EMERGE Everywhere

Where you come from shouldn’t determine your worth. This is the underlying belief that fuels Abbey Wemimo, CEO of Esusu, in his quest to promote justice-based capitalism. On this episode of EMERGE Everywhere, Abbey joins Jennifer to talk about his family’s immigration from Nigeria to Minnesota, how his experiences have shaped his views of the U.S. financial system, and his work to bridge the racial wealth gap. 

Luz Urrutia’s passion for financial services developed early in life. Her own experience moving to the U.S. from Venezuela and trying to obtain credit as an immigrant lit a fire in her to help the Latinx community navigate similar financial barriers. As we recognize the contributions of Latinx people to the U.S. during Hispanic Heritage Month, Luz joins Jennifer to talk about her work in underserved communities, how we can support entrepreneurs of color better, and the issues facing small businesses in the wake of the pandemic. For more information on this and other episodes, visit www.finhealthnetwork.org/emerge-everywhere-podcast/

Despite monumental progress, members of the LGBT+ community still face substantial social barriers and unique financial challenges. On this episode of EMERGE Everywhere, Rob Curtis joins Jennifer to talk about these obstacles and how his company, Daylight, is working to provide LGBT+ consumers with a tailored product that responds to their specific financial needs. For more information on this and other episodes, visit www.finhealthnetwork.org/emerge-everywhere-podcast/

Financial inequity and systemic racism are two of the most pressing policy issues in America today as the country moves out of the pandemic. Urban Institute President Sarah Rosen Wartell joins Jennifer to discuss the country’s progress when it comes to affordable housing, the labor market, and racial inequity, as well as the role of government in enabling individuals to thrive. 

After leading a group of 100 CEOs to meet Pope Francis in 2016, Fortune committed to advancing social progress by uniting leading minds at its annual CEO Initiative. As Fortune continues its transition from a magazine into a platform for change, CEO Alan Murray joins host Jennifer Tescher to talk about the future of the initiative, the progress of capitalism, and the need for greater compassion in business.

Many financial companies have pledged resources to promote social good, but still struggle to leverage their own internal impact. In this episode of EMERGE Everywhere, JUST Capital CEO Martin Whittaker sits down with Jennifer to discuss his mission to help companies focus on the S in ESG, which includes investing in racial equity and employee financial wellness. Together, they discuss the importance of providing livable wages for employees and fostering inclusive workplace cultures, and how JUST Capital scores companies’ performance in ESG. 

Few people have had a career as dynamic and successful as Gene Ludwig. In this episode of EMERGE Everywhere, this Clinton administration alumnus, financial services CEO, entrepreneur, and nonprofit founder joins Jennifer to talk about his lifetime of dedication to addressing inequity. Together, they explore the need for more holistic measurements that capture the true story of what is happening for everyday Americans, and how policy changes can encourage productivity while helping to lift communities up.  

In 1986, Discover introduced the concept of cashback rewards on a credit card with no annual fee, transforming the landscape of credit for good. No longer reserved for the privileged few, credit cards became an everyday tool in most wallets. In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Discover CEO and President Roger Hochschild to dig into his passion for helping the underserved. Find out how his company is backing its words with action to drive real social change and bring about a better future. 

Although adequate insurance is a critical tool for financial resilience, only half of Americans are confident they would have sufficient coverage to manage an emergency. Research shows that this gap has only widened in recent years. In this episode, Jen talks to Chris Smith, Executive Vice President of Group Benefits at Guardian Life, about new opportunities to modernize the benefits experience and promote greater financial resiliency.

Episode description: 

Many fintechs launch to tackle big missions – like the democratization of the stock market, increasing financial inclusion, or improving financial health. But these fast-growing startups are also for-profit companies with investors and other stakeholders to satisfy. In this episode, Jennifer talks to Jimmy Chen, founder and CEO of Propel, a software company that aims to fight poverty with technology. Jimmy shares the challenges his fintech faces in navigating the balancing act of growing a business,  serving and earning the trust of its customers, and staying true to its financial health mission.

Speaker bio: 

Jimmy Chen is the Founder and CEO of Propel, creator of Fresh EBT. Fresh EBT is an award-winning mobile app used by over 4 million Americans to manage their SNAP benefits (food stamps), save money, and find jobs. Founded with the idea of using Silicon Valley’s toolkit to improve the daily experience of low-income Americans, Propel helps Americans who live on or near the safety net make it through the month, every month. Propel’s investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, Kevin Durant, and Serena Williams. Jimmy previously worked at LinkedIn and Facebook and studied Symbolic Systems at Stanford University.