No advisor, no spreadsheet, no perfect plan can replace trusting yourself. With money, with risk, with the decisions that actually shape your life. And when things don't go as planned, the question is whether you'll still have your own back.

Libby Clark has spent her career inside those moments. Strategic advisor, attorney, former COO, she's the person leaders call when the pressure is high and the path forward isn't clear. But before any of that, she was a kid watching her single mother stretch very little into something that felt like enough. And the money lesson that stuck wasn't about saving or investing. It was a question that became a filter for every decision she would ever make: what does my dollar mean to me? Not what looks right. Not what everyone else is doing. What does it mean to you.

In this conversation with host Syama Bunten, Libby traces how that question followed her through a career built in high stakes rooms, through divorce, through real estate gambles she made on the spot, and through the moments where listening to herself turned out to be the only advice worth taking.

She also names something most financial conversations skip entirely. It's not the bad investment that stops people. It's the voice that shows up afterward. How you talk to yourself on the day something doesn't go the way you planned is where financial confidence actually lives or dies.

This episode is part of the larger conversation Syama is building at Wealth Catalyst, salons and summits where women speak candidly about money, risk, and the choices that shape a life. If that kind of room is calling you, find a salon near you or join the Wealth Catalyst Summit in New York on May 14.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 High-Stakes Decisions, Money Questions, and Working With Advisors

05:06 Single Mom Money Lessons and Intentional Spending

08:23 Trusting Intuition and the First Full-Body Yes

11:50 Cancer, College Pivots, and Financial Resilience

15:38 New Zealand, Autonomy, and Leadership That Changed Everything

23:44 Why Libby Clark Chose Law and the Architecture of Power

36:54 Financial Autonomy, Intentional Spending, and Real Estate Investing

42:52 Self-Trust, Fear of Failure, and Confident Financial Decisions

50:38 Why Founders Need Integrated Advice in High-Pressure Moments

57:45 Loyalty to Yourself and Brave Money Decisions

Connect with Libby Clark:

Website: Visit the Libby Clark Law website

LinkedIn: Connect with Libby on LinkedIn

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons

Instagram: Follow Syama on Instagram

Join Syama's Substack: Join Syama's Substack

Website: Visit the Wealth Catalyst website

Download Syama's Free Resources: Download Syama's Free Resources

Learn About Wealth Catalyst Summit Events: Wealth Catalyst Summit

Website: Visit Syama's website

Big Delta Capital: Visit the Big Delta Capital website

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Talking about money in families is hard. Talking about legacy is even harder.

In this conversation with host Syama Bunten, Amy Castoro gets into why so many wealth transfers go sideways. Not because of bad legal structures or poor planning, but because families never learn to talk to each other. About what they actually need. About what they're afraid of. About what the money means to them and what they want it to mean for the next generation. When those conversations don't happen, conflict fills the gap and the wealth that was supposed to bring a family together ends up pulling it apart.

Amy talks about the pressure that lands on the next generation, the damage that lingers after family conflict over money, and why women are increasingly at the center of these conversations as decision-makers, caregivers, and keepers of family culture.

But before all of that, she shares where her perspective actually comes from. She grew up watching her mother stretch every dollar, lead with generosity, and hold things together through sheer resourcefulness. That upbringing gave her a particular lens on what wealth actually means and what it costs families who treat it as a financial problem instead of a human one. It's that backstory that explains how she became CEO of The Williams Group and why she approaches this work the way she does.

This episode is part of a larger conversation Syama is building at Wealth Catalyst, salons and summits where women talk candidly about money, legacy, and what it actually takes to get it right. If that's the room you've been looking for, find a salon near you or join us at the Wealth Catalyst Summit in New York on May 14th.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Wealth, Family Conflict, and Building a Lasting Legacy

02:41 Amy Castoro's Childhood, Money Story, and Family Values

08:05 Resourcefulness, Hardship, and Early Lessons About Women and Wealth

12:04 From Ballet to Organizational Psychology and Career Direction

16:33 First Job, Six-Figure Income, and Amy's Early Money Mindset

23:20 Leaving New York, Joining Disney, and Finding Meaning at Work

28:09 Financial Security, Resourcefulness, and What Wealth Really Means

30:50 Women, Power, and the Future of Intergenerational Wealth Transfer

35:11 Family Legacy Planning, Trust, and Communication in Families

43:07 Values-Based Investing, Next Generation Wealth, and Creating Peace in Families

Connect with Amy Castoro:

Website: Visit The Williams Group Website

NextGen Leadership Institute Program: Join the NextGen Leadership Program

LinkedIn: Connect with Amy on LinkedIn

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons

Instagram: Follow Syama on Instagram

Join Syama's Substack: Join Syama's Substack

Website: Visit the Wealth Catalyst website

Download Syama's Free Resources: Download Syama's Free Resources

Learn About Wealth Catalyst Summit Events: Wealth Catalyst Summit

Website: Visit Syama's website

Big Delta Capital: Visit the Big Delta Capital website

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

What does it really look like to build wealth—slowly, intuitively, and unapologetically on your own terms?

In this episode, Syama Bunten sits down with real estate investor, developer, and global entrepreneur Anne-Michelle Wands, whose life story spans single motherhood, salon ownership, real estate mastery, and ultimately building a legacy in Panama.

Anne-Michelle shares how she went from sleeping in a hallway with two young sons to owning multiple properties across the U.S., Hawaii, and Central America—by trusting herself, spotting gaps others missed, and choosing ownership again and again.

This conversation isn't about overnight success. It's about resilience, intuition, and designing a life where money supports freedom—not the other way around.

Key Topics:

1. Breaking the Silence Around Women & Money

2. Early Money Imprinting & Entrepreneurial Roots

3. Nonlinear Paths to Wealth (Motherhood, Survival & Reinvention)

4. From Employee to Owner: Building Businesses That Create Freedom

5. Real Estate as a Wealth Multiplier

6. Scaling from Local to Global Investing

7. Lessons From Risk, Failure & Resilience Abroad

8. Legacy Wealth & Purpose-Driven Investing

Website: https://www.passive-profit-partners.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cr8grtsuccess?originalSubdomain=pa

Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Get ready to be inspired by the incredible journey of Michelle Reeves, a true innovator and entrepreneur who mastered the art of betting on herself. In this episode, we explore Michelle's path from humble beginnings in Australia to becoming a wine and tech trailblazer in the US.

Michelle shares about her early career moves, including her bold decision to relocate to New York City just before 9/11. She discusses how she leveraged her savings to take calculated risks, from launching a pioneering online wine business to making her first angel investments and real estate purchases in her early 30s. 

Perhaps what has had the biggest impact on her career so far has been understanding that nobody can be truly self-made. It takes a village — whether family, friends, or mentors — to help build you up and lay the path for future success. 

Michelle's story serves as inspiration to take big risks and advocate for yourself to make things happen for you. It's not just about the number in your bank account, but the positive impact that you make on others' lives along the way. 

Key Topics:

1. Getting inspired to do what you really love at a young age
2. Using her first earnings to start a fashion magazine at 13 with friends
3. Realizing you have to stand out in order to move up in the world
4. How savings unlocks opportunities to bet on yourself
5. Early investments in stocks starting at 18 years old
6. Betting on herself and moving to NYC for work
7. Michelle's first exposure to wine futures and the wine industry
8. Innovating the wine industry with a world-first touch trademark
9. Using entrepreneurial powers for philanthropic endeavours
10. What Michelle wishes she did differently when first starting out
11. Pivoting from wine to tech and crypto
12. Early lessons from angel investing
13. Demonstrating money values to your kids
14. It takes a village to truly be successful
15. Connecting with other women who are innovating and pushing boundaries
16. Learning by being the dumbest person in the room

Connect with Michelle online:

Website: https://michellejreeves.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-reeves-25a41013/

Instagram: @michellejreeves

What Now Podcast: https://michellejreeves.com/podcast/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Hi everyone, I'm thrilled to bring you my first solo episode, giving you a deeper look into my personal journey and sharing the impact of my investments and life experiences this year since starting the podcast. 

From exciting investments in women's healthcare and sustainable housing to my intro to Broadway investing with Cabaret, there's a lot to unpack. I also delve into my commitment to continuing education, with a special focus on AI, and discuss some of the incredible opportunities I've had in public speaking. 

Beyond investments, I discuss my rewarding work with clients, from public speaking coaching to co-CEOing a music tech company and consulting on luxury brands. I also share about my travels and personal milestones — like winning a leadership award, being featured in the New York Times, and buying a house with my husband, John. 

Lastly, I reflect on the powerful stories of the incredible women I've interviewed so far and the lessons learned from them. This episode is a celebration of growth, investment, and the journey we're all on to build wealth and leave a lasting legacy. Thank you for tuning in and being part of this exciting journey!   

Key Topics:

1. My favorite investments and their missions
2. Investing in my continued education to discover the depths of AI
3. Where I'm traveling and the fun things I'm spending money on
4. Who I'm working with lately
5. Awards and speaking opportunities — TED, SXSW, etc.
6. Family milestones — new house, being a stepmom
7. Lessons and takeaways from the women I've interviewed so far

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

I am thrilled to bring the amazing Emily Scott back on the podcast, this time in the interview hot seat, to tell us about her money story and give us a vulnerable look into who she is as a person.

Emily shares deeply about her experience with a tumultuous childhood filled with mixed messages about money to overcoming patriarchal challenges on Wall Street. Despite the struggles and setbacks, she acknowledges that all of those experiences allowed her to be the woman she is today.  

Through it all, she found that philanthropy and volunteerism were always what truly spoke to her soul — regardless of financial gain. Now, Emily helps guide people through the emotional stories we create around money to help them understand their own finances and money stories more deeply.

This episode also honors Emily's remarkable leadership and the subtle yet profound impacts she makes by sharing her wealth with others. Don't miss out on this heartfelt conversation packed with lessons on self-advocacy, understanding money stories, and creating a legacy driven by purpose and generosity. 

Key Topics:

1. A childhood full of mixed messages around money
2. Navigating insecurities and lacking a sense of self at a young age
3. Learning tough lessons in order to reap the rewards years later
4. Early career moves on Wall Street after leaving retail
5. Learning positive lessons from negative experiences
6. Seeking security in money and careers
7. How therapy helped guide Emily through trauma and career decisions
8. The opposite of uncertainty isn't certainty; it's self-trust
9. Playing the role of the "good corporate wife"
10. When you align money with your values, it gives you peace of mind and clarity
11. Shifting from writing $100 checks to $100,000 checks
12. Determining for yourself what's a no and communicating those boundaries with empathy
13. The difference between how men and women are conditioned to discuss money
14. Shifting from fighting for others to fighting for herself
15. Diving into the emotional side of money
16. Checking in with your values
17. Creating avenues of safety for people to talk about money

Connect with Emily online:

Website: https://emilyscottand.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyscottand/

Instagram: @emilyscottand

TED Talk: https://emilyscottand.com/ted-talk

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Welcome to this very special episode where I had the incredible privilege of being interviewed by the inspiring Emily Scott. This episode is unique as Emily dives deep into my personal money story, leadership journey, and the pivotal moments that shaped who I am today. 

We explore my upbringing in San Francisco, my bold ambitions in the fashion industry, and my transformative experiences from personal and business divorces. She asks about my early fascination with economics and retail, my struggles and triumphs negotiating for myself in my career, and how having a supportive community around me, shaped my educational and career pursuits. 

Emily and I also delve into the emotional deaths one experiences through life and business challenges, and how self-actualized leadership can transform not only oneself but also the community around us. 

Emily asked some thought-provoking and deep questions that allowed me to really bare my soul about my life's journey so far, and I'm proud to share more of who I am with you.   

Key Topics:

1. The importance of education and how external community outside of the home shaped me growing up
2. Finding freedom in realizing, "What do I have to lose?"
3. Taking every opportunity that came my way to prove myself to others
4. Finding mentorship and support within the family
5. Having a sense of determination about my career ambitions from a young age
6. Defining success at a young age
7. Finding opportunity on the dance floor
8. Early lessons in negotiating your worth 
9. The role of money in building a career and business
10. Having no choice but to double down on myself
11. A desire for independence coupled with a desire for community
12. Separating myself from the need to prove myself to others
13. Learning to care for myself instead of others
14. Pain is a great teacher — personal and business divorces
15. Being ok with disappointing others and being disappointed by others
16. Unlocking self-actualized leadership
17. 25 year old Syama vs. now
18. Offering your inner child security 
19. Giving ourselves opportunities to know ourselves in ways we never have before

Connect with Emily online:

Website: https://emilyscottand.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyscottand/

Instagram: @emilyscottand

TED Talk: https://emilyscottand.com/ted-talk

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Dive into the inspiring journey of Kelley Arena, a trailblazing angel investor and advocate for women in business. In this episode, Kelley shares her remarkable story of taking charge of her own story early in life and building a successful career in finance and investing.

Kelley's path has been anything but conventional. She opens up about her challenging childhood, her determination to break generational patterns, and her relentless pursuit of education and financial security. She discusses her evolution from investment banking to angel investing, and how becoming a mother shifted her perspective on success and work-life balance.

Kelley's current mission is to increase women's access to angel investing and support female founders. She shares her innovative approach to creating investment syndicates and her vision for changing the landscape of venture capital. 

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and using your experiences to create positive change. Kelley's story and goals remind us of the importance of pursuing work that truly lights your heart on fire.

Key Topics:

1. Kelley's determination to break generational cycles
2. Learning the power of self-advocacy to get people to believe in you
3. Following your curiosity to learn from others' experiences
4. Kelley's first exposure to a male-dominated career and the lessons it taught her
5. Learning to wear a mask in certain roles in order to learn and get ahead
6. The first feelings of security after earning a big paycheck
7. Unlocking financial literacy through wealthy friends and coworkers
8. Becoming more active in investment spaces
9. Realizing that money alone won't make you happy
10. Shifting perspectives on success and work-life balance in motherhood
11. Learning from mistakes in angel investing
12. Non-money investments
13. Passing down money stories and values to kids
14. Bringing more women to the investment table

Connect with Kelley online:

Website: https://goldenhourventures.co/

Golden Hour Ventures Newsletter: https://goldenhourventures.beehiiv.com/subscribe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelley-arena-9915521a0/

Instagram: @kelleyarena

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Today, I had the incredible Julie Castro Abrams on the show. She's a powerhouse in the world of women's wealth and empowerment who has used her career to help build up other women to give them opportunities that previous generations before her have never had. 

Julie opened up getting her first internship at the University of Chicago which ultimately sparked her passion for working with other women in social justice initiatives. From there, she's worked in countless roles, most notably as CEO of the Women's Initiative for Self-Employment.

To highlight her current mission, Julie shares about the gender disparity that still exists in asset management and leadership roles, especially for women of color. She believes that the more women we help find their voice and power, the more we can rebalance the power scales for future generations. 

Julie's story is a testament to the decades she's dedicated to helping women find opportunities to change their lives. Her vision for the future is clear — she wants every woman to understand the power of her financial decisions and use that power to create systemic change. It's an inspiring legacy she's building for future generations of women in finance and beyond.   

Key Topics:

1. Reflecting on the incredible economic and social barriers for women just a few decades ago
2. Julie's first exposure to ideas that changed her worldview forever
3. Seeing women use their wealth for transformational causes for the first time
4. The impact of women leaders in Julie's life growing up
5. Forming her life philosophy in her early career
6. Helping women become business owners as the CEO of the Women's Initiative for Self-Employment
7. Navigating work and chronic illness
8. Becoming foster parents for the first time
9. Learning the true value of how money can change lives
10. Deciding to shift her career in her 40's to focus on getting more economic power in women's hands 
11. At what point Julie felt she had power over her own finances
12. Realigning investments with core values
13. Creating an opportunity for an economic power play for women
14. Spending money on fun and enjoyment 

Connect with Julie online:

Website: https://www.howwomenlead.com/

The New Table: https://www.howwomenlead.com/new-table

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-castro-abrams/

Instagram: @howwomenlead

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Today, we sit down with Joanne Bradford, a seasoned executive with an impressive career spanning tech giants like Microsoft, Yahoo, Pinterest, and Sofi. Joanne shares her journey from her early entrepreneurial efforts to becoming a key player in the corporate world, offering valuable insights on career growth and financial management.

In our conversation, Joanne provides a candid perspective on angel investing, discussing its allure and high-risk potential. She emphasizes the importance of having a clear strategy and realistic expectations when entering this space. We also learn how Joanne's negotiation skills played a crucial role in her career advancement, particularly in navigating complex compensation packages and quota discussions.

Her emphasis on curiosity and adaptability throughout one's career is particularly noteworthy. Her story provides a thoughtful look at building long-term financial stability while navigating the corporate landscape.

I hope you find Joanne's experiences and insights as enlightening as I did. Her story demonstrates how strategic thinking and persistent effort can lead to both professional success and financial security.

Key Topics:

1. The joys of learning to earn and save money as a kid
2. How driving revenue for a business keeps people employed
3. High school performance is not an indicator of future success
4. Running the school newspaper at San Diego State
5. The importance of negotiations to move up in corporate
6. Being on the cutting edge of the online advertising space
7. Upskilling throughout your career is essential
8. Value creation is the real precursor to negotiation
9. Taking a risk to leave corporate and work at a startup
10. How Joanne transformed how Pinterest earns revenue
11. The do's and don't's Joanne learned about investing
12. Taking the shame out of financial mistakes
13. What people don't tell you about angel investing
14. Putting money to work against your values
15. Staying curious, open, and willing to learn throughout life

Connect with Joanne online:

Website: https://www.thefemalequotient.com/our-story/

https://www.domainmoney.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-bradford-9a588022/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Today on Getting Rich Together, we're joined by Christine Heckart, a tech industry leader with a powerful perspective on wealth and impact. Christine shares her wealth journey to becoming a successful executive and boldly shares her views on using money as a force for positive change.

Christine discusses how she leverages her resources or "currencies" to transform lives, from supporting family members' education to founding Xapa, a company aimed at helping people unlock their true potential to live happier and more fulfilled lives. 

She emphasizes that true wealth goes beyond financial assets. Intangible currencies like social, political, emotional, and intellectual capital are all ways Christine encourages others to use generously to make a positive impact on others. 

This episode challenges us to reconsider our relationship with money and success. Christine's approach reminds us that our greatest legacy comes from how we use our resources to benefit others and create lasting, positive impact in the world.

Key Topics:

1. Working full-time but never having enough money — early money stories
2. Learning to live on 25 cents per day
3. Studying economics and what drove her decision to study it
4. Conscious capitalism as a way to give capitalism a facelift
5. Pushing the boundaries on earnings goals early in her career
6. Buying land instead of a property
7. The turning point in Christine's career that made her the breadwinner of the family
8. Only you can decide what is "enough" for you financially
9. Christine's first realization that money is power to change people's lives
10. Investing and spending with the heart over the mind
11. Giving your friends and loved ones a seat at the investment table
12. Money is a great way to make others happy
13. Getting filthy enriched™

Connect with Christine online:

Website: https://xapa.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineheckart

Press: https://medium.com/authority-magazine/christine-heckart-of-xapa-on-the-case-for-optimism-about-the-next-ten-twenty-years-e869b0d904e7

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

This week on Getting Rich Together, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the amazing Candice Cook Simmons. Let me tell you, this woman is a powerhouse of inspiration when it comes to building wealth on your own terms.

In this episode, Candice shares her unique approach to building wealth — one that's all about aligning your money with your values and passions. From Broadway shows to climate-resilient housing in Ghana, we explore how investing in culture and creativity can lead to amazing returns, both financially and personally. 

What I love most about Candice's perspective is how she encourages us to think beyond traditional investment vehicles. She reminds us that there's money to be made in amplifying voices and ideas that might be overlooked by others. It's about finding that sweet spot where your investments not only grow your wealth but also contribute to a world you want to see. 

That's the true power of investing with your values.

Key Topics:

1. It takes a village to raise money-savvy kids
2. Candice's first jobs and money-making ventures
3. Taking ownership of her financial decisionmaking in grad school
4. The unfortunate reality of generational wealth and luxury of choice
5. The great influence our networks and peer groups have on our financial choices
6. Choosing financial stability over a career aligned with passions and interests
7. What's driving Candice's decisions around investments today
8. Creating a financial safety net with the Cook Law Group
9. Investing with your values and investing in culture
10. Timing investments and knowing when to say no
11. How often Candice is looking at deal flow
12. Leaving a legacy of equitable opportunity and unapologetic joy for all

Connect with Rebecca online:

Instagram: @candicesc1of1

Website: https://www.candicecook.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-s-cook-7454177/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

For many, wealth and money mean security. And for those who grew up without it, that search for security can have even more meaning that we carry with us throughout life. This week's guest, Jennifer Justice, is no exception.

JJ knew from a young age she was ready to break cycles. From being the first in her family to attend university to become a lawyer, to creating The Justice Department to help inspire women to ask for more in life, she has always had a fire inside of her that's willing to push boundaries for good.

In this episode, we talk about what it was like starting out in a male-dominated industry, what her turning point was to start focusing on women's leadership and pushing for gender equality, and the ideals she's instilling in her children about money. 

JJ doesn't take any of the successes she's had throughout her career for granted and works hard to ensure that other women are afforded the same opportunities to live richer lives.

Key Topics:

1. JJ's early experience with poverty in childhood
2. Becoming an attorney to gain stability
3. What she learned from being in male-dominated rooms
4. Learning financial literacy and seeking out more from her money
5. Deciding to work with a financial advisor and early investing experience
6. Moving to become and advocate for women's equality
7. Investing in female-founded companies as an angel investor
8. Don't try to do everything yourself, but seek out knowledge and experts
9. Money gives women power to have their voices heard
10. Educating her kids on the value of money and wealth
11. The legacy she's leaving for her kids and other women
12. The neverending value of using money for travel and experiences
13. Trauma and past pain can end with you

Connect with JJ online:

Website: https://www.thejusticedept.com/jennifer-justice, https://www.thejusticedept.com/

Instagram: @thejustice.dept

TikTok: @takincareofladybusiness

Podcast: Takin' Care of Lady Business

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamameagher.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

What if building wealth didn't mean starting from scratch—or doing it alone?

In this episode Syama sits down with investor, advisor, and mentor Jeanne Wang to explore a powerful (and still under-discussed) path to wealth: buying and operating existing businesses.

Jeanne shares her journey from growing up in a small Pennsylvania farm town, to Wharton, to decades in private equity—before intentionally shifting her focus toward supporting women as owners, operators, and investors. Together, Shama and Jeanne unpack the emotional, financial, and identity-level decisions that shape women's wealth journeys, especially mid-career.

This is a conversation about legacy, risk, confidence, and why women owning businesses isn't just good for returns—it's good for communities.

1. Why signing bonuses and performance guarantees matter more than base salary in your first negotiation
2. The power of choosing diverse experience and strong culture over the highest-paying job offer
3. How to evaluate career opportunities through the lens of working with highly motivated people
4. The critical difference between building a business from scratch and buying an established one
5. How to build wealth through alternative assets while maintaining a risk-averse mindset
6. The importance of financial literacy education and creating investment competitions with your family
7. Why legacy is measured by the number of women you help into ownership, not personal accolades

Website: https://www.villagesearchpartners.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannewang1/ 

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

This week on Getting Rich Together, get ready for an unfiltered look into the bold life and financial journey of fashion icon Rebecca Minkoff.

In this candid conversation, Rebecca lets us in on the lean early days of hustling to build her brand — from a starting salary of $23k in NYC to paying off $60k in credit card debt to start her business. We also explore her mindset around partnering with her brother, taking on investors, buying real estate, and ultimately selling her company when supply chain struggles started to set in. 

Rebecca's transparency about the lack of trustworthy financial advice available to founders is an eye-opener, but what struck me most was her driving desire to uplift other women through The Female Founder Collective. Rebecca's legacy goal of empowering women to feel confident, both inside and out, is a powerful reminder that true wealth goes far beyond just money. 

Key Topics:

1. Using childhood allowance money to invest in her earliest business — selling arts and crafts at flea markets
2. Rebecca's decision that college wasn't for her
3. Rebecca's earliest career moves working with her brother at an NYC designer
4. Making ends meet on a $23k/yr salary in NYC
5. The first recognition she and her brother got for her designs
6. Finding capital to grow her business once it started to rise in popularity
7. Making her first real moves in saving and investing 
8. Coming to terms with selling the business in 2022
9. Helping to make the female founder journey less lonely
10. Keeping kids rooted in reality around money
11. What Rebecca is spending money on right now and what she believes is worth the investment
12. Doing work to help build a legacy of uplifting women to have more economic power
13. Rewarding yourself for hard work
14. Money opens doors, but it won't make you happy

Connect with Rebecca online:

Instagram: @thefemalefoundercollective

Website: https://femalefoundercollective.com/

The 10th House Membership: https://the10thhouse.femalefoundercollective.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaminkoff/

Super Women Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/superwomen-with-rebecca-minkoff/id1426026971

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Unlocking-Creativity-Courage-Success/dp/1400220718

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

This week, we have a truly inspiring story of resilience, perseverance, and the power of financial education. Our guest, Amanda Wolfe, shares her incredible journey from a childhood marked by hardship to becoming the powerhouse known as the SHEWOLFEOFWALLSTREET.

Amanda candidly discusses the challenges she faced growing up and the determination that fueled her quest for financial freedom. She also discusses her strategic approach to planning her career transitions and her unwavering commitment to empowering others through accessible financial literacy.

Amanda later unveils her mission to help women (and men) break free from the shackles of financial insecurity and start living their dream lives today. Her practical insights on couples' finances and her vision for creating a safe space for financial education are truly inspiring. 

This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to take control of their finances, build wealth, and cultivate a fulfilling life on their own terms. Amanda's story will ignite your passion and provide you with the tools to embark on your own journey towards financial freedom.

Key Topics:

1. Using childhood baggage to propel forward in life
2. Finding chosen family through friends in college
3. Amanda's wake-up call to start taking saving and investing seriously
4. Pre-planning a huge career leap to take off the edge
5. Learning how to learn new things again
6. Summoning the courage to become the SHEWOLFEOFWALLSTREET
7. Opening new doors by closing others
8. How 1-1 coaching showed Amanda people need financial education
9. Money gets you out of survival mode and gives peace of mind
10. Equal vs. equitable in relationships
11. Creating a safe space for women to be empowered and confident in their own money stories

Connect with Amanda online:

Instagram: @shewolfeofwallstreet

Website: https://shewolfeofwallstreet.com/

Free investing class: https://shewolfeofwallstreet.com/free-investing-class

Courses: https://shewolfeofwallstreet.com/courses

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shewolfeofwallstreet/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

This week on Getting Rich Together, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the incredible Nancy Tsuei. Nancy is a force in the retail world, having built businesses and been at the forefront of brands like Bed Bath & Beyond, Millerknoll, Gap, and West Elm. But what many people don't know is her financial prowess and the inspiring ways she's evolved throughout her lifetime to create change, especially in the space of women and wealth.

In this episode, we dive into how Nancy's parents shaped her relationship with money, the missteps and lessons she learned early in her career, and how she built multiple streams of income that work together to build on each other. 

As she enters her "third phase" of life, Nancy is focused on exiting the corporate world to be of service to others and is working on developing frameworks for deeper human connection.

I hope you find Nancy's story as moving and motivational as I did. Her wealth of experience and wisdom is something we can all learn from, no matter what stage of our financial journey we're in.

Key Topics:

1. How Nancy's immigration story influenced her childhood
2. Starting to build businesses as soon as possible
3. Navigating financial trauma and learning to respect money from a young age
4. Dealing with the ebbs and flows of finances right out of college
5. Why everyone should invest in their 401k if they have it
6. When Nancy started taking bigger risks with money
7. Creating a "double helix" of income
8. Moving into the third phase of her career away from corporate
9. Money does not = happiness
10. Nancy's approach to money conversations with her kids
11. Spending on travel and experiences
12. The role allyship will play in Nancy's legacy

Connect with Nancy online:

Instagram: @ntsuei

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-tsuei-2906321/

Articles: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hollycorbett/2024/02/29/the-great-wealth-transfer-what-it-means-for-women-and-for-the-world/?sh=64eb43cb6525

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Fran Hauser is a true inspiration who has empowered women for decades through her work. In our conversation, she opens up about the profound money lessons she learned from her hardworking immigrant parents at a young age. From doing invoices for her father's business as a child to maxing out her 401k early in her career, Fran shares how those formative experiences instilled strong financial values around saving, responsibility, and appreciating earned income.

We explore the pivotal moments that sparked Fran's passion for investing, like receiving stock options early on in her career and getting exposed to startup opportunities while working at Time, Inc. 

She shares fascinating insights into her evolving investment portfolio over the years, ultimately investing in over 35 female-founded companies across different sectors. Fran also gets real about the mindset shifts of running your own business versus having corporate resources to lean on.

On a personal note, Fran shares her heartfelt approach to raising her two adopted sons. She prioritizes passing down money principles through tools like Greenlight for their allowances, while balancing that with an appreciation for experiences over material items. 

Her reflections on creating an empowering legacy through her writing, speaking, and work with female authors is truly inspiring.

Key Topics:

1. Fran's early lessons about running a business 
2. Feeling lost in choosing a career path
3. What Fran learned from her parents about saving money
4. How stock options from her job changed her viewpoint on investing
5. Fran's first venture into funding women-led startups
6. Being clear about where you're putting your time and energy
7. Lessons in running a business vs. working for a large corporation
8. What money lessons she's passing on to her kids
9. Money is a gift of experience
10. A legacy of helping women unlock their full potential

Connect with Fran online:

Website (personal): https://www.franhauser.com/

Website (business): https://www.bookboundco.com/

Books: https://www.franhauser.com/books

Instagram: @fran_hauser, @bookbound_co

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franhauser/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

On this week's episode of Getting Rich Together, I had the pleasure of speaking with Cam Rogers, a thought leader and powerhouse in the space of women and wealth. Cam shares her incredible journey with money, starting from her earliest memories of opening her first bank account as a child.

Cam walks us through her career path, from working at JP Morgan handling institutional investment portfolios to her current role at Ellevest, a pioneering company focused on closing the gender investing gap. 

At Ellevest, Cam gets to directly serve women clients and help them overcome barriers to investing and building wealth. We talk about the "feminization of wealth" — the rising financial empowerment of women through earned income, business successes, and the great wealth transfer from baby boomers.

Cam opened up about her personal investment philosophy and approach, where timing is very important in her strategy. She also shares how she finds joy in collecting art from diverse, contemporary women artists and using her wealth for travel and experiences. 

Key Topics:

1. Earliest money memories as a kid
2. What it was like working for JP Morgan right out of college
3. Knowing when to walk away from risky investments
4. Transitioning from JP Morgan to Ellevest
5. How Cam's network has influenced her personal finance journey
6. Balancing your risk when you first start investing
7. Don't bet the house on a hard investment lesson
8. The feminization of wealth
9. Preparing for The Great Wealth Transfer
10. Wealth means voting with your dollars to effect change
11. Funding things that are transformational for society
12. What purchases bring Cam joy

Connect with Cameron online:

Website (business): https://www.ellevest.com/

Instagram: @ellevest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-rogers-cfa-85768520/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, https://syamabunten.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

So many powerful women start with humble beginnings, and Amy Jo Martin is no exception. From a young age, she learned what it meant to truly work hard and pound pavement to get what you want in life. Effort has always been her superpower, and it's paid off in full. 

Now, she wants to give more women that same power to build their wealth by investing in themselves and each other. She believes that the more economic power we give to women, the stronger we all become. 

Her early investing stories will inspire you to consider time as its own form of currency, while her philosophy on wealth and legacy will leave you wanting to join the movement she's trailblazing. 

Join us to hear her inspiring story about learning to forge your own path in life while building up others along the way.

Key Topics:

1. Equating success with sacrifice early on in life
2. Effort and hard work as a superpower for success
3. Knowing she could be happy anywhere at any level of success or failure
4. The pivotal career moment that changed her trajectory forever
5. Asking a lot of questions to open doors to more wealth
6. Always be aligned with who you're investing in
7. Surrounding yourself with the right key influencers as you make investment decisions
8. More women deserve opportunities to invest in each other
9. Paying it forward generationally
10. Investing in experiences and your own personal sanctuary
11. Women don't just need mentorship, they need sponsorship
12. Seeking like-hearted and like-minded individuals at Renegade
13. Shifting our relationship with time and money for maximum economic impact

Connect with Amy Jo online:

Website (business): https://www.renegade.global/

Website (personal): https://amyjomartin.com/about-amy-jo

Instagram: @amyjomartin

Podcast: Why Not Now?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyjomartin/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co,

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

When education meets determination, big things happen. Nyakio Grieco's entrepreneurial journey is no exception. 

During our conversation, she takes us back to her childhood growing up in a Kenyan-American household, instilled with the values of hard work, education, and giving back. Despite initial shyness, Nyakio found her voice and bravely struck out on her own in her mid-20s to launch her first beauty brand celebrating African ingredients.

With fearless determination and a mere $172,000 in capital raised from credit cards and loved ones, Nyakio built her brand from the ground up while working tirelessly to ship orders and provide customer service herself. Though the path was difficult, with many starts and stops, her resilience shone through. In 2017, Nyakio's brand was acquired by Unilever, providing her with invaluable experience before she left to co-found her next ventures with her current business partner.

Today, Nyakio is the co-founder of Thirteen Lune and Relevant Skin — companies centered on inclusivity by amplifying BIPOC-owned beauty brands from around the world. 

Her vision extends far beyond just business success. Nyakio hopes her legacy will be as a true catalyst in making the beauty industry more equitable. With plans to become a donor helping fund other entrepreneurs' dreams, this inspiring woman is paving the way for generational wealth in communities of color.

Key Topics:

1. Education is freedom — lessons from Nyakio's parents
2. Finding moments to educate and inspire others to honor her dad's legacy
3. Nyakio's first experiences with blatant racism in college
4. Chasing big dreams to move to LA to start her career
5. Getting exposed to the beauty industry through her assistant job
6. Branching out on her own to build her own beauty brand
7. Launching the brand in 180 boutiques with only $172,000
8. Staying disciplined about your business
9. Self-worth lessons around accepting money from investors
10. Exiting her first business to start the next one
11. Don't take a backseat on the financial health of your business
12. Teaching kids about poverty consciousness
13. Normalizing women discussing money the same way men do
14. Being a true catalyst for making the beauty industry more equitable

Connect with Nyakio online:

Websites: https://thirteenlune.com/, https://relevantskin.com/, https://www.nyakio.com/us/en

Instagram: @nyakio, @relevant.skin

LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyakio-grieco-1b13926/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co,

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

In this week's episode, I'm speaking with the incredible Lydia Fenet, an acclaimed auctioneer and two-time bestselling author. 

Lydia shares her story of how she grew her relationship with money and what it was like building an understanding of financial literacy throughout her life. After starting her career at Christie's auction house in her early 20s, she was suddenly faced with the reality of credit cards, saving, and advocating for yourself in the real world. 

Lydia takes us through her journey from first discovering she was way underpaid, to now investing in startups that she truly believes in and advocating for other women to do the same. 

Her story is truly inspiring for anyone (especially women) looking to jumpstart their investment portfolio and wanting to discover how much greater life can be when the answer is always "yes."

Key Topics:

1. Lydia's relationship with money as a child vs. where she is now
2. Experiencing the true value of money from the ultra-wealthy in her 20s
3. Learning to take charge of her own financial future
4. The power of self-advocating always
5. Getting into the layers of investing for the first time
6. What she's currently interested in investing in
7. Women shouldn't be scared of investing
8. Money as a form of security
9. Instilling financial literacy in children as a parent
10. The future of Lydia's entrepreneurial journey
11. Life is better when the answer is always "yes"
12. Lydia's most joyful purchases

13. What does legacy look like?

Connect with Lydia online:

Website: https://lydiafenet.com/

Instagram: @lydiafenet

Books: The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You, Claim Your Confidence

Claim Your Confidence Podcast

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co,

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

"If you give capital to black women, you'll see entire communities change," says my wonderful guest this week, Kim Nixon. 

Kim's idea of legacy reaches far beyond her own immediate family, and roots itself in the black community all over the world. She wants to teach black women how to invest their wealth for the betterment of themselves and their communities. When at least 50 women have multiplied their investments, Kim will know her job is done. 

In this week's episode, we discuss Kim's money stories throughout her life — from her childhood having to spend $1 like it's $3, to learning about wealth and investing when she was doing real estate. Throughout all stages of her life, she learned a lot about money, wealth, and investing from others. Now, she's trying to give back and do the same for her peers. 

If you're curious about angel investing, my interview with Kim will give you a sneak peek into what it's like getting started, and the lessons she learned with her first investments. 

 Key Topics:

1. Learning to work with money from a young age
2. Becoming attuned to the different opportunities kids have growing up
3. Pounding payment to save up during college
4. How working in real estate changed her views on money and investing
5. Basing her investments on becoming financially free
6. How Kim began her venture fund
7. Using her VC and PC experience to make space for black investors
8. Early lessons in angel investing
9. Considering risk tolerance with investing
10. Bringing financial literacy to the next generation
11. The legacy Kim will leave behind

Connect with Kim online:

Website: https://openventure.capital/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberleynixon/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co,

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Getting Rich Together!

In this inaugural episode, I had the joy of interviewing tech founder and entrepreneur Amber Allen of Double A Labs, who has achieved truly remarkable success in her business. She shares how she took a huge risk by leaving the comfort of corporate life to fully commit to her company. That gutsy decision paid off in spectacular fashion — in just the first year, Amber's business generated a staggering $1.5 million in revenue.

The millions continued rolling in, with the company hitting $4.5 million in year two, $6 million the next year, and eventually cresting at $12 million in sales. As the sole founder, Amber expertly navigated the stresses of rapid scaling and growth.

Amber touches on balancing her thriving career with priorities like family, travel, and creative pursuits. As an advocate for designing a wealthy life filled with meaningful experiences, she offers a refreshing perspective on investing in what you truly love.

Today, Amber has created an innovative product that helps people focus and pay attention using gamification principles from her 20 years in the video game industry. Her mission is to build platforms enabling more play, creativity, and curiosity in people's lives. With her incredible entrepreneurial talents and passionate vision, Amber is creating a powerful legacy.

Key Topics:

1. Peeling back the layers of Amber's childhood
2. Learning to take bigger risks when there's not much to lose
3. Discovering the hard way that money gives us access and opportunities
4. Having one foot in each door of the corporate life and entrepreneurship
5. Investing in milestones vs. spending on "stuff"
6. Your first investment should always be in yourself
7. Using tools that give you shortcuts to success
8. Investing in play and creativity
9. Even if you lose everything, you'll always have your reputation
10. The power of constructive feedback and learning from people smarter than you
11. Asking what you can do for others vs. asking what people can do for you
12. Spending is about what brings the most value to your life, not the price tag
13. How money conversations manifest in intimate relationships
14. The differences in how men and women look at investing
15. Not taking life so seriously

Connect with Amber online:

Website (professional): https://doublealabs.com/

Instagram: @amberallen_aa

LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberallendoublea/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co,

Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

April Uchitel is the founder of The Board, a pioneering fractional executive community connecting top-tier talent with brands that need specialized expertise. With a prolific 30-year career spanning Violet Grey, DVF, and leading tech startups, April has built some of the most coveted brands in fashion and beauty. Her journey from managing a Contempo Casuals in Boulder to running global sales strategy for multimillion-dollar companies is a testament to the power of relationships, resilience, and finally betting on yourself.

In this conversation, April reveals how growing up watching her salesman father navigate feast-or-famine finances created a scarcity mindset that kept her at companies far too long—and how she finally broke free in her 50s to build her life's work. You'll discover the moment she realized equity matters more than salary, why she moved her family cross-country to chase freedom over titles, and how she's redefining what fractional work means for burned-out executives and growing companies alike.

April shares why the future is fractional, how to ask for what you're worth when you don't know the game, and why surrounding yourself with community is the antidote to the isolation of entrepreneurship.

Key Topics:

1. How a scarcity mindset from childhood kept her in stable jobs too long—and cost her wealth

2. The wake-up call that equity and ownership matter more than any salary increase

3. Why she left a half-million-dollar CEO role to build something with true agency

4. Moving from fear-based decision making to designing life on your own terms

5. The fractional revolution—why specialized expertise beats bloated org charts

6. Building a membership-based business that bootstraps without VC pressure

7. Why community and human connection are your greatest competitive advantage

8. Regulating yourself as a founder when the buck stops with you on everything

Connect with April online:

Website: https://www.wearetheboard.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-uchitel-2b56b414/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apriluchitel/?hl=en

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Lindsay Hadley is the Managing Director of Harbor Fund, the first venture capital-shaped 501(c)3 investing in films and television that change culture for good. She's the founding executive director behind Global Citizen, brought the first $17 million to the organization, and has spent her career galvanizing A-list celebrities, billionaire philanthropists, and major corporations around causes that matter. Her journey from witnessing extreme poverty in post-Soviet Russia to raising $12 million in her first year at Harbor Fund is a masterclass in applied faith and relentless purpose.

In this conversation, Lindsay reveals how growing up in a conservative Mormon community where women were expected to be stay-at-home mothers shaped her resistance to traditional career paths—and how becoming the primary breadwinner created painful but necessary conversations in her marriage. You'll discover the inflection point when she sold her dream home for double what she built it for, moved to Hawaii, and completely reimagined her relationship with money and mental health.

Lindsay shares why she left the "eat what you kill" consulting treadmill to build residual income, how she's now matching philanthropists with Hollywood's elite to fund purpose-driven storytelling, and why changing one person's world matters as much as changing the world.

Key Topics:

1. How witnessing extreme poverty in post-Soviet Russia shaped a lifelong paradigm about money and privilege

2. Navigating the painful cognitive dissonance of being the primary breadwinner in a traditional marriage

3. The financial inflection point of selling a home for double and rethinking wealth strategy at 40

4. Moving from "eat what you kill" consulting to building residual income streams

5. Why the most powerful engine in the world is Hollywood—and how to hijack it for good

6. Creating the first venture capital-shaped nonprofit investing in films that change culture

7. Building a $100 million fund to become top 1% of independent film financing

8. Why dangerous love and being fully known matters more than any professional legacy

Connect with Lindsay online:

Website: https://www.capitafinancialnetwork.com/team/lindsay-hadley

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-hadley-6796a748/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsayshadley/?hl=en

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is known to millions as "The Money Coach"—a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and one of the most trusted voices in personal finance. Her journey from sharing bunk beds with four sisters in a two-bedroom apartment to building a multi-million dollar financial education empire is a masterclass in self-advocacy and strategic negotiation.

In this conversation, Lynnette reveals the moment that changed everything when it came to negotiations, pathways to landing dream jobs, and how layoffs can be catalysts for more success. Lynnette shares her framework for negotiating from strength rather than need and why she's now amplifying trusted voices to reach 10 million people through the Financial Influencer Network.

Key Topics:

1. Why employers expect you to negotiate—and what it signals when you don't

2. The power of admitting what you don't know while proving what you can deliver

3. How to negotiate from a position of strength instead of need or greed

4. The career-defining mistake of not getting agreements in writing

5. Transforming a corporate "baseball bat" layoff into entrepreneurial freedom

6. Why legacy is measured in lives touched, not accolades earned

7. Building wealth at scale by amplifying trusted voices through collaboration

8. The "each one teach one" approach to creating generational financial impact

Connect with Lynnette online:

Website: https://lynnettekhalfanicox.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnettekhalfanicox/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnettekhalfanicox/?hl=en

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Kelly Resendez is a force of nature in the world of women's leadership and wealth building. As President of Minerva, founder of GoBundance Women, and former executive at GoodLeap (a multi-billion dollar fintech company), Kelly has spent her career not just climbing ladders—but building entirely new structures for women to thrive.

In this powerful conversation, Kelly takes us from her entrepreneurial upbringing in Northern California to earning close to a million dollars by age 25, through her awakening after her mother's dementia diagnosis, and into her current mission: fixing broken systems that hold women back. You'll hear how she transformed from a "significance-aholic" chasing external validation into a conscious leader who sees money as energy and a tool for impact.

This episode is a masterclass in scaling without sacrifice, building community over loneliness, and understanding that investing in women's wellbeing isn't just good for women—it's good for families, communities, and the world.

Key Topics:

1. How growing up with entrepreneurial parents shaped Kelly's abundant mindset and fierce work ethic
2. Earning close to $1M by age 25—and why worldly success didn't equal inner fulfillment
3. The awakening that shifted money from a measure of worth to a tool for impact
4. Overcoming the "fear of numbers" that blocks most people from true wealth building
5. Creating your own job description as the secret to unlocking what's next
6. Moving from self-made success to community-driven growth through GoBundance Women
7. The investment criteria Kelly uses: founder energy + world positive impact
8. Why hormone replacement therapy is about longevity, not just symptom management.

Connect with Kelly online:

Website: https://kellyresendez.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyresendez/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_resendez/?hl=en

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I am joined this week by the brilliant and beautiful Patty Wexler. Patty is not only backing bold founders reimagining the future economy through Avila but also someone who has had such a unique story on this earth. From growing up in Venezuela as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors to becoming a venture capitalist investing in nuclear fusion and geothermal energy, Patty's journey is a masterclass in experiencing excellence and finding your path.

Today, we dive deep into Patty's formative years split between Venezuela and New York, where she learned early that counting every penny was survival. You'll hear about the boss who picked up the phone and changed her life trajectory, her realization that $28,000 felt like infinite wealth until rent was due, and how she tasted excellence at the buffet of opportunities from consulting to Disney to tech investing. Patty shares her philosophy on why venture isn't for everyone, the critical importance of choosing financial partners like you're entering a marriage with children, and why she pivoted from typical Silicon Valley investing to backing companies working on humanity's biggest challenges.

Listen as Patty talks about teaching her son to invest in her fund at age eight, the awkwardness of mixing money and personal relationships when fundraising, and her deep belief that we all need to stay involved with critical thinking as the world teeters on instability. This is a conversation about building wealth while keeping your eyes on the long-term future of our planet.

Key Topics:

1. Growing up with the epigenetics of Holocaust survival and what it means to count every penny
2. Learning that the first leap is the hardest, but once you're an immigrant, there's more optionality
3. Why early career is about experiencing different things to figure out what makes you tick
4. Understanding that venture capital isn't for everyone and choosing the right financial partners is like marriage with children
5. Making the pivot from lazy Silicon Valley investing to backing nuclear fusion and geothermal energy
6. Teaching your kids that privilege isn't random and comes from working very hard
7. Why the world needs critical thinking and long-term vision when everything feels unstable

Connect with Patty online:

Website: https://www.avila.vc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciahalfenwexler/

Instagram: @pattywexler @avila.vc

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join me for a profound conversation with Camille Scott-Wiles, an ICU nurse turned financial educator who transformed personal tragedy into a mission to help everyday professionals build lasting wealth. Camille's story begins in East New York, Brooklyn, where she grew up in poverty despite having a millionaire father, creating a complex relationship with money that would shape her entire financial philosophy.

Camille shares the pivotal moment when both her parents died of cancer just 19 hours apart, leaving her to navigate two estate settlements across multiple countries while launching her nursing career. This experience revealed critical gaps in financial planning that most families face—from missing life insurance policies to unprotected assets—and ignited her passion for teaching others how to avoid the same pitfalls.

Throughout our conversation, Camille reveals why she allocated 75% of her portfolio to precious metals, how she uses index universal life insurance policies that the wealthy have leveraged since 1913, and why she checks her investments daily in today's volatile economic climate. She breaks down complex concepts like the gold-to-silver ratio, wealth cycles, and the geopolitical shifts that are reshaping how we should think about protecting our assets. This episode is essential listening for anyone who wants to take control of their financial education and build wealth that can weather any economic storm.

Key Topics:

1. What you learn about money from watching your parents' struggles—and why sometimes the best lessons come from what NOT to do
2. How losing both parents within 19 hours forces you to become financially savvy overnight and manage estates across countries
3. Why life insurance is the first line of defense in estate planning—and the policy types most people never hear about
4. How to educate yourself on alternative investments while working full-time by following wealth cycles and market pioneers
5. Why diversifying into precious metals offers peace of mind when traditional markets face geopolitical and economic turbulence
6. What the gold-to-silver ratio reveals about when to enter and exit commodity investments for maximum returns
7. How index universal life insurance policies let you build tax-free retirement wealth the way elites have since 1913
8. Why checking your portfolio daily keeps you ahead of market shifts and helps you rebalance for changing economic conditions

Connect with Camille online:

Website: https://stan.store/PreciousMetalsMasterclass

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillewiles/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join me for an incredible conversation with Flossie Hall, a powerhouse entrepreneur who has built and exited multiple seven-figure businesses and is now CEO of Stella Foundation, where she's helped move over $200 million in capital to female founders worldwide. Flossie's journey from growing up in poverty in small-town America to becoming a force for women's economic empowerment is nothing short of extraordinary.

Flossie takes us through her early years, from being "toothless Flossie" living in constant instability to becoming a teenage mother determined to break generational cycles. She shares how she navigated working three jobs while earning two undergraduate degrees, even becoming a Distinguished Researcher at the University of Michigan. Her story takes an unexpected turn when a military move forces her to pivot from medical school to accidentally launching a meal prep business that generated $30,000 per month from her home kitchen.

Throughout our conversation, Flossie reveals the inflection points that transformed her relationship with money, from the day she realized she could dictate her own income to learning that enough is truly enough. She opens up about teaching her four children about wealth, investing in startups as "lotto tickets," and why she organizes her work into three buckets based on mission, balance, and profit. This episode is a masterclass in turning adversity into advantage and using wealth as a tool for systemic change.

Key Topics:

1. How growing up in poverty shaped an unshakeable determination to create financial freedom
2. Becoming a teenage mother and the decision to work rather than let circumstances define your future
3. The moment you realize you can dictate your own income and why that autonomy changes everything
4. Accidentally building a $30K/month business and discovering your gift for scaling operations
5. Why treating businesses as temporary identities rather than permanent fixtures unlocks exponential growth
6. Finding your "enough is enough" threshold and choosing life balance over endless work
7. Teaching your children about money, investing, and the value of work when they've never experienced struggle
8. Building an investing muscle through sweat equity, small checks, and calculated risk-taking as your "lotto tickets"

Connect with Flossie online:

Website: https://stella.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flossiehall

More from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I am joined this week by the beautiful and incredible Nell Daly from Revenge Capital. Nell is not only a venture capitalist investing in underrepresented founders but also a former psychotherapist who spent 17,000 hours listening to people's life stories and understanding how deeply money affects our psychological well-being and life choices.

Today, we dive deep into Nell's unconventional journey from growing up as the daughter of Irish immigrants who physically skipped middle class but psychologically remained "kids from the projects," to becoming a therapist treating the symptoms of economic inequality, to finally deciding to treat the root causes by becoming a venture capitalist. You'll hear about the profound ways financial insecurity shaped her childhood, her pivot from law to art school after a friend's tragic death, and the realization that came from years of private practice that economic freedom is fundamental to human autonomy and mental health.

Nell shares how she taught herself venture capital during the pandemic by Googling every term she didn't understand, why her son named the fund "Revenge," and her mission to make sure that anyone who doesn't look or sound like traditional power has a seat at the table. Listen as Nell talks about the courage it takes to keep touching the hot stove, why being talent isn't enough when you want to run the company, and how we need more women later in the food chain writing the actual checks.

Key Topics:

1. Growing up with the psychological scars of poverty even when you're physically middle class

2. Treating 17,000 hours of patients and realizing money is the root cause, not just a symptom

3. Learning that economic freedom is fundamental to leaving bad relationships and living out your dreams

4. Teaching yourself venture capital through Google when you don't come from banking or finance

5. Why "Revenge" perfectly captures what underrepresented founders are really seeking

6. The difference between being talent and being the one who writes the checks

7. Creating systematic change so talented women don't leave male-dominated industries in tears

Connect with Nell online:

Website: https://revenge.capital/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nellgibbondaly/

Instagram: @nell.daly @revengecapital

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Some women learn money in a classroom. Katie learned it in her dad's real estate office. On Getting Rich Together, host Syama Bunten talks with investor, advisor, and former commercial real estate finance executive Katie Dunn about angel investing for women and the path that led her there. Katie grew up around deals, properties, and practical lessons about ownership, then built a career financing major commercial real estate transactions before moving into startup investing and founder advisory work.

This episode is for anyone curious about women founders fundraising, a smarter startup fundraising strategy, and how to become an angel investor without pretending the process is simple. Katie's story makes angel investing for women feel concrete. She connects early money lessons to real estate investing for wealth building, then shows how that experience shaped the way she evaluates founders, opportunities, and risk.

What makes this conversation worth hearing is Katie's honesty about money and power. She is clear that angel investing for women is not just about access or confidence. It is also about ownership, decision-making, and making money without apology. Hearing how Katie built her edge over time makes angel investing for women feel more grounded, more doable, and much less intimidating.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 From Commercial Real Estate to Angel Investing

02:45 Katie Dunn's Early Money Lessons and Real Estate Upbringing

16:31 Breaking Into Commercial Real Estate Finance After College

24:22 First Investments and Real Estate Investing for Wealth Building

30:37 How Katie Dunn Learned Angel Investing and Startup Deal Flow

40:11 Using AI and Founder Advisory to Improve Startup Fundraising Strategy

46:53 Why More Women Need to Invest and Close the Female Founder Funding Gap

Connect with Katie Dunn:

LinkedIn: Connect with Katie on LinkedIn

Instagram: Follow Katie on Instagram 

Tiktok: Follow Katie on Tiktok

Website: Visit Katie's website

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons

Instagram: Follow Syama on Instagram

Join Syama's Substack: Join Syama's Substack

Website: Visit the Wealth Catalyst website

Download Syama's Free Resources: Download Syama's Free Resources

Learn About Wealth Catalyst Summit Events: Wealth Catalyst Summit

Website: Visit Syama's website

Big Delta Capital: Visit the Big Delta Capital website

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

I am joined this week by the bold and brilliant Mel Dorman. Mel is not only a successful real estate investor with nearly three dozen rental units but also a financial activist devoted to helping people reclaim their financial power through ethical real estate investing.

Today, we dive deep into Mel's journey from being a self-described "anti-capitalist" social worker to becoming a real estate investor who's redefining what wealth-building can look like when it centers people and community. You'll hear about Mel's unconventional first business breeding reptiles in high school, her transformative humanitarian work abroad, and the family crisis that sparked her mission to build wealth differently.

Mel shares how she discovered seller financing as an alternative to traditional real estate investing, building a multi-million-dollar portfolio starting with just $500 out of pocket. She opens up about the profound moment at her father's bedside that crystallized her purpose to teach others what she learned too late to help him. Listen as Mel talks about creating the Seller Financing Academy, her vision for economic justice through local ownership, and how transformation happens when we build wealth in community with our neighbors rather than extracting from them.

Key Topics:

1. Starting with financial celibacy and learning that opting out of capitalism doesn't protect you from it

2. The family crisis that forced a reckoning with money as power and agency

3. Discovering seller financing as a relationship-based investment strategy built on social capital, not money capital

4. Turning $500 into 23 rental units through creative deal structuring and strategic thinking

5. The promise made at her father's bedside that became her life's mission

6. Why transformation happens in community, not through weekend boot camps

7. Building ethical real estate ecosystems where neighbors become partners instead of extraction targets

Connect with Mel online:

Website: https://www.meldorman.com/

Book: Bank on Your Neighbor

TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptadc1hNEi8

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mel_dorman/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadorman/

Seller Financing Academy: https://www.sellerfinancingacademy.com/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join me for an extraordinary conversation with Biet Simkin, renowned spiritual teacher, bestselling author, and the self-proclaimed "David Bowie of meditation." Biet's journey from abject poverty in Queens with an awakened shaman father to becoming a sought-after spiritual guide earning seven figures is unlike anything you've heard before—and it will challenge everything you think you know about money, success, and destiny.

In this raw and transformative episode, Biet shares her childhood growing up in a roach-infested tenement apartment after her mother died of pancreatic cancer, being raised by a father who believed love and consciousness were the only currencies that mattered. She was reading Carl Jung at nine years old, meditating deeply, and already convinced she possessed magic—even as she cried every day at public school where she was punched for seeming "too intelligent."

Biet takes us through getting signed to Sony at 18, watching her music career collapse as the industry imploded, and descending into drugs, alcohol, and dating "the wrong men" as a DJ in New York's party scene. But after the devastating loss of her four-month-old daughter to SIDS, followed by her best friend's suicide, her father's death, and her house burning down, Biet found sobriety—and with it, her true calling.

She reveals how she went from earning $12,000 a year (living on $1,000 a month in NYC) to $170,000 in one year, then tripling to over $400,000, and eventually hitting seven figures—all without following conventional business advice, creating funnels, or doing what everyone said she "should" do. Instead, she trusted her magic, priced herself like Picasso, and believed the quantum field would deliver.

This episode is for anyone who's ever been told they're "too much," too spiritual, too unconventional—and for those ready to stop apologizing for their gifts and start claiming their worth.

Key Topics:

1. Why being raised in "abject poverty" by an awakened shaman became her greatest blessing
2. The dangerous lesson: when you're taught that money is shameful and love is the only real currency
3. From signed at Sony to career collapse: navigating the music industry implosion without a safety net
4. How devastating loss and trauma became the portal to sobriety and spiritual awakening
5. The moment her partner asked to see her numbers—and why shame kept her hiding from financial truth
6. Going from $12,000/year to six figures by trusting her magic instead of business gurus
7. The Picasso pricing philosophy: "I said so, therefore it's worth it"
8. Why sales and marketing are spiritual practices—and how to sell yourself without apology

Connect with Biet online:

Website: https://www.bietsimkin.com

Instagram: @bietsimkin

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Laura Nix Gerson, CEO and co-founder of NixGerson Media and host of the VentureF podcast, where she champions women investing in women. Laura's journey from military kid moving across the globe every three years to becoming a pioneer in building communities for women investors is a masterclass in turning connection into catalyst.

In this rich conversation, Laura shares her formative years growing up in a military family, living everywhere from Korea to Iran to Germany, and how those constant moves taught her the art of building relationships and creating anchor points in times of change. She reveals the profound impact of her father's Sunday afternoon budget meetings—complete with handmade grids before spreadsheets existed—showing her the importance of allocating dollars across buckets including charity and savings.

Laura takes us through her fascinating career evolution: from launching her first nonprofit arts festival in college, to running prestigious art galleries (where she witnessed Elton John casually point at ten pieces of art without asking prices), to becoming one of LA's first "mommy bloggers," to ultimately founding VentureF. Along the way, she discovered a critical gap: brilliant women founders solving real problems but unable to access capital from predominantly male investors who couldn't understand why European baby formula or perinatal nutrition mattered.

Most powerfully, Laura discusses why she created VentureF as an aggregation point for women seeking to invest in other women—offering guides, glossaries, and curated communities to help accredited investors (many who don't even realize they qualify) deploy capital aligned with their values. With 66% of wealth transferring to women in the next decade, Laura is ensuring we're prepared to invest it wisely and meaningfully.

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in building wealth through community, understanding alternative investments, or learning how to leverage relationships as your greatest asset.

Key Topics:

1. How constant change can become your superpower for building meaningful relationships
   
2. The power of budget allocation: why dividing your money into buckets (including charity) sets you up for success
   
3. Why building community and connection has been the through-line of every successful career pivot
   
4. The hidden barrier to female founders: solving real problems that male investors don't understand or value
   
5. What the great wealth transfer means for you: how to prepare for when 66% of wealth is in women's hands
   
6. Where to start as an investor: finding resources, education, and deal flow without feeling overwhelmed
   
7. How to have productive money conversations with your partner and raise financially literate kids
   
8. The shift from investing for returns to investing with values: using your capital to create change

Connect with Laura online:

Website: https://lauranixgerson.com/

https://www.nixgersonmedia.com/

Podcast: https://www.venturef.com/ VentureF Podcast (available on all platforms)

The Foundry:

Apply at venturef.co to join this invitation-only community for women investors

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Jessica Karr, the heart-centered venture capitalist and founder of Coyote Ventures, who is transforming women's health and wellness through strategic investments. Jessica's journey from biochemist to early team member at Impossible Foods to launching her own impact-focused venture fund is a masterclass in following your values while building wealth.

In this episode, Jessica shares her unconventional path from working in her father's dental practice in Amarillo, Texas, to becoming a force in Silicon Valley venture capital. You'll hear how she navigated stock options as an early employee, the pivotal moments that shaped her investment philosophy, and why she chose to focus exclusively on companies advancing women's health and wellness.

Jessica opens up about the realities of raising a first fund, living capital-efficiently to play the long game, and why being "all in" on private markets aligns with her values—even when wealth managers cringe. Her story illuminates how scientific thinking, patience, and an unwavering commitment to impact can create both financial returns and meaningful change.

Key Topics:

1. Finding alignment between science, sustainability, and personal health through early experiences in healthcare
2. Navigating stock options and secondary markets as an early Impossible Foods employee
3. Transitioning from consulting to venture capital without traditional training
4. Raising your first fund and securing institutional LPs like Bank of America
5. Living capital-efficiently to enable long-term, high-reward opportunities
6. Building a thesis around women's health and wellness investing
7. Creating community and balance while pursuing ambitious career goals
8. Why being "all in" on private markets reflects living in integrity with your mission
   
   

Connect with Jessica Karr online:

Website: https://www.coyote.ventures/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicarkarr/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellojesskarr/?hl=en

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Josie Cox, award-winning journalist, author of Women Money Power, and founding editor of The Persistent. Josie's journey from a tiny Swiss village to becoming one of the most compelling voices in economic equality is a testament to the power of purpose-driven work and unwavering conviction.

In this deeply personal episode, Josie shares her unique upbringing as a "third culture kid" — growing up in Switzerland to a Czech mother and English father, navigating multiple languages and cultures, and learning early on about inequality when she transitioned from public school to an international school system. We explore how these formative experiences shaped her understanding of socioeconomic differences and fueled her passion for financial journalism.

Josie opens up about her career path from Reuters in Frankfurt to London and eventually New York City, making crucial decisions that prioritized passion over paychecks. She candidly discusses the tension between artistic fulfillment and financial security, her experience with eating disorders during college, and how meeting her now-husband transformed her understanding of partnership and shared resources.

Most powerfully, Josie reveals the moment that inspired her book *Women Money Power* — an off-the-record interview with a prominent CEO whose dismissive views on women's economic ambition became her call to action. Her mission is clear: to illuminate why economic inequality persists and to give courage to those fighting against it.

This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in economic justice, the intersection of gender and finance, and how one person's voice can amplify change across generations. 

Key Topics:

1. Choosing passion over profit: starting a journalism career despite modest pay
2. Navigating relationships and money with partners at different income levels
3. Combining finances in marriage and recognizing the value of unpaid labor
4. Why the gender pay gap persists and what we can do about it
5. The legacy she hopes to leave for her daughter and future generations
6. Speaking truth to power through journalism and advocacy

Connect with Josie Cox online:

Website:https://www.josiecox.com

Book: Women Money Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josie-cox-68476a52/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I'm fired up to introduce a business legend today. Melinda Emerson is known nationwide as the number one small business lady and the powerhouse behind Small Biz Chat. She's a bestselling author of "Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months" and has helped countless entrepreneurs launch, grow, and thrive.

Melinda shares her journey from realizing writing was her magical power at age 12 to landing her dream job in broadcast television—only to discover she hated it. At 26, she left that job in the middle of February sweeps to start her business in her basement with just a laptop, a fax machine, and a dream. That was 26 years ago.

We explore the invaluable lessons she learned from her serial entrepreneur mother and career salesman father, how she prepared financially before leaving her job, and the spiritual transformation that happened when she realized success wasn't about hitting a number. Melinda opens up about navigating divorce as a business owner, finding joy in community, and her exciting new venture: teaching women 45+ how to buy businesses instead of starting from scratch.

Key Topics:

1. Learning entrepreneurship from her mother's side hustles and father's sales mastery
2. Her father's lessons on credit, savings, and delayed gratification that shaped her financial foundation
3. Preparing to leave her six-figure job by paying off debt and saving strategically
4. The spiritual shift from measuring success by money to measuring it by impact
5. Navigating divorce and business ownership while learning to find joy again
6. Why she's passionate about teaching women to buy existing businesses and franchises
7. Launching the Next Act CEO Summit to help women 45+ become business owners fast
   
   

Connect with Melinda online:

Website: https://www.smallbizlady.com/

Book: "Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months"

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I'm thrilled to share my conversation with Madeline Tomseth, a fourth-generation member of the Les Schwab Tire family who is reimagining what it means to steward family wealth through intentional philanthropy.

Madeline's journey from growing up immersed in a relationship-driven family business to navigating the unexpected sale of that business offers profound insights into identity, values, and creating meaningful impact. You'll hear about how she's channeling her great-grandfather's legacy of radical generosity into her own donor advised fund and working alongside other next-gen philanthropists to reimagine impact investing.

Madeline opens up about the emotional journey of inheriting wealth, defining her own identity separate from family legacy, and how she and her husband navigate money and values together.

Key Topics:

1. Growing up in the Les Schwab family where service and people-centered leadership were core values
2. Following her creative passion to pastry school and learning the power of food to create community
3. Processing the unexpected sale of the family business and the grief that came with it
4. Wrestling with worthiness as a wealth inheritor versus wealth generator
5. Founding her own donor advised fund to honor legacy while finding her own voice
6. Viewing nonprofit support as true investments rather than one-time gifts
7. How next-gen philanthropists are aligning their entire portfolios with their values
   
   

Connect with Madeline online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinetomseth/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I am here today with Erin Gallagher, America's number one hype woman. Erin has taken stages across the country to rally women around their power, and she is the author of the upcoming book, Hype Women: Breaking Free from Mean Girls, Patriarchy, and Systems that are Silencing All of Us.

In this powerful conversation, Erin takes us back to her Coast Guard upbringing, moving every two to four years and navigating her parents' divorce while taking on the role of family caretaker at a young age. She shares how sports became her outlet for anger and intensity, and how finding sisterhood in an unexpected place—her college sorority—shaped her understanding of collective power.

Erin opens up about her journey from wanting to be a lawyer fighting for justice to pivoting into marketing and communications, where she thought she could use big brands' power to inspire change faster. We dive deep into her 15 years in corporate America as an ambitious, unhealed, people-pleasing perfectionist who lost herself serving others, and how becoming a mother finally gave her less room for bullshit.

She courageously shares the painful reality of co-founding a company where she didn't demand her value or worth, leading to a devastating business divorce. Erin reveals the mantra that changed everything: "I will no longer abandon myself in service to others." We explore why not all women deserve hype, how to identify mean girls and patriarchy's foot soldiers, and why karma is currency and hype is capital in the new ecosystem she's building.

Key Topics:

1. Learning early that anger and service were gendered expectations—and writing a manifesto about it at age 10
   
   
2. Finding sisterhood and collective power through sports and sorority life as essential survival tools
   
   
3. Pivoting from law to mission-driven communications work after witnessing injustice firsthand at a legal nonprofit
   
   
4. Becoming a mother and finally running out of room for corporate bullshit and performative people-pleasing
   
   
5. The devastating reality of business divorce and being undervalued in a company you co-founded
   
   
6. Why "I will no longer abandon myself in service to others" became the mantra that changed everything
   
   
7. Identifying mean girls and patriarchy's foot soldiers—not all women deserve your hype or energy
   
   
8. Creating the Hype Women economy where we shift capital (time, energy, money, platform) to each other strategically
   
   

Connect with Erin online:

Book: Hype Women: Breaking Free from Mean Girls, Patriarchy, and Systems that are Silencing All of Us Get it Here: https://www.hypewomen.com/

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/erin.gallag.her/?hl=en

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

This week, host Syama Bunten welcomes Danielle Corcione, a powerhouse equity partner at CSG Law, former federal prosecutor, and champion for women's leadership. Danielle shares her remarkable journey from a small-town Long Island upbringing to becoming a respected trial attorney, angel investor, and voice for balanced ambition.

From her first job at Blockbuster to prosecuting white-collar criminals and human traffickers at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Danielle opens up about the financial trade-offs she made to pursue meaningful work, the student loan burden she navigated without guidance, and how she built a thriving law practice on principles of generosity and alignment.

Listen as Danielle discusses modeling work-life integration for the next generation, teaching law students that feeling good drives success, and raising grateful children in a different financial reality than she experienced. Her story illuminates how strategic career pivots, authenticity, and values-driven decision-making can create both professional success and personal fulfillment.

Key Topics:

1. Taking massive pay cuts for meaningful work—from big law to in-house to federal prosecution
   
   

2. Navigating $200K+ in student loans without financial education or family guidance
   
   

3. Working through pregnancy as a new federal prosecutor without maternity leave benefits
   
   

4. Building a law practice on generosity instead of competition—and why it works
   
   

5. Moving from representing $50 billion companies to angel investing in women founders
   
   

6. Raising financially secure children while teaching them gratitude and contribution
   
   

7. Teaching the next generation that feeling good comes before success, not after
   
   

Connect with Danielle Corcione online:

Website: https://www.csglaw.com/people/danielle-m-corcione/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chiesa-shahinian-&-giantomasi-pc

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: wealthcatalyst.com

Podcast: wealthcatalyst.com/getting-rich-together-podcast

Download Syama's Free Resources: wealthcatalyst.com/resources

Wealth Catalyst Summit: wealthcatalyst.com/summits

Speaking: syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join me as I sit down with the dynamic Jami Stigliano, founder and franchisor of Diva Dance, who has built an incredible business around empowering women through dance while creating wealth-building opportunities for franchisees across the globe.

Jami takes us through her journey from growing up in small-town Texas with entrepreneurial role models to spending 20 years in the music industry in New York City, and ultimately finding her true calling in building a dance franchise that helps women own their power. You'll hear about her strategic approach to bootstrapping a business to 52 locations without outside investors, her partnership with her husband in both business and life, and her upcoming capital raise.

This conversation is packed with insights on franchising as a wealth-building vehicle, the importance of an abundance mindset, and how to scale a values-driven business while maintaining authentic community connections.

Key Topics:

1. Growing up with abundance mindset and quality over quantity lessons from dad
   
   
2. Surviving the music industry in NYC while building 401k wealth
   
   
3. The Miami breakthrough moment that changed everything
   
   
4. Bootstrapping through sacrifice: roommates, in-laws, and side hustles
   
   
5. Why franchising beats licensing for building real assets
   
   
6. Selling their Manhattan apartment to fund business growth
   
   
7. Scaling to $2.3M revenue without investors and preparing for capital raise
   
   

Connect with Jami online:

Website: divadance.com

Franchise opportunities: divadancefranchise.com

LinkedIn: Connect with Jami Stigliano

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamistig/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: syamabunten.com

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: women.win

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join your host Syama Bunten, as she talks with Abbe Large. Abbe built one of the most decorated careers in financial services — the only woman in MassMutual's history since 1851 to win both Freshman Five and Chairman's Club — but her road there started with nothing but grit. Growing up in a dysfunctional household, working her first job at 14, and putting herself through college while paying her own rent in New York City, Abbe learned early that if it was going to happen, it was up to her.

Now, after more than three decades of helping families protect what matters most, Abbe brings something most advisors can't — a lived understanding of what it actually feels like to be on the other side of the table. She's not selling a script. She's sharing a life.

This episode is packed with hard-won wisdom on financial planning, family legacy, raising money-smart kids, and why the spouse in the corner needs to be at the table.

Key Topics:

1. How early self-reliance can become your greatest professional asset

2. Why finding the right culture and people to surround yourself with matters as much as the work itself

3. How to talk about money at home — practical ways Abbe raised financially literate kids who now manage their own travel budgets and credit card points

4. The critical estate planning mistake that cost one widow hundreds of thousands of dollars — and how to make sure it doesn't happen to your family

5. Why listeners who have a spouse or partner need both people in the room during financial planning conversations — and what's at stake when they don't

6. What the accumulation, distribution, and preservation phases of wealth actually look like — and why most people only think about one of them

7. How to know if your existing financial plan is outdated, incomplete, or just plain wrong — and what to do about it

Connect with Abbe Large online: 

Website: https://www.lenoxadvisors.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbeflarge/ 

Email: alarge@lenoxadvisors.com

Find more from Syama Bunten: 

Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/ 

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/ 

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com 

Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources 

Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits 

Speaking: https://syamabunten.com 

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I'm absolutely thrilled to share this conversation with the brilliant Dia Bondi - someone I deeply respect, admire, and have the absolute best time with. Dia is not only the author of "Ask Like an Auctioneer" but also one of the most courageous and bold leadership communication experts I know, helping transformational leaders find their voice and make big decisions.

In this deeply personal conversation, Dia takes us back to her roots growing up in Sonoma County in a family of small business owners, where she learned early lessons about entrepreneurship from watching her dad leave his job to start a construction company with the philosophy "don't buy a dump truck till you need a dump truck."

What strikes me most about Dia's story is how she's always followed her instincts - from that visceral reaction in a corporate interview that told her she couldn't work in a cubicle, to spending a year and a half discovering what she truly wanted to do, to eventually building a thriving leadership communications business that has generated million-dollar payouts.

Dia shares candidly about how she and her husband have approached money as business partners from day one, reading books like "The Millionaire Next Door" to create a shared operating system around spending and saving. She reveals how she made money "unimportant" for years due to family stories about the dangers of wealth, and how she gradually learned to value her work appropriately and participate in the upside she creates for clients.

This conversation is packed with tactical insights about transitioning from corporate work to entrepreneurship, pricing your services, and building wealth while keeping your cost of living intentionally low to protect what matters most - your time, energy, and freedom.

Key Topics:

1. Why visceral reactions to traditional career paths can guide you toward entrepreneurship 
2. How to practice new skills creatively (like offering free coaching at flea markets)
3. How family money stories can make you afraid of wealth accumulation
4. Why keeping your cost of living low creates space for freedom and choice
5. How to negotiate equity and participate in client value creation
6. The power of automated wealth building through simple, consistent investing
7. Why "money is dangerous" beliefs can limit your entrepreneurial potential

Connect with Dia online:

Website: https://www.diabondi.com/

Book: "Ask Like an Auctioneer" - available wherever books are sold

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://women.win/

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I'm thrilled to share this deeply moving conversation with Sun Yong Kim-Manzolini, whose story is nothing short of extraordinary. Sun Yong's journey from a disabled orphan in South Korea to a successful options trader and entrepreneur in America is a testament to the power of resilience, taking action despite fear, and never giving up on your dreams.

In this episode, Sun Yong opens up about her early childhood in Korean orphanages, learning to walk at age six, being adopted by an American family, and working her dream job as a medical assistant for 33 years. But here's where her story takes an incredible turn - at age 54, she made the bold decision to retire early with only $10 in her checking account and teach herself options trading as a "hobby."

What happened next will inspire you: Sun Yong developed her own trading system and turned that hobby into a six-figure income in her first year. She shares the practical details of her journey, from using virtual money to practice, to taking a home equity loan to fund her real trading account, to eventually turning her husband's $164,000 retirement fund into over $600,000 in just 11 months.

This conversation is packed with wisdom about taking calculated risks, the importance of financial education, and how money can be a tool for creating the life you truly want. Sun Yong's earnestness and integrity shine through every moment of our discussion.

Key Topics:

1. How childhood trauma shaped her money mindset and resourcefulness

2. Leaving her "dream job" after 33 years to pursue financial independence

3. Learning options trading at age 54 with zero tech experience

4. Using virtual money to master trading before risking real capital

5. Turning $164K retirement funds into $600K in 11 months

6. Managing multiple revenue streams in minutes per day

7. Taking action despite fear and imperfect timing

8. Building a legacy of financial empowerment for others

Connect with Sun Yong:

Book:

Invest Yourself and Throw Away Your Excuses and Turn Your Life Around

Opposites (co-written with her husband) Mention this podcast for 50% off signed copies

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sun-yong-kim-manzolini-5105a8203/

Upcoming Event: Thrive 360 - A live event focusing on the four pillars of a dream life: mental health, physical health, spiritual health, and financial health.

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://women.win/

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I'm absolutely thrilled to share my conversation with the incredible Coco Sellman, founder and CEO of A Force for Good and author of the transformative book by the same name. Over the past 25 years, Coco has built and advised over 500 startups, launched five companies, and successfully exited her healthcare business. But what makes this conversation so powerful is hearing how she went from growing up on food stamps in rural Iowa to building multimillion-dollar companies.

Coco gets beautifully vulnerable about her journey from a single-mother household where she thought food stamps were "cool" to discovering her worth through a shocking $20,000 salary correction early in her career. She shares the gritty reality of bootstrapping businesses while working full-time, the stomach-churning fear of investing her own money, and the moment she realized she was operating from scarcity rather than abundance. This is a masterclass in transforming your relationship with money, building wealth through entrepreneurship, and using success as a platform to lift others.

Key Topics:

1. Growing up thinking food stamps were cool
   
   

2. Getting a $20,000 salary correction that changed everything
   
   

3. Living paycheck to paycheck while maxing out your 401k
   
   

4. Building businesses while working full-time for years
   
   

5. The stomach-churning reality of investing your own money
   
   

6. Growing from zero to $6.5M in 18 months (and why it wasn't enough)
   
   

7. Transforming from a scarcity mindset to abundance thinking
   
   

Connect with Coco Sellman:

Website: https://aforceforgood.biz/

Book: "A Force for Good" - https://amzn.to/4lIZIuq

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cocosellman/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://women.win/

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I am absolutely thrilled to share my conversation with the remarkable Vanessa Cartwright, a powerhouse in the marketing and agency world who has navigated multiple countries, career pivots, and life transitions while building lasting wealth. In this candid conversation, Vanessa takes us through her incredible journey from rural England to London, Vancouver, and New York, revealing how she's created financial security through strategic property investments, calculated career moves, and most recently, her bold transition from C-suite executive to independent consultant.

Vanessa gets incredibly honest about the realities of divorce, single motherhood, and the financial pressures of planning for children's education in the US. She also shares her creative approach to wealth building through remote Airbnb property management and her current life chapter of choosing autonomy over traditional corporate security. This conversation is packed with insights for anyone considering major life transitions or looking to build wealth across borders.

Key Topics:

1. Moving countries without a job lined up

2. Building wealth through international property investments

3. Managing finances through divorce as the primary earner

4. Running an Airbnb remotely while climbing the corporate ladder

5. Walking away from C-suite security to choose freedom

6. The hidden isolation of senior leadership roles

7. Selling your primary home to buy back your options

Connect with Vanessa Cartwright:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessajgcartwright/

https://www.alandoconsulting.com/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

Join host Syama Bunten for a raw and inspiring conversation with Sel Watts, serial entrepreneur and founder of What's Next PX. Sel shares her remarkable journey from childhood instability and domestic violence in Australia to building a successful international consulting firm - all without any formal business education, startup capital, or family support.

In this candid conversation, Sel reveals how early adversity shaped her fierce independence and entrepreneurial drive. You'll hear about her transformative experience with life coaching at 27, the bold decision to start her business with a three-month-old baby and just $60 an hour in revenue, and her unwavering commitment to betting on herself. Sel also opens up about the challenges of bringing her husband into the business, nearly losing everything, and her audacious move to New York City at 45 with three kids to start over.

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, self-belief, and the power of having "No Plan B" - Sel's life mantra that she's literally tattooed on her arm. Her story proves that you don't need credentials, connections, or capital to build something extraordinary - you just need unwavering belief in yourself.

Key Topics:

1. How early adversity can fuel entrepreneurial drive - Learn why difficult childhoods often create the strongest business leaders
2. The investment that changed everything - Discover how spending $1,000 on life coaching at 27 unlocked Sel's hidden potential
3. Starting a business with zero capital - Get the blueprint for launching with just $60/hour and a 9-month deadline
4. Why you should spend money you don't have - Understand the psychology of investing in your vision before you can afford it
5. How to use rewards to fuel long-term motivation - Learn why public goal achievement inspires everyone around you
6. The hidden costs of mixing family and business - Explore what happens when spouses join established companies and how to navigate it
7. Making life-changing moves in your 40s - Find out why it's never too late to chase audacious dreams, even with kids
8. The power of eliminating backup plans - Discover why removing safety nets forces breakthrough success

Connect with Sel Watts:

Website: https://www.wattsnextpx.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/selwatts

Sel is currently building her culture consulting business for founders and would love to connect with business owners who want to create amazing people experiences while achieving their goals.

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: syamabunten.com

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com