Money-Wise Women

If you have a bank account and care about racial justice, you can be a financial activist. “Money-Wise Women” guest Ebony Perkins is the investor and community relations manager of the Self-Help Credit Union which was founded in 1980 to help employees in rural North Carolina’s farm worker cooperatives gain ownership of local mills that […]

Cooperation is essential for responding to a public health crisis or natural disaster effectively. New York City is adapting to the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic, as it did following Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The urban food and housing cooperatives and nonprofits have a crucial role in creating more resilient systems that can meet the […]

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, electronic payment systems, telehealth, virtual conferencing, and other digital interactions are becoming increasingly important. Cyber security and the protection of individual identities and information is crucial. Open source, decentralized, and transparent structures are creating a safer computerized world.Today’s “Money-Wise Women” guest is a leading digital security expert and […]

It’s getting clearer. The extractive economy is exhausting us all. The American economy has been growing steadily in the last decade, but despite this boom millions of families cannot afford the basic necessities of life. Homelessness, medical bankruptcies, student loan debt, and childcare costs weigh heavily on struggling families. What if our measure of success shifted from […]

The Freedom Quilting Bee was established in 1967 in Alabama. It is a handicraft cooperative founded by Black women in sharecropping families who needed to supplement their meager incomes, creating and selling exquisite quilts. In 1968, the cooperative bought 23 acres of land on which to build their sewing factory. They provided day care and […]

Women in Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, and around the world are calling for wellbeing to be put at the heart of government thinking. These elected leaders, researchers, and policy experts are prioritizing quality of life over economic growth.Outdated economic theory equates the success of an economy with growth in production. That is why we hear […]

Cooperatives are revitalizing communities, satiating hearts with feelings of belonging. By participating in coops, individuals are more effectively stewarding resources and taking responsibility for meeting the needs of the community in mutually beneficial ways. People are creating vibrant local economies through utility cooperatives, food and pharmaceutical coops, community-supported agriculture, and housing cooperatives. “Money-Wise Women” guest Janelle […]

Banks can be engines of an equitable economy by financing local endeavors and circulating profits back through communities. What if more banks were operating ethically, aligning their lending and operations to improve the fiscal vitality of their local communities and environment?For example, with financing from Beneficial State Bank in California, the Oakland Leaf’s after-school programming […]

Aligning your money with your values requires vigilance. As individuals like you engage in solidarity instead of charity, a healthier economy will emerge. Impact investing uses money to precipitate positive social change through assessment of the social and environmental improvements being enabled. “Money-Wise Women” guest Morgan Simon is an investment advisor and founder of the Candide […]

Excited youth milled around under the shade of palm trees in the balmy weather of Zimbabwe. Many were nervous. They were about to explore what they had to offer and what they needed from 150 other young people they didn’t know, as the opening to a weekend of leadership training. Many would soon experience profound shifts […]

For 50 years, creative performers and artisans have come together to share their gifts at the Oregon Country Fair. In July, we visited the fair in the small town of Veneta (pop. 4000), which broke records with over 51 thousand visitors over three days. As I bought handmade dragon wings for my son directly from […]

Elected women in California are influencing financial decisions about public banks, credit unions, retirement funds, cannabis, and other critical pivot points of progressive change. These pioneers are advocating for policies that keep more money circulating within communities to provide affordable housing, quality jobs, and a healthy environment. One such leader is California’s 34th State Treasurer Fiona […]

In June, we gave a presentation to business students at Southern Oregon University about debt. They were surprised when we described how money comes into circulation as debt with compounding interest owed to private banks. We explained how this design fuels the need for the economic growth that is harming people and planet. It became […]

An economy from the heart circulates a virtuous flow of resources that enrich people and planet. On this special review of the last 100 episodes of Money-Wise Women, I share what I’ve learned over three years of conversations on the show. The women who have been guests have expanded my understanding of life in unexpected ways. […]

A “complementary currency” is money created for circulation in a specific community or region. It is used in tandem with a national currency, and creates incentive for local commerce and celebrates the unique heritage of a place. Complementary currencies revitalize local economies by maximizing circulation of local goods within a region. They create incentives for local […]

Building wealth from the bottom up in local communities is essential for improving the well-being of people. Trickle-down economics is a lie that allowed the extraction of wealth from communities during the last several decades. With the passage of NAFTA in the 1990s, corporations abandoned domestic production across America to chase profits through cheaper labor […]

 Women are at the intersection of spirit, culture, and the economy. We stand at the threshold of possibility, as the feminine rises. Interconnected, we flourish in purposeful leadership and in the return of the feminine in us all. “Money-Wise Women” guest Nina Simons co-founded the Bioneers Conference thirty years ago with her husband, Kenny Ausubel. Nina […]

Sacred reciprocity is at the heart of all living systems. Indigenous wisdom recognizes the values threading the intricate web of life. Social justice activists are transforming colonial capitalist marketing into more intimate economies where people depend on their neighbors. A culture of reciprocity is founded on gratitude for the interwoven responsibility we have to each […]

 Inside of each of us are stories about money. These memories are about more than just numbers. Your worth and security are intimately intertwined with how you earn, spend, give, and save money. These tales define success, status, and our very identity.   Revealing our intimate money stories takes courage.   In this unique episode of “Money-Wise Women,” you […]

  Economic justice can be achieved through greater transparency. Building ways for reciprocity to flow in our communities is essential. We are facing a crisis of isolation in America, and the pain is palpable. We are hungry for belonging and want to make meaningful contributions. We need each other, and the economy is a place […]

Engaged citizens are advocating for social justice and economic fairness while addressing the realities of climate change. Both systemic and personal transformation is happening through our conversations about money and equity. There is a cultural shift from dogma, dread, and despair to curiosity, wonder, and possibility.   At the intersection of culture, climate, and money, […]

The total value of the web of life is more than the sum of its parts—synergy is the source of true wealth. Conscious refinement of our economy will wake us from the spell of a corporate-capitalist system that extracts value through compounding debt, exaggerates production and consumption, and consolidates wealth. We are participants in the […]

Friendships are nourishing. Giving and receiving attention, love, acknowledgment, and money generates a renewable source of energy. When you are accepted as you are, without pretense, then the superficial half-truths of social acquaintance fall away. Where you are understood, you feel belonging.   Becoming friends with money starts with a conversation. “Money-Wise Women” guest Sarah […]

Nature’s ingenuity in Costa Rica is palpable in the lush tropical jungle buzzing with the flow of resources. The fertility of a healthy ecosystem arouses the human imagination.   Nature is a responsive lover, wise teacher, and bold editor.   “Money-Wise Women” guest Jennifer Menke knows this intimately. She is project director of the Regenerative […]

You feel a deep satisfaction when you contribute to your community and are acknowledged for your value. You deserve to feel supported by mutually beneficial relationships that enrich your life. You are not alone. You belong.  “Money-Wise Women” guest Ruth Miller shares her vision of this emerging culture. She holds a Ph.D. in systems science, […]

The fuel of a more humane economy is not profit but a responsibility to care for one another and for the earth.   Real wealth includes the often unseen labor of mothering or caring for the elderly or the sick. The mass of the world’s poor and the poorest of the poor are women and […]

People are predictable, yet irrational about money. What surprises me, after facilitating thousands of women over the last decade to transform their financial suffering, is what a complex and often painful relationship everyone has with money. Understanding your enneagram of personality and how you relate to money can improve your happiness, family, business, community, and, […]

Collaboration evokes the pleasure of belonging. We are nourished by connection. At the intersection of social, racial, and economic justice, ancient ways of caring for one another sustain people. “Money-Wise Women” guest adrienne maree brown is an author and social-justice facilitator. She is author of Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds. Her book draws on […]

For several years, I’ve been reading international fairytales and fables to my children, who are 5 and 8. These flavor their consciousness and will provide moral compass and spiritual sustenance into adulthood. I am selective what I share with them, as many tales are bruised by the violence of patriarchy. As a mother, I am […]

Within you are hidden treasures ready to awaken. There is a wellspring of value to emerge from your soul. Focused attention and shared intention are your greatest renewable resources. Use this regenerative power to create true wealth. “Money-Wise Women” guest Lynne Twist is a recognized global visionary committed to alleviating poverty, ending world hunger, and […]

There is a revolution brewing that redefines the value of humans in complex living systems. How we measure wealth and poverty influences both policy and behavior. This is why conversations about money and purpose are critical during this transition.   We especially need to acknowledge how women are asserting their power to create true wealth […]

True wealth is more than a financial statement, it is a sense of well-being. In addition to your money, it includes your inner resources, relationships, and environment. Shifting away from profit-maximization through growth toward well-being through collaboration will bring vitality into our local economies.   We are valuable beyond the measure of money.   “Money-Wise […]

There are stories behind every statistic. One thing I learned in economics is that the questions you ask determine the answers you find in the numbers. Statistics are subjective.   What’s really going on with the gender pay gap?   “Money-Wise Women” guest Anna Rova is the founder of Girlskill, an online media platform, publication, […]

Our community has so much wealth. And you are so willing to share it! Many were moved to tears at the Rogue Valley’s first official Offers and Needs Market this weekend. That’s what happens when we celebrate the riches we share. Giving and receiving create connection and a sense of belonging. The Bellview Grange in […]

Get comfortable with discomfort.   Talking about money is revolutionary. In these times, it is essential to break through the taboos of speaking about both finance and sexuality. For centuries, shame has held people in bondage to extractive systems of male supremacy. Just like people breaking the taboo of speaking about sexual assault in the […]

Feeling grief at the loss of what is precious is inevitable. Grief is not a problem to be fixed, it is a human experience that can deepen our sense of belonging; it can bring vitality into our communities when shared.  I recently told my women's group about my experience at the “Managing Planetary Collapse” gathering […]

Obstructive beliefs about money were dissolved at a ritual with tears and laughter last weekend.   Personal obstacles to financial success were written onto slips of “spy” paper and thrown into water as women declared what they were dissolving. The ritual was lead by Luna Jaffe of the Sacred Money Studios at the Mindful Wealth […]

  Technology has radically transformed the financial landscape. With the proliferation of smart phones, people have real-time access to markets and accounts. Yet this abundant financial information does not make people more money-wise.   How can technology improve our financial lives?   “Money-Wise Women” guest Sofia Rossato is founder of WellWallet​. She is passionate about […]

  Questions open gateways to greater creativity and understanding. Compassionate inquiry and deep listening are important characteristics of feminine leadership. Life-altering breakthroughs happen using open-ended questions, especially about taboo topics like money, and wisdom emerges from group inquiry.   A feminine leader has the courage to ask evocative questions without knowing the answers.   One […]

  Innovative solutions arise at the edges of what is familiar. Leaders like you celebrate emergence. You are curious, playful, and gracefully adapt to changing conditions. Why is play an effective strategy toward creating more vibrant organizational structures? Because play sparks the creative centers of the brain, allowing us to access wisdom and collaborate more […]

Imagine that your financial world is only black and white, that only numbers define your relationship with money…until, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, you open the door to a vivid, vibrant, colorful reality. Suddenly, you see money in rainbow colors. Each exchange comes alive with meaning and is aligned with your purpose. Your […]

Your silence will not protect you from economic tyranny.   Talking about money is essential, even when it’s uncomfortable. I’m not suggesting that you discuss exclusively personal finances. Let’s also talk about debt as a system of domination and how we cooperate in a post-growth economy. Let’s learn to disengage from predatory systems and liberate […]

A new era of the gig economy is emerging, in which labor is performed at home by self-employed contractors. It boasts freedom, flexibility, and creativity. Yet these independent contractors, including on-demand service providers, small business owners, and consultants, need particular skills to face unique challenges. Many often worry about fluctuating income and maintaining their reputation. […]

Money comes easily to some women. They are comfortable talking about it and have the skills to manage it. They are motivated to earn, save, and invest it. They are not deterred by the challenge of being a woman or person of color in a male-dominated world of finance. When they encounter challenges, they rise […]

People like you are building power from the ground up to create community resilience.    Relationships are the bedrock of your well-being. Building solidarity across seeming divides in local communities is crucial. When organizers are equipped with communication, networking, and emotional intelligence skills, they can lead through times of struggle.   “Money-Wise Women” guest Sarah […]

  Pioneers travel uncharted territory. We face unforeseen challenges with courage. We are resilient and adapt to changes with grace and creative collaboration. We are curious and ask questions about what is possible. We are pioneers into prosperity, navigating the trail of “enough” through the forests and deserts of money.   “Money-Wise Women” guest Jane […]

Have you felt satisfaction when your money is swelling because it is invested in alignment with your values? Have you felt the joy of working for an organization or client that fulfills your purpose while you are generously compensated? These experiences are too rare in the modern investment market, where success is measured by the […]

A market is a place to care for one another. It is a living system of connection where people bring their offers and their needs. Markets are the looms of the material world, and the yarn of our transactions is money. It is time to upgrade our money systems.   “Money-Wise Women” guest Gwendolyn Hallsmith […]

Falling in love brings a rush of oxytocin and positive feelings. Intimate (including more than romantic) relationships are satisfying when people are desired and appreciated.   Intimacy is not a one-night stand that leaves people feeling used. Likewise, selling time in the growth economy leaves people feeling like disposable commodities. Polls show that 71% of […]

Your community is endowed with immeasurable resources, yet many remain invisible and hard to access. The talents and wisdom of your neighbors can be unearthed through asset mapping with Green Maps and the Offers and Needs Market. Communities are organizing to become resilient with maps and markets that bring forth the best from individuals. “Money-Wise […]

The human brain has a great capacity for memory, calculation, perception, and measurement. Rational decisions are made by analyzing data through a linear, logical process. Consumer science posits that individuals are “rational consumers” who calculate the cost and benefit of each purchase. Yet my research and financial workshops with women have revealed that is far […]