Beyond Corporate Walls: Nancy Hayes on Angel Investing and Redefining Underestimated Founders Ep. 68

Beyond Corporate Walls: Nancy Hayes on Angel Investing and Redefining Underestimated Founders Ep. 68

This week on the Wealthing Podcast, host Alicia Castillo Holley is joined by Nancy Hayes, who shares her remarkable transition from a high-level corporate executive at IBM into a leading angel investor and advocate for women entrepreneurs. Throughout her non-linear career, Nancy has successfully navigated multiple sectors, pivoting from corporate leadership to impactful nonprofit work, and later serving as the dean of a business college. These diverse experiences laid the groundwork for her current mission: demystifying the complex worlds of venture capital and angel investing for women and underestimated founders, helping them confidently structure and communicate their investment stories on a global stage. The conversation explores the specific systemic hurdles female founders encounter when pitching businesses to traditional investors who may not fully grasp female-focused market segments. Drawing from her recent international speaking engagements in Egypt and Taiwan, Nancy emphasizes the importance of building diverse networks, cultivating a bias toward action, and overcoming the confidence trap of waiting to be perfectly prepared. Beyond the mechanics of fundraising, she shares a holistic philosophy on wealth creation, urging listeners to measure success not just by financial metrics, but through the vital lenses of purpose, personal health, and community impact. About Nancy: Nancy Hayes has been an active angel investor since 2014. She also serves as a mentor to entrepreneurs with a focus on women in the space. Nancy is a frequent guest speaker, panelist, judge at pitch events, and presenter to entrepreneur groups. She also conducts education sessions for women who are considering becoming angel/venture investors. Nancy was a senior executive of the IBM Corporation and then served as CEO of two social services nonprofit organizations. She later was the Dean of the College of Business at San Francisco State University for 6 years and then was Vice President of Finance/CFO of San Francisco State. In 2013, Nancy co-founded a rewards-based crowdfunding site for women with small businesses and later served as a Managing Director of the Golden Seeds angel group Silicon Valley chapter. Nancy has an MBA from the University of Chicago and lives in San Francisco. Connect with Nancy: www.linkedin.com/in/nancyhayes2 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyhayes2] 🌐 Wealthing Club: www.wealthing.club [https://www.wealthing.club]

Fighting Deepfakes with Deepfakes: Inside Jericho Security's Realistic Attack Simulations

In this episode, Alicia sits down with Sage Wohns, the CEO and Co-Founder of Jericho Security, a company that uses generative AI to create hyper-realistic attack simulations. Sage dives into how Jericho builds deepfake voice and text attacks to test corporate defenses and train organizations before real-world adversaries strike. He details the company's strategic trajectory: how they spent three years compiling the world's largest dataset of generated attacks, and how partnering with government agencies and cyber reinsurance firms unlocked a massive, highly defensible distribution channel. Sage shares his entrepreneurial journey, including his previous venture building early AI models, to explain how AI is fundamentally reshaping startup mechanics. While acknowledging that generative AI lowers the barrier to entry for new founders, he issues a sharp warning about the hidden pitfalls of code accessibility and long-term tech stack maintenance. The conversation concludes with a deep dive into Jericho's namesake mission: creating a next-generation cyber warfare shield that provides lasting global protection against emerging social engineering threats. About Sage: Sage Wohns is the CEO and Co-Founder of Jericho Security, the AI-powered cybersecurity company who's mission is to defend the world from the new wave of generative AI threats. Jericho's platform simulates the full spectrum of human-layer threats: phishing, vishing, smishing, and deepfake video, using generative AI to build more resilient, cyber-aware workforces. Before Jericho, Sage co-founded Agolo, an AI summarization platform serving leading financial institutions and global media companies. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and studied at the University of Chicago. Sage has spent his career at the intersection of AI, enterprise security, and mission-driven technology. Jericho Security works with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 enterprises to the United States Air Force, delivering AI-native security awareness training that actually changes behavior. Connect with Sage: www.linkedin.com/in/sagewohns [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagewohns] Jericho Security: www.jerichosecurity.com [https://www.jerichosecurity.com] 🌐 Wealthing Club: www.wealthing.club [https://www.wealthing.club]

The Policy Plot Twist: How Puloli Pivoted in Response to a Climate Tech Shakeup Ep. 65

In this episode, host Alicia Castillo Holley sits down with Kethees Ketheesan, the CEO of Puloli, a cutting-edge methane monitoring company providing independent, third-party emissions verification. Kethees shares his personal arc, from being born in Sri Lanka during a civil war to becoming a Silicon-Valley-backed entrepreneur tackling global warming. He opens up about Puloli's strategic shift from a collaborative monitoring framework to a public subscription model after unexpected environmental policy changes disrupted the climate tech landscape. Kethees details his dual-engine approach to wealth creation, explaining that financial returns and deep societal impact are not mutually exclusive. Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, he offers invaluable advice on decision-making, urging founders to balance raw instinct with rigorous reasoning while maintaining a sense of wonder. The conversation closes on an inspiring note, as Kethees shares his legacy goal for leadership: creating a massive, measurable dent in climate change for future generations, free from the need for personal credit or recognition. About Kethees: Kethees Ketheesan is an industry veteran spanning two decades in wireless infrastructure, network monitoring, and IoT sensor networks. He is currently the co-founder CEO of Puloli, which operates a methane emissions data subscription service under the SkopeOne.io brand. Prior to founding Puloli, he was Chief Technologist for Radio Access Networks (RAN) at Netscout Systems. He joined Netscout via its acquisition of Newfield Wireless (Tektronix Communications) in December 2013. At Newfield Wireless, he led the flagship TrueCall product as its Vice President of Systems Engineering. Earlier in his career, Kethees held engineering and executive leadership in variety of wireless infrastructure and device companies. These include Venturi Wireless, Telephia, Interwave Communications, and Soma Networks. Kethees started his career at Motorola in Chicago area where he did R&D in 3G and 4G wireless infrastructure products. Kethees holds a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University. He lives in San Francisco, California. About Puloli / SkopeOne.io: SkopeOne.io introduces the first ever fully independent ground-based methane emissions data subscription service. SkopeOne.io's innovative approach ushers in a new era of methane monitoring, filling a critical gap in the energy sector. Revealed during the San Francisco Climate Week 2026 Energy Summit, SkopeOne.io's subscription service delivers methane emissions insight at-scale thanks to a monitoring system that is designed, deployed, and operated by SkopeOne.io. With SkopeOne.io, gone are the days of intermittent, hit-or-miss flyover snapshots and isolated measurements that tell you little of value. Demand for next-generation methane emissions data is strong, and SkopeOne.io is excited to deliver. SkopeOne.io gathers data from its custom sensor stations placed at key locations, measures methane concentration and weather conditions, applies its advanced atmospheric models, and delivers meaningful metrics. SkopeOne.io offers actionable and insightful methane emissions data for institutional investors, insurers, financial analysts, datacenter operators, management and consulting firms, energy-related analytics platforms, energy producers, as well as federal and state regulatory and legislative agencies. From revenue recovery to reputational risk management, SkopeOne.io data provides subscribers with the insights that drive better-informed decisions and positive outcomes. Connect with Kethees: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ketheesan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ketheesan] SkopeOne.io: skopeone.io [https://skopeone.io/] 🌐 Wealthing Club: www.wealthing.club [https://www.wealthing.club]

Planet Over Profit: Inside Ecoplore's 1,500-Hotel Sustainable Network Ep. 64

In this episode, host Alicia Castillo Holley sits down with Prerna Prasad, the founder of Ecoplore, a sustainable tourism company partnering with 1,500 eco-friendly hotels across India. Prerna details her transition from journalism and politics into environmental entrepreneurship in 2016. Driven by a philosophy that prioritizes environmental impact over commercial gain, she shares a raw, honest look at what it takes to build a truly green business from scratch. Beyond the logistics of eco-tourism, the conversation dives deep into the inner work of a founder. Prerna offers powerful advice on overcoming imposter syndrome, urging women specifically to break free from the trap of seeking external validation and to rely on their inner conscience. She also shares the story behind her sustainable mud house project in Delhi NCR, which serves as a living museum for eco-architecture. The episode culminates in Prerna's definition of wealth: true wealth isn't found in a bank account, but in a peaceful night's sleep free of regrets, leaving the planet better than we found it. About Prerna: Prerna Prasad is the Founder and CEO of Ecoplore, India's largest platform for eco-friendly hotels and experiences. Ecoplore has curated 1500+ eco-hotels across India. All the Ecoplore hotels are made of local architecture like Mud, Wood and Bamboo and they have at least 30% trees inside their campus. She is also the Curator for Van Bhoj which is a 30 year old Mud House located in Delhi NCR. Van Bhoj is a unique private sustainability museum open for day visits. Ecoplore also registered as a Sustainable Construction Company and builds Mud Houses and Sustainable buildings for other people. Ecoplore has been recognized by United Nations for fulfilling SDG 12. Connect with Prerna: https://linkedin.com/in/prerna-prasad-8bb49b19 [https://in.linkedin.com/in/prerna-prasad-8bb49b19] Learn more about Ecoplore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKqK5KlhPJU [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKqK5KlhPJU] Learn more about Van Bhoj: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElASCalHwtU [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElASCalHwtU] 🌐 Wealthing Club: www.wealthing.club [https://www.wealthing.club]

Focus is the New Currency: Justin Woodward on Psychology, Gaming, and Building Ecosystems Ep. 63

In this episode, host Alicia Castillo Holley sits down with Justin Woodward, the founder of Interabang Entertainment and the The Media Indie Exchange (The MIX). Justin's path is a masterclass in skill-transfer, beginning as an autism specialist before leveraging his background in psychology to eventually navigate the complex social and technical landscape of the video game industry. Justin shares a candid look at the "founder's trap," the challenge of managing too many simultaneous projects, and explains why narrowing his focus has been the key to his recent success. He defines his version of "Wealthing" as value distribution, focusing on how to build infrastructure that helps an entire industry thrive rather than just a single company. The episode wraps with a look at Justin's legacy: a commitment to being the "connector" who helps the next generation of developers find their footing. About Justin: Justin Woodward is a highly driven entrepreneur and creative leader at the forefront of the independent gaming ecosystem. As the Co-founder and Creative Director of Interabang Entertainment and the Co-founder of The Media Indie Exchange (The MIX), he has dedicated his career to expanding the reach of indie titles through strategic collaboration and foundation building. With a Master's degree in Game Production and Management and a Bachelor's in Game Art and Design, Justin combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of business marketing and sustainable development. A prominent advocate for diversity and professional mentorship, Justin is the founder of the nonprofit Black Voices in Gaming and serves as the Lead Advisor for the Black Game Dev Fund. He is a frequent speaker at major industry summits, including GDC, PAX Prime, and Casual Connect, where he shares insights on leadership and game marketing. Through his work, Justin continues to evolve the traditional practices of the industry, focusing on adding long-term value and creating equitable opportunities for developers globally. Connect with Justin: www.linkedin.com/in/justinwoodward/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinwoodward/] 🌐 Wealthing Club: www.wealthing.club [https://www.wealthing.club]