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

Join Syama Bunten for an inspiring conversation with Suze Dowling, co-founder of Pattern, a multi-brand consumer goods company operating on a unique private equity model. Suze takes us on her remarkable journey from growing up in a lead-smelting town in rural Australia to becoming a successful entrepreneur in New York City.

In this conversation, Suze shares how her father's entrepreneurial spirit and financial wisdom shaped her early relationship with money, her bold move to New York with just a few thousand dollars, and the serendipitous meeting that launched her career in digital media. You'll hear about the risks and rewards of building Jin Lane Media, the agency that took equity in now-iconic brands like Harry's, Reformation, and SweetGreen, and how that experience led to founding Pattern.

Suze's story is a masterclass in betting on yourself, taking calculated risks, and building wealth through entrepreneurship while staying true to your values and desire to help others succeed.

1. Growing up in small-town Australia - Life in a blue-collar lead-smelting town and early lessons about money from her single father
2. First jobs and financial foundations - From peeling potatoes at a kebab shop to learning the value of hard work and her father's lesson about always keeping emergency money
3. The scholarship that changed everything - Moving to Sydney at 15 and discovering how money could be leveraged, not just survived on
4. Taking the leap to New York - Moving to NYC with just a few thousand dollars and the power of cold emails that led to meeting her future business partner
5. Building Jin Lane Media with an equity model - How taking equity in early-stage brands instead of just cash fees created generational wealth
6. Transitioning from agency to brand owner - The decision to launch Pattern and move from building brands for others to owning a portfolio of consumer brands
7. Current investment philosophy - Balancing stable long-term investments with higher-risk angel investing in female-led startups
8. Building legacy through education - Creating resources for future entrepreneurs through the D2C Operator project

Pattern: https://www.patternbrands.com/

D2C Operator: Coming soon - reach out to Suze for early access and to share what resources would be most helpful for founders

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

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

Join host Syama Bunten for an inspiring conversation with Cate Luzio, founder and CEO of Luminary, the global platform advancing women and underrepresented talent in the workplace. Cate shares her remarkable journey from a middle-class upbringing with an FBI agent father and teacher mother to leading multi-billion-dollar corporate banking units at JP Morgan and HSBC, before launching her own company at age 44.

In this candid conversation, Cate reveals how her Gen X "save, save, save" mentality and early lessons about hard work shaped her financial foundation. You'll hear about her pivotal "what's your number?" moment at JP Morgan that changed how she thought about compensation, her strategic decision to self-fund Luminary instead of raising venture capital, and how she navigated building a business through a global pandemic.

This episode is a masterclass in calculated risk-taking, the power of using your own capital to maintain control, and why profitable, sustainable businesses don't need to be unicorns to be successful and impactful.

Key Topics:

1. How Gen X saving habits create entrepreneurial freedom - Learn why the "pay yourself first" mentality enables bigger life moves later
2. The compensation conversation that changes everything - Discover how asking "what's your number?" can transform your earning potential
3. Why self-funding beats venture capital for some businesses - Understand when using your own capital gives you speed and control advantages
4. Building cash-positive businesses from day one - Get the blueprint for creating sustainable companies that don't rely on endless fundraising
5. Navigating major life changes as financial catalysts - Explore how divorce and career pivots can clarify money priorities and goals
6. The strategic advantage of being a seasoned founder - Learn why starting a business in your 40s brings networks, experience, and better judgment
7. Smart acquisition strategies for growing businesses - Discover how profitable companies can grow through buying complementary businesses
8. Balancing lifestyle and business reinvestment - Master the art of paying yourself appropriately while funding company growth

Connect with Cate Luzio:

Luminary: luminary.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cateluzio

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

Join host Syama Bunten for an inspiring conversation with Catherine Gray, CEO and founder of She Angel Investors and executive producer of the award-winning documentary "Show Her the Money." Catherine shares her remarkable journey from growing up with entrepreneurial parents outside Washington, DC to becoming a trailblazer in cable television advertising and eventually a passionate advocate for women in venture capital.

In this engaging conversation, Catherine reveals how she built multiple successful businesses, from a college photography franchise to pioneering cable TV advertising when only four channels existed. You'll hear about her bold leap into creating content that changes culture, including producing groundbreaking LGBTQ+ programming and documentaries. Catherine also opens up about her strategic approach to real estate investing, her philosophy of balancing wealth-building with enjoying life, and her mission to educate women about alternative investments.

This episode is a masterclass in recognizing emerging opportunities, the power of storytelling to drive social change, and why women need to claim their space in venture capital and alternative asset investing.

Key Topics:

1. How entrepreneurial parents shape money mindset - Learn why early exposure to business ownership creates lifelong wealth-building habits
2. Spotting ground-floor opportunities before they explode - Discover how to identify emerging industries and ride the wave of growth
3. The art of strategic real estate flipping - Get the blueprint for Catherine's $40k profit on her first property purchase
4. Why you should invest in what you're passionate about - Understand how funding causes you believe in creates both impact and returns
5. Breaking into venture capital as a woman - Learn the difference between angel investing and VC funds and why diversification matters
6. Using media and storytelling to change culture - Explore how investing in film, theater, and content can drive social transformation
7. Building wealth through alternative assets - Discover why only 2-5% in venture capital can outperform traditional market investments
8. The power of "paying yourself first" - Master the psychology of saving and investing before spending on lifestyle

Connect with Catherine Gray:

Show Her the Money: https://showherthemoneymovie.com/

She Angel Investors: sheangelinvestors.com

Invest in Her Podcast: Available on all major podcast platforms

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

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

I am here today with the incredibly kind, generous, and brilliant Wendy Li. Wendy is the co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at Ivy Invest, where she's democratizing access to the same sophisticated investment strategies typically reserved for billion-dollar endowments and foundations.

Today, we take a deep dive into Wendy's remarkable journey from growing up in a tight-budget immigrant family in Pennsylvania to becoming a top institutional investor managing multi-billion dollar portfolios. You'll hear about her early relationship with money shaped by her parents' financial struggles and eventual success, her unexpected discovery of finance as a career path at Columbia, and her unique experience working in the investment offices of prestigious institutions like the Met Museum.

Wendy shares candid insights about being a natural saver from her early twenties, the power of compounding through market volatility, and her bird's-eye view of the vast landscape of investment opportunities most individual investors never see. She opens up about the scary but ultimately rewarding decision to leave the security of institutional investing to build Ivy Invest, and how her mission is to bridge the gap between what billion-dollar institutions can access and what individual investors have available to them.

Listen as Wendy discusses her "endowment in a box" approach, the importance of building financial cushions that provide life optionality, and her vision for helping the next generation of investors build wealth in ways they didn't previously think possible. It's a conversation filled with practical wisdom on investing, risk-taking, and creating meaningful impact through financial innovation.

Key Topics:

1. Growing up in an immigrant family with financial struggles that transformed when her father completed his PhD and entered the semiconductor industry
2. Discovering finance as a career path at Columbia through Wall Street recruiting, despite initially planning to become a lawyer
3. Starting her career at the Met Museum's investment office under female leadership and learning the institutional investing landscape
4. Developing a natural saving mindset in her twenties, living frugally in NYC to maximize investments and build wealth through market volatility
5. Understanding the vast world of alternative investments as an institutional investor - from private equity to real estate to specialized credit strategies
6. Making the difficult decision to leave institutional investing security to co-found Ivy Invest with her family's support
7. Building "endowment in a box" - democratizing access to sophisticated asset classes with just a $1,000 minimum investment
8. Balancing legacy building through both family relationships and creating pathways for others to build wealth

Connect with Wendy online:

Website: https://www.ivyinvest.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-li-cfa/

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

I am here today with the beautiful and brilliant Meredith Noble, a successful entrepreneur who has created an incredible business helping others make money through grant writing - a niche that not too many people have really thought about. While today's conversation touches on Meredith's entrepreneurial success, we dive much deeper into what it's like to live an expansive life with intention and purpose.

Meredith takes us on a fascinating journey from her childhood as a fifth-generation cattle rancher in Wyoming, where she learned the value of hard work and frugality at age four, through her early entrepreneurial experiments (including selling Swedish tobacco out of her high school locker), to building a million-dollar grant writing business that allows her to pursue ambitious dreams like purchasing 10 acres in remote Alaska.

You'll hear about Meredith's strategic approach to career building through informational interviews, her calculated leap from corporate consulting to entrepreneurship, and the near-death experiences her business faced before finding the right model. Meredith shares candid insights about paying herself properly, reinvesting in growth, expanding her capacity to receive wealth, and her vision for creating generational impact through both her business and her Alaska property development.

This conversation is packed with practical wisdom on entrepreneurship, financial discipline, strategic risk-taking, and designing a life that balances security with bold expansion.

1. Growing up on a fifth-generation cattle ranch in Wyoming and early money lessons about debt, frugality, and hard work
2. Early entrepreneurial experiments from high school through college and learning through creative "failures"
3. Mastering the art of informational interviews to create career opportunities and bypass traditional job hunting
4. Making the calculated leap from corporate consulting to entrepreneurship and managing financial runway
5. Building a sustainable grant writing business model through near-death experiences and strategic pivots
6. Scaling personal wealth while reinvesting in business growth and learning to pay yourself properly
7. Expanding capacity to receive wealth and pursuing ambitious dreams like the Alaska property project
8. Creating generational impact and legacy through both business success and physical spaces for future generations

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/22meredith/

Get her book: How To Write A Grant: https://amzn.to/4nzG8CT

https://www.learngrantwriting.org/

Attend a FREE training, "Dreamy Customer Journey Map" on informational interviews - DM Meredith on Instagram for access here: https://www.instagram.com/learngrantwriting/

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

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

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I am thrilled to bring you this inspiring conversation with the remarkable Dee Poku, a visionary leader who is spearheading the future of what success looks like for women. Dee is known within women's communities as someone building the future of community, powerful homes, powerful lives, and true independence. Before creating this incredible impact, she built a successful career in entertainment that took her from the UK to the United States.

Today, we dive deep into Dee's fascinating journey from a sheltered childhood in the UK to experiencing wealth inequality firsthand in Ghana at age six, through her rebellious university years, her climb in the entertainment industry, and ultimately her transition to entrepreneurship and community building. You'll hear about Dee's early financial awakening through credit card debt, her strategic career moves including an international relocation, and the pivotal moment when she walked away from a prestigious corporate career to build something meaningful.

Dee shares her insights on navigating identity crises during career transitions, learning to advocate for her worth, and the evolution from hosting informal gatherings to building a thriving business centered on connecting powerful women. This conversation is packed with wisdom on financial empowerment, community building, and creating a legacy that uplifts future generations of women.

1. Growing up between the UK and Ghana and witnessing wealth inequality at age six
2. Early financial awakening through university credit card debt and learning money management
3. Choosing creativity over corporate finance and transitioning through fashion to entertainment
4. Strategic career moves, salary negotiation, and making the bold leap from UK to US
5. The pivotal moment of leaving prestigious corporate entertainment to pursue entrepreneurship
6. Navigating identity crisis, self-worth challenges, and learning to charge for value
7. Evolution from failed first business to building a thriving community-centered company
8. Building a legacy focused on women's economic empowerment and equal representation

Connect with Dee Poku online:

https://www.deepoku.com/

https://www.instagram.com/deepoku

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepoku

https://www.thewiesuite.com/

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

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

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com