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Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave

Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave

By: Lance Woodson & Mary Kathryn Johnson
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 Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave spotlights the visionaries willing to step first, because—much like the old saying—fortune favors the brave. Hosted by Co-Founder & CEO Lance Woodson and CXO Mary Kathryn Johnson, every episode rallies around Planet Wealth's mission: expanding capital access and curating investments—powered by community, accelerated by technology, leading a movement together. Across candid conversations and tactical deep-dives, you'll hear how founders, investors, and trailblazing communities are targeting economic barriers and narrowing the wealth gap one regulated offering at a time. Listeners walk away with transparent frameworks, real-world case studies, and the conviction that nobody has to feel left behind on Planet Wealth. Disclaimer: This show is produced for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Nothing discussed should be interpreted as an offer to sell—or a solicitation to buy—any security. All investments involve risk. Conduct your own due diligence, consult licensed professionals, and decide whether the opening presented aligns with your personal objectives. Explore a world apart form Wall Street with the Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave Podcast! Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/planetwealthofficial Website: https://planetwealth.com/© Planet Wealth Economics Personal Finance
Episodes
  • E36: Pamela Cytron: Wealth Isn't Just for the Rich: How Fintech Is Changing Who Gets a Shot

    E36: Pamela Cytron: Wealth Isn't Just for the Rich: How Fintech Is Changing Who Gets a Shot
    Jan 5 2026
    Pamela Cytron, founder of The Founders Arena WealthTech accelerator in Arlington, Texas, has spent more than three decades at the center of fintech, wealth management and enterprise sales. In this episode of Fortunes of the Brave, Pam and host Lance Woodson dig into how wealth is really created, who gets access to it, and why the current system leaves so many founders and everyday investors on the sidelines. They unpack the broken incentives inside venture capital, the realities of raising capital in fintech, and why sales is still a contact sport even in an AI driven world. Pam explains how The Founders Arena selects WealthTech companies that already have real revenue but need help breaking into large institutions and enterprise contracts. Instead of chasing demo days and pitch contests, her boutique accelerator pairs founders directly with decision makers at firms like Goldman Sachs, Schwab and Morningstar, focusing on revenue growth, strategic balance sheet capital and sustainable business models. The conversation goes far beyond cap tables. Pam challenges traditional wealth management to serve the next generation, from college athletes and creators to solo entrepreneurs, and highlights the role credit unions and community focused funds may play in the next phase of wealth innovation. She shares why most founders are under taught in sales, why free POCs quietly kill startups, and how performance based equity could realign incentives between capital and value creation. On a personal level, Pam opens up about resilience, sobriety, beating cancer and building a global career while staying grounded in service. She leaves founders and investors with a simple lens for the future of wealth creation and generational wealth transfer. If you care about fintech innovation, community capital and building wealth on your own terms, this Fortunes of the Brave episode is a masterclass in both money and mindset. Key Takeaways: Redefine wealth as a personal, values driven target instead of a number in a bank accountBuild fintech and WealthTech products that serve real people, not just elite clients and legacy institutionsPrioritize revenue and sales discipline so you are not codependent on venture capitalDesign funding paths that include strategic balance sheet capital, community capital and retail investorsInvest in resilience, self awareness and daily reflection to lead teams through uncertainty Chapters: 00:00 – Behind the scenes and Pam's track record in fintech and exits07:00 – Dallas, Texas and the rise of a new financial services corridor14:00 – Why B2C fintech is so hard and the shift to B2B WealthTech18:30 – Credit unions, community focus and the future of wealth management20:30 – How The Founders Arena selects founders and companies26:30 – Rethinking venture capital, performance based equity and "all money is not good money"36:00 – Broken enterprise sales cycles and why free POCs hurt startups49:40 – Redefining wealth and why it is not just for the rich54:30 – Gen Z, gaming, trading and missing financial literacy guardrails1:10:40 – Sales as a contact sport and teaching founders to sell1:48:30 – Resilience, sobriety, cancer and how adversity shapes leadership Resources Mentioned: The Founders Arena WealthTech AcceleratorCU Wealth (credit union focused fund)AlgoPair behavioral finance platform for students and athletesTexas Stock Exchange initiativeRobinhood, Chime and neo banks in consumer fintech Connect with Pamela: Website: The Founders Arena Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube planetwealth.com
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • E35: Bridging the Wealth Gap: Founder and Investor Lessons from 2025

    E35: Bridging the Wealth Gap: Founder and Investor Lessons from 2025
    Dec 29 2025

    2025 closes by revisiting the most practical lessons shared by founders, investors, and community builders across this year's Fortunes of the Brave conversations. This recap threads together a single theme: better decisions happen when your mindset, strategy, and community support are aligned.

    First, we return to a mental framework for entrepreneurs and investors who feel the pressure of constant uncertainty. A five-step system called PEACE outlines how positive thinking, embracing challenge, appreciation, certainty, and empathy can reduce fear-based reactions and improve decision quality. The takeaway is simple: you cannot make your best capital-raising or investing decisions from a place of panic.

    Next, we revisit what actually drives a venture capital decision. "Impact" matters, but it is rarely the only factor. Founders still need a clear thesis, a credible business model, and a return narrative that matches what a specific fund is built to do. This segment is essential for anyone navigating entrepreneur funding, venture capital, or capital raising conversations.

    From there, the episode highlights the lived discipline required to stay in the game: choosing your hard, holding your standard, and refusing to hand your destiny back to someone else. That discipline connects directly to how you differentiate in a crowded market, especially in a "trust recession" where AI-generated marketing makes everyone sound the same. The answer is not louder branding. It is real presence, real community, and a category-of-one voice.

    Finally, we zoom out to community investing and real estate investing lessons: policy and partnerships matter, accredited investor rules shape access, and markets move in cycles. The strongest investors build relationships and surround themselves with people who have lived through multiple market rhythms. Watch the full episode of Fortunes of the Brave to revisit these 2025 highlights and apply the ideas to your next decision.

    Key Takeaways:
    • Adopt a calm-first mindset to improve investing and capital decisions
    • Clarify your thesis to match the right venture capital partners
    • Separate impact language from return expectations in fundraising conversations
    • Differentiate by being real and visible in a trust recession
    • Build community to navigate market cycles with better perspective

    Chapters:
    • 00:00 – The PEACE framework: stress less, decide better
    • 01:34 – Positive thinking and "you make your own luck"
    • 03:39 – What VCs actually look for in a check
    • 05:24 – Discipline, "never again," and choosing your hard
    • 07:55 – Start with why, then choose the asset and strategy
    • 10:15 – The trust recession and category-of-one marketing
    • 12:21 – One deal can shift a community's momentum
    • 12:56 – Policy, partnerships, and accredited investor access
    • 15:47 – Market cycles and the value of experience
    • 17:29 – Lone wolf speed vs community stability

    Resources Mentioned:
    • Stress Less and Prosper More (book)
    • The PEACE framework (Positive thinking, Embracing challenge, Appreciation, Certainty, Empathy)
    • Accredited investor concept (context: participation and access)

    Follow Planet Wealth:

    Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube
    planetwealth.com
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    18 mins
  • E34: Michael Scarpati: Rethinking Retirement For The Rest Of Us

    E34: Michael Scarpati: Rethinking Retirement For The Rest Of Us
    Dec 22 2025
    For too long, retirement planning and independent fiduciary financial advice have felt reserved for the top 1 to 2 percent. In this episode of Fortunes of the Brave, Mary Kathryn Johnson sits down with Michael Scarpati, CEO and co founder of Retire.us, to unpack how technology and true fiduciary financial planning can finally open the doors for everyday Americans. Michael shares how his platform connects people with independent fiduciary financial advisors who focus on holistic retirement planning, not just selling products. They dig into the mindset barriers that keep people with 50,000 to 150,000 dollars in savings from seeking help, and why believing "advice is only for millionaires" quietly sabotages financial freedom. Michael explains what fiduciary really means in the eyes of the law, how it differs from product driven advice, and why roughly 85 to 90 percent of licensed professionals are not required to put your best interest first. From his early days driving a squeaky Chevy to client meetings to leading a tech enabled retirement platform, Michael reveals how perception, trust, and accessibility shape who gets high quality retirement advice and who gets left out. He also breaks down how to calculate and revisit your personal "retirement number" every year so you can stop flying blind and align your saving, investing, and risk with your real life goals. Finally, Mary and Michael explore how AI and human advisors can work together, why Retire.us offers free education and their Rethinking Retirement workshop series, and how you can start getting fiduciary level guidance without massive asset minimums or high retainers. If you have meaningful savings but no clear plan, this conversation will help you rethink what is possible. Listen to Fortunes of the Brave to start building your own path to financial freedom. Key Takeaways: Break the "only for millionaires" myth and claim your right to fiduciary advice Understand what a fiduciary is in legal terms and why most advisors do not qualify Learn how technology plus human advisors can make retirement planning more accessible Use a simple yearly habit to track your retirement number and course correct early See how Retire.us is redesigning trust, pricing, and access for middle class investors Chapters: 00:00: Meet Michael Scarpati, CEO and co founder of Retire.us 01:47: From independent planner to building a new kind of platform 03:55: The mindset gap that keeps everyday investors on the sidelines 12:04: Why 50,000 to 150,000 dollars still deserves high quality advice 14:39: AI, emotions, and why human guidance still matters 16:36: Fiduciary explained in plain English and why it is so rare 19:32: The squeaky Chevy story and the power of perception 27:45: Designing Retire.us around trust, simplicity, and accessibility 30:51: How independent fiduciaries really get paid and why they move up market 39:45: The one annual habit that can change your retirement trajectory 42:14: Inside the Rethinking Retirement workshop series and free tools 44:06: Shared missions, future fundraising, and democratizing financial freedom Resources Mentioned: Retire.us platform and free mindfulness tier Rethinking Retirement workshop series for pre retirees and retirees Free retirement planning tools and education inside Retire.us Connect with Michael: Website: retire.us LinkedIn: Michael Scarpati Other: Rethinking Retirement workshop series via retire.us Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube planetwealth.com
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    36 mins
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