The Purse Podcast

Jana Hlistova
  • 4.8 (5)
  • INVESTING
  • MONTHLY
The Purse Podcast

At The Purse, we track how women are not just participating in finance — they’re transforming it. From angel investors to institutional leaders, from fintech founders to capital allocators, this is where women, wealth, and innovation meet to shape what’s next. (The Purse Ltd).

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    #144: Innovation in heavy industry, AI & automation, sustainability, women in VC with Melissa Cheong

    Melissa Cheong is a Managing Partner of Blackhorn Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on catalysing and scaling industrial resource efficiency investment opportunities. In this role, she balances her time between managing the firm’s strategic goals, partnering, and working with talented and inspiring portfolio company founders, and developing the firm’s investment strategy for current and future funds. Melissa has over 20 years of industry experience, with her most recent roles focused on a range of sustainable investment opportunities. Prior to Blackhorn, Melissa was Chief Investment Officer at ZOMA Capital, the private family office of Ben and Lucy Ana Walton, and held various positions at Treehouse Investments, Imprint Capital (now Goldman Sachs-Imprint), Plainfield Asset Management and Deutsche Bank. Melissa holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago and received an MBA from Columbia Business School, with a concentration in Finance and International Development. We cover the following: 00:10 Meet Melissa Cheong: A journey in venture capital 02:33 Melissa's investment philosophy and career Insights 05:40 The role of family offices in sustainable Investment 07:51 Understanding risk and building effective teams 11:26 Blackhorn Ventures: focus on resource efficiency 15:05 AI and digital infrastructure in heavy industry 17:43 Current market challenges and opportunities 26:34 Supporting portfolio companies and success stories 31:08 Gender diversity in venture capital 45:42 Engaging more women LPs in venture 52:49 Closing comments

    53 min

  2. 26 MAY

    #143: Redefining financial advice for women with Cary Carbonaro

    Cary Carbonaro is an award-winning Certified Financial Planner™ professional with over 25 years of experience, and currently serves as Managing Wealth Advisor and Women and Wealth Ambassador for Ashton Thomas. She leads a multi-million dollar financial planning practice, specialising in empowering women to overcome financial challenges and increase their financial literacy. Cary is the author of the bestselling book The Money Queen’s Guide: For Women Who Want to Build Wealth and Banish Fear,  Morgan James, Oct 2015. Cary’s second book.  Women and Wealth: A Playbook To Empower Clients and Unlock Their Fortune,  published by Wiley April 29, 2025.   She serves as a CFP® Board Ambassador, representing the financial industry in the media, and has been honored six times on Investopedia’s Top 100 Financial Advisors list. In 2016, she was awarded the prestigious Investment News Women to Watch recognition. In 2024, Cary was appointed as the sole female member of the Nasdaq Advisor Council. We cover the following: 00:13 Meet Cary Carbonaro: Financial expert and author 02:13 Cary's journey into wealth management 03:48 Empowering women through financial literacy 05:20 Challenges faced by women in finance 06:39 Cary's professional setbacks and resilience 08:19 The financial industry's gender bias 13:12 Misconceptions about women and money 18:10 The rise of female breadwinners 21:03 The Great Wealth Transfer 22:55 The future of financial services for women 24:43 Core principles of female-centric financial advice 25:48 The importance of female leadership in finance 26:27 Challenges and opportunities for women in the industry 30:29 Emotional ties and financial decisions 38:50 Women investing in women entrepreneurs 42:48 Rebuilding the financial system for women ***

    45 min

  3. 12 MAY

    #142: Digital assets demystified: insights from Anthony Fernandez

    Anthony Fernandez stands at the forefront of the evolving cryptocurrency landscape as the Head of Business Development and Sales at ICONOMI, an FCA-registered digital asset portfolio management firm. With a rich background in asset management, foreign exchange, and cryptocurrency mining & trading, Anthony has become a leading authority in blockchain technology, including DeFi, derivatives trading, and cross-chain solutions. With over 8 years in fintech and wealth management, Anthony has transitioned into the alternative investment space, specialising in Bitcoin and various digital assets. Before his role at ICONOMI, he honed his expertise leading a Bitcoin mining team, helping both professional and retail investors to earn passive income. A sought-after speaker, Anthony illuminates financial seminars with his deep understanding of macroeconomics and the crypto ecosystem. His practical insights guide investors through the intricacies of blockchain investments and the ever-changing digital economy. 00:12 Meet Anthony Fernandez: crypto expert 02:14 Anthony's journey into the industry 04:15 Defining digital assets and ICONOMI's role 05:49 The macroeconomic climate 10:19 US administration's impact on digital assets 13:19 Business adoption and why it matters 16:26 Bitcoin as a hedge against currency debasement 19:50 Institutional approach to crypto 25:12 Women in crypto: opportunities 27:39 How a business start engaging in digital assets

    30 min

  4. 25 APR

    #141: Funding change: Marcia Dawood on women, investing, and impact

    Marcia Dawood is an early-stage investor who serves as the vice-chair on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. She is a venture partner with Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and the chair emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), a global professional society for angel investors. She is the author of the award-winning book 'Do Good While Doing Well, Invest for Change, Reap Financial Rewards, and Increase Your Happiness'. She is also an associate producer on the award-winning documentary 'Show Her the Money'. A TEDx speaker and the host of the award-winning Angel Next Door podcast, Marcia walks the talk and holds investments in over fifty early-stage companies and funds. She is committed to expanding support for diverse companies that overcome the world’s biggest problems and accelerate positive change. She is passionate about bridging the gap from early-stage inception to building thriving, profitable companies. Previously, Marcia worked in sales, marketing, and operations for Kaplan Education for over sixteen years. She received an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School. Marcia currently splits her time between New York City and North Carolina with her husband, Izzy, and she feels lucky to be the stepmom to three amazing sons. We cover the following: 02:21 The evolution of angel investing 02:43 Investment strategies and diversification 04:01 Equity crowdfunding and philanthropic investments 07:46 Women in investing and healthcare 10:58 Evaluating deals and overcoming bias 14:56 Impact investing 19:49 Challenges and support for startups 22:31 Valuation, portfolio construction, and dilution 29:22 Exit strategies and economic conditions 34:03 The future of angel investing and alternative models 36:32 Encouraging more women to invest 38:18 Conclusion

    39 min

  5. 13 APR

    #140: Women, wealth and exploring sustainable impact investment with Cate Quentin

    Cate Quentin is a Partner and Wealth Manager at Tribe Impact Capital, the UK’s first dedicated Impact Wealth Manager. Cate’s client base of HNW individuals, families and charitable foundations is varied, but she has a particular focus on female wealth holders and inherited wealth. Cate strongly believes in the transformative power of money to achieve both financial returns and positive impact.   Before joining Tribe, Cate spent seven years at Standard Bank Group where she managed the wealth of West African families and individuals and developed the Ghana wealth business from inception. Prior to Standard Bank, Cate worked in consultancy focussing on private sector development across Africa. Cate has an MSc in Development Studies from SOAS University and a PGCert in Philanthropy and Social Investment from Bayes Business School. We cover the following: 00:10 Meet Cate Quentin: Partner & Wealth Manager at Tribe Impact Capital 02:06 Cate's journey to wealth management 05:24 The founding principles of Tribe Impact Capital 08:08 The gender Investment gap and female investors 14:26 Values-driven investing and impact investing 23:20 Defining sustainable investing and its performance 33:52 Separating the noise from long-term trends 34:24 Exploring asset classes in sustainable impact investment 34:59 Exciting developments in the debt space 36:42 Challenges and misconceptions in sustainable investing 42:50 Political and economic pushback on ESG & DEI 51:00 The future of sustainable investing 55:17 Encouraging female-led ventures and angel investing 59:57 The role of AI and fintech in wealth management 01:02:45 Final thoughts ***

    1h 4m

  6. 21 MAR

    #139: Navigating financial stress and mental health with Dr. Jelena Janjusevic

    Dr. Jelena Janjusevic is Associate Professor of Finance and Head of Accountancy, Economics and Finance at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai. She teaches both Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes in finance and economics. She has been a part of the University since 2017. In her 20-year-long working experience, Dr. Janjusevic has worked with government of Montenegro officials, municipalities, social partners, foreign government officials, and international institution representatives ie from the World Bank, IFC, EBRD, USAID, UNDP, CHF, EC. Besides teaching, Dr. Janjusevic has strong managerial and research experience. She has previously been engaged with many different projects dealing with macroeconomics, sustainable development, and public administration capacity building (initiating several reforms in the energy sector, urban planning, financial, health, pension system, education system, investments, business environment, and legislation improvement). We cover the following in our conversation: 01:40 Early experiences with money 02:17 The taboo of money and financial literacy 03:40 Understanding financial stress 06:23 Impact of the pandemic on financial stress 15:19 Women, financial stress, and caregiving 21:05 Seeking help for financial stress 33:28 Role of universities in financial literacy 36:52 Final thoughts **** The Purse Ltd.

    39 min

  7. 10 MAR

    #138: Closing the gender wealth gap with fintech founders, Elisabeth Prager and Nitika Vyas

    Elisabeth Prager began her career in life and pension and then moved into private banking. Subsequently she transitioned to a strategy consulting firm, and later freelanced for various philanthropic and multilateral agencies.  Nitika Vyas began her career in investment banking, and then moved into a hedge fund, before becoming the COO of a broker. Alongside her career, her interest in psychology prompter her to pursue a counselling qualification.  Together they have over 30 years experience in financial services and have seen first hand just how underserved women are when it comes to their personal finances.  They co-founded Aila Money, a fintech startup on a mission to close the gender wealth gap. Aila helps women plan, learn and get ongoing guidance on their finances. The free solution leverages behavioural science, AI, and expert advice to empower women financially. We cover the following: 00:16 Meet Elizabeth Prager and Nitika Vyas 02:13 Identifying problems in financial services 05:37 The decision to start Aila Money 08:32 Challenges in financial services for women 12:09 Gender stereotypes in finance 17:05 The importance of women investing 20:24 Common money mistakes women make 23:48 The role of societal norms 25:09 Encouraging financial engagement 25:41 Aila Money's approach to financial fitness 26:37 Trends in women's financial behaviours 28:40 The rise of single women 29:25 The Great Wealth Transfer 30:20 Emotional decisions with inherited wealth 32:50 Building Aila Money 35:42 Personalised financial journeys 42:26 Fundraising and future plans 45:50 Challenges for female founders 55:26 Advice for women: how to lean into investing 59:05 Conclusion *** The Purse Ltd.

    1 hr

  8. 27 FEB

    #137: Redefining capitalism through impact investing with Priya Parrish

    Priya Parrish is Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Impact Engine, an institutional venture capital and private equity investor driving positive impact in economic opportunity, environmental sustainability and health equity. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Impact Investor in Residence at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Priya is the author of "The Little Book of Impact Investing" published by Wiley. Prior to joining Impact Engine, Priya served as Chief Investment Officer at Schwartz Capital Group, a single-family office investing across global markets. Previously, she was Strategy Head at Aurora Investment Management, a multibillion-dollar hedge fund, and managed development of investment products that incorporated environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) at Northern Trust Asset Management and KLD Research & Analytics. Priya holds a B.S. in Business Management from Babson College and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. We cover the following in our conversation: 00:10 Meet Priya Parrish: impact investing pioneer 02:19 Priya's journey into impact Investing 05:29 Understanding impact investing 08:55 Impact Engine: a women-led venture capital firm 11:12 The growing demand for impact investments 14:07 Women and millennials driving change 21:02 Defining and measuring impact 23:49 Understanding measurement in impact investing 23:56 Two schools of thought on measurement 24:49 Investor-focused measurement 26:07 Challenges in impact investing 27:52 Financial performance and impact 31:01 AI and impact investing 33:00 Tools and resources for measuring impact 33:55 Supporting early-stage impact companies 36:11 Challenges and risks in impact investing 38:44 Avoiding impact washing 39:48 The Little Book of Impact Investing 42:36 Supporting female investors in impact investing 44:29 Final thoughts. *** The Purse Ltd.

    45 min
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4.8
out of 5
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About

At The Purse, we track how women are not just participating in finance — they’re transforming it. From angel investors to institutional leaders, from fintech founders to capital allocators, this is where women, wealth, and innovation meet to shape what’s next. (The Purse Ltd).

Information

  • Creator
    Jana Hlistova
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    143
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 483001
  • Show Website
    The Purse Podcast

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