Her Money Moves

Sandra Velasquez, Founder and CEO of Nopalera, shares her whirlwind journey from professional musician to successful beauty entrepreneur, and the lessons learned along the way! Headquartered in New York, Nopalera is a modern Mexican beauty and lifestyle brand, made for the modern beauty explorer. Talking points include the cultural significance behind Nopalera’s ingredients, the importance of debt as a manageable business risk, and the sustainability of a strong brand identity when seeking investment and capital for your business.

Emelyn Stuart, CEO of Stuart Cinema and Founder of Ocktober Film Festival, unites her business background, Dominican culture, and passion for the film industry under one roof in Brooklyn, New York. Since 2018, Emelyn has been running Stuart Cinema & Cafe, a community-focused single-screen movie theater providing opportunities for independent filmmakers and creatives to connect with local audiences and elevate their careers. Talking points include the barriers to film success for Latino creatives, the importance of a community safe space where everyone can experience entertainment, and the future of Emelyn’s film career, including a new Cinema project in Brownsville.

Her Money Moves is joined by two special guests, Marie Cano of Agility Bank and Kelly Kirk of Greymark, to talk about the financial hurdles of being a female business owner and the unique partnerships that create monetary success for women-led businesses. Kelly Kirk shares her insight as a second generation woman business owner and Marie discusses her perspective as a commercial banker at a women-led bank. Talking points include the costs (personal and financial) of entrepreneurship, supportive relationships between clients and bankers, and financial advice for bootstrapping business owners.

Her Money Moves goes to Houston for the HITEC Leadership Summit to talk to the Board Chair of HITECH Foundation and Chief Channel Officer of Sorenson, Ivonne Valdes. A visionary leader with a passion for breakthrough tech, Ivonne has lent her expertise to companies like HP and Oracle as an employee, and now gives back to her community as a Board member of student-focused organizations like Conectado and Caldwell University. Talking points in this insightful interview include managing work-life balance as a mother, dreaming of getting involved on a private equity Board, and making your salaries and bonuses into an investment in your financial future.

Her Money Moves makes its way to Detroit in this week’s episode, recorded live at the NFL Draft. Staci talks with Marissa Solis, Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing at the National Football League (NFL), about being the top Latino in a massive company and leading the charge to change the face of the League. Talking points include fielding job offers from top companies, evolving brands for future relevance, and advocating for yourself as a woman in male-dominated fields.