Money Memories

Paulana Lamounier grew up in a Haitian household in Long Island where money wasn't talked about openly but was modeled constantly, from susu to savings books to tithing. She went on to build Black People Will Swim after a student's offhand comment about buoyancy sent her down a rabbit hole of racist history she couldn't unsee. In this episode, Paulana gets candid about leaving a $95K salary to go full-time on her mission, the financial realities of running a purpose-driven small business on pool rental fees and grant funding, and why the way you manage your personal finances is exactly how you'll manage your business.

Ray grew up watching his single mother sell homemade dishes poolside during World Cup games in their Silver Lake apartment complex, and never forgot that resourcefulness. After a winding career path from photography to marketing to commercial lending in San Francisco, he returned to LA and found himself more energized by underserved entrepreneurs than by traditional banking. Now a small business coach at Operation Hope, he helps community members in Spanish-speaking and overlooked neighborhoods separate their finances, write business plans, pitch investors, and build toward generational wealth. His message is simple: the answers are already inside you, and all it takes is one person willing to show up and say, "call me anytime."

Jeff Hurst leads Furnished Finder as CEO, working inside a housing market most people never see. Serving traveling nurses and clinicians on short-term contracts, the platform sits where mobility, work, and stability collide. In this conversation, Jeff reflects on how temporary work reshaped housing long before “remote” became a buzzword, why trust outweighs scale, and how health care labor shortages quietly shape local economies. The episode traces the invisible infrastructure that keeps hospitals staffed and asks what it really takes to run a durable marketplace without chasing hype.

This episode, we're looking back at our conversation wtih Ehis Akhetuamhen, host and creator of Unmuted Moments, a podcast about finding your voice in work and life. He shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a one-bedroom apartment in Nigeria to building a career in finance in the U.S. After losing his father at 13, he learned that financial success isn’t just about hard work—it’s about where you work. We talk about career choices, financial resilience, and why speaking up is just as important as skill. Plus, how a mailman’s unexpected favor helped change the course of his life.

University of Oregon Associate Professor of Economics Jonathan Davis says he grew up with a sense of scarcity around money. His family always seemed to have enough, but there was this pervasive feeling that they wouldn’t. “I remember this narrative of, ‘money’s gonna be tight this year, don’t expect as many Christmas presents as last year,’” he says. In this episode, Davis shares findings from his research on EarnIn, a service that allows folks to get an advance on their wages without paying interest, and how immediate access to money makes the money feel more valuable, and helps alleviate the feeling of scarcity that can lead to financially unwise decisions.

Kathryn Bricken grew up in a family of six where early responsibility and earning her own money shaped how she viewed work and value. Sunday shifts at Publix, paid at time and a half, taught her how to think strategically about income long before she became a founder. What began as a love of food evolved into building Doughlicious, a gluten-free cookie dough brand now sold at Whole Foods, Target, and major retailers nationwide. Along the way, she learned that scaling a consumer brand means making uncomfortable decisions about spending, manufacturing, and carrying the responsibility of dozens of paychecks. Her message: saving matters, but knowing when to invest in growth is what turns a passion into a lasting business.

Grant Gallagher grew up watching his parents constantly argue about money, teaching him what not to do with finances. Early in his credit union career, helping a 50-year-old man use an ATM for the first time revealed the massive gap in financial education. Now with over 15 years in the industry, he champions hands-on financial literacy through budget simulations and financial reality fairs, as well as his own podcast. His message: stop judging your finances against Instagram highlights and give yourself permission to ask for help.

Jaina Anne grew up in a Navy family where money was scarce and the wealthy were viewed with suspicion. The 2020 market crash jolted her into seeking financial literacy, leading from Palantir stocks to Ethereum mining to real estate investing. A chance conversation about a $38,000 Indiana house shattered her California assumptions and launched her into building a 10-property portfolio using creative financing. Now she teaches real estate investors how to turn contractor payments into luxury vacations while challenging the millennial fear of taking calculated risks.

When first featured on Money Memories in English, Ximena’s story stood out as one that needed to be shared more widely. This episode continues the conversation in Spanish. She reflects on how growing up in Uruguay shaped her entrepreneurial mindset, what it took to raise venture funding in a conservative business culture, and why Prometeo was designed as a pan-regional platform from day one. The discussion also explores the barriers women founders face in fintech and why closing the gender funding gap remains one of Latin America’s biggest untapped opportunities. A conversation about building boldly across borders—and in your own language.

In this episode of Money Memories, Ilona sits down with Bam Azizi, founder of Mesh, to explore how childhood hustle and immigrant resilience shaped his path from a makeshift library in Iran to scaling infrastructure for the future of crypto. Bam shares why user experience—not hype—is the industry’s biggest hurdle, and why staying lean might be a startup’s greatest asset.

After losing his mom shortly after college, Drew Barvir set out on a journey to understand the complex connection between money, mental health, and meaning. In this episode, he opens up about how childhood arguments over finances shaped his earliest beliefs, how grief became a turning point, and why he built Sonar — a tech platform bringing accessible emotional support to students across the country. It’s a deeply personal story of loss, resilience, and reimagining what it means to feel financially and emotionally secure.

Meet Alejandra Lozano, a dedicated Financial Wellbeing Coach for Operation HOPE, located inside Wells Fargo’s HOPE Inside center in South LA. With over seven years of experience in the finance industry, Alejandra is passionate about uplifting Black and Brown communities and empowering their financial journeys. Alejandra shares how her childhood experience with "la caja de los zapatos" (the shoe box) reflects the sentiment that many communities in the U.S. feel about financial institutions. She also shares some of the most powerful stories of transformation that Operation HOPE was able to provide.

What happens when blockchain meets clean energy? In this episode of Money Memories, we explore the intersection of climate tech and Web3 with Adam Silver, founder of VC-backed startup Plural. Learn how decentralized technology can help modernize the power grid, support the energy transition, and drive impact at scale. Whether you are a climate enthusiast, crypto-curious, or love founder stories, this episode will spark new ideas about the future of energy.

Student loan expert Michael Lux—featured in The Wall Street Journal—has spent years helping borrowers navigate the complexities of repayment and policy changes as the founder of The Student Loan Sherpa.
 In this episode of Money Memories, we break down the latest in student loans: key policy shifts, smart repayment strategies, and what borrowers need to know now.
 
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We’re joined by Ehis Akhetuamhen, host and creator of Unmuted Moments, a podcast about finding your voice in work and life. He shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a one-bedroom apartment in Nigeria to building a career in finance in the U.S. After losing his father at 13, he learned that financial success isn’t just about hard work—it’s about where you work. We talk about career choices, financial resilience, and why speaking up is just as important as skill. Plus, how a mailman’s unexpected favor helped change the course of his life.

Many of us grew up with a scarcity mindset around money. Tim Flacke, co-founder of Commonwealth, explores how that mindset develops, why savings matter beyond just dollars and cents, and how his organization is working to change financial systems for the better.

Ilona sits down with Katrina Robinson, a professional trustee and wealth management expert, whose journey spans Kingston, Jamaica, to leading the multinational estate planning firm Cone Marshall. Katrina shares how her grandmother's wisdom and lessons on saving shaped her approach to planning for the future. Katrina also discusses the importance of financial planning at every stage of life, providing practical tips on building wills and trusts, and creating inventories of assets. Whether you're just starting your financial journey or looking to preserve wealth for future generations, this episode offers timeless insights into planning with purpose.

Ximena Aleman, CEO and co-founder of Prometeo, shares her incredible journey from growing up in Montevideo, Uruguay, to leading a fintech infrastructure company in Latin America. She discusses the financial challenges of her childhood, and how she navigated a transition from a career in journalism to tech. Ximena provides insights into Prometeo's work in revolutionizing financial services through open banking and API technology, and elaborates on the importance of financial inclusion in LATAM markets. She also touches on the future of fintech innovation and the impact of education and emotional skills.