Money Tales

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mirela Sula. At the age of 16, Mirela found herself in her home country of Albania, engaged to be married. Not because of a teenage romance or a whirlwind courtship, but because of something much darker – the risk of being sold into prostitution. Upon accepting the proposal, Mirela made her fiancé promise that he would allow her to continue her studies. If he didn’t, she vowed to disappear from his life. That promise was Mirela’s lifeline. She was married by the age of 18, trading her freedom for safety. Mirela lived with a large family in a small village, where there was no money to even discuss. Her role was clear – to wash, to clean, and to serve the family. At the same time, she continued to pursue her education, gaining knowledge, and with that, came confidence and exposure to the world outside. As Mirela progressed in her studies, she began to understand the importance of financial independence and worked aggressively toward it.

Mirela is a British journalist, author, and CEO and Founder of Global Woman Magazine and Global Woman Club. She is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of media, education, and women's empowerment. With a dynamic career spanning over two decades, Mirela has left a mark on the world by transformative initiatives and fostering a global community of over 30,000 female founders in her Global Woman platform.

Mirela is the owner of five magazines, author of 15 books, leader of 27 club chapters around the world and the organizer of more than 500 events. She has been speaking in more than 300 stages around the world and has reached over 1 million people with her message.

Mirela has been honored with awards such as the 'Inspirational Award for Women 2015' for Human Rights, the 'Best Inspirational Influencer' Award from The Best You in 2017, and the Universum Donna Award 2017 from the Universum Academy of Switzerland. “The Businesswoman of the Year Award” from Wealth Dragons in 2019. "The Icon 2023" Award among top celebrities in the UK, and recently she received the “Peace Award” from Universal Peace of Federation on the United Nations International Day of Peace.

Mirela is also the organizer of the Global Woman Summit and Global Woman Awards. She has appeared on London Live TV, BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, Sky TV and has also been featured in the ‘Evening Standard’, Forbes Magazine and ‘The Guardian’. Her last self-help book ‘Don’t Let Your Mind Go’ was a best seller and also published in America and Turkey.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Nina Israel. Earlier in her career, Nina found herself juggling two roles at a company, accounting and human resources. As she tells us, her salary seemed fair, until the company brought on a new hire to take on the HR function. Nina was astonished to discover that he was being paid twice Nina’s salary for doing half the job she had been doing. Nina became aware of the new hire’s salary because she was the person managing payroll. Nina confronted the CEO head-on. As a result, the company did a thorough analysis of everyone's salaries, uncovering disparities that had gone unchecked between longer tenured employees and newer hires. As a result of Nina’s bravery, fairness prevailed. The company rectified the pay inequities, and employees received the compensation they deserved. From that moment on, Nina vowed never to remain silent in the face of injustice.

Nina Israel is an advocate for financial wellness. She is a financial educator, business strategist, and money mentor. She is also a 25-year veteran of making your books make sense to you. She believes that finance should be easy and, more importantly, fun.

Fueled by a passion for wellness, a love of numbers, and an intense desire to help those around her succeed, Nina’s strength throughout her career has been empowering business owners to manage their cash flow better, improve efficiency, grow sales, and reduce costs.

As the founder of Taryn Financial, Nina is deeply dedicated to financial education and uses a holistic approach to help small business owners gain financial clarity, increase their financial knowledge, and develop new confidence in their numbers. Based on her work with hundreds of business owners, Nina created her innovative program, Strength in Numbers, to help her clients reduce anxiety, achieve financial wellness, and make sense of their money through laughter, learning and a proven financial system.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Allison Kinnear. In 2007, Allison found herself in Silicon Valley, working at Google, the epicenter of innovation. She was part of a team providing early childhood education to families of Google employees. While Allison was surrounded by the creation of immense wealth, her pay wasn’t anywhere close to the tech professionals at the company. As those coworkers enjoyed high salaries and stock options, Allison couldn't help but question her own worth. She knew that her contribution to society, nurturing and educating young minds, was invaluable. At the same time, in the shadow of Silicon Valley's affluence, she couldn't shake the feeling of being undervalued. Reflecting on her position, Allison realized that her sense of entitlement was rooted in perspective. Relative to her own field Allison was at the top. She came to understand that comparison was a futile exercise – a "losing game," as she put it.

For over 20 years, Allison has worked with parents, employees, and leaders as they navigate their vulnerabilities in the workplace and in life. She loves working with those in the high-stakes professional world, helping them have less stress and more effectiveness in their work. Allison frequently gives talks on managing stress, overcoming Impostor Syndrome, and creating healthy team dynamics.

Allison has a Master’s in Human Development and is a certified life coach. She currently lives with her husband and two kids. To learn more, visit her at www.allisonkinnear.com.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Laura Moreno Lucas. Laura arrived in the United States from Mexico when she was seven years old, unable to speak a word of English. With her parents tirelessly working to make ends meet and facing their own language barriers, Laura found an unexpected mentor in the form of a janitor at her elementary school. Day after day, this janitor stayed behind after school to help Laura navigate the complexities of her new language, instilling in her not only the ability to communicate but also the courage to ask questions – a skill that would shape her future in profound ways. Fast forward to her first job in the financial sector, where Laura found herself surrounded by the dizzying flow of money that defines Wall Street. She couldn't help but wonder: Where did all this money come from? How did fortunes change hands so effortlessly? Laura stuck with that curiosity as she advanced her career and ultimately headed to the venture capital world.

Laura is General Partner at L'ATTITUDE Ventures, leveraging her exceptional network and expertise to support the firm’s deal flow and outreach strategy. She is the Founder & CEO of Pandocap, which provides strategic advisory and media services that help early and growth-stage companies access capital markets, implement and measure ESG strategies and accelerate towards an initial public offering (IPO). Prior to Pandocap, Laura was a Managing Director at Nasdaq, leading the IPOs of Beyond Meat, Lyft, The RealReal, Airbnb, and other high-profile listings. Laura is also a successful Latina entrepreneur having found and exited Ladada, one of the first fashion subscription startups to feature emerging new designers. Laura is an advisor to 500 Startups, Fulcrum Ventures, and a board member at Pangea Legal and California Lutheran University.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Rena DeLevie. As Rena looks back on the early days of her career, she regrets her harsh leadership style at the time, which she attributes to learning from those around her. To quote Rena, “I was an asshole. I learned from the best and I really threatened and intimidated. It did not feel good.” By the time she hit her mid-thirties, Rena was done. The asshole persona was a ruse that took too much energy to keep up. Rena realized that, at her core, she’s sensitive, empathetic, and intense. She couldn’t keep herself bottled up any longer. She needed to be herself. Making a move likely meant stepping away from the corporate ladder that was paying her handsomely. However, Rena knew in hear heart, at that moment, she needed authenticity more than money.

Rena is dedicated to using compassion and accountability to help humans increase their connection within, and with others, to radically change leadership culture and how we treat one another. In 2001, she had a post-9/11 epiphany and created Compassionate Management, a management methodology that connects compassion and accountability to help leaders deliver the bottom line with integrity.

Rena combines over 25 years with Fortune 500 companies and 22 years as a practitioner of mindfulness/meditation to show us the path to eliminate the fear-based culture so prevalent in corporate America. Her book, Compassionate Management, How Ambitious Creatives Become Kick-Ass Leaders, and her TEDxTalk, Compassionate Management -- using compassion as a business tool, have been used in businesses around the globe as a model to radically change leadership culture and how we treat one another.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jennifer Guynn. After years of career success as a real estate developer, Jen decided to step away to raise her three children. She describes this as a scary jump for her and her husband because she was making good money, and it would be an adjustment to live on one income. Fast forward to when their youngest child went off to Kindergarten, Jen was ready to head back to work. But she knew that whatever she decided to do next, it had to be worth it to take her away from the kids. She landed on taking a leap of faith by creating a non-profit with a friend, called Pebble Tossers. They were passionate about their mission to equip and empower youth to lead through service. So much so that they decided not to take salaries for a while. And, even when they eventually did, Jen’s priority was to put the money back into building her team and the business. Together they have evolved Pebble Tossers into a successful and award-winning organization.

As Co-founder and Executive Director of Pebble Tossers, Jen lives a life of servant leadership. She serves as a State Commissioner for Georgia Serves, the State Commission for Service and Volunteerism, and is Chair of the Service and Development Committee. Jen is a 21/64 Certified Philanthropic Advisor, a mentor at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School, and has been named a Titan CEO as one of the 2023 and 2024 Georgia Titan 100 award winners. She is an Atlanta native, serves on various boards and committees throughout Atlanta, and is married with three adult children and three rescue dogs (and two rescue grand dogs and a grand bunny).

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mariana Saddakni. Mariana is a Latina trailblazer in technology innovation. Her cross-cultural money journey started in Argentina where her family considered their wealth to be their intellect and capacity to learn. That was their status, not the money in the bank. Mariana’s ambition to learn more took her to the United States for graduate school. Her goal was to be at the top of her game in design and technology. Mariana talks about the financial hurdles and achievements she has encountered as an immigrant woman in a male-dominated industry. As you’ll hear, Mariana has navigated societal expectations and cultural shifts as she’s worked to achieve financial independence on her own terms.

Mariana is a trailblazer in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, fearlessly leading organizations into the future of technology. Her extensive experience is unparalleled, orchestrating digital transformations at industry giants like AT&T, American Express, and Unilever. Mariana masterfully crafts AI strategies that don't just innovate – they inspire awe.

A visionary leader with profound expertise, Mariana empowers global teams to transcend expectations, cultivating environments where innovation and talent flourish. Her leadership ethos revolves around fostering cultures of trust and unwavering commitment to ethical AI practices, ensuring technology serves as a force for positive change.

One of Mariana’s crowning achievements was spearheading a groundbreaking AI project at AT&T that revolutionized customer service interactions, significantly elevating user satisfaction and operational efficiency. This milestone exemplifies her ability to translate complex AI concepts into tangible, business-driving outcomes.

At the core of her distinguished journey is an unwavering belief in AI's power to elevate human experiences and solve real-world challenges. This conviction fuels her current venture, Saddakni & Co., where she demystifies AI adoption for organizations and guides them toward a future where technology and humanity converge for the greater good.

Mariana is shaping industries and cultivating the next generation of AI innovators through mentorship. She invites leaders and thinkers to join her mission of realizing the transformative potential of ethical, impactful AI integration, crafting a legacy that transcends technology itself.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jodi Morris. Jodi is a fierce advocate for education and empowerment, especially for girls around the globe. From her own struggles navigating the financial aid system when she applied to college, Jodi recognizes the immense challenges faced by girls in less privileged parts of the world. She shares with us her passion for leveling the playing field and making education accessible to all, regardless of location or circumstance. Jodi's commitment doesn't stop there. Through impact investing, she's aligning her goals and her values by channeling resources into initiatives that support female entrepreneurship and education in Africa and beyond.

Jodi believes that each of us has a story to tell and an impact to make. She curates immersive small-group Venture Travels that challenge participants to think more purposefully. As a Success Coach, she helps people define their story and success on their terms, and how to invest their time, talent and money towards it. Leading by example, Jodi invests in impactful companies and girls’ education non-profits. An active writer, speaker, investor and traveler, her passion is connecting people and ideas across the U.S. and globally.

Prior to this entrepreneurial career, Jodi spent over two decades in the investment management industry, leading strategic U.S. business-building initiatives at a start-up and notable firms like JP Morgan and Matthews Asia. Combining an analytical mindset, educational communication style and natural ease for connecting people and ideas, Jodi led teams that raised billions of dollars in assets in innovative investment strategies from institutional clients and financial advisors.

Having traveled to 65+ countries with a particular emphasis on developing Asia and Africa, Jodi is inspired by individuals with ideas, passion, grit and goals. She invests in entrepreneurs globally, credits travel for opening her eyes to the critical role of women globally, believes that girls’ education is the best investment of our lifetime, and shares her global insights to inspire others.

Jodi served as President of the IWF Northern California Legacy Foundation and on the International Women’s Forum (IWF) of Northern California Board. She is a Renew Capital and Portfolia investor and CFA Charterholder. She invests in women’s empowerment and girls’ education through global non-profits Room to Read, U-Go, Rise Up, Nurturing Minds/SEGA and SHE-CAN. Jodi graduated with honors from Northwestern University with a degree in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences and Economics.

Raised in the Midwest, Jodi spent three decades living in New York City and San Francisco before recently settling in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sarah “Sharky” Harkness. We dive into Sharky’s extraordinary journey where she narrowly escaped death not once, not twice, but three times. Sharky shares the raw moments of facing mortality, finding strength in the depths of despair, and embracing a no quit mindset. From battling through over two dozen surgeries within four years to shedding layers of shame, Sharky's story is a testament to the power of resilience and the courage to defy the odds. She emerged from this health disaster as a believer that resilience is the secret ingredient, abundance is the goal, collaboration is the default, and being a giant is the strategy. Sharky has been on a mission ever since to surround herself with others who share her mindset.

Having overcome serious personal health challenges including 26 surgeries in four years 2019-2023, three of them brain surgeries, and surviving a stroke and once being in a coma, Sarah emerged stronger than ever. She is a living testament to the transformational ability to apply abundance theory to resilience and belief that challenges or adversity can be turned into opportunities.

Sarah once even met Obama!

Sarah didn’t let her suffering or diagnosis, or the medical death sentence, change her mind. She knew she had to believe, and find others who would believe in her too.

Sarah’s story is not anymore just one of survival; it's now all about thriving. She has worked for industry giants like Salesforce, Marketo, Gitlab, and Dropbox, contributing to their success through RevOps (sales and marketing). And she shares her journey and the lessons learned along the way through project Lotus and The Giants Podcast.

Sarah’s passion for impact extends beyond business and she proudly support initiatives with Virgin Unite, 100% Human at Work, Ai4Diversity Council in NSW and she recently joined Megan and the women changing the world at Women Rising.

Sarah not only navigated the corporate world but also faced the daunting task of rebuilding her life after divorce and many setbacks. Her journey has been a holistic one, embracing lots of healing practices to recover and thrive.

As a speaker, marketer and creator, Sarah brings more than just ValueOps for profit and non-profits. She’s a marketing executive and offers her skills to impact organizations.

Sarah embraces the philosophy of abundance theory and believes that by unlocking the full potential within ourselves and our businesses, we can create a ripple effect of prosperity and positive impact.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ann Oleson. Ann embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2011. When she started her first business, Ann found herself navigating uncharted territory as a female entrepreneur. She craved role models and networks to guide her along the way. She was specifically looking for women founders of companies generating over a million dollars a year in revenue. Ann got there through creativity and persistence. Today, Ann and her network are breaking barriers and defying expectations.

As a founding partner at Return on Good, Ann is a passionate advocate for using time, talent and treasure to make the world a truly better place. Return on Good, a strategic philanthropy company focused on helping its clients do the most good in the world, centers on her deep experience with her own family’s family office, leading investment and philanthropy, and drives her dedication for her work. Her love rests firmly in the dynamics of the family office, the complexities of organizational structure and design, an alignment for decision-making and the ability to make exceptional opportunities toward a return on good to the world. Ann’s interest in impact investment, philanthropic strategy and her savvy with streamlining it all lead her to start Return on Good with her husband, Jay Kelly. ROG uniquely partners with phenomenal clients to develop engagement strategies for philanthropic investment, working with family offices across the globe. Through impact investing, sustainable investing, Venture Funds and strategic giving, ROG is the ideal connector to bring high-impact family offices into meaningful relationships with deserving nonprofits and innovative organizations.

As a frequent presenter at Family Office events in the U.S. and abroad, she speaks on current trends in philanthropy, impact investment strategy, healthcare and the inner workings of the family office.

Ann’s entrepreneurial journey further strengthens Return on Good; her startup digital marketing agency supported higher education and was named to Inc. 500 and 5000 four years in a row. Within seven years, this thriving business was acquired by private equity investors. Ann then served as Chief Marketing Officer for Ruffalo Noel Levitz, before being named Chief Executive Officer at Via-TRM, which specializes in international education and study abroad software. Under her leadership, the company rebuilt the marketing and sales infrastructure, turned the first profitable quarter ever and exceeded revenue goals.

The ability to take 30+ years of marketing/communications/sales/fundraising and business experience to focus on helping rising social good companies find funds and nonprofits build marketing and fundraising expertise was the dream she has always been looking for. EVERY day is filled with challenge, learning, experience, passion and a chance to make one thing better than it was yesterday.

Return on Good helps: family offices with philanthropic alignment and strategy, social good companies to find impact investors focused on results and good, and non-profits to build marketing and fundraising strategy long term.

Her awards include Women of Influence, 40 under 40, Inc.5000, HER Woman of Achievement, and CBJ Fastest Growing Company’s Award. She has served on boards and committees for Junior League, United Way, Waypoint, ISU College of Business and others.