Money Memories
by Ilona Limonta-Volkova
Money Memories is a podcast that’s on a mission to make money conversations less taboo, one memory at a time. Each week we interview a new guest, and discuss how their earliest money memory affected their professional trajectories and molded their relationship to personal finance.
Episodes
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Building Outside the Bubble: What the Best Founders Understand About Community
Startup success isn't reserved for Silicon Valley. Andrew Albert joins Money Memories to discuss what he's learned helping founders build companies in emerging ecosystems, why capital efficiency is making a comeback, and how community can become a competitive advantage. We explore the…
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From Burnout to Breakthrough: Rebuilding Wealth, Work, and Self-Worth
What happens when the life you've carefully built no longer fits? In this episode, Kellen Francis shares his journey through career pivots, personal reinvention, and the emotional realities of building wealth on your own terms. We discuss how money intersects with identity, the hidden costs of...
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The 2 Founders Building the Company They Almost Didn't Start [VIDEO]
Here's a special presentation of one of our recent episodes, now on video! If you're listening in an app that supports video, you can now watch this conversation. Please enjoy! Before David Black and Heather Townsend became co-founders, they were people who almost did something — and didn't. Dave...
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She Earned More Investing Than at Her Job. Then Everything Changed.
Nicole Ingham grew up believing money came from sacrifice. In this episode, she shares how a childhood of bargain hunting shaped her financial mindset, why she struggled with money in early adulthood, and the moment investing transformed her life. We explore why women are still underserved by...
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The Two Founders Building a Company They Almost Didn't Start
Before David Black and Heather Townsend became co-founders, they were people who almost did something — and didn't. Dave passed on buying a DC bar for $150,000 because he didn't know where to get financing. Heather built an earmuff company, had 500 pairs manufactured in China, and watched them...
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She Left a Six Figure Salary to Save Lives One Lap at a Time
Paulana Lamounier grew up in a Haitian household in Long Island where money wasn't talked about openly but was modeled constantly, from susu to savings books to tithing. She went on to build Black People Will Swim after a student's offhand comment about buoyancy sent her down a rabbit hole of...
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What My Mom Knew About Business That MBAs Don't
Ray grew up watching his single mother sell homemade dishes poolside during World Cup games in their Silver Lake apartment complex, and never forgot that resourcefulness. After a winding career path from photography to marketing to commercial lending in San Francisco, he returned to LA and found...
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The Housing Market Nobody Talks About
Jeff Hurst leads Furnished Finder as CEO, working inside a housing market most people never see. Serving traveling nurses and clinicians on short-term contracts, the platform sits where mobility, work, and stability collide. In this conversation, Jeff reflects on how temporary work reshaped…
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From Nigeria to Wall Street: A Journey of Resilience and Financial Freedom [Archive Episode]
This episode, we're looking back at our conversation wtih Ehis Akhetuamhen, host and creator of Unmuted Moments, a podcast about finding your voice in work and life. He shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a one-bedroom apartment in Nigeria to building a career in finance in the U.S....
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Why Money You Can Access Immediately Feels More Valuable
University of Oregon Associate Professor of Economics Jonathan Davis says he grew up with a sense of scarcity around money. His family always seemed to have enough, but there was this pervasive feeling that they wouldn’t. “I remember this narrative of, ‘money’s gonna be tight this year, don’t...
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From Sunday Shifts to Whole Foods: Building a Cookie Dough Brand
Kathryn Bricken grew up in a family of six where early responsibility and earning her own money shaped how she viewed work and value. Sunday shifts at Publix, paid at time and a half, taught her how to think strategically about income long before she became a founder. What began as a love of food...
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The Instagram Effect and Why You're Probably Doing Better Than You Think
Grant Gallagher grew up watching his parents constantly argue about money, teaching him what not to do with finances. Early in his credit union career, helping a 50-year-old man use an ATM for the first time revealed the massive gap in financial education. Now with over 15 years in the industry…
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The $38,000 House That Changed Everything
Jaina Anne grew up in a Navy family where money was scarce and the wealthy were viewed with suspicion. The 2020 market crash jolted her into seeking financial literacy, leading from Palantir stocks to Ethereum mining to real estate investing. A chance conversation about a $38,000 Indiana house...
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Building Latin America’s Open Banking Future — En Español
When first featured on Money Memories in English, Ximena’s story stood out as one that needed to be shared more widely. This episode continues the conversation in Spanish. She reflects on how growing up in Uruguay shaped her entrepreneurial mindset, what it took to raise venture funding in a...
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A Founder’s Journey from Tehran to Web3
In this episode of Money Memories, Ilona sits down with Bam Azizi, founder of Mesh, to explore how childhood hustle and immigrant resilience shaped his path from a makeshift library in Iran to scaling infrastructure for the future of crypto. Bam shares why user experience—not hype—is the…
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A Mother’s Memory: The Pain That Sparked a Mental Health Startup
After losing his mom shortly after college, Drew Barvir set out on a journey to understand the complex connection between money, mental health, and meaning. In this episode, he opens up about how childhood arguments over finances shaped his earliest beliefs, how grief became a turning point, and...
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From Caja de los Zapatos to Financial Freedom: Alejandra Lozano's Journey with Operation Hope [Archive]
Meet Alejandra Lozano, a dedicated Financial Wellbeing Coach for Operation HOPE, located inside Wells Fargo’s HOPE Inside center in South LA. With over seven years of experience in the finance industry, Alejandra is passionate about uplifting Black and Brown communities and empowering their...
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Solving the climate puzzle with clean energy, blockchain and bold ideas
What happens when blockchain meets clean energy? In this episode of Money Memories, we explore the intersection of climate tech and Web3 with Adam Silver, founder of VC-backed startup Plural. Learn how decentralized technology can help modernize the power grid, support the energy transition, and...
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A Student Loan "Sherpa" Breaks Down What Borrowers Need to Know
Student loan expert Michael Lux—featured in The Wall Street Journal—has spent years helping borrowers navigate the complexities of repayment and policy changes as the founder of The Student Loan Sherpa. In this episode of Money Memories, we break down the latest in student loans: key policy…
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From Nigeria to Wall Street: A Journey of Resilience and Financial Freedom
We’re joined by Ehis Akhetuamhen, host and creator of Unmuted Moments, a podcast about finding your voice in work and life. He shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a one-bedroom apartment in Nigeria to building a career in finance in the U.S. After losing his father at 13, he learned...
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How Even $5 Can Change Your Financial Future
Many of us grew up with a scarcity mindset around money. Tim Flacke, co-founder of Commonwealth, explores how that mindset develops, why savings matter beyond just dollars and cents, and how his organization is working to change financial systems for the better.
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Generational Wisdom: Financial Lessons from My Grandmother
Ilona sits down with Katrina Robinson, a professional trustee and wealth management expert, whose journey spans Kingston, Jamaica, to leading the multinational estate planning firm Cone Marshall. Katrina shares how her grandmother's wisdom and lessons on saving shaped her approach to planning for...
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Why Investing in Yourself is the Best Financial Decision
Ximena Aleman, CEO and co-founder of Prometeo, shares her incredible journey from growing up in Montevideo, Uruguay, to leading a fintech infrastructure company in Latin America. She discusses the financial challenges of her childhood, and how she navigated a transition from a career in…
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From Caja de los Zapatos to Financial Freedom: Alejandra Lozano's Journey with Operation Hope
Meet Alejandra Lozano, a dedicated Financial Wellbeing Coach for Operation HOPE, located inside Wells Fargo’s HOPE Inside center in South LA. With over seven years of experience in the finance industry, Alejandra is passionate about uplifting black and brown communities and empowering their...
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One Founder's Journey from Small Town Roots to Becoming a Tech Titan
Hans Koch is the CEO of the augmented reality platform MyXR. Hans shares poignant memories of growing up in Southwestern Michigan, reflecting on his early money lessons and the influence of his father’s entrepreneurial spirit. He delves into the impact of his father's battle with ALS, which in…
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Is That Really What I Wake Up Everyday To Do? [Archive]
Tosin Mills is the product and growth strategy manager at Microsoft. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Tosin shares how her experience of moving from Nigeria to the United States played an important role in...
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The Dangers of Being Penny Wise, Pound Foolish
In this episode, guest John Hill reflects on his childhood lessons in saving and the importance of compound interest instilled by his family in Western Pennsylvania. Transitioning to a career in asset management, John shares insights into founding Quorus, a technology-enabled asset manager aimed…
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Empowering Financial Inclusion: One Leader’s Global Journey to Fintech Innovation [Archival Episode]
Leslie Gillin is the Chief Growth Officer of Pagaya, a lending platform that uses artificial intelligence to improve credit decision-making. Leslie shares how her mother instilled the importance of financial independence early on, and the challenges she faced around unconscious biases as a woman…
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A Journey to Financial Empowerment with the CEO of Accrue Savings
A conversation with Michael Hershfield, CEO of Accrue Savings. From his humble beginnings in Canada to his entrepreneurial ventures and eventual founding of Accrue, Michael shares poignant insights into the importance of financial literacy, responsible spending, and the mission to revolutionize...
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Why Net Worth is Not Self Worth [Archive Episode]
This episode originally aired on July 13th, 2022. As a new college graduate living in New York City, Aja Evans thought she had made it. She quickly realized, however, that the weekly bottomless brunches add up. Eventually, she took control of her spending habits. Today, Aja is a licensed mental...
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Unleashing Your Financial Superpowers with Arta Finance
We talk to Caesar Sengupta, the founder of Arta, a technology platform revolutionizing the world of personal finance. We delve into Caesar's background and his journey from growing up in India to studying computer science at Stanford and eventually joining Google. Caesar shares his early money...
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From Childhood Portfolios to Fintech Innovation: Brian Barnes on Building M1 Finance
Brian Barnes is the founder and CEO of the wealth management platform M1 Finance. Founded in 2015, the company uses digital tools to help customers automate the way that they invest and save. Brian shares how a stock pitch competition in school shaped his passion for investing, and how this...
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Can Student Loans and Savings Coexist? [Archive Episode]
Eryn Schultz is the founder of pHERsonal Finance Day, a platform that offers courses and content tailored to high-earning women. Eryn is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Business School. She discusses what inspired her to plunge into entrepreneurship, and answers your questions…
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From Sailing Dreams to Boating Empire: The Catamaran Guru Success Story
A conversation with Estelle and Stephen Cockcroft, the founders of Catamaran Guru, a boating business. They discuss their journey in yacht brokering, how their early childhood experiences in South Africa inspired them on their quest to sail around the world, and the key to a harmonious business…
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Revolutionizing Financial Services for America's Workforce
Nico Simko is the founder and CEO of Clair, a digital banking app that allows customers to access funds from their paycheck sooner. Nico built Clair on one simple premise; if you can send money instantly to your friends via Venmo, then why can’t you receive your paycheck as soon as you complete a...
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Building a $200 Million Real Estate Portfolio One Duplex at a Time
Drew Breneman is the founder and CEO of the real estate platform, Breneman Capital. Drew shares how his initial journey into real estate began with a successful online business in high school. A business which, over time, evolved into a $200 million portfolio. Drew discusses why he believes that...
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Empowering Financial Inclusion: One Leader's Global Journey to Fintech Innovation
Leslie Gillin is the Chief Growth Officer of Pagaya, a lending platform that uses artificial intelligence to improve credit decision-making. Leslie shares how her mother instilled the importance of financial independence early on, and the challenges she faced around unconscious biases as a woman…
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How to Turn Your Passion into Profit
Chase Allen is a South Carolina-based iron artist. He discusses his transition from real estate marketing to founding his artistic venture, Iron Fish Art. Raised by a single mother, he recalls early financial struggles and being inspired by creative trailblazers. In spite of skepticism, he dived...
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Unlocking Financial Wellness with a 'Titan'
Joe Percoco is the CEO and founder of the wealth management fintech Titan, which aims to provide elite capital management for everyday Americans. Joe shares his upbringing in a small New Jersey town, his earliest money memory of receiving a bond as a gift, and how his experience as an outsider...
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From Bar Soap to Robots: One CEO's Journey to the Peak of AI
Steve Carlin is the CEO of AiFi, an AI platform that enables retailers to scale autonomous shopping solutions. Although Steve began his career working with consumer products, he eventually found his calling working with cutting-edge technology firms. Steve shares the financial lessons he has held...
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Dragging Your Way Into Self-Expression (Archive Episode)
A 2021 study by the Human Rights Campaign found that LGBTQ+ individuals are 6 percentage points more likely to live in poverty and that they earn, on average, approximately 89 cents for every dollar earned by their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts. Money Memories is celebrating pride month and re-airing...
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Overcoming Self-Doubt to Achieve Financial Independence
Conversations around financial independence can often feel exclusionary. Much of the personal finance content that is available seems like it caters to people who haven't faced financial hardships. This week's guest, Alex Shapero, is a public high school teacher. Alex shares his emotional…
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How This Startup Uses AI to Help People Build Credit
Today, 34% of Americans are "credit invisible;" They lack access to basic lending products such as credit cards. Upstart is on a mission to change that. The fintech platform uses AI models to improve access to affordable credit. In this conversation with CEO and co-founder David Girouard, we...
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An Author's Global Journey from Finance to Culinary Writing
Reem Kassis is an award-winning Palestinian writer whose work focuses on the intersection of food, history, and politics. Her cookbook, “The Arabesque Table,” has received rave reviews and was listed on the New York Times' Best Cookbooks of 2021. Reem talks about how she was able to overcome...
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Why Your New Year's Resolution Should Be to Increase Your Emergency Fund
Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez is a personal finance writer and host of the Real Simple podcast "Money Confidential." She describes how her upbringing as a child of immigrant parents influenced her attitude around frugality, and made her realize that the common discourse around money didn't speak…
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A Holiday Guide to Personal Finances
Chris Ramos is a personal finance aficionado. Chris received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech University, and proceeded to work in government for several years before deciding to pursue an MBA. He was admitted to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and faced a conundrum: attend a...
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The 3 Most Important Lessons Every Startup Founder Should Learn
Miguel Fernandez is the founder of Capchase, a fintech platform that provides financing for software-as-a-service ("SaaS") companies. Miguel shares some of the biggest mistakes he made as a startup founder, and how those lessons helped Capchase raise almost $1 billion in financing. He also shares...
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Think Car Insurance is Boring? Think Again.
Did you know that 13% of US drivers are uninsured? This week’s guest, Murray Macdonald, is on a mission to change that. Murray is the co-founder of the insurtech company Just Insure, which aims to provide affordable coverage using advanced data analytics. Murray grew up in South Africa, and talks...
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Trading in a Suit for a Hard Hat
Jake Blum is not only an esteemed host of his own podcast, called Quakers and Makers, he’s also a financial planner with Northwestern Mutual. Jake shares what his keys to financial wellness are, and his journey from investment banking on Wall Street to running his own business.
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Want to Reach Your Financial Goals? Write Them Down.
Elizabeth a recent college graduate and creator of the platform MyTwoCentsFinance. While she was a full-time student, Elizabeth saved more than $20,000 that helped her achieve her goal of living in Spain after graduation. She shares her strategies for financial planning, and why setting ambitious...
About this show
Money Memories is a podcast that’s on a mission to make money conversations less taboo, one memory at a time. Each week we interview a new guest, and discuss how their earliest money memory affected their professional trajectories and molded their relationship to personal finance.
Hosted by
Ilona Limonta-Volkova