Best Aspiriant Podcasts (2024)

1
Double Dare, with Marla Sofer

10h ago

—

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Marla Sofer. Marla had an epic career in financial services and fintech. Along the way she developed an entrepreneurial itch that wouldn’t go away. Realizing she only has one life to live, Marla decided to align her work with her values and leapt into entrepreneurship. A key motivator was her daughter, w…

1
Move to Millions, with Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon

7d ago

—

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon. Darnyelle grew up facing tough challenges – both of her parents struggled with addiction. She knew she had to make her own money and started working at McDonald’s at age 13. Darnyelle was a diligent saver who was shocked when one day she opened her bank statement to see that …

1
Encouraged, with Derrick Miles

15d ago

—

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Derrick Miles. Like many of us, Derrick has experienced the highs and the lows during his pursuit of happiness and purpose. Starting from humble beginnings, Derrick’s mom always encouraged him to dream big. He believed that becoming a CEO and making a lot of money would bring him happiness, and while he …

1
Delegate, Don’t Abdicate, with Graham Rowan

22d ago

—

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Graham Rowan. In the 1990s when Graham’s career was taking off, he started accumulating wealth and not having the time to manage it. A colleague referred him to a financial advisor. Graham trusted this advisor, who promised to navigate the complexities of the market on his behalf. As the dot-com bubble s…

1
Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze, with Grifan Cayce 35:37

29d ago35:37

35:37

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Grifan Cayce. Grifan began her career in the teaching profession. She was driven by a deep love for education. As Grifan immersed herself in the demanding world of high school teaching, she encountered a stark reality: the disconnect between her efforts and her financial compensation. Teaching multiple A…

1
How It’s Supposed to Be, with AJ Schneider 35:17

1M ago35:17

35:17

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is AJ Schneider. At just four years old, AJ’s world was forever altered when her sister was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. The family found themselves facing a nightmare. In the face of adversity, AJ’s family fractured. As AJ tells us, there was no unity, only separation. For her, thi…

1
More Than Cash, with Julia Cancro 33:33

1M ago33:33

33:33

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Julia Cancro. Years back, Julia was dining with a friend at restaurant in New York City. Amidst bites of food, her friend shared that she started to accumulate savings, but she was unsure of what to do with the money beyond keeping it in a standard checking and savings accounts. Julia went into action, o…

1
Life is a Journey, with Mirela Sula 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Mirela Sula. At the age of 16, Mirela found herself in her home country of Albania, engaged to be married. Not because of a teenage romance or a whirlwind courtship, but because of something much darker – the risk of being sold into prostitution. Upon accepting the proposal, Mirela made her fiancé promis…

1
Money Doesn’t Have to be Hard, with Nina Israel 32:47

2M ago32:47

32:47

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Nina Israel. Earlier in her career, Nina found herself juggling two roles at a company, accounting and human resources. As she tells us, her salary seemed fair, until the company brought on a new hire to take on the HR function. Nina was astonished to discover that he was being paid twice Nina’s salary f…

1
The Vulnerability Hangover, with Allison Kinnear 31:58

2M ago31:58

31:58

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 t…

1
Ask Questions, with Laura Moreno Lucas 33:40

2M ago33:40

33:40

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 sch…

1
Heart Work, with Rena DeLevie 32:24

3M ago32:24

32:24

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 ti…

1
Pebble Tossers, with Jennifer Guynn 31:28

3M ago31:28

31:28

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 you…

1
Be Open to Change, with Mariana Saddakni 31:59

3M ago31:59

31:59

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 h…

1
Time, Talent, and Money, with Jodi Morris 32:38

3M ago32:38

32:38

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…

1
Resilience is my Currency, with Sarah Harkness 31:36

4M ago31:36

31:36

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sarah “Sharky” Harkness. We dive into Sharky’s extraordinary journey where she narrowly escaped death not once, not twice, but three times. Sharky shares the raw moments of facing mortality, finding strength in the depths of despair, and embracing a no quit mindset. From battling through over two dozen s…

1
Return on Good, with Ann Oleson 34:37

4M ago34:37

34:37

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ann Oleson. Ann embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2011. When she started her first business, Ann found herself navigating uncharted territory as a female entrepreneur. She craved role models and networks to guide her along the way. She was specifically looking for women founders of companies gen…

1
Rising From the Shadows, with Rob Rao 31:32

4M ago31:32

31:32

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robert Rao. Rob describes being raised by immigrant parents who came to this country with limited resources, as living in the shadows. It was easy to blend in and not be recognized for his potential. Rob had a key ally helping him persevere. He describes his mother as an incredible dreamer who thought bi…

1
Money Zen, with Manisha Thakor 35:01

4M ago35:01

35:01

Manisha Thakor is our guest in this episode of Money Tales. Early in her career, Manisha earned big year-end bonuses at work. That caused her to begin to equate her self-worth with her net worth. As Manisha looks back, she sees that her identity was wrapped up in her work, and bonuses were an indication of how well she was doing. She kept her head …

1
Curious, with Karen Mangia 36:14

4M ago36:14

36:14

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Karen Mangia. Once, when navigating an unstable job, Karen faced job loss panic. Her rational mind could not control her wild imagination that she might not work again and wouldn’t have enough money for food. This shook Karen to her core because it wasn’t true. She had already created a financial safety …

1
The College Investor, with Robert Farrington 33:21

5M ago33:21

33:21

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robert Farrington. When he was 16, Robert got a job at Target. As he headed off to college, he kept that job and continued to work his way up the store’s leadership ladder. Robert decided to stick around after he graduated because the work was easy, fun and paid well as he ultimately became store manager…

1
Think Big and Things Happen, with Dr. Rene Caissie 31:54

5M ago31:54

31:54

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Rene Caissie. Rene is a visionary in the realm of technology, Artificial Intelligence, and big data within the medical field. His journey took an unexpected turn when his daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease, CRPS. At that moment Rene found himself uniquely positioned, having built a platform f…

1
Money and I Are in Therapy, with Diane O’Connell 32:25

5M ago32:25

32:25

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Diane O’Connell. Diane had a successful career as an attorney for nearly two decades and then she began struggling with a silent culprit—generalized anxiety disorder. It wasn’t a tangible injury with a straightforward recovery plan. Diane’s journey to healing was like navigating an uncharted path where t…

1
Money for Progress, Not Oppression, with Alicia Castillo Holley, Ph.D. 33:28

5M ago33:28

33:28

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Alicia Castillo Holley, Ph.D., MBA, MSci. Alicia’s upbringing in Venezuela was rooted in socialist ideals during stable times. However, the financial crisis there changed everything. With $600 and two kids in tow, she embarked on a new chapter in the US, eventually earning an MBA and becoming a ventu…

1
The Soul of Money, with Lynne Twist and Sara Vetter 39:03

6M ago39:03

39:03

In this episode of Money Tales, our guests are Lynne Twist and Sara Vetter. Lynne and Sara call themselves “work wives” who run the Soul of Money Institute and the Pachamama Alliance. They observe that society perpetuates the myth of scarcity—insisting there’s never enough time, money, love, or fulfillment. Lynne and Sara work each day to challenge…

1
Sandwiched, with Celeste Villalobos Tahamont 28:16

6M ago28:16

28:16

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Celeste Villalobos Tahamont. Celeste is navigating the intricate tapestry of both motherhood and daughterhood. She shares how she’s juggling her responsibilities that range from managing a bustling household with her own young family, building out her business as a solopreneur and helping her aging paren…

1
No Matter Whatness, with Nancy Colier 31:58

6M ago31:58

31:58

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Nancy Colier. Growing up, Nancy’s love for equestrian sports clashed with her father’s belief that it was reserved for the privileged. But Nancy’s determination prevailed; she became a top-level equestrian and rode on the national circuit. She tells us that when she finally won, she realized the success …

1
Abundance, with Jennifer Burnham-Grubbs 36:05

6M ago36:05

36:05

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Jennifer Burnham-Grubbs. When Jennifer was a student at Princeton, all of her friends talked about how they were opening bank accounts. Jennifer decided she should have one too. She walked into a local bank, and the process seemed straightforward until she faced a question she hadn’t anticipated. The tel…

1
Money With Mission, with Felecia Froe, MD 33:40

7M ago33:40

33:40

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Felecia Froe, MD. One day when Felecia was practicing medicine, she asked a patient about her profession. The patient responded that she was a real estate investor and over the course of many conversations, Felecia was hooked. Felecia ultimately found a property she thought was a good deal and had this p…

1
Ping Ponging Money Conversations, with Greg Menefee 33:17

7M ago33:17

33:17

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Greg Menefee. When he was growing up, Greg’s perception was that his family was just as well-off as any other. Greg was an avid skier and one year his dad promised him a new pair of $300 skis for the upcoming season. As that season drew closer, the skis never materialized. Greg ultimately mustered the co…

1
Epic Life, with Justin Breen 28:20

7M ago28:20

28:20

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Justin Breen. Justin started his first company with zero business background. As Justin tells us, at the time he didn’t even know what an entrepreneur was. Back then, he was wrapping up a 20-year career as a journalist and decided to leave that profession when his salary was greatly reduced as result of …

1
A Book Can Change Your Life, with James Scruggs 34:11

7M ago34:11

34:11

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is James Scruggs. As young adult, James thought stocks were the key to accumulating wealth and making a lot of money. He invested his first bonus in telecom stocks, at just the wrong time and sadly lost everything. This experience shattered James, as he always wanted to be different from his parents, who, J…

1
My Passion Will Lead Me Somewhere, with Robyn Crane 35:34

8M ago35:34

35:34

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Robyn Crane. Robyn started her career as a singer-songwriter. At one point, she had worked really hard to set up a number of shows at some great venues. Right before the tour, Robyn got sick, and she had to cancel the shows. This heart-breaking experience made her realize she had little control over her …

1
Choosing to be Happy, with Marguerite Lorenz 37:05

8M ago37:05

37:05

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Marguerite C. Lorenz, CTFA, CLPF. Marguerite has navigated many challenges in her life. One occurred in October 2007 when her home, along with over 100 others in her neighborhood, burned to the ground. Marguerite and her two children, who were in middle school at the time, lost everything. This included …

1
Widowhood is Financial, with Kathi Balasek 32:48

8M ago32:48

32:48

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Kathi Balasek. Life can take unexpected turns and change in an instant. For Kathi, life went from wife to caregiver to widow when her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Suddenly, she was left to parent five kids on her own. The experience taught Kathi the importance of having a dream team of profe…

1
My Turtle Shell, with Samantha Varner 30:59

8M ago30:59

30:59

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Samantha Varner. Over the last 15 years or so, Sam has moved with her husband to three different countries. Each move came soon after the birth of a child. While her husband’s career prompted the relocations, Sam, an entrepreneur at heart, continued to focus on her own career. Sadly, the international mo…

1
I Needed to be Able to Save First, with Joi Jackson-Morgan 32:03

8M ago32:03

32:03

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Joi Jackson-Morgan. When Joi was eleven years old, she earned her first paycheck as a newspaper delivery person. She distinctly remembers it was for $40.72. Joi wanted to use the money to buy a new pair of shoes. Her mom had different plans. Joi’s mother took her to the local bank and helped Joi open an …

1
What’s the Worst that Could Happen, with Leslie Feinzaig 34:39

9M ago34:39

34:39

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Leslie Feinzaig. Leslie grew up in Costa Rica. She describes her family as immigrants to that country who endured hard lives. She came to the US as a Visa-dependent business school student and soon realized that staying here for her career while still tethered to a Visa required her to take jobs with lar…

1
I’m Here to Eradicate Shame, with AdaPia d’Errico 37:59

9M ago37:59

37:59

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is AdaPia d’Errico. All long-term investors lose money at some point, usually due to market fluctuations. Many years ago, AdaPia, who worked in finance, lost her entire life savings when she was defrauded by a private placement she invested in. As she tells us, even though she was the victim, she positioned…

1
Losing Everything Was Good for Me, with Christina Bui 29:55

9M ago29:55

29:55

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Christina Bui. As Christina tells us, losing everything was good for her. The fall of Saigon happened in 1975. Leaving everything they had behind, Christina’s mom paid a stranger with gold to get a flight out of Vietnam. The plane took off on what happened to be the day before the Saigon airport was bomb…

1
Keep Your Ego Out and Keep Talking, with Ken Pecus 35:30

9M ago35:30

35:30

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Ken Pecus. Ken is one of those resilient people who hit financial bottom and catapulted back up again. Long story short, he got caught up in legal battle over a franchise agreement. He knew he was in the right and kept the fight going for four long years. In the end, he lost half the lawsuit, and faced f…

1
It’ll Work Out, with Fran Maier 33:26

10M ago33:26

33:26

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Fran Maier. From her first start-up, Match.com, to her latest and fifth start-up, BabyQuip, Fran is a passionate entrepreneur whose mantra is, “It’ll all work out”. Fran’s motto was put to the test during the pandemic. On March 6, 2020 she presented BabyQuip, a baby gear rental business dependent on peop…

1
Own the Awkward, with Hilary Blair 29:52

10M ago29:52

29:52

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Hilary Blair. Hilary helps businesspeople get comfortable in the uncomfortable. She believes our society has shut down a lot of sharing within conversations and, as a result, we miss out on leadership opportunities by confusing confidence and comfort. Hilary observes that you can be confident if you acce…

1
Sort of by Accident, with Lauren Keen Aumond 32:56

10M ago32:56

32:56

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lauren Keen Aumond. Lauren landed a finance job with a small company when she graduated college. A year into the role, she decided she wanted to learn more and earn more. Lauren thought she had to leave the company to do so, but instead an internal opportunity opened up for a sales position. Sure enough,…

1
Don’t Waste Freedom, with Diania Merriam 31:14

10M ago31:14

31:14

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Diania Merriam. In her 20s, Diania felt like she was wasting her privilege. She was an educated white woman in a first world country with a good job, yet Diania was living paycheck to paycheck and running up a mound of debt. She decided something had to change. Diania made a mindset shift and became a su…

1
The Balanced Class, with Lisa Gautier 31:04

11M ago31:04

31:04

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Lisa Gautier. Lisa cares deeply about the hair on your head. That might sound weird but let me tell you why. 25 years ago, she and her husband started an environmental public charity called Matter of Trust. Matter of Trust is famous for running a program where they collect hair clippings from thousands o…

1
Listen to the Whispers, with Dr. Jordan Grumet 33:25

11M ago33:25

33:25

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Jordan Grumet. Jordan’s father was a doctor who sadly collapsed and died of a brain aneurysm while working at the hospital. Jordan was young at the time, and he was determined to grow up be just like his dad. Jordan figured that if he became a doctor he could step into his dad’s shoes and do the thin…

1
Seize Your Midlife, with Bree Schumacher 35:38

11M ago35:38

35:38

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Bree Schumacher. Bree is a lifelong entrepreneur who took a $500 loan and turned it into a seven-figure business with over 100 employees, which she ran for 19 years. Bree sold the business in 2020. While she could easily have sold it to a competitor and immediately walked away, Bree went with her heart. …

1
Money Loves Women, with Dr. Deborah Ekstrom 34:18

11M ago34:18

34:18

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Dr. Deborah Ekstrom. Early on her career, Deborah didn’t have a lot of extra time. There were tremendous demands on her for the things she needed to learn for medicine. She tells us that like most professional women, when she got married, she supported her spouse through his journey and had children who …

1
I Find Money, with Tracy Coenen 30:36

12M ago30:36

30:36

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Tracy Coenen. When Tracy went to college she decided to major in criminology and law studies, because she wanted to become a prison warden. However, sophomore year she took an elective called Financial Crime Investigations and she loved it. The course changed the trajectory of Tracy’s focus and she’s now…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Aspiriant Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide