Raising Venture Capital as a Woman Founder: Laura Cunningham on Building Ava

Understanding the Ambition Penalty with Stefanie O'Connell

Women are more educated and more ambitious than ever — and yet earnings growth for women stalls in their mid-30s while men's climbs for another decade. So what's actually going on? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Stefanie O'Connell, author of The Ambition Penalty, to dig into the data-backed truth behind gender inequality at work. They dismantle some of the most pervasive myths women have been sold,  from "women don't negotiate" to imposter syndrome as a personal failing, and explore what's actually driving the gap and what evidence shows can close it. This conversation covers: * Why women who negotiate are penalized more and rewarded less than men who do the same * How the myth that women don't ask actually worsens gender bias and undermines pay transparency policies * The "paradox of meritocracy" — why the most self-described fair organizations are often the most biased * What transparency and accountability policies actually work * Why collective thinking (not self-optimization) is the path forward Whether you're navigating salary negotiations, building wealth, or trying to make sense of why the system feels stacked against you, this episode gives you the language, data, and framework to stop blaming yourself and start seeing the bigger picture. The Ambition Penalty is available now [https://www.amazon.com/Ambition-Penalty-Corporate-Culture-Up_and/dp/1541705211/ref=sr_1_1?crid=33KXYZ2FXD42V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7FcgcgEr22RQxZ0xBj2TelOT4QsYxjCrhMOfR1IbzZdE5yHcd1_oTrxpqixhg3AnqMiIX6Q9xkGuIito1MUDQq3Pew1T4laTHxuvQskEqvk.NWatcw8ef0o1bHRRBui_j-z1EaX0Cq9sunvntpy-548&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+ambition+penalty&qid=1765483931&sprefix=%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-1]. About Stefanie O'Connell:  Stefanie O’Connell is an award-winning writer covering ambition, money and power with bylines in Slate, Bloomberg, CNBC, Glamour UK, Newsweek, USA Today and Business Insider. She also wrote, hosted and co-produced the WEBBY award-winning podcast “Money Confidential” for REAL SIMPLE magazine. Her book The Ambition Penalty: How Corporate Culture Tells Women to Step Up — and Then Pushes Them Down (May 2026, Basic Venture) is an essential guide to dismantling the hidden forces that hold women back, burn them out & make us all pay. With over 100,000 followers across her social media channels and Too Ambitious newsletter, Stefanie uses data to expose how power and gender collide to keep women “in their place.” And shows how liberating women’s ambitions can liberate us all.  Find Stefanie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/stefanieoconnell/],  Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@stefaniemoconnell],  Substack [https://tooambitious.substack.com/], and website [https://tooambitious.com/about/].  Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.  Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com. Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.

The Invisible Labor in Marriage: Breaking Down the Mental Load of Parenting with Paige Connell

Paige Connell is a working mother of four who shares relatable content on TikTok and Instagram. Paige helps women find the language to talk about the mental load...that invisible, never-ending to-do list living rent-free in their heads. In this episode, Ysenia and Paige break down what the mental load actually is, why it lands so disproportionately on women, and most importantly, what to do about it. What you'll learn: * What the mental load actually is (and why it's so hard to explain) * How to make the invisible labor visible — including the spreadsheet method that changed Paige's marriage * Why women carry more of the mental load and what's really behind it (hint: it's systemic, not your fault) * The time equity framework that replaces the "who makes more money" argument * Why finances are non-negotiable when it comes to splitting the mental load * Why Paige doesn't take advice from men — even the most successful ones * What outsourcing can and can't solve Whether you're drowning in the invisible work or just starting to name what's been weighing you down, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, validated, and ready to have the conversation you've been putting off. About Paige Connell: Paige is a working mother of four who shares relatable content on TikTok and Instagram, highlighting the everyday experiences of women balancing motherhood, careers, and relationships. Known for her candid insights on the mental load of motherhood and the challenges of creating equity at home and work, Paige’s content resonates with millions. She also advocates for affordable childcare, paid leave, and reproductive rights, sparking important conversations about what families need to thrive. Her impactful voice and relatable storytelling have led to features in Scary Mommy, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and more. Find Paige on Instagram and Tiktok @sheisapaigeturner, Substack [https://sheisapaigeturner.substack.com/], and website [https://www.sheisapaigeturner.com/about].  Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.  Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com. Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.

Cheers to 1 year of Talk Rich To Me

We are so thankful to all of our listeners and guests for your continued support of Talk Rich To Me and Huntress Wealth. This episode is a light hearted conversation between Stephanie and Ysenia on what we have learned from you and what you can expect in the year to come -  both on the podcast and in our app.  Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.  Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com. Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.

Building A Digital Media Business: Jamie Koll Founder of Girls Who Eat

Jamie Koll started Girls Who Eat as an Instagram account reviewing NYC restaurants in 2014. A health turning point reshaped her priorities, and she pivoted the account into a platform for ingredient education and non-toxic product discovery. Fast forward to 2026: what started as a creator account turned out to be the front door to a digital media business now spanning LinkedIn, Pinterest, Substack, Instagram, plus a product marketplace of more than 5,000 vetted products. In this episode, Jamie shares what it actually takes to build a media business community-first, why she resists the creator-only label, and how she runs the operation in a performance-based revenue model. What you'll learn: * How to know when a passion project is ready to be a business * The difference between a personal brand and a digital media brand * The behind the scenes work of managing brand partnerships entirely in-house * How to build and lead a team in the digital media space * Why progress over perfection is a business strategy, not a wellness mantra About Jamie Koll: Founder of Girls Who Eat [https://girlswhoeat.com/about/], a non-toxic living digital media platform helping people make ingredient-informed choices across food, beauty, household, supplements, and travel. What started on Instagram in 2014 has grown into a multi-platform digital media business with a marketplace of more than 5,000 approved products. Find Girls Who Eat on Instagram and Pinterest @girlswhoeat, Substack [https://wearegirlswhoeat.substack.com/] + Travel Substack [https://nontoxictravelmadesimple.substack.com/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiekoll/], and website [https://girlswhoeat.com/]. Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.  Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com. Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.

Raising Venture Capital as a Woman Founder: Laura Cunningham on Building Ava

Raising Venture Capital as a Woman Founder: Laura Cunningham on Building Ava Laura Cunningham, founder of Ava, shares what it's really like to raise venture capital as a woman—from talking to 100+ investors in one month to navigating bias in pitch meetings. What you'll learn: * How to assess your personal runway before becoming a founder * Why VCs ask women risk questions vs. opportunity questions for men * The reality of giving up equity and managing cap table dilution * Optimal vs. suboptimal fundraising seasons (hint: summer doesn't exist) * How to turn risk questions into opportunity questions in pitch meetings * Why you need conviction it's a billion-dollar idea before anyone else will believe it * Managing the emotional roller coaster of fundraising while building product About Laura Cunningham: Founder of Ava, an AI-powered parenting partner that acts as your household chief of staff. Previously led AI product strategy at Near Protocol. Raising $2M to bring Ava to market. Keywords: venture capital, fundraising, woman founder, startup, VC funding, pre-seed, seed round, equity, cap table, AI startup, parenting tech, female entrepreneur, raising capital Talk Rich to Me is a production of Huntress Wealth. On each episode, we explore the human side of finance. If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review - it helps more people like you find our podcast.  Huntress is your all-in-one financial planning app. Build your plan, get actionable steps and make your money move - all under 5 minutes a day. Sign up for the Huntress Wealth app at www.huntresswealth.com. Curious to learn more? Drop us a note at hi@huntresswealth.com for questions.