I am joined this week by the remarkable Maja Kristin. Maja is known as someone with a deep spiritual and philosophical foundation who creates massive change in the world, with "the heart of a philanthropist and the spirit of an entrepreneur."

Today, we dive deep into her journey from a challenging childhood in San Francisco to becoming a successful lawyer and later, a thoughtful impact investor and philanthropist. You'll hear about Maja's early life growing up in the projects with a single mother struggling with sobriety, her determination to pursue education as a way out, and how these formative experiences shaped her views on money, giving, and risk-taking.

Maja shares her path through law school, establishing her own women-focused law firm, and her eventual transition to impact investing. She discusses the pivotal moments in her life—including a divorce and her sister's passing—that led her to reconsider her relationship with wealth and how she wanted to use it to create positive change in the world.

Listen as Maja talks about creating her "Family and Beyond" vision statement, bringing her family together to collaborate on philanthropic decisions despite different political views, and her current philosophy of "the last breath, the last dime" as she prepares to distribute her wealth rather than passing it down. Maja's story is a testament to the power of aligning money with values and using financial resources to foster connection, healing, and love.

Key Topics:

1. Growing up in the projects of San Francisco with a single mother and how that shaped Maja's early money stories
   
   
2. The importance of education as a path out of poverty and Maja's journey through law school
   
   
3. Starting her own women-focused law firm at age 30 and building it into a successful practice
   
   
4. The impact of being kidnapped in her mid-30s and how it led to personal reassessment
   
   
5. Transitioning from litigation to a more healing-focused approach to law
   
   
6. How her divorce 15 years ago became a pivotal moment of financial liberation
   
   
7. Taking on her sister's three children after her passing and how family influences financial decisions
   
   
8. Creating the "Family and Beyond" collaborative giving model with family members across the political spectrum
   
   
9. The difference between traditional investment, impact investing, and philanthropy
   
   
10. Working with her daughter to make financial decisions aligned with their values
    
    
11. Preparing to "die with zero" and giving away wealth rather than passing it down
    
    
12. Evolving from a fear-based relationship with money to one grounded in love and connection
    
    
13. Finding joy in spending on travel, ocean adventures, and creating a nurturing home
    
    

Connect with Maja online:

https://www.Majakristin.com/

Get Her Memoir: Instructions Not Included by Maja Kristin

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I am joined this week by the incredible Susan McPherson, founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies and author of "The Lost Art of Connecting." Susan is a renowned connector, communications strategist, and corporate social responsibility expert who has dedicated her career to helping businesses create meaningful social impact.

In this heartfelt conversation, Susan shares her journey from being "the tiniest one in the room" who had to find her voice early to becoming a powerhouse in the world of social impact. We explore her childhood in upstate New York, where her academic parents instilled in her the value of connecting others through their morning ritual of clipping newspaper articles to share with friends and colleagues – an early form of social networking that shaped Susan's approach to relationships.

Susan opens up about the profound loss of her mother at age 21 and how this tragedy shaped her financial mindset and career trajectory. Listen as she recounts her path from waitressing to fund her year abroad in Denmark, to working at USA Today, to eventually launching McPherson Strategies at age 48 without any formal business training. Susan's story demonstrates how personal values, lived experiences, and a commitment to service can create a meaningful career and lasting impact.

Key Topics:

1. How to start building your network by making conversations about other people
   
   
2. The surprising power of "clip and share" - Susan's parents' pre-internet social networking ritual
   
   
3. Why financial independence must come before entrepreneurial risks
   
   
4. How Susan navigated a successful career despite never taking business courses
   
   
5. The value of maxing out your 401(k) from day one (and why Susan has done this consistently for decades)
   
   
6. Why angel investing can be about learning and impact, not just financial returns
   
   
7. Building the courage to launch your own business after 45
   
   

Connect with Susan online:

Website: https://mcpstrategies.com/

Book: The Lost Art of Connecting

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmcpherson/

Twitter: @susanmcp1

Instagram: @susanmcp1

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://women.win/

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com

I am joined this week by the incredible Patricia Lizaraga. Patricia is not only the Founder of Hypatia Capital but also a passionate advocate for women in leadership, particularly female CEOs. Today, we dive deep into her journey from growing up in Lima, Peru during a military dictatorship to becoming a pioneer in investing in women-led businesses.

Patricia shares how her early entrepreneurial spirit emerged in high school, where she organized unprecedented events and discovered her ability to "build the world you want to live in." She reflects on her Yale education, where she started sororities against opposition, and her path through investment banking that eventually led her to launch Hypatia Capital in 2007 with the mission of having more female clients, investors, and colleagues.

Listen as Patricia talks about her 20-year journey building Hypatia Capital, from hosting exclusive CEO seminars to creating the WCO ETF, a publicly-traded fund focused on women-led companies. She shares her vision for equal opportunity in corporate leadership and her belief that investing in women CEOs is a powerful lever for change. Patricia's story demonstrates how financial power can be leveraged to create meaningful impact and a more balanced business world.

Key Topics:

1. How to start building the world you want to live in (even when you're young!)
2. The untapped opportunity of investing in women-led companies and why Patricia created the WCO ETF
3. Why financial independence must come before taking entrepreneurial risks
4. How Patricia navigated male-dominated finance when there was no level playing field
5. The simple way anyone can invest in women CEOs with just $31
6. Why after 20 years of research showing diversity outperforms, women are still under 10% of CEOs
7. The "100 Shares for Women" campaign that could create the fastest growing ETF in America

Connect with Patricia online:

Websites: https://www.hypatiacapital.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricializarraga

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com

Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalystsummit.com/

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com