Money Tales Aspiriant

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.