The Important Part: Investing with Liz Thomas

SoFi
  • 4.8 (79)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Every investment is a high-stakes decision made without certainty. How do the world's most successful investors and business leaders navigate risk, tolerate failure, and stay agile when everything changes? And what can be learned from their insights?  Liz Thomas, SoFi's Head of Investment Strategy, sits down with influential leaders to unpack the pivotal decisions that shaped their careers and portfolios, and wade through the noise to get to the important part. Liz speaks with top voices in finance, business, academia, and media armed with knowledge to help listeners achieve their financial goals. Investing isn't just about picking stocks. It's about defining your relationship with risk, learning from failure, and staying resilient. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday on SoFi’s website, sign up for On the Money, SoFi's financial literacy newsletter, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  1. FEB 4

    How to Stop Emotional Investing and Make Smarter Money Decisions

    Think your investment losses are about bad stock picks? Think again. Certified financial therapist Erika Wasserman reveals why 90% of your financial decisions are driven by emotion, not logic, and how your seven-year-old self still controls your money mindset today. Whether you’re panic-selling during market dips, avoiding money conversations with your partner, or wondering why you can't seem to build wealth despite knowing all the “right” strategies, this episode will change how you think about money. Erica shares her MONEY Method for productive financial conversations, and provides actionable tools to help you rewrite the unconscious money scripts that are sabotaging your success. If you’ve ever felt anxious checking your portfolio, guilty about spending, or stuck in the same financial patterns despite your best intentions, this is the conversation you need to hear. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    34 min
  2. Liz’s 2026 Outlook: AI, Stocks, Gold, and What Investors Should Watch

    JAN 21

    Liz’s 2026 Outlook: AI, Stocks, Gold, and What Investors Should Watch

    What will 2026 bring for your portfolio? From precious metals to interest rates and tech stocks, we’re kicking off the new year by answering some of your most pressing questions. In this bonus episode of The Important Part, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy Liz Thomas brings deep research and thoughtful insight to this year’s economic outlook.  For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    31 min
  3. How Great Leaders Make Decisions Under Pressure: Bobby Parmar's Secrets

    JAN 7

    How Great Leaders Make Decisions Under Pressure: Bobby Parmar's Secrets

    We're taught that smart people get the right answer. The gold star. The A+. But Bobby Parmar, professor of business administration at the University of Virginia and author of Radical Doubt: Turning Uncertainty into Surefire Success, argues that this conditioning sabotages our most important decisions. In this episode, Bobby shares why doubt isn't the enemy of good decision-making, it's the foundation. He reveals how to shift from being a “right answer getter” to becoming a “better answer maker,” and the framework he uses to help executives embrace uncertainty as a strategic advantage. You'll learn why embracing doubt can unlock better decisions for you and why the best investors treat uncertainty as their superpower. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    38 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    Why Philosophy Majors Make Great Investors

    What does it actually take to break into finance? Mario Ismailanji, Senior Investment Strategist at SoFi, shares his unconventional path from philosophy major to finance professional, including the impulsive late-night decision that changed everything. He shares why critical thinking beats perfect credentials, how to filter through the noise in a world of constant headlines, and why your portfolio should be a cruise ship, not a jet ski. Mario and Liz explain what investment strategy teams actually do (spoiler: it's not picking stocks), the hidden tax trap of meme stock trading, and how democratized finance has changed the game for retail investors. Whether you're considering a career pivot, building your first portfolio, or just trying to focus on long-term goals, this conversation offers practical wisdom wrapped in relatable stories. Bottom line: your "wrong" major might be exactly right. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    32 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    Equal Partners, Unequal Incomes: Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor on Money and Marriage

    What happens when entrepreneurial ambition collides with the demands of your relationships? In this revealing conversation, renowned VC Brad Feld and philanthropist Amy Batchelor share what they’ve learned during 35 years of marriage: including the late-night moment when Amy said “I'm done” after a decade of 100-hour work weeks, and the honest reckoning that followed. From navigating income disparities to establishing true equality in their partnership, Brad and Amy share hard-learned wisdom about setting boundaries, aligning values around money, and defining success beyond the balance sheet. Plus, Brad weighs in on today's AI bubble, the Rule of 40, and why speculation is threatening the startup ecosystem. Whether you're building a company, building a relationship, or trying to figure out how to do both, this conversation offers lessons in what it really takes to have it all–and why "having it all" might not mean what you think. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    37 min
  6. The New Too Big To Fail with WSJ’s Tim Higgins

    11/26/2025

    The New Too Big To Fail with WSJ’s Tim Higgins

    What separates billion-dollar bets from billion-dollar disasters? Wall Street Journal columnist and author Tim Higgins has spent two decades covering the world's boldest CEOs: from Elon Musk betting his entire fortune on electric cars, to Mark Zuckerberg wagering Meta's future to escape Apple's “perfect mousetrap.” In this episode, Tim reveals the patterns behind high-stakes tech decisions, explains why OpenAI might already be too big to fail, and shares why every innovation cycle – from Detroit's Model T to today's ChatGPT – starts the same way (spoiler: it always looks frivolous at first). You'll learn how to spot transformative technology before it transforms and why “insane” decisions often work. Whether you're trying to separate hype from reality or are simply fascinated by how power players think, this conversation will change how you see today's AI arms race, and what comes next. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠⁠. ©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    40 min

  7. 11/12/2025

    Steady Checks, Steady Nerves: Jenny Harrington’s Case for Dividends

    CNBC contributor and portfolio manager Jenny Harrington shares how she risked nearly everything by draining her IRA to build her investment firm, had a baby the day the market hit its lowest in 2009, and convinced her husband to join her with zero safety net–all during the worst financial crisis in recent history. Jenny reveals why the “boring” dividend strategy everyone overlooks kept her clients calm when the market crashed, and shares the hard-won wisdom that changed her approach to investing: it doesn't matter which strategy you choose, it matters that you can stay in it. Whether you're navigating volatile markets or making your own high-stakes career bet, this conversation will change how you think about risk, resilience, and building wealth that lasts. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠. ©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    41 min
  8. Beth Pinsker on the Retirement Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

    10/29/2025

    Beth Pinsker on the Retirement Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

    Beth Pinsker thought she was ready for anything. As a certified financial planner, MarketWatch columnist, and retirement expert, she understands what it means to plan for the future. Then her mom got sick — and suddenly, everything she thought she knew went out the window. In this powerful episode, Beth opens up about the painful choices she faced, the moment she nearly crossed a line, and the three legal documents that could have spared her family months of stress. For anyone who might one day care for a parent — or be cared for themselves — this may be the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠ by SoFi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow Liz on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠@LizThomasStrat⁠⁠⁠. Additional resources: ⁠⁠⁠On The Money⁠⁠⁠: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. ⁠⁠⁠Investing 101 Center⁠⁠⁠: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. ⁠⁠⁠Wealth Investing Guide⁠⁠⁠: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www.⁠⁠⁠ SoFi.com/Legal⁠⁠⁠. ©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    50 min
See All (60)

Trailer

Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
79 Ratings

About

Every investment is a high-stakes decision made without certainty. How do the world's most successful investors and business leaders navigate risk, tolerate failure, and stay agile when everything changes? And what can be learned from their insights?  Liz Thomas, SoFi's Head of Investment Strategy, sits down with influential leaders to unpack the pivotal decisions that shaped their careers and portfolios, and wade through the noise to get to the important part. Liz speaks with top voices in finance, business, academia, and media armed with knowledge to help listeners achieve their financial goals. Investing isn't just about picking stocks. It's about defining your relationship with risk, learning from failure, and staying resilient. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday on SoFi’s website, sign up for On the Money, SoFi's financial literacy newsletter, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Information

You Might Also Like