In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson sit down with Jackie Zenner—investor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, former Goldman Sachs partner, farmer, line dancer, and, apparently, rapper—for an honest conversation about women, money, power, and what financial freedom actually means. Jackie shares her journey from a small town in British Columbia to Wall Street, where she became the youngest woman and first female trader to be made partner at Goldman Sachs. As her financial success grew, so did her awareness of how differently women experience money, access, power, and opportunity—and that work eventually became a central purpose in her life. But this conversation isn't simply about earning more, saving more, or investing better. Together, they explore the emotional and systemic realities underneath our relationship with money: the stories we inherited, the shame we carry, the behaviors we developed, the structures we live inside, and the very real differences between having financial information and actually having enough money. Jackie challenges the idea that financial struggle is simply a personal failure. Our money stories are shaped by our identities, histories, culture, capitalism, patriarchy, consumerism, access, income, and the rights women have only relatively recently gained. At the same time, she makes room for personal agency: understanding what isn't ours to blame so we can more clearly see what is ours to work with. The conversation also gets deeply honest about privilege. Rocky reflects on realizing that the financial questions she was prepared to answer weren't necessarily the questions her audience needed, while the group wrestles with what it means to talk about financial freedom from a place of already having it. Together, we unpack: - Why money and power are so deeply connected - What financial freedom actually gives us: choice, time, and agency - Jackie's experience as a woman on Wall Street - Why women have historically been excluded from financial power - Money trauma, scarcity, shame, and identity - The difference between overspending, excessive spending, and underspending - Why financial education alone can't solve financial insecurity - The systems working against women's financial wellness - How privilege changes the way we experience and talk about money - Why people with less money may actually have to be better at managing it - The pressure women feel to constantly do more and make more impact - How joy, movement, friendship, and even line dancing help sustain the work - The Great Wealth Transfer and what more wealth in women's hands could make possible Resources Mentioned The Trauma of Money — Chantel Chapman A resource Jackie references for understanding the relationship between money, trauma, scarcity, identity, and behavior. The Wealth Ladder Jackie references this book in discussing how financial decisions change depending on a person's level of wealth and why spending behavior needs context. Connect with us! 💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131 📲 Follow us on Instagram instagram.com/maven.community ✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us. More at → mavenslc.com
