WINii: MoneyBites

Finding Passion: Leaving Tech to Start A Fashion Brand at 40 w/ Silvia Curioni

Finding passion in career vs life has been a recurring theme in our interviews at MoneyBites. Silvia had successfully sold multiple companies. But the realities of payout and the grind coming to a halt had her reflecting on her next steps. She felt a pull to still prove something to herself. For years, she’d built tech companies alongside her husband and brother. But this time, she wanted to step out on her own—and into something completely different: fashion. It wasn’t just a career pivot. It was a lifelong dream, shadowed by questions many of us quietly ask: Can I really do this on my own? Do I have what it takes? Is it too late? Join us as we dive into Silvia’s journey of reflection and reinvention—through career, money, and what it means to start over mid career. 01:22 Starting over from tech to fashion 03:36 : First startup04:19 Why you? Why now?  07:47 Passion vs Job 09:28 Money memory 11:02 Coming up with startup ideas 12:53 Working with husband & brother 14:58 Imposer syndrome 17:12 Any regrets? 20:51 40 is young! 22:30 Money and self worth 25:43 What’s your superpower?

[Ep. 59] My Family Faced Medical Racism. It Changed My Perspective On Life. w/ Maria Ashby

Maria wrote her dream job into existence—and it came true. She envisioned the exact role, the scope, the team culture, even how she’d receive the offer—on a beach in Costa Rica. Then NVIDIA [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/#] called with an offer, and yes, the role was as she imagined. But Maria’s journey wasn’t all manifestation and sunshine. Her mindset shift was sparked by a painful experience—watching her beloved uncle suffer from egregious medical racism. A doctor looked at him and said, “Why put in the effort? He’s going to die anyway.” Maria had always believed that success would be her escape—that if she worked hard, she could rise above systemic barriers. But her uncle had made it. He lived the American Dream. And yet, that didn’t protect him. That moment changed everything. It made Maria realize: life is short, and it’s too costly to play it safe. You can’t spend your life in roles that drain you or stay silent out of fear. So she found her voice—and then helped others find theirs. She launched the 3percentclub [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/#], a platform empowering underrepresented talent to break into and thrive in STEM. In this episode of MoneyBites, hear how Maria is defining and manifesting her own version of success—and the pivotal experiences that influenced her mindset shift. Maria's 3 Percent Club Women make up 25% of the tech workforce, while Black women only account for 3%. That’s why the 3 Percent Club empowers underrepresented talent with accessible education, mentorship, and career development resources. https://3percentclub.org/donate 00:48 What is a Generative AI Analyst?04:26 AI Ethic08:16 My mom sacrificed for my education11:12 Career change13:14 My uncle faced inhumane medical racism21:39 Value vs Money22:56 Paying forward26:08 Manifesting dream role

[Ep. 58] Adult Gap Year + Building Airbnb Korea w/ Hyun Lee

Hyun’s career has been anything but typical. She helped launch Airbnb in Korea—building everything from the ground up like a scrappy startup, but with the backing of a global brand. It was one of her biggest career highs—but what came before and after was just as compelling.Did you know international students often pay more for student loans? Hyun did—and it shaped the career decisions she had to make after graduation.After years of grinding, she hit burnout. So she took an adult gap year—intentionally doing nothing in a culture obsessed with achievement. Well… except for learning K-pop dance, just for fun.Join us as we dive into Hyun’s honest and inspiring journey—through money, identity, burnout, and what it means to rewrite success on your own terms.MoneyBites is brought to you by WINii—an app and community for women and allies in tech, helping make wealth-building real. Our mission? To help a million women become millionaires+. Join the beta at www.wewinii.com.01:07 Program operation manager03:26 Student loans for international students07:30 Pay off student loan09:32 Early Days at Airbnb14:02 Burn out - Gap year23:12 Negotiating compensation28:41 Having kids changed my perspective35:27 Bonus talk : how to find a perfect match!

[Ep. 57] How I Finally Spoke Up to My Toxic Boss + UK vs US Work Culture w/ Helen Fream

They say you don’t quit jobs—you quit managers. I’ve had a toxic boss whose explosive anger left me shaking on the commute home. Sadly, Helen faced a similar situation. But unlike me, she found her voice—and a smart, strategic way out. In this episode, Helen shares how she stood up to a workplace bully and rewrote her own story. We also dive into her incredible career pivot from translator to instructional designer, what she loves about her work, and why she made the move from the UK to the US. Tune in to hear Helen’s inspiring career and money journey. MoneyBites is brought to you by WINii—an app and community for women and allies in tech, helping make wealth-building real. Our mission? To help a million women become millionaires+. Join the beta at www.wewinii.com. 00:52 What makes a good instructional designer? 03:12 Skillsets for instructional designer 06:03 Speaking multiple languages 09:56 Toxic boss 15:45 Emotional Abuse at Workplace 23:15 Promoting yourself 23:32 #IAMREMARKABLE 27:18 Finding your own voice: calling out BS

[Ep. 56] I Quit My Job to Start an AI Mental Health Startup w/ Rui Wang

Did you know up to 70% of mental health conditions may be misdiagnosed? Rui is on a mission to change that with her mental health AI startup. But her path to entrepreneurship is anything but typical. Rui worked in AI before large language models went mainstream. As her corporate career accelerated, the pandemic hit—prompting deep reflection on work, identity, and mental health. It also brought back memories of being an international student in the U.S., where language and cultural barriers often led to misdiagnoses. Those reflections, combined with the rise of AI, inspired her to take a leap of faith—leaving stability behind to build something that makes mental healthcare more accessible. Join us for an inspiring conversation about Rui’s career, startup journey, and money story. 00:48 My mental health startup05:30 70% misdiagnosed in mental health 08:44 Biggest challenges in building a startup11:16 Working at IBM13:40 Starting career in AI17:00 Balancing career and life26:17 Starting my own company30:40 Where I want to take my AI startup