, Betsy A. Miller, J.D., ACC., a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, brings a powerful framework to those tensions by introducing polarities. Polarities are pairs of interdependent opposites where the goal is not to land in the middle, but to get the benefits of both and avoid the overuses of either. Her perspective is grounded in her own story, growing up around affluence while her family stayed disciplined and worked hard. This shaped her relationship with saving, spending and security, and still guides how she values her work and makes big financial decisions today.
What If the Answer Isn’t Either/Or—But Both/And?
The most important challenges can’t be solved by choosing sides. Whether it’s navigating stability and change, flexibility and structure, or task and relationship, the Both/And Mindset is at the foundation of this work—transforming either/or deadlocks into a sustainable path forward.
Betsy is a strategic advisor, keynote speaker, author and Lecturer at Harvard Law School. She helps clients and students navigate one of the hardest challenges: integrating opposing values instead of choosing between them. For more than 25 years, Betsy has worked in law firms, government and academia—holding leadership positions, prosecuting and defending high-stakes cases, advising clients under investigation, coaching senior executives and teaching the next generation of lawyers. She has led billion-dollar settlement negotiations, served as Chief of Staff to the D.C. Attorney General, worked as Nominations Counsel on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, and guided family offices through generational transitions. At Harvard Law School, Betsy created and teaches the university’s first course dedicated to the Both/And Mindset, “Polarities: Harnessing the Power of Opposites to Lead and Negotiate in a Complex World.” Her range of experiences—from the courtroom to the boardroom to the classroom—enables Betsy to connect dots others can’t see and to create value from opposites that need each other over time to succeed.
Betsy’s scholarship has been published in the Harvard Negotiation Law Review, the Leadership Edition of the ABA’s Law Practice Magazine, The American Lawyer, The National Law Journal, Law360 and Law.com. She has written on topics including the Both/And Mindset, change management, talent development, effective feedback and law firm governance. Betsy’s work in the classroom has been featured in the Harvard Gazette and in Harvard Law Today. Betsy is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School. She is an ICF-accredited leadership coach with Certificates in Leadership Coaching and in Polarities (the study of interdependent opposites) from Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership.
When Both Can Be TrueBetsy’s reflections show that some of our most meaningful money questions are not “either/or” choices but living tensions we navigate over time. Through the lens of polarities such as reveal and conceal, save and spend, present and future she illustrates how families can move beyond false trade-offs and instead seek the benefits of both. Her story reminds us that clarity comes not from picking a side, but from curiosity, intentionality and an openness to holding complexity with care.
If you’re thinking about how to navigate difficult family conversations about wealth, values or expectations, an Aspiriant advisor can help you frame the discussion, build shared understanding and create a plan that honors both relationships and resources.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that help us make smarter, more intentional decisions with our money.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Brad Lichtman. Brad’s money story moves through moments many people wrestle with but rarely say out loud. Walking away from a prestigious career path. Hitting financial free fall with young children at home. Starting over when a risk does not work out. What makes Brad’s story land is the heart and soul he brings to it. He meets setbacks with humility, people with compassion and each chapter with a steady commitment to help others flourish. Across decades as an educator and leader, he came to believe that money alone does not create wealth. Vision, purpose and accountability are, also, key ingredients.
Raised in Palo Alto, California in the middle of the turbulent 1960s and early 1970s, Brad’s parents fostered in him the importance of living a life of meaning and purpose. As a young 14-year-old political activist who spent the following four summers walking disadvantaged neighborhoods to register voters, Brad felt willing to take risks to improve the lives of others. Ten years later he found himself in law school after graduating from UCSD (and honored by delivering the commencement address). He was preparing for a future in politics when he became disenchanted with that direction and found himself teaching history and coaching sports at a private high school in San Diego. Surprisingly, he found his niche and gifts as a teacher and later a principal of two large public high schools, “retiring” twelve years ago as an Assistant Superintendent (HR) of a midsized, unified school district in San Diego County. During that journey, he had the opportunity to help build and begin a brand-new high school, which received a rare highest award for a new school from the State of California. As principal, he led a staff of nearly two hundred employees and oversaw a $15 million budget. As one of three leaders of the district, he oversaw seventeen principals, many directors, 2,500 employees and a $150 million budget.
Through trial and error, successes and failures, he learned that people flourish when organizations place a primacy on two core values equally: A challenging environment that simultaneously cares for each member with dignity and support. Along the way, he gained significant experience in coaching leaders and helping to build high quality teams where everyone has the best opportunity to thrive. He has continued coaching leaders about organizational culture throughout his retirement and enjoys seeing people’s lives changed in the process. While working alongside world-renowned business leader, Ken Blanchard, on a two-year project, Ken once told Brad that he was one of the two best leaders he’d ever worked with.
While Brad and Diane, his wife of forty years, should not be considered as having high wealth, they have benefited from having been with their current Aspiriant advisors for nearly eighteen years, who treat them as family, frequently referring to them as being “the poster children for retirement.” Brad still lives out the focus of his very early formative years: That we should all seek to live a life of meaning and purpose. Those values continue to guide how they see their money and wealth, as means for living fruitful lives while always seeking to improve the lives of those around them. And Brad sees Aspiriant as a perfect match to his vision.
Purpose, People and ImpactBrad Lichtman’s life illustrates how meaning, resilience and values can shape not just a career but an enduring way of being in the world. From walking the streets to register voters at 14, to teaching students others had written off, to leading large, diverse public schools through moments of crisis and possibility, Brad has consistently used his talents in service of others. His story is a reminder that money is not the goal it is a tool that becomes powerful when guided by clear values, deep relationships and a commitment to helping others flourish. What makes Brad’s journey so compelling is how he integrates purpose with practicality through careful budgeting, thoughtful planning and disciplined stewardship in support of a larger vision for life.
If you’re thinking about how to align your wealth with your values whether that’s planning for education, navigating career transitions, preparing for retirement or creating impact through mentorship and giving an Aspiriant advisor can help you clarify your vision and build a plan that supports it. They can work with you to connect your financial decisions to what matters most so your money becomes a means to live out your values with confidence and intention.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories about money, meaning and how people use their wealth to shape a life of purpose.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Margarita Camarena. Margarita’s relationship with money was shaped by two extremes. As a child, she fled Mexico City after the 1985 earthquake, lost her father that same year, and arrived in the U.S. with her family starting from zero. Years later, after earning two degrees from UC Davis, a lifestyle pivot collided with the 2008 financial crisis and led Margarita to bankruptcy. That decision forced her to face the shame and fear that can come with financial collapse, along with the freedom that can follow. With a mother who taught saving and structure and a father who believed life is meant to be enjoyed while you are healthy, Margarita’s story is a powerful lesson in balance and in seeing money as an energy that needs to move.
Xochitl Xiuh Ollin, also known as Margarita Camarena, is a Mayan Ajq’ij. She is also a craniosacral therapist, Reiki Master Teacher and manual therapist. She is Tenochca-Tlatelolca, born in Mexico City between the ancient twin cities of Tlatelolco and Tenochtitlan. As a child, she learned from her grandparents how to carry life in a holistic way through remedies and healing practices. Their approach to finances was conservative and rooted in respect, as money was understood to be a primary resource for security and for providing a “comfortable elderhood.” These practices were not labeled curanderismo; they were simply a way of life.
As an Ajq’ij, Margarita’s role is that of a spiritual guide, carrier of time and fire priestess. She conducts many types of fire ceremonies and works with the 20 sacred Mayan energies and the 13 frequencies of life to guide people. She embraces a multidisciplinary practice that includes craniosacral therapy, Indigenous healing arts, Reiki and multidimensional bodywork. She carries the medicines of sacred lineages from the Zapotec, Maya, Toltec and Mexica traditions.
She serves communities in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. She is also an educator and offers workshops nationwide and in Mexico, sharing teachings in Indigenous healing, bodywork, medicinal astrology, energy work and Reiki. It is her passion to connect people to nature and ancestral lineages through ceremonies in natural settings and through the cultivation of ritual.
Her background is in Art and Design. She comes from a lineage of female curanderas and parteras (midwives), as well as male artists and muralists—traditions she has inherited and continues to practice.
When Balance Shapes LongevityMargarita’s story is a powerful reminder that money is never just about accumulation. It is about balance, resilience and the meaning we assign to our experiences. From rebuilding her life after loss and displacement to making the difficult decision to file for bankruptcy, she shows how moments often framed by fear or shame can become turning points for growth and renewal. By reframing money as an exchange of energy, Margarita invites us to consider how our financial choices intersect with health, purpose and the lives we hope to live over the long term. Her reflections on community, fear and legacy offer a more expansive view of longevity, not just in years lived, but in impact felt.
If you’re thinking about how to plan while navigating financial setbacks or major life transitions, an Aspiriant advisor can help you evaluate options, restore confidence and build a plan that aligns your resources with your values.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that explore the human side of money and how thoughtful decisions today can shape resilience, renewal and the legacy we leave behind.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Joyce Chung. Joyce grew up in Honolulu with immigrant parents who modeled discipline, frugality and a deep commitment to education, even though money was rarely discussed out loud. After leaving Hawaii for MIT and later building a career in tech and venture capital, Joyce found herself learning a whole new relationship with risk, wealth and what it means to use money with intention. In our conversation, Joyce shares how those lessons shaped the biggest financial choices in her family and inspired the mission behind her foundation.
Joyce began her career in operating roles in the technology industry (Cambridge Technology Partners, Sony Corporation, Adobe Systems) and transitioned to early stage venture capital (Adobe Ventures, Cardinal Venture Capital, Garage Technology Ventures), investing in technology entrepreneurs looking to change the world. She has always had a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship and working with people that are excited about using creativity, technology and hard work to solve real world problems. In 2023, she pivoted to focusing on philanthropy to help address pressing needs and challenges in the areas of community resilience, entrepreneurship and environment. Joyce and her husband set up Makahakama Foundation, a foundation to channel their efforts in giving back to their local community, helping under-resourced entrepreneurs and supporting nature through conservation and innovation. Supporting mission-driven individuals and nonprofit organizations brings together the causes of importance to her family and the skills she has developed over her career. She holds an SB in Chemical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
When Purpose Becomes a PlanJoyce’s journey from an immigrant upbringing shaped by frugality and resilience to building the Makahakama Foundation shows how wealth can become a catalyst for meaningful change. Guided by the Aloha spirit and deeply held family values, Makahakama focuses on community resilience, under-resourced entrepreneurs, and environmental stewardship. It’s a powerful reminder that philanthropy isn’t just about giving. It’s about being intentional, taking thoughtful risks, and creating impact you can see in your lifetime.
If you’re thinking about how to give back more intentionally, an Aspiriant advisor can help you explore philanthropic strategies, structure a foundation or donor-advised fund, and align your wealth with the causes and values that matter most to you and your family.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more real stories about money, purpose, and using wealth to make a difference.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kaitlin Henze. A phone call that appeared to come from her bank’s fraud department turned into a financial nightmare for Kaitlin. She shares how sophisticated scammers exploit fear and urgency to override your judgement. Kaitlin also demonstrates how bringing these stories into the open is one of the best ways we can protect ourselves and the people we love.
Kaitlin lives just north of Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys outdoor adventures with her pup Mia, practicing and teaching yoga, and volunteering for local nonprofits. She works for a business that teaches STEM and critical thinking skills to kids, inspiring the next generation with a love for data, graphing and lifelong learning.
In May 2023, Kaitlin’s life was turned upside down when she fell victim to an elaborate and devastating identity theft scam that stole her entire life savings in just three weeks. Now, she’s courageously sharing her story to help others recognize, recover from, and most importantly, prevent similar cybercrimes. This episode is a powerful listen—and one worth sharing—to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
When Trust Is WeaponizedKaitlin’s story is a stark reminder that financial threats don’t always arrive as obvious red flags. Sophisticated scams are designed to mimic authority, create urgency, and exploit our instinct to act quickly—often when we’re trying to do the “right” thing. By sharing her experience openly, she shows that anyone can be vulnerable, while giving listeners the tools to recognize warning signs, slow down in high-stress moments, and safeguard what matters most.
If you’re thinking about how to better protect yourself and the people you care about, an Aspiriant advisor can help you review safeguards, spot risks, and build resilience into your financial life.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more real stories that help us make smarter, safer decisions.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Emily Winston. Emily, founder and CEO of Boichik Bagels, spent years obsessively reverse-engineering the “holy grail” New York bagel. She then took a hard left from saver mode into founder mode. This involved redeploying her nest egg, raising money one bagel tasting at a time and learning what financial “success” feels like when your time and most of your net worth is tied up in the business you’re building.
Emily is a lifelong foodie, mechanical engineer and Founder & CEO of Boichik Bagels. She grew up in NJ, and after moving to the Bay Area in 2010, bemoaned the lack of good bagels, and eventually set out on a quest to create them herself, which has now grown into a small chain of twelve shops in California plus wholesale and supermarket sales.
When Passion Becomes the PlanEmily’s journey reminds us that success isn’t just about playing it safe or following a proven path. It’s often shaped by obsession, experimentation, and the courage to redirect your savings—and your life—toward something you believe in.
If you’re navigating a pivot of your own—whether launching a venture or rethinking how your money supports your goals—an Aspiriant advisor can help you explore those decisions with clarity and intention.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more real stories about money and meaning.
Today’s guest, Guy Kawasaki, flips the usual “success story” on its head with a string of jaw-dropping missed opportunities that became the foundation for a life measured by impact, not just outcomes. In this conversation, Guy takes us from being a kid on the “wrong side of the tracks” in Honolulu to Stanford, Apple, and Canva—sharing how cars, connections, and a few spectacular “what was I thinking?” decisions shaped his relationship with money and ambition.
Guy is a Silicon Valley original. As one of Apple’s first evangelists, he helped introduce the Macintosh to the world. Today, he’s a bestselling author, venture capitalist, podcast host, and a trusted voice on entrepreneurship, innovation, and making a positive difference through your work.
Guy is the chief evangelist of Canva, host of the Remarkable People podcast and author of eighteen books including Think Remarkable. He is an adjunct professor of UC Santa Cruz and trustee of the University of Hawaii Foundation. He was the chief evangelist of Apple, trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation and brand ambassador of Mercedes-Benz. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University, an MBA from UCLA and an honorary doctorate from Babson College.
When Success Isn’t a Straight LineGuy Kawasaki’s journey reminds us that success isn’t defined only by wins, titles, or perfect timing. Missed opportunities, unexpected turns, and “what was I thinking?” moments often shape our values, ambitions, and relationship with money just as much as the highlights do.
If you’re reflecting on your own path—whether navigating career pivots, weighing new opportunities, or redefining what impact and success mean to you—an Aspiriant advisor can help you explore your financial decisions with perspective, purpose, and intention.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more candid conversations about money, mindset, and the stories behind major life choices.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lindsay Pinchuk. When Lindsay Pinchuk sold her company, everyone assumed she had become a multimillionaire. The truth was far more complicated, and for years she wasn’t allowed to say so.
A former ad sales executive turned accidental founder, Lindsay built a national community for new parents. She ultimately sold her business under conditions that looked very different from the outside. Lindsay opens up about the unseen money realities behind entrepreneurship, selling a company, and charting a new path helping other founders.
Lindsay is an award-winning entrepreneur, consultant, and small business mentor who’s among the less than 1% of female founders to successfully lead her company through an acquisition.
She built her first company, Bump Club and Beyond, from just $500 into a 7-figure brand with partnerships that included Target, Nordstrom, Huggies, and Unilever, reaching over 3 million people every month before selling the business to a large agency holding company.
Today, Lindsay is the founder of Dear FoundHer…, a top 1.5% podcast and community supporting women business owners over 40. Through her podcast, newsletter, mentorship program, and her signature SWEEP framework, she helps entrepreneurs simplify their marketing, grow their businesses, and build long-term success.
When It’s Time to SellSelling a company can be a defining moment, but the real impact often unfolds long after the deal closes. As Lindsay shares, the assumptions others make don’t always reflect the reality founders face.
If you’re approaching a potential sale or reflecting on what an exit could mean for your future, connect with an Aspiriant advisor to explore your options with clarity and intention.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more thoughtful perspectives on money, mindset, and major life decisions.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Valerie Ortiz. If money were a muscle, would you treat it like part of your daily training routine, strengthening it with intention, commitment, and care? In this episode, Valerie Ortiz, a registered dietitian nutritionist, health coach and personal trainer shares how she helps people transform their physical health. We discuss how these same patterns, barriers, and breakthroughs show up in our financial lives too.Valerie is passionate about advancing wellness by focusing on nutrition, staying active, practicing mindfulness, and supporting mental health. These core principles guide her daily approach and commitment to improving quality of life. She is dedicated to educating, promoting and supporting others in the adoption of these advantageous practices.In 2010, Valerie earned her certification as a personal trainer, followed by a Health and Wellness Coach Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2011. She continued her academic pursuits at Rutgers University, enrolling in the Nutritional Sciences/Dietetics Program and graduating in December 2018 with a Bachelor of Science. Subsequently, she completed her Master of Science in Nutrition, with a dietetic internship focused on Community and Public Health, at Saint Elizabeth’s University in Morristown, NJ. In 2021, Valerie achieved the credential of Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.Valerie is the owner of Focused On Wellness, LLC, a private practice providing medical nutrition therapy, nutrition counseling and personal training services. Valerie is also a Registered Dietitian with Nourish, Fay Nutrition and Kickoff.
as a mom to three sons. Cicley often says, “I spent decades intentionally preparing my sons for the world, I am now focused on also preparing the world for my sons.”Take Action and Make a DifferenceLearn how leadership, mentorship, and thoughtful philanthropy can create lasting impact—for yourself, your community, and the world.If you’d like to explore ways to align your personal or professional goals with impact-driven strategies, including charitable giving and philanthropic planning, connect with an Aspiriant advisor here.Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more stories and practical tips on purpose, money, and making a difference.
As 2025 winds down, Money Tales hosts Sandi Bragar and Cammie Doder take the mic for a practical conversation packed with personal finance wisdom. This episode is all about reflection, intention, and preparation—how to thoughtfully close out the year and step into 2026 with clarity and purpose. Sandi and Cammie explore everything from the power of revisiting your financial vision and refreshing goals to nurturing open money conversations with loved ones and building confidence in your financial habits.They dive deep into specific year-end planning opportunities, including tax strategies, charitable giving, Roth conversions, and using health care deductibles wisely. Sandi also highlights emerging client trends like cross-border planning, financial parenting, and developing a philanthropic mission. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your cash flow, deepen your money knowledge, or reset your financial mindset, this episode will leave you with actionable ideas to carry forward into the new year.Discover how reflection, intentional planning, and open money conversations can help you close out 2025 with clarity and step into 2026 with confidence.If you’d like to work with an Aspiriant advisor to align your financial plan with your goals and values, connect with us here.Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more inspiring stories on purpose, money, and personal growth.
Creative Careers.If you’d like to speak with an Aspiriant advisor about aligning your financial plan with your goals and values, connect with us here.Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more inspiring stories about purpose, money and personal growth.
Money lessons don’t have to be complicated—they can start with a batch of cookies and a generous heart. In this episode our guest is Tim Ranzetta, co-founder of the nonprofit, Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF). Tim shares how real-world money moments spark big lessons about earning, saving, giving, and growing financial confidence for life.Tim’s approach to financial education resonates with the way we think about money conversations at Aspiriant, empowering clients and their families to make informed, values-driven decisions. It’s not just about the numbers—it’s about building confidence, values, and decision-making skills that last a lifetime. Like Tim, we’ve seen how early exposure to real-world financial choices can shape a healthier relationship with money, whether it’s through a small job, a savings goal, or talking openly with family.For more practical ways to build financial confidence, explore Four Financial Tips for Young Adults on Aspiriant’s blog, fathom, where our wealth managers share simple steps for saving, spending and investing early.About Tim Ranzetta: Empowering the Next Generation Through Money EducationTim is a co-founder of Next Gen Personal Finance, a non-profit that believes all high school students deserve a high quality, engaging and relevant personal finance education prior to crossing that graduation stage (#Mission2030).NGPF serves more than 130,000 educators reaching more than 5 million students with free curriculum, professional development and advocacy tools. The team’s efforts have led to 22 states passing laws that will guarantee a personal finance course to high school students with 30 states in total (76% of students) now guaranteeing the course.Tim’s volunteer experience teaching a personal finance course at Eastside Prep (East Palo Alto) demonstrated how these lessons empowered students and their families too and inspired him to start NGPF.
s Unique Money Experiences.If you’d like to speak with an Aspiriant advisor about aligning your financial plan with your goals and values, connect with us here.Subscribe to Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more inspiring stories about purpose, money and personal growth.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is David Adjmi. From childhood, our money stories shape the way we see the world—sometimes with clarity, and sometimes with confusion. For playwright David Adjmi, growing up in a family and a neighborhood where money was about hustle, performance, and status left him questioning what financial security and self-worth really meant.David Adjmi’s plays have been produced at theatres around the world such as Lincoln Center, RSC, Steppenwolf, and Soho Rep--where he was the Mellon Foundation playwright-in-residence for three years. Stereophonic (music by Will Butler of Arcade Fire) is running on London’s West End after a successful run on Broadway, where it became the most Tony-nominated play in history. Stereophonic received the 2024 Drama Desk Award, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama League, and Tony Awards for Best Play. The Stumble was recently excerpted in The Paris Review, and his two-part play The Blind King is currently in development with The Public. Adjmi’s controversial hit 3C was selected as one of the top ten plays of the year by the New York Post, Time Out and the Advocate. Elective Affinities premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company and received a sold-out U.S. premiere at Soho Rep starring Zoe Caldwell (Top 10 of the year in Time Out, The New Yorker.) Other plays include Stunning, The Evildoers, and Marie Antoinette. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Whiting Writers’ Award, the Kesselring Prize for Drama, and the Steinberg Playwright Award, among others. He holds commissions from The Public, Playwrights Horizons, Yale Rep, Berkeley Rep, and the Royal Court (UK). His critically acclaimed memoir Lot Six was published by HarperCollins in 2020, and his collected plays are published by TCG.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tomasina Williams. From watching the Voting Rights Act debated on TV as a five-year-old in the segregated South, to becoming the first Black girl to integrate her school, Thomasina Williams’ life has been shaped by powerful lessons about courage, opportunity, and money. In this episode, Thomasina shares how financial choices can be deeply connected to love, sacrifice and legacy.Thomasina Willliams serves as a strategic thought partner, coach and consultant to financially successful families. She helps her clients do what their wealth alone cannot do: have difficult conversations, manage relationship tensions and navigate generational transitions.As the first in-house “Family Dynamics Consultant” at one of the nation’s largest private banks, Thomasina guided ultra-high net worth families through the emotional undercurrents of generational transitions. One client described her as their “high beams lighting the pathway” through unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory. Thomasina’s work at the bank also included training wealth advisors to better understand family systems, so they could be even more valuable resources for their ultra-high net worth clients navigating family challenges.Thomasina is a third-generation member of a family that lost its wealth during her parents’ generation. Learning about the shirtsleeves-to-shirtsleeves-in-three-generations proverb ignited her personal passion to course-correct for her own family and her professional mission to help other families avoid that fate.Thomasina is the founder of Sankofa Legacy Advisors and convener of The FEW: Family Enterprise Women™, an emergent community for women in business-owning families. Prior to her work with families, Thomasina was a nationally recognized philanthropy strategist at one of the largest private foundations in the country. Her first career was as an award-winning attorney. During the time that one of her younger brothers was a member of her law firm, Thomasina gained personal experience with the complexities of working with family. That lived experience continues today in her role as the manager of her family’s small real estate development company. Thomasina serves on the boards of the Purposeful Planning Institute, a community of multi-disciplinary professionals who work with financially successful families, and SIY Global, whose pioneering emotional intelligence trainings originated inside of Google.
Behind every family is a money story. The way we learn about it, talk about it and pass it down shapes both our family wealth identity and our relationships. In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Josh Gentine, a third-generation member of the family behind Sargento Foods and an advisor to enterprising families.
Josh is a family business advisor, helping multi-generational families and their leaders navigate the complexities of family enterprise ownership. Josh is accredited as both a Hogan and Gallup Strengths coach. His background as an investor, advisor, corporate director, and third-generation family business owner gives him a range of perspectives to draw from when advising clients. Josh focuses his time on helping family owners transition ownership and leadership from one generation to the next, coaching family members and senior leaders, building boards of directors, and supporting operating strategies across family organizations. Josh sits on the board of directors at his family’s company, Sargento Foods Inc., as well as a $700 million ESOP auto dealership group. Josh runs family executive round table groups for middle-market and large-cap family run companies, and he is currently a part-time instructor with the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Family Enterprise Center.
Prior to starting Bench, Josh served as a Manager at Deloitte Consulting, where he focused on mergers & acquisitions as well as supporting the design of Deloitte Consulting’s global talent operations.
Josh earned his undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Josh returned to Notre Dame following his MBA to study philosophy and theology in the seminary with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest. Josh and his wife, Meredith, have two young children, Henry and Juliette, and live in Charlottesville, VA.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Anne Bauer. Anne once believed she was “bad with money” because she struggled with math. Now, as the CEO of her family business, she proves just how sharp she is with both money and numbers. For her, money is energy.
Anne Bauer is a Family Business Coach, the President & CEO of Racket Merchandise Company, her family’s 6th-generation business, and the host of the Legacy: Navigating Family Business Podcast. Anne is also the editor-in-chief of Legacy Magazine.
With an educational background in psychology, coaching, and energy work, coupled with over 25 years of firsthand experience in not just one, but three multi-generational family businesses, Anne brings a deep understanding of the unique challenges family businesses face. She works alongside her husband, parents, and two siblings, making her perspective both personal and professional.
In 2020, Anne founded Legacy to offer holistic support for family businesses navigating generational transitions. She helps her clients through these changes in a way that is truly unique and invaluable to multi-generational businesses worldwide. Her approach is grounded in the three Legacy Family Business Pillars — Clear Communication, Healthy Boundaries, and Energetic Awareness — ensuring businesses thrive while preserving their legacies for future generations.
Learn more at www.thelegacyevolution.com.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Serene Lewis Lyles. What if retiring early isn’t just about having enough money, but about designing a life where time becomes your most valuable asset? Serene, a former Meta executive, shares how she planned her exit from a billion-dollar ad business to retire at age 52 and move to Portugal.
Serene Lewis Lyles is a designer. Over her nearly 30-year career, she designed digital products and marketing experiences for some of the world’s leading brands and organizations. Today, as founder of Ready to Retire Coaching, she helps people design their ideal retirement, with a focus on purpose, finances, and community.
After graduating from Northwestern University with a BS in Journalism, Serene started her career doing public relations for some of the world’s leading brands, including Nike, Procter & Gamble, and eBay. During this time, she helped launch Luna Bars, NikeTown SF and TiVo digital recording, which is the foundation for streaming programming.
Serene’s career has spanned products and services around the world. While living in England, she led communications for standardized education products for the University of Cambridge. After returning to the Bay Area, she drove 60% of client engagement as marketing lead for a biotech company. And, after taking a senior director role at Epsilon (now a part of Publicis Groupe), Serene grew their small content strategy service into a core offering that generated millions of dollars annually.
In 2019, Serene joined Facebook (now Meta). As a senior director, she led the 100-person content design team behind Facebook and Instagram’s $1billion ads business. At Meta, she was also a leader of the employee resource group Black@ Design and founder of the Black@ Content Design Leads group.
After retiring from Meta, Serene founded Ready to Retire coaching. When not coaching, Serene can be found on a vineyard in Portugal, where she moved in 2024 with her husband and their Rhodesian Ridgeback. Serene’s retirement plans include learning Portuguese, long lunches with friends and making leather goods for pets and people.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Annelise Bauer. What if a rubber band ball that sold for 25 cents could hold more meaning than any other quarter you’ve ever seen? Annelise shares how her family of origin’s creative approach to frugality and giving shaped her journey from lawyer to nonprofit CEO.
Annelise Bauer is the CEO of SHE-CAN, which stands for Supporting Her Education Changes A Nation – a non profit organization that supports young women from post-conflict countries in accessing U.S. college education, mentorship, and leadership training so they can return home to transform their communities.
A passionate advocate for education and women’s leadership, Annelise practiced law for 21 years—18 of those at the Myers-Briggs Company—before moving into nonprofit leadership and education governance. She is the Founder and former Executive Director of Children for Change, where she led the organization for 10 years and now serves on its board. She also serves on the boards of The Bay School and Women for Womenin Sierra Leone, is a member of the Leadership Council atRise Up, and is a member of and co-chair of the Community Committee of the International Women’s Forum. Additionally, Annelise served as an elected member of the Ross Valley School Board for 10 years, shaping educational policy and championing public education in her community.
Born on the Navajo Reservation in Gallup, New Mexico, Annelise grew up with a deep sense of service before earning degrees in sociology and education from Princeton University and a law degree from Boston University. Her career—spanning law, education, and nonprofits—reflects her unwavering belief that when young people and women are given the right tools and support, they can change the world.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lisa Merlo-Booth. Lisa grew up in a patriarchal household where money was power and control. In this conversation, she shares how that experience shaped her early beliefs—and what it took to build financial equality and true partnership in her own life.
Lisa isn’t your typical relationship coach. With over 20 years of experience as a relationship coach and trained therapist, she cuts through the fluff and gets straight to the heart of the matter. Lisa tackles complex issues head-on with clarity, humor and a no-nonsense approach that drives real, lasting change.
Her mission is to help individuals, couples, teams and organizations create radically new relationships and cultures that don’t just survive—they thrive.
The old relationship rules are broken, and Lisa is here to rewrite them. Through her Radically New Relationships™ Paradigm, she challenges outdated norms and replaces them with a bold, transformative framework. Her approach ensures relationships are deeply supportive, powerfully connected and built to last.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tanaha Hairston. Tahana always had a curiosity about money. But when life threw her an unexpected curve, she found herself at a financial crossroads. A former computer engineer who had stepped away from her tech career to raise three children, Tahana realized she needed to take control of her financial future. So, she made a bold move to enroll in graduate school and study finance. That decision opened a surprising door; 100 investors, all men, urged Tahana to run their investor network. What began as a personal hedge turned into a powerful mission.
Tanaha Hairston supports investors in building portfolios that reflect their values, deliver passive income, and drive measurable impact. As the founder of IIC Capital, she curates and shares private investment deals across real estate, sustainable ventures and tax-optimized private offerings that deliver both returns and purpose.
She also leads RISE, a nonprofit organization that educates private investors—especially women—across all asset classes. RISE empowers its members with community, education, and access to vetted opportunities that build both profit and purpose.
A published author (Changing the Game of Venture Capital – The Journal of Private Equity), MBA focused on Finance graduate from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering.
Tanaha brings decades of experience as an entrepreneur, impact investor, and impact strategist. She’s also a successful founder who built and exited a company before shifting her focus to building legacy through capital.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is John Dinsmore, PhD. Fear of failure can be a powerful motivator. John never intended to become a marketing expert. During college and beyond John was in a rock band called “Fried Moose.” He tells us that, at the time, he was so afraid of letting his bandmates and family members down as he pursued a career in music that he threw himself into band promotion and merchandising. That fear-driven hustle accidentally built the exact skills that would later land John his first marketing job and eventually make him a professor who is focused on financial decision-making.
John Dinsmore is a Professor of Marketing at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and author of The Marketing of Debt: How They Get You.
He is regularly featured in publications such as Forbes, CIO, CBS Marketwatch and US News & World Report for his market commentary and is a frequent conference speaker at organizations such as the American Marketing Association and the Association for Consumer Research.
At Wright State, Professor Dinsmore teaches a variety of courses including Digital Marketing, Strategy and Creativity & Problem-Solving, garnering multiple teaching awards. He has provided executive training services to the United States Air Force and Speedway Corporation. His academic research primarily focuses on financial decision-making, methods of payment, and mobile applications, having been published in academic journals including Psychology & Marketing, Journal of Business Research and International Journal of Research in Marketing. He also recently wrote a chapter for the Handbook of Experimental Finance.
Dinsmore has published business cases designated at “Best Sellers” by Harvard Publishing focusing on strategy and analytics. These cases are taught in MBA programs across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America at institutions such as University of Chicago, Peking University, and King’s College. This Fall, he will be a featured speaker at TEDx-Dayton to discuss his research on financial decision-making.
Prior to earning his PhD, John Dinsmore worked in the marketing industry for 14 years in various roles. Dinsmore holds a BA in Political Science from James Madison University, an MBA in Marketing & Finance from University of Georgia, and a PhD in Marketing from University of Cincinnati. He lives in Dayton, Ohio with his wife, two sons, and a gigantic bulldog named Creed.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Leisa Peterson. What happens when financial chaos becomes your childhood normal—when repossessed cars and lost homes are a typical week, and your grandmother is the only thing standing between your family and complete collapse?
For Leisa, this wasn’t a cautionary tale but the foundation of her life’s work. Instead of letting scarcity define her, she became obsessed with understanding it. What makes some people live in fear of never having enough, while others thrive with less? Leisa shares her journey from financial survival to soulful abundance, and how she’s now helping others rewrite their money stories, one mindset shift at a time.
Leisa Peterson is an author, financial educator, and money coach who helps entrepreneurs revolutionize their relationship with money. Author of “The Money Catalyst” and “The Mindful Millionaire,” Leisa was recognized by Forbes as one of the pioneering “10 Women Driving Growth in Wealth Management and Investing.”
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Filipa Lancastre, PhD. Filipa is someone who has never been afraid to do things differently. While most young adults in Portugal stay under their parents’ roof until their 30s, Filipa took a different route. As a rising McKinsey consultant, she bought her own place, got her parents to guarantee the loan, and walked away five years later with a 50% return. But that was just the beginning.
Filipa is an Assistant Professor (adjunct) of Strategy at Universidade Católica Portuguesa. She holds her PhD in Management from NOVA SBE. Filipa was a senior researcher and faculty at Nova SBE and Universidade Europeia. Prior to her academic activities, Filipa worked in telecom, serving as advisor to the board at ZON and leading the customer relationship management department at TV Cabo. She was also a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company. Filipa is an Industrial Engineer from Instituto Superior Técnico (Universidade de Lisboa) and holds an MBA from INSEAD.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Gregory Roll. What happens when parents tell their two children they can afford to send only one of them to college—so they aren’t going to send either? Greg shares how this pivotal family moment became a guiding lesson for his future money conversations and decisions, especially within his own family. This milestone 250th episode of Money Tales is all about fairness and family dynamics.
Greg is, above all else, curious. An optimistic agent of change, he is a champion of the principle “Show, don’t tell,” and a firm believer in the power of creativity and clarity to drive transformation. Whether summiting mountains or navigating complex business terrain, Greg approaches challenges with a spirit of exploration—always seeking new paths to insight and innovation.
A passionate brand strategist, Greg believes that in today’s crowded and often commoditized investment and wealth management landscape, differentiation is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. As the needs of high-net-worth individuals and families grow in sophistication and complexity, so too must the strategies that serve them. Greg is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, founders, and business leaders define and execute brand and growth strategies that set them apart and support purposeful, sustained growth.
Greg’s career has been devoted to crafting growth strategies for many of the nation’s most prestigious multi-family offices and leading RIA firms. He brings deep experience working with multi-generational families, focusing on the complex dynamics at the intersection of family, enterprise and wealth. His work often involves direct engagement with high-net-worth families to understand the key factors influencing their decisions around wealth management, investment strategy and family office services.
He has developed particular expertise in data aggregation and consolidated wealth reporting and keeps a close eye on emerging technologies and platforms reshaping the industry. As a management consultant, Greg has partnered closely with a wide range of trusted advisors, including estate attorneys, CPAs, philanthropic strategists and family governance consultants.
Greg is a frequent presenter at industry events hosted by Family Office Exchange, Family Wealth Alliance, and Worthy Circles. He also plays a behind-the-scenes role in shaping thought leadership initiatives for MFO and RIA firms launching their own events for families and advisors. He serves as an Advisory Board Member to StoryKeep and Tapestry, two specialized providers supporting high-net-worth families and is a longtime judge for the Annual Family Wealth Report Awards.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Nancy Davis. At age 8, Nancy watched her mother make what she instinctively knew was a terrible financial decision—buying an excessive number of Persian carpets from a traveling merchant parked in a semi-truck on the side of the road. While most kids would have stayed quiet, Nancy spoke up. She not only convinced her mother that the purchase was reckless, but she also successfully negotiated a return of the carpets her family couldn’t afford and didn’t have room for. That early lesson in financial prudence shaped much of what followed, from Nancy’s decade at Goldman Sachs to founding her own investment firm, Quadratic Capital, in 2013.
Nancy Davis founded Quadratic Capital in 2013. Nancy is the portfolio manager for The Quadratic Interest Rate Volatility and Inflation Hedge ETF (NYSE Ticker: IVOL) and The Quadratic Deflation ETF (NYSE Ticker: BNDD).
Prior to founding Quadratic, Nancy spent nearly a decade at Goldman Sachs primarily with the proprietary trading group (Goldman Sachs Principal Strategies) where she rose to become the Head of Credit, Derivatives and OTC Trading and headed the team for about 5 years for the prop desk. She also served as a portfolio manager at JP Morgan’s hedge fund and in a senior executive role at AllianceBernstein.
Nancy has been the recipient of numerous industry recognitions. Barron’s named her to their inaugural list of the “100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance.” Institutional Investor called her a “Rising Star of Hedge Funds.” The Hedge Fund Journal tapped her as one of “Tomorrow’s Titans.”
Nancy has been profiled by Forbes, and interviewed by The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times. Nancy is a frequent guest on financial television including CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business. She is a sought-after speaker for industry events.
This episode of Money Tales is about the balancing act between time and money. Our guest, Lauren DiCerbo, watched her mom pause a career to raise kids—then start over as a temp to rebuild it. That experience shaped Lauren’s approach when she faced the same fork in the road as a new mom during the pandemic. Instead of choosing between work and parenting, she built a consulting business that values flexibility over income.
Lauren DiCerbo is the founder of Magenta Mountain, a consulting practice focused on fractional investor relations for fund managers and strategic operations for founders. She brings a thoughtful and pragmatic lens to her work, shaped by a career spanning alternative investments, institutional asset management, and early-stage fund operations.
Lauren began her career in finance at a fund of funds investing in hedge funds and private equity, giving her foundational exposure to a wide range of managers, strategies, and investor expectations. Most recently, she served as Head of Investor Relations at a quantitative global equities fund, where she was a strategic partner to clients including family offices, foundations, pensions, and other institutional investors.
She works with emerging and established managers across private equity, venture capital, and hedge funds—bringing a cross-functional perspective to investor relations and fund infrastructure. Earlier in her career, Lauren held client service and human resources roles at global firms, deepening her understanding of how organizations scale and operate effectively. Motivated by the challenge of building clarity, efficiency, and long-term relationships, she enjoys partnering with funds and founders to drive operational and strategic decision-making that enables growth.
Lauren holds a BS in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and currently serves as Co-Chair of 100 Women in Finance, Northern California—where she leads programming and community-building for women in the financial sector. Lauren lives in the Bay Area and enjoys hiking in the redwoods with her family.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Brenda Campbell. Imagine receiving a hysterical phone call from your college-bound daughter: five small purchases under $5 each have just triggered $195 in overdraft fees—$39 per transaction for what seemed like innocent mistakes. For Brenda, this became an opportunity to calmly help her daughter learn an invaluable financial lesson. Brenda takes us from her childhood in a family of seven where mac and cheese was stretched into soup to feed everyone, through her journey as the first in her family to attend college, to becoming Wisconsin’s leading advocate for teen financial literacy. Her story reveals how well-timed money conversations paired with financial literacy can transform someone’s entire financial future.
Brenda Campbell is the President and CEO of SecureFutures, a nonprofit she has led since its inception in 2006. Under her leadership, the organization has grown into a leading force for teen financial empowerment, impacting more than 126,000 teens and young adults through innovative programs and community partnerships. Brenda drives SecureFutures’ strategic vision while overseeing daily operations, program development, board engagement, and fundraising. She also serves as the organization’s spokesperson, sharing her insights widely as a writer and speaker.
With a professional background spanning financial education, workforce development, and child welfare, Brenda brings decades of experience in program design, management, and evaluation. She was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy and Capability in 2021 and currently serves as Chairperson. A passionate advocate for women in leadership, she also serves on the boards of Milwaukee Women Inc. and TEMPO Milwaukee. Brenda was named a Milwaukee Business Journal Woman of Influence in 2010 and received the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award in 2017.
What do flying Navy helicopters in the Philippines, founding an investment company and steering unmanned ocean drones have in common? They’re all part of one woman’s incredible journey. Today’s guest, Julie Cane, takes us on a remarkable journey from Navy pilot to entrepreneur to startup mission manager. She reveals how the absence of money talk in her childhood led to some of her most powerful financial discoveries as an adult.
Julie Cane is an impact-driven defender of democracy, in both financial markets and on the high seas. Her adventurous career began as a US Navy helicopter pilot conducting combat search and rescue training exercises and torpedo recovery in the Philippines and Coronado. After serving, Julie spent 20 years in financial services developing market leading innovations at Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab, SEI Investments and Autodesk Ventures.
Five years ago, Julie became the CEO and co-founder of Democracy Investments, a registered investment advisory firm focused on promoting democracy in international markets. The firm serves as the advisor to the Democracy International Fund, an ETF listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker DMCY). She has presented the firm’s democracy weighted international (ex-US) strategy on Bloomberg, The Economist Magazine’s Summit and at the 7th Annual Copenhagen Democracy Summit, alongside pro-democracy politicians and diplomats focused on the global fight for freedom.
This year, Julie took on an additional role of Mission Manager at Saildrone, a Bay Area startup that designs and deploys autonomous surface vehicles to be the eyes and ears for maritime safety and freedom on oceans around the world. She grew up sailing, racing both dinghies and large yachts and has enjoyed bringing this expertise along with her Naval Operations background to the day-to-day mission management of Saildrones for domestic and international customers.
For the last 10 years, Julie has been Chairman and served on the Board of Swords to Plowshares, a nonprofit helping 3,000 military veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a BA from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Anderson School of UCLA. In her spare time, she enjoys mountain biking, trail running and protecting the future of democracy.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mike Shannon. Picture this: On a Friday night, you’re 22 years old, standing in front of 8 million viewers on Shark Tank, shaking hands with Mark Cuban after closing a deal for your startup. The next morning? You’re back in the Chicago Bulls locker room, folding towels and doing laundry like nothing happened.
This is the extraordinary double life that our guest Mike Shannon lived while building his first company. By day, he was pitching investors and building a start-up. By night, he was mopping floors during Bulls games and running errands for NBA superstars. It’s a story that perfectly captures the wild contradictions of entrepreneurship—where dreams and reality collide in the most unexpected ways.
Mike Shannon is the CEO and co-founder of Impruve, an AI-native operating system built for financial advisors. Before launching Impruve, he co-founded Packback, an AIpowered education platform used by millions of students and recognized by TIME as a Top EdTech Company and by Fast Company as one of the 10 Most Innovative Companies. Over 12 years, he scaled the business from scrappy startup to $20M ARR and a $50M+ acquisition. Earlier in his career, Mike appeared on Shark Tank and secured a deal with Mark Cuban.
His entrepreneurial journey began—uniquely—while living a double life as an NBA ball boy and evolved through years navigating the highs and lows of startup life. Those stories are captured in his upcoming book, Sweaty Equity: A Ball Boy, a Billionaire, and the Bonkers Startup Tale You’ve Never Heard.
Mike holds a B.S. in Finance from Illinois State University and sits on the board of directors for Future Founders, a nonprofit supporting thousands of aspiring young entrepreneurs nationwide. He lives in Chicago with his wife and two young boys.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dana Garnett. What happens when a privileged life built on international corporate success suddenly implodes? Dana discovered the high cost of poor communication during conflict when she and her ex-husband burned through $270,000 in legal fees to get through their divorce. That was equivalent to the money they had saved for their daughters’ college educations. But Dana’s story doesn’t end there. As a former Coca-Cola executive turned mediator, she transformed her painful divorce experience into a mission to help others navigate life’s most challenging conversations with greater ease. Her story reveals powerful insights about how we can preserve not just our financial wealth, but our health and our relationships during times of crisis.
Dana Garnett, Mediator & Conflict Resolution Strategist, helps you resolve conflict preventing you from successfully living and running your personal or professional life – like clashes over business strategy or operating values, C-suite or team confrontations, succession rivalries, generational and family fallouts, divorce, and disputes over trusts and estates. Anything where conflict poses a risk to your professional or personal well-being.
From years of experience as a Mediator for the State of Texas for civil and family cases, Dana has developed and refined a unique conflict resolution coaching process outside of mediation where you get to the heart of and clear complex conflict fast with lasting change, without needing everyone around the table. It takes two or more to tangle, but it only takes you to achieve real resolution so you can focus freely on matters most in your life.
Founder of The Mindful Strategy, Dana merges CPA Big 8 Accounting and her international career with The Coca-Cola Company with vast global life lessons from working and living for 22 years across diverse cultures on six continents – including seven years in Bangkok, Thailand where she learned mindfulness directly from Eastern philosophical teachings. First-hand experience as a party to litigation that resulted in personal and financial loss prompted Dana’s deep dive into relationship dynamics and her passion for helping you avoid the pitfalls of unnecessary conflict.
Dana is a national speaker, certified trainer, and holds a Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution and Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Southern Methodist University, and a Master of Science in Accountancy and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of North Texas. She sits on the Board of Fulfilling the Vision, a nonprofit that supports the arts in Dallas, Texas and beyond through books and media that publicizes Dallas artists who are successful around the world.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jamie Yuenger. At 17, Jamie explicitly told her mother not to buy her a car because the family couldn’t afford it—yet came home to find one in the garage anyway. When she pressed about insurance, her mother assured her it was covered, but after the car was totaled in an accident, Jamie discovered the insurance had been canceled. Next, Jamie was told she’d have to stay home from school to pay back the damages. In that pivotal moment, just two months before starting college, Jamie made a defining choice: despite her fear of confronting her mother, her fear of not escaping the cycle of financial chaos was greater. As the first person in her family to attend college, she refused to let her mother’s financial decisions derail her future, demonstrating how breaking free from inherited patterns sometimes requires the courage to choose your own path.
Jamie Yuenger is the founder and CEO of StoryKeep, the premier legacy media company serving ultra-high-net-worth families globally. With a background in folklore and a deep passion for human stories, Jamie leads a creative team that produces bespoke films and private podcasts to preserve family history, values, and legacy. Her work is rooted in the belief that storytelling is a powerful bridge across generations, fostering connection, belonging, and meaning. Jamie speaks internationally on the role of narrative in wealth transfer and family resilience. She and her partner, Piet Hurkmans, run StoryKeep together and live with their daughter in the Netherlands. Prior to launching the company, Jamie worked in public media and studied Scandinavian culture and oral tradition. She’s known for her grounded style, her curiosity, and her ability to help families reflect on who they are, where they come from, and what truly matters.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Margaret Katz Cann. Most of us carry our family systems into adulthood without even realizing it, from how we parent, to how we think about success, to how we handle money. But what happens when those inherited patterns stop working – when life hands us something so unexpected, we’re forced to question it? Margaret calls it the ‘family force field’, that invisible pull to repeat what we grew up with, even when it no longer serves us. Margaret shares how her son’s crisis shattered that force field and pushed her into deep self-examination, revealing just how hard, and necessary, it can be to break the script and forge your own path.
Fundraising coach Margaret Katz Cann spends all day long talking about money. The founder of MKC Coach, Margaret helps people who need to raise money to do the work they want to see happen in the world. She specializes in executive fundraising and leadership coaching, working with nonprofit and startup executives to stop tripping over their ask, to connect to passion and leadership – and step into the world of compelling fundraising. After growing up with her own money story, Margaret became an experienced and joyful fundraiser herself, spending 22 years at the Community Foundation Boulder County, where she helped raise over $160 million for the community. She is passionate about helping clients address their own money stories, step away from anxiety and dread, so they can raise the money they need to do their work.
Margaret is passionate about drawing from our own lives, about growth and healing, and about storytelling. She is the author of I Used To Be Good: How I Found My Voice by Losing My Pleaser, due out later in 2025. The raw and vulnerable story is about her personal journey, through a wealthy and chaotic childhood that looked great from the outside, to find her own voice. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Caroline Lewis. Caroline was checking all the boxes for her career: climbing the corporate ladder, leading big teams at Nike, and chasing the next promotion. Then, suddenly, she was off the ladder entirely. Caroline shares the moment her fast-moving, say-it-like-it-is style clashed with corporate politics, and how that unexpected exit became the launchpad for a more purpose-driven, powerful relationship with money.
Caroline is the MP and founder of Rogue Women. She is also a Partner at Rogue Ventures and Kauffman Fellow. Before entering venture capital, she was Senior Director of Global Strategy and Operations at Nike where she managed a portfolio of strategic programs focused on consumer experience, digitization, and big data. Her love for start-ups comes from her early career experience as a founder of an e-commerce business and as a leader at a consumer health product company.
Caroline holds an MBA from Portland State University and a B.S. in Behavioral Psychology from Davidson College where she played D1 Field Hockey.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sophie Bertin. You know that feeling when everything looks good on paper, a great job, supportive colleagues, a solid paycheck, but something inside keeps whispering, this isn’t it! That was Sophie. She had a comfortable life, but comfort wasn’t enough. It took a spark – an unexpected stat about entrepreneurs from a business school dean when Sophie was at a less-than-satisfying moment in her career – for her to realize: “Why am I in the 50% who haven’t taken the leap?” That catalyzed her turning point.
Sophie Bertin has a varied career path, from strategic consultancy, to banking operations, to the European Commission and now turned entrepreneur.
She recently founded Serapy with the aim of improving corporate compliance training through the combination of simulations, gamification, role play and online tools. Serapy uses the latest educational theories to provide trainings with increased retention rate, and combines that with AI tools to enhance the learning process. Serapy is currently present in Switzerland, Bulgaria, Portugal, France and the UAE. Serapy has been accepted in the incubation program of the Unicorn Factory Lisbon and of Station F in Paris.
In addition to Serapy, Sophie has her own consultancy (Parnima Consulting) since 2016, where she works with top legal and regulatory firms, consultancy firms and financial clients on EU Regulations in the area of Financial Services, Foreign Subsidies and State Aid.
She also serves as independent board member of Eastnets, a leading provider of AML, SWIFT and payments solutions. She sits on the Remuneration, Nomination and Governance Committee.
Before becoming entrepreneur, Sophie was Group Head of Corporate Development and Managing Director of SIX Group (in Switzerland), in charge of strategy development, innovation and regulatory affairs.
During the Financial Crisis, she served as Head of Unit at the Directorate General for Competition within the European Commission. There, she was responsible for the review and approval of the State aid provided by Member States to the financial services (mostly banks) during the financial crisis of 2008-2014.
Prior to her role with the European Commission, Sophie held senior positions within SWIFT, where she was globally in charge of Asset Servicing; with The Bank of New York Mellon; and worked with the top consultancies McKinsey and later Bain &Co. She started her career path as IT and database programmer, which is very helpful now with the latest AI tools she uses in her start-up.
She started her studies in Vienna, graduated from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris, holds an MBA from INSEAD and a post-graduate diploma in EU Competition Law from King’s College. She holds also a diploma from the Swiss Board Institute.
She is member of the Executive Committee of the INSEAD Alumni organization, and she is also the founder and president of the global INSEAD Women in Business Club.
Recently, she finished an advanced AI Mastery class and won the award for the best AI Application Builder. She is promoting and advocating for AI literacy among women and through the INSEAD Women in Business Club organizes events for Women in AI.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Marianne Cooper. Marianne has built a career exposing inequality, while living inside it. As a sociologist and parent in Silicon Valley, she’s seen firsthand how even the wealthy fear falling behind, and how families across the spectrum quietly hustle to secure their children’s futures. In this episode, Marianne shares what it’s like to understand exactly how privilege is reproduced while trying to avoid passing it on herself.
Marianne Cooper, Ph.D., is a sociologist, speaker, writer, and expert advisor. She is a senior research scholar at Stanford University’s VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab and an affiliate at the Stanford Center on Poverty & Inequality. Dr. Cooper is an expert on gender, women’s leadership, inclusion, economic insecurity, and the future of work. Her book, Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times, examines how families are coping in an insecure age. Dr. Cooper was the lead researcher for Sheryl Sandberg’s NYT best-seller Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead and she is an author on all of the Lean In & McKinsey Women in the Workplace reports.
Dr. Cooper regularly speaks, writes, and consults on these topics for media outlets like The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Harvard Business Review and companies such as Adobe and Sony. She is an affiliated educator for the Center for Institutional Courage and a LinkedIn Top Voice for Gender Equity. She received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley.
What happens when you leave a thriving medical practice—not because you’re burned out, but because your definition of success changes? Rishma Walji, our guest this week on Money Tales, spent two decades as a doctor where she helped others navigate emotionally complex decisions about life, hormones and healthcare. But when her own crossroads arrived, Rishma made a bold pivot choosing family, personal growth and intentional living over her credentials and paycheck. Rishma shares the emotional calculus behind pivoting away from the work she trained so long for, how she reconciled ambition with motherhood and why her definition of success had to expand beyond income.
Rishma Walji trained as a Naturopathic Doctor and PhD. She spent over 20 years in clinical practice helping patients make big decisions about health, hormones and family. She’s currently writing a book about intentional decision making. A lot of her work is related to awareness and emotion that can either guide or mislead our life choices. She is host of the XO Conversations Podcast and a TEDx speaker.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is John Anderson. What happens when the rockstar lifestyle starts to feel more like a death sentence than a dream? For John, the parties, the wealth, and the wine cellar full of excuses were all just masks for something much darker. He had it all—or so it seemed—until two tragic losses and one haunting realization stopped him in his tracks: If I don’t change, I’m next. This is a conversation about money, privilege, and the moment you realize that real wealth isn’t what’s in your bank account—it’s in the life you choose to live.
John Anderson is a lifelong business strategist and entrepreneur. Through his published book Replace Retirement: Living Your Legacy in the Exponential Age, and in his coaching business Anderson shares his passion for living the second half of life better than the first half. For 30 years he has coached CEOs and executive teams in developing clear, measurable goals underpinned with structures and insights to achieve both professional and personal success.
Anderson’s entrepreneurial spirit has guided much of his professional life starting in the office furniture industry where he built, then sold, a leading office furniture dealership. He was the first coach to work with Verne Harnish, during the time Harnish developed Scaling Up, now considered one of the leading executive coaching organizations.
Anderson is active in corporate speaking and coaching and has equity in a variety of entrepreneurial companies. The focus of his current work is developing holistic plans for individual executives utilizing the Exponential Leader Practice.
In the late 90’s John Anderson founded the Detroit Chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization, was recognized by Michigan’s Future 50 award, “Today’s Workplace of Tomorrow” award, and in Crain’s list of Forty under Forty. He served on the Leadership Oakland board, the Oakland County Business Roundtable and is considered one of the most networked entrepreneurs in the region. Anderson started his career with IBM.
When people talk about climate change, they’re focused on saving the planet. This episode of Money Tales is about the economic possibilities that addressing climate change can open. Our guest this week is Tito Jankowski. For Tito, climate change isn’t just a crisis, it’s one of the biggest opportunities of our time. When he looked at the scale of carbon removal needed, he saw a trillion-dollar industry on the horizon. Tito realized this global challenge could be a launchpad for innovation, impact and massive business growth. It’s about shifting from fear to possibility—and building the future we actually want to live in.
Tito Jankowski is the CEO and founder of AirMiners.
AirMiners has helped accelerate 200 carbon removal startups, collectively raising $200 million and selling $93 million in carbon removal. One of AirMiners’ graduates, CarbonRun, was recently featured on the cover of the New York Times.
Picture this: You’re a kid shivering in your home, which never goes above 68 degrees in the winter. And you decide right then– your future includes a thermostat set at 72. That desire sparked Shellye Archambeau’s life’s ambition. Shellye is our guest this week on Money Tales.
Her experience spans from being the new kid at school in seven states to breaking barriers as a Black woman CEO in Silicon Valley. Shellye talks about the intentional financial decisions that shaped her path and the raw, courageous conversations with her then-future husband that helped her build the life she envisioned as a teenager. Shellye’s story is a masterclass in ambition and authenticity.
Fortune 500 board member, Former CEO of MetricStream, advisor and author Shellye Archambeau is an experienced CEO and Board Director with a track record of accomplishments building brands, high performance teams and organizations. Shellye currently serves on the boards of Verizon, Roper Technologies, Okta and Lineage. She is also a CEO mentor with the EXCO Group and serves on the board of two national nonprofits, Catalyst and Braven.
Shellye has over 30 years of experience in technology. She is the former CEO of MetricStream, a Silicon Valley-based governance, risk and compliance software company. During her tenure, MetricStream grew from a fledgling startup into a global market leader.
She is the author of Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers and Create Success on Your Own Terms, a book that will inspire you and provide the tools to enable you to fight the battles, make the tradeoffs and create the life you want.
She is also a Forbes contributor and the protagonist of the Harvard Business School Case Study: Becoming a CEO.
Shellye is the founder of Ignite Ambition, a community focused on the professional development of people in the early to mid-stage of their career. Their mission is to provide professionals with the knowledge, inspiration, perspective and tools that they need to overcome their challenges, achieve their aspirations and excel in their professional careers.
Shellye enjoys the performing arts, traveling, cooking and writing a blog, shellye.com, that provides career advice, insights and other musings.
This episode of Money Tales is all about being different. Sarah Peterson is our guest this week on Money Tales.
What happens when a high-achiever realizes that the things she was chasing—salary, status, and sparkle—aren’t what truly fill the cup? Sarah found herself right in that spot. She spent her early twenties pursuing high-paying jobs and glamorous roles, only to end up buried in credit card debt and disconnected from her values. The financial wake-up call that changed everything included the moment a tax mistake forced her to move back in with her mom. From there, she rebuilt, learning to prioritize purpose over prestige and finding career clarity and balance.
Sarah is a strategic and creative marketer with over 16 years of experience driving successful campaigns and achieving business goals.
Currently at Google, she owns the end-to-end omni-channel marketing and merchandising strategy for several retail accounts. Her expertise extends to cross-functional initiatives such as AI, product marketing, DEI, and team leadership. Day to day you’ll find her developing high-visibility marketing programs aligned with brand moments and business pillars.
Prior to Google, Sarah held roles in partner marketing, event management/professional sports and merchandising at companies including the Minnesota Twins, Vizio, Best Buy, and Target.
She is a passionate leader and mentor, dedicated to developing the next generation of marketing talent.
Outside of work you can find her checking out the Minneapolis food scene, at a local fitness studio, volunteering or spending time with family/friends – specifically her nieces and nephews who have completely stolen her heart.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Marlis Jansen. Marlis was one of our first guests and shared her money tales in episode number five. She joins us this week to talk about the HEARTS framework she developed for achieving financial wellbeing. Marlis describes financial wellbeing as possessing solid financial skills and deep emotional intelligence about money, so that we can meet our financial responsibilities, reduce stress and live more purposeful, joyful and impactful lives. We go deep into HEARTS in this episode, which is an acronym for each of the components for achieving financial wellbeing.
Marlis Jansen is a licensed psychotherapist who is trained in wealth psychology and a sixth-generation member of a family of stewardship. This combination of professional training with lived experience gives her a unique perspective on the nuances and complexities of owning financial wealth.
Prior to founding Graddha, Marlis worked for several healthcare startups and spent a decade as a stay at home mom. As a product developer in the healthcare information technology space, she designed strategies to maximize trust and safety for patients to help them take ownership of their health decisions. Marlis also served as Director of Business Development and Director of Product Development in a couple of health care startups. Her experience as a mom inspired her to contemplate how we ascribe value to people and work.
Marlis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Harvard University, a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Psychology and Behavioral Finance from Creighton University Heider College of Business.
She is an active member of the Purposeful Planning Institute, Financial Psychology Institute and the Financial Therapy Association. She serves on the Board of the Stone Age Institute and, since 2009, has served as Vice President of The Springcreek Foundation, her family’s private philanthropic foundation.
Marlis speaks French well and is proficient in Spanish and Norwegian. She loves to enjoy home cooked family dinners, hike Mt. Tam with her family and dogs, travel in unfamiliar countries and cultures, and stay up late playing board games.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Barry Ritholtz. From his early days navigating chaos on a trading desk to building a $5 billion advisory firm, Barry shares why investing is simple, but not easy—and how mastering your emotions may matter more than mastering the market. These are the lessons Barry covers in his most recent book How Not To Invest: The ideas, numbers, and behaviors that destroy wealth – and how to avoid them.
Barry is the co-founder, chairman, and chief investment officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management LLC. Launched in 2013, RWM is one of the country’s fastest-growing financial planning and asset management firms. Named ETF Investor of the Year and one of the Financial Times’ top 300 firms, RWM manages over $5 billion for 3,900 families.
Called the “blogfather” for creating The Big Picture, one of the first market weblogs, the site covers everything related to investing. Since its launch in 2003, its mix of behavioral finance and data analysis has attracted 275 million visitors.
Barry is also the creator and host of Masters in Business, the longest-running and most popular podcast on Bloomberg Radio. His book, Bailout Nation, was named one of the Best Business Books of the Year, selected as the Investment Book of the Year, and awarded a First Amendment Award for Outstanding Journalism.
He lives on the north shore of Long Island with his wife, Wendy, and their spoiled dogs, Teddy and Kody.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lata Gullapalli. Lata has seen firsthand how, when one woman gains financial independence, she lifts an entire community with her. What started for Lata as quiet, behind-the-scenes mentorship has now become a movement, spanning from rural India to the Middle East to the UK. With the right support, women who were once financially dependent are now building businesses, securing their futures, and rewriting their roles in society.
Lata is an investment banker specializing in mergers and acquisitions, with over 25 years of experience in investment banking across South Asia, Russia and the U.K.
She serves on five boards of both commercial and nonprofit companies as a non-executive Director and is the Chairperson of one of the companies listed on Nasdaq, while also playing a key role on their audit and renumeration committees.
Lata is a recognized expert in mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring and capital raising. She has designed innovative products for raising capital, set up and run startup companies, and developed strategy and finding plans. Her leadership has guided teams into joint ventures and taken a company public with an initial public offering.
She holds an MBA from INSEAD in France and has extensive expertise in corporate law, financial strategy, taxation and economics.
Beyond finance, Lata is also an award-winning author with published works in both fiction and nonfiction. Her writing has received excellent editorial reviews, and she is currently working on a long novel.
Lata is a board member of a Trust primarily focused on education for underprivileged children and young people. She also advises on the restructuring and rebuilding of an institution that oversees more than 300 schools, and 26 institutes dedicated to supporting underprivileged youth. Additionally, she leads a mentorship program for women entrepreneurs in rural India which is now expanding to other countries. She has also designed and instructs a course on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and sustainable change for universities in Jordan. Plans are underway to roll out the mentorship program across multiple countries.
Lata is deeply passionate about supporting underprivileged individuals, including but not limited to women, children and young people, in finding their own strength and power to go off and do what they dream about, whatever that may be. As a speaker and advocate, she actively promotes mentorship for women in senior leadership roles.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Joel Franks. On his daily commute from Westchester to New York City, Joel befriended a man—let’s call him Ben—who seemed to have it all together. Confident and well-dressed, Ben earned close to a million dollars a year, yet he was financially stretched, juggling an expensive lifestyle. That’s when Joel realized financial success isn’t just about income. It’s about behavior.
Joel is the founder of FinWizdom and an adult financial literacy facilitator. He is an accomplished financial content developer, author, educator and trailblazer in applying behavioral finance to connect with an audience. With extensive financial marketing experience in banking, investments and insurance, he offers a unique perspective to financial literacy.
In addition to consulting for financial industry pioneers and giants, he is an adjunct lecturer of Applied Behavioral Finance at NYU and Managerial Decision Making at CUNY. Joel is the host of the FinWizdom podcast series—an exploration of how your emotions influence your ability to manage money. He uses storytelling to explain investment concepts and various psychological biases that impact financial decision-making. Joel is also the award-winning author of Creating Wealth Starts with Financial Health, an international best seller and recipient of the 2024 EIFLE for Adults’ Book of the Year. His mission is to help individuals and organizations recognize behavioral risks and learn how to accommodate, not ignore, them.
This episode brings you a raw, firsthand experience of a female start-up founder in the consumer-packaged goods – or CPG – space. Zoë Levin is our guest this week on Money Tales. Unlike digital startups that can scale at lightning speed, Zoë’s company, Bim Bam Boo, faces a different reality, one where every roll of toilet paper requires strategic financial maneuvering. With investors chasing AI and capital for consumer goods in short supply, she’s had to be resourceful, resilient, and relentless. But for Zoë, the stakes are even higher than just business success. After growing up in a household where financial volatility was the norm, she’s determined to do things differently, ensuring that no matter how unpredictable entrepreneurship gets, her own family’s stability is non-negotiable. In our conversation, Zoë shares the hard truths of raising capital, managing risk, and the lessons she carries forward from her father’s high-stakes ventures.
Zoë (AKA, “The Toilet Paper Queen”) is the CEO and founder of Bim Bam Boo, a tree-free paper company on a mission to wipe away deforestation. Her impact-driven leadership style has saved over 1.2 million pounds of trees. From Kickstarter to kicking-ass at grocery stores nationwide, she has navigated a 900% increase in growth and became the #1 selling tree-free toilet paper brand at Whole Foods.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Brett King. What if, in 50 years, money as we know it no longer exists? Futurist Brett King believes we’re heading toward a world where artificial intelligence automates nearly everything from jobs to healthcare to supply chains. As AI disrupts industries at an unprecedented scale, traditional employment may no longer be the main way people earn a living. Universal Basic Income, once a radical idea, may become essential just to keep economies running. But if automation provides food, shelter, and healthcare as a default, will we even need money? Or will wealth become something entirely different? In today’s episode of Money Tales, Brett takes us on a journey into the future of money and what it means for all of us.
Brett King is an International Bestselling Author, a world- renowned futurist and media personality. President Xi Jinping cited his book Augmented. He has spoken in over 50 countries, given keynotes for TEDx, Wired, Techsauce, Singularity University, Web Summit, The Economist, IBM’s World of Watson, CES, SIBOS and more. He has appeared on CNBC, BBC, ABC, Fox, and Bloomberg. He advised the Obama administration on Fintech.
King hosts the world’s #1 Fintech Radio Show/Podcast called Breaking Banks (180 countries, 6.5 million listeners). He is the founder of Moven, a globally recognized mobile start-up, which has raised over US$40 million to date, and launched the first in-app mobile bank account offered anywhere in the world.
Banking Exchange named him the King of the Disruptors, he was nominated as American Banker’s Innovator of the Year, voted the world’s #1 Financial Services Influencer by The Financial Brand and listed by Bank Innovation as one of the top 10 “coolest brands in banking”. King was shortlisted for the Advance Global Australian of the Year for being one of the most influential Australians offshore. His book “Augmented: Life in the Smart Lane”, was a top-10 non-fiction book in North America. Bank 4.0 remained a global bestseller in banking more than 12 months after release. “The Rise of Technosocialism”, his 7th book was released November 2021.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Bronson Hill. From delivering newspapers in the rain to earning $15 an hour in high school, Bronson learned early on that trading time for money wasn’t the path to wealth. His real breakthrough came years later when Bronson realized money isn’t just about the hours you work, it’s a tool to create value, help others and transform lives.
As the Managing Member of Bronson Equity, Bronson is a general partner in 2500 multifamily units worth over $250M. Bronson is the host of The Mailbox Money Show where he breaks down the investor mindset and has personally raised over $45M for real estate and his private equity deals. Bronson is the author of the best selling book, Fire Yourself; Replace Your Working Income with Passive Income in 3 Years or Less, and is a regular contributor to YouTube and his blog.
Bronson is a regular keynote speaker and leads The Wealth Forum, an exclusive mastermind for affluent passive investors, providing unmatched investment opportunities within a growth-oriented community. Bronson is a frequent guest on podcasts like the Best Ever Show with Joe Fairless and was a speaker at the large Limitless Conference with Ken McElroy.
This Money Tales episode is all about how the messages we learn in our youth and the experiences we have with money as we’re growing up shape and orient our relationship to money. Our guest this week is Sue Bevan Baggott. Growing up with home haircuts and hand-sewn clothes, Sue learned early the value of frugality. But it was her and her husband’s decision to live on one salary while investing the other that laid the groundwork for Sue to transition from corporate executive to purpose-driven angel investor working to close the gender gap in startup funding.
As a human-centered Executive Advisor and Innovation Catalyst, Sue is passionate about empowering leaders to create positive impact, accelerate life-improving innovation and invest for impactful changes in our world.
In her career journey from global innovation leader at Procter & Gamble (growing mega-brands from Pantene to Pampers), to Founder of Power Within Consulting, to “Accidental” Angel Investor and Startup Advisor, Sue learned to leverage the power of human-first strategies to accelerate leadership, innovation, business, and entrepreneurial success.
Sue strives to unleash people’s purpose-driven power as leaders, innovators, and investors to drive positive change – through her speaking, writing, consulting, and advisory/board roles.
Through multiple early-stage funds, Sue invests in the change she wants to see in the world with a diverse portfolio of innovative startups solving significant world problems at scale.
As an Associate Producer for the award-winning documentary, Show Her the Money, Sue advocates for greater inclusion in the startup world, aiming to encourage more people to invest for change and elevate entrepreneurial success for under-represented founders.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Avery Moore Kloss. Have you ever been in a place where you knew deep down something had to change, but fear kept holding you back? That’s exactly where Avery found herself, watching her husband, an entrepreneur at heart, slowly lose his spark in the corporate grind post-pandemic. Avery candidly shares how she wrestled with the fear of losing financial stability, realizing that she was the one holding him back from his dreams. In this episode, we dive into the moment she finally said to her husband, ‘Just quit the job. We’ll figure it out.’
Avery Moore Kloss is the founder and lead creator of Folktale Studio. As a journalist, educator, entrepreneur, podcast host and award-winning radio documentarian, Avery’s passion is in helping others capture their stories through audio. With Folktale Studio, Avery is committed to helping up-and-coming digital storytellers create podcasts that connect their unique stories with the world. As the host of the podcast “Grown Up,” Avery dives deep into the unconventional career journeys of her guests, exploring how they’ve navigated the twists and turns of the working world. It’s a show about finding your way—even if that way looks nothing like what you expected.
When she’s not crafting podcasts, Avery teaches Audio Storytelling at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she also serves as the Podcaster-in-Residence. In her classes and office hours, she empowers the next generation of digital storytellers to embrace creativity, curiosity, and authenticity in their work.
Avery is a proud graduate of Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communications, holding a combined honours degree in Journalism and History. Her storytelling journey began as a casual Associate Producer at CBC Ottawa before taking her to Portland, Maine, to study radio documentary at The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies (now part of the Maine College of Art). It was there that Avery discovered the art of long-form audio storytelling, a love that continues to shape her career.
Her dedication to storytelling excellence earned her the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award in 2011 for “My Name is Meth,” an in-depth series exploring the growing crystal meth crisis in rural Ontario.
Avery lives in Paris, Ontario, with her husband and daughter. When she’s not behind the mic, you can find her enjoying the simple joys of small-town life, dreaming up her next big story, or sharing quiet moments with family.
This episode of Money Tales is all about how our self-worth can get deeply entangled in our work that we get so caught up in what we do for a living that we lose touch with who we are as an individual. Our guest this week is Ashley Paré. As an HR insider with access to tech’s most guarded secrets – C-suite dynamics, salary data, and negotiation playbooks – Ashley started her career fearlessly advocating for her worth. As she said, “I had bills, I was valuable, I had an education – why not ask?” But the higher Ashley climbed, the more the corporate world’s unwritten rules and fear of consequences weighed her down. When she finally made her “infamous ask” for a raise, channeling the bold moves she’d coached countless colleagues through, it backfired. Ashley’s boss wasn’t just saying no – he was angry she’d even asked. That moment sparked Ashley’s mission to help people reclaim that early fearlessness and master the art of negotiation.
Ashley Paré is the CEO & Founder of Own Your Worth®. She’s helped thousands of women grow careers on their own terms by being authentic in tough conversations, building bridges through negotiation, and trusting “no” is not the end. As an Executive Coach & Keynote Speaker, Ashley gives clients the tools to own their worth in order to create wealth, power and impact. Ashley is a TEDx Speaker with more than a decade of corporate experience in global Human Resources. She’s been featured in The New York Times, Glamour, CNN Money, Good Morning America and more. She resides with her husband and two sons in Boston, MA. You can connect with her on Instagram @Iamashleypare and learn more about her work at https://ashleypare.com/.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Anthony Thomson, who also goes by his initials “AT”. Anthony is a marketing professional who transitioned into entrepreneurial banking with one key belief: the power of data to create opportunity. Athony tells us a heartwarming story about a Metro Bank initiative that made banking exciting for kids: coin-counting machines that turned their loose change into a guessing game with prizes. This is a conversation about how small innovations can make a big difference and how Anthony has brought that mindset into his incredible career evolution.
Anthony is at heart, a marketer, who believes passionately that profit should be the by-product of giving the customer a better product, service or experience. He has built, scaled and exited multi-million-dollar fintech businesses in the UK and Australia.
He is currently co-founder and chair of archie, a global growth accelerator for fintechs, a non-executive director of Wio Bank in the UAE and ekko A UK based international business that empowers financial services companies to integrate sustainability.
Previously, Anthony was Founder and CEO of Europe’s largest financial services specialist agency, which sold to Publicis. He was also the Founder and former chairman of two of the UK’s leading challenger banks, Metro Bank (with a market cap of over $5 billion) and atom bank (with a market cap of over $1 billion), and the co-Founder and chair of 86 400, Australia’s first smart bank (acquired by National Australia Bank for over $440m).
He is co-author (with Lucian Camp) of No small change, why financial services needs better marketing, published by Wiley.
From 2011 to 2014 he served as visiting professor to London Metropolitan University Business School. He also served as the David Goldman Visiting Professor of business innovation and enterprise at Newcastle University Business School from 2017 to 2018.
When he’s not working, Anthony collects wine and guitars and races cars. Not all at the same time.
This episode is all about the unwavering search for purpose and fulfillment. Hugh Massie is our guest this week on Money Tales. From accountant to behavioral specialist, Hugh realized that what truly drives financial decisions isn’t just the numbers; it’s the human behavior behind the numbers. From observing patterns in how people act under pressure to bringing in a behavioral psychologist to decode money habits, Hugh’s story is about blending expertise with empathy. He even uprooted his life to build a groundbreaking system in the U.S., all to help people understand their own financial DNA.
Hugh is the Executive Chairman and Founder of DNA Behavior International – the Behavior and Money Insights Company. As a Titan 100 CEO and widely recognized Behavioral Solutions Architect, Hugh addresses every opportunity and challenge from the proven perspective of “behavior makes money”. With his unique analytical approach, Hugh helps growth-minded leaders create an Exponential Future by building “category king” people-centric businesses, and in the process, enhance financial decision-making, culture and performance.
Hugh’s purpose is to empower people worldwide to optimize the alignment of their natural “hardwired” talents and financial behaviors to make quantum leaps for creating an Exponential Future with reduced stress, thereby enabling greater happiness, more success and improved health for longer. Applying the pioneering behavioral finance research Hugh has undertaken since 2001, his moonshot goal is to commercialize DNA Behavior’ AI-driven BeSci Tech Platform so that by 2030 fully it informs over 1 billion people annually on how to enhance their decision-making and relationships for increasing life, financial and business longevity by 30 or more years.
Hugh partners with clients to create an Exponential Future by developing trail-blazing financial behavior apps for building the “New BeFi Economy” impacting all key areas of life, finance and business.
In this episode of Money Tales, we sit down with bestselling author, Daniel Pink, who shares the bold decisions that transformed his life and career. At a pivotal moment in his early 30s, Dan made the choice to leave his job as a political speechwriter to pursue his passion for writing. His leap of faith wasn’t blind. With his wife’s support, careful planning, and a frugal mindset, Dan charted a rational path through uncertainty, balancing existential and financial risks.
Dan is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. His other books include the New York Times bestsellers When and A Whole New Mind — as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human. Dan’s books have won multiple awards, have been translated into 46 languages, and have sold millions of copies around the world. He lives in Washington, DC, with his family.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sara Eversden. Sara grew up in a neighborhood where labels like ‘the lower-income side of town’ were casually tossed around. But for her, it wasn’t about what her family didn’t have, it was about what they gained. In a community rich with diversity, both socioeconomically and racially, Sara developed a deep comfort and appreciation for being in all kinds of environments. That early exposure shaped how she navigates the world today, including her relationship with money and identity.
Sara Eversden is a leader in healthcare finance, and operations with over two decades of experience driving success for physician organizations and medical groups across the U.S. As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a master’s in healthcare administration, Sara has a proven track record of optimizing organizational performance, transforming complex organizations, and leading high-performing teams.
Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Women & Children’s Operations at Envision Healthcare, Sara manages a multi-state portfolio spanning 15 states, 70 hospitals, and 500+ clinicians. Previously, Sara held pivotal roles such as Market President & CEO at Women’s Health USA, where she integrated multiple practices post-acquisition, and as a CFO within McKesson’s US Oncology Network, where she spearheaded financial strategies for Network practices. Sara’s expertise spans startups, turnarounds, post-merger integrations, and complex reorganizations, making her uniquely positioned to navigate challenging healthcare environments.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Sara is passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders through education and service. She is a former board member at the National Charity League and co-founded a nonprofit aimed at providing college scholarships to high school graduates from underserved populations. A four-time participant in the Phoenix Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, Sara is also an avid adventurer, having completed the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim trek three times.
Today’s Money Tales episode is about purpose. Purpose is something we often talk about on Money Tales because, in our experience, when people align their relationship with money to their purpose, they make more satisfying and confident money decisions. Dr. Jordan Grumet joins us again on Money Tales. Since we last spoke with him, Jordan has been spending a lot of time talking and speaking about purpose. When he shared his message about purpose with audiences, he encountered something surprising: people weren’t leaving inspired, they felt anxious. This “purpose anxiety,” as Jordan calls it, comes from society’s obsession with what he dubs, “Big P Purpose”, the idea that happiness lies in discovering some grand, singular mission in life. Jordan invites us to embrace “Little p purpose” instead. It’s about finding joy in the everyday; the simple things we love doing, the processes that light us up. By focusing on these small, tactile joys, we can take the weight off the search for “Big P” purpose and make it something approachable, fulfilling, and even fun.
Jordan, born in Evanston, Illinois in 1973, found the spark to become a doctor after a deeply personal event reshaped his life’s trajectory. The unexpected loss of his father, an oncologist, ignited a passion within him to practice medicine and instilled a unique vantage point that later melded seamlessly with his financial expertise. This convergence of roles has spurred him to explore profound notions like wealth, abundance, and financial independence with a thoughtful and critical lens.
Completing his studies at the University of Michigan, Jordan earned his medical degree from Northwestern University before embarking on a journey in Internal Medicine in Northbrook, Illinois. Presently, he serves as an associate medical director at Unity Hospice.
With a profound understanding of both medicine and finance, Jordan unveiled his thoughts through blogging, specifically focusing on financial independence and wellness. This passion culminated in the launch of the Earn & Invest podcast in 2018. His dedication bore fruit in 2019 when he was honored with the Plutus Award for Best New Personal Finance Podcast, followed by consecutive nominations for Best Personal Finance Podcast of the year in 2020 and 2021.
In August 2022, Jordan’s literary pursuit took shape as his book, Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor’s Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life was published by Ulysses Press. His second book, The Purpose Code, will be published January 2025 by Harriman House Press. Jordan’s journey intertwines medical insight and financial wisdom, resonating deeply with those seeking a balanced, meaningful life.
Click here to listen to our first episode with Jordan.
This episode of Money Tales is about grit and pushing yourself and others forward. We’re joined by Shira Yevin, a fearless disruptor who’s never been afraid to challenge the status quo. When she noticed a glaring lack of women on stage at the Vans Warped music tour, she didn’t just ask questions. Shira took bold action. Crashing the festival in a pink RV with her band, Shira ultimately created a platform that showcased over 300 female-fronted bands, including legends like Paramore and Joan Jett, and earned a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Shira is on a mission to empower female freelancers and transform male-dominated industries.
Shira is the visionary founder and CEO of Gritty In Pink which is revolutionizing the music industry through her groundbreaking marketplace, INPINK. This platform empowers women and gender-expansive creators with employment opportunities, providing a space to showcase their talents, connect with employers, and secure fair pay. Backed by Live Nation Women and advisors like Melissa Etheridge, INPINK is a testament to her relentless pursuit of gender equality. Shira’s influential work, recognized in reputable publications such as TechCrunch, Forbes, Billboard, NPR, and The New York Times, and her role as a recognized speaker at major events like SXSW, Music Ally Next, and New York Tech Week are a testament to her relentless pursuit of gender equality that drives transformative change across industries.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ashli Sims. Ashli is a reporter turned nonprofit fundraiser, who takes us into the complex world of asking for support. Ashli’s current journey began with a Kickstarter campaign to fund a storytelling project in Tanzania, where the ask was clear and the purpose was powerful. But when her career evolved into professional fundraising, the stakes got higher, and so did the challenges. Ashli shares how she learned to focus on impact rather than the dollars, reframing what it means to ask for help in a way that connects people to purpose.
Ashli Sims is a storyteller who breaks down barriers and opens doors so Black entrepreneurs can build wealth for themselves, their families, and future generations. She has twenty years of experience, working as a news reporter, an advocate for vulnerable children, a fundraiser and a nonprofit leader. She’s a graduate of Northwestern University and has a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Oklahoma Center of Nonprofits. Ashli has raised more than $16 Million for four different organizations. She joined the Build in Tulsa team in April of 2021, charged with helping raise money for the effort, before she was promoted to lead the initiative in February of 2022. Since Build in Tulsa launched operations two and a half years ago, the network has grown to include 400 entrepreneurs, facilitating more than 10,000 hours of training and coaching and investing $10.5 Million with underrepresented founders. Ashli is an Aspen Institute 2023 Health Communities Fellow and serves on the board of 36 Degrees North in Tulsa and a community pantry and soup kitchen, Iron Gate. She’s been featured in Forbes, Essence, and Fortune. As Managing Director of Build in Tulsa, Ashli is helping reclaim the narrative: Black Wall Street is not a history lesson, but a blueprint. She believes the next Black-led billion-dollar company will be based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Patrick Grimes. Patrick thought he had struck gold with a high-risk, high-reward pre-development real estate project that promised big returns. But 2009 hit, and instead of achieving riches, he lost it all: the property was foreclosed, the IRS came calling and Patrick was left to rebuild from scratch. In today’s episode, Patrick shares the hard-earned lessons that reshaped his entire financial philosophy to one of cautious leverage and diversification.
Patrick is CEO and Founder of Passive Investing Mastery. Since 2007, Patrick has actively engaged in diverse alternative investments, including nearly 5,000 multifamily units and roles in commercial lending and energy. He is an international bestselling co-author of the Amazon #1 best-sellers ‘Persistence, Pivots, and Game Changers,’ and ‘Persuasive Leadership,’ also a Barnes & Noble #1 Best-Seller.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Amanda Heyman. Amanda went from journalism to a career in law, driven by a mission to serve the public interest and champion social justice. Then, life took a surprising turn when she and her husband saw a golden opportunity in fantasy soccer. Moving to a venture-backed business focused on growth and profit was a major pivot. Together, they co-founded Starting 11, a fantasy sports app that combined her husband’s 30,000-hour passion for fantasy sports with Amanda’s network and startup savvy. But stepping into the world of capitalism brought new challenges, like pitching for venture capital, raising funds, and weighing their financial goals against their principles. Amanda shares how she navigated this shift in mindset, balanced personal values with business ambition and managed the unique pressures of being in business with her husband.
Amanda is co-founder and Managing Partner of Tundra Ventures, a pre-seed venture fund investing in companies focused on health, wealth and resilience solutions with 1) exquisite founder-market fit and 2) unique insight into untapped markets and overlooked end users. Prior to founding Tundra, Amanda spent four years as a Founding Partner at Lunar Startups, a Twin Cities-based accelerator designed to supercharge high-potential startup companies founded by diverse CEOs. Amanda created her own proprietary system of business milestones linked to a curated digital platform that helped 75 Lunar cohort companies create a strong foundation for scale. Amanda has taken her proprietary system to Tundra Ventures, where it forms the backbone of Tundra’s founder support platform.
In addition to her 10+ years of experience as an attorney for startups, Amanda is a seasoned entrepreneur. She co-founded and served as General Counsel for a venture-backed global sports technology company; prior to that she co-founded a boutique law firm focused on natural food startup companies. Amanda further developed expertise in the food and agriculture sphere as an international expert on organic agriculture for the United Nations in Mauritius, a Fellow in Practice at the Vermont Law School Center for Agriculture and Food Systems and a staff attorney at a national nonprofit law firm serving family farm businesses. Amanda has also handled FEMA appeals for Hurricane Katrina survivors, managed an online news network at a Boston digital media startup (acquired by MTV) and won awards for her newspaper reporting in Wisconsin and New Mexico.
Amanda has served as an advisor and board member to various startup support organizations, including Forge North, The Nice Center at NDSU and Minnesota Cup. She was named a 2021 and 2020 Minnesota Rising Star by Super Lawyers/Thomson Reuters, a 2017 MN Cup High Tech Division Winner and a 2015 Women in Business award winner by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
Amanda holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and earned a B.S. in Journalism and a Certificate in Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After many years living near the best lake in Minneapolis, she currently resides in the Bay Area with her husband and young daughter.
This episode of Money Tales is about how education, employment and financial freedom are not as closely linked in the US today as they’ve been in the past. Stephanie Van Putten, our guest on the podcast, is a Stanford and MIT grad who followed all the “rules” for success in America— only to discover the game had changed. Stephanie challenges the long-held belief that education and hard work automatically lead to financial freedom. As a Black woman in tech, she navigated complex layers of bias and confronted pay disparities at tech giants like Microsoft, and later witnessed the uneven playing field of venture capital firsthand. Stephanie’s journey reveals an uncomfortable truth: even with elite credentials, the path to building wealth is not as straightforward as it once was.
Stephanie Van Putten a is a founder, technologist and activist that has been featured in The Atlantic, MIT Tech Review, NY Times, Fortune, Forbes and Bloomberg to name a few. Stephanie’s career spans two decades working in SaaS, consulting, startups and venture capital: Microsoft, Deloitte, TripAdvisor, Blendoor and the Equity Alliance. Stephanie is currently a trustee at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), guest lecturer and the executive director of Visible Figures: executive network and platform for high profile women leaders across the African diaspora. She has a BS in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University, an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and an Alpine Level I Certification from Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA).
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Laurel Mintz. Laurel is a powerhouse entrepreneur and venture capitalist whose journey with money and leadership began in an extraordinary way. At just 26, Laurel took on the role of interim CEO in her family’s business during a time of crisis. Suddenly responsible for a team of 60, she quickly discovered the company was over-leveraged and in need of a major turnaround—a daunting challenge for anyone, let alone a young professional new to the role. Laurel calls this chapter her first real “money journey,” and it was a trial by fire that shaped her approach to business, leadership, and, most importantly, financial resilience.
With a J.D/M.B.A from Rutgers University and over 15 years running an award-winning marketing agency, Laurel Mintz is uniquely positioned to lead a fund like Fabric VC. Laurel has worked with more than 200 companies in the CPG and technology spaces, from startups to blue-chip global brands like Facebook, Verizon Digital Media, Geico, PAW Patrol and Zendesk. Her Board of Directors work and extraordinarily networked presence with organizations like Women Founders Network, Los Angeles Venture Association, Reuters and Women Business Enterprise National Council provides no shortage of relevant deal flow.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robert Heil. Robert and his wife organically built their own financial plan through open conversations about money. Early in their marriage, they realized that despite earning more, they weren’t making progress toward their goals. This motivated them to align their values, set financial priorities and craft a plan that worked for their family. Robert reflects on the power of those conversations, how they shaped their family’s lives, and the lasting impact of a financial plan rooted in what matters most to them.
Robert Heil is the CEO of Financial Aid Services (FAS) a higher education consulting firm specializing in financial strategies, operational efficiencies, and tech-enabled financial aid services for colleges and universities. Under Robert’s leadership the company is experiencing transformational growth by leveraging industry-leading expertise with a mission to make higher education more affordable and accessible. The firm’s deep commitment to client success has positioned FAS as the industry leader in financial aid operations for colleges and universities.
Robert’s career spans over 25 years generating growth for organizations and their clients. Prior to FAS, Robert held senior executive roles at private equity backed companies like RuffaloCODY, Everspring and Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) where he consistently created innovative solutions for clients while generating exponential growth and value for the companies he led. Known for his foresight on emerging trends in both business and higher education, Robert is a respected thought leader and a genuine, values-driven leader.
Robert is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and serves on several corporate advisory boards. He lives in Atlanta, GA, with his family.
This week’s episode of Money Tales is all about angel investing. We’re joined by Marcia Dawood, and she’s on a powerful mission to make early-stage investing accessible to everyone. This investing purpose became apparent to Marcia when her mother was diagnosed with ALS, a devastating disease. Marcia knew she wanted to drive change that could find cures and solutions to the world’s biggest challenges. While she didn’t have billions to invest, Marcia discovered angel investing as a way to support entrepreneurs tackling the causes that mattered most to her. Many people think angel investing is only for the wealthy, and it can be intimidating. But Marcia sees it as an opportunity to educate and empower.
Marcia Dawood is an early-stage investor who serves on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. She is a venture partner with Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and the chair emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), a global professional society for angel investors.
She is the author of Do Good While Doing Well, Invest for Change, Reap Financial Rewards, and Increase Your Happiness, which will be released in September 2024. She is also an associate producer on the award-winning documentary Show Her the Money.
A TEDx speaker and the host of The Angel Next Door podcast, Marcia walks the talk and holds investments in over fifty early-stage companies and funds. She is committed to expanding support for diverse companies that overcome the world’s biggest problems and accelerate positive change. She is passionate about bridging the gap from early-stage inception to building thriving, profitable companies.
Previously, Marcia worked in sales, marketing, and operations for Kaplan Education for over sixteen years. She received an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Marcia currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, Izzy, and she feels lucky to be the stepmom to three amazing sons.
In this episode of Money Tales, we explore how trust and relationships form the true foundation of wealth. Our guest is David Homan. Early in his career, David experienced a defining moment when he was leading a philanthropic organization that suffered significant losses from Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme. Thrust into a financial and emotional crisis that was not of his own making, David had to rebuild trust with donors and other stakeholders while at the same time navigating the complexities of bankruptcy law. His experience reshaped how David views success which is not just in terms of money, but in the relationships and trust that truly sustain us.
David Homan is a “connector of connectors” and the founder of Orchestrated Connecting, a private community of impact focused givers whose networks span the world. He has partnered with many prestigious family offices and investors, speaking on impact and relationship value. With a forthcoming book and a newly launched start-up around connection, he is dedicated to tackling climate change, mental health, health equity, supporting the arts–among other passions and in building a diverse world of “givers” to align capital to improve outcomes for all. He is also a working classical composer and proud father of two.
What happens when you realize that working harder is not the answer? Alexandria Butler, widely known as Lexi B, is our guest this week on Money Tales. Lexi B talks about her exhausting years of juggling two jobs just to stay afloat, and how a surprising layoff became the wake-up call she needed. Lexi B decided she was done trying to do this alone and sought advice from a financial advisor. Understanding her goals helped Lexi B break free from financial stress, focus on her priorities and start building wealth.
Lexi B is a sought-after figure in the tech industry, renowned for her transformative work and exceptional ability to cultivate executive leadership and promote workplace equity. With an extensive background at prominent Silicon Valley tech, Lexi B elevated her mission of empowering professionals to new heights by launching a podcast, Sit with Lexi B. This groundbreaking repository serves as a powerful medium for celebrating and discussing the transferable skills that are essential for building the professional life individuals aspire to have.
Lexi B’s reputation as a sought-after speaker and workplace culture commentator has earned her numerous invitations to share her profound insights and wisdom with organizations of all sizes, as well as prestigious publications such as Tenable, Pearson, Diginomica, CBS and more.
Bringing her unique blend of entertainment and expertise to the table, Lexi B is poised to revolutionize the way corporate entities approach professional growth and development.
Ever feel stuck in a financial rut? This week’s guest, Ruth King, knows that struggle intimately. In this episode of Money Tales, Ruth opens up about how desperation to escape being broke only made things worse—the more she focused on not being broke, the more it consumed her. But everything changed when Ruth started writing 25 affirmations every morning. By shifting her mindset though these daily mantras toward success, and away from fear, Ruth began to see her financial reality transform.
Ruth is well known as the “Profit and Wealth Guru.” She has a passion for helping businesses get and stay profitable utilizing the latest systems, processes and technology.
Ruth holds an MBA in Finance from Georgia State University and Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University and the University of Pennsylvania, respectively.
Ruth started the Decatur, Georgia branch of the Small Business Development Center in 1982. She also started the Women’s Entrepreneurial Center and taught a year-long course for women who wanted to start their own businesses. This course was the foundation for one of the classes at the Women’s Economic Development Authority in Atlanta, Georgia.
More recently Ruth was the instructor for ICE, the Inner City Entrepreneur program in conjunction with the Small Business Administration. This 16-week course taught business owners with at least $400,000 in revenues (and many had over $1,000,000 in revenues) how to grow to the next level. A large part of the curriculum was aimed at improving the financial knowledge of the business owners enrolled in the course.
Her latest book, 101 Dumb Financial Mistakes Business Owners Make and How to Avoid Them, joins 5 other award winning books: The Courage to be Profitable, Profit or Wealth?, The Ugly Truth about Cash and The Ugly Truth about Managing People.
Ruth has also been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal Radio Network, the Big Biz Show, and many regional and local radio programs. She has appeared on MSNBC’s It’s Your Money program, Fox San Diego, and many other local television stations.
Ruth has spoken internationally on financial topics for Kohler, Carrier Corporation, Safeguard (division of Deluxe), and many other corporations and national, state and local associations.
We recorded this Money Tales episode live, on-stage at Future Proof Festival. Our guest is Chelsey Goodan, author of the bestseller book UNDERESTIMATED: The Power and Wisdom of Teenage Girls (Gallery Books.)
Chelsey discusses her early lessons from her parents, which have shaped her lifelong relationship with money, and how she balanced finances while pursuing a Hollywood career. By creatively taking on a side hustle as a tutor to teenage girls, she experienced so much with her students. Now, as a successful author and advocate, she’s helping the rising generation of young women understand that money isn’t just a “boys’ club.” Chelsey’s mission is all about making girls feel empowered which includes taking control of their financial futures.
Chelsey’s book Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls has been endorsed by Oprah’s Book Club, saying: “If you have a teenage girl in your life, you need to read this.” Amazon’s Editorial Director chose UNDERESTIMATED as her “Editor’s Pick, Best Nonfiction,” featuring it on CBS Mornings, and when Chelsey was on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, they exclaimed: “We couldn’t stop talking about your book.”
Chelsey has been a mentor and empowerment coach to teenage girls for 16 years. She speaks regularly to audiences about gender justice, conducts workshops, and serves as the mentorship director of DemocraShe, which supports and guides girls from underserved communities into leadership positions. As a keynote speaker, Chelsey teaches communication strategies that make everyone feel seen, heard, understood, valued, and celebrated, creating psychological safety for everyone from teenage girls to CEOs. She is also a board member for A Call to Men, a national gender-based violence prevention nonprofit that educates men and boys about healthy masculinity. Featured in TIME Magazine, Oprah Daily, and NBC News, Chelsey’s passion to explore humanity’s potential for authenticity, liberation, and empowerment permeates all her work. Learn more at www.chelseygoodan.com.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lisa Morales-Hellebo. This episode is all about the will and drive of a young Latina to rebel against cultural norms and prove to herself and the world that, by playing by her own rules, she can accomplish whatever she puts her mind to. Lisa Morales-Hellebo is our guest this week on Money Tales. Lisa grew up as member of the only brown family in an affluent neighborhood, facing relentless racism that put a chip on her shoulder and sparked an unyielding determination. Now, Lisa is using that drive to take on refashioning the $100 Trillion global industrial value chain.
Lisa has 28 years in tech, design and systems thinking, entrepreneurship, and community building, and has recently added VC to her list of titles as Founder & Co-Managing GP at REFASHIOND Ventures: the Industrial Transformation Fund — a NY-based venture fund that invests as the first institutional check in early-stage startups refashioning industrial value chains across Data & AI, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, and Next Generation Logistics; defensible through economic moats.
Lisa has always been obsessed with how things are made and pioneered mass-customization, personalization, and on-demand micromanufacturing for P&G in Silicon Valley in 1999 at a company called Reflect.com. Lisa is catalyzing the paradigm shift to localized demand chains as CEO and Founder of REFASHIOND OS (rOS), which is deploying a unified Data Layer & Control Tower across manufacturing value chains. She is also a founder of The Worldwide Supply Chain Federation, an organization that is changing how supply chain professionals learn about, collaborate, and adopt early-stage supply chain innovation around the world. Lisa is a Carnegie Mellon University alum with University Honors, Techstars alum, founded & built the New York Fashion Tech Lab, serves on the board of 3 other accelerators, has been featured in numerous publications along with 2 books, and has been the recipient of several awards; including Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine’s Top Woman in Supply Chain 2022, Top 100 Women in Supply Chain 2020, 2021, 2022, & 2023; and WWD’s Most Influential ESG Leaders 2023.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kian Seah. This episode is all about recycling. Recycling materials, re-cycling money, re-cycling opportunities, and re-cycling lives. Kian shares an incredible story of transforming family shame into pride and success. Kian grew up in a household where the entire family participated in recycling other people’s used items to get by. At the time, recycling was seen as a ‘dirty’ job – one his parents asked him to hide from others. Decades later, Kian and his siblings have turned that same recycling work into one of Malaysia’s largest companies, creating immense value by giving discarded plastics and other materials a new life.
Kian is the founder and managing director of Heng Hiap Industries (HHI). Established since 2002, HHI is a fully integrated plastic recycling company, being the FIRST company in the world to receive Ocean Bound Plastic Certification co-developed by NGO Zero Plastic Oceans and Control Union. Having developed Smart Plastics to address plastic manufacturers’ need for high quality, customized recycled plastic resin, Kian also designed the Smart Factory in Johor Bahru from the ground up. The factory is GBI-certified (“Green Building Index”) Gold and is now producing PLASHAUS Ocean Plastic while implementing a full track-and-trace program that directly addresses plastic consumers’ concerns about marine pollution.
HHI Smart Plastics has reached the shores of 38 countries globally including China, Japan, Australia, India, and multiple countries in Europe, meeting customers’ high-performance standards and stringent requirements in quality. In the last 18 years, Kian and HHI have won multiple accolades for business leadership and product innovation – the more notable ones being: the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) in the World in the category of environmental leadership (2013), The Edge newspaper of Malaysia named him “The Michelangelo of Recycling” (2018) and most recently, Frost and Sullivan awarded HHI “2020 Malaysia Smart Waste Solutions Technology Innovation Award”.
What happens when a child learns they are ‘worth’ $80 every two weeks? Today on Money Tales, our guest is Melissa Ripp, an entrepreneur who reflects on how her childhood experiences—like learning the amount her dad paid in child support—deeply shaped her relationship with money. We’ll explore how those early lessons influenced her entrepreneurial journey and her drive for financial independence. This conversation goes deep into the emotional side of money and the lasting impact of those early money moments.
Melissa “Mel” Ripp is an engaging keynote speaker, proud entrepreneur, and passionate Wisconsinite who believes that everyone—no matter where they’re from, what they do, or who they do it for—has something incredible to offer the world.
With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit and corporate marketing and communications, Mel has guided several organizations in a variety of niches and industries—performing arts and music, historic preservation, tourism, K-12 education and education technology, manufacturing, insurance and finance, healthcare, and social services in telling their stories and communicating their “whys” to their audiences.
Jumping into full-time entrepreneurship six years ago, Mel is the founder and CEO of Peapod Marketing & PR Consulting, a marketing and thought leadership consultancy that works to elevate the ideas and perspectives of women executives and entrepreneurs by helping them develop an authentic platform for their expertise through messaging development, social media and content creation, and public relations strategies.
She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a Creative Writing emphasis and a Communication Arts degree with an emphasis in Radio, Film, and Television production.
When she’s not working with clients or dreaming up her next big idea, Mel is probably hanging out with her two biggest fans—husband Zack and cat Poseidon, driving with the music cranked down a country road in her home of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, or buying yet another houseplant for her office. Houseplant count: 43.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mark Shiller. What happens when your kids start worrying about money…and you have no idea why? Mark and his wife have four children, each at that pivotal stage in their early twenties. The couple noticed an interesting trend: their kids were stressing about money, worrying more than expected. It wasn’t because of anything Mark or his wife had said or done, so where was this anxiety coming from? As Mark unpacked these unexpected fears, he stumbled upon some surprising revelations about how unspoken expectations and societal pressures can shape our financial mindsets, often in ways we don’t realize.
Mark is an attorney, author, speaker, and family wealth counselor who works with individuals, couples and families on accomplishing positive wealth stewardship. He has leveraged his creativity and desire to work collaboratively with clients and their advisors to develop thoughtful, tailored approaches to even the most complicated personal, tax and financial planning challenges. His deeper engagements tend involve the identification and leveraging of a family’s personal, financial and moral capital to inform and direct multi-generational planning goals. Success in this effort is not just measured in taxes avoided, but in the quality of a family’s “Next Gens” and their effective and efficient succession of ownership and management of family businesses and wealth.
Mark is also the author of the recently released book – How to Not Ruin Your Kids with Money. It’s a conversational, accessible, deep-dive into managing wealth within family’s well – and a great springboard into conversations within your own family. The book is an outgrowth of his work and one of his most highly regarded keynotes on the subject. Not only are his presentations considered practical and actionable, but they are always made more enjoyable with the humor Mark has honed in his 20-year plus career as a professional improv comedian with the national improv comedy troupe, Fish Sticks Comedy.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Naseem Sayani. This episode is about seeing gaps in an industry and taking bold action to close them. Naseem was at the forefront of digital strategy, launching a product studio within a global consulting firm. She built startups from the ground up and noticed a disturbing pattern: the capital wasn’t diverse, the founders weren’t diverse, and the products being created weren’t serving women. As one of only two female partners out of 45 worldwide, she knew something had to change. When her own fertility journey collided with these realizations, Naseem drew a line in the sand. Now, she’s channeling her expertise into Emmeline Ventures, a seed-stage fund investing in tech and innovation that are helping women live, thrive, and prosper.
Naseem is Co-Founder and General Partner at Emmeline Ventures, a seed-stage fund investing across healthcare, financial services, and sustainability, specifically where technology and innovation are helping women live and thrive. The fund has 23 companies in its portfolio, including Alloy Women’s Health, LunaJoy, WealthMore, and The Beans.
Naseem’s investing and business-building experience comes from 20+ years in executive leadership roles across management consulting, agency services, venture incubators, a corporate venture capital firm, and an active angel investor. She and her partners launched Emmeline Ventures with a deliberate focus on investing in solutions that unlock the spending power of women and expanding the 2% of venture capital that currently goes to female founders.
Naseem has an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, where she was awarded the Dean’s Leadership Award two years running, and a BA from UCLA in Business Economics, where she graduated cum laude.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is B. Pagels-Minor. B. graduated college in 2008 and quickly landed a lucrative consulting job. But when the economy crashed, B. ended up working as a barista and then as a store manager at Target. They entered the role at Target with a lot of confidence. B. quickly learned that leadership isn’t about being the smartest; it’s about earning your team’s respect. If the team doesn’t follow you, it’s you who will go. After Target, B. faced multiple near-disasters while experimenting with different roles and companies, trying to find what best suited their skills. This mindset of trial and error proved vital in navigating their career journey.
B. is a distinguished award-winning product strategist, acclaimed podcast host within the Top 25% on Spotify, seasoned startup advisor, investor, and performance coach. As a highly regarded thought leader in product management and agile technologies, B. has steered international product teams at Fortune 100 and FAANG companies. With over a decade of service as a non-profit director, B. has driven large-scale technological and business strategy transformations across historically complex industries such as healthcare, software, and finance. Throughout an illustrious career, B. has supported revenue generation exceeding $20 billion and delivered exponential investor value. Recognized for a proven track record, B. is an experienced and growth-focused professional known for spearheading the development and execution of business, product, and culture strategies and operating as a qualified financial expert across board roles. Adept at identifying product-market fit and driving efficient scaling, key competencies include business development, product management, safety & regulatory compliance, revenue & margins growth, and cross-functional collaboration.
Currently, B. operates in the startup ecosystem as an investor and trusted advisor. B. has helped their startups successfully raise hundreds of millions of dollars and nurtured companies from pre-seed to seed and from seed and beyond. B. was recruited into and led the listening team at Sprout Social and then led the acquisition and integration of a chief competitor, Simply Measured, effectively positioning the company for its final round of funding that ultimately led to a multibillion-dollar exit.
B. was then recruited to the team at Apple to help lead the agile transformation for the App Store Developer Tools team and owned the experience and quality of App Store Connect, the front door to the App Store. Under B.’s leadership, App Store Connect was overhauled entirely to dramatically increase the speed and efficacy of various tooling to increase the number of apps submitted substantially and approved each day while increasing the overall satisfaction score of the product by three basis points in 2 quarters. B’s success with overhauling the systems led to an opportunity to lead quality of the App Store Connect product, ownership of the App Store Connect App, and ownership of regulatory and compliance programs. B. led the integration of GDPR into the App Store, the overhaul of the App review process to support the Korea and Brazil Age Verification requirements, and also owned the relationship between App Store legal and the App Store team, including being the translator between legal and tech teams due to their experience having attended law school. The overall changes to the App Store improved relationships across critical partners like Microsoft and EA and helped the App Store exceed $60BN in revenue. Later, B. was recruited to lead the product function for finance and membership data for Netflix. Chief responsibilities included SOX compliance and ownership; reporting to finance, audit, and various finance and tax regulators; and principally responsible for helping develop insights to help supercharge Netflix’s ability to right size content value and cost.
Earlier, B. worked at startups primarily in the Chicagoland area across industries such as marketing, sales, automotive, education, social media, B2B, B2B2C, DTC, and agencies building numerous analytics and insights tools to help either businesses or individuals make 2 not only better business decisions but more effective decisions. B. has made a career out of being the force multiplier in the room by asking engaging and thoughtful questions that allow boards to think differently about an issue and by supporting the development and growth of key leaders using their background in performance coaching. B. has consistently been recruited to committees such as the audit, executive, and governance committees for all of their boards and has spent most of their time as a leader on each board, thoughtfully nurturing each organization through complex financial, human capital, and regulatory issues. B. is the award-winning founder of DVRGNT Ventures, B.PM Consulting & The Wealth Salons. B.’s fierce drive to promote diversity in tech and impact authentic change continues to define their work and life outside of their work. B. is a proud graduate of Northwestern University with a focus on history and an MBA and Master of Information Systems from Robert Morris University. B. gives back to various organizations by being the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors at Howard Brown Health, one of the top 3 largest LGBTQ community health centers in the country and has grown from under $10MM to over $250MM during B.’s service, Vice President and secretary on the Board of Directors at the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, and Board of Directors of both the Northwestern Alumni Association and Outfest. B. has been honored as one of the Queer 50 from Fast Company in 2022 and 2023, 35 Hero Advocate Executives by Involve People and Yahoo Finance UK, 40 under 40 by Silicon Valley Journal, and a finalist for 2022 LGBTQNation Heroes of the Year.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Donna Marino. When it comes to money, there’s always more we can do to learn about its nuances and complexities to build the relationship we want with it. Dr. Donna shares her personal stories that bring this theme to life. On September 11th, 2001, her life changed forever when, at just 25, she lost her father in the 9/11 attack. As she and her siblings grappled with grief, they faced the overwhelming task of settling their father’s estate. This included navigating the complexities and controversies of the 9/11 Victim’s Compensation Fund. With a considerable amount of money from this, Dr. Donna had to quickly learn how to manage her finances. Initially relying on her brother for guidance, she eventually took control of her financial decisions.
Dr. Donna is a distinguished Family Business Executive Coach with over two decades of experience as a psychologist, specializing in helping family businesses resolve conflicts, develop leadership talent, navigate transitions, and build high-performing teams. Her profound expertise in human behavior, family dynamics, and organizational systems uniquely positions her to address the specific challenges and strengths of family enterprises. As a part-time faculty member at Loyola University Family Business Center, sought-after speaker and author, featured by TEDx and Fast Company, Dr. Donna brings unparalleled insights and practical strategies to her clients. Discover the transformative impact of her coaching, in her acclaimed book “Unleash the Wise Leader in You! A Women’s Guide to Leadership,” and her podcast “Courageous Conflict,” available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Albert Shakhnazarov. Albert’s Money Tales are about the importance of having confidence in yourself and truly believing that you are worthy of living a successful life. Born in a refugee camp in Moscow, Russia and spending his early years relying on government assistance, Albert heard the same advice: get a job, work for someone else. In his communist homeland, working for yourself was unheard of. When Albert came to the US at the age of 14, he realized success wasn’t about hours worked but the value and impact created. Despite his family’s belief that money was the root of all evil, Albert saw the confusion: if money wasn’t important, why did everyone chase it and fight over it? Albert committed himself to solving that puzzle and achieving financial success.
Albert, the indomitable force behind Axe Elite, has risen from the ashes of adversity to create a life-changing company that empowers individuals to shatter their limitations and embrace a world of boundless opportunity. As the founder and CEO of Axe Elite, his unwavering vision is to establish a formidable sales powerhouse where at least 1,000 people can achieve a life-transforming income of $100,000 or more.
Albert was born in a refugee camp in Moscow, Russia, where his early years were marked by immense struggle and hardship. His family, seeking refuge from political persecution in Azerbaijan, endured a harrowing journey through refugee camps, motels, and dire living conditions. Yet, amidst the turmoil, the flame of resilience burned brightly within Albert’s spirit.
The winds of fortune shifted when the Catholic Church stepped in to sponsor the family’s passage to the United States. Upon arrival, Albert poured every ounce of his strength into his work, laboring tirelessly for the same pay as others who put in far less effort. It was this injustice that fueled his determination to forge a new path—one that would level the playing field and reward hard work and perseverance.
With an indomitable spirit, Albert brought together his most trusted allies to lay the foundation for Axe Elite within the confines of a humble attic in Hartford, Connecticut. Over time, the company has grown exponentially, boasting a team of highly skilled agents and a state-of-the-art headquarters in Wethersfield, CT.
Today, Axe Elite stands tall among the elite, recognized as one of the top-producing partners for multi-billion-dollar telecommunication giants. Albert’s story is a testament to the unyielding power of the human spirit and the limitless potential that lies within each of us. At Axe Elite, the mission is clear, to create a world where limitations are nothing more than a distant memory, and where greatness awaits those who dare to dream.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Catherine Gray. Catherine Gray is our guest this week on the podcast. Catherine is an advertising professional turned movie producer. Her most recent film titled, “Show Her The Money”, is raising the awareness of how underfunded women are in the start-up world. As we’ve talked about before, only 2% of venture capital dollars are invested in women owned businesses. Catherine’s goal with this new film is to educate women, and men, about venture capital, about the outsized discrepancies of investments not going to women and, with that, changing our culture through film and media.
Catherine is the producer of the groundbreaking new documentary “Show Her The Money”- featuring rock-star female investors who invest in diverse women entrepreneurs with innovations that will change the world. Catherine is doing a 50-city grassroots tour of the film to encourage more women to invest in female founded funds to move the needle on women getting less than 2% of venture capital.
Catherine is also an author, TEDx speaker, podcast host, founder of She Angel Investors and co-founder of the nonprofit She Angels Foundation. She hosts and produces the popular podcast series “Invest in Her”, distributed on Apple, Spotify, IHeart Radio and wherever you listen to podcasts. Catherine has produced, co-produced and directed several documentaries including “I Can’t Marry You”, with Ellen DeGeneres’ mom Betty as narrator for PBS, “Millionaires True Stories” and several LGBTQ films for LOGO. She also helped start a gay cable network and produced a series called “Way-Off Broadway” with trailblazing entertainers and recording artists. Currently, Catherine is co-producing “Millennials Are Killing Musicals”, with plans to go to Broadway. This female driven show focuses on motherhood and the impact of social media. The team behind it is 80% women- and the show and music was created by a woman- Nico Juber.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Maher Kaddoura. At just 13 years old, Maher embarked on a solo journey that would forever change his perspective on life and money. Traveling alone, across international borders, taking buses and hitchhiking, Maher explored Turkey and Bulgaria. As the son of a refugee, Maher was no stranger to the survival instinct. From a young age, it was ingrained in him that he had to earn money for anything he wanted. Maher discovered that money earned through his own hard work and effort tasted much sweeter. He also learned that he had control over his choices. Maher believed that if he improved his decision-making process when it came to money that would increase the chances of financial success and create a better future for himself.
Maher Kaddoura stands out as role model of innovation and social entrepreneurship. As a former managing partner at Accenture-Middle East and a seasoned entrepreneur, Maher has founded several firms that are leaders in their fields, from strategy consulting to system integration. His investments and board roles span a variety of sectors, illustrating his versatile business acumen and dedication to fostering growth in the knowledge economy and beyond.
Maher serves on the advisory boards of prestigious institutions such as the National University of Singapore (NUS), University of Chicago, and the Buck Institute, where his strategic insights significantly enhance their initiatives in research and education. His global perspective enriches these institutions, bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world application.
Maher recently authored “The Art of Leapfrogging,” a book that encapsulates his innovative approach to bypassing traditional steps in problem-solving and development to achieve accelerated results. This publication has positioned him as a thought leader, further extending his influence in the realms of social change and entrepreneurship.
Maher’s commitment to societal improvement is evident through his founding of Al-Jude NGO in 1999, which spearheads high-impact social programs. His “Falafel Theory” of maximizing resources for widespread benefit drives his initiatives, such as the Hikmat Road Safety program and the MeshMosta7eel TV show, which challenges participants to tackle national issues creatively.
An avid adventurer, Maher’s travels to over 100 countries enrich his understanding and appreciation of global cultures. His experiences from the Arctic to the mountains of South America are not just adventures but also a source of inspiration and learning that he shares through his engaging storytelling and street photography.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mike Robbins. In 2005, pressured by the rising housing market, Mike and his wife, Michelle, bought a home with no money down and no savings. That was a thing you could do back then. The negative amortization loan they secured seemed manageable at first, but Mike and Michelle soon realized they were sinking deeper and deeper into debt with no equity to show for it.
They were getting by, and life was getting good for the couple. Mike’s business was starting to thrive. Then the housing market crashed. By 2009, Mike’s business had halved, and they were hundreds of thousands of dollars underwater. With two young children and a declining business, they were left asking, “How did this happen?” That’s when they hunkered down and started chipping away at the problem to change their situation.
Mike is the author of five books, Focus on the Good Stuff, Be Yourself Everyone Else is Already Taken, Nothing Changes Until You Do, Bring Your Whole Self to Work and We’re All in This Together. He’s an expert in leadership, team performance, and company culture who delivers keynotes and seminars around the world that empower people, leaders, teams, and organizations to be more successful.
Prior to his speaking and writing career, Mike was drafted by the New York Yankees out of high school but turned them down and chose to play baseball at Stanford University where he pitched in the College World Series. After college, Mike signed with the Kansas City Royals. He played three seasons in the Royals organization before arm injuries ended his playing career while he was still in the minor leagues.
After his athletic career was cut short by injuries, Mike worked in sales and business development for two tech companies, before starting his own consulting business in 2001.
Mike’s clients include some of the top organizations and institutions in the world, such as Google, Wells Fargo, eBay, Gap, Microsoft, Schwab, Airbnb, the Oakland A’s, Harvard University, Coca-Cola, and many others.
Mike and his work have been featured on NPR, ABC News, the Oprah radio network, and in Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He’s a regular contributor to Forbes, hosts a weekly podcast, and his books have been translated into fifteen different languages.
For more information about Mike and his work, visit www.Mike-Robbins.com.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Emily Chang. Emily’s financial adventures began in her early 20s in the most unexpected way. One frigid night, Emily found a young girl huddled by the roadside, clearly beaten and wearing nothing but a windbreaker. She took the girl to a diner, offered her a meal, and then invited her to stay in her spare room for the night. That one night turned into a week, then months, until Emily could help her find stability. Emily’s family worried the girl might steal or harm her, but Emily chose to see the potential for good. She helped not just that one girl but went on to assist 17 individuals over the next 23 years, transforming lives one by one.
Emily is a global commercial leader with 24 years of experience spanning QSR, Retail, Hospitality, Creative, Tech, and FMCG industries. An acknowledged thought leader in Digital Customer Experience, Workplace Culture, and Business Strategy, Emily holds an exceptional track record of accelerating global brands. She is a bicultural leader with proven success bridging China and U.S. cultures.
Before joining VML, Emily was CEO of McCann Worldgroup in China, where she looked after 450 team members across four agencies located in three offices. She developed new strategic and digital O2O capabilities to partner with clients like IKEA, LEGO, The North Face, and Innocent Juice.
Prior to McCann, Emily was CMO of Starbucks China, where she oversaw all commercial functions including Digital Flywheel, Loyalty, Sales & Partnerships, Category Management, and Studio. She led the commercial teams that brought O2O experiences to life: Shanghai Roastery Augmented Reality, Starbucks Delivery, and Digital Gifting.
Prior to Starbucks, Emily served as Chief Commercial Officer for InterContinental Hotels Group, Greater China where she led transformation of brand experience, loyalty offering, data and BI, and OTA strategy/implementation to turn around share and become the #1 hotel brand in China.
As the first executive in China for Apple Retail, she oversaw the APAC region, expanded the flagship footprint, and developed the Apple Asia retail operating model. Emily began her career at P&G, where she worked across all three business units, from upstream innovation to retail and digital marketing at Walmart.
Emily believes passionately in living with intention and leading with authenticity. She’s a servant leader who gives back by teaching and sharing with next gen leaders; she has delivered four TEDx talks and spoken at other industry-leading events like Fortune Most Powerful Women. She recently published a best-selling book called “The Spare Room,” telling the stories of 17 children she and her family have cared for in their spare room.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kathleen Quinn. Hers is a story about the importance of not putting off to tomorrow what you can do today. Kathleen and her husband, Michael, were updating their estate plan when Michael asked if they could set up a scholarship to help students. Kathleen, who had spent 35-years in university alumni relations and development, immediately said, “Absolutely.” Michael insisted the scholarship be in Kathleen’s name, honoring her decades of hard work. In 2020, just three weeks after signing the scholarship paperwork, Michael was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer and died four months later. Kathleen shares how grateful she is that they didn’t put this important project off.
Kathleen Quinn is an executive coach who guides her clients to own the power they already have to lead a life of purpose and impact. She’s also a certified grief educator.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Steven Foster. Steven began his career with a singular focus on making as much money as possible. By age 26, he was doing just that. Steven was one of the most successful dance music producers in the world, running a record label and hosting live events that drew crowds of 30,000 people. The financial risks were enormous, and the rewards seemed even greater. However, by age 30, Steven had lost everything. The following years were marked by a series of ups and downs, with several business ventures failing along the way. It wasn’t until his late 40s, after yet another setback, that Steven shifted his focus from maximizing profit to creating something with purpose.
Steven is the founder of One Golden Nugget. The firm’s mission is to inspire and empower individuals to discover and share their unique nuggets of wisdom with the world. Through their books, podcasts and live events, One Golden Nugget seeks to foster connections, spark conversations, and inspire personal growth and transformation.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Steven Atneosen. Steven describes himself as a husband, a father, a citizen of Earth and a lifelong optimist who is focused on leveraging technology and data to improve the quality of life. He’s a passionate advocate for fairness and equity for all. Steven’s commitment to justice and respect stems from his experiences being bullied as a child. This shaped his belief in the importance of treating others with kindness and integrity. These values have profoundly influenced Steven’s career path, personal philosophy and relationship with money. As you’ll hear in this conversation, Steven has provocative ideas for how society can use its financial resources to make the world a better and more sustainable place for all of us.
Steven is CEO and cofounder of tomtA.ai, a data privacy and AI enablement solution that generates safe and precise data from PII data without privacy risk. He has been CxO, general counsel and chief privacy officer for private and public technology companies. His career spans over 20 years growing disruptive enterprise technology companies that leverage data and AI to improve health, mobility and energy. He hosts the Looked Up! Podcast and serves as a mentor at StartX (Stanford) and SkyDeck (Berkeley) accelerators.
Before tomtA.ai, Steven was a founding team member and Vice President of Corporate Development for NIO’s XPT division where he led business and product strategy including investment and acquisitions, culminating in NIO’s IPO (NYSE: NIO). Prior to NIO, Steven was SVP, Corporate Development, General Counsel and Secretary for StayWell Health Management, accountable for StayWell’s product and partner strategy until StayWell was merged with Krames and later acquired by Merck.
Earlier in his career, Steven served as Vice President and General Counsel for two global technology companies: first at CarParts Technologies, a leading provider of supply chain software solutions for the automotive industry; and then at Aristocrat Technologies, the second largest technology provider to hospitality and gaming. Steven began supporting entrepreneurs and startups as an IP, franchise and technology lawyer at Mackall Crounse & Moore.
Prior to Steven’s private and corporate work, he was appointed to a United States Supreme Court appeal team for Minnesota vs. Dickerson at the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and served as a prosecutor on the drug team.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Marla Sofer. Marla had an epic career in financial services and fintech. Along the way she developed an entrepreneurial itch that wouldn’t go away. Realizing she only has one life to live, Marla decided to align her work with her values and leapt into entrepreneurship. A key motivator was her daughter, who, after hearing Marla’s dreams, asked, “When are you going to do it?” Realizing that Marla was modeling more for her daughter than she thought, Marla took this as a double dare that she wanted to go after.
Marla, Founder and CEO of Knomee, is a seasoned financial services and fintech executive, founder of two women’s networks driving change and inclusion in corporations, frequent speaker on topics related to the future of financial services, wealth, and asset management, startup advisor, 2020 Woman of Silicon Valley, 2021 Woman in WealthTech to Watch, and proud mom, and wife. She led partnerships quantified in billions of dollars at J.P. Morgan and BlackRock before leaping into fintech in 2015 to improve customer experiences. Her experiences at Microsoft, Carta, Invesco, Xignite, and Lending Club influenced her decision to create a solution that would improve personal financial wellness and enable financial services companies to better serve their customers and prospects.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon. Darnyelle grew up facing tough challenges – both of her parents struggled with addiction. She knew she had to make her own money and started working at McDonald’s at age 13. Darnyelle was a diligent saver who was shocked when one day she opened her bank statement to see that there was no money in the account. Without apology, her dad had taken the money. Despite the difficulties, Darnyelle managed to find success, but it came with a heavy burden. By her early thirties, she found herself drowning in a staggering $250,000 of credit card debt. Eventually, she had no choice but to file for bankruptcy, which she did begrudgingly. It turned out that the bankruptcy trustee made a decision that forever changed Darnyelle’s financial trajectory. He required her take a financial literacy course, which opened the door for Darnyelle’s success.
You’ve never met a business consultant like Darnyelle. She is the award-winning, iconic and incomparable two-time Inc.5000 CEO of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC, a multi-million-dollar coaching and consulting brand. Best known for transforming the lives of her business coaching clients and live event attendees, Darnyelle equips her clients to leverage and scale businesses that serve them financially and spiritually. In fact, over the last 10 years, she has helped her clients generate more than $1/2B in sales and more than $378M in revenue. By teaching her award-winning Move to Millions® Method, Darnyelle helps clients collapse the amount of time it takes them to cross the million-dollar mark all while deepening their connection to God and strengthening their faith.
Darnyelle is a 7-time best-selling author, the creator of 5 powerful business systems and the host of the MOVE To Millions Podcast with Dr. Darnyelle J. Harmon. Now, she is introducing the world to the book she was born to write, Move to Millions®. To learn more about Darnyelle, visit drdarnyelle.com.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Derrick Miles. Like many of us, Derrick has experienced the highs and the lows during his pursuit of happiness and purpose. Starting from humble beginnings, Derrick’s mom always encouraged him to dream big. He believed that becoming a CEO and making a lot of money would bring him happiness, and while he achieved that dream and made millions, Derrick felt like he was living paycheck-to-paycheck. He couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t happy. In a brave move to find himself, Derrick decided to try his hand at entrepreneurship, hoping to create a legacy for himself and his family. Things didn’t go smoothly. Just when life seemed darkest, his friends stepped in to support him. Their help and encouragement pulled Derrick out of his lowest point and gave him the strength to keep going.
Derrick is founder and CEO of CourMed®. In addition, Derrick is Chairman and Founder of TMB Equity Partners (executive team are former healthcare executives with 15+ years of experience); a boutique firm focused on investing/developing innovative healthcare solutions that achieve a liquidity event within five years. He is also a multiple patented inventor.
Derrick received both an MSHA (#1 program in the country) and MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also holds a BA in Medical Technology (minor in Chemistry) from Bethune-Cookman University. Derrick received a certificate in Lean Healthcare from the University of Michigan and is enrolled at Stanford University working toward a professional certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Derrick is married with two sons; his family lives in Collin County, TX and Dade County, FL.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Graham Rowan. In the 1990s when Graham’s career was taking off, he started accumulating wealth and not having the time to manage it. A colleague referred him to a financial advisor. Graham trusted this advisor, who promised to navigate the complexities of the market on his behalf. As the dot-com bubble swelled, so did Graham’s investments, which were concentrated in the euphoria of the NASDAQ wave. As Graham tells us, he would go to bed at night and wake up richer. As the market continued to rise, Graham questioned his advisor’s approach to his portfolio, only to be reassured of the market’s invincibility. “Don’t you recognize a minor correction in a raging bull market when you see one?” the advisor quipped. The tide turned and Graham found himself adrift, as his portfolio was hemorrhaging value. And just like that, the advisor cut Graham loose because his portfolio dwindled below the firm’s minimum required amount.
Graham is an international speaker, TV presenter and author who has worked with high net worth investors and family offices for more than a decade. His mission is to enable private investors to cut through the noise and misinformation prevalent in the financial services world so that they can create and protect multi-generational wealth.
In recent years his mission has seen him speak at the United Nations in New York, Harvard Business School in Boston and both houses of Parliament in the UK. At the World Wealth Creation Conference in Singapore Graham shared the stage with billionaire investor Jim Rogers and business guru Brian Tracy.
Graham chairs Beaufort Private Equity, a global network of over 500 high net worth investors and family offices in 37 countries. As well as providing educational content and market analysis its members, the Beaufort team provides direct equity investment opportunities in fast growing privately held companies and a mix of bonds and loan notes combining above market returns with strong asset-backed security. He also sits on the advisory boards of a digital assets hedge fund and an international digital marketing agency.
Graham has fronted three series on Sky TV, Make Your Money Work, Finding Financial Freedom and Money & Me. In March 2024 he will publish his fourth investment book, Diary of a High Net Worth Investor. During 2024 he will speak at events in Dubai, Singapore, London, New York, the Cayman Islands and Riyadh.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Grifan Cayce. Grifan began her career in the teaching profession. She was driven by a deep love for education. As Grifan immersed herself in the demanding world of high school teaching, she encountered a stark reality: the disconnect between her efforts and her financial compensation. Teaching multiple AP classes in a competitive school district, Grifin felt the weight of her labor far outweighing the rewards. The rigid teachers’ salary structure did not recognize the results she was producing or her efforts, leaving her feeling undervalued and frustrated. In one poignant moment, as she looked out her classroom window at a colleague leisurely enjoying the sun as a PE teacher, Grifan realized the stark disparity in their different levels of work, yet their compensation was basically the same. As a result, Grifin made the decision to pivot her career.
Grifan is a mother to two little girls, wife and avid skier. As a young professional, Grifan obtained her Master’s in Education focusing on modernizing delivery of US History in a manner to encourage student engagement and metacognition. Stepping away from the classroom in 2008, Grifan attended law school and practiced estate planning and probate law for nearly fifteen years. A longtime advocate for public schools and civic education, Grifan was recognized by the Washington State Bar Association for her work in civics education with local students.
Grifan remains dedicated to this work and Co-Chairs a political action committee that runs local political campaigns for school funding. Today, Grifan is both a recovering attorney and recovering people pleasing perfectionist – for the time being she is focused on raising her daughters to shamelessly value the present moment by exploring the outdoors, taking risks, and making each day an adventure. Grifan isn’t sure what is next and is trusting she’s right where she needs to be.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is AJ Schneider. At just four years old, AJ’s world was forever altered when her sister was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. The family found themselves facing a nightmare. In the face of adversity, AJ’s family fractured. As AJ tells us, there was no unity, only separation. For her, this pivotal moment solidified every negative belief she held about the world – fear of abandonment, the need to flee, a pervasive sense of insecurity. As AJ watched her sister’s illness unfold, she couldn’t ignore the disproportionate role finances played in her family’s story. AJ believes that money should have never been a factor, that they should have instead focused solely on healing and supporting one another.
AJ is a budget coach, business strategist and money mindset expert. She is passionate about showing people that budgeting is the most radical form of $elf-care you can do. AJ started as a starving yogi who was always struggling to get by, formally known as “poor friend” in her upper eastside dwellings in constant fear around her debt and struggled to pay her bills. While she was waiting for all her problems to go away, she figured out she was the answer she was looking for.
By changing her mindset around debt, money management and manifestation, AJ discovered beyond the material that she manifested the love of her life, now husband, by using the magic of money to heal. Her relationship with money was the key to understanding her relationship with herself. She has helped over 300 clients get out of debt and build wealth through personal accountability, vulnerability and strategic financial planning. Along with her team of five coaches, AJ teaches clients how to heal their relationship with money so they can show up in the world authentically and live a life of choice.
AJ’s mission is to help women, couples and small business owners who were never taught to care about personal finance but feel completely overwhelmed and anxious and are under chronic stress when it comes to money get out of debt, increase wealth, gain financial freedom and grow their independence, so they can harness and use their innate power to take control over their destiny and build a brighter future.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Julia Cancro. Years back, Julia was dining with a friend at restaurant in New York City. Amidst bites of food, her friend shared that she started to accumulate savings, but she was unsure of what to do with the money beyond keeping it in a standard checking and savings accounts. Julia went into action, offering to point her friend toward resources that delve deeper into financial choices. In that moment, Julia became acutely aware of a gap in financial literacy. On one side of the spectrum, there’s a lot of support for financial beginners, teaching fundamental skills like budgeting. On the other side, there’s a plethora of resources for those diving into complex financial instruments. But what about the middle ground? For those progressing in their financial journey but not yet advanced, there’s a notable absence of guidance. Julia realized there’s a chasm of financial information waiting to be addressed. This inspired her to write “More Than Cash: What To Do With Your Money Now That You’re Finally Making Some”.
During Julia’s ten plus years living and working at Fortune 500 companies in New York, she has watched successful colleagues and friends struggle to understand how to manage the money they work so hard to earn. This inspired her to write “More Than Cash: What To Do With Your Money Now That You’re Finally Making Some”. Julia earned her BA in Psychology and Spanish from Notre Dame in 2012. When she’s not reading or writing about personal finance, she can be found skiing and playing tennis.
“More Than Cash” is a short, conversational guidebook for people without a finance background who want to answer the question: what should I do with my money besides keep it in cash? It is an approachable beginners’ guide to getting started with the right accounts and investments to build a financially secure and lucrative future. This is the only consolidated guidebook under 50 pages that arms you with the vocabulary and the thought process to get started on your own so you can feel confident managing your hard-earned money.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mirela Sula. At the age of 16, Mirela found herself in her home country of Albania, engaged to be married. Not because of a teenage romance or a whirlwind courtship, but because of something much darker – the risk of being sold into prostitution. Upon accepting the proposal, Mirela made her fiancé promise that he would allow her to continue her studies. If he didn’t, she vowed to disappear from his life. That promise was Mirela’s lifeline. She was married by the age of 18, trading her freedom for safety. Mirela lived with a large family in a small village, where there was no money to even discuss. Her role was clear – to wash, to clean, and to serve the family. At the same time, she continued to pursue her education, gaining knowledge, and with that, came confidence and exposure to the world outside. As Mirela progressed in her studies, she began to understand the importance of financial independence and worked aggressively toward it.
Mirela is a British journalist, author, and CEO and Founder of Global Woman Magazine and Global Woman Club. She is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of media, education, and women’s empowerment. With a dynamic career spanning over two decades, Mirela has left a mark on the world by transformative initiatives and fostering a global community of over 30,000 female founders in her Global Woman platform.
Mirela is the owner of five magazines, author of 15 books, leader of 27 club chapters around the world and the organizer of more than 500 events. She has been speaking in more than 300 stages around the world and has reached over 1 million people with her message.
Mirela has been honored with awards such as the ‘Inspirational Award for Women 2015’ for Human Rights, the ‘Best Inspirational Influencer’ Award from The Best You in 2017, and the Universum Donna Award 2017 from the Universum Academy of Switzerland. “The Businesswoman of the Year Award” from Wealth Dragons in 2019. “The Icon 2023” Award among top celebrities in the UK, and recently she received the “Peace Award” from Universal Peace of Federation on the United Nations International Day of Peace.
Mirela is also the organizer of the Global Woman Summit and Global Woman Awards. She has appeared on London Live TV, BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, Sky TV and has also been featured in the ‘Evening Standard’, Forbes Magazine and ‘The Guardian’. Her last self-help book ‘Don’t Let Your Mind Go’ was a best seller and also published in America and Turkey.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Nina Israel. Earlier in her career, Nina found herself juggling two roles at a company, accounting and human resources. As she tells us, her salary seemed fair, until the company brought on a new hire to take on the HR function. Nina was astonished to discover that he was being paid twice Nina’s salary for doing half the job she had been doing. Nina became aware of the new hire’s salary because she was the person managing payroll. Nina confronted the CEO head-on. As a result, the company did a thorough analysis of everyone’s salaries, uncovering disparities that had gone unchecked between longer tenured employees and newer hires. As a result of Nina’s bravery, fairness prevailed. The company rectified the pay inequities, and employees received the compensation they deserved. From that moment on, Nina vowed never to remain silent in the face of injustice.
Nina Israel is an advocate for financial wellness. She is a financial educator, business strategist, and money mentor. She is also a 25-year veteran of making your books make sense to you. She believes that finance should be easy and, more importantly, fun.
Fueled by a passion for wellness, a love of numbers, and an intense desire to help those around her succeed, Nina’s strength throughout her career has been empowering business owners to manage their cash flow better, improve efficiency, grow sales, and reduce costs.
As the founder of Taryn Financial, Nina is deeply dedicated to financial education and uses a holistic approach to help small business owners gain financial clarity, increase their financial knowledge, and develop new confidence in their numbers. Based on her work with hundreds of business owners, Nina created her innovative program, Strength in Numbers, to help her clients reduce anxiety, achieve financial wellness, and make sense of their money through laughter, learning and a proven financial system.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Allison Kinnear. In 2007, Allison found herself in Silicon Valley, working at Google, the epicenter of innovation. She was part of a team providing early childhood education to families of Google employees. While Allison was surrounded by the creation of immense wealth, her pay wasn’t anywhere close to the tech professionals at the company. As those coworkers enjoyed high salaries and stock options, Allison couldn’t help but question her own worth. She knew that her contribution to society, nurturing and educating young minds, was invaluable. At the same time, in the shadow of Silicon Valley’s affluence, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being undervalued. Reflecting on her position, Allison realized that her sense of entitlement was rooted in perspective. Relative to her own field Allison was at the top. She came to understand that comparison was a futile exercise – a “losing game,” as she put it.
For over 20 years, Allison has worked with parents, employees, and leaders as they navigate their vulnerabilities in the workplace and in life. She loves working with those in the high-stakes professional world, helping them have less stress and more effectiveness in their work. Allison frequently gives talks on managing stress, overcoming Impostor Syndrome, and creating healthy team dynamics.
Allison has a Master’s in Human Development and is a certified life coach. She currently lives with her husband and two kids. To learn more, visit her at www.allisonkinnear.com.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Laura Moreno Lucas. Laura arrived in the United States from Mexico when she was seven years old, unable to speak a word of English. With her parents tirelessly working to make ends meet and facing their own language barriers, Laura found an unexpected mentor in the form of a janitor at her elementary school. Day after day, this janitor stayed behind after school to help Laura navigate the complexities of her new language, instilling in her not only the ability to communicate but also the courage to ask questions – a skill that would shape her future in profound ways. Fast forward to her first job in the financial sector, where Laura found herself surrounded by the dizzying flow of money that defines Wall Street. She couldn’t help but wonder: Where did all this money come from? How did fortunes change hands so effortlessly? Laura stuck with that curiosity as she advanced her career and ultimately headed to the venture capital world.
Laura is General Partner at L’ATTITUDE Ventures, leveraging her exceptional network and expertise to support the firm’s deal flow and outreach strategy. She is the Founder & CEO of Pandocap, which provides strategic advisory and media services that help early and growth-stage companies access capital markets, implement and measure ESG strategies and accelerate towards an initial public offering (IPO). Prior to Pandocap, Laura was a Managing Director at Nasdaq, leading the IPOs of Beyond Meat, Lyft, The RealReal, Airbnb, and other high-profile listings. Laura is also a successful Latina entrepreneur having found and exited Ladada, one of the first fashion subscription startups to feature emerging new designers. Laura is an advisor to 500 Startups, Fulcrum Ventures, and a board member at Pangea Legal and California Lutheran University.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rena DeLevie. As Rena looks back on the early days of her career, she regrets her harsh leadership style at the time, which she attributes to learning from those around her. To quote Rena, “I was an asshole. I learned from the best and I really threatened and intimidated. It did not feel good.” By the time she hit her mid-thirties, Rena was done. The asshole persona was a ruse that took too much energy to keep up. Rena realized that, at her core, she’s sensitive, empathetic, and intense. She couldn’t keep herself bottled up any longer. She needed to be herself. Making a move likely meant stepping away from the corporate ladder that was paying her handsomely. However, Rena knew in hear heart, at that moment, she needed authenticity more than money.
Rena is dedicated to using compassion and accountability to help humans increase their connection within, and with others, to radically change leadership culture and how we treat one another. In 2001, she had a post-9/11 epiphany and created Compassionate Management, a management methodology that connects compassion and accountability to help leaders deliver the bottom line with integrity.
Rena combines over 25 years with Fortune 500 companies and 22 years as a practitioner of mindfulness/meditation to show us the path to eliminate the fear-based culture so prevalent in corporate America. Her book, Compassionate Management, How Ambitious Creatives Become Kick-Ass Leaders, and her TEDxTalk, Compassionate Management — using compassion as a business tool, have been used in businesses around the globe as a model to radically change leadership culture and how we treat one another.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jennifer Guynn. After years of career success as a real estate developer, Jen decided to step away to raise her three children. She describes this as a scary jump for her and her husband because she was making good money, and it would be an adjustment to live on one income. Fast forward to when their youngest child went off to Kindergarten, Jen was ready to head back to work. But she knew that whatever she decided to do next, it had to be worth it to take her away from the kids. She landed on taking a leap of faith by creating a non-profit with a friend, called Pebble Tossers. They were passionate about their mission to equip and empower youth to lead through service. So much so that they decided not to take salaries for a while. And, even when they eventually did, Jen’s priority was to put the money back into building her team and the business. Together they have evolved Pebble Tossers into a successful and award-winning organization.
As Co-founder and Executive Director of Pebble Tossers, Jen lives a life of servant leadership. She serves as a State Commissioner for Georgia Serves, the State Commission for Service and Volunteerism, and is Chair of the Service and Development Committee. Jen is a 21/64 Certified Philanthropic Advisor, a mentor at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School, and has been named a Titan CEO as one of the 2023 and 2024 Georgia Titan 100 award winners. She is an Atlanta native, serves on various boards and committees throughout Atlanta, and is married with three adult children and three rescue dogs (and two rescue grand dogs and a grand bunny).
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mariana Saddakni. Mariana is a Latina trailblazer in technology innovation. Her cross-cultural money journey started in Argentina where her family considered their wealth to be their intellect and capacity to learn. That was their status, not the money in the bank. Mariana’s ambition to learn more took her to the United States for graduate school. Her goal was to be at the top of her game in design and technology. Mariana talks about the financial hurdles and achievements she has encountered as an immigrant woman in a male-dominated industry. As you’ll hear, Mariana has navigated societal expectations and cultural shifts as she’s worked to achieve financial independence on her own terms.
Mariana is a trailblazer in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, fearlessly leading organizations into the future of technology. Her extensive experience is unparalleled, orchestrating digital transformations at industry giants like AT&T, American Express, and Unilever. Mariana masterfully crafts AI strategies that don’t just innovate – they inspire awe.
A visionary leader with profound expertise, Mariana empowers global teams to transcend expectations, cultivating environments where innovation and talent flourish. Her leadership ethos revolves around fostering cultures of trust and unwavering commitment to ethical AI practices, ensuring technology serves as a force for positive change.
One of Mariana’s crowning achievements was spearheading a groundbreaking AI project at AT&T that revolutionized customer service interactions, significantly elevating user satisfaction and operational efficiency. This milestone exemplifies her ability to translate complex AI concepts into tangible, business-driving outcomes.
At the core of her distinguished journey is an unwavering belief in AI’s power to elevate human experiences and solve real-world challenges. This conviction fuels her current venture, Saddakni & Co., where she demystifies AI adoption for organizations and guides them toward a future where technology and humanity converge for the greater good.
Mariana is shaping industries and cultivating the next generation of AI innovators through mentorship. She invites leaders and thinkers to join her mission of realizing the transformative potential of ethical, impactful AI integration, crafting a legacy that transcends technology itself.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jodi Morris. Jodi is a fierce advocate for education and empowerment, especially for girls around the globe. From her own struggles navigating the financial aid system when she applied to college, Jodi recognizes the immense challenges faced by girls in less privileged parts of the world. She shares with us her passion for leveling the playing field and making education accessible to all, regardless of location or circumstance. Jodi’s commitment doesn’t stop there. Through impact investing, she’s aligning her goals and her values by channeling resources into initiatives that support female entrepreneurship and education in Africa and beyond.
Jodi believes that each of us has a story to tell and an impact to make. She curates immersive small-group Venture Travels that challenge participants to think more purposefully. As a Success Coach, she helps people define their story and success on their terms, and how to invest their time, talent and money towards it. Leading by example, Jodi invests in impactful companies and girls’ education non-profits. An active writer, speaker, investor and traveler, her passion is connecting people and ideas across the U.S. and globally.
Prior to this entrepreneurial career, Jodi spent over two decades in the investment management industry, leading strategic U.S. business-building initiatives at a start-up and notable firms like JP Morgan and Matthews Asia. Combining an analytical mindset, educational communication style and natural ease for connecting people and ideas, Jodi led teams that raised billions of dollars in assets in innovative investment strategies from institutional clients and financial advisors.
Having traveled to 65+ countries with a particular emphasis on developing Asia and Africa, Jodi is inspired by individuals with ideas, passion, grit and goals. She invests in entrepreneurs globally, credits travel for opening her eyes to the critical role of women globally, believes that girls’ education is the best investment of our lifetime, and shares her global insights to inspire others.
Jodi served as President of the IWF Northern California Legacy Foundation and on the International Women’s Forum (IWF) of Northern California Board. She is a Renew Capital and Portfolia investor and CFA Charterholder. She invests in women’s empowerment and girls’ education through global non-profits Room to Read, U-Go, Rise Up, Nurturing Minds/SEGA and SHE-CAN. Jodi graduated with honors from Northwestern University with a degree in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences and Economics.
Raised in the Midwest, Jodi spent three decades living in New York City and San Francisco before recently settling in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sarah “Sharky” Harkness. We dive into Sharky’s extraordinary journey where she narrowly escaped death not once, not twice, but three times. Sharky shares the raw moments of facing mortality, finding strength in the depths of despair, and embracing a no quit mindset. From battling through over two dozen surgeries within four years to shedding layers of shame, Sharky’s story is a testament to the power of resilience and the courage to defy the odds. She emerged from this health disaster as a believer that resilience is the secret ingredient, abundance is the goal, collaboration is the default, and being a giant is the strategy. Sharky has been on a mission ever since to surround herself with others who share her mindset.
Having overcome serious personal health challenges including 26 surgeries in four years 2019-2023, three of them brain surgeries, and surviving a stroke and once being in a coma, Sarah emerged stronger than ever. She is a living testament to the transformational ability to apply abundance theory to resilience and belief that challenges or adversity can be turned into opportunities.
Sarah once even met Obama!
Sarah didn’t let her suffering or diagnosis, or the medical death sentence, change her mind. She knew she had to believe, and find others who would believe in her too.
Sarah’s story is not anymore just one of survival; it’s now all about thriving. She has worked for industry giants like Salesforce, Marketo, Gitlab, and Dropbox, contributing to their success through RevOps (sales and marketing). And she shares her journey and the lessons learned along the way through project Lotus and The Giants Podcast.
Sarah’s passion for impact extends beyond business and she proudly support initiatives with Virgin Unite, 100% Human at Work, Ai4Diversity Council in NSW and she recently joined Megan and the women changing the world at Women Rising.
Sarah not only navigated the corporate world but also faced the daunting task of rebuilding her life after divorce and many setbacks. Her journey has been a holistic one, embracing lots of healing practices to recover and thrive.
As a speaker, marketer and creator, Sarah brings more than just ValueOps for profit and non-profits. She’s a marketing executive and offers her skills to impact organizations.
Sarah embraces the philosophy of abundance theory and believes that by unlocking the full potential within ourselves and our businesses, we can create a ripple effect of prosperity and positive impact.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ann Oleson. Ann embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2011. When she started her first business, Ann found herself navigating uncharted territory as a female entrepreneur. She craved role models and networks to guide her along the way. She was specifically looking for women founders of companies generating over a million dollars a year in revenue. Ann got there through creativity and persistence. Today, Ann and her network are breaking barriers and defying expectations.
As a founding partner at Return on Good, Ann is a passionate advocate for using time, talent and treasure to make the world a truly better place. Return on Good, a strategic philanthropy company focused on helping its clients do the most good in the world, centers on her deep experience with her own family’s family office, leading investment and philanthropy, and drives her dedication for her work. Her love rests firmly in the dynamics of the family office, the complexities of organizational structure and design, an alignment for decision-making and the ability to make exceptional opportunities toward a return on good to the world. Ann’s interest in impact investment, philanthropic strategy and her savvy with streamlining it all lead her to start Return on Good with her husband, Jay Kelly. ROG uniquely partners with phenomenal clients to develop engagement strategies for philanthropic investment, working with family offices across the globe. Through impact investing, sustainable investing, Venture Funds and strategic giving, ROG is the ideal connector to bring high-impact family offices into meaningful relationships with deserving nonprofits and innovative organizations.
As a frequent presenter at Family Office events in the U.S. and abroad, she speaks on current trends in philanthropy, impact investment strategy, healthcare and the inner workings of the family office.
Ann’s entrepreneurial journey further strengthens Return on Good; her startup digital marketing agency supported higher education and was named to Inc. 500 and 5000 four years in a row. Within seven years, this thriving business was acquired by private equity investors. Ann then served as Chief Marketing Officer for Ruffalo Noel Levitz, before being named Chief Executive Officer at Via-TRM, which specializes in international education and study abroad software. Under her leadership, the company rebuilt the marketing and sales infrastructure, turned the first profitable quarter ever and exceeded revenue goals.
The ability to take 30+ years of marketing/communications/sales/fundraising and business experience to focus on helping rising social good companies find funds and nonprofits build marketing and fundraising expertise was the dream she has always been looking for. EVERY day is filled with challenge, learning, experience, passion and a chance to make one thing better than it was yesterday.
Return on Good helps: family offices with philanthropic alignment and strategy, social good companies to find impact investors focused on results and good, and non-profits to build marketing and fundraising strategy long term.
Her awards include Women of Influence, 40 under 40, Inc.5000, HER Woman of Achievement, and CBJ Fastest Growing Company’s Award. She has served on boards and committees for Junior League, United Way, Waypoint, ISU College of Business and others.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robert Rao. Rob describes being raised by immigrant parents who came to this country with limited resources, as living in the shadows. It was easy to blend in and not be recognized for his potential. Rob had a key ally helping him persevere. He describes his mother as an incredible dreamer who thought bigger of her children. Rob did not disappoint. He’s come to realize that you need to have people in your life that give you hope. And he’s leveraged hope his whole life.
Robert comes from the worlds of material science, physics and bio-mechanical engineering with patents in all these spaces. He is currently working on merging Artificial Intelligence into the space of medical analytics focusing specifically on computer vision.
In the past, Robert led a pioneering team of highly skilled engineers in the joining of Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) that will be the platform for designing future stents, guide wires and ablation wires and other implantable devices.
Manisha Thakor is our guest in this episode of Money Tales. Early in her career, Manisha earned big year-end bonuses at work. That caused her to begin to equate her self-worth with her net worth. As Manisha looks back, she sees that her identity was wrapped up in her work, and bonuses were an indication of how well she was doing. She kept her head down, kept working hard, and tried to meet society’s money expectations. Then, as Manisha was nearing age 50, she experienced the second of two near-death illnesses. She was on bedrest for months. Through this experience, Manisha came to see that regardless of all of her accomplishments, she never seemed to achieve “enough”. Manisha changed her mission and focus by deciding to step away from the work she was doing and pour into what matters most to her.
Manisha has worked in financial services for over 30-years. She spent the first 15 years of her career working as a buy-side equity analyst and institutional portfolio manager. She’s spent the last 15 years focused on advising individuals. She has written two personal finance books for women in their 20s and 30s. Her latest book is “MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your “Enough””.
Manisha earned her MBA from Harvard Business School, her BA from Wellesley College and holds the CFA and CFP designations.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Karen Mangia. Once, when navigating an unstable job, Karen faced job loss panic. Her rational mind could not control her wild imagination that she might not work again and wouldn’t have enough money for food. This shook Karen to her core because it wasn’t true. She had already created a financial safety net and her financial advisor demonstrated that she had plenty of funds available to get her through this period. As Karen shares in this episode, she learned a very important lesson from this experience about the difference between her head and her heart when it comes to money.
Karen is an internationally recognized thought leader whose TEDx appearance, keynotes, blogs, and books reach hundreds of thousands of business leaders each year. She is a catalyst, creator, connector and coach who uses curiosity and diversified creativity to empower individuals, teams, and organizations to ignite innovation and sustain success.
With over 20 years of experience in communications, customer relationship management, sales leadership and everything to do with “the business of people,” Karen is a change champion who inspires and empowers others to move from limited to limitless. She provides actionable frameworks to move from ideas to impact that result in personal and professional growth.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robert Farrington. When he was 16, Robert got a job at Target. As he headed off to college, he kept that job and continued to work his way up the store’s leadership ladder. Robert decided to stick around after he graduated because the work was easy, fun and paid well as he ultimately became store manager. Meanwhile, on the side, he created an online platform to help college students. Life was good until things took a turn when Robert’s family values clashed with his job’s demands, requiring him to work weekends and holidays– including every Black Friday! Missing out on time with his young children wasn’t aligning with what mattered most to him. That’s when Robert made the unexpected move to turn his side hustle, initially meant to stay just that, into his full-time gig.
Robert is a Millennial Money Expert and Founder of The College Investor. He is on a mission to help millennials get out of student loan debt and start building wealth for their future. He also helps parents make smart choices about college financing options and navigating the complex world of paying for school.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Rene Caissie. Rene is a visionary in the realm of technology, Artificial Intelligence, and big data within the medical field. His journey took an unexpected turn when his daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease, CRPS. At that moment Rene found himself uniquely positioned, having built a platform for clinical research that intersected with his daughter’s condition. It was a fortuitous alignment of passion and purpose that led to his daughter’s treatment and recovery. The outcome was priceless, and Rene is now leveraging the platform he built to solve other medical mysteries. Rene’s philosophy is simple. Build something of value and the money will follow. There’s no limit.
With a distinguished 15-year career in healthcare, Rene is a surgeon, researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur. As the CEO and Co-Founder of Medeloop.ai, and an Adjunct Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, he teaches healthcare entrepreneurship while contributing to the development of the next healthcare prize as part of the XPRIZE Brain Trust Team.
In addition to serving as a Venture Partner at OVO Fund and a recent Sloan Fellow at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Rene has held prestigious positions at the University of Montreal and McGill University. As the former Chief of Maxillofacial Surgery at Montreal’s HSC, he is a National Board Examiner and a Fellow of the Royal College in his specialty. His research includes publications on nerve regeneration and clinical maxillofacial surgery.
Rene’s medical expertise has spurred the creation of several healthcare ventures, such as Medesync EMR, which was acquired by the $37 billion telecommunications giant, Telus. Amid the Covid-19 crisis, he played a crucial role in developing a powered Full Head Protective Hood with an air-purifying respirator and co-founding Dorma Filtration, which introduced Canada’s first reusable N95 mask.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Rene is an avid mountain climber, sailboat trans-oceanic racer, SR22 Turbo aircraft pilot, and Ironman World Championship qualifier. His dedication to humanitarian work is evident through his NGO, Volte-Face, which has provided over $1 million in free medical care for life-changing surgeries to underprivileged patients. As a board member for Sprouts, a California-based non-profit, Rene supports disadvantaged youths through skills coaching and internships.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Diane O’Connell. Diane had a successful career as an attorney for nearly two decades and then she began struggling with a silent culprit—generalized anxiety disorder. It wasn’t a tangible injury with a straightforward recovery plan. Diane’s journey to healing was like navigating an uncharted path where the source of her anxiety was elusive. Through treatment, Diane came to realize the condition was rooted in her deep-seated fear of financial scarcity. This led her to unravel the complex layers of her relationship with money.
Diane is an author, speaker, coach, workplace culture reinvention strategist, attorney and mediator. After being diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Diane left the practice of law to focus on why creating a workplace culture of wellbeing is so elusive, and how workplace wellbeing initiatives are generally inadequate, as they don’t address the core issue of how to create a culture of wellbeing that is effective for individual staff and has measurable results for the business.
Diane is on a mission to annihilate the belief that mental health, wellbeing and belonging are “soft” topics by demonstrating the business case that will empower business leaders to realize measurable successes that reduce risk, improve profitability, and provide results that can be clearly reported for ESG, CSR and DEI purposes.
By combining her experience as an attorney and leader in international business development risk management, and an individual who has endured toxic work environments, Diane’s commercial and practical approach to workplace wellbeing generates results for businesses while making employees more productive and happier.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Alicia Castillo Holley, Ph.D., MBA, MSci. Alicia’s upbringing in Venezuela was rooted in socialist ideals during stable times. However, the financial crisis there changed everything. With $600 and two kids in tow, she embarked on a new chapter in the US, eventually earning an MBA and becoming a venture capitalist. Alicia’s unique perspective sees wealth creation as a gateway to socioeconomic development. Alicia has given a lot of thought to socioeconomic systems like capitalism, socialism, and communism. She believes money should be used for progress, not oppression.
Alicia is a dynamic professional who has seamlessly transitioned from the world of science into the realms of finance and entrepreneurship. She is the General Partner of the Wealthing VC Fund, a venture capital firm that’s gaining recognition for its strategic investments in companies with high growth potential, that also champion diversity & inclusion. The fund’s sweet spots are in Life Sciences and Climate tech. Alicia’s passion lies in supporting innovative solutions that promise to revolutionize these critical sectors, making a positive impact on our world.
Alicia is also the driving force behind the Wealthing VC Club, a private investment group designed for accredited investors. Her extensive network of 56 VC partners, her experienced team, and her deep expertise in venture capital, angel investing, and funding, which spans over three decades, have played pivotal roles in the development and success of this exclusive club. It’s a place where members gain access to handpicked post-seed deals alongside established VC funds.
Beyond her professional roles, Alicia is an advocate for women’s progress in entrepreneurship. She makes a real difference through her global training program, Women Get Funded, which equips female entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge needed to secure funding for their ventures.
Alicia’s diverse portfolio includes investments in over 50 companies, and she’s had a hand in founding or co-founding more than 15 companies and three non-profits. Notably, she was the visionary behind Chile’s very first seed capital fund during her stay in the country from 1996 to 2002.
Before venturing into the worlds of entrepreneurship and investing, Alicia was a researcher in plant genetics. She then transitioned to a role leading the Product Development department at a joint venture between Bayer and Shell. This unique background has given her a well-rounded perspective that’s proved invaluable in her current roles.
Academically, Alicia holds a Ph.D. in Finance and Entrepreneurship, with a focus on Research Commercialization from the University of Western Australia. She’s a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds an MBA from Babson College, and earned a Master of Science in Seed and Biotech, as well as an Engineering degree from the Universidad Central de Venezuela.
Alicia’s journey exemplifies the power of diverse experiences and her commitment to positive change in the world. She’s not just a business leader; she’s a catalyst for innovation and empowerment.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guests are Lynne Twist and Sara Vetter. Lynne and Sara call themselves “work wives” who run the Soul of Money Institute and the Pachamama Alliance. They observe that society perpetuates the myth of scarcity—insisting there’s never enough time, money, love, or fulfillment. Lynne and Sara work each day to challenge that automatic and unconscious assumption. In our conversation, they unpack the implications of living in a society where the economy often takes precedence over ecology.
Lynne Twist is the founder of the Soul of Money Institute and author of the best-selling, award winning book “The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life”, and her newest book, “Living a Committed Life: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in a Purpose Larger Than Yourself”.
Over the past 40 years Lynne has worked with over 100,000 people in 50 countries in the arenas of fundraising with integrity, conscious philanthropy, strategic visioning and having a healthy relationship with money. Her clients include Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, the International Unity Church, Charles Schwab, United Way, The National Black theater of Harlem, Harvard University and others. A sought-after speaker, she has presented for the United Nations Beijing Women’s Conference, State of the World Forum, Synthesis Dialogues with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Governor’s Conference on California Women, among others.
A recognized global visionary, Lynne has been an advisor to the Desmond Tutu Foundation, and The Nobel Women’s Initiative. Lynne is the recipient of numerous prestigious honors, including the “Woman of Distinction” award from the United Nations.
Lynne is a co-founder of The Pachamama Alliance — a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest to preserve their lands and culture. In addition, Lynne serves on a number of nonprofit boards including the Fetzer Institute, The Institute of Noetic Sciences, Bioneers, Conscious Capitalism and Women’s Earth Alliance.
From working with Mother Teresa in Calcutta to the refugee camps in Ethiopia and the threatened rainforests of the Amazon, Lynne’s on-the-ground work has brought her a deep understanding of the social tapestry of the world and the historical landscape of the times we are living in.
Sara Vetter is the Business Development Director of the Soul of Money Institute and is a coach, consultant, workshop leader, keynote speaker and strategist. She is also the Major Gift Fundraiser for the Pachamama Alliance. Sara has had experience in advertising, marketing and sales with several magazines including LA Magazine and the Disney Channel.
Sara has been coaching, consulting and leading workshops with SOMI Author and Founder Lynne Twist since 2001. She has become a key player in all the initiatives of the institute. Her leadership doubled business revenues in recent years and also significantly expanded revenue for Pachamama Alliance. Sara is an experienced SOMI facilitator of workshops, fundraisers, journeys and retreats. She also leads several of the Pachamama Alliance Transformational Educational programs.
Sara has played a leadership role with the Nobel Women’s Initiative, she has co-led delegations to Dharamsala, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Liberia. As the major gift fundraiser for the Pachamama Alliance, Sara has led and participated in more than 19 delegations and immersion trips to the Amazon Rainforest. She has raised millions of dollars for the Pachamama Alliance and the Nobel Women’s Initiative and is a consummate fundraiser.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Celeste Villalobos Tahamont. Celeste is navigating the intricate tapestry of both motherhood and daughterhood. She shares how she’s juggling her responsibilities that range from managing a bustling household with her own young family, building out her business as a solopreneur and helping her aging parents. As she grapples with decisions that shape her present and also impact her future, Celeste leans on the strength of family bonds, especially her confidante and partner-in-crime, her sister.
With an eye toward social justice, Celeste started her career as a public-school educator working with at-risk youth to help them be the first in their families to attend college. From 2006-2016, she designed, facilitated and managed various leadership programs for executives and their teams at Google.
In 2016, Celeste launched Little Owl Consulting and continues to help clients around the globe and in a variety of environments ranging from nonprofit to corporate. She is an expert at holding space for fear, pain and complexity, so that courage and clarity can emerge, and folks can get back to working productively.
Celeste received her B.A. in Gender & Multicultural Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz and her Ed.M. in Gender & Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She now lives in San Francisco, where she enjoys adventuring around the city with her two sons and husband.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Nancy Colier. Growing up, Nancy’s love for equestrian sports clashed with her father’s belief that it was reserved for the privileged. But Nancy’s determination prevailed; she became a top-level equestrian and rode on the national circuit. She tells us that when she finally won, she realized the success wasn’t about the winning; it was about the strength and resilience it revealed within her. No matter what obstacles Nancy would face in life, she now knew she could conquer the most challenging paths.
A longtime practitioner of mindfulness and eastern spirituality, Nancy Colier is a psychotherapist, interfaith minister, and author of “The Emotionally Exhausted Woman: Why You’re Feeling Depleted and How to Get What You Need” (New Harbinger, 2022), “Can’t Stop Thinking” (New Harbinger 2021), as well as numerous other books. She is a thought leader and national speaker on mindfulness, women’s empowerment, wellbeing and ethical technology, and has been featured on Good Morning America, The New York Times and countless other media. She is also a regular blogger for Psychology Today. She teaches workshops at Kripalu, Omega Institute, and 92Y (and many other venues). In addition, Nancy spent 25 years as a nationally top-ranked equestrian and serves as a performance consultant to professional athletes and artists.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jennifer Burnham-Grubbs. When Jennifer was a student at Princeton, all of her friends talked about how they were opening bank accounts. Jennifer decided she should have one too. She walked into a local bank, and the process seemed straightforward until she faced a question she hadn’t anticipated. The teller asked Jennifer how much money she was going to deposit into the account. Jennifer didn’t have any. She left the bank with a crucial realization that there were aspects of the financial world that she didn’t yet understand. As you’ll hear, Jennifer is a quick study.
Jennifer is the founder and CEO of Quantum Insurance Services. Within the business, entertainment and high net worth circles of Southern California, she is renowned for her strategic insights into A-rated insurance products that build wealth, financial freedom and security.
Rather than as just a bill to pay, Jennifer sees insurance as a gateway to wealth and well-being. Her unique background, expertise, and perspectives on insurance, tax and financial strategies shift the approach to guiding businesses and individuals who want to protect themselves, their families and employees while growing assets and savings. This approach has catapulted Jennifer into the spotlight as a leading female in the insurance sector, and positioned Quantum Insurance Services as an award-winning, innovative, client-focused financial wellbeing brokerage firm for health and wealth protection and growth.
With over $100 million in insurance products under management, Jennifer provides athletes, celebrities, fast-growing businesses, high net worth individuals and everyday families with insurance designs for life, disability, long-term care, annuities, commercial risk and employee benefits. Her custom programs deliver safety, opportunity, income planning, and support for building and transferring generational wealth.
As a top advisor to C-Level executives Jennifer is deeply committed to building wealth for the power of good, and especially passionate about building financial acumen in women. She is co-creator of the Wealth Mastery for Women™ monthly webinar series hosted by LeadHERship Global and the C-Suite Network, which encourages women to follow their purpose, mission, and dreams with increased financial confidence. She is also co-founder of Womxn of Wealth (WOW), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to helping women use money strategically, intelligently and successfully.
With a B.A. from Princeton University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa in the top 10% of her class, Jennifer is a distinguished thought leader contributing to financial education through webinars, podcasts, articles, blogs and speaking engagements. She lives with her husband, two daughters, a dog and several rabbits in Los Angeles and hopes one day to catch up on all the content she didn’t watch in the 90’s.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Felecia Froe, MD. One day when Felecia was practicing medicine, she asked a patient about her profession. The patient responded that she was a real estate investor and over the course of many conversations, Felecia was hooked. Felecia ultimately found a property she thought was a good deal and had this patient take a look at it. The patient challenged her and said, “If you don’t buy this house, I will.” The patient then took the risk away by offering up her rehab crew and promising to buy the property later on if Felecia didn’t make money on it once rented. Felicia gladly accepted the challenge, and her life was forever changed.
Felecia is the owner of Money with Mission, an investment company focused on empowering professional women to build wealth and achieve financial freedom through off Wall Street social impact investing in real estate and businesses.
As a real estate syndicator, Felecia has partnered with like-minded investors and has raised money for several social impact projects, including a residential assisted living home in Kansas City, Missouri and, with her partners at the Eco Alliance Group, she is working to provide healthy food options to food desert areas with indoor vertical farms and grocery stores.
In addition to real estate investing, Felecia is a licensed urological surgeon with over 20 years of experience. She has written many Best Selling books including “How to Create Wealth that Outlives You“. Plus, she is an advocate for sharing the great work others are doing for their community through her podcast Money With Mission Podcast.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Greg Menefee. When he was growing up, Greg’s perception was that his family was just as well-off as any other. Greg was an avid skier and one year his dad promised him a new pair of $300 skis for the upcoming season. As that season drew closer, the skis never materialized. Greg ultimately mustered the courage to ask his mom about them. It was in that moment that his childhood perceptions crumbled, and Greg learned that his family didn’t have $300 to spare for the skis. As Greg tells us, the skis didn’t really matter to him, but the situation created a money conflict between his mother and father that became a recurring theme. This shaped Greg’s approach to money, making him more risk-averse and changing how he discusses financial matters.
Greg Menefee serves as the Senior Vice President of Relationship Management at Orion Advisor Tech. In this role, Greg is the champion of the phrase “Elevate Everything” with his team of consultants who are dedicated to helping advisors maximize their Orion experience and accelerate their firm’s growth goals and potential. A self-proclaimed CX fanatic, Greg brings over two decades of expertise in helping advisors think differently about creating incredible client experiences for their clients. Greg began his career in 1998 with Fidelity Investments, and most recently built and led the Institutional Consulting teams at TD Ameritrade Institutional.
When not working with advisors or reading up on the latest books about client experience, you can find Greg and his wife, Summer on mountain bikes with their kids in the Mountain Biking Capital of the world, Bentonville, AR.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Justin Breen. Justin started his first company with zero business background. As Justin tells us, at the time he didn’t even know what an entrepreneur was. Back then, he was wrapping up a 20-year career as a journalist and decided to leave that profession when his salary was greatly reduced as result of cutbacks. He tried to find a different journalism job but couldn’t, so he started a business instead and hasn’t looked back.
Justin is the Founder and CEO of the global PR firm BrEpic and the exclusive connectivity platform BrEpic Network. His newest book, “Epic Life”, features a foreword from Dr. Peter Diamandis and has been the number one overall book for sales on Amazon Kindle. It also recently made the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller lists.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is James Scruggs. As young adult, James thought stocks were the key to accumulating wealth and making a lot of money. He invested his first bonus in telecom stocks, at just the wrong time and sadly lost everything. This experience shattered James, as he always wanted to be different from his parents, who, James tells us, aren’t savers. Seeking advice, he turned to a friend who recommended the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. Reading this book changed James’ life and helped shape him into who he is today.
James is the CEO and President of Kingdom Development Partners and J.S. & Son’s Construction Company, LLC. A native of Long Island, NY but a Charlottean at heart. James has over two decades in real estate development, construction, and brokerage after leaving a successful career as a Bond trader. He has developed, built, owned, and operated a portfolio of income producing single-family, multifamily, and assisted living communities.
James is a licensed real estate broker, and general contractor in the state of North Carolina. He received his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 2000 and a Master of Science in Real Estate from the UNC-Charlotte where he was the recipient of the distinguished Childress Klein fellowship. After graduation he joined Bank of America as a Commercial Paper Trader. James founded J.S. & Associates, Inc. (JSA) in 2002, which is central to his vision of economic development and self-sufficiency for families in the greater Charlotte area.
Since relocating to Charlotte, James has been making a name for himself in real estate development with a particular focus on the most up-and-coming neighborhoods in The Queen City. After years in finance with Bank of America, he joined Helen Adams Realty because it shares his commitment to customer service, authenticity, and reliability. James’ strengths are unlimited drive and creativity, very strong interpersonal skills, a wealth of investment knowledge, a thorough understanding of real estate growth trends in and around Charlotte, and most importantly, unwavering integrity.
Through JSA, he has acquired 30 single-family homes and two apartment complexes. He has also used JSA to improve neighborhoods by restoring dilapidated homes or even tearing them down in order to construct brand new homes in their place. JSA has also allowed him to educate other investors and new homeowners through a quarterly web-based newsletter he produces on all aspects of investing in real estate in smart, sensible ways. As CEO of JSA, James also delivers free investment seminars that educate folks on buying and keeping properties.
James is married to his gorgeous wife Makila who is the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Trane Technologies. James has an amazing 12-year-old son named Jaden and an eight-year-old son named Malachi. After a successful seven-year career in the financial banking industry, he made a major life and career change by committing his life to serving those with Alzheimer’s Disease. He is the founder and former president of Unlimited Possibilities, a unique ministry dedicated to changing the way elders are cared for today and in the future. A driving influence of his life change was a book called “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. It demonstrated that life is essentially about the legacy you leave behind and how you affect others, in business and personally. Helping others have the ability to live a life with dignity, compassion and purpose are the signature of his communities that he has created for older adults. He plans to continue this mission and offer the best care for seniors and older adults with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robyn Crane. Robyn started her career as a singer-songwriter. At one point, she had worked really hard to set up a number of shows at some great venues. Right before the tour, Robyn got sick, and she had to cancel the shows. This heart-breaking experience made her realize she had little control over her success. Robyn could be the best singer, the best songwriter, but she had very little control over her financial future. It wasn’t until she discovered her desire to transform people’s lives that she found a new path.
Robyn holds a CFP® and is a keynote speaker, best-selling author and leading business coach for financial professionals. She’s shared the stage and/or podcasts with thought leaders such as Richard Branson, Mel Robbins, Michael Kitces, Grant Cardone and Rachel Cruze. She is known for engaging and inspiring audiences and has spoken at events such as: Financial Planning Association (FPA), Women in Insurance & Financial Services (WIFS), Traffic & Conversion, Guardian Life and Prudential Financial. She has been featured in O, Oprah magazine, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Wall St. Journal as well as ABC, NBC, Fox Business News and the works. In the financial industry, she is best known for her book called, “Make More Money, Help More People,” and podcast, “Growing Your Financial Business…The Woman’s Way.” Her company’s mission is to create a paradigm shift in financial services to being more welcoming and accommodating for women. Part of the initiative to do this is a specific focus on increasing the footprint of women in the financial industry from ~24% to 50%. At home, Robyn keeps busy with her three-, five- and 16-year-olds and entrepreneurial husband. She also loves playing tennis, pickleball and occasionally steals the mic to sing ‘Shoop’ (if she’s in a crazy mood) or ‘Ain’t no sunshine’ (if she’s feeling more seductive).
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Marguerite C. Lorenz, CTFA, CLPF. Marguerite has navigated many challenges in her life. One occurred in October 2007 when her home, along with over 100 others in her neighborhood, burned to the ground. Marguerite and her two children, who were in middle school at the time, lost everything. This included some objects, that they didn’t realize until later, attached them to certain family memories. There were two strong forces that helped Marguerite’s family at the time. First was a loving community that came together to provide for them. And the second was solid insurance coverage that provided them financial footing as they reestablished their lives after the disaster.
Since 2003, Marguerite has been a managing partner of Lorenz Private Trustees and has served as a Professional Trustee and Executor on over 100 matters. Her book, Ethics for Trustees 2.0, gives further understanding to the work of a Fiduciary and its ethical considerations. Marguerite also serves as Vice-Chair of the Board for the Independent Trustee Alliance (ITA).
Marguerite’s experience includes, but is not limited to, residential and commercial real estate, high net worth and ultra-high net worth families, multi-family housing, fiduciary management of corporations, coin, art and book collections, investment accounts and vessels. Her clients have properties in California and other states. She enjoys those matters where the parent, or grandparent, has worked hard to build the family business and wishes to keep their assets in trust for the protection and enjoyment of their family, kids and grandkids.
Marguerite is a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary (#319), a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) #87097, and a Master Certified Independent Trustee (MCIT) through the ITA. She has been awarded Certification through the Institute of Certified Bankers/American Bankers Association. She is a Graduate of the National Trust School, American Bankers Association at Northwestern University and holds a Certificate in Professional Fiduciary Management for Trustees from California State University, Fullerton.
Ms. Lorenz serves as an expert witness on criminal matters. Marguerite serves her clients in California and beyond. In the past, Governor Brown appointed Marguerite to serve a four-year term as a Member of the California Professional Fiduciaries Advisory Committee. Under her leadership, the Bureau developed various educational publications and extended the national awareness of the fiduciary profession.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kathi Balasek. Life can take unexpected turns and change in an instant. For Kathi, life went from wife to caregiver to widow when her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Suddenly, she was left to parent five kids on her own. The experience taught Kathi the importance of having a dream team of professionals to help navigate life’s challenges.
Kathi is an educator, empathy and grief communication coach, university lecturer, speaker and widow advocate. Experiencing the uniqueness of widowhood firsthand, she learned that the relationship between professionals and people who grieve is pivotal. Combining her 25 years of teaching, coaching and personal experience, she created Grief Smart Professional as a tool to help professionals connect and support their people and clients who are experiencing loss and grief.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Samantha Varner. Over the last 15 years or so, Sam has moved with her husband to three different countries. Each move came soon after the birth of a child. While her husband’s career prompted the relocations, Sam, an entrepreneur at heart, continued to focus on her own career. Sadly, the international moves disrupted her plans because of the different tax structures and regulations. Sam decided to figure out a way to make a business that would be like a turtle shell, a business she could take with her regardless of where she ended up. That’s exactly what she did.
Sam is the founder of She Collective. She is on a mission to show business owners just how they can live full and robust lives while building massively profitable businesses. Using her CRUSH formula, Sam takes her 15+ years of experience in public relations, sales and business development to teach driven entrepreneurs how to create wealth through business ownership. From speaking on stage to hosting her podcast, She Needs Grit, Sam is the ass-kicking profit coach for the driven entrepreneur.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Joi Jackson-Morgan. When Joi was eleven years old, she earned her first paycheck as a newspaper delivery person. She distinctly remembers it was for $40.72. Joi wanted to use the money to buy a new pair of shoes. Her mom had different plans. Joi’s mother took her to the local bank and helped Joi open an account and use the money to buy a savings bond. By her mom’s math that bond would be worth double by the time Joi was 18. She was right. That money enabled Joi to buy a much-needed book later on when she was in college. As you’ll hear, this crash course in savings, at an early age, drilled important money habits in Joi that she’s leveraged ever since.
Joi is the Executive Director at 3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic. Joi’s most important contribution to 3rd Street has been her ability to combine insight into the history of the neighborhood with both her formal education in public health and her professional experience. She was born and raised in Bayview Hunters Point, the Southeast sector of San Francisco. She has worked as a math and science teacher at several Bay Area junior high and high schools and as a research assistant on community-based health studies. Joi’s broad experience and education in health and education inform her approach to working with individual youth and the community as a whole.
Under Joi’s leadership, 3rd Street has experienced exponential growth fortifying its standing as a leader in housing and behavioral health services for young people, and recently opened San Francisco’s first TAY Navigation Center for young adults experiencing homelessness. Joi is committed to centering the importance of racial equity and justice to end youth homelessness.
Joi is currently the Co-Chair of the Black/African American Health Initiative on Sexually Transmitted Infections (BAAHISTI). She received her Master of Public Health from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and her Bachelor of Science in Biology at California State University-East Bay.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Leslie Feinzaig. Leslie grew up in Costa Rica. She describes her family as immigrants to that country who endured hard lives. She came to the US as a Visa-dependent business school student and soon realized that staying here for her career while still tethered to a Visa required her to take jobs with large companies who could sponsor her. This meant continually working for her resume. But Leslie is an entrepreneur at heart, and this was frustrating. Ultimately, she got a Green Card and everything for Leslie shifted. That’s when she developed her “What’s the Worst that Could Happen” approach that led her to start her own venture capital firm where she’s letting her resume work for her.
Leslie is the Founder and General Partner of Graham & Walker, an early-stage VC fund investing in women-founded tech companies that solve deeply human problems, and the Female Founders Alliance, the most prominent community of VC-backable women founders in the US.
Leslie is a technologist, operator and startup founder described as an “industry trailblazer” by USA Today. Born and raised in Costa Rica, she was named one of Forbes Magazine’s Most Powerful Women from Central America, Worth Magazine’s Worthy 100, Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40, and Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential People. She has a Bachelor’s degree from the London School of Economics and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is an acclaimed contributing writer for Fortune, Fast Company and Techcrunch.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is AdaPia d’Errico. All long-term investors lose money at some point, usually due to market fluctuations. Many years ago, AdaPia, who worked in finance, lost her entire life savings when she was defrauded by a private placement she invested in. As she tells us, even though she was the victim, she positioned herself as the perpetrator in her mind at the time. AdaPia blamed herself because, with her background, she thought she should have known better. The shame she felt kept AdaPia from wanting to talk about the experience. But when she ultimately got over that, it transformed her life and her purpose.
AdaPia is a visionary pioneer with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry spanning banking, insurance, hedge funds, private equity, real estate, angel investing, venture capital, and digital assets. As a fintech entrepreneur, AdaPia played a pivotal role in bringing real estate crowdfunding and online capital raising into the mainstream. Today, AdaPia is the CEO of Funke Ventures, which develops and invests in emerging technologies and intellectual properties with impact-driven economic models built on the ethos of Web3. AdaPia is also the cofounder of Womxn of Wealth, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to moving women at all socio-economic levels from financial literacy, to fluency, to mastery.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Christina Bui. As Christina tells us, losing everything was good for her. The fall of Saigon happened in 1975. Leaving everything they had behind, Christina’s mom paid a stranger with gold to get a flight out of Vietnam. The plane took off on what happened to be the day before the Saigon airport was bombed. This harrowing escape was a pivotal moment that created more opportunities for Christina and her mother than they ever would have imagined. This is a story you won’t want to miss.
Christina is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Kylan Ventures, a venture studio focused on championing the global talent and innovation of Vietnamese entrepreneurs. She serves as an operating partner, strategic advisor, and board advisor with various companies: Chief Business Development Officer at OnSky Health, a remote patient monitoring health tech company; Chief Growth Officer at Top Care Medical Group; a healthcare practice group; Board Advisor at Omni Bev, a Vietnamese Cold Brew Coffee Company; Board Advisor at Son Foods, a seafood company; Board Advisor at Wynn’s Kitchen, Asian food spices and condiments; Strategic Advisor at Enterprise Purchasing Group, a supply chain management company; Strategic Advisor at Networked, a community networking platform; and Fund Advisor and Limited Partner at How Women Invest Fund.
A refugee of Vietnam’s Fall of Saigon, Christina believes in giving back to the community. She serves on the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Advisory Board; Fulbright University Vietnam Global Advisory Board, Executive Board of How Women Lead, and Board Member of the Association for Corporate Growth. Christina holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and French from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in corporate finance from Johns Hopkins University. She was awarded “Most Influential Women in Business” in 2016 and 2017 by the San Francisco Business Times. Christina has Co-Chaired the Association for Corporate Growth’s M&A West Coast Conference eleven years in a row from 2012-2023.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ken Pecus. Ken is one of those resilient people who hit financial bottom and catapulted back up again. Long story short, he got caught up in legal battle over a franchise agreement. He knew he was in the right and kept the fight going for four long years. In the end, he lost half the lawsuit, and faced financial tragedy when the judge awarded the other side attorney fees just as Ken’s own business was being hurt by the Financial Crisis. This meant Ken was on the hook for paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in a short time period, which nearly wiped him out. Ken’s biggest lessons from that time are to watch your ego, don’t always be focused on proving you are right, and keep communication lines open.
Ken is the founder and Team Leader of The Pecus Group. Having obtained his license in 1989, Ken has more than 34 years of experience representing sellers and buyers throughout San Diego County. He has worked for a variety of companies including small independent firms and large national organizations. In the early 2000s, Ken founded Ascent Real Estate which grew to become the largest non-affiliated real estate company with 10 offices in San Diego County, prior to its merger with a national firm. 14 years after founding Ascent, Ken set out to rebuild a new brand, and has since joined forces with national real estate market leader eXp Realty in order to provide a seamless cutting edge transactional experience for his clients and team agents.
Ken is a native San Diegan having grown up on the island paradise of Coronado, California. After graduating Coronado High School, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University. Despite always planning to have a real estate career, his first job was working as a software engineer manager at NAS North Island. His engineering background, as well as his time working in a high intensity government aircraft program, provided Ken with invaluable business experience in performance expectations, planning, budgeting and delivering.
Since becoming licensed, Ken has completed hundreds of transactions and has extensive negotiation experience in luxury high value cash and financed sales, foreclosure and short sales, and portfolio building with multi-unit residential. Throughout his career, he has continued to provide extensive training to other agents in all facets of the real estate transaction. His business philosophy has revolved around doing business by referral, and The Pecus Group maintains a comprehensive referral network of other agents, both locally and nationally.
On the personal side, Ken is an avid outdoor sports lover. His game of choice (since grade school) is definitely tennis and tries to spend as much time as he can every week out on the court! He’s also passionate about traveling the world in order to experience new cultures, food and history, but mostly getting to engage with people from every walk of life.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Fran Maier. From her first start-up, Match.com, to her latest and fifth start-up, BabyQuip, Fran is a passionate entrepreneur whose mantra is, “It’ll all work out”. Fran’s motto was put to the test during the pandemic. On March 6, 2020 she presented BabyQuip, a baby gear rental business dependent on people’s travel, to the sharks on Shark Tank. Days later, the pandemic became a reality and the economy closed. Don’t worry. It all works out. Being a savvy businesswoman, Fran and her partners took the necessary steps for the company to survive and now thrive as life gets back to normal.
Fran is a highly successful serial entrepreneur, investor, and fundraiser with an impressive track record of launching and scaling five profitable business ventures, such as Match.com and TRUSTe (now @TrustArc). Throughout her career, Fran has pioneered game-changing solutions that have disrupted industries, built trusted brands, and driven growth and valuation.
Currently, as the founder and CEO of BabyQuip, the leading global baby gear rental marketplace, Fran has taken the company's reach to over 1,200 markets worldwide. Her leadership has also resulted in the recruitment of thousands of gig economy entrepreneurs to provide services, as well as valuable partnerships with brands such as VRBO, Wyndham, Destination Hotels by Hyatt and Guesty.
Fran's impressive set of skills include change management, business expansion, brand and product development, government relations, and international outreach. She has also demonstrated her dedication to giving back to the community as a commercial and non-profit board member for organizations such as GE Capital Bank, Children's Council of San Francisco, Stanford Women on Boards, and Girls in Tech. Moreover, Fran is an advisor to several startups, including Portfolia, Women's Start-up Lab, Sign-up.com and Kango.
As a thought leader in entrepreneurship, women in business, and family travel, Fran is a sought-after keynote speaker and media personality. She has been featured in major media outlets such as Forbes, CNBC and ABC's Shark Tank, and has hosted a popular radio show. Fran also regularly appears as a guest on podcasts and contributes articles to publications such as The Washington Post.
Fran holds a BA and MBA from Stanford University and has been recognized with numerous honors and awards. She is passionate about supporting female founders and promoting Latinx leadership and Latina entrepreneurs, in honor of her Hispanic heritage. Fran is a proud mother of two grown sons and now lives in Santa Fe, NM, after spending most of her career in San Francisco.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Hilary Blair. Hilary helps businesspeople get comfortable in the uncomfortable. She believes our society has shut down a lot of sharing within conversations and, as a result, we miss out on leadership opportunities by confusing confidence and comfort. Hilary observes that you can be confident if you accept the discomfort that might be involved. Tell your story, share your vulnerability and where you’ve made mistakes. This transparency, especially in money conversations, will allow you to tell your story, connect with others and, as Hilary says, own the awkward.
Hilary is a keynote speaker, champion of human connection and the CEO of ARTiculate: Real&Clear. She is impassioned by moving beyond habits and learned behaviors to uncover what is unique and authentic in individuals and groups. A presentation and speaking voice expert, Hilary is a highly regarded coach and facilitator working extensively across the globe with a variety of businesses including Maersk, Liberty Global, Slalom and AWS.
Whether working on leadership communication with members of the C-Suite, or facilitating workshops using improvisation to improve communication skills, Hilary’s 35 plus years as a teacher combined with her professional stage, film and voice over career present a unique and essential skill set. She and the ARTiculate team partner with HR departments to co-create experiential learning events that activate individual presence and team effectiveness.
Hilary is certified in Conversational Intelligence and CultureTalk. She is an active member of NSA and former board member of the Colorado Chapter. She is also a former board member of VASTA – the Voice and Speech Trainers Association. Hilary is on the faculty for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and has been adjunct faculty for a number of universities. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Buzzfeed and numerous podcasts. Hilary holds an MFA in acting from the National Theatre Conservatory and a BA from Yale University.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lauren Keen Aumond. Lauren landed a finance job with a small company when she graduated college. A year into the role, she decided she wanted to learn more and earn more. Lauren thought she had to leave the company to do so, but instead an internal opportunity opened up for a sales position. Sure enough, she applied. When the head of the company learned this news, he said with surprise, “Spreadsheet Lauren is going to do sales?” Yes, she did. Lauren blew her quota out of the water that year.
Today, Lauren is a content creator and real estate investor based in Tampa Bay, Florida. Along with her husband, Aric, Lauren built a 12-door portfolio that helped them achieve financial independence by the ages of 32 and 29, respectively. They specialize in short-term rentals on the nature coast of Florida (the west coast). In 2019, Lauren launched the Adulting Is Easy podcast to teach her younger sister about personal finance, which has since expanded into social media, digital products and coaching. When she's not working, Lauren enjoys spending time on her boat, playing pickleball and volleyball, watching sports and savoring a glass of red wine.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Diania Merriam. In her 20s, Diania felt like she was wasting her privilege. She was an educated white woman in a first world country with a good job, yet Diania was living paycheck to paycheck and running up a mound of debt. She decided something had to change. Diania made a mindset shift and became a supersaver. She got creative and resourceful about meeting her needs and developed a brand-new relationship with money.
Diania Merriam is the founder of The EconoMe Conference, a party about money designed specifically for the FIRE movement (financial independence, retire early). She's also the host of the popular podcast Optimal Finance Daily where she narrates articles from the best personal finance blogs on the planet. After getting out of $30k of debt in 11 months, Diania used her newfound financial freedom to negotiate a remote working arrangement with her employer, take a two-month sabbatical to walk 500 miles across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago and launch her own business.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lisa Gautier. Lisa cares deeply about the hair on your head. That might sound weird but let me tell you why. 25 years ago, she and her husband started an environmental public charity called Matter of Trust. Matter of Trust is famous for running a program where they collect hair clippings from thousands of salons. They then form the hair clippings into mats that soak up oil spills because, as you’ve likely experienced, hair is excellent at collecting oil.
Lisa co-founded the environmental public charity Matter of Trust in 1998. She concentrates on the positive, delivering sensible solutions and nurturing teams dedicated to ecology. Lisa also implements transformational programs that promote renewable resources, recycling, reuse, and repair including Matter of Trust’s Eco-Industrial Hub and its Eco-Home. The Hub is a working model factory with exhibits about clean air, water, and energy. The immersive Eco-Home showcases how urban renters can have impactful, earth-friendly apartments and grow edible gardens. Through lectures and interviews, Lisa provides answers for the often asked “What can I do?”
Prior to Matter of Trust, Lisa was Assistant Director in Paris at Valeo (International Development & Treasury 1995-1996) and at FedEx Logistics (1994). Previously in San Francisco, she worked at Cecchi & Massoni (Legal and Accounting 1985-1993). Her studies include French Language & Culture (Sorbonne, France 1993-4) then Zoo Management & Breeding of Endangered Species (Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, UK 1983-4). Lisa serves on the Boards for MatterofTrust.org, Biomimicry.org and RandallMuseum.org. She resides in California, with her husband and their three daughters.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Jordan Grumet. Jordan’s father was a doctor who sadly collapsed and died of a brain aneurysm while working at the hospital. Jordan was young at the time, and he was determined to grow up be just like his dad. Jordan figured that if he became a doctor he could step into his dad’s shoes and do the things that his dad never got the chance to do. So, Jordan became a doctor and, after years of burnout, realized that the thing he thought was his main purpose and identity in life didn't fit him very well. This is when a new adventure and focus for Jordan began.
Jordan Grumet was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1973. His interest in becoming a doctor was ignited when his father, an oncologist, died unexpectedly in the prime of life. This profound loss not only inspired him to practice medicine, but it has also given him a unique perspective as a financial expert, challenging him to think deeply and critically about concepts like wealth, abundance, and financial independence.
After graduating from the University of Michigan, Jordan received his medical degree from Northwestern University, and began practicing Internal Medicine in Northbrook, Illinois. He currently is an associate medical director at Journeycare Hospice.
After years of blogging about financial independence and wellness, Jordan launched the Earn & Invest podcast in 2018. In 2019 he received the Plutus Award for Best New Personal Finance Podcast and was nominated in 2020 and 2021 for Best Personal Finance Podcast of the year. His book, "Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor’s Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life" was published by Ulysses Press in August 2022.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Bree Schumacher. Bree is a lifelong entrepreneur who took a $500 loan and turned it into a 7-figure business with over one hundred employees, which she ran for nineteen years. Bree sold the business in 2020. While she could easily have sold it to a competitor and immediately walked away, Bree went with her heart. She knew selling the precious business to one of her longstanding employees was the right move for the business and to secure her legacy. Bree creatively structured a deal that allowed the employee to buy her out over time. The payout period is nearly up and Bree shares how the scarcity money mindset of her youth is being triggered as the cashflow comes to an end, even though her family is financially secure.
Bree is a mom of three boys, a lover of travel and the host of the Seize Your Midlife Podcast as well as the travel company, Be Somewhere Sunny. Bree is a new investor with an “it’s complicated” relationship with money.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Deborah Ekstrom. Early on her career, Deborah didn't have a lot of extra time. There were tremendous demands on her for the things she needed to learn for medicine. She tells us that like most professional women, when she got married, she supported her spouse through his journey and had children who required her attention and nurturing. It was challenging, and learning about money wasn’t a priority until it became one. At that time, Deborah found it difficult to find information to educate her, but she was determined. As she reflects on those days, she’s come to realize that the more you know about finance, how money works, what the money rules are and what your personal values and ideals are related to money, the better you’ll be at making good money decisions.
Deborah developed her media and training corporation, Money Loves Women, for the purposes of getting more money, power and influence into the hands of women. She believes wealth comes in many forms but attaining financial wealth is the most confounding for women. Forty years of self-study, courses and mentors have resulted in the Money Loves Women Signature Course consisting of the stacks and pillars of wealth building followed by mini-master classes in investing in the areas of stock market value investing, tax deed and tax lien investing, niches in real estate investing, business start-up and business acquisition.
Deborah has a podcast showcasing wise and successful women as role models on her podcast, Money Loves Women which publishes weekly on Wednesdays.
Additionally, Deborah has run her own surgical practice for almost 40 years and learned and advocates for business as one of the most common and achievable paths to wealth. She is the president and founder of Salisbury Plastic Surgery in Massachusetts and has acquired a business together with her two partners in the software service sphere.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tracy Coenen. When Tracy went to college she decided to major in criminology and law studies, because she wanted to become a prison warden. However, sophomore year she took an elective called Financial Crime Investigations and she loved it. The course changed the trajectory of Tracy’s focus and she’s now a forensic accountant. In that role, her goal is to help a thousand women a year have better financial outcomes from their divorces.
Today, Tracy runs her own business. Her job is to find money in cases of corporate fraud, high net worth divorces, and other financial shenanigans. Tracy does a lot of work with corporations, investigating situations when executives have stolen money or companies are fighting with other companies about money. She also does fraud investigations related to divorces for wealthy people, where she’s tracing money, trying to figure out how much they have, where their money has gone, what they've been spending it on, and in some cases, where they’re hiding money. Tracy is also the author of several books and she’s the creator of the Divorce Money Guide.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jeanette Bronée. In her twenties, Jeanette was a successful executive in the fashion industry in Denmark with fifty people reporting up to her. She felt like she could do it all. Then, at the age of twenty-six, Jeanette’s ambition caused her to leave all of that and move to New York. She had a rude awakening. Jeanette’s first job in the U.S. was as an assistant and it paid almost nothing. She felt like she was falling apart and had to start over. This forced Jeanette to search for who she was and explore what she was doing and how she was going to take care of herself.
Today, Jeanette is rethinking self-care in the workplace as the foundation for peak performance, engagement, and a culture where people belong and work better together. As an internationally recognized self-care mindset expert, she has spoken at the United Nations, given keynotes across the US and spoken to audiences on five continents. Jeanette shares the tools to reclaim agency and cultivate the human connection that helps us communicate and collaborate with curiosity and care so that we can navigate challenges, innovate and grow stronger together in our constantly changing reality.
Jeanette gives us the C.A.R.E.-driven framework (confidence, agility, resilience, and equity) so we can change our relationship with self-care at work in order to be busy and healthy at the same time, cultivating a culture where people create impact and sustainable success together. Her clients include IBM, Lockheed Martin, Kaiser Permanente, Genentech, Microsoft, Facebook, eBay, Siemens and more.
Jeanette’s new book “The Self-Care Mindset, Rethinking How We Change and Grow, Harness Well-Being and Reclaim Work-Life Quality” is a book of tools to harness our human advantage to grow through adversity.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robert Marks. Robert always wanted to build his own house. He even remembers being in middle school and doodling houses while his teachers droned on and on. About ten years ago, Robert and his wife found a beautiful piece of land that would be perfect for their dream home. They spent two years planning the construction, working closely with an architect, and then another couple of years building it. When the house was finished, it was incredible. Everyone loved it. His wife, their family, their friends, and even their dog. Robert liked to tell people that he built the greatest house in the history of Cleveland, Ohio. There was only one problem. Within a week of moving in, Robert realized he didn’t like living there. Eventually, his wife missed their old neighborhood and they decided to move back. In reflection, Robert realizes, building the home was his dream, not necessarily living there and changing their lifestyle.
Robert founded Fidelity Voice and Data in 1999 and soon grew the start-up into one of the largest telecommunication and cloud services competitors throughout the Midwest. Starting the company with a $600 investment, Robert grew the company into a $30,000,000 business. The business was launched to solve the problem of High-Speed Internet access to businesses, government agencies, non-profits, education and healthcare facilities. In 2004 the company launched a groundbreaking VoIP venture and built data centers in Cleveland, Columbus, and Chicago. Following this success, he sold the company in 2015 and decided to focus his attention on continuing to give back to his local community through multiple philanthropic initiatives. Along with Layne Swenson, Robert launched the startup Projector, LLC in 2020.
Robert currently lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio with his wife and four children. Robert holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of South Florida.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Meredith Grundei. Meredith knew from a young age that she was born to be a performer, and that meant hearing constant reminders about how she’d starve as an adult. A less resilient person might have been deterred by these warnings, but not Meredith. She’s a self-identified rebel and she was determined to prove that she can make it. This wasn’t easy. She was working in an industry where peers would often work for free to get credits. Free wasn’t part of Meredith’s vocabulary. Along the way she created and ran improv workshops to supplement her acting work. She was always focused on creating her own path to success.
Today, Meridith is the owner of Grundei Coaching, LLC, specializing in public speaking and presentation skills. As an award-winning theatre director, producer, and former Second City improv teacher, she recognized the similarities between performing for audiences on stage every night and presenting to clients/colleagues every day. However, the latter didn't have the right tools to bring their stories to life.
Grundei Coaching, LLC provides presentation and public speaking consultation, individual training and development and creative team solutions using improvisational theatre techniques to build trust, empathy and out-of-the-box thinking. Meredith’s clients include entrepreneurs looking to expand their brand by appearing on more stages, and managers, leaders and teams in both the tech and medical fields. Some of her most recent clients include Amazon AWS, Merck, Idorsia and the Iowa Department of Health.
In this episode of Money Tales our guest is Rachel Donnelly. When she was a young adult, Rachel’s mom was diagnosed with cancer and passed away a couple of weeks later. Rachel’s dad had previously died, so along with dealing with the shock and emotions, Rachel was probating her mom's estate. She was also stepping into her mother’s shoes by taking care of her uncle, who was in the later stages of Parkinson's disease. This meant even more logistics of getting the power of attorney, healthcare proxy, and other legal documents in place for her uncle. Rachel tells us she remembers standing in the parking lot of a bank after trying to set up an estate banking account after her uncle died and wondering why someone wasn’t available to help her manage this incredible dumpster fire. This got Rachel’s entrepreneurial blood flowing and inspired her to start a business.
Rachel is a driven and compassionate entrepreneur who has used her personal experiences to create meaningful change for others. After enduring several losses, including the death of her parents, she founded AfterLight (formerly Black Dress Consultants), a business that assists clients in managing the administrative tasks associated with legacy planning and after loss. Her goal is to enable clients to focus on healing in grief and getting back to the things that really matter after a loss.
Rachel is also the co-founder of Professionals of After Loss Services (PALS), a training and support network for industry professionals who offer services to individuals and families after the loss of a loved one. This industry organization has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of services available to those coping with loss.
Before starting AfterLight, Rachel worked in higher education fundraising for several institutions, including Agnes Scott College, Emory University, and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Rachel is a proud alumna of Agnes Scott College, where she earned her degree. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Love Not Lost, a non-profit organization based in Atlanta that provides grief tools and free photography sessions for families facing terminal diagnoses. Rachel is also a member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council.
Rachel resides in Atlanta with her husband Zack and their two children. She is dedicated to her family and her community and continues to make a positive impact through her work.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sparky Abraham. Sparky Abraham has been helping people with debt problems for nearly a decade. This means he has frequent money conversations, sometimes in unconventional situations. For example, Sparky helps host debtors’ assemblies, where strangers come together in relatively small groups because they have something in common that they usually haven’t talked about with anyone else - being in debt. He believes the debtor assembly structure allows the participants to build solidarity, share their experiences, and learn ways of addressing their debt.
Sparky is the founder of Jubilee Legal, a consumer and debtors rights legal practice based in Oxnard, California. He is also the Legal Strategist for the Debt Collective, the nation's first union of debtors. Sparky has written on topics ranging from wires to watersheds, but mostly he writes about student debt.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kadar Lewis, PhD. Kadar tells us he was a low-income student of color who was, fortunately, given scholarships to attend private schools when he was growing up. Often, he was the only black kid in his classes. This meant he was the low-income kid surrounded by money. It was everywhere, yet his family didn’t have much. Kadar considers that dissonance as the beginning of the money trauma he experienced throughout his life. One component of that trauma was denying the importance of money. But then he realized that we all need money to move, to function, and to fulfill our life dreams and purpose. That realization changed Kadar’s life and his relationship with money forever.
Kadar, author of "Thrive at Work in Your 20s," is an educator and community leader dedicated to enriching the world with life skills and leadership education which help youth and young adults succeed at their highest levels. Since 2019, Kadar has served Los Angeles County as a program officer for The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, which provides $20 million in grants each year to approximately 300 highly impactful and transformative local nonprofit organizations.
An educator and organizational leader for 20 years, Kadar began his career as a classroom teacher in South LA, which catapulted him to leadership positions with ICEF Public Schools, Magic Johnson Foundation, and the Fulfillment Fund. He has led thousands of students through workshops and individually advised and mentored hundreds of young adults to achieve their educational, career and personal goals and dreams.
Kadar earned a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Loyola Marymount University, a master’s degree in Educational Technology Leadership from Cal State LA, and a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Harvard.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kadar Lewis, PhD. Kadar tells us he was a low-income student of color who was, fortunately, given scholarships to attend private schools when he was growing up. Often, he was the only black kid in his classes. This meant he was the low-income kid surrounded by money. It was everywhere, yet his family didn’t have much. Kadar considers that dissonance as the beginning of the money trauma he experienced throughout his life. One component of that trauma was denying the importance of money. But then he realized that we all need money to move, to function, and to fulfill our life dreams and purpose. That realization changed Kadar’s life and his relationship with money forever.
Kadar, author of “Thrive at Work in Your 20s,” is an educator and community leader dedicated to enriching the world with life skills and leadership education which help youth and young adults succeed at their highest levels. Since 2019, Kadar has served Los Angeles County as a program officer for The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, which provides $20 million in grants each year to approximately 300 highly impactful and transformative local nonprofit organizations.
An educator and organizational leader for 20 years, Kadar began his career as a classroom teacher in South LA, which catapulted him to leadership positions with ICEF Public Schools, Magic Johnson Foundation, and the Fulfillment Fund. He has led thousands of students through workshops and individually advised and mentored hundreds of young adults to achieve their educational, career and personal goals and dreams.
Kadar earned a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Loyola Marymount University, a master’s degree in Educational Technology Leadership from Cal State LA, and a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Harvard.
In this episode of Money Tales our guest is Dr. Akhtar Badshah. Born, raised, and educated in India, Akhtar was accepted to MIT for graduate school. As he explains, that was the easy part. To attend school in the U.S. he also had to win the visa lottery and receive a scholarship to make his dream come true. Fortunately, the stars aligned for Akhtar. From then on, his life was shaped by people asking him to do something different from what he had been doing all along the way. As a curious and mindful person, Akhtar often said yes. These yeses led him to the enviable position of leading Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts for ten years, where there was no shortage of money conversations.
Akhtar is Chief Catalyst at Catalytic Innovators Group where he advises organizations and individuals to catalyze their strategy focused on social and philanthropic investments. He also conducts Purpose Mindset leadership Workshops with organizations to help individuals articulate their strengths and values and craft their purpose statement. Akhtar is the Distinguished Practitioner at University of Washington at the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, the Business School, at the Bothell campus and a faculty advisor at the START Center in the Department of Global Health. He is the founder and curator of Accelerating Social Transformation, a mid-career professional development certificate course on social impact.
Akhtar is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in international development, managing a corporate philanthropic program and co-founding a global nonprofit for social enterprise. Akhtar led Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts for ten years, where he administered the company’s community investment and employee contributions. He was instrumental in launching both Unlimited Potential and Youth Spark – the company’s focus to bring digital technology to the underserved communities and youth all over the world. His most recent book “Purpose Mindset: How Microsoft Inspires Employees and Alumni to Change the World”, was recently published by Harper Collins Leadership.
In May 2020, Akhtar and his colleagues launched Restart Partners funded by the Department of Commerce, WA State and supported by Facebook to increase confidence in mask adoption and vaccines and help restart the economy. Akhtar serves on the boards of Altruist Nonprofit Accelerator, CROP (Board Chair), Global Washington, Microsoft Alumni Network, National Museum and Center for Service, Restart Partners and The Indus Entrepreneurs, Seattle Chapter. He is an accomplished artist and a doctoral graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Akhtar and his family are very active philanthropists in the Seattle area.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Julie Castro Abrams. Julie is a hard charging activist who very early on knew what she did not want to be– and that was a trophy wife. This is because when she was young, Julie saw her mother’s friends navigating divorces and ending up destitute as a result. Julie wanted to have a family and a career, and she also wanted to protect herself from the financial risk that her mom’s friends experienced. Julie successfully crafted the life she wanted, including finding a spouse who has had a strong enough ego to be an ally and support her role as the family’s breadwinner.
Julie is the founder and Managing Partner of How Women Invest, an early-stage venture firm focused on high growth, tech enabled women-founded enterprises. The firm is a culmination of her lifetime of work propelling women founders to launch and find success with training, capital and networks. Julie brings her extensive experience identifying and supporting early-stage entrepreneurs and twenty years as a CEO and board director. She is bringing her extensive networks, leadership and entrepreneurship experience to disruption of the venture landscape.
An active investor and advisor to start-ups, and as the leader of the nation’s largest microenterprise and microfinance organization for 11 years, Julie has helped launch over 6,000 women into successful businesses. In her role as CEO of Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, an SBA Certified Development Financial Institution, Julie drove innovation in the US microenterprise and finance space. Investing in extensive research about the indicators of long-term success for women entrepreneurs, Julie brings deep intellectual prowess, extensive networks and experience to this transformative venture firm.
Today she is advising the SBA, White House and Congress on national legislative initiatives to address economic opportunities for women. She serves on the California First Partners Project as an advisor regarding corporate board diversity. In her role as Founder and CEO of How Women Lead, she has been a driver of legislative initiatives and transformation in the US and California. Julie serves as an Advisor to financial services firms including the fin-tech start-up LENDonate and Nia Capital. She previously served as an advisor to Beneficial Bank and as the Governance Chair for the Association for Enterprise Opportunity and the Women’s Funding Network.
As the CEO of How Women Lead, she is at the center of the movement to disrupt antiquated, unequal systems by propelling women into even greater leadership roles and increasing opportunities for all women. Julie has been an essential driver of the ecosystem for women on corporate boards in California. Julie has been a national leader in the movement and drove the successful passage of the groundbreaking Senate Bill 826, requiring public companies to have women on their boards.
The recipient of many accolades, she has been awarded the More Jobs Genius Award, the Morgan Stanley Innovation Award, Cisco’s Innovation in Technology Award, the League of Women Voters’ Women Who Could Be President Award, the Stevie Award for Best Non-Profit Executive, and the Commission on the Status of Women’s Human Rights Award. She has also been featured in six books, including “Scrappy Women in Business“, “Women of Courage“, and “The Missing Mentor“, and she has been featured in Fast Company’s video series “30 Second MBA.”
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Bobbi Rebell, CFP®. Bobbi is a former business news anchor and globally syndicated personal finance columnist. Bobbi is also an author and her most recent book is titled, Launching Financial Grownups. Live Your Richest Life by Helping Your (Almost) Adults Become Everyday Money Smart. This topic is very dear to her heart because Bobbi has two twenty-something children and struggled with getting them started on their financial grownup journey. For her, this means living the everyday money related life that we encounter that no one seems to prepare us for.
Bobbi is the founder of Financial Wellness Strategies and the author of Launching Financial Grownups: Live Your Richest Life by Helping Your (Almost) Adult Kids Become Everyday Money Smart. She is a financial wellness educator, speaker, conference host, and moderator, and works as a spokesperson for brands aligned with her values. Bobbi is also the host of the critically acclaimed Wellness for Financial Grownups podcast, which has close to 900,000 downloads. In 2021, she launched a new venture, GrownupGear.com as a fun way to promote adulting and being a financial grownup. In 2023, Bobbi launched a new financial education venture focused on financial wellness, called Financial Wellness Strategies.
Bobbi is frequently quoted in the media as a money and parenting expert. Media outlets have included The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Consumer Reports, AARP, The NY Post, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, Newsweek, Time, CNBC, Architectural Digest, Health, Brides, Parade, Business Insider, Money, Cosmopolitan, Bottom Line, Yahoo Finance, Marketwatch, The Street, MSN, Today.com, Oprah.com, Fox News Channel, Fox Business, Cheddar, The Street, as well as hundreds of appearances on local television, radio and podcasts.
Earlier in her career Bobbi was a global business news anchor and personal finance columnist at Reuters and held various journalist positions at top news outlets including CNBC, CNN and PBS. Bobbi is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and received her Certificate in Financial Planning from New York University. Her first book “How to be a Financial Grownup: Proven Advice from High Achievers on How to Live Your Dreams and Have Financial Freedom” was released in 2016. She lives in New York City with her family.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tom Brickman. Tom’s forty and he hit F.I.R.E within the past year, meaning he’s achieved financial independence and can retire early. This was not by accident. Tom was a hustler from the very beginning, helping neighbors with garage sales, taking out trash, mowing lawns, doing whatever he could do to earn a buck. He ultimately put his attention toward real estate, scooping up homes that no one else wanted and turning them into desirable rental properties. Tom shares that he needed to be creative along the way to support the cash needs so his hustling experience came in handy. At one point Tom even supplemented his income by buying bras and purses on the cheap and reselling them over eBay.
Today, Tom is a married dog dad living in Dallas, Texas. He owns twenty-two rental properties, runs a resale business, and provides one on one coaching and covers financial literacy and real estate for building wealth through TheFrugalGay.com.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kristin Keffeler. Kristin’s family’s money story launched when she was in her twenties. Her parents and oldest brother started a company, grew it, took it public and sold it, all within five years. In other words, during the period between starting and graduating from college, her family experienced a series of significant wealth events. As a result, Kristin’s money narrative got more complex. She was trying to sort out many things like how did she want to define success? Was her current career path good enough? How should she be allocating time learning to be a steward of the family wealth? Kristin was in a big soup of confusion around identity as she sought to understand who she was as an individual, separate from her family contribution.
Kristin, MSM and MAPP, is a thought leader and consultant at the forefront of a global shift in family wealth advising, known as Wealth 3.0. She works with affluent and enterprising families, rising gen, and the professionals who support them. As the founder of the consulting firm illumination360 and the Chief Learning Officer for the Johnson Financial Group, she specializes in human motivation and behavioral change, family dynamics, family governance, rising gen education and development, and intergenerational collaboration.
Drawing upon her research and years of private practice advising and coaching the rising generation in affluent and enterprising families, Kristin believes that members of the rising gen are uniquely positioned to create significant impact in the world and uses a lens of strengths to help them—and those who guide them—to ignite their potential. Her recent book, The Myth of the Silver Spoon: Navigating Family Wealth & Creating an Impactful Life, captures this approach.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Izzy Gesell. Izzy is a former special education teacher, restaurant owner and stand-up comedian. He knows some great money jokes. Here are a few he shared with us:
Why did the robber take a bath before he stole from the bank? He wanted to make a clean getaway.
Why can’t you borrow money from a leprechaun? Because they’re always a little short.
Why is money called dough? Because we all knead it.
Years ago, someone Izzy knew approached him about buying a deli. The person described it as a goldmine. Izzy thought to himself, “I’ve eaten deli food all my life. How hard could it be?” Izzy quickly learned that all mines have shafts. Unfortunately, the deli didn’t make it. As Izzy tells us, he walked away from this business experience with important money insights and takeaways.
Today, Izzy is an “organizational alchemist” who helps people navigate their internal logjams and emerge more confident, spontaneous and effective. Through keynotes, workshops and coaching sessions, Izzy delivers meaningful material in an enjoyable way. His unique approach to personal and organizational development is rooted at the intersection of improv, facilitation and coaching.
Among the first to use improv theater concepts as tools for personal and organizational learning, Izzy is the author of “Playing Along: Group Learning Activities Borrowed from Improvisation Theater,” “Instructional Moments: Facilitating with Applied Improv,” “The Resilient Caregiver: A Path to Managing Stress & Change Through Humor & Play” & a coauthor of “Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter”.
Izzy’s video course for LinkedIn Learning, “Leading with Applied Improv,” was their first on the topic and their first shot as a live-action workshop. His other LinkedIn courses are “Humor in the Workplace” and “Building Your Team.”
Izzy has earned the CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) designation from National Speakers Association. Less than 15% of NSA 4,000 members are CSPs. Izzy also has a BA in Psychology, an MS in Education and a P…. that’s 1/3 of a PhD.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Heather Rader. Heather almost fell out of her chair one night when she was out with a friend and she found out what he was making. The friend, who was also a coworker on their sales team, was telling Heather about how he and his wife were about to buy a new house. This caused Heather to ask her colleague about his compensation. She learned he was earning almost double of what she was. This was a big shock because Heather was consistently the top salesperson in the organization. Heather shares what actions the conversation triggered her to take for herself and other high performing women on her team.
As founder of a 100% woman-owned winery in the famed Napa Valley, Heather is all about making beautiful wine that empowers authentic community, connection, and inspirational travel experiences while giving back. In that spirit, her winery Spirit Horse Vineyards helps support a rescue horse ranch in Napa, where they support a leadership program for foster children to help the next generation THRIVE.
Offering unique access at the highest levels of tennis and wine, Heather has created luxury travel experiences for world-class individuals and corporations at the top of their game through her company Tennis & Vine. She has led groups to the storied courts of Wimbledon, where her father-in-law played Rod Laver in the ’62 finals, as well as the sizzling Italian Open, which he won 3 times. Prior to her career in luxury wine and travel, Heather garnered 25+ years of experience in digital marketing and sales for multiple Fortune 500 companies and start-ups, including the National Football League.
Heather is passionate about food, wine, tennis and travel, and using them as a catalyst for inspiration and connection.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Taylor Adams. Taylor is a 5th generation member of an entrepreneurial, enterprising family. The first chapter of his life was about reconciling his own personal ambition within the context of business and his family. Taylor talks to us about the professional anxiety that he felt at that time. He thought to be loved and respected, he had to be as successful, or more successful, than his father even though that mandate was never communicated to him. This led Taylor down a pathway of equating the idea of success with achievement and the acquisition of property, power, and prestige. After much self-reflection and work, Taylor realized that success and money are simply byproducts of value creation. For him, value creation is generated by being of service to others. The current chapter of Taylor’s life is all about where he can find purpose beyond himself.
Taylor is an investment entrepreneur and multigenerational innovator who discovered a passion for human transformation while working within his own multigenerational family office. As a family office executive, Taylor leverages a principle based operating philosophy that combines investment management and philanthropic strategies with entrepreneurship and talent development to promote a culture of multigenerational value creation over multigenerational value consumption. His overarching purpose is to accelerate human progress by catalyzing a movement that transitions enterprising families away from the commonly embraced preservation paradigm, and toward an empowerment paradigm that prioritizes integrated strategies for multigenerational self-actualization and perpetual family flourishing.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Michele Mikeska Jaffe. Michele comes from a family of hard workers. Hard work was a sacrifice that you did for others, money was the fruit of that work and displaying wealth was taboo. These messages stuck with Michele through her early adulthood. When she was in her late twenties Michele discovered that she could actually enjoy the money she was making. This ah-hah resulted from her love of travel. She realized at that time that her income afforded her the ability to explore the world. Michele became comfortable using money for things that could be deemed frivolous or luxurious but, to her, were highly enjoyable. At that same time, she says this pivot felt almost like a betrayal to her family. She went to Greece anyway and had wonderful vacation. It was this individuation that caused her to form her own perspectives about money.
Michele specializes in supporting individuals, couples, and business families with the impact of wealth on their identity and relationships. After years of working as entrepreneur and a design director in innovation consulting, the extensive experience Michele gained in creative, conceptual solutions and strategic engagement is now informing her work as a relationship and wealth psychologist.
Michele’s doctoral research brought her in touch with the core issues that affect financially diverse marriages and family systems. She is the Executive Director of The Family Business Network – USA, a peer-to-peer member association spanning 65 countries that brings together over 4,000 business families. Michele has been a featured speaker and content creator, as well as featured in peer-reviewed journals.
On a personal note, Michele is a yoga, music, and nature lover. She’s a fierce proponent of good food, good design, and good company. She’s pretty competitive in a family card game and loves an interior design magazine. Michele lives with her husband and two daughters in Berkeley, CA. Her website is www.drmichelemikeskajaffe.com.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Cindy Arledge. When Cindy’s parents died, they left behind a complicated estate. Cindy says there was 17 trusts that co-owned four pieces of commercial real estate and the beneficiaries spanned multiple family members. Cindy was determined to realize her parents’ legacy and see her daughters receive the property that her parents wanted them to have. Other family members felt differently, so Cindy ended up buying out all of her nieces and nephews to settle the estate. This cost millions of dollars. Cindy borrowed against the real estate to make things work. For over 15 years, Cindy and her husband have carried substantial debt to be able to give her daughters their inheritance. Ironically, today, her girls aren’t interested in the real estate. This made Cindy put her ego aside and understand it’s not about what she wants or what her parents wanted. It’s about what her daughters want. Real legacy isn’t property or assets, it’s empowering each generation to be able to identify their gifts and talents so they can use them in a way that benefits the world.
Cindy brings a fresh new approach to an age-old problem: how to transfer wealth without destroying your beneficiaries’ ambition and drive, and their relationships to each other. Motivated by the most painful experience of her life – losing a relationship with one of her brothers over the shared inheritance – Cindy developed a process to help business owners preserve family relationships through emotional and financial storms.
While in the waiting room, the time between her parent’s death and the distribution of their estate, Cindy sought to understand what had happened to her family. In the process, she discovered a growing number of wealthy families who know how to retain wealth for 100 years, and longer. She was dismayed to discover that 7 out of 10 families lose wealth during the first transfer, and less than 10% retain wealth past the third generation. Shockingly, 97% of the time wealth loss was caused by the family. In other words, wealth loss is code word for family feud.
By reverse engineering the root cause, Cindy built a framework that is both common sense and practical to apply. Cindy calls this process Legacy Planning. Utilizing a lifetime of learning, Cindy crafted a systematic approach that includes aspects of spirituality, personal development, psychology, leadership training, financial literacy, and conscious capitalism.
Cindy holds an MBA and is a second-generation commercial real estate investment entrepreneur, best-selling author and matriarch of the family. Her vision is to see legacy planning become a recognized industry and help at least one million families create a Legacy Plan.
Cindy’s favorite role is that of grandmother, or “Elmo”. She enjoys each day as a gift with her husband, Gerald and their four-legged family members. They live in the DFW metroplex where they enjoy time spent with family and friends.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Aubrey Johnson. As a young person, Aubrey had insecurities that extended into adulthood. As he tells us he felt greed and craving for acceptance which led to comparative thinking— wondering how he measured up to the next person. This line of thinking was toxic and didn’t allow Aubrey to think for himself. It also played out in his money decisions. Aubrey shares that he often found himself comparing his finances, where he lived and the car he drove to his peers. Meeting his now wife changed Aubrey’s trajectory. He tells us that she helped him learn the importance of thinking for yourself and marching by the beat of your own drum.
Today, among other things, Aubrey is host of the Road to Rediscovery podcast. He believes every person has a story to tell. Some stories serve to entertain, others to teach. Aubrey first conceptualized The Road to Rediscovery to provide a platform for ordinary yet
extraordinary people to share their stories in the hopes of helping others who may be suffering through dark times of their own.
Stories allow people to relate to one another and the act of sharing these words, thoughts and ideas is a gift. Aubrey feels it’s an honor to be alongside his guests as they tap into incredible wells of inner strength to share their stories with others.
Above all, Aubrey wants his listeners and guests to know they’re not alone. By walking this road together, we are all stronger.
Aubrey is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently lives in North Dallas, Texas.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Barbara Sloan. Barbara experienced homelessness at times between the ages of 15 and 19. She thought about money a lot during that period and reflects that one of the amazing things her dad instilled in her was a strong work ethic. Barbara often had two or three jobs going at once. She was always working and, though she never had a plan, she knew that she was able to provide for herself. Barbara ultimately made her way to the service industry, which opened her eyes to all sorts of new money opportunities and considerations.
Barbara is the author of the book Tipped: The life changing guide to financial freedom for waitresses, bartenders, strippers, and all other service industry professionals. A homeless teen who danced for dollars and definitely did not graduate from college, Barbara is now a money coach that spent two decades working in every imaginable position in the Service Industry all over the country. In addition to owning and running a badass women-owned Construction company in the heart of Manhattan, she helps Tipped workers achieve Financial Freedom, like she did. She is passionate about all of the amazing aspects of Tipped work and passionate about all of the terrible aspects of Tipped work.
Barbara lives in New York City with her wife of 10 years, an esteemed corporate finance exec, and together they are a couple of adorable money nerds who point out every dog they see.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tiffany Schade. Tiffany started her career in corporate America and then shifted to becoming a wife and mother. She really threw herself into those roles, and at a certain point during her marriage, Tiffany realized it was her responsibility to get more involved with the family finances. As she tells us, she worked on both her self-confidence and financial confidence. That helped Tiffany achieve the clarity she was looking for, which led to her launching her own business and deciding to leave the marriage.
Tiffany is the founder and CEO of Sacred Child Beauty and is bringing benevolence to the beauty industry as a change-maker of cosmetics. Her line of clean, non-toxic, cruelty-free, and highly pigmented products is suited for people of all identities to look and feel their best.
Tiffany’s passion for pigment and craft started at a very young age, which brought her to U.C. Berkeley where she studied fine art and developed a unique eye for form. From there, she launched a career working with some of the globe’s largest and most successful cosmetics companies like Sephora and Estee Lauder. The experience enabled her to gain perspective and realize what was missing from the industry: a clean line of cosmetics that perform.
A wearer of many hats, Tiffany sought to combine her background as a certified holistic health coach with her love of lipstick and all things luscious. She formulated five core products and seven lipstick shades with customer health and welfare at the forefront.
As someone with sensitive skin and very high standards, Tiffany stays involved in every step of the process, from formulation to finished packaging, to ensure each product lives up to its full potential. There’s a transparency about her products and the way she does business that sets her apart from others in the industry. Her extensive knowledge about what people look for in cosmetics led to the birth of Sacred Child Beauty and a growing team of dedicated employees who believe in her mission and share her passion for the company.
A Sacred Child is a gift from the cosmos, linking the sky, the earth, and everything in between in a celestial loop of life and love. Just as the name implies, Tiffany’s goal is to bring quality cosmetics, inclusivity, and healthy, intentional living to the beauty-sphere. Coined “a company with a conscience,” Sacred Child Beauty will make its mark on the world (without leaving a blemish on the earth) thanks to its doting, yet daring mother, Tiffany Schade.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lloyd Greif. After a decade-long investment banking career at Sutro & Co. Incorporated, Lloyd left to start his own boutique investment bank, Greif & Co. Some people would be skittish to make this leap. Not Lloyd. As he tells us, he was a top producer firm wide, and as the leading rainmaker within the organization, he was routinely generating 40% to 60% of the total revenue for their division. Lloyd had the relationships, contacts and chutzpah to know that that success he had at Sutro would carry over, even if he was starting Greif & Co. during a recession. Lloyd’s extreme work ethic is legendary, and he had no doubts that he would pull off the new venture.
Lloyd is a highly accomplished investment banker of four decades’ standing. The fact that he routinely lectures on negotiations at all three of his alma maters – UCLA, USC and Loyola – speaks to his knowledge and expertise. He exclusively represents entrepreneurially owned and operated middle market companies, hence Greif & Co.’s reputation as “The Entrepreneur’s Investment Bank.” Lloyd is a zealot for his clients, always putting their interests first, religiously avoiding conflicts of interest, and going to the mat for them. He is also renowned for getting tough, extremely complex deals done no matter the obstacles. A proven successful economic cycle rider, Lloyd founded his eponymous firm during the recession of the early 1990s and has persevered through three other economic downturns.
The son of Holocaust survivors, Lloyd grew up in a one-bedroom apartment that he shared with his mother and older brother. Lloyd worked full-time to pay his way through school, earning three degrees—in Economics (BA―UCLA), Entrepreneurship (MBA―USC, Beta Gamma Sigma), and Law (JD―Loyola Law School, Order of the Coif). Running the midnight-to-9am store stocking crew at Ralphs Grocery Co. before going to school was not an infrequent occurrence for him. Lloyd founded Greif & Co. in 1992 following a successful, decade-long investment banking career as Vice Chairman of Sutro & Co., the oldest investment banking firm in the West, where he was head of the investment banking division and a member of the five-person Management Committee that ran the firm. Previously, Lloyd was a business operations and strategy consultant with Touche, Ross & Co. (Deloitte Consulting LLC).
In 1997, Lloyd founded the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at USC’s Marshall School of Business. The Greif Entrepreneurship Center is consistently ranked among the top 10 entrepreneurial studies centers in the world. Lloyd is past chair of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation and the Los Angeles Police Foundation, a member of the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Board of Leaders of the USC Marshall School of Business, a member of both the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and World Presidents’ Organization (WPO), a member of the Board of Overseers of Loyola Law School, past member of the Board of Trustees and Treasurer of the Florence Academy of Art, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the National Museum of American Illustration.
In 2002, Lloyd received the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award from the Boy Scouts of America, in 2000 received the Corporate Excellence Award from Loyola Law School, in 1999 and 2012 received commendations from the City of Los Angeles for his “dedication and outstanding contributions to the Los Angeles community,” and in 2019 received the Alumni Service Award from the University of Southern California. A frequent public speaker, he is an internationally recognized authority in the field of mergers & acquisitions and corporate finance and has been featured in such books as The Entrepreneurial Journey, Strategies for Small Business Success, The Entrepreneurship Movement and the University, Loyola Law School: A Sense of Purpose and A Sense of Mission, and The Development of University-Based Entrepreneurship Ecosystems. Lloyd also served as technical advisor for the novel The Street and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Business Week, Forbes, Fortune, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and the Financial Times. He is admitted to practice law in the State of California.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Olivia Summerhill. Olivia grew up in an ultra-high net worth family. She says they were very privileged and had everything they ever wanted: extracurricular activities, private tutors, private school, and big family gatherings at fancy resorts were the norm. From the outside it all looked perfect. However, Olivia tells us that when she was young, the family’s large custom home in the gated community was the façade of perfectionism. The family was keeping her parents’ impending divorce a secret inside the house. This is when Olivia witnessed money being used to exert power and control and she witnessed the devastation and emotions of both of her parents. This experience shaped Olivia’s purpose and the career choices she’s made.
Olivia is the founder of a financial consulting company, The Summerhill Firm, helping affluent women maintain their lifestyles and thrive post-divorce by educating and empowering them financially.
Having over a decade of experience in wealth management and private banking, Olivia dedicates her time to protecting women. Her niche serves famous and high-profile women who need help navigating the financial complexities of divorce. She also consults with financial advisors and family offices to help their clients avoid divorce mistakes. Olivia is often highlighted in Forbes, US News, MSN, and other national media. She hosts a money coaching podcast called ‘Divorce for Wealthy Women.’ Among numerous other designations in finance, Olivia is a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Certified Divorce Specialist, and Certified Money Coach.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dann Van Der Vliet. Dann is the Executive Director of the John and Dyan Smith Family Business Initiative (SFBI) at Cornell University. Dann tells us that in 2009 when his mom died, she had a condo, a used car and a few thousand dollars, but she didn’t have a will. Dann goes on to share that his older brother felt like he had done more to help their mom and, therefore, deserved her leftover resources as a result. This caused a rift in the family, and the two stopped talking. Dann knew the break with his brother was about the relationship and not about the money.
Dann is a 2010 graduate of the Master of Education Interdisciplinary Studies program at the University of Vermont (UVM) and a 2001 graduate of the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Natural Resources. As the founding director of the SFBI, Dann has guided the launch and growth of one of the leading educational centers for family business. He designed and developed the Leaders in Family Enterprise course, and teaches executives and next generation leaders through the SFBI’s professional development programs.
As Director of The Family Business Initiative at UVM from 2003 through 2014, Dann worked with owners and their successors to find solutions that worked for both family and business. In January of 2013, he was part of the team that launched and funded first ever Global Family Enterprise Case Competition with 16 teams from nine countries. Dann is a member of the Collaboration for Family Flourishing, an Editor for familybusiness.org, the leading online resource for family business knowledge, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Green Mountain Club.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jaclynn (Jax) Brennan. Jax has been on both sides of the wealth spectrum. When she was young, Jax’s family went from having wealth to having nothing. She says this experience has allowed her to be comfortable taking incredible risks and leaps as a founder of a growing business. If her entrepreneurial endeavors don’t work out, Jax has the confidence of knowing that she could always fall back on her talents and get a corporate job. Meanwhile, as an entrepreneur she’s scrappy, tenacious, and knows how to stretch a dollar to maximize opportunities.
Jax is a creative executive and expert on the connection between business and branding. With over 12 years of experience as a Creative Director for a variety of luxury fashion brands and having helped lead over 22 major corporations in executing branding strategies, she is an authority on taking brands, organizations, and entrepreneurs to the next level of success.
Jax is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Fyli, a female mastermind membership community focused on educational masterclasses, accountability, peer-to-peer mentorship, leadership advancement, and funding opportunities for early-stage female founders. At Fyli, she oversees all corporate partnerships, including Soho House and Bumble, investor relations, curriculum structure, and team culture.
Having coined the term “creative duality”, which explores the strategies and new frontiers of branding using conceptual thinking for multiple categories in the fashion, photography, sports, art, medical, real estate, and consumer goods industries. Jax has used this method to design Serena William’s first jewelry collection. She has also used it to launch multiple ready-to-wear collaborations with Lord & Taylor and Bloomingdales, and executive produce the documentary series, “Connecting Thread” for Refinery29.
Jax’s initiatives are authentic, approachable, and meant for everyone – women; men who are supportive of women; female entrepreneurs; women who are starting their career; new mothers who may feel left out in their careers; women who are interested in fashion, lifestyle, beauty, travel, health and wellness; anyone who needs hope, inspiration, support.
Learn more at https://jaclynnbrennan.com and https://fylitribe.com
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rocco Orlando. Rocco tells us that when he was coming out of college, he noticed he was an entitled pretentious person who was taking shortcuts through life because so many doors were open to him. In short, Rocco was becoming someone he disliked. His antidote was to join the army. While Rocco qualified as an officer, he chose to enlist as a private. This allowed him to start at the bottom with the intention of growing up. His plan worked and he gained valuable money insights along the way.
Rocco began his career as a military officer, serving 10 years in the United States Army, most notably as a Captain with the elite paratrooper unit, the 173d Airborne, based out of Bamberg, Germany. He served multiple combat tours in the Afghanistan theater, sharpening his leadership abilities, while also developing a strong skillset for excelling in high pressure environments.
Over the course of his professional career, Rocco has been involved in the project management of over 5 million square feet of office space across the country, ranging from complete ground up construction projects to managing and overseeing landlord turnkey solutions. Rocco’s project and construction management expertise ranges from the Fortune 500 to regionalized occupiers.
Rocco’s most recent success has been managing the overall national expansion project for one of the fastest growing insurance companies in the world, with more than 30 projects closed over the last 6 quarters alone.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Esther Choy. Esther recently published a white paper on first generation wealth creators. The New York Times featured her report, focusing on the philanthropic aspects of her research. Most wealthy people today created the wealth over their lifetime. This is a major transition for those individuals, who often keep the values they were raised with Esther wanted to understand how the modest upbringings of wealth creators influence them today, and how that plays out in their philanthropic giving. She uncovers that encouraging wealth creators to tell their own stories is the key to unlocking their purpose and values, revealing the causes they want support.
Esther is the president and Chief Story Facilitator at Leadership Story Lab, where she applies design thinking and science to help her clients articulate and assert who they are, ultimately connecting with audiences in meaningful ways. Esther started teaching leadership storytelling in 2010, before it was a ‘thing.’
Over the years, through her firm, Leadership Story Lab, she’s worked with clients in industries as wide ranging as airlines, CPG, healthcare, investment, manufacturing and tech. A family enterprise biographer, Esther has combined the science of persuasion and the art of storytelling to help her clients find more meaningful ways to connect with their audiences.
Her business storytelling book, Let the Story Do the Work, quickly shot to #1 New Release on Amazon in 2017. She’s currently a contributor for Forbes’ Leadership Strategy channel and her thought leadership has appeared in leading media outlets such as the New York Times and Entrepreneur.com.
Esther is an adjunct faculty member at Kellogg School of Management and, in partnership with Kellogg’s Ward Center for Family Enterprises, she hosts the Family IN Business podcast.
Every Monday morning, you’ll find Esther beginning her week with a 1000-meter swim and a raw jalapeño. She’s a mom of two trilingual girls, wife of a German who’s not very punctual, and is a very humble student of kitesurfing.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jeremy Savlov. Jeremy is a young, goals-driven professional. An important objective of his is to buy a home. To achieve this desire sooner, Jeremy decided to live with his parents to save money on expensive rent. By living in the suburbs, he’s intentionally sacrificing some of his social life, and rather than splurge in his twenties, he’s focused on saving money for his very own home. As Jeremy shares, it’s very hard to think ahead and do something for your future self when your current self is a little bored or frustrated.
From a young age, Jeremy was very outgoing and curious. As he grew up, his parents supported him to explore and develop his values. Starting at age 13, he tried out different jobs including working at a restaurant, babysitting, and volunteering as a summer camp counselor for homeless preschoolers. Throughout high school he played soccer and track competitively. From these and other experiences, Jeremy developed his core values: effective communication, compassion, integrity, respect, curiosity/open mindedness, self-improvement, and humor.
Jeremy attended Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ where he continued to compete in track and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering in May 2021. While at Stevens, Jeremy took on three engineering-related cooperative work experiences: Con Edison (public utility), New Line Structures (construction management), Amazon (operational efficiency). Since graduating, Jeremy works as a Consultant Engineer for FM Global, a worldwide property insurance carrier. He consults with clients to assess and help them understand a variety of hazards that may pose a threat to both their physical facilities and the continuity of their business operations. He also collaborates with clients to find cost-effective solutions to mitigate these risks.
In mid-2021, Jeremy began volunteering for his hometown fire department in Monmouth Junction, NJ. This was something Jeremy wanted to pursue at a younger age, but he never had time to attend the fire academy while in college. The knowledge he gains from being a volunteer firefighter overlaps with and improves his understanding of assessing risk with clients he works with at FM Global, and vice versa.
Jeremy believes the values he has prioritized will help him to continuously grow professionally and personally throughout his life. Jeremy loves seeking new experiences which enable him to ask questions, learn and apply his new knowledge to other parts of his life.
In his free time, Jeremy enjoys playing soccer, riding his motorcycle and setting aside quality time to spend with family and friends.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jonathan Goffe. As Jonathan tells us, the hardest lessons to learn are often the ones that stick. When he was a young adult, Jonathan hit a financial snag because he wasn’t budgeting. He called an aunt for some assistance. Jonathan explains that she’s the one the family runs to when they need help because she’s responsible with money. That said, she isn’t the kind of aunt to provide money without asking questions and offering lessons to avoid financial mistakes in the future. Fortunately for Jonathan, his aunt has been a money mentor to him over the years and has inspired him to leverage what he’s learned to help others make smart financial decisions for themselves.
Jonathan is the Sr Consultant and the Senior Managing Director of Vermont Consumer Credit Consulting LLC which he founded VCCC in 2021 after spending years in financial institutions doing individual credit counseling and debt negotiating. Jonathan has saved Vermonter’s millions of dollars in debt negotiations over his career.
Starting his career in social work and back office administrative roles, Jonathan’s early career included roles in Specialized Social Work, Corrections, Business and Corporate Banking in Vermont and across New England. Since then, he has had senior leadership roles in Vermont, and most recently became an Associate in the Vermont Bankers Association and the Education Coordinator for the Shelburn BNI chapter.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lubna Bhayani. Lubna is a globetrotter. For most of her marriage, she followed her husband from country to country, wherever his job took them. Recently, they turned the tables. Lubna relocated the family to Kenya for an exciting position she wanted to take. This latest move has caused the couple to go deep into money conversations, which she shares with us on Money Tales.
Lubna works for the International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Regional Office as the Lead Specialist for Partnerships, Grants Management and Resource Mobilization. With a career spanning over 15 years and several countries, Lubna has worked on issues linking gender and development, women in humanitarian crisis. In recent years, she has focused on universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, especially for those who are most structurally marginalized due to their age, sex, sexual identity and gender orientation. Most recently Lubna has begun to delve into the issue of menstrual hygiene, which should really be a non-issue but is omnipresent yet very absent from broader SRHR discourse. Lubna hopes to design projects and advocate to address this.
Lubna has an undergraduate degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and master’s degrees from both the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK. She moved to Nairobi in 2021 with her husband and two boys and spends her time ensuring her boys #BreakTheBias and believe women and men are distinctly equal.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Evelyn Starr. Evelyn is an entrepreneur. She started her business when she was pregnant with her second child, and her goal was to be productive outside of the confines of corporate America. Because she and her husband planned their personal finances carefully, they could rely on a single income to cover their expenses. This gave Evelyn freedom to grow her business on her terms and achieve the balance she was seeking.
Evelyn is an author, brand expert, and marketing consultant with over 25 years of marketing strategy and research experience. Evelyn uses her keen powers of observation and insight to help her clients wow their customers and grow their businesses. She specializes in working with Brands in Adolescence, brands that have stalled after their initial success. Her clients have ranged from small businesses like Laird Superfood and Harbor Sweets to global brands like Hasbro and Gillette.
Evelyn’s book, Teenage Wastebrand: How Your Brand Can Stop Struggling and Start Scaling, was published in April 2021.
Before founding E. Starr Associates in 1999, Evelyn worked for some of New England’s most recognized brands including Dunkin’, Veryfine Products and The First Years. As leader of the Care & Safety category at The First Years, she launched one of the company’s most successful products, the Hands-Free Gate, which won The National Parenting Seal of Approval in 2002.
Evelyn earned an MBA in Marketing from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management and graduated with honors from Vassar College with a BA in Economics and French. Living in the Greater Boston area, her passions include travel, reading, writing, yoga, tea, dark chocolate and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit in both her husband and her two children.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Mallory Dwinal-Palisch. Mallory’s thinking about the role of money in her life drastically changed when her dad unexpectedly died months after he turned 60. Mallory describes him as someone who talked about all the things he was going to do – hike mountains, go on trips, pursue other adventures. But he and her mom didn’t have gobs of money piled up somewhere they weren’t spending. Mallory’s parents were constantly investing and reinvesting, trying to take care of their family and provide for the future. Sadly, Mallory’s dad died without ever doing many of the things he dreamed of. From then on Mallory has been focused on budgeting experiences so she doesn’t look back with a deep sense of regret.
Mallory is Chancellor of Reach University, and co-founder and CEO of Craft Education System. She has dedicated her life’s work to building equity-focused, innovative educational models. Mallory began as a Spanish teacher with Teach for America and, later, co-founded and led a charter school that adapted and codified the Oxford tutorial pedagogy. She then co-founded Reach’s apprenticeship-based university that helps hundreds of school districts across the country grow their own local, diverse and qualified teachers.
Mallory graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Economics, Spanish, and International Studies; additionally, she holds a Ph.D. in Education from Oxford University (dissertation focus: rural teacher shortages), which she attended as a U.S. Rhodes Scholar, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kasey Lundquist. When Kasey was growing up, she worked really hard to make the club volleyball team. She was excited when she achieved this goal, but there was a problem. Club volleyball would cost $2,000 per year. That was outside of what her parents could afford. Kasey shares that she felt crushed by that. It was the first thing in her life that she really wanted to do, and money got in the way. Kasey decided then and there that she didn’t ever want to be in a position like that where she couldn’t do something because she didn’t have the money for it.
Kasey is co-founder and GP of Rise Together Ventures, a hybrid venture and philanthropy firm that empowers growth stage companies to reimagine the ways their business assets and core strengths can be used to drive social change. Kasey started her career in investment banking and private equity and made the switch to startup operations after earning her MBA. She has worked at pre-revenue, early-stage companies and large venture backed scale-ups, most recently as the head of vehicle operations, EMEA for Bird before making the switch back to the investing side. She enjoys traveling and experiencing other cultures, and has lived in NYC, Chicago, LA and Amsterdam. Kasey received her BA from Duke University and her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. Kasey currently lives in Santa Barbara and is a proud mom of two kids.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Marit Bakken. Marit grew up in Norway where her grandparents had a little farm. For them, money was bartering arrangements with neighbors. As Marit says, they’d pay half a pig to have someone slay their field for a month. Money was tight and the family had to work really hard. When she was twelve years old, her grandfather died. Shortly afterwards, Marit walked into a room and saw her mother and grandmother sitting on the floor, counting money, and crying. They had discovered a hidden stash of cash. The tears were filled with both anger, because that money could have made a difference to the family sooner, and joy because the extra money would help. Marit describes this as a pivotal moment. Seeing two generations of women, crying on the floor because the male head of the family had held this from them, set Marit on a path of agency and autonomy toward her own financial future.
Marit has worked in communication most of her professional life. She was the Co-Founder of a strategic communications and public relations company, which was recognized as one of the Bay Area’s fastest-growing private companies and largest women-owned public relations company. Today, Marit is the Founder of 360 Relationship, where she is a highly regarded relationship and co-parenting therapist, and divorce mediator. She works closely with family law attorneys and financial advisors to, regardless of circumstances, ensure that people thrive in their lives and relationships.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Morwari Zafar. Morwari was born in Kabul, Afghanistan to a father who was a diplomat and a mother who was a doctor. As Morwari tells us, in this culture social capital has a much higher value than financial capital. Politics and geopolitical challenges caused her family to move around the globe requiring her parents to take on different, less prestigious jobs in order to take care of their family. They ultimately settled in California. This is where Morwari first began to understand the importance of financial capital. As a young adult in love, family social pressures caused Morwari to decide to marry even though she knew in her heart she wanted to remain single and not have children. During the marriage social capital and financial capital collided. Morwari decided to leave the marriage and pursue the independent life she craved.
Morwari is an anthropologist and the founder/CEO of The Sentient Group, a human-centered research, education, and training consultancy in the Washington DC area. She is also an adjunct professor of Afghanistan's Political History at Georgetown University. She has worked in both the international development and defense sectors, focusing on diaspora engagement. She served as a Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellow at the Center for a New American Security in 2016, and as a research fellow at the University of Oxford’s Rothermere American Institute conducting an ethnographic study of county militias and gun rights activism in Virginia. Morwari has a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Oxford.
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In this episode of Money Tales our guest is Amanda Gibson. Amanda started adulting when she was twelve years old. As Amanda tells us, she developed a budget and related proposal to move out and pitched it to her parents. It was rejected! Only four years later, she was successful and started an independent life of her own. Reflecting on this years later, Amanda views curiosity as her superpower to imagine a financially secure life of her own at such a young age. Curiosity has served Amanda well throughout her money life.
Today, Amanda works with CEOs and other senior executives to create paths through complexity and chaos. She serves as a strategic partner as well as a Certified Executive Coach, helping ambitious leaders be the leader that they want to be. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy, leadership, innovation, and culture, building on two decades of experience designing and redesigning strategies, roles, programs, processes, and teams across disciplines that include marketing, operations, innovation, R&D, finance, and business development.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Monica Mazzei. When she was a teenager enrolled at a private high school, Monica’s parents told her that she’d have to be financially self-sufficient after graduation. This meant Monica was on her own to pay for the formal education needed to achieve her dream of becoming an attorney. Monica tells us that financing college with loans makes you look at your education a little bit differently. She knew she was making investment in herself and realized that she couldn’t afford for it to be a bad investment.Monica Mazzei is a Certified Family Law Specialist representing clients in the Bay Area, with a concentration in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, as well as Los Angeles. She represents high net worth clients throughout the divorce process and in mediation. Monica has been named a California Super Lawyer from 2015-2019 and has been recognized in the international Chambers High Net Worth 2017-2019 guide for Family/Matrimonial Law.Monica specializes in dissolution actions involving complicated valuation and financial matters, and complex community property and support issues, including international issues, dissolutions involving hedge funds, private equity, venture capital and privately held businesses.Monica drafts and negotiates cohabitation agreements, pre-marital and post-marital agreements for her clients.Monica also mediates pre-marital agreements. As a mediator, Monica helps to identify the thoughts and concerns of both parties in a non-confrontational setting. Mediation helps clients discuss difficult topics which allows Monica to create a financial structure that works for both parties.Monica takes a modern approach to the practice of family law – addressing various needs for her clients related and unrelated to their family law case. Monica has relationships with top professionals in the Bay Area such as forensic accountants, mental health professionals, real estate agents, financial advisors and business valuation experts. She also works closely with estate planning attorneys to come up with creative solutions for her clients and ensure their agreements reflects their current objectives.Monica is a frequent lecturer and speaker on family law matters and a staunch advocate against domestic abuse in her pro bono work.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Paul Hood. Paul is a “recovering tax lawyer”. Among many things, he is also a prolific writer. Paul recently published his ninth book, Yours, Mine & Ours: Estate Planning for People in Blended or Stepfamilies. In this Money Tales conversation, Paul talks about his personal journey navigating his own blended family. Paul has two sons from his first marriage and later married again. As he shares, there have been periods where he felt like he wasn’t doing enough for his current spouse, while also feeling like he was never fully caught up with his kids. Paul viewed this as a “damned if you do and damned if you don't” situation.
A native of Louisiana (and a double LSU Tiger), Paul obtained his undergraduate and law degrees from Louisiana State University and an LL.M. in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center before settling down to practice tax and estate planning law in the New Orleans area. Paul has taught at the University of New Orleans, Northeastern University, The University of Toledo College of Law and Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law. Paul has authored or co-authored nine books and over 500 professional articles on estate, charitable and tax planning and business valuation. Paul’s ninth book, Yours, Mine & Ours: Estate Planning for People in Blended or StepFamilies, is now out. His website is www.paulhoodservices.com.
A frequent contributor to Leimberg Information Services since its inception, Paul is a highly sought-after speaker and consultant because of his innate ability to see through the complexity and explain difficult and even boring subjects in understandable and entertaining language with his insightful and biting sense of humor, and he minces no words in doing so. Along the way, Paul’s been a father, husband, uncle, Godfather, lawyer, trustee, member, director, president, partner, trust protector, director of planned giving, expert witness, agent, professor, judge, juror, respondent, and a defendant, and he uses his experience in these myriad roles to guide others.
A passionate history buff who teaches the history of tax and estate planning in his school and continuing education classes, Paul is a self-described amateur papal historian (boasting a personal library of papal history books that exceeds 100), and he has given numerous speeches about the history of the papacy and the popes as well as the history of the governors of Louisiana.
In the fall of 2022, Paul is beginning to teach a three-semester course on the history of the popes and the papacy in the Adult Lifelong Learning Program at Lourdes University, and he’s also teaching another course in the fall of 2022 on the fascinating and litigious histories of Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame groups the Platters and the Drifters.
Paul is an author, speaker and consultant on tax, estate and charitable planning. He also is a Vice-President with Thompson & Associates, a charitable estate planning firm.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Julius Robinson. As Julius explains, he came from pretty meager beginnings, raised by a single mother of four kids, living in one of the traditionally low-income areas of Los Angeles. When he was a college student, Julius made a commitment to himself to shine a proverbial light over his shoulders so that others wouldn't stumble on the potholes and rocks in the path he was taking. As he continues through life, Julius has come to understand that the beacon of light he’s creating needs to be amplified by the people following him. Doing so creates opportunities where people and communities can manifest themselves.Julius is Managing Director and Head of MUFG Union Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Group for the Americas. He is responsible for company-wide CSR strategy and programs in the United States, Latin America, and Canada, including charitable giving, community outreach, environmental, and Chief Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) compliance officer, directing resources and investments, Supplier Diversity and Environmental Stewardship Policy & Risk. Julius is an integral part of the bank’s government relations & affairs activities; he Chair’s the MUFG Union Bank Foundation, the nonprofit entity that acts as the agent for the bank’s charitable contributions. He plays a key role in the bank’s overall Community Development strategy in organizing the bank’s cross-functional resources to benefit of low and moderate income and minority majority communities.Julius joined the bank in 1997 and has more than 43 years of banking experience. He has held position of management and progressive responsibilities with several major financial institutions including San Diego Trust & Savings Bank, Crocker Bank, Union Bank, Chase Manhattan, Home Savings of America, GMAC Mortgage prior to his 25-year career with MUFG Union Bank. Julius has comprehensive knowledge of Credit Analysis & Underwriting Risk, Residential Mortgage Origination, Commercial and Consumer Lending, Private Equity Investment, Community Reinvestment Act Compliance, Philanthropy, Supplier Diversity, Environmental & Social Risk Governance, Community Relations, and Governmental Affairs. Julius is well known for his community involvement as: Chairman of the Board of Students Rising Above.org; Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD), Board Secretary; SF Jazz.org, Board of Trustees; Western Regional Minority Supplier Diversity Council (WRMSDC), Corporate Advisory Board; Operation HOPE Regional Committee; California State University Monterey Bay School of Business, Corporate Advisory Board; USC Latino Alumni Assoc, Corporate Advisory Council; L.A. Latino Chamber, Corporate Advisory Board; and former Committee co-chair of the Bay Area Council’s Workforce for the Future: Boys and Men of Color Initiative.Julius received his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Diplomacy with a minor in Economics from the United States International University, San Diego & Mexico. He completed the post-graduate program with Pacific Coast Banking School at University of Washington, Seattle. In addition, he holds a Certificate of Practice in Corporate Community Involvement from Boston College Carroll School of Management.Julius has received numerous awards and recognitions for his professional accomplishments and community work. These include Senatorial, Congressional, State and City proclamations, awards and recognitions from nonprofit, NGO, and professional organizations.Julius has two adult sons. He enjoys sports of all kinds but particularly basketball, football, and tennis. He is an avid runner and enjoys general fitness including hiking in the East Bay Regional Park hills near his home. Other favorite pastimes include live music of various genres, and he is an avid art and wine collector.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Amber Banks. When she was in second grade, Amber switched from a private elementary school to a public one. The private school was predominantly white, and the public school was predominantly black. For Amber, who self-identifies as a black biracial woman, this was a pivotal moment requiring her to navigate two different environments and become a bridge builder between the two. As Amber tells us, it was hard, at times, to feel she was enough in either environment.Amber is the CEO and Founder of the Center for Trust and Transformation, a collective dedicated to the advancement of trust as a foundational building block for racial equity and social justice. She brings over two decades of experience in education and the social sector as an educator, researcher, facilitator, advisor, entrepreneur, and organizer. Through the Center for Trust and Transformation, Amber's work rewrites the narrative on trust to better honor our histories and identities and invites clients to build and repair trust in service of joy, justice, and liberation.Amber completed her undergraduate degree in Journalism at Boston University. She also completed a Ph.D. in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Policy at the University of Washington with a focus on cross-cultural trust, critical race theory, and social network analysis. Amber is a Pahara NextGen Fellow, co-founder of Women of Color in Education, a mom to two beautiful children and a caretaker of many plants. Amber loves to dream of what’s possible when we work together from a place of trust and healing.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ira Bryck. Ira’s family created what became the oldest children's clothing store in the United States. The neighborhood the store was located in changed dramatically over the decades. As Ira describes it, the town became rough, had crime problems, and people were scared to shop there. During its 90th year, Ira made the difficult decision to close the store and he decided to move to a new state. Ira’s big dream was to open a retail store of his own in his new area. Ira created a business plan. The business plan spoke to him. It said “no.” As a result, Ira had to rethink his identity and find a new path.
Ira started in his family’s retail childrenswear business as a child, ran it for a generation as an adult, ran the UMass Family Business Center for a quarter century, and hoped to help people solve their family business challenges through educational forums, cartoons, plays, radio, roundtables, advice columns and more. He currently coaches and trains leaders and managers, using a personality assessment and practical conversations to help teams and people be more productive and satisfied at work, and as a bonus, in life.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sara Munro. In our experience, people do not give much thought about the implications of facing a short-term or a long-term disability. Sara was in that camp. As a young woman, she experienced a physical disability. The injury came on slowly, and the recovery was a steep hill to climb. This experience impacted Sara financially and taught her an important life lesson about living with intention.Sara’s professional career has spanned the rise of digital marketing requiring her to pirouette with each new opportunity. She has a broad range of communications and public relations experience in the non-profit and private sectors. She knows the challenges of determining what is worth exploring and how to best leverage new media within the broader context of marketing, corporate communications, and strategic planning.Sara is currently Chief Collaboration Officer and Owner of Bay Haven Consulting. She has worked in PR, fundraising, event planning, and digital marketing both in-house and as a consultant She regularly presents social media and content planning workshops for new business owners and entrepreneurs. In 2021, Sara became the new co-host of #SocialChatter, the longest running weekly talk show about social media news from Social Chefs. Financial Tips for the Self EmployedLearn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guests are John and David Auten-Schneider. John and David are known as the Debt Free Guys. Early in their relationship John and David were considering buying land in the mountains where they could build their dream vacation home. During their drive back to Denver after looking at some properties, they fantasized about the home they’d build. Then, as they were descending the mountain, one of them asked, how are we going to pay for this? John and David ended up confessing to each other how much debt each of them was carrying. As they described it, they were literally and figuratively living in a hole financially. It turns out that driving down a highway at 75 miles an hour is helpful for hard money conversations, because neither could jump out of the discussion.With their writing and speaking for DebtFreeGuys.com and Queer Money® podcast, David and John help queer people (and allies) live fabulously, not fabulously broke. As certified LGBTBEs, they are the queer voice in both personal and business finances. David and John’s work has appeared on Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, NBC’s Squawk Box and The News with Sheppard Smith, ABC News, Good Morning America, and The Rachael Ray Show to name a few. They’ve partnered with some of the best in financial services, including Capital One, Experian, MassMutual, American Express, and Prudential. They’ve partnered with some of the best LGBTQ+ organizations including, The Trevor Project, Callen-Lorde, The William Way Foundation, One Colorado, and LGBTQ+ centers nationwide. Their goal is to connect LGBTQ+ people with the information and tools they need to reach financial security.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lisa Skye. At age 26, Lisa’s dad was killed in a car crash. Her father was the most important person in her life, and she still misses him dearly. For Lisa, this period was bittersweet. She inherited significant assets that impacted the course of her life, yet Lisa was overwhelmed with emotions and responsibilities because there was much to sort out. Her parents had been divorced, and her younger brother needed her to manage the estate. Related, Lisa felt responsible for the livelihood and future of the 25 employees who worked in her father’s business. This experience propelled Lisa’s financial maturity and a journey of self-love, both of which continue to serve her today.As a magnetic leader and inspirational public speaker, Lisa has spent a lifetime leveraging unmistakable charisma, business savvy, and strong intuition as vehicles for tuning into core needs and guiding businesses across industries to remarkable success. She managed two restaurants within Danny Meyer’s hospitality empire, drove deals for a top NYC real estate team, built the world’s fourth largest business networking franchise within BNI, and initiated WeWork’s first-ever community model, positioning the startup for astronomical growth. In her role as CEO, Lisa founded and built Primary, “NYC’s Coolest New Wellness-Focused Coworking Space,” which quickly expanded to two locations in Manhattan—and was eventually named the 3rd Best Coworking Space in the US. Lisa has raised significant startup funding (10mm+), negotiated multi-million-dollar leases, and invented a wellness category within coworking. She has also weathered industry-wide downturns with unshakable grace and resilience. With a Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology in hand, Lisa recently launched Skye Advisory – where she is working with entrepreneurs (pre-launch to early stage) in fueling their business growth and bringing visions to life in a variety of industries from real estate, coworking and hospitality to cannabis, wellness and product design. Lisa is on a mission to create programs designed to inspire and elevate entrepreneurs around the world. In her spare time, she inspires and elevates her two sons.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Jeremy Lurey. Jeremy had all the right conditions when he was young to set him up to be a spoiled and entitled adult. He grew up in an affluent community in Malibu, traveled the world more than he traveled the US, once had an elephant in his back yard and when he wrecked his car, a hand-me-down from his parents, they replaced it. When we asked Jeremy how he turned out so grounded, he told us it was because of his mindset and belief system.
Dr. Jeremy Lurey is a Consultant with The Family Business Consulting Group. Jeremy is a talented executive coach, business consultant, and family advisor who enables business owners and CEOs to improve performance and create greater value for their shareholders. Over the past 25 years, he has served clients ranging from families of significant wealth to mid-market companies to Fortune 500 corporations.
Jeremy has expertise in supporting family offices and family businesses with the critical leadership and governance practices required to create more sustainable futures. He is passionate about helping established families transition their businesses and transfer their wealth to the next generation, and he excels at supporting Baby Boomers transitioning into retirement and their NextGen successors accepting increased business and personal responsibilities. Over the years, Jeremy has also supported siblings, cousins, married partners, and parents, along with their children, by regularly facilitating family forums and retreats, preparing family charters, and providing family counseling and coaching beyond his direct efforts to improve performance and produce better results in their businesses.
Jeremy is a proud husband, father, brother, son, and owner of 3 rescue dogs. In addition to his role as a consultant, Jeremy frequently presents at professional conferences and seminars and has authored several publications on family business, succession planning, organization development, leadership, and family legacy. His clients regularly acknowledge his ability to get them unstuck, act more “leader-like” and focus on what matters most in their lives.
Before joining FBCG, Jeremy worked at both PricewaterhouseCoopers and Andersen Consulting. He also managed his own coaching and consulting practices Plus Delta Consulting, CHIEFEXECcoach, and Family Legacy 1st, where he has served clients of all sizes and across numerous industry sectors.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dorien Morin-van Dam. The first airplane Dorien ever took landed her in Boston from her home in the Netherlands. It was July 1988. She had $100 in her pocket and was ready for adventure! Dorien made wonderful memories as an Au Pair, found the love of her life at a bus stop, got married at 19 years old, and stayed... forever. Dorien was a stay-at-home mom until her fourth and youngest child started kindergarten. At that time, she pivoted to entrepreneurship. Suddenly she was navigating a business world with people who had gone to college and had a lot of work experience, which she didn’t have.
Dorien is a Certified Agile Marketer, Social Media Strategist, International Keynote Speaker, Organic Social Media Specialist and Community Manager! She’s been a social media professional for over 11 years, working with diverse clients all over the world.
In her spare time, Dorien is a marathon runner, hiker, skier and mom to four kids and four
dogs. After several family travel adventures which brought her to live in fun places like Brazil and Europe, she now calls the Green Mountain State of Vermont home.
You’ll recognize her on stage and online by her always present orange glasses, a nod to her Dutch heritage.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rohit Bhargava. Rohit prides himself on being a non-obvious thinker. Dismayed by traditional publishing practices, Rohit decided with his wife to launch IdeaPress, an alternative to the big book publishers. He was motivated by an entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to have greater control. Rohit tells us that he was inspired by Beyoncé. If she could create her own label, he figured he could to the same in publishing.
Rohit a leading authority on marketing, trends and innovation. He is the Founder of the Non-Obvious Company and previously spent over 15 years leading advising large organizations on digital and marketing at two respected global agencies: Leo Burnett and Ogilvy. Rohit is widely considered one of the most entertaining and original keynote speakers on marketing disruption and innovation in the world. He is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of five books on topics as wide ranging as the future of business, building a human brand with personality, and why leaders always eat left-handed. He has been invited to deliver sold-out keynotes and workshops to change the way teams and leaders think at the World Bank, NASA, Intel, LinkedIn, MetLife, Under Armour, Univision, Disney and hundreds of other well-known organizations. Rohit also teaches a popular course on marketing and storytelling at Georgetown University in Washington DC and writes a monthly column on trends for GQ magazine in Brazil.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robin Hauser. Robin is an award-winning director of documentary films at Finish Line Features. In 2021 she released the documentary, $avvy, which contemplates the historical, cultural and societal norms around women and money and explores why it’s critical for women to take an active role in managing personal finance. This film was inspired by Robin’s personal experience of going through divorce after twenty-four years of marriage. As Robin tells us, she felt shame at that time for having taken her eyes off of their personal finances. Simultaneously, she realized she was solely responsible for her own financial wellbeing.Robin is the director and producer of award-winning documentaries (CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap, Bias, $avvy, Running for Jim) made to illuminate causes about which she is passionate. Those include the gender gap in tech, unconscious bias, equality and financial literacy. Robin’s work has carried her around the world, from the TED and TEDx stage to the White House, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and conferences worldwide, speaking about mitigating bias in artificial intelligence, diversity, inclusion, financial wellness and gender equality. A self-described “disruptor,” Robin is committed to provoking thought to address the most important socio-economic issues we face today.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Afam Onyema. When Afam was graduating from Stanford Law School he decided to pass on the lucrative job offers he received to help co-found the GEANCO Foundation. Up until that point, Afam thought a person had to first be wealthy to create a foundation. But he decided to make the leap and had to figure out how to raise money for GEANCO, and also figure what his personal plan was for money. He had expenses to cover, including law school debt. As Afam describes it, he was operating without a net.Afam was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1979. He graduated cum laude from Harvard University. After graduation, Afam worked for Hill & Knowlton, Inc., a global public relations firm. Afam entered Stanford Law School in September 2004. During his time at Stanford, he served as Vice President of the Black Law Students' Association and a two-time Public Interest Fellow. In January 2006, Afam traveled to Ghana as part of the law school's International Community Law Clinic. While in law school, Afam co-founded the GEANCO Foundation (www.geanco.org). After graduating, Afam declined multiple corporate law firm offers in order to lead GEANCO full-time as CEO. GEANCO’s mission is to save and transform lives in Nigeria. GEANCO leads complex surgical missions to Nigeria. It runs an innovative program to fight anemia and builds modern maternity clinics to help poor, vulnerable pregnant women deliver healthy babies. Through its David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship for Girls, GEANCO provides tuition, medical care, and social & psychological support to young female victims of terrorism and gender inequality in NigeriaAfam has been profiled and/or interviewed by BBC News, National Public Radio (NPR), US News & World Report, Forbes.com, Hollywood Reporter, Huffington Post, American Lawyer, NBC News, KTLA, Harvard Magazine, Stanford Magazine, Stanford Lawyer, Ebony Magazine and Newsweek. GEANCO’s supporters include, among many others, Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Craig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daisy Ridley, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Rock, Forest Whitaker, Djimon Hounsou, Jimmy Kimmel, Chris Rock, David Oyelowo, Bryan Cranston, Steven Soderberg, Whoopi Goldberg, civil rights legend Rev. Jesse Jackson, United Airlines, Google, Disney, The Oscars, Showtime Networks and Netflix. In 2020, Afam was named one of the Top Ten Most Influential Africans in the Diaspora.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rachel Bloom. Rachel is best known as the co-creator and star of the CW musical dramedy "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend". She grew up as a theater kid and spent the early part of her life honing her craft. As Rachel tells us, she was focused on making music, videos and sketches that she thought were funny and that would help her make a name for herself. Money was never the goal.
Rachel is an award-winning actress, comedian, writer, singer-songwriter and producer. For her acting work as "Rebecca Bunch", she received a Golden Globe, Critics' Choice Award and Television Critics' Association award. Her songwriting work on the show recently earned her a 2019 Emmy Award for Original Music and Lyrics for the song, "Anti-Depressants are So Not a Big Deal". In 2019, she headlined sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall and the London Palladium as well as a live tour called "What Am I Going to Do With My Life Now?". She recently appeared in "Trolls World Tour" as Barb and her first book, "I Want To Be Where The Normal People Are", was published by Grand Central Publishing in November 2020. She will also be starring in the new Hulu show "Reboot" this fall.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Shannon McCombie. When Shannon was in college, one of her older brothers was a Navy jet pilot. Just after 9/11, he was killed, and Shannon learned that he didn't get to finish the mission he started. That launched Shannon into government service. She worked internationally for the CIA and Naval Special Warfare Development Group to finish what her brother was unable to complete. From there, Shannon left for the corporate world and experienced an impactful financial awakening.
Shannon is the Head of Operations, North America, for a British tech company. In addition to this, she consults for several technology start-ups, to include a molecular diagnostics lab. Prior to this work, Shannon was an Executive Director of Strategic Development at Comcast NBCUniversal, where she managed the ideation process for new growth entities, after having served as the Chief Operating Officer of an acquired cybersecurity firm.
Throughout her career, Shannon has worked in both the public and private sectors. She was a Principal at McChrystal Group, advising clients in various industries on leadership and team performance. Shannon lived and worked internationally for the Central Intelligence Agency and Naval Special Warfare Development Group, with the majority of her government career spent in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Shannon combined that experience with time spent building and managing teams within a Fortune 30 company focusing on media, technology, healthcare and security.
Shannon received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Politics with minors in French and International Studies from Penn State University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. She completed her master's degree in Psychology of Leadership from the same university. Shannon is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jeff Savlov. Jeff started working at an early age in his family business, a growing commercial printing operation. His first role was to peel off strips of silver in the film that was otherwise garbage so they could sell the silver for cash. Jeff learned firsthand the challenges that come with working for your dad. As Jeff shared with us, his dad took out the business frustrations on Jeff because it was safe. Jeff, after all, was family. They ultimately hired a therapist to help address the challenging family dynamics. This experience inspired Jeff’s ultimate career decision.Jeff is founder of Blum & Savlov, LLP - Family Business & Wealth Consulting and works with family businesses, high net-worth families, family offices and their advisors with a focus on balancing family dynamics with ownership and management of shared assets across generations. Jeff’s specialty is working with families that want their wealth to serve current and future generations in healthy and productive ways and he loves coaching parents on raising children in a family business/wealth context to harness potential and avoid common, painful pitfalls. He speaks in the U.S. and internationally, has been quoted in the NY Times, Family Business Magazine, and authors a popular blog - “The Family Business Minute.”Jeff brings more than 25 years of unique experience in sales and marketing, business ownership, entrepreneurial endeavors and family dynamics training, along with a common sense style, to his consulting work with families. By integrating his diverse business background, extensive academic work and family dynamics/psychological training with his experience working in his family’s commercial printing business, Jeff helps enterprising families to balance family dynamics and business so both will thrive for many generations.Having participated in his family’s business, Jeff understands first-hand the challenges of balancing the interplay between family and business and the devastation that can befall an otherwise healthy business when this balance is not proactively managed. In the business Jeff’s family owned, a consultant was brought in to work with the family, facilitated a successful reorganization of the business and helped rebuild family relationships. This is one of the primary experiences which motivated Jeff’s career in family business/family wealth consulting.Jeff holds a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University with specializations in group dynamics and family systems theory and has a post-graduate certification from the Institute for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy of New Jersey (now the Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy of NJ) where he is a member of the faculty. He earned an Advanced Certificate in Family Business Advising and Fellow status from the Family Firm Institute (FFI), Boston, MA. In addition, he has consulted with Fortune 500 companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson and Schering Plough. He also devotes a portion of his time to performance enhancement with corporate executives and elite high school athletes.Through membership in the Family Firm Institute, an international organization comprised of family business and family wealth advisors, consultants, educators and researchers, and the Purposeful Planning Institute, Jeff has access to the latest trends, developments, best practices and research in family business and family wealth consulting. Jeff is the founder of the Princeton Family Business Consultants Group - an interdisciplinary group of professionals serving enterprising families across the U.S. and convening to develop best practices.Jeff lives in New Jersey with his wife and two children. He coaches youth sports and makes time for his lifelong passion – ice hockey. Jeff approaches his life and work with creativity and a sense of humor.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Laura Renner. Laura’s a U.S. Air Force graduate with an MBA who found herself walking dogs and dog sitting to make ends meet as she launched her third and current business. While she enjoyed being with the dogs, she knew it wasn’t prestigious work and felt a little bit ashamed because that's not something that you imagine an MBA doing. However, after talking about it with a friend, Laura realized that she was happy, and doing this temporary work allowed her to self-fund a business that she cared so much about.Laura, a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, founded Freedom Makers out of a passion to help small business owners and military families. As a small business owner herself, she understands the stress and challenges that come with being a business owner and also the difficulties that military spouses have building and maintaining a career when they may be transferred at a moment’s notice. By founding Freedom Makers, Laura is able to create freedom for business owners AND military spouses.Laura graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor’s of Science in English and a minor in Chinese-Mandarin. She served as a Public Affairs Officer before leaving the Air Force to earn an International MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In the Air Force Reserve, she serves as a Force Support Officer, which manages personnel programs.Laura has worked for nearly twenty years dealing directly with people in foreign and public relations, education and human resources. Throughout her career, she has studied people — what drives us, what inspires us and knows how to help people reach their potential. When Laura is not working to grow Freedom Makers Virtual Services, she very much enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, and having story-worthy adventures!Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is John Lanza. John is on a mission to help parents raise money-smart kids and help families live happier, more fulfilled lives. He and his wife were inspired to develop Money Mammals, a kid friendly brand centered around financial education, when their firstborn was six months old. They wanted to be sure to raise their daughter to be money smart, and John came up with the idea of Money Mammals as a way to get kids excited about money. It worked!John is the author of The Art of Allowance: A Short, Practical Guide to Raising Money-Smart, Money-Empowered Kids, host of The Art of Allowance Podcast and creator of The Art of Allowance Project featuring The Money Mammals and now the new program for tweens and teens called Adolescent$. The Art of Allowance Project is a nationwide program for credit unions that helps them connect with families to help parents raise money-smart kids of all ages. An expert on youth financial literacy, John’s work has appeared in the NY Times, LA Times, The Wall Street Journal, CU Broadcast and CU Insight.John, an avid runner, boardgame enthusiast, is the Chief Mammal of Snigglezoo and he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and Money Mammals co-creator, Eileen and their two daughters who have inspired and informed his work.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jonathan Wess. Jonathan’s Dad died when he was 5 years old. His mother raised him and his two older sisters, supporting the family through her single income. As Jonathan explains, he was always having to piece things together about how the family was doing financially. His mom's rule was that it's not a kid’s place to worry about the money. She was trying to protect Jonathan and his siblings and make them feel safe. While he understands that, in hindsight he felt it was a missed opportunity for his personal financial education.Jonathan is the founder and head of the family at TimeCapsule Family Connections. TimeCapsule is a legacy building company that provides the questions to create a heartfelt legacy. Jonathan has a degree from Canisius College in Political Science and Entrepreneurship. He has used his degree to help new entrepreneurs grow their businesses and add to the startup community in Buffalo, NY. Early in his career he had a focus on large organization management and organization growth. This part of his career influenced how he looks at problem solving today, and by extension, how he manages TimeCapsule.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sylvie Sadarnac. Sylvie made an extreme career pivot in her third act of life. She had a career in corporate communications, and in her mid-40s she decided to pursue comedy writing. As a matter of fact, Sylvie was the only middle-aged woman in her Second City writing class. She blossomed in that environment, and has been facing the ultimate question ever since: How much is she willing to give up to live a creative life?Sylvie is an actor, writer, and content strategist. After a decade in corporate communications, she opened her own practice helping small- to mid-sized businesses connect with their audiences through tight messaging and positioning. As she neared the third third of life, she decided to go back to doing what she is most passionate about: writing and later, acting. In 2016, Sylvie was cast as a recurring character on Amazon's Patriot, which took her to Prague and Paris for filming. She also appears in Dan Nearing's Sister Carrie, currently on the festival circuit. While prepping to produce a short that she wrote and will act in soon, Sylvie continues to develop web content strategies for individuals and small companies.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Lois Frankel. Lois is the bestselling author of the inspirational Nice Girls series of books, which include Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, and Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It. She came from a background where nothing was expected of her. Lois shares that her brothers were encouraged to go out and make a lot of money while she was not encouraged to do much of anything. She says she was a quiet little girl, a nice girl, and Lois defines nice girls as females who act the way people expect them to – they’re women who follow the rules, don’t speak up and selflessly just get the job done. As she grew up, Lois realized she wanted so much more for herself. Ultimately, she found her true passion, which led to helping women push beyond these barriers.Lois is President of Corporate Coaching International, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, executive coach, and an internationally sought-after keynote speaker in the fields of career and leadership development. Among other media appearances she has been a guest on Larry King Live, The Tavis Smiley Show, The Today Show, and 20/20 to discuss her books, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, and Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It. Her first book, Overcoming Your Strengths, was named “the best unsung business book of the year” by Fast Company Magazine. Her newest audiobook, Nice Girls Don’t Speak Up or Stand Out: How to Make Your Voice Heard, Your Point Known and Your Presence Felt, provides the tools for women to speak with courage and confidence.Traveling extensively around the globe, Lois consults with corporations, professional associations, and affinity groups in the areas of career development, leadership, emotional intelligence, team effectiveness, and executive communication. Her experience working with clients like Amgen, Nestle, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, Walt Disney, BP, Experian and other corporate giants provides her with a depth and breadth of knowledge about what it really takes to get and keep the job you want.Although she is proud of her many accomplishments, Lois is most proud of having founded two nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles: Motivating Our Students through Experience (MOSTE) and Bloom Again Foundation. She has been recognized for her work with women and girls with the Los Angeles County Commission on Women’s Woman of the Year Award, Maybelline New York’s Women Who Empower through Education Award, a Doctorate in Humane Letters from Phillips Graduate Institute, and a Presidential Medal and Distinguished Alumna Award from the State University of New York at Oswego. Her earned doctorate in Counseling Psychology is from the University of Southern California. Originally from New York, Lois loves living in California where she enjoys gardening, bicycling, and photography year-round.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Emily Brower. Growing up, Emily always wanted to fit in. She perceived herself as shy, with an awkward haircut, and clothes that never fit just right. Emily thought her value was in her weight. If she could just be skinny, she told herself, then people would see all she had to offer.
As an adult, Emily married, became the mother of two children, and stopped teaching school because the income didn’t pencil out against the cost of childcare. She and her husband were financially comfortable. Emily says that was holding them back. She wanted more. Emily wanted to get creative, generate wealth, and help other women lose weight and keep it off without feeling guilty for spending time and energy on themselves. All of that involved taking a courageous money leap.
Today, Emily is founder of Emily Brower Life Coaching. She is also the creator of Ditch the Diet and host of Table for Two podcast. Emily helps women through private consultations and group coaching to set goals and achieve them, while becoming proud of who they are.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rebecca Walker. Rebecca has contributed to the global conversation about race, gender, power, and the evolution of the human family for three decades. In her most recent book, Women Talk Money, Rebecca created a collection of 29 essays by different female writers who explore the profound impact of money on women’s lives. The collection includes previously unpublished essays by trailblazing writers, activists, and models, such as Alice Walker, Tressie McMillan Cottom, Rachel Cargle, Tracy McMillan and more.Rebecca is the author of several bestselling books; a speaker who has appeared at over four hundred universities, literary conferences, and corporate campuses; and a DEI consultant for several Fortune 500 companies. She is the co-founder of the Third Wave Fund, an organization that gives grants to women and transgender youth working for social justice. Walker was named by Time magazine as one of the most influential leaders of her generation. She lives in Los Angeles. WOMEN TALK MONEY: Breaking the Taboo is a searing anthology of essays exploring the profound impact of money on women’s lives, edited by prominent feminist and writer Rebecca Walker (Simon & Schuster). This collection lifts the veil on how women talk about money and unflinchingly recounts the power of money to impact health, define relationships, and shape female identity. These deeply resonant essays are full of courage and vulnerability as these writers explore the far reaches of the shame, humiliation, anxiety—or sometimes joy or relief—that can surround the taboo topic of money.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sarah Van Voorhis. Sarah is a high-powered family law attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area. From as far back as she can remember, Sarah has been a saver. Is that nature or is it nurture? Sarah tells us her parents, who adopted her, weren’t necessarily savers so they weren’t modeling that behavior. But when Sarah met her biological grandmother when she was in her late 20s, she learned that her biological father was a diligent saver too. Sarah wonders if she was born to be a saver.
Sarah is a certified family law specialist and former chairperson (2017-2018) of the California State Bar Family Law Advisory Commission. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School.
Beginning in 2013 through 2022, Sarah was named to the "Top 50 Women Attorneys" list in Northern California by Thomson Reuters' Super Lawyers, and to the "Top 100 Attorneys" list from 2015 through 2018 and 2019 through 2022. She has been appointed by the Judiciary to the San Francisco Settlement Officer panel to assist the Court in settling cases prior to trial.
Sarah handles all aspects of family law matters, including high assets/income divorces involving complex property issues as well as complicated custodial and support matters. She regularly works as a consulting attorney for parties in mediation. She also regularly drafts and reviews prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Her family law firm, Van Voorhis & Sosna LLP, handles all types of family law cases in the Bay Area.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Nike Anani. At 9 years old she went to the UK with her mom and brothers for what she was told was a summer vacation, but they never left. Nike’s dad stayed behind in Lagos, Nigeria to run the family business, and it wasn’t until she was in her 20s that she learned how extremely successful the family business was. Nike’s parents’ intentions of not sharing the scope of the business were good. They wanted their children to be focused, hardworking and self-motivated. However, as Nike explains, she didn’t grow up in a wealthy culture and found herself not knowing how to navigate life as a wealthy person.
Nike is an international award-winning entrepreneur, succession specialist and a legacy planning expert for future-focused business families. She is on a mission to help businesses move from lifetime to legacy, such that they build family enterprises of the future.
With over a decade of family enterprise expertise in Nigeria, Nike helps owners lead their family organizations to long- term legacy and impact. Her inside experience as a second-generation family business owner and family office pioneer birthed a passion to help other families in building enterprises that would outlive them.
Nike is the Author of "Lifetime to Legacy: A New Vision for Multigenerational Family Businesses" (to be released in Q2 2022). She is the co-founder of African Family Firms, a pan-African association of family businesses that is focused on promoting generational wealth and generational legacies on the African continent. She is the host of "The Connected Generation" podcast - a top-10 Family Business podcast globally that is dedicated to NextGens that are seeking how to navigate building generational enterprises whilst leaving an impact.
Nike has a global outlook, having lived and worked in three continents. She is a champion for diversity, passionate about improving age and gender diversity and inclusion in business families.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Coach Pamela Mitchell. We first met Coach Pamela while listening to her compelling story on NPR’s The Moth Radio Hour. In this week’s episode, we dive deep with her into her stories of reinvention and the roles money played in them. For instance, Coach Pamela describes herself as having been a high-powered hider in her career on Wall Street. She was great at her job…and hated every moment of it. Although Coach Pamela wouldn’t recommend this for others, one day she quit without a plan. This is when she learned about reinvention.
Called ‘The Queen of Reinvention’ by Fortune magazine, former entertainment exec-turned-coach Pamela (aka Coach Pamela) is the nation’s premier expert in reinvention and founder and CEO of The Reinvention Institute.
She is the author of “The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention: Essential Survival Skills for Any Economy” (Penguin), a Harvard Business Review Top Shelf Recommended Pick. Her latest “book” is Mastering the Skill of Reinvention, an Audible Original top 10 bestseller.
Coach Pamela has appeared on CBS, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and the Today Show, and been profiled and quoted in top publications including The New York Times, Businessweek, TIME, Men’s Health, and Real Simple.
The Moth: https://themoth.org/stories/bunny-hop
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Julie Greenham. Julie had a major money transformation as an adult. As a child she was never taught about money and it wasn’t discussed, but Julie sure could feel the weight of it. Julie knew that money was coming in and the next day it was going out. She explains that her mom has bipolar disorder which contributed to her spending money extravagantly and then didn’t have enough to tie them over until her next paycheck. Later in her marriage, Julie defaulted to letting her partner handle the money - that decision was grounded in shame, and she didn’t feel smart enough to take on the responsibility. Julie chipped away at increasing her knowledge about money; and, with time and help from others, she’s not afraid of money anymore.
Julie is a business and productivity coach, mother, speaker, and host of the Quiet Powerhouse podcast. Julie is the leading voice for introverted business owners that helps them sell their services and products with ease. She is the founder of The Quiet Powerhouse Membership, which helps women quiet their overactive minds, overachieve their goals and prioritizes themselves and their families so they can increase their business revenue.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. oec. Sonja Kissling. After working as a corporate law attorney, Sonja found her true passion when she realized she could use her skills to help families in business resolve conflicts. Regular Money Tales listeners will appreciate that Sonja’s process is steeped in family values; she finds that families need to identify their shared values, create a common vision that they’re working toward, and then develop an action plan to achieve that vision.Sonja is an attorney-at-law, LL.M., and mediator. With her company Family Business Matters, she advises family businesses with complex family relationships on governance issues and in decision-making processes. She accompanies the owner families in the discussion and decision-making in questions of the owner strategy, organization and participation in the company. Sonja is a lecturer at the University of St. Gallen (Law & Economics) and at the University of Liechtenstein. After working as a lawyer specializing in corporate law, M&A and capital markets law, during her LL.M. studies at Columbia University, New York, Sonja Kissling focused on conflict resolution processes and negotiation and through her dissertation at the Center for Family Business at the University of St. Gallen specialized in family businesses.Website: familybusinessmatters.ch/de/home/Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Julie Goodall. At age 30, Julie learned she wouldn't get a loan because she was young, female, and didn't have a college degree. When Julie heard that verbal slam, she thought, “Tell Me I Can’t, I’ll Show You I Can.” That was enough to help her decide she was moving forward with transitioning her personal training business to full-fledged gym ownership.
Today, Julie is thriving in her current business, Genesis Consulting, where she’s a passionate, versatile, MacGyver-like entrepreneur. She’s dedicated to helping business owners make sure their business is running at optimum efficiency, and they are uniquely positioned to achieve world domination. Or at least what they set out to accomplish. She is oddly interested in all the things that most people hate about running a business. From nonprofits and consultants to photographers and graphic designers, Julie helps business owners get organized, get automated and take their business to the next level.
Julie believes the back office of a business is essential to success and while most people dread the finances, systems and strategizing that is a necessary evil, Julie puts her OCD to good use, making sure everything is reconciled and color-coded so owners can focus on the parts they love; the reason they got into business to begin with. She specializes in mastering the parts people enjoy the least, leaving them free to focus on their dream.
When she’s not managing workflows or reconciling accounts, she enjoys adventures with her family, traveling, food (both preparing and eating), movie nights and trying to figure out how to do the millions of things on her bucket list before she’s too old to enjoy them or remember what they are!
Julie dreams of a world where “the little guy” succeeds, houses stay clean and calories don’t count.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Michele Madansky. Michele is a digital advertising expert and sought-after media and market research consultant. She is also co-author of the most widely cited research study on gender bias in tech, “The Elephant in the Valley”. Michele acknowledges that money isn’t a popular discussion topic and she observes that people definitely don't talk about relationships where women out-earn men, which is even more of a taboo.
Michele leads a media and market research consultancy specializing in digital media and advertising. She has worked with some of the top digital brands including Spotify, Postmates, Disney+, BuzzFeed, Pinterest, Brave, Adobe, Twitter, YouTube, Chegg and BabyCenter.
In the early 1990s, Michele was the first interactive specialist at BBDO (pre-Netscape). She also authored the first Ph.D. dissertation focused on online advertising. From 2003 to 2007, Michele was Vice President of Global Market Research for Yahoo! Prior to joining Yahoo!, she was managing partner at Grey Insight Partners, an analytics consultancy.
Michele holds a Sc.B. from Brown University, and an MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. She is a frequent industry speaker at events ranging from the ARF, i-com and the Youth Marketing Summit, and was a keynote speaker at SXSW in 2016. Michele is on the Advertising Research Foundation’s Women in Analytics Advisory Board and on the program board for i-com (Global Forum for Marketing Data and Measurement). She has also been a lecturer at Haas Graduate School of Business.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tovah Feldshuh. Chances are you’ve seen Tovah in one of her many performances which have spanned Broadway stages, film and television. Tovah is also an author, having recently published a memoir entitled, “LILYVILLE: , Mother, Daughter and other Roles I’ve played.” She is currently raising funds to bring a theater production called “Becoming Dr. Ruth to New York.” Tovah is a six-time Emmy & Tony nominee and has been awarded three honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters. She has won four Drama Desks, four Outer Critics Circle, three Dramalogues, the Obie, the Theatre World, and the Helen Hayes and Lucille Lortel Awards for Best Actress. Tovah is a playwright, concert artist, and author. Her memoir, “LILYVILLE: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I’ve Played” was named #1 New Release in Parent Child Relationships and #8 in Theater Biographies on Amazon. TV credits include: “Holocaust, Law & Order”, “The Walking Dead”, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”, and HBO mini-series “Scenes from a Marriage.” Films include: the just completed “Armageddon Time” opposite Tony Hopkins and “Start Without Me” with Finn Wittrock, “Kissing Jessica Stein”, “A Walk on the Moon”, “The Idolmaker”, and “Clifford The Red Dog.” Broadway: “Yentl”, “Golda’s Balcony”, “Irena’s Vow”, “Pippin”, etc. Most recent theatre portrayal: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in “Sisters in Law” by Jonathan Shapiro and Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer in Becoming Dr. Ruth by Mark St. Germain which just closed Off-Broadway. Tovah most recently returned from a concert tour of “Tovah is LEONA!” where she plays the infamous real estate mogul and hotelier Queen of Mean: Leona Helmsley. Follow Tovah on Instagram @tovahfeld, and on her website tovahfeldshuh.com.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Julie Gustafson. After nearly three decades in wealth management and banking, Julie decided to dramatically change gears; she left her reliable job and transitioned to video and documentary production - this was quite a pivot from financial services. The common thread was that her work continued to focus on harnessing personal experiences. Julie and her business partner were telling the stories behind the art collections of their clients for the benefit of those who will inherit the collections, whether that be next generation of the family, a museum, or an unknown future buyer. When choosing to take this career risk, Julie followed her guiding principles: Begin with plan A, have plans B and C available if you need them, and talk through large expenses before plunging in.
Julie is President of MJG Advisory LLC, a company that works with clients in the business, art, and philanthropic sectors to identify and to develop their unique story—their “voice”—for use in marketing, fundraising or other strategic needs. Julie’s first career (in Finance and Banking) began while still in college, and what started as a part-time job turned into a successful journey spanning nearly three decades, most recently with U.S. Trust (now Bank of America Private Bank) in Chicago. In addition to finance and her three “must haves” (families, art, and philanthropy), she has deep interest and experience with the often complex financial and emotional dynamics associated with multigenerational wealth.
Prior to launching her own business, Julie served as Co-Founder and President of Heirlooms on Video, a company which produced video documentaries for art collectors and others in the art world. Outside of work, Julie serves on the boards of Special Olympics Illinois Foundation and Arts of Life, and is Co-Chair of the Chicago Chapter of ArtTable, a national organization whose mission is to support and to provide opportunities for women leaders in the visual arts.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sanford Livingston II. Sanford is from Trenton, New Jersey, and a question he often heard from his mom while growing up was, “What are you going to study? Because you’ve got to get a job”. And, as Sanford explains, where he came from job stood for Just Over Broke. As a result of talking money with his college roommate, who came from a very affluent family, Sanford realized his own money orientation was focused on working and surviving rather than on living and thriving. This shift in perspective had a profound impact on Sanford and the way he approached his life going forward. He’s redefined wealth and is now working on passing that along to the rising generation of his family.
Sanford is currently the acting CEO of Nor-Cal FDC. He is charged with the responsibility of establishing relationships with lenders, fintech innovations experts, and political and community leaders. Sanford has overall strategic and operational responsibility for Nor-Cal FDC’s staff, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission. He also builds partnerships in new markets by establishing relationships with lenders, and political and community leaders.
Sanford previously served Nor-Cal FDC as Chief Operations Officer; directing all operational and strategic responsibilities, and as Senior Director Program Development; responsible for increasing the number of microloans underwritten by Nor-Cal’s lending partners in this category. In this role, he grew loan volume by 50% while working with individual lenders to streamline process for efficiency.
Prior to Nor-Cal FDC, Sanford served as Senior Vice President, Strategist, Commercial Strategies, Commercial Banking Group Wells Fargo Bank, where he provided innovative strategic business plans to all commercial banking divisions. Sanford has served on several boards including: Urban Financial Services Corporation; Advisory Board, Life Steps; Trustee Board Member, Coro Political Leadership Organization; Former Trustee Board Member, San Francisco Maritime Association; Board Member, and Wesleyan University: Former Board Trustee.
Sanford has a B. A. in Economics from Wesleyan University and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. He is also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sharon Reynolds. Sharon is a successful serial entrepreneur. Her first entrepreneurial role model was her grandfather, who had to hide money in the walls of his home to protect his earnings from the Klan. She had the same perseverance as she launched her first start-up in high school as a seamstress and bespoke neighborhood designer. Today, she’s in the process of raising $70 million in series A round for one of her latest ventures.
Sharon, President and CEO of DevMar Products, LLC, began her company with the idea to develop and distribute environmentally friendly, innovative products that eradicate pathogens while creating healthy spaces and sustaining the environment.
DevMar Products, LLC was launched in December of 2007, right on the cusp of the financial crisis. By 2011, DevMar was recognized as a “Green Hero” of Nashville by the “Nashville Post” and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2012, DevMar was selected as the recipient of the Women Impacting Public Policy Business Leadership “External Communications” award. Afterwards, the company was named one of the NEXT 50 Companies to Watch by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. In February 2013, DevMar was featured by the Office Depot Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s Top customer profile. The company is proud to be featured in publications such as Essence Magazine, WE South, WE USA, Diversity Professional, CleanLink, Beyond Exclamation, Enterprising Women, the Her Story of Success Podcast, MBE Magazine, The Tennessee Tribune, Black EOE Journal, Nashville Post and Business Williamson.
Most recently, Sharon was honored as a 2021 Women to Watch in the Nashville Medical News. 2020, for all its challenges, also brought a few opportunities. Enterprising Women selected Sharon as one of the Top 20 in 2020 Award Recipients. Sharon was selected to participate in the prestigious Million Women Mentors Program sponsored by Wells Fargo; DevMar Products was awarded Beyonce’s #BeyGood for Black Businesses Grant in collaboration with the NAACP; and DevMar continues to develop products that Clean, Disinfect, and Protect.
Sharon received the 100 Black Men/Women President’s Organization Women of Color Achievement Award and was honored with the Power Moves Award as Best Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018. She was one of the 100 Leading Women in 2018 and in the same year, received MBE Magazine’s WBEs Who Rock Award – an honor established to provide special recognition for women business owners who exemplify passion, courage, and leadership in their pursuit of business success. In September 2017, DevMar was named the WBEC South Tier I Supplier of the Year.
In 2015, the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce named DevMar as the Small Business of the Year recipient and Sharon successfully graduated the SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative for Entrepreneurs. June of 2014, DevMar Products was selected by WBEC South as the WBE Spotlight company and was recognized a 2014 Small Business Awards recipient.
In October of 2013, Sharon was selected as a WBENC scholarship recipient and attended the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, WBENC Executive Program at IBM in Palisades, New York. She was a Nashville Business Journal 2013 Women of Influence award recipient and was featured in the People Issue of the Nashville Scene for her contributions to sustainability through her line of specialty green products.
Before earning her Executive MBA from Tennessee State University and graduating with distinction, Sharon earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management with a focus on Green & Sustainable Enterprise. She was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society at TSU and the Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society at Belmont University.
Sharon continues to promote parity and equity for women through her position on the Board of Directors of the Women Business Collaborative and her ...
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Patrick Veroneau. Patrick found himself in a cush job; the money was great, he was good at the work, and the boss … well … they just didn’t see eye to eye. Patrick was pretty sure he was going to get fired, which turned into the ultimate push to make the leap into a financially risky position of starting his own business. The transition was possible as result of leaning on his wife to carry the family financially during the start-up phase. Fortunately for them, her career was taking off right at that time.
Patrick is the founder of Emery Leadership Group (2008), co-founder of Candor Development Solutions (2019) and also hosts a weekly podcast called, Reimagining Leadership (2018).
He has a Master’s in Organizational Leadership and has trained extensively in the areas of emotional intelligence, influence and personality. Many of the models he has developed are rooted in the research and real-world experiences from these three disciplines.
Patrick has focused his career on helping individuals, teams and organizations reimagine what it means to lead and succeed on a more conscious level.
As well, he is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, the National Speakers Association and is an adjunct instructor for SMCC.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Johanna (José) Zeilstra. Johanna wants to change world, and she’s doing that by harnessing the power of how we spend our money. Johanna is the CEO of Gender Fair, a platform where you can find out which companies support gender equality and use your dollars to drive fairness by buying only from the best. The Gender Fair Seal and 100-point scoring system make conscientious consumerism easy and give companies clear benchmarks and guidelines for improvement.Johanna is an established business strategist and an accomplished leader for both start-ups and global corporations. Over the past two decades, she has worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and JPMorgan Chase, and with over a dozen client corporations, including Delta Airlines, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Philips, Lucent, Disney, Bank of America, and Occidental Petroleum. Her career has led her to work in Canada, China, Indonesia, France, and The Netherlands. She acts as a coach to senior executives on boards and top teams and has a passion for supporting and advancing professional women. She is an active board member of the Woman Business Collaborative (WBC), the largest women’s business movement for gender equality and diversity.Johanna currently runs Gender Fair, a platform that uses data analytics to determine an organization’s progress toward gender equality and diversity. Prior to this, Johanna co-founded GiveBack, an innovative platform that makes it easy for companies to build authentic and impactful cause marketing, workplace giving and other social responsibility initiatives. GiveBack was launched on the Oprah Winfrey Show during her final season in 2011 and was subsequently acquired by one of the nation’s largest benefits administrators.Johanna is originally from the Netherlands and was educated in Canada where she earned an undergraduate degree in Sociology and a Masters degree in Business Administration. She resides in Westchester, NY, where she runs the Women Entrepreneurs Network and serves on several boards, including CEO Forum, Harbor Island Conservancy, and Princeton Faith & Work Initiative. Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Suzanne Wertheim. Suzanne started her career as a professor of linguistics. When a university-based research contract fell through, Suzanne’s expected income level disappeared, dashing her plans to improve the fixer-upper home she had recently purchased. Suzanne got creative and pivoted to a new path, leveraging her expertise by applying social science to the real-world problems of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Suzanne is a national expert on language and bias. After getting her Ph.D. in Linguistics from Berkeley, she held faculty positions at Northwestern, University of Maryland, and UCLA. In 2011, she left the university system in order to apply her expertise to real-world problems.
As head of Worthwhile Research & Consulting, Dr. Wertheim specializes in analyzing and mitigating bias at work. Using the tools of linguistic anthropology, she guides clients to more inclusive language, content, and workplaces. Her popular online course on inclusive language is available on LinkedIn Learning and Cornerstone on Demand.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Andrea J. Simon, Ph.D. (“Andi”.) Andi is a culture change expert and an explorer at heart, someone who is interested in the stories we tell ourselves and each other. She advocates for smashing those myths that hold us back. In this episode, Andi brings her expertise and tools to money conversations, helping us understand what we can do to create new money stories for ourselves.
Andi is an international leader in the growing field of corporate anthropology, an Axiom bronze Best Business Book of 2017 winning author of “On the Brink: A fresh lens to take your business to new heights,” and the founder and CEO of Simon Associates Management Consultants (SAMC). SAMC was recognized in 2020 and 2021 as the best New York Corporate Anthropology Agency. Andi’s new book is entitled “Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business.” "Rethink" shows how women today are challenging the expected norms of business.
Her talks on Change Matters and Blue Ocean Strategy have been featured in over 500 engagements. She is widely covered in the media. Her podcast, On the Brink, is ranked among the top 20 for futurists and is in the top 5% of global podcasts.
Her clients come from across the globe and span industries as she helps them come “off the brink,” and learn how to soar again.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lisa Danforth. Lisa woke up on her fiftieth birthday needing change. With her eyes closed, heart racing and mind running 100 miles an hour, she knew that this was unsustainable. Lisa was an entrepreneur several times over; at that time, she had a catering company and was launching her fifth business. Lisa made the intentional decision to focus full-time on her new coaching practice.
Now Lisa’s mission is to help business owners and leaders develop a saner approach to success. She helps clients establish goals, priorities, and a framework to build the business that will sustain the life they want to live, not consume it.
Dubbed by her clients “the hand-holding ass-kicker,” Lisa matches just the right amount of push with a dose of love. She brings clarity, compassionate curiosity, and a healthy dose of humor to her coaching while providing graceful accountability that inspires her clients to lead in a way that holds space for their whole Self.
Lisa grew up in a family business and knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur by the ripe old age of eight. Over the past 30 years, Lisa has opened and operated two catering companies, a professional cleaning company, and an international wholesale childrenswear company which she sold for more than 35 times her initial investment. For the last eight years, Lisa has been a Business Strategist and Leadership Coach.
She received her Bachelor’s in Business from the University of Southern Maine. She is certified by the Coaches Training Institution (CTI), the most rigorous in the coaching industry, as well as being a certified facilitator of The ONE Thing, a certified Co-Active coach, and a graduate of Tara Mohr’s Playing Big Facilitators Course.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rikki Quintana. For most of her adult life, Rikki has been haunted by a vivid image of a woman in a flower sack dress, sitting under a bridge with a shopping cart. That woman is the personification of Rikki’s bag lady syndrome that she recently came to terms with. This fear stemmed from a chaotic childhood where Rikki couldn’t rely on the adults in her life to do what was needed to take care of her. With maturity and focus, Rikki came to realize that no amount of money could cure the bag lady syndrome. It was a hypothetical problem, and not a real problem she faced.
Rikki grew up in a chaotic family in which she called herself the “white sheep in a family of black sheep.” That took the form of being the rule-following perfectionist of the family with a focus on security, control, and risk avoidance. This outlook served her well as a “straight A” student and later as a lawyer, working for large prestigious law firms and their Fortune 500 clients. But eventually, after more than 30 years of practicing law, that linear focus on the standard external measures of success wasn’t enough. Instead, she felt herself called to re-engage in what always spoke to her heart- international and inter-cultural relationships and communication. (She was a language major as an undergraduate, but then took the risk-averse career path to law.)
Rikki founded HoonArts Fair Trade in a blind leap of faith in 2014. In retrospect, she’s grateful that she didn’t know what she didn’t know! Starting from “ground zero” as the first person to work on building a US market for handicrafts from Tajikistan, HoonArts is now a verified fair trade business, working with artisan groups in 3 Central Asian countries. With customers on 4 continents, HoonArts is helping to empower over 100 artisans, mostly rural women. Rikki is passionate about using her long-term partnerships with master artists to open a doorway to this amazing region. In the process, she’s had to completely redefine her relationship to money, risk, success, and failure.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Natalie Morales. You’re probably already familiar with Natalie who is a current host of "The Talk" on CBS, which she recently joined after a 15-year run on the “Today Show.” Natalie is an ambitious, focused, and talented journalist who determined early in her career that she wanted to be a successful reporter. To get started, she had to take a 50% pay cut, get up at three in the morning, head to the Bronx, shoot her own video and then edit her stories. In the beginning, she was a one-woman news production band.
Natalie is a television anchor and journalist. She serves as host of “The Talk,” CBS’ Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show that examines topical events and contemporary issues through the eyes of five hosts, alongside Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood.
Most recently, Natalie was the West Coast anchor of NBC News’ “Today,” correspondent for “Dateline NBC,” and anchor of “Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales.” She previously served as host of “Access” and co-host of “Access Live,” as well as news anchor of “Today,” where she co-hosted the show’s third hour. Natalie joined “Today” in 2006 as a national correspondent and reported across all of NBCUniversal News’ platforms, including “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” and MSNBC.
In a “Today” first, Natalie followed 20 children from the class of 2020 – all of whom were born a year after 9/11 – from their first day of kindergarten to graduation, amid a global pandemic, nonetheless. In addition to hosting “At Home with Natalie,” Natalie contributed to several major breaking news stories, including the sexual harassment scandals, the 2017 Las Vegas massacre, the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, and the rescue of the Chilean Miners in 2010 (coverage that was seen worldwide and recognized with a 2010 National Headliner Award). In August 2008, Natalie had the exclusive jailhouse interview with the infamous Clark Rockefeller. Her other notable reports include the 2009 presidential inauguration; Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005; the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami; the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005; and the election of Pope Francis in 2013. She also reported on the royal wedding in 2011 and the birth of Prince George in 2013.
As a part of the Shine a Light campaign in 2014, Natalie ran in the Boston Marathon and raised over $70,000 for victims of the 2013 bombing. Natalie has won three Daytime Emmy Awards as part of “Today’s” recognition as the best morning news program. She won a Robert F. Kennedy Award in international journalism for her report on Honduran lobster divers for “Rock Center with Brian Williams” in June 2013. She has won three Gracie Awards, one for Outstanding Series for her “Dateline NBC” special, “My Kid Would Never,” and two for her reporting in 2016 and 2017.
Natalie, who speaks Spanish and Portuguese, was born in Taiwan and spent much of the first 18 years of her life living overseas in Panama, Brazil and Spain as an Air Force “brat.” She graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and Latin American studies and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons. Follow her on Twitter: @nmoralestv and Instagram: @nataliemoralestv.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Matina Agio, joining us from Athens, Greece. When Matina talks about inheritance as 'the value transferred from one generation to another', she’s not necessarily focused on the money. For her money is just a symbol, and what people are really after are rich experiences. The Greeks call this Eudaimonia, which means the condition of 'human flourishing'. It’s based on having things in balance within us and outside of us.
Matina is an inheritance consultant who inspires a deeper perspective on inheritance - beyond the legal and financial. She helps her clients transform their inheritance into meaningful legacy, long-lasting wealth and insightful self-discovery.
Through her signature method - THE INHERITANCE MUSE METHOD™, Matina’s clients overcome the emotional and practical challenges & complexities of their inheritance. She supports them in their decision-making, regarding the sorting out, preserving, repurposing and managing of their artefacts, property & possessions.
Matina’s work addresses both the tangible and intangible aspects of inheritance. She believes that inheritance is not a one-time event. It is a fluid, dynamic and creative force in our lives that is ongoing, since we were born.
Matina’s experience of living and working in England, France, Germany, Italy, US, Canada and Greece, allows her to address the needs and varying backgrounds of her clients. Her clients include collectors, historic homeowners and family office members around the world.
Matina previously served as director of Athenian Muse Holdings – a boutique consultancy for culture-based enterprises and house museums. In parallel, she managed her family’s historical home and collection, initiating projects related to its cultural legacy. She has been involved in heritage crowdfunding projects, such as the Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers in the Loire and other preservation initiatives, where she is active or part owner.
Site: https://www.matinaagio.com
Media/Articles: https://www.matinaagio.com/articles-media.html
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Melissa Houston. Melissa is someone who knows a lot about the importance of money conversations, and she has faced the consequences of not having them at critical times. Well into her career as a CPA, Melissa found herself slowly unraveling, which made it difficult for her to see a big problem was mounting. It began with weekend shopping trips; a handbag here, a piece of jewelry there. Melissa was spending a lot of money on things that, in hindsight, she really didn’t need because it allowed her to stave off a fear she wasn’t ready to face. And all the while, she kept the growing debt secret from her husband. Melissa is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), a Financial Strategist for CEOs, a columnist at Forbes.com, and the host of The Business Society podcast. She helps successful business owners increase their profit margins without having to increase revenue so that they keep more money in their pocket while increasing their personal wealth. Melissa has over 20 years of business experience with large and small corporations, government, and not-for-profit industries while specializing in Internal Controls, corporate accounting, budgets, financial reporting, corporate & personal tax, audit, and SR&ED. Melissa enjoys helping business owners build their businesses by increasing their financial management skills. Your numbers are telling you a story – make sure you are listening to it. Melissa’s passion is helping business owners go from 6-figure to 7-figure businesses and achieving their personal financial dreams. When Melissa isn’t helping entrepreneurs become better CEOs of their business, she can be found at the cottage with her husband Jamie, two teen children, and three dogs. Join Melissa at melissahoustoncpa.com.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Elisabeth Leamy. Elisabeth is a nationally-known journalist, author and speaker, best known for her work as the on-air Consumer Correspondent for Good Morning America. Among many world leaders, she’s had the privilege to have an exclusive interview with President Barack Obama, where they covered Wall Street reform, the consumer protection act, and what the Obamas were teaching their daughters about money. Elisabeth shares with us her perspectives on saving, spending and having open money conversations.
Elisabeth contributes consumer articles to The Washington Post, which also run in dozens of papers around the country and the world. She is the creator and host of the podcast “Easy Money,” about clever, creative ways to make more money, save more money and find your unclaimed money. Easy Money ran for more than a year and is available on iTunes and other podcast platforms.
Previously, Elisabeth served for five years as the Dr. Oz Show’s consumer and investigative correspondent. From 2005 to 2013, she was the Consumer Correspondent for Good Morning America and other ABC programs and also a featured columnist for the ABC website. In 2014, Elisabeth hosted “Free For All,” a YouTube show sponsored by AARP which alerted viewers to thousands of dollars worth of quality freebies. Before going national, Elisabeth worked at local television stations in Washington, DC, Tampa, FL and Bakersfield, CA.
Elisabeth is the author of two critically-acclaimed books. Her most recent is “Save Big: Cut Your Top 5 Costs and Save Thousands” (Wiley, 2010). Her first book was "The Savvy Consumer: How To Avoid Scams and Rip-Offs That Cost You Time and Money” (Capital Books, 2004).
Elisabeth also works as a professional speaker. She speaks all over the country and loves sharing her knowledge in an intimate setting of thousands instead of millions. She also works as a consultant and spokesperson for worthy companies and causes, helping them get their consumer education message across to the public. Clients have included: Citi, Discover, Hilton, Invisalign, Mass Mutual and more.
Elisabeth prepared for her career with a Master’s in journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor’s from The University of California at Berkeley. She grew up in Marin County California and now lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and daughter. Elisabeth loves reading, bicycling, home improvement projects, tending her organic vegetable garden, and wine tasting.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Gina Yashere. Gina is currently producing, writing and acting in the sitcom “Bob Hearts Abishola” on CBS, which she co-created with Chuck Lorre. Gina harnesses risk to get what she wants in life – she was a successful standup comic in the UK, who had her eyes set on America. Gina took money that was earmarked for taxes in England and used it to finance the life she was striving for in the United States. Luckily for her and all of us who benefit from her comedy, Gina scored a commercial in England, which brought in enough cash to pay the taxman in the nick of time.
Gina was born & raised in London UK, of Nigerian parents. She has been a stand up and TV star in the UK for numerous years now, with appearances on iconic TV shows such as “Live at The Apollo” and “Mock The Week”, as well as creating & performing the hugely popular comedic characters, Tanya & Mrs. Omokerede on “The Lenny Henry Show.”
She broke onto the American comedy scene with her appearances on “Last Comic Standing” (NBC), where she made it to the final 10, and then never went home!
Gina went on to be named one of the top 10 rising talents in the “Hollywood Reporter.” She is also known in the US for being the only British comedian to ever appear on the iconic “Def Comedy Jam,” as well as for her hilarious appearances on “The Tonight Show” (NBC) and “Crashing” on HBO.
Gina self-produced three separate one-hour Stand Up Specials, “Skinny B*tch,” “Laughing To America,” and “Ticking Boxes,” two of which are currently streaming on Netflix. Her fourth stand-up special is also streaming on Netflix, as part of The Stand Ups, season 2, and is garnering rave reviews on the network.
She is also regularly featured on Comedy Central as the British Correspondent on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.” Gina is also an in-demand voice artist.
Gina has voiced characters in various animations, including Keisha in the British cult hit, “Bromwell High” and “Gravelle” in the latest movie from the makers of “Wallace & Gromit,” “Chicken Run,” “Early Man”! She can be currently heard playing a starfish called Gareth, on the Children's ITV show, “The Rubbish World of Dave Spud” (UK).
Gina has performed for audiences not just in Europe, the US & Australia, but she is in fact, a highly sought-after comedian in Asia, making numerous sold-out appearances in Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
It’s a wonder she found the time to pick up her fourth award in a row for “Best Comedian” at the recent Black Entertainment & Comedy Awards (UK).
Gina has performed numerous times at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and Toronto.
Feature films appearances have included “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “Mr. Inbetween,” and she has also appeared on the West-End stage in “The Vagina Monologues.”
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rebecca DiLiberto. Many of Rebecca’s gifts in life were born out of losses she endured; at a young age her parents divorced, her father died when she was in college, and her brother survived a freak accident that devastated his brain. These three events taught Rebecca that money is about building a world to treasure the experiences with the people she loves. She now earns and uses money to keep those relationships as strong as possible. Rebecca DiLiberto is a partner at dgetal, a consulting firm in Los Angeles that helps companies tell their stories. She has collaborated on more than a dozen books, produced talk shows and documentaries, and consulted on creative strategy for a broad range of Fortune 500 companies. She holds a BA from Yale, an MFA from Columbia, and at age 10 was voted "most likely to succeed in arts and crafts." Rebecca and her husband currently reside in the City of Angels.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Vicky Benzing. Vicky enjoyed an extremely successful career in tech and then decided to pursue an encore career as a stunt pilot, where she performs heart-stopping moves in airshows across the country. In both careers, she was often one of the only leading women which led to some interesting money stories.
Born and raised in California, Vicky is an accomplished pilot, skydiver, aerobatic performer, and air racer. With over 9000 hours of flight time and over 1300 parachute jumps, Vicky has a passion for everything airborne. Her flying career has spanned nearly forty years and she currently holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating as well as a commercial rating in helicopters, seaplanes, and gliders.
Vicky still remembers her first flight in her uncle’s airplane when she was just a small child. Inspired by that flight at a very young age, Vicky learned to fly in an antique airplane at a small airport on the California coast while working on her PhD in Chemistry from UC Berkeley.
Following obtaining her doctorate, Vicky spent three years as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Oregon. During this time Vicky authored over a dozen scientific papers on a novel laser-based technique for analyzing embedded surfaces. Her first job outside of the university environment led her to the semiconductor industry and then later to the semiconductor equipment industry. During her time in the high-tech world, she assumed positions of increasing responsibility including serving as Vice President of Technology for a $2B corporation.
During the 24 years that Vicky worked in the semiconductor industry, Vicky’s passion for flying never waned, and her appetite for spins, loops, and rolls returned when she took an aerobatic flight with air show legend, Wayne Handley. Following that memorable flight, Vicky began aerobatic training in earnest. She competed in aerobatic contests throughout the US, working her way up through the many categories. In between contests, Vicky also began performing in local air shows. In 2012, Vicky fully retired from corporate life to focus solely on her flying interests. Today Vicky holds a surface level aerobatic waiver and has flown air show performances at venues across the United States, including as an invited performer at the greatest airshow in the world, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI.
In addition to aerobatics, Vicky got the racing bug when a friend invited her to “come play in my sandbox” at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, NV. In her first year of racing, Vicky was chosen as “Rookie of the Year” after having won her first race ever, and in 2015 Vicky became the “Fastest Woman Racer” ever in the history of the Reno Air Races when she qualified an Aero Vodochody jet on the racecourse at 469.831 mph. Vicky currently serves as an officer of Racing Jets Inc.
Vicky has also had the opportunity to work on a number of film, television, and other media projects. Vicky can be seen flying her beautiful Boeing Stearman in the documentary film “Mercury 13” which is currently airing on Netflix. Other film and television projects include episodes of “Ice Pilot” and “NCIS LA,” and extensive stunt work in her Stearman for the short film “Niner Echo Foxtrot.” And now open in Las Vegas NV is the immersive flight- ride experience, “FlyOver Las Vegas - The Real Wild West,” where Vicky can be seen barrel-rolling her red Stearman across the sky.
Vicky’s passion for science, technology and aviation have led her on a winding road throughout her life. She believes that by building her self-confidence and being willing to continually step out of her comfort zone is what has created new opportunities and experiences that have enrichened her life.
You can learn more about Vicky by visiting her website at vickybenzing.com.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Gerry Valentine. Gerry is one of the 6%. He was born to a single mother within a very low-income minority neighborhood in New York City, and it was a life where they often did without things that most people would consider necessities. Gerry became one of the 6% who are able to change the trajectory of their lives. He navigated unseen ladders to catapult himself into financial success.
Gerry’s an executive coach, public speaker and author of the new best-selling book, “The Thriving Mindset — Tools for Empowerment in a Disruptive World.” With more than 27 years of Fortune 100 leadership experience, he’s a trusted advisor to corporate executives, entrepreneurs and high-performance individuals of all kinds.
Gerry is a TEDx speaker and a contributor to multiple publications, including Forbes.com. Gerry earned a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University, and an M.B.A from New York University. He has lectured on executive leadership at Columbia University, Baruch College and Colorado State University.
Gerry is also an outdoor sports enthusiast who loves running, cycling, hiking and skiing. He’s completed eight Ironman Triathlons, five marathons, and many shorter-distance events. He and his husband divide their time between New York City and New Paltz, NY — a picturesque town in the Hudson Valley.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Hunter Marckwardt. Hunter has become a master of productive money conversations. To him, it's all about the why, which to Hunter means understanding what's important to people and helping them focus on achieving it. At work, he leads his team in weekly money conversations that range from budgeting to estate planning and ongoing learning.
Hunter consistently ranks as one of RPM Mortgage's Top Producing Loan Advisors. In 2020, Hunter and his team closed 432 units for $286,000,000. Team Hunter takes a professional, structured, and detailed approach to lending. Their single mission is for their clients to never look for another lender again. They believe this philosophy is the only approach they can take in this chaotic lending environment to ensure 100% client satisfaction.
Hunter has worked at RPM for over 10 years, primarily serving San Francisco Bay Area clients. Through hard work, determination, and strong industry relationships, he has developed into one of RPM’s leaders in loan originations.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Ido Cohen. Money was confusing for Ido when he was growing up. His mom and dad had very different cultural orientations and mindsets about money. As a result, there weren’t many money discussions happening in the household. It wasn’t until Ido traveled to India as a young adult that he started to refine his own views about money. India was different. It’s a country full of opposites where extreme poverty walks next to vast wealth. Ido learned to be in life and enjoy it without letting money feel all consuming.
Dr. Ido Cohen, Psy.D serves individuals, couples and groups in San Francisco. As part of his practice, Ido works with a diverse range of challenges – childhood trauma, inner critic, relational issues, anxiety, a lack of fulfillment and more. Ido believes that in the intersection of our psychological, emotional, somatic and spiritual dimensions, we can develop our relationship with our inner world, and create the changes we want to see in our life. Ido is passionate in supporting individuals to create long term, sustainable change leading to vibrant, authentic, expressive and love filled lives.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ned Montenecourt. At the age of 30, Ned and his siblings went through a life-altering event. Their dad died suddenly. In the wake of that disaster, they learned that the vacation cottage that their family owned for more than 100 years might have to be sold to cover the resulting estate tax. Worse than that, their sister was disinherited. Decades later, they have yet to fully recover their relationship with her.
Ned Montenecourt, CRCP, is Senior Vice President and Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at Phoenix American. He is responsible for managing all aspects of the firm’s risk and compliance framework as well as helping to hone the firm’s business strategy. He has vast experience designing, building, and implementing risk control programs at financial services entities ranging from start-ups to large public institutions. His expertise centers on systems integration, supervisory controls, process automation, regulatory training, regulatory and audit exam management and operational risk. Ned also serves as an advisor to Legacy Foundry, a software platform where families and their advisors can plan for longevity and end-of-life.
Previously, Ned was the Chief Compliance Officer for BlackRock’s Distribution and Execution entities. Prior to his time at BlackRock Ned held executive compliance and risk roles at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank in NY. He has a BS and BA, Finance and Architecture, from Lehigh University and is a graduate of the CRCP Executive Education Program in conjunction with FINRA from University of Pennsylvania – The Wharton School Executive Program.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kraig Kann. As a child, Kraig dreamt of becoming a professional sportscaster. That’s all he wanted to do, and sure enough, that’s what he did. Kraig became a huge success. He enjoyed a 25-year television career, including 17 years at Golf Channel/NBC. Kraig was one of the first to interview Tiger Woods as Tiger turned professional, he was hanging with Arnold Palmer, and he was living his dream. But life is hard, and things outside of our control happen all the time. The real estate market imploded just as Kraig’s contract came up for renewal, forcing him to draw on his creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to make some purposeful shifts.
Kraig founded Kann Advisory Group in 2016 and serves as Managing Director of the organization providing strategic media, marketing and communications consulting plus media training, branding and presentation skills coaching. His vast experience on all sides of the media including years as both a network television personality and C-Suite sports executive make him an industry influencer, respected spokesperson and requested speaker.
After a 25-year television career that included 17 at Golf Channel/NBC where he was an original on-air member and ultimately the lead studio host, Kraig made a career pivot and elevated the Ladies Professional Golf Association as its Chief Communications Officer from 2011-2016. His time in front of the camera and comfort interviewing athletes, politicians and corporate executives positioned him as a unique voice on the LPGA’s board and helped him strategically lead the organization’s branding and marketing efforts across all media platforms during five years of unprecedented growth that included recognition in 2015 as finalist for “Sports League of the Year” by Sports Business Journal.
During his tenure, Kraig led media and marketing communication partnerships between the LPGA and its list of global corporate sponsors that included KPMG, KIA, Manulife Financial, UL, All Nippon Airways, LOTTE, Rolex and CME Group, building strategic outreach and activation plans while delivering new levels of international media attention. He involved media in major news events, coached players to build their own brands and positioned social media as a vital organizational marketing resource resulting in a combined growth of more than 900% over four years.
Kraig has been featured twice by SBJ as an industry communications leader and his platform of contributions includes design and delivery of a collaborative “grow the game” message as a member of Golf 20/20 and also a lead spot on the International Golf Federation Communications Committee for the 2016 Rio Olympics where he raised awareness for golf’s return to the Olympic Games and hosted golf’s press conferences on a worldwide stage.
Kann’s platform has widened significantly with roles as the weekly show host of Connected with Kraig Kann on SiriusXM, his growing podcast Tracks To Success, and the January 2021 release of his book Can You Get Our Attention? which quickly reached Top 20 status on the Amazon Best Seller List and was recognized as a finalist at the 2021 International Book Awards while winning top honors at the 2021 San Francisco Book Festival and New York Book Festival and earning the silver medal from Reader’s’ Favorite as “Best New Book 2021 – Marketing”
A sought-after motivational speaker, his keynotes and popular “Elevate Workshop” have drawn rave reviews from the likes of Accenture, Transamerica, Titleist, SAP, KPMG, Zurich, Gallagher, Diamond Resorts, PGA of America, CoSIDA and others. His thought leadership led to a feature story in Soar to Success magazine and also grabbed the attention of PR News, Sports PR Summit, and Forbes, who have identified him as an influential speaker, featured industry panelist, council member and content contributor in the areas of media and public relations, public speaking and strategic communications.
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Orion Griffiths. You know the street performers who catch your attention when you’re hanging-out in touristy areas? They entertain and delight you. At the end, you find yourself compelled to drop money in their jar. Street performing is one of Orion’s paid artistic endeavors, where he can bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. He’s that good!
Orion Griffiths is a professional acrobat and an inspiring actor. He grew up traveling in a Mercedes 508 truck with seven siblings, which was nothing short of amazing.
After immigrating to the United States, the traveling life did not stop, the only difference was a much larger RV. He and his family toured throughout the U.S. for several years performing for the Shriners Hospitals. Eventually landing in San Francisco, Orion and his family decided to settle down, but Orion’s childhood dream of acting didn’t stop. He then carried on to New York and performed on the Broadway musical Pippin, produced, and directed one of his own shows in San Francisco, Into the Mouth of the Wolf and then eventually ended up in Los Angeles to pursue acting.
The life of a street performer, there you have it.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Alex Batdorf. Alex was a co-founder and CMO of a multi-million dollar backed e-commerce company. Five years into that business, Alex found herself “in the company” instead of being “on top of it”. She realized that her purpose and pursuit of profit were imbalanced because she forgot what she was pursuing the profit for. Ultimately, listening to her body and soul, Alex resigned to pursue a new adventure.
Alex is a 3X entrepreneur and the Founder & CEO of Get Sh!t Done, the Collaborative supporting womxn entrepreneurs in scaling generational impact. Their motto is F*ck 4% — a declaration that womxn founded companies will no longer settle for 4% of total business revenues. Get Sh!t Done supports womxn founders in giving 4% the middle finger through a highly curated community and platform activating access to the right resources, connections, and collaboration at each stage of their scaling journey.
Prior to founding Get Sh!t Done, she was co-founder & CMO of ZipFit Denim, a multi-million dollar venture-backed eCommerce company that was acquired in 2019. She's been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and has spoken around the nation at Harvard, Turner Broadcasting, and other locations.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Juan Thomas. Juan grew up in suburban Chicago and as an African American, he saw a different level of privilege when hanging-out with white kids and felt out of place in both worlds. When he attended Morehouse college, he did a deep dive on African American theological giants, inspiring him to become a servant leader. Juan also wanted to be the first black president. Although that’s been taken, he’s still committed to political aspirations and is focused on bridging the money differences he sees between black and white communities.
Juan is Of Counsel to Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., and is the founder and principal of The Thomas Law Group. Mr. Thomas' practice includes the following specialties: real estate/estate planning, labor and employment, and family law. In addition, Mr. Thomas provides counseling and training to firm clients in areas involving personnel, collective bargaining, and business development matters.
The National Black Lawyers: Top 100 includes Mr. Thomas on its list of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, an honor given to only a select group of lawyers for their superior skills and qualifications in the field. Membership in this exclusive organization is by invitation only and is limited to the top 100 attorneys in each state or region who have demonstrated excellence and have achieved outstanding results in their careers. Mr. Thomas’ selection was based upon his performance as an exceptional lawyer in the practice area of matrimonial and family law in the state of Illinois.
Because of Mr. Thomas’ dedication to developing lawyers for bar leadership and community service, he was selected to serve on the Executive Council of the National Conference of Bar Presidents, a national association of lawyers-leaders whose mission is to provide high-quality programming and leadership development training for members of the legal community. Mr. Thomas also serves as the Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association’s Civil Rights & Social Justice Section, and the General Counsel for the Morehouse College National Alumni Association.
This past December, Mr. Thomas was elected by the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) to be an At-Large Delegate in the ABA House of Delegates becoming only the second African-American to represent the ISBA in its 144 history in the ABA House of Delegates. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Bar Foundation and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Constitution Society (Chicago Chapter).
Mr. Thomas served as the 75th President of the National Bar Association (NBA) from 2017-18. During his term as President, the NBA co-founded the National Commission for Voter Justice to address voter suppression across the country while advancing electoral reform and civic engagement. Under his Law & Technology Initiative, Mr. Thomas was the first NBA President to lead the Association to Silicon Valley to promote more diversity and inclusion in the technology industry. Also, under Mr. Thomas’ leadership the NBA established its first LGBTQ Lawyers Division to further advance an inclusive environment for all members of the Association regardless of their sexual orientation or identity.
From 2013-19, Mr. Thomas served on the Board of Directors of Mutual Ground Inc., an organization committed to providing services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and their families. He is the Past Chair of the State Conference of Illinois NAACP Legal Redress Committee and the past General Counsel for 100 Black Men of Chicago, Inc. Currently, he is on the Board of Directors of the Leadership Greater Chicago Fellows Association, 100 Black Men of Chicago, Inc., and the A + Foundation for the West Aurora School District # 129.
Mr. Thomas’ passion is community and public service. While in law school, he successfully ran for the West Aurora School Board, commuting 120 miles each way every weekend during the c...
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Finka Jerkovic. We all know it's hard to change our money habits and bad money behaviors. Finka has figured out some key techniques that have reliably allowed her to change course and to value money as a resource for fueling her and her family’s values and dreams. Finka shares these techniques with us so we all have an opportunity to learn and apply them to our own lives. Finka is an author, international speaker, workshop leader and coach. As President of FINKA Communications Inc., she consults with clients in areas of personal branding, leadership, sales, client experience and employee engagement. She brings over two decades of experience in corporate Canada in the financial services industry, with an expertise in sales, leadership, communication, and coaching. Her book “Sell From Love: Love Yourself, Love your Client, Love your Offer” released November 2020, hit Amazon’s #1 Best Seller List and was listed as a Hot New Release. Finka helps her clients discover their “Brilliant Difference”, so that they get 100% clear on their unique talents, skills, and expertise so that they can use their personal strengths to grow their business. Finka is the Program Director and Master Coach for How to Fascinate® and the creator of the Certified Fascinate® Advisor program. She has personally trained and coached nearly 10,000 people using the Fascination system and tools. She lives in Canada with her husband and daughter on their 85-acre nature oasis, where you’ll find them living a farm-to-table lifestyle, brewing up essential oil blends from their lavender field, riding horses and beekeeping. Finka believes when you bring authentic leadership and a mission-based mindset to business, you can achieve inner fulfillment, outer success and leave a transformational impact.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dave Goetsch. Dave is a Hollywood comedy writer with a passion for helping people engage with their personal finances. You’ve likely enjoyed his work if you’ve watched “United States of Al” and “The Big Bang Theory.” Dave knows it's empathy that connects people to the characters he brings to life on the screen. Understanding that money conversations can be hard, Dave shares that we need to employ that same empathy when talking about money so we can build connection and understanding.
Dave is the co-creator and executive producer of "United States of Al" which is on CBS Thursdays at 8:30. He was a writer on all 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory where he received 4 Emmy nominations. He began his career at 3rd Rock from the Sun. He teaches "Linked Narrative Storytelling for the Web" at USC's School of Cinematic Arts, holds US Patent number 6998984, and once tried to start a pharmaceutical chocolate company.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Bhaj Townsend, a woman who has grace by her side and as her compass. Bhaj has done it all! She nearly became a professional tennis player. She next became a successful restaurant entrepreneur. During a break, she became a longshorewoman. Bhaj then got into commercial real estate and was next offered the opportunity to tour the world as a jazz guitarist. She later moved into financial planning and helping families with money. This might all sound exciting and perfect, but as you’ll hear Bhaj faced many challenges — some were quite dark. She attributes grace leading her through all aspects of her journey, the good times and the bad.
With families and their businesses, there can be great conflict, conflict that when unresolved, can lead to bitter breakups and permanent loss of trust. This does not have to be although, without proper tools, it is difficult to know what to do.
With her 20 years helping families shift from tension to cohesion, Bhaj has brought her wealth of experience and abilities to families across the U.S., resolving conflicts and building new platforms of family systems to keep these families strong across generations.
Bhaj studied with the renowned family wealth transition consultant Roy Williams. She received the elite Fellowship Certification from the Heritage Institute. She has authored two books, Build a Lasting Legacy, and Transferring Wisdom with Wealth. She is a presenter on 5 compelling topics from family dynamics to financial behavior insights to family stories and games and more, all focused on successful family cohesion. She is a certified mediator, using a facilitative approach to mediation. She is President of the Northwest Family Business Advisors a non-profit organization dedicated to serving family businesses with the challenges and issues they face. She is President of Focus and Sustain, a company which consults with family businesses throughout the country. These attributes and concentrations, along with her mindfulness and respect for her clients’ well-being, provide a rare perspective to families looking for guidance as they transition leadership from one generation to another. She likes to say that she “… helps prepare family members for the receipt of wealth so it unites families rather than divides them.”
Bhaj is a member of a family who experienced the effects of a third-generation breakdown to the family business. Due to the tensions and consequences that resulted from the turmoil of the tense differences of opinions, Bhaj dedicated her professional life to understanding and guiding families how to stay connected when money, a family business and family, are at risk of being torn apart.
Bhaj lives in Kirkland, Washington and has a passion for playing acoustic guitar and tennis.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Janet Gregory. Janet is a successful Silicon Valley tech maven and the breadwinner of her family. She was an early employee at a start-up in the late 90s and wasn’t sure if the business plan would take off. Much to her delight—it did—the company IPO’d and the stock price went through the roof … and then the dot-com bubble burst followed. As the stock went from its highest highs to its lowest lows, Janet and her husband watched their funds dwindle. Their nest egg was now, jokingly, only enough to buy a latte at Starbucks. This expensive lesson made Janet and her husband realize that they needed a trusted financial advisor to help them make better decisions and get out of the “buy and ignore” mindset they were in.
Today, Janet is mostly out of the paid work world, but still does some select workshop facilitation, speaking engagements and consulting. She ran the sales practice for KickStart Alliance for more than 15 years, providing strategy in business development and sales planning for clients expanding existing markets or entering new ones.
Janet has over 25 years of corporate experience in Silicon Valley, including two successful start-ups.
ShoreTel (now Mitel) where Janet was part of a turnaround executive team that helped the company achieve profitability, rise from anonymity to top 10 market share. As Vice President of Sales, Janet positioned ShoreTel for a successful IPO (Initial Public Offering) and rise to #3 in the US market. Latitude Communication (now Cisco Systems), Janet was part of the founding executive team. As Vice President of Sales, Janet took Latitude Communications from zero revenue to profitability and a successful IPO. Octel Communications (now Alcatel / Lucent), Janet held multiple management roles in business development, sales, marketing and customer service. ROLM/IBM (now Siemens), Janet held multiple positions in sales and product marketing, rising from individual contributor to manager, and attending IBM management training.
Janet is co-founder and principal of Kickstart Alliance (www.kickstartall.com/), a consulting firm dedicated to connecting clients with customers.
Author: “Built for Global: Navigating International Business and Entering New Markets” (2017), “Hanna’s Story: Perseverance and Love Escaping Nazi Germany and Homesteading Wyoming” (2018), “Eat Happily” (2018), and “Age of Freedom: Women at the Crossroads of Career and Change” (2021).
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is John Foley. John is a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels. Being up in the sky, flying 18 inches apart from the next plane at 500 miles per hour requires intense communication and a deep understanding of what your role is. Also critical to this level of success is having trust in your team, and a commitment to continuous learning. As you’ll hear, this is how John approaches all aspects of his life, including his personal finances.
John is a former Sloan Fellow at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, leadership expert, speaker and Gratitude Guru. As a thought leader on high performance, John created the “Glad To Be Here” Mindset Methodology and the Diamond Performance Framework.
As a Blue Angel, John consistently performed in an extreme, high-stakes environment, flying an F-18 at speeds of more than 500 miles per hour and in formations as close as 18 inches apart. To survive in those circumstances, he relied on a culture of high trust and leadership that turned inherently unforgiving flight into extraordinary experiences. His presentations inspire individuals, teams and organizations around the world to reach their highest potential while sustaining excellence under dynamic change.
For decades, John has shared his exciting, rare journey with audiences around the world, becoming one of the most in-demand leadership and performance experts. John has spoken on 5 continents, 20 countries and over 1000 events working with some of the world’s top organizations such as; Google, Intel, Cisco, Microsoft, HP, Mercedes Benz, BMW, IBM, Hitachi, Chevron, BP, Marriott, Hilton, Penske Racing, Alabama Football, LA Kings, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Edward Jones, Fidelity, Mass Mutual, MetLife, Bank of America, Deloitte, IBM, Hershey, P&G, Philips, Etihad, America Hospital Association, Blue Cross and the Mayo Clinic. He has also been a featured speaker at NBA, MLB, MLS, NCAA, TedX, VC and CEO summits, Titan Summit, USNA Leadership Conference, Stanford Business School, University of Zurich, and Global Sports Summits.
John keynote presentations, workshops and online curriculum support Individuals, Teams, Organizations with lessons in:
High Performance, Leadership, Teamwork Trust, Beliefs, Accountability, Culture Glad To Be Here Mindset, Gratitude
John graduated from the US Naval Academy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and was a defensive back for the Midshipmen. He was chosen as “Top Ten Carrier Pilot” six times before becoming an F/A-18 Instructor Pilot.
He holds three master’s degrees: MA in National Security & Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, Stanford Master of Science in Management, as a Sloan fellow from Stanford Graduate School of Business and MA in International Policy Studies from Stanford University. John was also a Fellow at Stanford Center on International Conflict and Negotiation and was awarded an honorary PhD from UNAM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
As the founder of the Glad To Be Here Foundation, he and his wife Carol have donated over 1.9 million dollars to over 347 charities worldwide and sponsor children in 47 countries.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tania Vasallo. Growing up in a society where men were in charge of money and everything else, this dynamic woman flipped those rules on their head. Tania grew up in Spain and it wasn’t until she spent a year studying in the US at age 15 that she had her first taste of true freedom. For Tania, this was the freedom to take ownership of herself and her decisions, which is one of her core values. This craving for freedom has driven Tania to take charge of her own destiny ever since.
Tania is the founder of “The Courage To Be Happy”, a community that empowers ambitious women entrepreneurs to own their value, charge for what they are worth so that they can have a bigger impact in the world. Tania has worked developing multimillion dollar campaigns for some of the world’s most renowned companies like Starbucks, AT&T Wireless, KFC, Samsung, and Nabisco, to name a few. Since the launch of her business, she was able to reach the 6-figure revenue by her fourth year only working 20 hours per week. Tania now helps other driven women make more money and achieve their vision. Make sure to join the waiting list for her signature 3 Day online event: Increase Your Income and Impact.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rabbi Steve Leder. Rabbi Steve has had a remarkable career impacting the lives of many and he’s not done. In addition to being the Senior Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, he’s also known as being a modern, wise man who, as you’ll hear in this episode is warm, kind, funny, deep and nonjudgmental. All of this from a man who at age 14 was arrested for stealing Bob Dylan albums at Target. Luckily for all of us who have been blessed to be impacted by Rabbi Steve’s teachings, he found his way when his parents sent him to a Jewish summer camp to help him right his course.
Rabbi Steve is also the author of critically acclaimed books such as “The Beauty of What Remains”, “The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things” and “More Money Than God: Living a Rich Life without Losing Your Soul.” He is a graduate of Northwestern University; studied at Trinity College Oxford; and was ordained at Hebrew Union College. The winner of numerous awards for his interdenominational and cross-cultural dialogue, Leder has been a guest on CBS, ABC, NPR, PBS and FOX, and has been featured in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, among other places. He lives with his family in Los Angeles.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann. Rebecca has been leading a fast-paced, globetrotting life as a CEO of multinational businesses. She is publishing her first book titled the “Fit CEO” in September 2021. The book covers how to be the leader of your life: physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Like most things in life, you can apply these principals to your personal financial health, which Rebecca talks about with us today.Rebecca has broad leadership experience in sales and marketing, risk management and international business operations. Rebecca draws on deep expertise in the financial services industry and has a demonstrated track record of leading highly successful business turnarounds, scaling new businesses, and expanding operations globally. She also brings a strong background in governance through her corporate and non-profit board experiences.In 2020, Rebecca started RMK Group, LLC to advise CEOs of start-ups in all phases of growth after spending more than 11 years at Citigroup serving in a range of CEO, Presidentand General Manager roles. In her last role, as Head of Citigroup’s International Personal Bank, Rebecca managed a full P&L line of business serving the offshore wealth needs of multi-national clients in more than 100 countries. From operations to sales and marketing, Rebecca was able to transform the business to avoid closure. She remediated issues, simplified operations, and digitized the customer experience — growing the business exponentially and leaving it strong and financially secure.Previously, Rebecca served as President and CEO of Banamex USA, a subsidiary of Citigroup, Inc. and affiliate of Banco Nacional de México, the second-largest bank in Mexico. Rebecca was able to turn the business around by remediating a Consent Order while simultaneously meeting the cross-border needs of Mexican businesses and high-net-worth individuals. Rebecca then became chairman of the board and implemented a CEO succession plan. Prior to that, Rebecca held full P&L responsibility as President of Citibank California covering 400 retail stores in California and Nevada, contributing to more than 40% of Citibank’s revenue in the United States.Before Citi, Rebecca spent 13 years at Wells Fargo, lastly as the Head of Small Business Segment running a multibillion-dollar P&L division serving the lending and cash management needs of more than 2 million customers. She grew the business from $300 million to $8 billion in lending and from $30 billion to $70 billion in cash management. She also held positions with Wells Fargo Insurance Services, Providian Financial, and Retail Solutions Management Consultants in London.Rebecca has more than 25 years of experience on non-profit boards. She has served on executive, audit, finance, marketing, risk, and nomination and governance committees. She is currently on the Board of Governors of the San Francisco Symphony (audit and executive committees) and on the Senior Jewish Living Group Board. She has previously served on the boards of Congregation Emanu-El and CalChamber and is the former President of Jewish Vocational Services (JVS).Rebecca is a frequently sought-after speaker on leadership and business transformation, culture change, and building high-performing teams. She has presented to business schools and organizations nationally. She has also been recognized for her leadership and accomplishments, including being named an Influential Woman in the Bay Area Business by the San Francisco Business Times for 12 years and a Forever Influential Woman in 2014. She was named the 2010 Financial Woman of the Year by the Financial Women’s Association of San Francisco, awarded with the 2007 Women Leading Change Award by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and honored with the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.Rebecca holds a BA in Semiotics from Brown University and was a post-graduate Fulbright Scholar at the University of H...
In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Naseema McElroy. Naseema found herself nearly a million dollars in debt, working as a nurse. She knew she couldn’t out-earn her financial ignorance. In less than three years, Naseema became financially smart and debt-free. She is now focused on making her finances work for her so that she can spend time on the things most important to her — raising and sharing amazing learning opportunities with her two daughters, without diverting progress toward her financial goals.
Naseema is a published author and the founder of Financially Intentional, a platform about personal finance and living life intentionally. She discusses how taking control of her finances has enabled her to overcome bankruptcy, divorce, and break the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. She shares her lessons along her path to help others benefit from the freedoms of financial independence.
Outside of encouraging people to get their financial act together, Naseema is a mother and Labor and Delivery Nurse. Though making six figures for years, she struggled with money. By shifting her mindset around money, being consistent and intentional, she has paid off $1 million in debt and grew a six-figure net worth in three years without living in deprivation.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Janine Quijije. Janine became a single mom at a young age in a community of immigrants, going through the motions and not striving for more. All that changed when Janine looked down at her five year-old daughter’s face and realized she needed to create something different for her daughter. Janine got curious and set out to create her own career path, dodging obstacles of judgement along the way.
Janine is the Chief Advancement Officer for Communities In Schools®(CIS™), the national organization that ensures every student, regardless of race, zip code or socioeconomic background has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. In her role, she oversees the fundraising, marketing and communications, and new business development functions for the organization. Janine has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit development and executive leadership and has a successful track record of designing and implementing fundraising and engagement strategies across campaigns and revenue streams.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Randy Horn, a self-described grinding entrepreneur. Randy created a board game company out of business school that generated millions of dollars of revenue. Unfortunately, he lost that business after a multi-year trademark infringement lawsuit. Randy invested his heart and soul into this business and suffered a great personal and financial loss as a result. While he felt the bottom of the abyss, Randy picked himself up and saw that his entrepreneurial flame was not extinguished.
Randy is co-founder of his second start-up venture, The Whole Bean, LLC. The Whole Bean owns a line of proprietary equipment to manufacture dry chickpeas into one-of-a-kind, fully cooked, 100% pure chickpea flour. This chickpea flour has a unique roasted taste and functionality which allows it to be utilized in a much more versatile range of food products.
This mission-based business was started by Randy and his wife Tracy out of their commitment to expanding the consumption of chickpeas, a true superfood, by creating delicious, nutritious, plant-based, allergen-free and planet-friendly snacks. Using their proprietary chickpea flour as the “secret sauce”, the Whole Bean has developed a line of chickpea-based snack products branded “Finally!”. Their tag line is “Eat With Reckless Abandon”, which is the great stress free feeling you can have when snacking on something really tasty that also has so many redeeming qualities. The first product launch is a line of shelf-stable chickpea butters in three flavors.
Randy also founded Zobmondo!! Entertainment in 1997, a highly successful board and card game company. The business expanded into licensing the brand in television, restaurant/food service, mobile phone entertainment, books and toys. Zobmondo’s history includes net profit margins unheard of in the toy and game industry.
Randy is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. He also earned his Masters in Business Administration from UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management. He is a father to three children, two who have life-threatening nut allergies and are the inspiration behind the Finally! brand.
Randy considers himself a good entrepreneur with lots still to prove.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jenny Kassan. Jenny grew up with messages of rich people being evil, which created a chip on her shoulder about wealth. As Jenny created goals for her future, making money wasn’t on the list. But then she shifted her focus and as her career evolved, she interacted more and more with wealthy people. This allowed Jenny to realize that wealth doesn’t reflect a person’s heart, what they’re doing with the money reflects who they really are.
Jenny has over 25 years of experience as an attorney and advisor for mission-driven enterprises. She has helped her clients raise millions of dollars from values-aligned investors and raised over $1.5 million for her own businesses.
She is the author of “Raise Capital on Your Own Terms: How to Fund Your Business without Selling Your Soul” (Berrett-Koehler, October 2017).
Jenny earned her J.D. from Yale Law School and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley.
She served on the Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies. She submitted the petition to the SEC that led to the passage of the 2012 JOBS Act and was present at the White House signing ceremony.
Jenny is also a fellow at Democracy Collaborative and the co-founder of the Force for Good Fund and Opportunity Main Street, an Opportunity Zone investment fund.
Jenny is the President of Community Ventures, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the economic and social development of communities. She also co-founded the Sustainable Economies Law Center, a nonprofit that provides legal information to support sustainable economies.
Jenny is on the board of directors for CfPA (Crowdfunding Professional Association) and formerly served as a director of Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Steve Watts. Steve was a self-proclaimed workaholic until his early 40s when he experienced a religious awakening inspired by former pro football player, Rosey Grier, which led Steve to find Christ and redefine the purpose of his life. Steve no longer worked to earn money to spend on himself and began to tithe, learning that there’s much to receive from giving.
Steve has been a full-time real estate agent for over 35 years and has a passion for creative negotiations to get the most for his clients and to make every transaction a win-win for all involved. He is an incredible and thoughtful communicator and his clients know that Steve is there for them every step of the way. Steve is a proud husband and father who thinks money conversations should occur all the time, not just when buying your first home.
Steve works with his wife, Ceci. They are among the top 1% of agents nationwide and have been named Top Team at Sotheby’s International Realty for years.
Steve and Ceci also know there is more to life than just real estate. For several years, they have organized and sponsored the popular “Santa comes to Malaga Cove Plaza” and “Annual Pumpkin Run” events – bringing warmth, smiles and good cheer to parents and children. Despite their busy schedules, Steve and Ceci make time to be committed parents to their two daughters.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kathleen Burns Kingsbury. Kathleen has always been financially savvy, thanks in part to her parents talking to her about money all the time. And then, she and her husband were conned by the contractor next door. This rocked Kathleen’s world because she thought she should know better. Rather than letting this situation get her down, Kathleen’s voice for money conversations strengthened and amplified.
Kathleen is a wealth psychology expert, founder of KBK Wealth Connection and host of the Breaking Money Silence® podcast. She is an internationally published author and speaker. “Breaking Money Silence®: How to Shatter Money Taboos, Talk More Openly about Finances, and Live a Richer Life” is Kathleen’s fifth book.
Named one of nine amazing conference speakers in 2017 by InvestmentNews, Kathleen is a sought-after keynote speaker, consultant, and coach on the topic of women and wealth and couples and money. Her mission is to empower women, couples, and families (and the advisors who serve them) to shatter money taboos and communicate more effectively about financial matters.
As an expert on financial psychology, Kathleen has appeared on television and written for consumer and trade publications. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, PBS News Hour, Money Magazine, TODAY Money, Forbes, and CNBC. Kathleen serves as an adjunct faculty member of finance at Bentley University and Champlain College.
When she is not working, Kathleen is an avid alpine skier who lives for the next powder day. In the off-season, she enjoys mountain biking, kayaking, and laughing with her friends. She lives with her husband and her cat Avery, in the Mad River Valley of Vermont.
For more information, visit breakingmoneysilence.com
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Janine Firpo. On her way to getting her Ph.D. in marine biology, Janine realized how capped her earnings potential would be. Pivoting into computer science, she earned enough to fund her true passion of helping others rise up. Janine was a part of the wave in the role technology could play in helping solve poverty. Once a sufferer of bag lady syndrome, she now has a secure understanding of the role money plays in her life.
Janine is a seasoned values-aligned investor and social innovator, with a long history of working at the intersection of women and their money. From the early years of Apple Computer to senior positions with Hewlett-Packard, the World Bank, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Janine has always found herself making an impact. In 2017, she left a successful 35-year career in technology and international development to focus on how women can create a more just and equitable society through their financial investments. Her book, “Activate Your Money: Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better World”, was a collaborative effort with almost 150 women.
Janine walks her talk. She is taking action to move all her own assets into investments she feels good about and is watching them grow with market-rate returns. She is also a lead investor in Next Wave Impact, an impact fund designed to help more women become angel investors. And, she chairs the board of Zebras Unite, an organization that is developing the capital structures, community, and culture that non-unicorn start-up businesses need to thrive.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Cicley Gay. Cicley broke one of the biggest stereotypes. She is African American and was a single mom at age 16. While the system tried to categorize her as having capped potential, Cicley was smart, observant and curious. One teacher and one paper flyer changed the trajectory of her life forever. Today, Cicley is the single mom to three accomplished sons, and she is a successful entrepreneur. Money tales are woven throughout her life’s journey.
Cicley is the founder and CEO of the social enterprise, The Amplifiers. Standing at the intersection of cause and communications, she leads communications strategies for philanthropists and nonprofits committed to social justice.
Devoted to impacting the lives of the underserved, she spent nearly a decade at the Women’s Sports Foundation as the founding director of GoGirlGo! and later as the National Director of Education and Alliances. There, Cicley lead a philanthropic effort to increase physical activity participation for young women throughout the nation.
Cicley was also the National Program Director of the National CARES Mentoring Movement under the direct leadership of Susan L. Taylor, editor-in-chief emeritus of Essence magazine. In that role, Cicley built the grant allocations process and programmatic infrastructure of a multi-million dollar national mentoring initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
She is a two-time graduate of AmeriCorps, a civil service effort of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Cicley was also the founding director of STAND (Students Take Action for New Directions), educating students on the impact of federal budget priorities on local communities.
Cicley holds degrees in political science and communications and is a former recipient of the Catalyst Award from the Global Center for Social Change through Women’s Leadership, a member of the inaugural class of WEI, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative, was recognized as one of Georgia's 40 Under 40 in 2017 and as a recipient of the SPANX Red Backpack Fund grant in 2020. Her greatest accomplishment to-date is winning “Mom of the Year” as a stage, football and lacrosse mom to three sons.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kelly Rodriques. Some tech entrepreneurs are fortunate enough to strike gold once. Kelly has had the good fortune to strike it multiple times. As he maneuvered from being the CEO of one successful company to the next, it became apparent to Kelly that there’s a lot of wealth at the top of startup companies, and plenty of room to share it more broadly across the rank and file employees. Kelly now spends time thinking about how to let other people financially share in what he’s doing.Kelly is currently the CEO of Forge, a company that is catalyzing economic innovation by providing equal access to private market capital products and services. Kelly is proud of what Forge is doing in terms of getting more liquidity in the hands of employees when they need it, rather than forcing them to abide by the company’s timetable of going public or being bought out. Kelly has more than 26 years of fintech experience and has been an investor in more than 25 venture-backed firms. He was a founding investor of mFoundry, the leading provider of mobile banking, which was acquired by Fidelity Information Systems in 2013. Most recently, Kelly served as CEO of PENSCO, one of the nation’s leading alternative asset custodians, which was sold to Opus Bank in 2017. Prior, he was an Operating Partner of Ignition Capital and CEO and Chairman of Totality, acquired by Verizon in 2006. Kelly has also been Managing Partner of Operative Capital, a Fintech venture firm based in San Francisco.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Johanna Pfaelzer. Johanna has walked the creative path from actor to producer and now is an artistic director. Those steps gave her control over the future she wanted while still being able to influence theatrical arts in a powerful way. Under Johanna’s leadership, many notable works have been developed, including the 2016 Tony Award winner “Hamilton” by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Like many creative people, Johanna waitressed tables early on to pay her bills and fund her projects. Money has continued to be a leading actor throughout her career as she helps support her family and the different theater companies she’s been a part of.
Today, Johanna is honored to serve as Berkeley Repertory Theater's fourth artistic director. She recently spent 12 years as the artistic director of New York Stage and Film (NYSAF), a New York City-based organization dedicated to the development of new works for theatre, film, and television. NYSAF is known for providing a rigorous and nurturing environment for writers, directors, and other artists to realize work that has gone on to production at the highest levels of the profession. Other notable works that were developed under Johanna’s leadership include “The Humans” by Stephen Karam, “The Wolves” by Sarah DeLappe, “Junk and The Invisible Hand” by Ayad Akhtar, “A 24-Decade History of Popular Music” by Taylor Mac, “Hadestown” by Anaïs Mitchell, “The Homecoming Queen” by Ngozi Anyanwu, “The Great Leap” by Lauren Yee, John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer- and Tony-Award-winning “Doubt”, “The Fortress of Solitude” by Michael Friedman and Itamar Moses, “The Jacksonian” by Beth Henley, and Green Day’s “American Idiot.”
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kimberly Inskeep. Kimberly describes entrepreneurs as being hungrier, having an independent spirit and a driving desire to create their own destiny. She’s one to know because Kimberly started her first business when she was eight years old. Having these entrepreneurial instincts doesn’t guarantee success. Kimberly talks about how everything costs something and being successful in her career involved continually evaluating tradeoffs with her family and herself. Kimberly Inskeep is the CEO of cabi, the largest women's apparel company which sells solely through Independent Stylists. Believing there could be a better way for women to both shop and work, Kimberly was instrumental in the testing, development and initial launch of the innovative cabi Fashion Experience in 2002. Prior to the genesis of cabi, Kimberly spent several years working in finance at Norwest Corporation (now Wells Fargo & Company) and international management consulting with BlessingWhite, Inc. She and her husband live in California and have one daughter.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Steve Legler. From birth, Steve was the anointed successor to the family business his father created. It wasn’t his dream to take over the business, but Steve knew it was his duty to take on these responsibilities. After getting his MBA, he was told the business was to be sold and there was not going to be anything for him to run. Steve was relieved!
Steve is a Family Legacy Advisor based in Montreal, Canada. After the unexpected sale of the family business in his 20’s, he ended up managing their family office instead. He also married into a business family, where he has witnessed a number of other complex issues.
In 2013, Steve stumbled upon the Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) program in Canada, which turned into a career-changing calling for him. Since then, he has been working with other business families as they face the challenges surrounding their intergenerational transitions.
Steve works with family clients as a facilitator and sometimes as a mediator. He also does individual coaching with family members. Steve recognizes how complex the world of family wealth transitions can be and prides himself on knowing how to be a great resource for his clients.
Steve is the author of “SHIFT your Family Business” (2014) and “Interdependent Wealth: How Family Systems Theory Illuminates Successful Intergenerational Wealth Transitions” (2019.) He is active in many associations for professionals who work with families, including the FEA Council of the Family Enterprise eXchange, the Wisdom Expedition of the Purposeful Planning Institute, and the faculty of the Family Firm Institute global education network program.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Courtney Kingston. When we hear stories of other people’s success, their journeys often seem straightforward and obvious. Courtney shares her experience that it’s not until you have a chance to look backwards at your life that you see how all the dots connect. Courtney’s family has many roots in Chile, on their farm outside of Santiago. This multi-cultural background influences much of who Courtney is, including her role as a leader of the family vineyard.
Courtney is a co-founder of Kingston Family Vineyards in Casablanca Valley, Chile, along with her father Michael and brother Tim. A graduate of Princeton University, she started her career as a consultant for Deloitte’s wine industry practice. There she began learning the ins and outs of the California wine business. Later, as an MBA student at Stanford, she wrote the vineyard’s original business plan using the Chilean cattle ranch her family had owned and operated since 1906. After many discussions about the feasibility of converting the family farm into a vineyard, Kingston Family Vineyards became a reality in 1998.
Stanford has written two case studies on Kingston Family Vineyards, highlighting the family's purpose-driven, growth oriented business spanning 100 years including a recent move into hospitality and tourism. Courtney and her husband Andy have three daughters, and share their time between Portola Valley, California and Chile’s Casablanca Valley.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Laura Munson. Early in life, Laura decided to leave the safety and riches of the debutant society she grew up in for the wilderness of Montana to hone her skills as a novelist. Initially, Laura had a lot of freedom to write, then her marriage took a turn and forced her to monetize her passion for writing so she could pay her bills. Through these efforts, Laura has created a community of inspired writers who join her in Montana or virtually to explore their human experience through the written word. Laura is the international bestselling author of the novel “Willa’s Grove” and the memoir “This Is Not The Story You Think It Is.” She has been published in nine countries and featured in Vanity Fair, Elle, Redbook, Time, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Publisher’s Weekly, The New York Times’ “Modern Love” column, The New York Times Magazine’s “Lives” column, O magazine and many others. Laura is the founder of the acclaimed Haven Writing Retreats, speaks at women’s conferences and literary events, and has appeared on “Good Morning America,” “The Early Show,” “NPR” and other media outlets across the globe. Learn more about Laura at lauramunson.com/bio.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jonny Moseley, an Olympic gold medalist freestyle skier who brought his signature moves to the sport. When we think about Olympians, our focus is usually on the sport. There’s a whole money story behind it, and Jonny shares how he learned to hustle to pull funds together to support himself. Jonny has leveraged these important relationship and business skills in his ongoing career as a television presenter, fellow podcaster and entrepreneur.Jonny is an Olympic and World Cup champion in mogul skiing and rated by Ski Magazine as one of the top ten most influential skiers of all time. At the Olympics in 1998, Jonny incorporated a snowboard-style grab into his 360° spin and earned a gold medal. His performance helped ignite a re-birth of the ski industry known as Freeskiing. He then challenged the US Ski Team to allow him to compete in professional events and became the first skier to medal in both the X Games and the Olympics. In 2002 Jonny lobbied the International Skiing Federation (FIS) to allow him to perform a semi-inverted trick, the Dinner Roll, at the 2002 Olympics. Reluctantly, the FIS approved but the judges awarded him 4th place.After the Games, Jonny hosted Saturday Night Live and began a career in TV hosting and sports commentating. He devotes most of his time to product development and marketing for the entities he partners with including Squaw Valley, Toyota, Visit California, Warren Miller, K2, Peter Glenn and Tipsy Elves. http://www.mightyiota.comLearn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Our guest in this episode of Money Tales is Barbara Pierce. Among other things, Barbara is an avid lottery player. She and her husband have already achieved the financial success they need to make their dreams come true. So, the lottery playing isn’t about her — it’s about playing against the odds to help enrich others. Barbara’s strategy is to buy tickets in areas where the winnings would make a material positive difference to the vendor. And her plans for the jackpot are focused on funding a foundation that would help Barbara give away even more financial resources to the causes she cares most about. This activity is indicative of the purpose-driven person that Barbara is.
Barbara is the founder of Women with Capital, a pitch-free learning community for women with wealth, who are interested in making social change through investing and philanthropy. Through Women with Capital, she is dedicated to educating, supporting and inspiring women to invest in alignment with their values and vision.
As an angel investor focused on female-founded companies, Barbara is a member of Pipeline Angels, Portfolia and the Angel Capital Association. She is a proud member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), the Women Donors Network and SheEO, and she serves on the REDF Advisory Council.
Barbara is also the founder of Transformative Giving and has 25 years of expertise in major and planned giving, with a focus on facilitating partnerships between top philanthropists.
As a cum laude graduate of Wellesley College, Barbara received her M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin with an emphasis on human rights.
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In this episode of Money Tales, we speak with Arielle Nobile. Love is a common thread in the money stories Arielle shares with us. She talks about how money has been used in her family to express love – sometimes with strings attached and sometimes without restriction. Arielle also talks about how she and her husband, both of whom are artists dealing with money stigmas of that profession, have deeply explored their relationship with money in the context of their loving relationship with each other.Arielle is a documentary film maker, who is usually the one asking all the questions. She is the CEO of Legacy Connections , which was founded in 2005. Arielle’s company produces documentary films for High Net Worth families to reflect on their history, truths, shared values and vision for the future. Her clients tend to be interested in both their family history and the impact that it has on their lives and future generations. While most of the clients Arielle works with are connected to a family business, she has helped entrepreneurs, financial advisors, doctors, and more connect with the invaluable stories that make up the true legacy of a family beyond their financial wealth.Arielle received her BFA in Experimental Theatre from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She then studied in an MFA-style year-long directing program at Second City Theatre in Chicago. She taught improv and theatre at Second City and Piven Theatre to adults and children, which makes her uniquely skilled at helping all her subjects relax and be natural on camera. Arielle is the producer/director of the award-winning documentary series Belonging in the USA: Stories from our Neighbors. The first film in the trilogy, The Story of Michael D. McCarty was a 2019 official selection at the Pan African Film Festival, the largest Black film festival in the US. Check-out Arielle’s related Belonging in the USA podcast. Arielle was named to The Independent Magazine’s List of “10 Filmmakers to Watch” in 2018 for the Belonging in the USA documentary series. In 2012, she won a Hugo Television award for her 6-part public television series, Belonging in Boulder: Unexpected Stories from Your Neighbors.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Jim Marocco started his career doing temp jobs out of college and couch surfing. He eventually made his way to Google where he became the VP of Finance and Corporate Controller. Jim grew up talking about money with his family around the breakfast table. This instilled a financial confidence that enabled him to leverage the little breaks in life and catapult his career. He’s a reformed pessimist who now describes himself as a raging optimist. His wife was a big influence on his changed outlook. They have faced many challenges – including a potentially life shortening one – with a united front that has allowed them to beat the odds.
Jim started working at Google in 2003, responsible for a variety of key financial activities including accounting and controls, compliance, forecasting and analysis, financial and order management systems, strategic deal support and managing outsourced operations. When the Alphabet holding company structure was first created, Jim managed a global team responsible for all financial activities associated with Google’s “Other Bets” business segments, which included products such as Google Fiber and autonomous cars.
Prior to joining Google, Jim held various financial and management positions at technology companies including the parenting media start-up Dr. Spock Company, Lycos, internet start-up WhoWhere?, and NEC Technologies.
Jim has served on the Corporate Advisory Board for the Northern California chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation since 2011 in support of his wife, Larissa, who has cystic fibrosis and received a double lung transplant in 2018. He also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business. Jim graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. degree in Economics.
Currently, Jim is a stay-at-home dad of twin middle schoolers and actively volunteers within the local school district and as a youth sports coach. He is training his boys in the art of lawn mowing.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Elizabeth Lesser, one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, a collection of a 100 leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity. Elizabeth is a best-selling author and the cofounder of Omega Institute, the renowned conference and retreat center located in Rhinebeck, New York. Elizabeth’s most recent book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes, reveals how humanity has outgrown its origin tales and hero myths, and empowers women to trust their instincts, find their voice and tell new guiding stories. We appreciate how Elizabeth demonstrates many of the insights and practices she discusses in her book as she tells her important money stories on Money Tales.Elizabeth’s first book, The Seeker’s Guide, chronicles her years at Omega Institute and distills lessons learned into a potent guide for growth and healing. Her New York Times bestselling book, Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow, has sold almost 500,000 copies and has been translated into 20 languages. Her third book, Marrow: Love, Loss & What Matters Most, chronicles the journey Elizabeth and her younger sister went through when Elizabeth was the donor for her sister’s bone marrow transplant.Elizabeth cofounded Omega Institute in 1977 — a time when a variety of fresh ideas were sprouting in American culture. Since then, the institute has been at the forefront of holistic education, offering workshops and trainings in: integrative medicine, prevention, nutrition and the mind/body connection; meditation and yoga; cross-cultural arts and creativity; ecumenical spirituality; and social change movements like women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability. Elizabeth is also the cofounder of Omega’s Women’s Leadership Center, which grew out of the popular Women & Power conference series featuring women leaders, activists, authors and artists from around the world. Each year, close to 30,000 people participate in Omega’s programs on its campus in Rhinebeck, New York and at urban and travel sites, and more than a million people visit its website for online learning.A student of the Sufi master, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan for many years, Elizabeth has also studied with spiritual teachers, healers, psychologists and philosophers from other traditions. In 2008, she helped Oprah Winfrey produce a 10-week online seminar based on Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth. The webinar has been viewed by over 40 million people worldwide. She was a guest on the Oprah Show, a frequent host on Oprah’s Soul Series and appeared on a weekly radio show on Sirius/XM.In 2011, she gave a popular TED talk titled “Take ‘the Other’ to Lunch,” a call for civility and understanding as we negotiate our differences as human beings. She gave her second TED talk in 2016, “Say Your Truths and Seek Them in Others”, about the power of truth-telling.Elizabeth attended Barnard College, where she studied literature, and San Francisco State University, where she received a teaching degree. In 2011, she received an honorary doctorate from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, in Palo Alto, California. Early in her career, she was a midwife and birth educator. Today, besides writing and her work at Omega Institute, she lends her time to social and environmental causes and is an avid walker, cook, gardener, friend, mother, grandmother and homebody. She and her husband live in New York’s Hudson River Valley.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Frank Britt shares with us what it was like to grow up in a paycheck-to-paycheck home, where financial anxiety was an underlying theme. At a young age, Frank used his thirst for knowledge to redefine the path of his life and reimagined who he would become. Frank is a consummate investor in self-development and self-discovery. As you’ll hear in this episode, Frank is someone who brings his heart, his soul and his brain to important conversations, including those about money.
During the course of the Money Tales interview, Frank talks about the role personal finance played in his development and career path, and the lessons he learned as an executive, investor, parent and husband. In the end, his story highlights how people get molded and shaped by the choices they make, and how others are affected by those decisions. He can't say what is best for you, but instead why it's important to build yourself a story that includes being focused on helping others find the agency to create their own stories.
Frank is preoccupied with the issue of income inequality, notably in the nation's cities and hardest-hit communities. He believes the market for empowering people to more fully believe in themselves is nearly infinite, and helping individuals change their futures and redefine their personal story starts with creating career pathways where everyone has access and opportunity.
Frank’s unlikely narrative centers on his own path to self-empowerment, growing up in a diverse community outside of Manhattan, as he struggled to draw the connections between education, a successful career and a fulfilling life. Fast forward 25 years, after an impactful career across several leading companies, he heard a persistent voice that he couldn't ignore and ended up as the leader of an institution focused on helping to transform the lives of the often left-behind middle class adult workers in the US.
Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Penn Foster, the leading skills development training, credentials and employment matching enterprise for frontline workers. His social-purpose organization is focused on employment outcomes for middle class workforce through ed-tech enabled workforce solutions and today has more than 200,000 active adult learners and 100’s of partners, including employers, youth organizations and academic institutions.
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In this episode of Money Tales, Sandi and Cammie talk money with Tuti B. Scott. Tuti grew up in a large family on a farm in rural New Hampshire in the 1970s, where they lived off the land and created their own entertainment. Tuti became a competitive basketball player, which she says saved her life. Basketball provided Tuti an identity, exposure to the magic of teaming and rewards for hard work. Basketball got her into college and helped pay the tuition. After growing up working class and “jumping class,” today Tuti’s work inspires women to get in the game of money, influence, and power.
Founder of Changemaker Strategies, Tuti is a speaker, author, strategist and coach for leaders and teams. She is the producer of “Women & Money– Making Money Moves that Matter,” an event and community focused on turning knowledge into action in the social justice investing space. Tuti is a founding partner in The New Search Collaborative, a high touch comprehensive search firm offering matches of the highest caliber. Recently, Tuti served for 18 months as Interim CEO at Tides, a global foundation and social venture accelerator during the organization’s unprecedented growth to mobilize $1.3 billion in 2020.
A life-long athlete and point guard, Tuti engaged thousands of activist donors at the Women’s Sports Foundation, Billie Jean King’s charity, where her team raised $70 million over 15 years (1994-2008) to catalyze equal access to all sports for women and girls.
For 12 years, Tuti’s firm, Changemaker Strategies, has guided organizations in navigating growth and transitions such as Athlete Ally, Equal Rights Advocates, Farm Sanctuary, Jewish Women’s Funding Network, ReflectUS, Root Capital, Third Wave Fund, Women Moving Millions, among others.
After a 30-year career in women’s leadership, Title IX protections and strategic philanthropy consulting, Tuti is now focused on engaging people in bringing a social inclusion lens to philanthropy and investing, via workshops, speaking and writing. Publications include “Money, Gender and Power – A Guide to Funding with a Gender Lens” (2019) for Slingshot’s community and “Moving Money for Impact; A Guide to Investing with a Gender Lens” (2021). Board service has included Women Win Foundation, Women’s Funding Network, and Tides Network.
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Sometimes investing isn’t about the portfolio, it’s about relationships. In this episode of Money Tales, we speak with Michael Silverman who shares some very powerful insights learned through a painful pivotal moment when his sister died in a car accident. This situation changed everything for Michael and caused him to reevaluate his outlook and behaviors. As a result, Michael is now intentional about being open, honest, vulnerable and candid about everything, including relationships and money.
Michael Silverman is a Denver-based entrepreneur and investor. After growing up in Carmel, CA, Michael went to the University of Southern California where he explored his passion for philosophy and then went on to the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
After spending time as a venture partner with a firm in the consumer space and pursuing his own deals in the live events and technology industries, he founded Samantha Brands Group, a CPG focused investment platform in 2016 and has been operating and investing in brands and production companies since then. Michael is also an avid investor across software, e-commerce, real estate, and other verticals.
In 2020, he launched the podcast “What Didn’t Kill You? with Michael Silverman" to explore guests' personal and professional stories of challenges overcome, mistakes monetized, and the nature of post-traumatic growth and development in people as well as organizational systems. You can also find his blog on Instagram at @whatdidntkillyou or via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelesilverman/.
Michael lives in Denver with his wife Kate, and he loves reading, skiing, hiking, CrossFit and traveling.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Jamie Traeger-Muney. Jamie is someone who has been talking about money her whole life. It started with her parents, who continually emphasized the need and modeled the importance of discussing and learning about the value of money, how to use it and the importance of saving it. This developed Jamie’s fascination with money, which led her to become a wealth psychologist.
Jamie specializes in the emotional impact of wealth on inheritors, women and couples. She has revolutionized the conversation of wealth and worth by providing an opportunity to openly discuss the roles money plays in her clients’ lives, enabling them to be passionately engaged in the world and to lead a rich life.
She works with multi-generational families, helping them to concretize their values, develop a vision for their future and create sound governance structures. Jamie earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her doctorate in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.
Jamie’s personal experience as a second-generation owner of a family business and board member of her family foundation, combined with her theoretical and practical expertise in wealth psychology, has given her a unique sensitivity to issues surrounding the inter-generational family dynamics of affluence.
Jamie is an engaging speaker whose presentations are insightful and inspiring. She has been featured in major media outlets such as: WSJ, BBC, Bloomberg Business Week and Town & Country Magazine. Based on research done with 4th generation family enterprises, she co-authored, Social Impact in 100-Year Family Businesses: How Family Values Drive Sustainability through Philanthropy, Impact Investing, and CSR as well as part of Borrowed From Your Grandchildren. Jamie is currently researching Financially Diverse couples, a topic that while becoming increasingly common, has yet to be clinically studied.
Jamie has the distinction of being the first psychologist ever to be hired as an employee of a bank, to work with their clients. She worked as a Family Wealth Consultant for Wells Fargo’s Family Wealth Group (now Abbot Downing), a multi-family office platform that serves families with $50 million and above in investable assets.
Jamie has been married for over 25 years and has two children. She believes strongly in giving back to her community, and does so by offering pro bono expertise to nonprofit agencies and serving on several community boards.
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In this episode of Money Tales, we talk with Zabreen Khan, who is an inspirational, young powerhouse. Zabreen grew up in Lahore, Pakistan; and, while she always knew that she would move to the US, her move occurred sooner than expected to distance her from the political situation developing in Pakistan at that time.
Zabreen currently works at Lead Edge Capital, a venture capital and growth equity firm based in New York. She focuses on software and internet investments and hopes to fund more female founders. Prior to Lead Edge, Zabreen worked at Facebook, Andreessen Horowitz and Disney. Outside of her day job, Zabreen is the Co-Founder of HerCapital, a nonprofit and community organization with the mission to educate and empower women on personal finance and investing.
Zabreen studied Science, Technology & Society and Creative Writing at Stanford University. Zabreen graduated Phi Beta Kappa with Honors and Distinction and received the Robert McGinn Award as Valedictorian in her department. She has been a longtime proponent of female empowerment, starting in her hometown of Lahore where she worked to promote women’s education. Zabreen was a speaker for the 2015 TEDx Women’s movement and continues to be involved in female focused organizations.
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Joe Gagnon is the creator of the High-Performance Life, a philosophy and guide to learn techniques for mental toughness, creative problem solving, leadership and personal effectiveness. In our Money Tales conversation, Joe makes it abundantly clear how this goal-driven approach to life has fueled him to achieve success in all areas of his life: family, money, and physical and mental endurance, including successfully running six marathons across six continents over six consecutive days in 2017.
Joe grew up in the Bronx. His father was a social worker and they had to save every dime, literally. He went on to achieve career success as a young consulting partner at Ernst & Young and ultimately, decided that his life was missing purpose. That led Joe to create a series of personal, fitness and career goals that have taken him up and down the chutes and ladders of life ever since, always striving to better himself and those around him. One thing that has remained true for Joe across all of his endeavors is maintaining the discipline to always save money along the way.
Joe is a rare mix of entrepreneur, innovator and visionary executive with global experience, having worked with clients in more than 45 countries. As a turnaround CEO, he has taken over from the founder on three occasions, restructuring the businesses and putting them on a path to growth. Joe is a seasoned CXO executive, with over 20 years of operational experience focused on software-enabled businesses, transformation and technology innovation in tech, retail, education, hospitality and health and wellness.
As a firm believer in the parallel challenges of leading a company and pushing physical fitness limitations, Joe is also an accomplished endurance athlete. He has completed six Ironman Triathlons and over 75 marathon+ distance races. He recently published his book Living the High Performance Life.
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Ella Chase Hyland is a 6th generation inheritor, who can trace her roots back to the Mayflower. She also happens to be super competitive. Ella learned to ski at age two, started racing at age five and ultimately, became a nationally ranked downhill skier. Her dad was her coach, and unfortunately, experienced a debilitating skiing accident, where he became paralyzed from the neck down. This proved to be an important lesson for Ella about what money cannot buy and inspired her to live by the mantra, “Let’s go do some living before we do some dying.”
Ella is the co-founder of Wellth Works. And, as a multi-generational asset recipient from a hundred-plus-year family who has seen the burdens and blessing of complex, multi-generational preparation and transfer. Ella is a dynamic and innovative speaker, facilitator, and mentor. She is a recognized authority on the psychology of leadership, negotiations, and organizational turnaround. Wellth Works is a leading provider of coaching and consulting for emerging female family leaders as well as women creating their own wealth as they navigate male-dominated industries.
Ella is a certified CTI professional coach, and is a Northeastern University alumnus, having graduated summa cum laude with dual bachelor’s degrees. You can find Ella traveling the globe, exploring new cultures and adventures, especially those that involve being in, or on, water.
Our conversation with Ella inspired the financial insight at the end of the podcast, where we discuss how to financially plan for the potential of an unexpected disability.
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In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Paula B. Pretlow. As she describes herself, Paula grew up poor and Black in Oklahoma. Her mom made a huge decision to place Paula and her siblings in a desegregated school with the edict that they will excel. And that is exactly what Paula did. She grew from a poor girl to a very financially successful woman.
During the conversation, Paula shares what her relationship with money has been like over the course of her life, including her experience as the breadwinner of the family and ultimately, as a single mom. Among other things, during our conversation, Paula talks about her divorce. This inspired the financial insight at the end of the episode, where we explore an overview of the divorce process.
Paula spent her entire career in finance and investment management. She retired from the field in 2011, following 11 years as a senior vice president with The Capital Group. While at Capital, she led the public fund team and managed her own client base, representing $700B+ in combined assets.
Paula began her career at Wells Fargo Bank, before moving to GATX Capital, where she played a pioneering role in the creation of a secondary market in capital equipment leases and lease portfolios. She then transitioned to Wall Street, working on the bond desk at Credit Suisse and later moved into investment management with AXA Rosenberg and subsequently, BlackRock. She holds an MBA in finance and economics from Kellogg School of Management and a BA in political science from Northwestern University, and is a 2017 Fellow of Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute.
Paula currently serves as a director and trustee on corporate and philanthropic boards, including Bitwise Industries, CION Ares Diversified Credit Fund, Northwestern University, The Kresge Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and her synagogue, Congregation Emanu-El. She co-teaches design thinking at Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (the “d.school”).
Paula has been recognized with The Women’s Legal Defense & Education Fund’s Aiming High Award, the National Council of Jewish Women’s Outstanding Humanitarian Award and The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools’ Wall of Fame Humanitarian Award. Her speaking appearances include Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences convocation and Groundbreakers: Women in Leadership Summit, where she shared the stage with Gloria Steinem and Ali Wentworth. Paula is currently writing stories about her life and has discovered a hidden talent: improv!
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During this episode of Money Tales, Sandi and Cammie spoke with Vincent Valerie. Vincent thought his destiny was to take over the family enterprise that his father founded. Since his path was paved, Vincent had the flexibility to live a party lifestyle and enjoy the fruits of what his father created. That is until he learned in his 20s that his dad was selling the company. With that sale went Vincent’s future as the successor CEO. Our discussion with Vincent inspired this week’s financial insight at the end of the interview, where we discuss succession considerations for family businesses.
Being born into a family business can feel like one’s life path is already laid out. To some, that feeling is a great burden of responsibility and to others, it feels like a cushioned set-up and leads to a sense of entitlement. Vincent got to know both of these feelings throughout his life and career.
As the son of a successful Italian Canadian tech entrepreneur in the 1980s and 90s, Vincent embraced everything about the “rich-kid” lifestyle. He had a sports car at 16, the most expensive clothes and traveled all over the world. He came to realize a few years later just how ill-prepared for life he was, outside that bubble of entitlement. So when his father decided to sell the family business, Vincent was faced with redefining his life’s dream.
Vincent’s new journey led him to work in wealth management for one of the largest Canadian banks. He focused on managing financial affairs of family enterprises and generational wealth transfer. Working in wealth management, Vincent witnessed a significant gap in how a family’s wealth and business was being managed, in relation to the management of familial relationships and dynamics.
Vincent is a Certified Family Legacy Coach and Executive Leadership Coach. He works as a trusted advisor and coach with family members, both collectively and individually in developing family legacy continuity strategies, conflict resolution and alignment of the family’s values and vision for their wealth and relationships.
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In this episode of Money Tales, we talk with Tina Lovejoy who shares her thoughts on choosing the right words and clarifying the meaning of those words to have productive money discussions. Tina is a trained classical music singer and has extensive freelance writing experience. She is clearly someone who lives by the motto, “every word matters.” Building on this discussion, this episode’s financial insight provides some tips on how to start a money conversation.
Tina Lovejoy is Director of Entrusted Planning at York Howell & Guymon in Salt Lake City, Utah. As co-architect of the Entrusted Planning Process, Tina specializes in facilitating Core Values Sessions for high-capacity families and businesses to discover and define their purpose. Clients integrate these themes into their estate planning, charitable giving, succession planning, impact investing, rising gen development and team building efforts.
She draws from her background in opera, writing and consulting to facilitate sessions through a language-centric lens. Tina is co-author with David R. York of The Business of Family article and has spoken as a panelist and co-presenter at The Family Meridian Advocate Summit in Chicago, Southeast Family Office Forum in Atlanta and Purposeful Planning Institute's webinar, The Journey of Successful Wealth Transfer.
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Steve Demaray is a passionate money coach who lives and breathes what he stands for. He shares the arch of his personal financial experience and the insights he picked up along the way that support our goal for the Money Tales podcast of helping listeners have honest, values-based, productive money conversations.With 30+ years in financial services and financial planning, one question has perplexed Steve, “with abundant information available, why do so many people struggle with money?” Here is what he has learned: When it comes to money, people do not need more books and videos - they need greater self-understanding. Less info, more insight.This led Steve to launch the Personal Money Coach in 2008, founded on the creation of a fresh approach to understanding money. Employing a coaching approach, Steve draws on proven human growth and change techniques to assist people in making positive change in their money lives.In our financial insight at the end of the interview, we pick up on Steve’s emphasis on the importance of keeping a cash reserve and discuss different approaches for building a cash reserve that best meets your needs.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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You know those feelings you get that guide you to make a money decision. Regardless of how strong that gut feeling is, you may put it aside in order to analyze the situation and convince yourself that your gut is wrong. Jill Willard, a globally known and gifted intuitive and a leader in meditation practice, discusses why we need to embrace our intuition during this Money Tales conversation. The tools of her trade are having an extraordinary understanding of the different parts of our brains and how they integrate with the systems of the body.Acclaimed author of, “Intuitive Being” (Harpers Elixir 2016), Jill has been working with children and families for over 25 years. Jill is well trained in multiple healing, wellness and listening modalities. Her wisdom and expertise focus mainly on the connection between the brain, our body and our choices. Through Jill's book and programs, Intuitive Meditation and The Present Program, she shares simple tools for shifting old patterning behaviors and how they affect our current life experience — often without our knowing.Jill's empowering message and her teachings have created a large global following. It is in the caring, compassionate and wise-minded environment that Jill practices what she teaches, honoring and exemplifying the golden rule in her everyday life: as a mother, wife, friend, colleague, businesswoman and beloved community member. Through kindness, all can be healed.As a speaker, meditator and teacher, Jill is incredibly wise and kind. Her grace and gentle ways deeply assist many — from families to CEOs, Creatives to Digital Tech Leaders, Professional Athletes and Community Philanthropists. Her guidance has been praised on Goop, Vogue Nederlands, Well+Good, Refinery 29, TED Talks, Mindbodygreen, Omega Institute, Cosmopolitan and various podcasts including Dr. Taz, Almost 30, That’s So Retrograde, Style Rituals, Elevate The Globe, Elissa Goodman and Well Damn. Jill has her own podcast called “I Be,” which can be found on Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms.In the financial insight at the end of our Money Tales conversation with Jill Willard, we cover the technicalities involved with making gifts to family and friends. In addition, money conversations can often cause emotional and physical reactions. As you listen to the interview be sure to flag the centering exercise that Jill leads us through. This is a great takeaway practice and we recommend following it whenever you find yourself in a challenging money conversation or situation.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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In today’s episode of Money Tales, we talk with Louis Roden about his midwestern steel town values, to flirtations with bright shiny objects and back to the values that drive him. Louis is an honest storyteller and you will enjoy the tales he tells, including one about him buying a ridiculously expensive watch that he did not need, but was certain would become a treasured family heirloom. As you will hear, life unfolded a little differently than that…
Louis has over 20 years of international Organizational Development, Human Capital and Brand Communication experience. His transformational roles include serving in leadership positions in government, global transportation and logistics, finance and technology. His most recent corporate role was with Starwood Hotels & Resorts as Director of Organizational Capability, responsible for Starwood’s signature global leadership programs as well as the enterprise-wide team building and leadership retreat practice.
In 2008, Louis founded Inspire Consulting Group, an international consultancy dedicated to practical, reality-based leadership development programs, brand development and communication strategies and exemplary service culture curriculums. ICG has worked with global hotel companies such as Wyndham, Starwood/Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental and many other established and growing hospitality organizations. They have also worked with professional sports teams such as the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, LA Lakers and others.
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Amanda Koplin, LPC, CEO at Koplin Consulting, is a wise 34-year-old who has already experienced some of life’s highest highs and lowest lows. She grew up in poverty and rather than letting that hold her back, she brushed off all the excuses and did something about it. Along the way, she struggled with a serious eating disorder and other challenges that strengthened her drive to make a successful life for herself and to help others wade through their own dark waters.
Amanda is a mental health counselor, entrepreneur and thought leader who creates innovative solutions to fill gaps in the mental healthcare system. In 2016, she sold her first business, a mental health urgent care clinic, to create Koplin Consulting, a nationwide concierge behavioral health treatment team service.
Amanda frequently speaks to trusted advisors such as estate planners, trustees, family business offices and wealth advisors to educate and support them in understanding how addiction, mental illness and eating disorders impact the creation and implementation of estate plans. She is passionate about helping people achieve mental wellness and creating sustainable support systems and solutions which integrate seamlessly into real life.
Amanda is a speaker and a nationally sought-after consultant, who specializes in creating unique treatment plans and recommendations for individuals struggling with psychological concerns such as addictions, eating disorders, lack of motivation and other issues impacting mental wellness. She is particularly adept at involving trusted advisors and family members in order to create the greatest impact.
During our conversation, Amanda shares how she budgeted the small amounts of money she had in college. This inspired today’s financial insight at the end of this podcast, where we discuss how budgeting is a valuable tool for taking control for your personal finances.
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During this episode of Money Tales, we speak with Rowland Savage who is an entrepreneur, Corporate Development professional and now a published author. Rowland shares stories of growing up in Belfast, Northern Ireland during the times of “The Troubles” and how his background and upbringing have influenced his life up to this point.Rowland has focused on the startup arena on “both sides of the fence.” He has taken two startups from concept through to paid deployment, has held roles in Venture Capital and most recently, focused on Corporate Development. As a leader in the Corp Dev team at Atlassian, Rowland successfully executed six deals and was part of the team that acquired Trello. Seeing both sides of the fence has inspired Rowland to publish his first book on the topic of Corporate Development titled, “How to Stick the Landing, the M&A Handbook for Startups.”Rowland is a software guy, who has had the good fortune to work on projects on four different continents. Hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland originally, he now calls the Bay Area home, along with his wife and two children. Rowland came to the US via the Chicago Booth MBA program, which he has found a useful compliment to his undergraduate degree in Computer Science.At the end of this Money Tales podcast we provide a quick personal financial insight on taxation, the good, the bad, the ugly of how taxes come into play when you are selling a home.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Our guest, Lindsay Fletcher Hardie, PhD started her path to the wedding aisle with a great book about how to develop prenuptial agreements. The book described blissful ways for the prenup to be a foundational pillar to the marriage. Unfortunately, the book was no match for the family attorney who was very focused on protecting her soon-to-be husband’s family resources. She shares this important story and many others over the course of our conversation. We invite you to stick around after the interview to hear our financial insight about premarital financial conversations and agreements.Lindsay received a doctorate degree in clinical psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in 2010. Her mentor, Dr. Steven Hayes, developed a therapeutic approach that combines behavioral science and mindfulness practices, called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This therapy model identifies the processes that she has found so helpful from mindfulness traditions and defined them in a way that can be easily taught and studied. She continues to rely on ACT as a psychotherapist and coach. Lindsay is honored to use her unique gifts to guide her clients on a journey to greater fulfillment, family harmony and connection with others. She has been practicing meditation and mindfulness for over 20 years and psychotherapy for 12.During her time as a graduate student, she met her future husband Kirk. As their relationship progressed and they were married in 2010, she was introduced to his family and the family business. As they say in family business, when you marry into the family, you marry the family. She became part of a family system that offered new opportunities and responsibilities. She saw that she could offer a unique perspective to others going through similar transitions and created Sierra Legacy Consulting, LLC.Lindsay and Kirk have been blessed with two young children. After taking a few years to focus on being a mom and serve on a local non-profit board, Lindsay launched a private psychology practice and a coaching business for individuals and couples with wealth. She is honored to be able to support and guide others who experience the joys and challenges of living with wealth through her business, Sierra Legacy Consulting, LLC.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Some people are born to be entrepreneurs and they are energized by building new businesses. Our guest Dan Allison is an entrepreneur writ large. He has made it to the top of the mountain a couple of times and realized that for him, it is the view of the peak from the valley that really charges him up. Dan shares his remarkable story of striking it big with his first business early in life. He talks about what he has learned about money along the way and what happened when he found himself deviating from his values.Dan is a Partner and Chief Growth Officer at Model FA, and he is not your typical consultant. He sold his first company for millions while still in his twenties and has dedicated his career to showing professionals how gaining a better understanding of their clients can lead to incredible, life-long referral relationships. Dan has served as a consultant to some of the most successful people in the country. He has developed his easy-to-implement yet profound referral strategies through the Model FA to help individuals and businesses serve their best clients. The result is a simple process that is founded in strengthening relationships which then lead to more referrals.During our conversation with Dan on Money Tales, one of the topics we covered was compounding returns. We explore it further in the financial insight that we included for you after the interview.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Many people dream of receiving a large inheritance—more money than they could ever imagine. And in those dreams, all problems disappear. In reality, some inheritors feel guilt, shame and that it is wrong.
It is extremely difficult for Ann to discuss money because she was strictly raised not to. In order to feel more comfortable speaking to us in a raw and honest way about her experience as an inheritor, Ann has asked us not to reveal her identity.
The mixture of family wealth and dynamics have led Ann to have a complicated relationship with money, which she discusses in great detail. Among other tales, Ann speaks about what it was like for her in college when her grandfather contributed money to her university and they named a business school after him, revealing her family’s wealth to her circle of friends, peers and instructors. Ann also talks about being a beneficiary of a trust as well as a trustee. In the former role, she had to be in many uncomfortable conversations with her father.
Despite or because of all of this, Ann feels the most secure living a frugal lifestyle and has a difficult time indulging. Ann has worked very hard on her own journey with money. She shares so much about that in this conversation and puts herself out there so that others will benefit from all that she has experienced and learned. Ann is also a very accomplished professional in a field that she is extremely passionate about.
In our conversation, Ann mentions that she is the beneficiary of different trusts. If you are curious about how trusts are used by families to transfer wealth from one generation to the next, be sure to stick around after the interview for our financial insight.
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Paul Ollinger says there is a myth in America that striking it rich early and not ever having to work again is enviable. We explore this topic and Paul’s stark realization that you get a lot more from work than a paycheck. He was an early employee of Facebook and left after a successful number of years to test the myth. Paul shares the pros and cons of his choice to retire early, including the opportunity to move closer to his parents and being there for them during the sunset years of their lives. We cover a lot of ground with Paul, including the concept of knowing how much money is “enough.”In this episode of Money Tales, our financial insight focuses on the concept of “enough” and what is “enough” when it comes to your money number. Stick around to the end of this episode for this discussion.Paul is a nationally-touring stand-up comedian, writer and podcaster. After 15 years selling advertising for companies like Yahoo! and Facebook, Paul launched the creative career that has taken him all over North America, opening for top comics like Dave Attell, Norm Macdonald and many more. He has performed at invitation-only, national comedy festivals, including the Laughing Skull, Asheville and Big Pine.Paul is also the host of the Crazy Money podcast in which he explores the connection between money and happiness through conversation with prominent authors, academics, celebrities and everyday people. Paul and his guests come at finances through the lens of philosophy, psychology and practicality. While “money” is in the title, the show is not about how to make a million bucks, how to beat the stock market or how to save money by clipping coupons. It is about how knowing what we want from money will help us live our best lives.A graduate of Rhodes College and Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, Paul lives in Atlanta with his wife, two ‘tween children and French bulldog, Colonel Tom Parker.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Back in the 1990s, Jennifer Risher went to work at Microsoft and met her husband, and when they were expecting their first child, her husband decided to go to work for an entrepreneur who had an audacious dream to sell books online. As part of this transition, they walked away from valuable Microsoft stock options in exchange for stock options in this high-risk business. Jennifer covers this adventure and many others during our conversation. And, if you have not figured it out yet, the business her husband joined was a little-known company at the time called Amazon. Jennifer is the author of “We Need to Talk: A Memoir About Wealth,” which tells her story and explores the impact of wealth on identity, relationships and sense of place in the world. She was born in Seattle, Washington, grew up in Oregon and graduated from Connecticut College. She joined Microsoft in 1991, where she worked as a recruiter and then as a product manager. She and her husband David have two daughters and live in San Francisco, where David is CEO of Worldreader, a nonprofit he cofounded offering digital reading programs to keep kids learning. When COVID hit, Jennifer and David launched the #HalfMyDAF challenge to inspire more charitable giving. During the course of the Money Tales interviews, our guests talk about areas of personal finance that we believe listeners might want to learn more about. In this episode of Money Tales, the financial insight is about stock options. Stick around to the end for this financial insight.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Our guest, Marlis Jansen, is the founder and CEO of Graddha. There, she uses her experience as a licensed psychotherapist and member of a multi-generational financially successful family to help clients navigate their financial and emotional worlds. As Marlis discusses, she has always been fascinated by where wealth meets psychology.
Earlier in life, Marlis observed parts of her family being torn apart by money disagreements that became personal. From this, Marlis learned the importance of putting values and relationships in front of money matters. That is why Marlis is laser-focused on the meaning of one’s life and how wealth fits into the picture.
During the conversation, Marlis shares what it was like to first learn about and interact with her family’s family office. If you are wondering what a family office is, be sure to listen to the financial insight at the end of this podcast.
Marlis is trained in wealth psychology and a sixth-generation member of a family of stewardship. This combination of professional training and lived experience gives her a unique perspective on the nuances and complexities of owning financial wealth.
Prior to founding Graddha, Marlis worked for several healthcare startups and spent a decade as a stay-at-home mom. As a product developer in the healthcare information technology space, she designed strategies to maximize trust and safety for patients to help them take ownership of their health decisions. Marlis also served as Director of Business Development and Director of Product Development in a couple of health care startups. Her experience as a mom inspired her to contemplate how we ascribe value to people and work.
Marlis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Harvard University, a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Psychology and Behavioral Finance from Creighton University Heider College of Business.
She is an active member of the Purposeful Planning Institute, Financial Psychology Institute and the Financial Therapy Association. She serves on the Board of the Stone Age Institute and, since 2009, has served as Vice President of The Springcreek Foundation, her family’s private philanthropic foundation.
Marlis speaks French well and is proficient in Spanish and Norwegian. She loves to enjoy home-cooked family dinners, hike Mt. Tam with her family and dogs, travel in unfamiliar countries and cultures, and stay up late playing board games.
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In this episode of Money Tales, we talk with New York Times best-selling author, leadership expert and nationally acclaimed speaker, Tommy Spaulding. Tommy discusses the idea of having a money mentor, how he and his wife approach money in their family and the importance of spending his time and money helping youth become impactful leaders.Stick around for the financial insight we have for you at the end of the interview. The insight picks up on the conversation with Tommy about some ideas for how to approach financial parenting.Tommy Spaulding is a two-time New York Times bestselling author, world-renowned thought leader, inspirational speaker and leadership coach for over a 1000 organizations around the globe. Tommy is the founder of Tommy Spaulding Companies, a leadership development, speaking, training and executive coaching firm based in Denver, Colorado. Over the last 20 years, Spaulding has spoken to thousands of organizations, associations, educational institutions and corporations around the globe.Tommy’s first book, It’s Not Just Who You Know: Transform Your Life and Your Organization by Turning Colleagues and Contacts into Lasting, Genuine Relationships, published by Penguin Random House, quickly climbed to the top of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today's national bestseller lists. His latest book, The Heart-Led Leader, also published by Penguin Random House, is a New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal national bestseller, and was also listed on Inc.com’s Top 100 Business Books.Tommy rose to become the youngest President & CEO of the world-renowned leadership organization, Up with People. In 2000, he founded Leader’s Challenge, which grew to become the largest high school civic and leadership program in the state of Colorado. He is the Founder & President of the Global Youth Leadership Academy as well as the National Leadership Academy, a leading national non-profit high school leadership development organization.Previously, Tommy was the Business Partner Sales Manager at IBM/Lotus Development and a member of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from East Carolina University in 1992; an M.B.A. from Bond University in Australia in 1998, where he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar; and an M.A. in Non-Profit Management from Regis University in 2005. In 2006, Tommy was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award by East Carolina University (ECU) and in 2007, he received an Honorary PhD in Humanities from the Art Institute of Colorado.Tommy Spaulding was named by Meetings & Conventions Magazine as one of the 100 MOST FAVORITE SPEAKERS in the nation. Tommy’s genuine love of people has led him to a lifetime of teaching others the value of building deep, lasting and authentic relationships. His heart-led leadership philosophy will inspire leaders and organizations to build cultures of serving others while achieving unprecedented results. Tommy’s new book, 80,000: How the Power of Positive Influence can Change the People we Love and Lead…and the World, will be released by Penguin Random House in the fall of 2021.Tommy resides in the Denver metro area with his wife and children.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Our Money Tales guest, Tiffany Shlain, knows a thing or two about success. She also believes a healthy dose of failure at a young age helped her in her future pursuits and successes. Tiffany graduated college with enough exuberant confidence to start a feature film … 40 locations, 100s of actors … and she totally failed. Tiffany ran out of money and the way she got out of debt was to work in technology, which was another passion of hers growing up. So, she went into debt and had too much pride to ask for help. She went through a really difficult time and fell into periods of depression. This experience grounded her in such humility that she can still taste today. This is just one of many stories Tiffany shares with us in her journey and how money has played a role.Tiffany Shlain is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, founder of the Webby Awards and author of the national best-selling book, 24/6: Giving up Screens One Day a Week to Get More Time, Creativity, and Connection, which recently won the Marshall McLuhan Outstanding Book Award. The book came out in paperback the week of October 19th. The Museum of Modern Art in New York premiered Tiffany’s one woman “Spoken Cinema” performance, Dear Human, in February 2020. She lectures and performs worldwide on the relationship between technology and humanity.Tiffany has received over 80 awards and distinctions for her films and work, including selection for the Albert Einstein Foundation’s initiative Genius: 100 Visions for the Future, being on NPR’s list of Best Commencement Speeches, and being named by Newsweek as “one of the women shaping the 21st century. During quarantine, Tiffany has been writing weekly newsletters, giving online talks, working on a film for the election and is hosting a #ZoomChallahBake with special guests and people from all over the world. For information on her book, baking, films, lectures and her newsletter Breakfast @ Tiffany’s, visit tiffanyshlain.com and follow Tiffany on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.During our conversation, Tiffany talks about how meaningful it has been for her family to keep her deceased father’s home. This inspired today’s financial insight at the end of the interview where we cover considerations for when you want to keep a home in the family for future generations to enjoy.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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Imagine you’re 21 years old, your dad is diagnosed with cancer, he dies six weeks later and you find yourself inheriting a life changing amount of money. You are also in charge of managing investments and a foundation, and you’ve never had any training or experience in these areas. In this episode of Money Tales, Sandi and Cammie talk with Kristen Heaney whose life took this very sharp turn when she was in college. Kristen Heaney is a Wealth Legacy Coach and Consultant with Legacy Capitals, serving successful families and their advisors. Her passion for this work is colored by her own experience of being a young and unprepared inheritor after her father’s early death. Kristen’s training includes a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan, a Board Certified Coaching credential, and a certificate in Family Wealth Advising from the Family Firm Institute. Kristen’s book, In Three Generations: A Story About Family, Wealth, and Beating the Odds is a fictional family leadership story, offering a great starting point for those considering a more purposeful approach to handling family wealth. She has been a featured thought leader for the Purposeful Planning Institute, Family Firm Institute, as well as legal, financial, and philanthropic firms across the United States and Canada, focused on topics including rising generation preparation, effective family meetings, wealthism, combating entitlement, and more. Kristen was born and raised in the Metro Detroit area, and currently lives with her husband and two sons in South Florida. During the course of the Money Tales interviews, our guests talk about areas of personal finance that we believe listeners might want to learn more about. In this episode of Money Tales our financial insight is about private foundations where we’ll provide an overview of what they are and how they’re organized.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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What does dumpster diving and bathing in cash have to do with the Money Tales podcast? We will get into this and more with our guest Rabbi Ryan Bauer during our conversation.Rabbi Ryan Bauer serves as a Rabbi at Congregation Emanu-El, the largest synagogue in San Francisco. Rabbi Bauer’s focus on humanitarian issues includes the Syrian refugee crisis, communities ravaged by wildfires, and homelessness. Rabbi Bauer’s numerous published articles and podcasts have received international recognition including in the Financial Times and 929.During the course of the Money Tales interviews, our guests talk about areas of personal finance that we believe listeners might want to learn more about. In this episode of Money Tales, the financial insight focuses on the ins and outs of charitable giving – and how best to support the charities you’re passionate about. Stick around to the end for this financial insight.Learn more about Money Tale$ > Subscribe to the podcast
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