Money Tales

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Margarita Camarena. Margarita’s relationship with money was shaped by two extremes. As a child, she fled Mexico City after the 1985 earthquake, lost her father that same year, and arrived in the U.S. with her family starting from zero. Years later, after earning two degrees from UC Davis, a lifestyle pivot collided with the 2008 financial crisis and led Margarita to bankruptcy. That decision forced her to face the shame and fear that can come with financial collapse, along with the freedom that can follow. With a mother who taught saving and structure and a father who believed life is meant to be enjoyed while you are healthy, Margarita’s story is a powerful lesson in balance and in seeing money as an energy that needs to move.

Xochitl Xiuh Ollin, also known as Margarita Camarena, is a Mayan Ajq’ij. She is also a craniosacral therapist, Reiki Master Teacher and manual therapist. She is Tenochca-Tlatelolca, born in Mexico City between the ancient twin cities of Tlatelolco and Tenochtitlan. As a child, she learned from her grandparents how to carry life in a holistic way through remedies and healing practices. Their approach to finances was conservative and rooted in respect, as money was understood to be a primary resource for security and for providing a “comfortable elderhood.” These practices were not labeled curanderismo; they were simply a way of life.

As an Ajq’ij, Margarita’s role is that of a spiritual guide, carrier of time and fire priestess. She conducts many types of fire ceremonies and works with the 20 sacred Mayan energies and the 13 frequencies of life to guide people. She embraces a multidisciplinary practice that includes craniosacral therapy, Indigenous healing arts, Reiki and multidimensional bodywork. She carries the medicines of sacred lineages from the Zapotec, Maya, Toltec and Mexica traditions.

She serves communities in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. She is also an educator and offers workshops nationwide and in Mexico, sharing teachings in Indigenous healing, bodywork, medicinal astrology, energy work and Reiki. It is her passion to connect people to nature and ancestral lineages through ceremonies in natural settings and through the cultivation of ritual.

Her background is in Art and Design. She comes from a lineage of female curanderas and parteras (midwives), as well as male artists and muralists—traditions she has inherited and continues to practice.

Margarita’s story is a powerful reminder that money is never just about accumulation. It is about balance, resilience and the meaning we assign to our experiences. From rebuilding her life after loss and displacement to making the difficult decision to file for bankruptcy, she shows how moments often framed by fear or shame can become turning points for growth and renewal. By reframing money as an exchange of energy, Margarita invites us to consider how our financial choices intersect with health, purpose and the lives we hope to live over the long term. Her reflections on community, fear and legacy offer a more expansive view of longevity, not just in years lived, but in impact felt.

If you’re thinking about how to plan while navigating financial setbacks or major life transitions, an Aspiriant advisor can help you evaluate options, restore confidence and build a plan that aligns your resources with your values.

Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that explore the human side of money and how thoughtful decisions today can shape resilience, renewal and the legacy we leave behind.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Joyce Chung. Joyce grew up in Honolulu with immigrant parents who modeled discipline, frugality and a deep commitment to education, even though money was rarely discussed out loud. After leaving Hawaii for MIT and later building a career in tech and venture capital, Joyce found herself learning a whole new relationship with risk, wealth and what it means to use money with intention. In our conversation, Joyce shares how those lessons shaped the biggest financial choices in her family and inspired the mission behind her foundation.

Joyce began her career in operating roles in the technology industry (Cambridge Technology Partners, Sony Corporation, Adobe Systems) and transitioned to early stage venture capital (Adobe Ventures, Cardinal Venture Capital, Garage Technology Ventures), investing in technology entrepreneurs looking to change the world. She has always had a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship and working with people that are excited about using creativity, technology and hard work to solve real world problems. In 2023, she pivoted to focusing on philanthropy to help address pressing needs and challenges in the areas of community resilience, entrepreneurship and environment. Joyce and her husband set up Makahakama Foundation, a foundation to channel their efforts in giving back to their local community, helping under-resourced entrepreneurs and supporting nature through conservation and innovation. Supporting mission-driven individuals and nonprofit organizations brings together the causes of importance to her family and the skills she has developed over her career. She holds an SB in Chemical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Joyce’s journey from an immigrant upbringing shaped by frugality and resilience to building the Makahakama Foundation shows how wealth can become a catalyst for meaningful change. Guided by the Aloha spirit and deeply held family values, Makahakama focuses on community resilience, under-resourced entrepreneurs, and environmental stewardship. It’s a powerful reminder that philanthropy isn’t just about giving. It’s about being intentional, taking thoughtful risks, and creating impact you can see in your lifetime.

If you’re thinking about how to give back more intentionally, an Aspiriant advisor can help you explore philanthropic strategies, structure a foundation or donor-advised fund, and align your wealth with the causes and values that matter most to you and your family.

Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more real stories about money, purpose, and using wealth to make a difference.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kaitlin Henze. A phone call that appeared to come from her bank’s fraud department turned into a financial nightmare for Kaitlin. She shares how sophisticated scammers exploit fear and urgency to override your judgement. Kaitlin also demonstrates how bringing these stories into the open is one of the best ways we can protect ourselves and the people we love.

Kaitlin lives just north of Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys outdoor adventures with her pup Mia, practicing and teaching yoga, and volunteering for local nonprofits. She works for a business that teaches STEM and critical thinking skills to kids, inspiring the next generation with a love for data, graphing and lifelong learning.

In May 2023, Kaitlin’s life was turned upside down when she fell victim to an elaborate and devastating identity theft scam that stole her entire life savings in just three weeks. Now, she’s courageously sharing her story to help others recognize, recover from, and most importantly, prevent similar cybercrimes. This episode is a powerful listen—and one worth sharing—to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Kaitlin’s story is a stark reminder that financial threats don’t always arrive as obvious red flags. Sophisticated scams are designed to mimic authority, create urgency, and exploit our instinct to act quickly—often when we’re trying to do the “right” thing. By sharing her experience openly, she shows that anyone can be vulnerable, while giving listeners the tools to recognize warning signs, slow down in high-stress moments, and safeguard what matters most.

If you’re thinking about how to better protect yourself and the people you care about, an Aspiriant advisor can help you review safeguards, spot risks, and build resilience into your financial life.

Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more real stories that help us make smarter, safer decisions.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Emily Winston. Emily, founder and CEO of Boichik Bagels, spent years obsessively reverse-engineering the “holy grail” New York bagel. She then took a hard left from saver mode into founder mode. This involved redeploying her nest egg, raising money one bagel tasting at a time and learning what financial “success” feels like when your time and most of your net worth is tied up in the business you’re building.

Emily is a lifelong foodie, mechanical engineer and Founder & CEO of Boichik Bagels. She grew up in NJ, and after moving to the Bay Area in 2010, bemoaned the lack of good bagels, and eventually set out on a quest to create them herself, which has now grown into a small chain of twelve shops in California plus wholesale and supermarket sales.

Emily’s journey reminds us that success isn’t just about playing it safe or following a proven path. It’s often shaped by obsession, experimentation, and the courage to redirect your savings—and your life—toward something you believe in.

If you’re navigating a pivot of your own—whether launching a venture or rethinking how your money supports your goals—an Aspiriant advisor can help you explore those decisions with clarity and intention.

Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more real stories about money and meaning.

Today’s guest, Guy Kawasaki, flips the usual “success story” on its head with a string of jaw-dropping missed opportunities that became the foundation for a life measured by impact, not just outcomes. In this conversation, Guy takes us from being a kid on the “wrong side of the tracks” in Honolulu to Stanford, Apple, and Canva—sharing how cars, connections, and a few spectacular “what was I thinking?” decisions shaped his relationship with money and ambition.

Guy is a Silicon Valley original. As one of Apple’s first evangelists, he helped introduce the Macintosh to the world. Today, he’s a bestselling author, venture capitalist, podcast host, and a trusted voice on entrepreneurship, innovation, and making a positive difference through your work.

Guy is the chief evangelist of Canva, host of the Remarkable People podcast and author of eighteen books including Think Remarkable. He is an adjunct professor of UC Santa Cruz and trustee of the University of Hawaii Foundation. He was the chief evangelist of Apple, trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation and brand ambassador of Mercedes-Benz. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University, an MBA from UCLA and an honorary doctorate from Babson College.

Guy Kawasaki’s journey reminds us that success isn’t defined only by wins, titles, or perfect timing. Missed opportunities, unexpected turns, and “what was I thinking?” moments often shape our values, ambitions, and relationship with money just as much as the highlights do.

If you’re reflecting on your own path—whether navigating career pivots, weighing new opportunities, or redefining what impact and success mean to you—an Aspiriant advisor can help you explore your financial decisions with perspective, purpose, and intention.

Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more candid conversations about money, mindset, and the stories behind major life choices.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lindsay Pinchuk. When Lindsay Pinchuk sold her company, everyone assumed she had become a multimillionaire. The truth was far more complicated, and for years she wasn’t allowed to say so.

A former ad sales executive turned accidental founder, Lindsay built a national community for new parents. She ultimately sold her business under conditions that looked very different from the outside. Lindsay opens up about the unseen money realities behind entrepreneurship, selling a company, and charting a new path helping other founders.

Lindsay is an award-winning entrepreneur, consultant, and small business mentor who’s among the less than 1% of female founders to successfully lead her company through an acquisition.

She built her first company, Bump Club and Beyond, from just $500 into a 7-figure brand with partnerships that included Target, Nordstrom, Huggies, and Unilever, reaching over 3 million people every month before selling the business to a large agency holding company.

Today, Lindsay is the founder of Dear FoundHer…, a top 1.5% podcast and community supporting women business owners over 40. Through her podcast, newsletter, mentorship program, and her signature SWEEP framework, she helps entrepreneurs simplify their marketing, grow their businesses, and build long-term success.

Selling a company can be a defining moment, but the real impact often unfolds long after the deal closes. As Lindsay shares, the assumptions others make don’t always reflect the reality founders face.

If you’re approaching a potential sale or reflecting on what an exit could mean for your future, connect with an Aspiriant advisor to explore your options with clarity and intention.

Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music for more thoughtful perspectives on money, mindset, and major life decisions.