Getting Rich Together

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

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

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