Money Memories

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 [https://www.sonarmentalhealth.com/] — 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 [https://www.pluralfinance.com/]. 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 [https://studentloansherpa.com/]. 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. Want more expert insights? Subscribe to my newsletter [https://bearandthebull.beehiiv.com/] for the latest in financial wellness, and exclusive podcast content!