The Emotional Side of Wealth: Beth Bengston on Money, Choice, and Life Control
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Release Date: 04/23/2024
Women's Million Dollar Conversations
Are you a CEO or just the world's most overworked employee in your own company? In this episode of Women’s Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang is joined by Adi Klevit, an Industrial Engineer and the visionary behind Business Success Consulting Group, to discuss how to stop being the bottleneck and start being the leader. Adi has spent over 30 years helping entrepreneurs step out of the daily grind and into the freedom they actually started their businesses for. If you feel like your business would crumble if you took a two-week vacation, this conversation is your...
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Are your own thoughts holding you back from your first million? In this episode of Women’s Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with international keynote speaker, author, and mental fitness expert Dorice Horenstein to uncover the "saboteurs" that interfere with our success. Dorice shares her powerful journey from a 30-year career in education to becoming a "Mental Fitness" powerhouse, helping leaders move from "Oy to Joy". Learn why negative emotions are actually helpful alerts, how your "energy radius" affects everyone around you, and the practical...
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"When you make a decision that you can do it, your help will come." - Alice Tang In this special role-reversal episode, guest host Laura Salerno Owens sits down with the visionary behind Women’s Million Dollar Conversations (WMDC), Alice Tang. After interviewing over 60 high-achieving women, Alice reflects on her own journey and how the WMDC project has shaped her views on financial freedom, building meaningful community, and leaving a legacy that endures for generations. We dive deep into: Wealth Beyond Money: Why your health and time are invaluable currencies. Shedding the Joneses: How to...
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Can you save students $1 billion while building a million-dollar company? In this episode of Women's Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with Kim Thanos, CEO of Lumen Learning. Kim shares how she moved from a stable career at HP to founding a company that replaces traditional textbooks with digital learning software that supports better student outcomes at a fraction of the cost. Inside this episode: • The $1 Million Milestone: How Lumen Learning reached seven figures in revenue within three years. • Detaching from the "Baby": Why viewing your company...
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Is your career path a straight line or a patchwork quilt? Kristi McFarland explains why she intentionally seeks out "challenging and messy" problems to solve. Alice Tang dives into how a non-traditional career path—spanning HR, Marketing, and Strategy—can lead to a million-dollar milestone and a deeply fulfilling life. Key Takeaways: • Challenge the Status Quo: Why the "good stuff" is hidden in complex problems. • Sailing Toward Success: Why your journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's. • Investing in Innovation: How Kristi supports women entrepreneurs and local art. • The...
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"Our family didn’t just break barriers, they shattered them." Dana Frank was raised by "Fire Starters"—individuals who change their narrative regardless of birth circumstances. Today, she joins Alice Tang to discuss her book, "Get Up and Get On It," and the grit required to maintain a family business through recessions, systemic racism, and personal trials. Key Takeaways: • Why "equity grows and cash erodes." • The power of "Amplify Injustice" in business and community. • Strategic Philanthropy: Why you can't receive with a clenched fist. • Dana’s advice for women: "Don't just...
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How much is your reputation actually worth? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Shari Dunn, author of Qualified, about the "millions of dollars" sitting in your current network. Shari reveals her transition from nonprofit leadership to hitting seven-figure revenue in her second year of consulting. Learn why showing up consistently as your authentic self creates a financial backstop for your future and why Shari believes in sharing the "secrets" of success with everyone. In this episode, you’ll learn: The Network Asset: Why your professional history has a specific financial value that can...
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Motherhood should not be a professional obstacle, yet many women face a "pregnancy penalty." Jigna Kapadia joins Women’s Million Dollar Conversations to discuss the raw reality of losing up to two years of career momentum with each pregnancy. Jigna shares anecdotes about office "rumor mills" and managers who assumed she wouldn't return to work after having kids. Discover her tactical advice on standing up for yourself without being abrasive, and why she is now openly discussing menopause in the workplace to normalize real-life experiences for senior leaders. In this episode, you’ll learn:...
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Are you pushing yourself too hard for immediate results? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Kristin Bauer, VP at Bank of the Pacific, about the long game of professional success. Kristin reveals how she landed a $5 million client account and why she had to learn to be her own best advocate to overcome her "inner enemy." Learn why Kristin believes you must put on your own "oxygen mask" first to be effective for your family and your team, and how a "marathon mindset" can sustain you through the long journey of a 16-year banking career. In this episode, you’ll learn: The Oxygen Mask...
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How do you go from feeling like an outsider to leading multi-million dollar financial deals? Join Alice Tang as she speaks with Jessica Porter, partner at BPG Wealth Management and co-founder of The 401k Girls. Jessica reveals the internal struggle of entering a new industry from a blue-collar background and how she overcame the "perfectionist trap" to secure a $5 million retirement plan. Learn why Jessica believes your personal struggles can actually be your greatest professional benefit and how to build the confidence to "stack" successes one step at a time. In this episode, you’ll learn:...
info_outlineAre your finances controlling you, or are you controlling your life? Join Alice Tang as she sits down with Beth Bengston, founder of Working for Women, to discuss how economic independence creates the freedom to make real choices. Beth shares why she wishes she had started intentional money conversations in her 20s and how a childhood lesson in "earning a camera" shaped her resilient mindset. Discover why wealth isn't about greed—it's about having the option to walk away from bad situations and live life on your own terms.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Money as Choice: How financial independence allows you to choose your work and your relationships.
The Base Camp Strategy: Why breaking down a massive $1M goal into "baby steps" is essential for long-term success.
Investment Verbiage: How changing your language from "spending" to "investing" can shift your entire financial belief system.
Overcoming Fear: Why knowing your financial reality—even if it's scary—is more empowering than staying in the dark.
Key Moments
00:46 – Economic Independence: Beth introduces Working for Women and its focus on workforce investment.
01:43 – The Value of Choice: Defining money as the freedom to stay or leave any life situation.
03:05 – The Intentional Goal: Reflecting on why setting a conscious $1M goal earlier in life could have accelerated her journey.
04:35 – Redefining Success: Why having more money doesn't always equal a better lifestyle unless it has a purpose.
06:55 – The Money Taboo: Why society is more comfortable talking about sex than wealth.
08:15 – Identifying "Enough": Questioning the systemic push to save without a clear lifestyle vision.
10:05 – Facing the Fear: Why operating from financial fear is disempowering.
12:05 – Spenders vs. Investors: How societal language discourages women from seeing themselves as investors.
14:55 – The Car Analogy: Understanding that money buys peace of mind and reliability, not just metal.
16:45 – The Camera Lesson: How being forced to "earn" a luxury at a young age built financial resilience.
18:10 – Base Camps to Everest: Practical advice on starting with small savings milestones.
19:23 – Final Thoughts: Why every money decision is ultimately emotional, not logical.