Getting Rich Together

When education meets determination, big things happen. Nyakio Grieco's entrepreneurial journey is no exception.    During our conversation, she takes us back to her childhood growing up in a Kenyan-American household, instilled with the values of hard work, education, and giving back. Despite initial shyness, Nyakio found her voice and bravely struck out on her own in her mid-20s to launch her first beauty brand celebrating African ingredients.   With fearless determination and a mere $172,000 in capital raised from credit cards and loved ones, Nyakio built her brand from the ground up while working tirelessly to ship orders and provide customer service herself. Though the path was difficult, with many starts and stops, her resilience shone through. In 2017, Nyakio's brand was acquired by Unilever, providing her with invaluable experience before she left to co-found her next ventures with her current business partner.   Today, Nyakio is the co-founder of Thirteen Lune and Relevant Skin — companies centered on inclusivity by amplifying BIPOC-owned beauty brands from around the world.    Her vision extends far beyond just business success. Nyakio hopes her legacy will be as a true catalyst in making the beauty industry more equitable. With plans to become a donor helping fund other entrepreneurs' dreams, this inspiring woman is paving the way for generational wealth in communities of color.    Key Topics: Education is freedom — lessons from Nyakio’s parents Finding moments to educate and inspire others to honor her dad’s legacy Nyakio’s first experiences with blatant racism in college Chasing big dreams to move to LA to start her career Getting exposed to the beauty industry through her assistant job Branching out on her own to build her own beauty brand Launching the brand in 180 boutiques with only $172,000 Staying disciplined about your business Self-worth lessons around accepting money from investors Exiting her first business to start the next one Don’t take a backseat on the financial health of your business Teaching kids about poverty consciousness Normalizing women discussing money the same way men do Being a true catalyst for making the beauty industry more equitable Connect with Nyakio online: Websites: https://thirteenlune.com/, https://relevantskin.com/, https://www.nyakio.com/us/en Instagram: @nyakio, @relevant.skin LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyakio-grieco-1b13926/ Find more from Syama Bunten: Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co, Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

In this week’s episode, I’m speaking with the incredible Lydia Fenet, an acclaimed auctioneer and two-time bestselling author.    Lydia shares her story of how she grew her relationship with money and what it was like building an understanding of financial literacy throughout her life. After starting her career at Christie’s auction house in her early 20s, she was suddenly faced with the reality of credit cards, saving, and advocating for yourself in the real world.    Lydia takes us through her journey from first discovering she was way underpaid, to now investing in startups that she truly believes in and advocating for other women to do the same.    Her story is truly inspiring for anyone (especially women) looking to jumpstart their investment portfolio and wanting to discover how much greater life can be when the answer is always “yes.”      Key Topics: Lydia’s relationship with money as a child vs. where she is now Experiencing the true value of money from the ultra-wealthy in her 20s Learning to take charge of her own financial future The power of self-advocating always Getting into the layers of investing for the first time What she’s currently interested in investing in Women shouldn’t be scared of investing Money as a form of security Instilling financial literacy in children as a parent The future of Lydia’s entrepreneurial journey Life is better when the answer is always “yes” Lydia’s most joyful purchases What does legacy look like? Connect with Lydia online: Website: https://lydiafenet.com/ Instagram: @lydiafenet Books: The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You, Claim Your Confidence Claim Your Confidence Podcast Find more from Syama Bunten: Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co, Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting  

“If you give capital to black women, you’ll see entire communities change,” says my wonderful guest this week, Kim Nixon.    Kim’s idea of legacy reaches far beyond her own immediate family, and roots itself in the black community all over the world. She wants to teach black women how to invest their wealth for the betterment of themselves and their communities. When at least 50 women have multiplied their investments, Kim will know her job is done.    In this week’s episode, we discuss Kim’s money stories throughout her life — from her childhood having to spend $1 like it’s $3, to learning about wealth and investing when she was doing real estate. Throughout all stages of her life, she learned a lot about money, wealth, and investing from others. Now, she’s trying to give back and do the same for her peers.    If you’re curious about angel investing, my interview with Kim will give you a sneak peek into what it’s like getting started, and the lessons she learned with her first investments.        Key Topics: Learning to work with money from a young age Becoming attuned to the different opportunities kids have growing up Pounding payment to save up during college How working in real estate changed her views on money and investing Basing her investments on becoming financially free How Kim began her venture fund Using her VC and PC experience to make space for black investors Early lessons in angel investing Considering risk tolerance with investing Bringing financial literacy to the next generation The legacy Kim will leave behind Connect with Kim online: Website: https://openventure.capital/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberleynixon/ Find more from Syama Bunten: Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co, Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Getting Rich Together!   In this inaugural episode, I had the joy of interviewing tech founder and entrepreneur Amber Allen of Double A Labs, who has achieved truly remarkable success in her business. She shares how she took a huge risk by leaving the comfort of corporate life to fully commit to her company. That gutsy decision paid off in spectacular fashion — in just the first year, Amber's business generated a staggering $1.5 million in revenue.   The millions continued rolling in, with the company hitting $4.5 million in year two, $6 million the next year, and eventually cresting at $12 million in sales. As the sole founder, Amber expertly navigated the stresses of rapid scaling and growth.   Amber touches on balancing her thriving career with priorities like family, travel, and creative pursuits. As an advocate for designing a wealthy life filled with meaningful experiences, she offers a refreshing perspective on investing in what you truly love.   Today, Amber has created an innovative product that helps people focus and pay attention using gamification principles from her 20 years in the video game industry. Her mission is to build platforms enabling more play, creativity, and curiosity in people's lives. With her incredible entrepreneurial talents and passionate vision, Amber is creating a powerful legacy. Key Topics: Peeling back the layers of Amber’s childhood Learning to take bigger risks when there’s not much to lose Discovering the hard way that money gives us access and opportunities Having one foot in each door of the corporate life and entrepreneurship Investing in milestones vs. spending on “stuff” Your first investment should always be in yourself Using tools that give you shortcuts to success Investing in play and creativity Even if you lose everything, you’ll always have your reputation The power of constructive feedback and learning from people smarter than you Asking what you can do for others vs. asking what people can do for you Spending is about what brings the most value to your life, not the price tag How money conversations manifest in intimate relationships The differences in how men and women look at investing Not taking life so seriously Connect with Amber online: Website (professional): https://doublealabs.com/ Instagram: @amberallen_aa LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberallendoublea/ Find more from Syama Bunten: Instagram: @gettingrichpod, @syama.co, Website: https://scalingretail.com/, www.syamabunten.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scalingretailconsulting