Women Rocking Wall Street - A podcast dedicated to women in financial services

While cybersecurity is not a new concept, a spotlight has been placed on its importance given the ever-increasing sophistication of cybercriminals, COVID-19, and the new work-from-home evolution.   Our incredibly special guest is none other than the Head of Cybersecurity for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Rachel Wilson.   After her childhood love of all things cryptography, code making and code breaking, her dream of working for the National Security Agency (NSA) was realized, where she spent 15 years in various leadership roles and managed the NSA's counterterrorism operation and led global enterprise in detecting and disrupting terrorist plotting against the U.S. and its allies. Thereafter she entered the world of financial services and was later tapped by Morgan Stanley.   Rachel is extremely passionate about cybersecurity and this timely discussion helps us all understand where we are with cybersecurity and how we can protect ourselves. You don’t want to miss this. 

In this episode, I sat work with the fabulous Mori Taheripour. The powerhouse professor who teaches Negotiation and Dispute Resolution to undergraduate and graduate students at the  Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  She’s also the author of Bring Yourself: How to Harness the Power of Connection to Negotiate Fearlessly.   From Public Health in the AIDS field to teaching at Wharton, Mori’s experiences have armed her with the skills to be a great negotiator. For her, negotiation starts with learning more about oneself. She believes that you need to better understand yourself, what you want, and know that you deserve what you’re asking for. Once you have a grasp on that, you’ll connect with others effortlessly.     To hear more on negotiations, what they mean, and how to approach them - listen in! Mori provides some powerful insight that we can all benefit from. 

Our special guest is Dr. Joy Lere, a psychologist, consultant, speaker and writer whose practice focuses on the intersection of human behavior and finance. Specializing in money, mindset and meaning, her experience has shown that the primary issue driving demand for her services, directly or indirectly, relates to money. She helps patients become financially savvy, emotionally strong and confident.   In my jubilant conversation with Joy, she discussed how to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and how it all starts with self-care. Self-care is about making choices for yourself that gives you an opportunity to reflect, de-stress and regain control over your sleep, your calendar and personal space where you feel grounded. She also spoke of the recently common feeling of “important anxiety.” It’s a response that allows us to adapt to the world around us.   This conversation was exactly what I needed to center myself and hope it will do the same for you. Listen in! 

This guest is one for the ages. We sat down with The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, CEO, Madeline Di Nonno to discuss ways they’re encouraging television and other media to infuse intersectionality, diversity and inclusion in their content.   Founded in 2004 by Academy Award Winning Actor Geena Davis, the Institute is the only organization working collaboratively within the entertainment industry to engage, educate and influence the creation of gender-balanced onscreen portrayals, reducing harmful stereotypes and creating an abundance of unique female characters targeting children 11 and under. The nonprofit’s slogan is, If she can see it, she can be it.TM   I’ve been following Geena and her organization for quite some time. When I joined as a member to support the organization, I dreamed of having this episode’s guest on my podcast. What an interview!

This episode we have two wonderful guests, Minda Harts and Christine Brown-Quinn. Both discussing career advice!   Minda is the CEO of The Memo LLC, a career development platform for women of color. She’s also the best-selling author of, “The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know To Secure A Seat at the Table”. Minda says that success is not a solo sport, you have to build your squad. It all boils down to relationship building and how to articulate your value all while quantifying your worth.   Christine Brown-Quinn is a best-selling author of “Step Aside Superwoman” and “Unlock Your Career Success”. Christine believes she’s a better mother, partner, sister, and daughter because of her career. These are life skills that teach you how to progress a career and enjoy a personal life.    Tune in to hear career advice on steroids and how you can up-level you! 

Lisa Moyle is co-founder of VC Innovations where she’s committed to connecting established financial institutions with financial technology (FinTech) startups and technology providers. All the while keeping an eye towards making sure women are part of the equation. Her annual event, FinTech Talents, beings together this ecosystem of nearly 3,000 attendees to facilitate networking, establishing business relationships, and giving university students a look inside the industry.   Aside from creating memorable, unique and interactive experiences at these events, her goal is to make sure women are not only a part of this ecosystem, but they’re also part of the voices that help create the products to be consumed by and meet the needs of women, specifically, women baby boomers.

Our special guest is Alex Chalekian, founder and CEO of Lake Avenue Financial and ally and believer in women. In his words, “it’s important for women to have a voice in this industry and to be able to do the things that they should be able to do!”   Alex started a universal dialogue around solving female harassment by notably speaking up against Ken Fisher who made controversial remarks at one particular fireside chat at the Tiburon CEO Summit. Since then, he penned a processes to report and address harassment and his selfless and important work continues today.

This one is a dream guest! Seema Hingorani is a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management focused on talent development, client relationships and diversity initiatives. She served as a member of the National Finance Committee of Secretary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign and is an active member of The Economic Club of New York and 100 Women in Finance. Seema’s also the Founder and Chair of Girls Who Invest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in portfolio management and leadership in the asset management industry.    Seema has a 30x30 mission. Her life’s work will be realized when women manage 30% of the world’s investable capital by 2030. How will we get there? By focusing on talent, training and tenacity.   Invest your time in learning more about Seema. It will be well worth it!

This week’s guest is passionate about debunking stereotypes. At a young age, Elijah wrote short stories about Nigerian myths and legends and sold them to his classmates for £1. Today, he’s a published author of, The Clapback, a definitive guide to addressing negative stereotypes about the black community. From swimming and fried chicken to privilege and allyship, he discusses his opinions and learnings from his in-depth research.  

Chloe B. Mckenzie is an inspiration and one I absolutely feel privileged to interview.  She’s a brilliant and resilient woman who coined the term “wealth justice”. Her mission is to close the wealth gap for black women and create a curriculum that delivers messages about wealth and wealth accumulation. The most interesting part? Her target audience is students, starting in kindergarten! She has quite the story - from an abusive family to a liver failure – she’s unstoppable at only 27.   After you listen, do yourself a favor and pick up her book, The Activist Investor.

If you know me, you know how important financial independence is. As a woman, you have to be. Never depend on anyone...ever. This week’s guest, Veronica Dagher, is an award-winning Senior Wealth Management and Personal Finance Reporter for The Wall Street Journal.  When she lost her father, she quickly learned the importance of being a financially independent woman. “I don't want to be in this position where something happens to my spouse one day and I don’t know how to handle money. This is not going to be my future,” Veronica explains in regards to her mother not knowing how to write a check. Today, Veronica’s built a career around teaching women how to be financially independent. She’s the true definition of a go-getter. As a writer, she learned to be curious and prepare. I mean, she’s talking to people like Gloria Steinem!

Carla Harris is Vice Chairman, Managing Director, and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. She is also an inspiration, a role model and a disruptor in the Financial Services industry. In her experience, people’s perception of you is the co-pilot to your reality and success. Carla believes we all have the power to change how we’re perceived. One of her first big professional mistakes: thinking she had to put her head down, get the work done and not ask any questions. She now knows that all mistakes are simply a matter of not knowing. Carla touches on what to do as a woman on a board, how to gain early exposure and experience, and the value of a network. Listen in!

Diversity and inclusion. To create a space in your business that ensures that diversity and inclusion are part of the solution. As the CEO of Bar the Door Consulting, Katee Van Horn does just that. She focuses on what businesses can do to change, improve, and create true cultures of inclusion. Katee gives her take on what exactly diversity, inclusion, and belonging mean. She believes there are various ways to establish diversity and inclusion within a company - whether that’s at your town hall meetings or in your presentations. Start with small, incremental changes. You can’t boil the ocean overnight. Katee provides many perspectives, analogies, and ways to think about diversity and inclusion. Listen in to hear her experiences, stories, thoughts, and some inspiration for creating a culture of diversity and inclusion!

Andrée Simon is truly making a difference in the world. As CEO & President of FINCA Impact Finance (FIF), she leads a global network of microfinance banks and institutions. FIF’s network of community-based banks offer responsible and affordable loan and saving products to more than two million people across the world, empowering low income women and men to take control of their financial futures. Her two teenage kids are even committed to this mission…talk about an inspiration! Andree is a globetrotter who aims to conquer and save the world, one day at a time. With regular trips to Pakistan, Tanzania, Afghanistan and more, Andrée visits and oversees FINCA Impact Finance operations in 20 of the most difficult, yet most beautiful countries in the world. What a rockstar. Listen in to hear how she navigates being a fish out of water in most of those environments along with some wise advice.

The Head of Fixed Income at BMO. Janelle Woodward is responsible for fixed income capabilities across BMO Global Asset Management's $250B platform. This position, this responsibility… it’s a rarity as a woman in today’s day. In fact, Janelle was raised in a home with the belief that women were supposed to stay at home. Now, she’s the first generation professional women in her family. After having her first son, she quickly realized there was more that drove her than just being a stay at home mother. Listen in to hear Janelle touch on the importance of a work/life balance and how her three children pushed her to become a better mother and harder worker. Seriously, how does she oversee billions of dollars in fixed income globally and raise three children? Did I mention she also has her CFA? You’re an inspiration to us all, Janelle.

The Lawyer Who Rocks! Seriously, though. Joleen Hughes rocks and is the CEO and Founder of Hughes Media Law Group, a law firm that provides in-house counsel services to clients who are innovators in business. Did Joleen dream of being a lawyer? Absolutely not. In fact, after her undergrad, she worked for a music management company where she managed the up and coming bands in Seattle. After realizing that a band is a business with dynamics and people that are “married” together, similar to a startup, she decided it was time for something new. That’s when one of her mentors convinced her to go to law school. One could say, the rest is history! Joleen has been rocking her way through the industry ever since. Her business evolved from creating a brand that’s relatable to people that need a lawyer and who appreciate having lawyers that truly care about them, work hard, and keep their best intentions in mind. Did I mention that Joleen also has her own podcast, The Lawyer Who Rocks? Go give her a listen. And give this episode a listen, too!

Becoming financially independent is no easy feat. And getting to a point in your career where you can advise those on being financially independent is truly an adventure. Listen in to hear how Alice Tang, the Vice President of BPG Wealth Management LLC, has endured through all. From cold-calling people non-stop to making a mere $2,000 in one year, Alice talks about what she went through to get to where she is today. Her dad once told her, “no matter what happens, it’s important to remember that you planted a seed that could one day be a plant”. Alice’s a strong believer in creating apprenticeships for newcomers to the financial industry so that they have a place to learn and grow with the right people and resources. Her mission is to help people become financially independent and retire with confidence. Give it a listen to hear more!

The Queen Bee Syndrome. To some, this means Beyonce. To others, the leader of the group. Hear Dr. Melissa Briggs-Phillips hit on what it is and how it impacts women today. Melissa explains why she dislikes the word “syndrome” and her reasoning. She compares research with her own insights as a woman. With experience teaching a Psychology of Women class at the Ohio State University, Melissa’s well-versed on The Queen Bee Syndrome. She uses a theoretical lens that looks at research and facts all while using real-life experiences. And it makes sense! Melissa is the Owner and Founder of Next Generation Behavioral Health, a full-service clinical psychology practice and consulting firm. After completing her Ph.D., Melissa spent 15 years providing leadership on complex projects before opening her clinical practice and organizational speaking full-time. She’s a “ruthless optimist” that believes innovation happens at the intersection of divergent disciplines. Listen in to hear more about research, the Queen Bee Syndrome, and what the word feminism means to her.

This weeks guest is the CEO & co-founder of Long Game, a personal finance app that encourages users to save money while winning cash prizes. Users of Long Game can win from 10 cents to one million dollars. A million dollars?! In her interview, Lindsay Holden discusses her fascination and experience with behavioral economics and how it sparked the idea of Long Game. From a simple interaction to a full gamified experience,  you can now level up, win Crypto and cash all through saving on the Long Game app. You can start winning prizes by simply connecting your bank in the application. With characters and animations, it truly makes the gaming experience enjoyable, magical, and pleasant. After two years, they already have hundreds of thousands of users whose average engagement is daily. Lindsay holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder. After school, she helped launch an early stage venture capital firm, Formation 8 where she got to learn the process and get exposure. After two years in venture capital, Lindsay quickly became inspired by entrepreneurs and wanted to try it out herself. Before Long Game, she co-founded the Applicant Auction, the primary auction for Top Level Domain names which held over $500M in auctions and over $1B in escrow before being acquired. Today, Lindsay’s focuses on the growth of Long Game, influencing those to save. Start saving and receiving rewards by downloading the Long Game app in the app store!

Laura Adams is a nationally recognized personal finance expert. She’s the author of many books and audiobooks, including Money Girl’s Smart Moves to Grow Rich a fun, comprehensive guide to personal finance. This book is written in simple language to help readers digest and understand the terminology, tactics, and attitudes that create a foundation for smart financial decisions. From accounting and real estate to owning a floor covering business and a COO for a small company, Laura’s had an extremely diverse career.  She never dreamed of becoming a personal finance writer. She’s always been fascinated by the management side of money as she was one of those teenagers that begged her parents for her own checking account at the age of 12 or 13. Eventually, she received an MBA from the University of Florida in Gainesville, becoming a student of finance through books, gurus, and advisers. This is when she became interested in writing and decided to write a blog about the various topics she had learned in her MBA program. Around this time, Laura fell in love with podcasts and took it upon herself to start her own show in 2007. Since then, Laura has podcasted every week. The following year, she was invited to join the Quick and Dirty Tips Network as the host of the Money Girl Podcast and blog. Laura’s latest book, Debt-Free Blueprint: How to Get Out of Debt and Build a Financial Life You Love, launched this year with detailed advice, strategies, helpful examples, and overlooked programs to eliminate debt and the stress that comes along with it. Laura focuses on financial confidence, being confident in your ability to use your knowledge and accomplish your goals.

A prolific doer and thinker who’s passionate about moving the needle for financial advisors. Michael is a Partner and Director of Wealth Management for Pinnacle Advisory Group, a private wealth management firm. He’s the co-founder of XY Planning Network which is dedicated to helping Gen X and Gen Y advisors serve their Gen X and Gen Y client peers with a fee-only monthly retainer financial planning model. It’s designed to be a turnkey financial planning platform where they champion financial planning for a younger demographic. XY Planning Network has grown rapidly, coming up on their five year anniversary with over 850 advisors. Michael is also the publisher of The Kitces Report & Nerd’s Eye View. He’s a partner at New Planning Recruiting and the Treasure of the Board of Directors of Washington Improv Theatre. Michael’s a public speaker on financial planning and practice management topics, as well as the host of the Financial Advisor Success podcast. Michael got into financial services when he was graduating college and a life insurance sales manager told him he should be a financial advisor because it required hard work and a high income. Despite his background in psychology, financial services are exactly where he landed. Michael has always been intrigued and involved in gender and racial diversity. In fact, at a recent conference, an individual walked up to Michael and a group of women and asked, “Is this the Kitces harem?”. In response, Michael published a blog post asking for the appropriate response to these types of situations. He received a gamut of responses. From those, his biggest takeaway is that just by getting those to pause and think about the situation, is far more victorious than trying to get the conversation out there. Bottom line, let’s continue to have these conversations.

Although she’s a financial planner, she’s not your typical financial planner. Charlene never dreamed of working in this industry. In fact, she never imagined she’d land in the world of investments and long-term planning. Charlene considers herself an artist destined to a life of sales. Starting at age 16, she’s been in commission retail. In fact, she started her career as a sales manager at a lingerie boutique. This is where she discovered the powerful link between money and emotion, passion and vulnerability. From a real-estate agent to making a Fox News parody television show and selling home theatre equipment to selling cars, she’s done it all. Charlene has now been a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual for seven years. She’s a first-generation American whose Portuguese parents taught her about the value of hard work and planning at a young age. She graduated early from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in Consumer and Social Psychology. Charlene’s bread and butter is that she works primarily with creatives and millennials. She aims to get individuals to dream bigger. She’s always pursued with the “I’m going to be better than you” mentality, despite gender or differences.

On this episode, we’re talking about research with Lori Mackenzie. Lori is the Executive Director of Stanford University’s Clayman Institute for Gender Research as well as the Co-Founder of the new Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab. She advises diversity and inclusion efforts at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and teaches executive education. Her work has been published in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, BBC, and San Francisco Chronicle. In fact, she was one of the 100 women who was interviewed for the 2018 documentary bias. Lori holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. Her main focus of work is at the Clayman Institute which was founded to produce research that motivates gender equality. In her interview, Lori touches on the Paradox of Meritocracy, which is how we as individual managers opened the doors to be more bias. The Paradox of Meritocracy has created the conversation about how to debug meritocracy and the way that bias will make the performance of men look better for the same level of performance, disadvantaging women and people of color. She emphasizes the importance of providing individuals with tools so that change will actually happen. She also touches on the coping strategy with good news. Research states that women who self monitor are more successful than even the most assertive men. This means being able to move fluidly between a warm and welcoming approach and a direct assertive approach. Lori recommends to stay curious and try to understand what would be effective and how we can create change. The best way to do that? Take a growth mindset approach in your everyday life.

Episode 69: It’s Not the End of the Road Guest: Rachel Carpenter On this episode, we have the founder and CEO of Intrinio, Rachel Carpenter. Intrinio is a disruptive, self-serve financial data marketplace launched in 2015 for investors, entrepreneurs, developers, and students. Their data feeds power spreadsheets, quant models, fintech apps, website, and enterprise applications. Rachel’s responsibility includes strategy and positioning for Intrinio’s long-term growth. Rachel graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in Finance and Management. Rachel founded Intrinio with Joey French, another graduate from the University of Wisconsin when they sparked an idea for a valuation service industry app they wanted to create. Many iterations later, Intrinio was designed. When fundraising, Rachel emphasizes the importance of telling a compelling story, a compelling problem, and delivering a passionate message instead of just preparing your financial plan, pitch deck, and other materials. Rachel believes that those who invest, invest because of the person and their passion. Intrinio’s current goal is to get as much data on the platforms as possible because the more types of data, the more types of products they’re able to power. Aside from her love for data, Rachel spends her free time as a board member for Community Action Stops Abuse, a domestic violence organization in Florida. For her, giving back has always been important. In addition to this, she’s a member of the Forbes Finance Council and the Data Coalition Advocating for Open Structure Data. Rachel leads her team at Intrinio in an effort to make financial data affordable and accessible, all while giving back to women and the community. How about that for an inspiring woman? 

Episode 68: Hustle and Hard Work  Guest: Winnie Sun Women Rocking Wall Street is back and better than ever! Our first guest is a woman who’s done it all. A hustler who has reinvented herself time after time. Winnie Sun started her career in Hollywood, owning a television audience production company that brought in audiences for shows like “America’s Funniest Home Videos”, and “Wheel of Fortune”. This was her first successful business. Despite its success, Winnie’s Chinese immigrant parents didn’t delight in her chosen profession. Winnie decided to take night classes at UCLA, getting her certificate in financial planning. Shortly after, she received an offer from Smith Barney. That’s when everything changed. While cold calling at Smith Barney, Winnie sought out a more strategic way to solicit new business. She stayed after hours and made her cold calls while all her colleagues went home. She left voicemails, getting callbacks from individuals who actually wanted to talk to her. A few firms and years later, Winnie now leads a group of practitioners at her Sun Group, a financial advisory firm in Southern California. She writes for Forbes, is on CNBC’s advisory council, and is a mother and a heartfelt advisor. Winnie’s focused on reshaping the image of advisors and inspiring the next generation of investors and audiences.

Episode 67: Being A Modernist in Finance Guest: Georgia Lee Hussey With training in instillation sculpture and creative writing, Georgia Lee Hussey was focused on becoming a professional artist. However, after 12 years, Georgia decided it was time to try something new. At the time she was living in Portland, Oregon during the sub-prime mortgages phase and Georgia found herself with two mortgages: the first had a 7.5% interest rate and the second had 11.5% interest, and both were variable. She had never been taught about money or budgeting and found herself in a difficult, unstable position. Georgia began reading everything she could about financing and budgeting and found that she loved it. She became inspired to become a financial planner and went back to school to get her CFP. By the time Georgia successfully passed her CFP exam, she already had some clients, which meant that she needed a home for her business. She looked to a brokerage firm to help and was extremely grateful for all the support that they provided. However, she felt out of place because it was very male-dominated and there was a general sense of inequality. She also quickly came to realize that the institutionalized structures of the industry weren’t going to support her vision. As a result, Georgia started Modernist Financial, which was built on a foundation of creativity and collaboration. Today, Georgia is working with Jennifer Armbrust, with Armbrust & Co. to create a feminist business model. The basic core of the model is equity and inclusion, and flattening inequalities. Modernist Financial is built on values of inviting and including, investing in people, innovating and iterating, and doing good work well. Georgia is striving to create a sense of partnership and empowerment between her advisors and clients and ensuring her staff can support the innovative advice that they are providing to clients. If you’d like to learn more about Georgia, visit modernistfinancial.com. Thanks for listening. If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 66: Slowing Down to Speed Things Up Guest: Laura Moore Welcome back to the Women Rocking Wall Street Show! This week’s show is all about how slowing down can actually help you speed things up. Laura Moore has a very interesting business story. Having moved to Australia from the UK several years ago, she fell into the health and wellness industry. Starting as a personal trainer she found that she loved it and therefore threw herself into her work. With several years under her belt, Laura started her own gym, which became her pride and joy. Eight months into the business, and just as it was starting to become profitable, Laura received a call that changed everything. Unfortunately her gym had caught fire and she was faced with a whole host of challenges. She was able to relocate her gym to another location but at that point she had come to the realization that it wasn’t working for her anymore. She also found some changes were happening with her body that put her on a new journey. Eventually she came to the realization that her mind was causing her health issues. This forced her to learn where the problems were stemming from and how to change her behaviour. Today, Laura is the founder of Uppy, a performance and health coaching program that aims to help professional and driven women to make changes in their life to achieve what they want. When we're busy and on the go all the time, our body thinks that we’re in danger, and releases adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones release energy so that we can fight or run. The problem is, if we’re not actually running or fighting, these hormones don’t get used and are left cycling through our system, which results in the extra fat in our hips and belly (known as a cortisol belly). Unfortunately, this fat likes to attract more fat. There are other side effects, including erratic energy, causing extreme exhaustion and moments of high energy, especially at night. Our body can also stop anything that isn’t necessary to function, including digestion, which is what leads to bloating. If these symptoms resonate with you, perhaps it's your body telling you to slow down. There are several things that Laura recommends that you can do to make subtle changes. The biggest thing is becoming aware again with your body and how it responds to different situations. Second, allow your brain to take a break, sometime in the day, so that your body knows that you're not in danger. You can do this by breathing deeply for several minutes. Third, determine what is important to you and identifying your real, deep level goals and values. Finally, she suggests setting boundaries that create more space for you to do the things that meet your goals and values. If you would like to learn more about Laura and Uppy, visit Uppy.com.au. Thanks for listening. If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 65: Changing Your Filter Guest: Andrea Leda Wilborn This week’s guest on the Women Rocking Wall Street Show is Andrea Leda Wilborn. She is a coach, intuitive and behind-the-scene’s worker in Portland, Oregon. Andrea began her journey through social work and counselling, and eventually moved to creative arts, consulting, and fitness. Today, she has taken her experiences in all fields and turned them into a business, helping entrepreneurs offer their gifts to the world in real and powerful ways. One area of expertise for Andrea is Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), which refers to how one can speak to the brain and how we can use language to shift how we store data. There is no way that our brain can process all the information that we encounter on a daily bases. By using our central nervous system (5 senses), our brain reads our environment. We also use our stories and experiences to filter information, determining what we see and what we don't. Andrea works with clients to help ensure they have the right filters in place to help them focus on their goals and achievements. Andrea’s hope is to get everyone to look in the mirror and realize that they are the only solution to any perceived problem that they can see outside of themselves. Through asking the right questions, she strives to shift limits and therefore changes the experience for each of her clients. This not only empowers others, but also creates accountability for achieving goals. For anyone who is looking for a shift in their career, Andrea challenges you to ask yourself a powerful question – if I knew I could not fail. It puts fear and failure aside and provides you with access to information and data that is available inside you that was previously hidden by negative emotions. Also, she tells us all to stop pretending that something isn’t accessible. If you would like to learn more about Andrea, be sure to check out her website, andrealeda.com. She also has a powerful weekend coming up in September called Awaken Your Practice, a 3-day immersion into the soul of your business. Thanks for listening. If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 64: Finding Energy to Recharge Your Battery Guest: Debbie Pokornik Welcome back to the Women Rocking Wall Street Show. This week’s show is all about reconnecting with our feminine energy and to empower ourselves to live a vibrant and powerful life. My guest this week is Debbie Pokornik, a women of many talents. She is a mother, natural health nut, dedicated dog owner, award-winning author and a passionate social worker. Debbie is also the Chief Empowerment Officer for her company Empowering NRG, which helps proactive moms create the vibrant and powerful life that they crave by guiding them to stand in their own power while at home, work or at play. Debbie’s began her career working for school districts and helping them create programs for kids, parents, teachers and the community, with the purpose of bringing out the best in everyone. Debbie left in 2010 to write her first book, Break Free of Parenting Pressures: Embrace Your Natural Guidance and from there she wrote another book, Standing in Your Power: A Guide for Living Your Life Fully Awake. Today, Debbie focuses on helping moms learn to recharge their batteries, which is necessary to live a vibrant and powerful life. When talking about a balanced person, Debbie highlights two types of energy that exist in everyone - divine masculine and divine feminine energy. While most of us associate each with a specific gender, Debbie say to think of them as an operating system, both pieces are equally important to both genders. When society perceives the feminine energy as weak, it actually weakens society as a whole because according to Debbie, the feminine energy is what recharges our batteries. The key to success is finding time to reconnect with your divine feminine energy. Even if you think that you don’t have the time, it’s identifying those pleasurable moments that we experience each day and really focusing on that moment. The more you focus on them, the easier it becomes to notice those little moments rather than focusing on the difficult times. Also, make the time to get out in nature, which is a great way to reconnect with your feminine energy. If you would like to learn more about Debbie, be sure to check out her podcast, Vibrant, Powerful Moms. Thanks for listening. If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 63: Battling Inequality Through Words Guest: Kelly Shikany Welcome back to the Women Rocking Wall Street Show! This week’s guest was spurred to contact me when she heard the Women Rocking Wall Street episode where I had the pleasure of interviewing Kathleen Burns Kingsbury about embracing being a female and not being afraid to ‘ski like a girl.’ As someone who has held different positions in the financial industry, Kelly Shikany is familiar with being the only female at the table and is now working to change public perceptions around women and finance. Kelly’s first experience with gender inequality occurred while she was working at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Although she loved her job (in the late 80’s) it was not a female friendly workplace. Treated differently by colleagues as well as clients (some weren’t even interested in hearing a women’s voice), Kelly accepted both at the time because of the experience she was gaining. Kelly was aware what was going to happen and accepted it because she wanted the experience. However, today Kelly is glad to see that there has been substantial progress when it comes to women’s rights and has made it her mission to help mentor the next generation. As a Financial Advisor at Lakeside Wealth Management, Kelly now has the pleasure of working with clients from across the United States. She spends her time building women’s confidence on their financial investments while battling the conception that women aren’t able to understand money. There have been many times where she has been sitting in a boardroom where complex concepts are being discussed and the presenter has said, “I’ll make it so easy that your mom will understand.” Whenever this happens, Kelly takes the time to speak to the presenter about not singling out women or using gender pronouns. It’s important to raise awareness so that the next generation has more confidence and doesn’t have to battle the gender issues. For any women looking at getting into the financial industry, Kelly recommends joining the CFP mentorship program, known as WIN-to-WIN, which strives to build up female advisors. Also, don't be afraid to share your knowledge and network so that there can be more females in the industry. If you would like to learn more about the work being done for women within the CFP program, tune into the Women Rocking Wall Street episode with Eleanor Blayney. If you would like to learn more about Kelly, you can connect through Lakeside Wealth Management’s Facebook and Twitter account. Thank you for listening. If you liked what you heard, please write us a quick review on iTunes and share this with others whom you think might find it interesting or valuable.

Episode 62: Financial Freedom Through Intention Guest: Julia Carlson Welcome back to the Women Rocking Wall Street Show. This week’s episode is all about the power of intention and setting your mind to achieving your goals. My guest this week is Julia Carlson, founder of Financial Freedom Wealth Management. She was one of the 40 Under 40 in InvestmentNews and won the 2015 Women’s Choice Award for Financial Advisors. In 2000, Julia started her company in Newport, Oregon and has now grown her business to include 4 locations. Fortunately for Julie, in 2008, Financial Freedom was endorsed as a local provider, which brought in 20 to 30 referrals per month. Julia is an extremely entrepreneurial person and she has always been a go-getter. Here she was in her 20’s trying to build her business. Like all of us at that age, she had to work hard to prove herself and now she has the established confidence that is driving her dream big. Her drive comes from her passion for her work and attributes some of her success to the goals that she has set throughout the years. Rather than being reactive, Julie focuses on always being in a state of intention and strives to be proactive when it comes to problem solving. Through education, Julia works to help women embrace their wealth. One such example is their Women Wealth and Wisdom seminar which encourages women to discuss the values that are put on money and how to take charge of their financial future. She also makes her own personal learning a priority so that she can better help her clients. One final thing that Julia that she attributes to her success is visualizing what the end result looks like while meditating. A book that Julie recommends, which illustrates the power of the mind is You Are The Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter by Dr. Joe Dispenza. If you'd like to reach out to Julia, you can connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for listening. If you liked what you heard, please write us a quick review on iTunes and share this with others whom you think might find it interesting or valuable.

Episode 61 – Surviving the Overwired World With Sheri Fitts Happy summer! As you may know, with the summer season comes a lot of activities that fill up the calendar. I’m finding the same this year so as a result I’m going to be releasing an episode of Women Rocking Wall Street every other week. My intention is to kick off a new podcast, Deconstructing Digital, which is a companion piece to my new book, Deconstructing Digital: Simple Ways To Connect With Your Next-Generation Financial Clients. This week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street is another interview where the microphone is turned around (metaphorically speaking) and I am the one being asked questions by Kristin Mountain, co-founder of Podcast SMARTER. This episode is all about surviving the overwired world. There are so many dif fervent distractions that we can choose from that affect our decisions on how we should be spending our time. As a result, we tend to run into digital overload, all because we don't want to miss out on anything. This dilemma has created the term “life hacking” and there are several online tools that can create efficiencies in our personal and work life, making us more productive. One tool is focus@will, a program that plays music developed and edited to elicit alpha brains waves. Another similar online tool that allows you to pick which brain waves you want to elicit is called Brainwaves. Not only will it allow you to be focused and alert, but it has settings that encourage power naps, mediation and relaxation. While there are many tools that can help you survive the overwired world, there are still some very basic things that you can do. Meditation can help reset your thoughts and help center you for your day. It doesn’t have to consist of sitting in a room quietly but could also be getting out into nature and going for a walk while taking deep breaths and taking a personal moment to unwind. If you are interested in getting more comfortable with meditating, there are two online tools that I use, Calm and HeadSpace. The most important thing when surviving the overwired world is doing what is right for you. If you can identify what is holding you back or taking up most of your time, then you can find the tools that will help. Thank you for listening. If you liked what you heard, please write us a quick review on iTunes and share this with others whom you think might find it interesting or valuable.

Episode 60 – Your Brand, Your Business, Your Bottom Line With Sheri Fitts This week’s episode is slightly different than what you may be used to. I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Fiduciary Talk Podcast with Ben Aiken, which was recorded live from the Insights 2016 Conference in San Diego. The topic of my presentation was titled Your Brand, Your Business, Your Bottom Line and really focused on creating a compelling, courageous brand. With financial services in a PR tailspin, it’s extremely important that financial advisors maintain a strong brand. People have stories about their money, good or bad, and that includes financial services. The best way to combat their story is with a better one. Unfortunately, advisor brands are not powered by stories. At this conference I had the opportunity to guide attendees on create courageous brands, and to do this using feelings and stories to connect with their current and potential clients. I encouraged everyone at the conference, as well as yourself, to sit down with a piece of paper and write “once upon a time.” Leading with this, tell me about your foundation story. Don’t make it about you but rather about the people you help. This is a great way to come up with a better story and will help strengthen your brand, your business and your bottom line. Thanks you for listening. If you liked what you heard, please write us a quick review on iTunes and share this with others whom you think might find it interesting or valuable.      

Episode 59: Influencing The Masses Guest: Teresa de Grosbois Listen via iTunes Listen via Stitcher Radio Teresa de Grosbois is a mass influencer, international speaker, author and leader the Evolutionary Business Council, an international organization of thought leaders. This is a collaborative entity of people who are committed to creating positive change in the world. As mentioned earlier, Teresa is an influencer, and teaches the skill of mass influencing to others. Many don't realize that influence is a skill that can be learned and that there are many different levels of influence. Initially, Teresa worked in the Canadian oil and gas sector, which was male dominant. She was fortunate to have a lot of great mentors and was a change agent from the very beginning. Teresa was leading a lot of change initiatives in the industry and found it difficult until a mentor provided her with insight into influencing. He gave her an analogy of pushing a rope in the middle, and the ends would follow rather than trying to pull the rope at one end. By this, he meant that Teresa should find those who are change leaders and bring them on board, and eventually the others would follow. This is one of the key principles of mass influence – find the innovators and early adopters and the rest will follow. There are several other key principles to influence that Teresa discusses in detail. One is that you can’t make yourself influential – if you want influence, you have to give others influence through endorsing, connecting and praising in an authentic way. One barrier that Teresa identifies that stops people from mass influence is internal dialogue. Your self-limiting beliefs can hold your back from achieving your dreams. Journaling about your inner dialogue can help you change how it’s limiting you and learn more about those messages that are holding you back. Teresa recommends taking the 30 Day Influence Challenge. Find someone every day for the next 30 days and publicly praise or endorse them. For more information around Teresa’s book, Mass Influence, or to get in contact with her, visit her website. You can also check out her blog for more tips on gaining influence. Lastly, if you’d like to learn more around mass influence movements, visit the Evolutionary Business Council’s website. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street! If you liked this episode, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 58: Financial Power Guest: Rosemary Frank I have been looking forward to speaking with this week’s guest of the Women Rocking Wall Street Show. Rosemary Frank, Financial Advisor, had a 30-year career in the corporate sector. She was always deeply immersed in financial issues and eventually decided that she wanted to transition to a personal approach, specifically personal finance. When she began transitioning, she realized that she had a lot to learn. She studied and worked her way up to where she is today. Throughout her entire career, Rosemary found that it was a lonely road, mainly because she was a woman.  As a result, when she started her practice, she spent a lot of time listening, sympathizing and educating her clients, rather than just telling them what she thought they should do. As a result, she has a successful practice that has a majority of female clients. Also, through her processing of listening, she was led into the specialization of divorce finances. When she started her divorce work, she was finding clients who would come to her fearing their financial future. Rosemary would then have to contact the attorney and explain how she was helping in the process, especially with settlement options. This is definitely not an easy part of Rosemary’s job because traditionally they run the show. However, more and more attorneys are becoming more educated on the financial processes that are crucial during the divorce process. It seems that Rosemary tripped into her niche but now owns it and uses it to her advantage. She received specialized training to handle divorce situations and was eventually the only person in the country to have three certifications. Not only was she the most educated person in the country, but she also wrote a course, Avoid The Potential Pitfalls of Divorce Cases, which  was approved for continuing legal education in her state. This changed the dynamic between her and attorneys because they were paying her to learn more about finances and divorce proceedings. Rosemary has some great advice for her female clients. She implores you to be knowledgeable about their household finances - don't give up your financial power to someone else. Also, keep your retirement in mind. Determine what the challenges are and meet them head on. If that means changing one’s lifestyle, it’s within your power to do so. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street! If you liked this episode, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 57: Women in Securities Law Guest: Linda Riefberg My guest this week was recently acknowledged as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Securities Law. Linda Riefberg started out as a general commercial litigator in a large Wall Street firm where she was an associate working part time with two young children. When asked to increase her hours to full time, Linda decided it was time for a change. While job searching, she stumbled upon a position at the New York Stock Exchange and immediately loved the subject matter as well as the work environment. Collaboration and team work fit well with Linda, in addition to her ability to specialize in one particular business sector of the stock market. After working in that position for 18 years, Linda decided to venture into private practice. She is now a member of the Cozen O’Connor’s Commercial Litigation department, where she represents clients in securities enforcement investigations. Throughout Linda's career, she has seen that the business side of the financial industry is mainly men. In contrast to that, there are many women who have made their careers as regulators and attorneys on Wall Street. Linda believes that the collaborative environment that regulators work within is why there is a higher female presence. Now that Linda is in private practice, she has been struck by the struggles that women face. For example, she has seen the small percentage of women in upper management. She also sees the misconception that women can’t be as aggressive as men or as good at developing business. Linda feels that women make great lawyers because they’re good communicators and are great at thinking analytically. She believes that women are good at counseling clients as well but that they aren’t as direct at taking credit for achievements, like bringing in business. To achieve success in your work, Linda recommends maintaining a happy career, which sometimes means making changes. Also, she advises not to take things personally. Often, if you’re having a difficult time with someone, it’s their behavior that is causing the conflict. Lastly, Linda recommends focusing on your skill sets because your achievements come from the investment that you put into your own work. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street! If you liked this episode, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 56: Thriving in Business Guest: Martine Lellis Happy May! I have been enjoying the outdoors recently since the weather has been so gorgeous and I hope you’ve had the opportunity to do the same. My guest this week is Martine Lellis has a passion for learning. She grew up in a small town in South Carolina and was fortunate to gain admissions into Duke University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Upon graduation, Martine began working within the IT industry building systems for banks and insurance companies. While this was her first exposure to the financial industry, her real awakening came when she realized a gap in knowledge within general concepts around money that occur in primary as well as post-secondary schooling. When she looked at the gap in her knowledge and paired it with what drove her, she found a match in financial planning. For the past 14 years, Martine has been Sullivan Bruyette Speros & Blayney (SBSB) where she has worked her way up to Chief Operating Officer. Considering herself a life-long student, Martine has not only her MBA from Georgetown University, but she also has become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Financial Planning (CFP). Her passion for learning and knowledge seeking has led her to her career today. Her learning today comes from taking different projects, gaining knowledge through application and experience. As someone who is the COO of a company that manages nearly $3 billion in client assets, Martine was initially surprised when she was asked if she wanted the position. Knowing her limits and skill sets, believing in herself and her ability to think critically about any situation, Martine had the self-confidence to take it on and be successful. She partnered with others in the company so that she could ask for assistance when she needed it. She feels that this is key to succeeding in any position. Martine surrounds herself with team members, mentors, and advisors who have different skills sets than her. They are not only there to help her solve problems but to also jolt her out of your current opinion, or tunnel vision, to see the potential in a situation. Recently, Martine and several of her partners decided to purchase back the Sullivan Bruyette Speros & Blayney from their bank parent and start a new endeavor as a private company once again. Through her relationships over the years, Martine has been able to bring together external resources to ensure a successful transition. Martine in thriving in her role and has some great advice for anyone who may be feeling stagnant in their role. She recommends never saying no to various situations and to be open-minded about opportunities because everything is an open door to learning. If you are stuck in a position, look around and ask yourself how you can continue to learn and to grow. If you’re not happy with the way things are going, talk to others and gain some different insight. If you’d like to reach out to Martine, you can do so through her company website. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 55: Business Is in Her Blood Guest: Miriam Diwan Miriam Diwan’s family has always been in business or finance, so you could say it runs in her blood. She attended the University of Pennsylvania to obtain her undergraduate and found that she had varied interests. She graduated with a dual degree in liberal arts and finance. From there, she began investment banking and eventually moved into hedge funds. With her first position, at a private equity firm, she was one of the first three women that were hired in a 10-year history. When her mother fell ill, Miriam ended up being the primary caregiver. Trying to manage her career and supporting her mom, she found that it was becoming too much for her to handle. Miriam made the decision to put her career on hold and eventually moved to L.A for her mother to receive the best medical care available. Through this process, Miriam and her mother had to move to several different states and experienced the difficulties in finding a neighbourhood that met all their needs. After Miriam's mother went into remission, she began considering re-entering the workforce. The trouble was that the finance industry was fast moving and extremely difficult to get back into. So, deciding to try something new, Miriam began her own company in the field of technology. NowMoveMe aims to help adjustment periods when it comes to moving and also fosters community among local residents. Through the use of technology, Miriam is working to create a digital “welcome wagon” where users can find information about their neighborhood. NowMoveMe currently focuses on Santa Monica, but will soon be branching out to all of Los Angeles and then branching out from there. The hardest part that Miriam found in starting a new company is the lack of resources. She’s had to think outside the box and willing to try something new every day. Miriam has found it really rewarding too because she is building something “brick by brick.” Advice that Miriam has for anyone working on a startup, make sure you set yourself up financially for the next two to three years because you may not earn anything within that period of time. Also, always try to operate like you’re bootstrapped, even if you have substantial funding (you never know how long something can take). Lastly, find a mentor; someone a few steps ahead of you in the startup path and can help you through some of the common roadblocks. To connect with Miriam, you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 54: Finessing Financial EducationGuest: Liz Davidson I’ve had the pleasure of meeting this week’s guest in 2003 and have been an admirer ever since. Liz Davidson is the Founder and CEO of Financial Finesse, the leading provider of workplace financial wellness programs for companies as an employee benefit. Companies, through Financial Finesse, are able to provide their employees with free financial advice and help them get to where they want to be financially without the pressure of sales. Liz began her career in financial services, specifically in investment banking, and eventually realized that her work life balance was not something that she could maintain. Wanting to embrace her entrepreneurial spirit, Liz began attending the University of Los Angeles to obtain her business degree. Her first venture after graduating was a hedge fund but in the process, she began to see that her investors didn’t have the basic fundamental understanding on how to appropriately invest their money. Seeing that her clients were setting themselves up for potentially dangerous losses, she realized that the rest of the population probably had the same gaps in their financial knowledge. Liz began doing workshops to provide unbiased financial advice and eventually started Financial Finesse in 1999. Operating a business or working in a sales industry can be challenging and intimidating at times. Liz recommends looking at it from a holistic approach in that you’re supporting your clients with their strategic issues. Rather than selling something, your helping solves a problem. One additional piece of enlightened advice Liz provides to those looking at their financial health: who you marry may be the most important financial decision you ever make. As a result of her experience and insight, Liz wrote a book, What Your Financial Advisor Isn’t Telling You: The 10 Essential Truths You Need to Know About Your Money. Liz wanted to help the general population know what to look for in an advisor and know what questions they should be asking to secure their financial future. If you’re interested in learning more about Financial Finesse, visit their blog, where experts provide financial tips and advice. You can visit her book’s companion website. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 53: Winning in SalesGuest: Carmela Elco This week’s guest came to my attention from a recent list from the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) identifying the top women advisors in the country for 401K or retirement savings. Carmela Elco is the Managing Director and Senior ERISA Consultant with Blue Prairie Group. Originally from a human resources background, Carmela graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and holds an M.A. in Human Resources Management from St. Francis University. Working with retirement plans and 401Ks, Carmela found that she really enjoyed it over other areas of human resources. She transitioned from working in a human resources capacity into a consultant position fairly holistically and has been providing great work for her clients ever since. Carmela is very collaborative and she has a passion for her work. That combined with her dedication to her clients and the industry has helped her stand out as one of the top female advisors of 2015. Securing the sale of a 401K can take anywhere between one to two years, making the sales process extremely important. Carmela recommends establishing an advocate and build trust with that individual. This is especially important in those competitive situations. By communicating with your advocate, you can ask certain questions including what the committee’s overall concerns are, or what materials others may find beneficial. Also, Carmela recommends understanding the culture of the organization and how they approach their decision making and working with their partners. One way to do this is by reaching out to your network and finding those connections. If you’re interested in learning more about the art of sales, be sure to read Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal by Oren Klaff. This book will walk you through every step of a pitch and provide you with strategies and tactics to engage and persuade your audience. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street! If you liked this episode, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 52: Challenging the Gender GapGuest: Emily Viner I am so excited that it’s April and winter is finally past us. I hope that you’re enjoying the weather and being outdoors as much as I am. My guest this week has been making a difference in gender balance in the financial industry and sales, and she is calling on others to help. Emily Viner, Vice President of Agency Management & Leadership at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America has found her passion and is hoping to help other women find theirs too. After graduating  with a degree in Marketing and Economics, Emily spent some time applying for marketing positions. During one interview she was asked to do a typing test. Concerned that she would be seen more as a secretary, she knew that there was more purpose in her life and turned down the job. Eventually, she came across an ad for sales in finance. Not knowing what that meant, she went and spoke with people at the company. After learning more, she became fascinated, especially by the fact that she could help others while making a comfortable living. Knowing that women make great advisors and that women tend to buy from other women, the Guardian conducted research on why there was such a gender gap in the financial industry. After surveying several thousand women, they found that it was the sales portion of the industry that wasn’t appealing. They also found that women spent most of their time being competent and less time being confident, which has also been validated through brain science. This results in women not being comfortable with taking risks. If this sounds like you, Emily recommends being authentic but to also learn how to say “yes” even when you don't know how. The pressure to always be perfect and to avoid risks is holding you back. Also, we all need to get better at helping other women gain more confidence and to pull each other up. Emily took her research and presented it to the industry through a conference with over 26,000 attendees. After her presentation, Emily challenged the industry to form a coalition to help encourage change towards gender imbalance. Over 400 people came together to look at several pieces that needed to change, and to encourage the sales aspect of the industry. During a 90 minute session, there was a huge response, which included companies from 8 different countries. At the end of the conference, 150 people signed up to take part in the coalition, with a goal to make an impact by March of 2017. I’ve provided the executive summary and info graphic to provide more context to what was discussed today. To find out more or to get involved, reach out to Emily at EViner@glic.com. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked what you heard, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.  

Episode 51: Success through Hustling and ResiliencyGuest: Jilliene Helman Hello and happy spring! I am so excited to welcome my guest this week. She is a young entrepreneur who has been a game changer in the real estate and finance industries. At 28, she made the Forbes magazine 2015 list of 30 Under 30 Rising Stars of Enterprise Technology and has underwritten over $5 billion of real estate. Jilliene Helmen, the former Vice President of Union Bank quit her job to start RealtyMogul.com in 2013. Her team’s mission is to simplify real estate investment through crowdfunding, allowing entrepreneurs and investors to get in the game. Sitting on the RealtyMogul.com board, Jilliene is responsible for the company’s strategic direction and operations. Today, her company is a leading online real estate capital marketplace with over 73,000 members and 65 employees. Working in financial services as well as technology, Jilliene is no stranger to the male-dominated industries. Having grown up in an entrepreneurial and real estate savvy family, she found that she had a passion for both. After working in the banking circle for several years, Jilliene found it was stifling and decided as a result to become an entrepreneur. Knowing that her company needed investment to be successful, Jilliene went through the process of securing venture capital (VC). She had to work extremely hard, and hold plenty of meetings but as a result was successful in raising $45 million in capital across the company. Jilliene attributes hustle and resilience as the keys to being a successful entrepreneur, especially in male-dominated industries. Even if she doesn’t know the path, she knows her destination and works towards that every day. Through hustling, Jilliene has built a strong network that she can reach out to and leverage to her company’s advantage. An avid reader, Jilliene has found that she reads books based on the life stage of her company. If you’re starting a company, Jilliene recommends reading Topgrading: The Proven Hiring and Promoting Method that Turbocharges Company Performance by Bradford D. Smart and The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter by Michael Watkins. Several other books that she recommends include The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone, Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal by Nick Bilton, and Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel by Russell Moore. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked this episode, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 50: The Truth About Your FinancesGuest: Tammy Johnston Tammy Johnston has broken the rules within the financial services by doing things differently. Rather than speaking in acronyms and industry jargon, she has created a new way of doing things to educate people about their finances. While temping at Investor’s Group, Tammy was drawn into the financial side of things and that’s how her journey began. Over the past 9 years, she has worked in regional offices, for independent agents and has managed two different MGA’s. Eventually, she decided that she wanted to do more than just sales, so she started The Financial Guides. Her purpose is to provide accurate and unbiased information in a way that is easy for her clients to understand. In addition to working with clients, Tammy created several seminars including “Sandwich Safaris”, “Business Builder Nights”, and “Small Business Class”. Not only does Tammy work to create comprehensive financial plans for her clients, she digs deep into their emotional well-being to determine the reason behind their financial decisions. See sees herself as a financial counsellor, to help move her clients forward and increase the success of her financial plans. She also lives by the rules that if her clients aren’t going to listen to her advice, then they are not the right clients for her. If you’re interested in learning more about finances, Tammy has written several books, geared towards educating even the most novice person about how finances work, including children. You can also reach out to her through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or through email at tammyjohnston@thefinancialguides.com. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked this episode, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 49: How Caring Leads to SuccessGuest: Anne McCabe Triana My guest this week truly cares about her clients and is an advocate for women in the financial industry. Anne McCabe Triana is a graduate of George Mason University and has been working in the financial industry since 2001. She has worked with organizations like American Express Financial Advisors and UBC and is an independent advisor (owning her own company). Her current venture, Curo Private Wealth is focused on caring and engaging with clients. Anne’s team strive to learn what the concerns are of their client and then move forward from there to create a trusting relationship. Anne is also a huge advocate for women in the financial industry. She feels that women are great financial advisors because they can be innovative in finding clients and then are able to foster strong, nurturing relationships. There is also a lot of flexibility later in the profession so that women with families can manage their own time around their family’s needs. One thing that Anne was told early on in her career was to learn to golf if she wanted to close deals. Very early on, she took golf lessons but at a certain point, she found herself being inauthentic. Even the way she was dressing felt wrong for her. If she could go back and change things, she wouldn’t try to be a “man”. Anne recommends embracing our female qualities because those are strengths as well. For those starting in the profession, Anne recommends finding and becoming committed to a niche and know absolutely everything about it. Anne’s success came from networking, building relationships, referrals and servicing clients as much as possible. Some great books were mentioned in this episode including The Consultant with Pink Hair by Carl Harrison, Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns, From Fear to Fearlessness by Pema Chodron, Double Double by Cameron Herold,  Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and Mastery by Robert Greene. Also, be sure to check out my interview with Kathleen Burns, a woman who has been instrumental in growing the number of women with their CFP designation.  If you’d like to get in touch with Anne, you can do so through Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked this episode, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.  

Episode 48: Powering Your BusinessGuest: Jessica Ballin Jessica Ballin has always been interested in finances. Even back in high school, she started as a bank teller and eventually was accepted into the Carlson School of Management, through the University of Minnesota. When she got there and was asked what she wanted to do, she chose finance, because of her previous experience. When she did her internship, she had the opportunity to learn a lot more about 401Ks. She became hooked and has been doing that ever since. In 2006, Jessica decided to try something on her own and started her own business, 401(k) Plan Professionals. She has worked hard to be where she is and has recently made the NAPA’s Top Women Advisors. Being a female in the industry, she quickly noticed that it was male-dominated. She found that by really knowing her stuff, she was able to be competitive in the market.  Jessica was able to gain respect by talking, listening and showcasing her knowledge rather than just trying to sell, sell, sell. She really focused on teaching her clients and found that she approached worked. Jessica admits that it doesn’t work all the time but it has worked for the most part. Over the last few years, she has refined her process of rehearsing, taking notes and being prepared. Jessica has a very busy life. Between owning her business and raising three boys, she has found that taking care of herself was crucial in maintaining a great balance. She has made the decision to put her family first and to encourage work-life balance within her business. She also has a great team that are able to pick up her workload if there is something that Jessica needs to handle at home. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked this episode, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 47: Navigating SocialGuest: Sheryl Brown LinkedIn can be a challenging tool but is so valuable when it comes to networking, building connections and your personal brand. This week’s guest is a Sheryl Brown, a social media maven who is skillful in navigating the social media world. She is by trade an Insurance Advisor and has been in the industry for over 20 years. Today, she has a social media consulting business, not to mention she is in charge of the social media strategy for one of the largest private insurance brokerage office in the U.S. Sheryl has also started a social media non-profit, Social Samaritans. This international organization consists of social media professionals that focus on teaching their communities about social media and how to use it to their advantage. Sheryl, although now she is a social media genius, admits that she became involved thanks to her kids. She was curious about what they were doing online all the time, and then one night her son explained to her how social media worked. From then on, she has been using it as a tool to connect with others. Over the last few years, Sheryl has been able to create a strong personal brand using platforms that are free. Her brand, BIONICsocialite, has served her, the companies that she works for and her community. A key to Sheryl’s social media success is to regularly observe what the younger generation is doing. What are they saying and how are they manipulating it to their advantage? She recommends that anyone who is looking to get involved in social media to have a strategy. However, she also recommends that sometimes you follow your gut. If you’d like to connect with Sheryl, she’s available on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Google+ and FourSquare. Sheryl also has a blog that is a wealth of information. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Women Rocking Wall Street show! If you liked this episode, be sure to hit subscribe, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 46: Becoming the CEO of Your Life.   Happy February. It’s beginning to get lighter here in Portland, Oregon and I am finally able to get out the door and walking again. The Daphne are beginning to bloom and it’s such a beautiful, hopeful sign of spring.   This week is another interview where the microphone is turned around (metaphorically speaking) and I am the one being asked questions by Kristin Mountain, co-founder of Podcast SMARTER. This episode is around career growth and planning and how you can become the CEO of your life.   I recall when I started thinking about this specifically, it was during the 2008 recession. A lot of people were coming to meet with me to network, in the hopes to get a job. I thought to myself that I didn’t want to be in a position to scramble to build my network when I needed it, but to build it when I didn’t need it at the moment.   When thinking about your career and where you are now versus where you want to be, you should ask yourself how big you can go. Begin thinking about what’s in your heart and how does that match up with your expertise and talents. Then determine where you want to be in 10 years. Not only should you be thinking of your career, but also what your day looks like and what do you want your surroundings to look like. The more you can put a vision to it, the more you can plan for it.   It takes time to get to where you want to go and sometimes we end up feeling stalled or under-appreciated. I always recommend volunteering your time, and skills, to an outside organization. This not only helps you experience new things, but you’re growing your skills, meeting new people and experiencing the appreciation that you may not be feeling at work.   Once you’ve determined where you want to go, the best thing to do is network. Getting involved in associations and creating a LinkedIn account are two simple ways to start getting yourself out there. By committing to attending a networking event one day a month, you can start building some great relationships. Then, once you have found some people that you connect with, help solidify that by following up with an email or phone call. If networking is out of your comfort zone, be sure to read The Power of Who: You Already Know Everyone You Need to Know by Bob Beaudine and listen to these previous WRW episodes: Confidence is Contagious and How to Work a Room.   Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street! If you liked this episode, share it with others and write a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 45: Don’t Tell Yourself No, Let Others Do It for YouGuest: Kim Shaw Elliott and Anne Elliot This week’s episode of The Women Rocking Wall Street Show is special because we have a mother and daughter duo. Both women are in financial services, each with interesting personal stories. Kim Shaw Elliott began her career as a litigator and eventually decided to combine her knowledge of the law with a Master of Business Administration. She now serves as President and in-house ERISA Counsel of Independent Financial Partners (IFP) Plan Advisors, a division of financial partners located in Tampa, Florida. IFP Plan Advisors works with 150 specialists in the retirement plan arena and provide services to around 1700 retirement plans. Anne Elliott graduated from the University of Missouri 4 years ago and she has been working with Edward Jones for over 6 years. Anne began her career at Edward Jones as an on-call Branch Office Administrator while still in school, thanks to advice from Kim. After training with an Advisor over spring break, Anne knew she wanted to gain more experience. She picked up the phone and began calling various Edward Jones branches to see if she could fill any openings. She was successful in her search and has been with Edward Jones ever since. Anne is currently in the Client Strategies Group and has been in that position for 6 months. There were two things that helped Anne secure her first position with Edwards Jones – networking and rejection. Through the networking Kim had done in her career, Anne was able to connect with the right people. Once she had some experience, Anne wasn’t afraid of rejection when she picked up the phone and began calling. She had learned in graduate school not to tell yourself no but rather to let others do it for you. She knew that rejection promoted personal and professional growth, and while it was hard if she hadn’t taken the chance, she would not have started with Edwards Jones at such an early stage of her career. Both Kim and Anne work in a male dominant industry. For example, while Kim was a litigator, she had an instance where a judge thought she was a secretary. Anne has seen the male dominance within the industry but she is also seeing it slowly changing. Her career advice is to always do what’s right for the client, and that should be at the base of every decision. Anne also recommends honing your networking skills, because this industry is all about relationships. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street! If you liked this episode, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 44: Moving from Gender Diversity to Gender BalanceGuest: Avivah Wittenberg-Cox Welcome back and thank you for joining me again for this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street. I have really been looking forward to this chat, ever since I read my guest’s content in the Harvard Business Review. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox is a prolific speaker and writer. As CEO of 20-first, Avivah works with top management teams from international companies to identify opportunities to create more balance within their organization, primarily around gender and culture. Having active, strategic debates with the executive team is a constant occurrence for Avivah. This helps the teams understand what the gender topic is and how best to lead a more “gender bilingual” organization. If gender balance isn’t established within an organization from the start, it’s not usually going to happen naturally. It takes three things to create balance: leadership, culture shift, and systems that are supportive and adaptive to the 21st century. Changing the balance within an organization is fairly simple. Most companies become frustrated with their lack of success when trying to create gender balance. Therefore, the executive team is open to suggestions and advice on where and how to move forward – which is where 20-first comes in. Avivah recommends we stop using the phrase ‘gender diversity’ because it frames the females as one diversity among many. By using the term ‘gender balance’, we’re helping create a movement that has been occurring throughout the 21st century. It's now gaining some strong momentum which will positively impact businesses and relationships. To learn more about Avivah and to find resources on how to promote gender balance, visit 20-first.com. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street. If what you heard today resonated with you, please liked this episode, share it with others and write us a quick review on iTunes.

Episode 43: What I've Learned From Podcasting Hello again! I have been on a slight hiatus because I’ve been reflecting on 2015 and am looking at what I want for 2016. What I’ve found is that I want ShoeFitts, my marketing firm, to work with the right people and on the right projects. That means turning my business into a small batch, artisan marketing firm that does highly crafted work for my clients. Regarding Women Rocking Wall Street, I’ve been wondering how I can continue to give you high quality, relevant content that can provoke thoughts and motivate. So, in February and March, you’ll see several episodes where I’ll be the one interviewed. My goal for Women Rocking Wall Street is to have meaningful conversations with guests as well as you. Having released podcast episodes for the past year, I’ve overcome the fear of the microphone, have had great conversations with amazing and talented guests, and I’ve run into challenges along the way. Kristin Mountain, co-founder of Podcast SMARTER wanted to pick my brain on what the last year has been like and what I’ve learned. After identifying the vision for my podcast, even though I do a lot of public speaking, I found that I was initially intimidated by the microphone. Other challenges that I’ve found is consistency and finding the guests that I feel will spark that valuable conversation. While I’ve had challenges, I’ve also had a lot of successes. I’ve reflected on some of my favorite episodes, which include: Finding Your Inner Rockstar, Toughing it Out, Ski Like a Girl, The Evolution of Women in Finance, and the list goes on. Having a great team has helped keep Women Rocking Wall Street going. If you’re thinking of starting a podcast, my best advice is to sit at your computer, turn on the microphone and hit record. Also, offer yourself up to other podcasts. If you want to be on the Women Rocking Wall Street, email me with your idea. Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Women Rocking Wall Street! If you liked this episode, be certain to subscribe and share it with others.

Episode 42: The Power Pose  It’s been a great first year of the Women Rocking Wall Street, and I’ve had the pleasure of following up with Tracy Bagli Hooper, who was my very first guest when I first launched WRW. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to episode two, Confidence is Contagious, Tracy is the creator of The Confidence Project, an organization dedicated to help others build confidence in their lives. As she likes to say, “the Confidence Project is an equal opportunity endeavor.” According to Tracy, confidence may have a genetic component, and even though some people may have a slight genetic advantage, it’s possible to build confidence through training our brain for a confidence mindset.  Have you ever heard of the Power Pose? It’s a technique for building confidence for a meeting, interview or any event where you want to build and demonstrate your best self.  It changes the hormones in your brain and help you reduce Cortisol and increase Testosterone.  It’ll not only affect how you feel, but how others feel about you. Studies indicated the people who were perceived as smarter and more competent are the ones who do the Power Pose.  It’s free, takes 2 minutes a day! Watch the TED Talk with Amy Cuddy here.  Tracy sees a great value in momentum, and is sharing her services to as wide a range of people as possible.  She learned that narrowing focus too quickly can adversely affect momentum. There is certainly a value in developing a niche and a focus, but be careful not to niche down too quickly. She also reminds us to be aware of the skills and talents we possess, we might be fluent in areas that others find completely baffling. The knowledge we take for granted might be the crucial knowledge that others need, and this gives us the opportunity to help others move forward too.  Remember: What we know, others might not know.  There are some great books for growth and development that Tracy recommends, including: “The Confidence Code” by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman; “The Defining Decade” by Meg Jay; “Key Person of Influence” by Daniel Priestly; and “Playing Big” by Tara Moore. If you’d like to get in touch with Tracy and learn more about the The Confidence Project, visit her site at confidenceproject.com, or visit her on Facebook or send her a quick email.  If you liked this episode, be sure to share it with others and head over to iTunes and write a review. Also, thanks for listening!