Behind the Scenes: Talking Money, Power & Possibility with Janine Firpo

A behind-the-scenes look at how our Wealth Catalyst community is investing with purpose and confidence.

Last week, something quietly powerful unfolded in our private Wealth Catalyst community.

It wasn’t a panel. It wasn’t a pitch. It wasn’t even a presentation. It was simply a circle of women — smart, curious, ambitious — gathering to have a real, open conversation about money. And at the center of it all was Janine Firpo.

If you don’t know Janine yet, she’s the author of Activate Your Money, a co-founder of the nonprofit Invest for Better, and one of the most trusted voices in values-aligned investing. She’s also warm, disarming, and deeply wise — the kind of person who makes you feel smarter just by sitting next to her. That’s what happened to all of us on the call.

The conversation flowed easily, because it wasn’t scripted. We talked about what it actually means to invest with your values in a political and economic climate that often feels at odds with those values. Janine pulled back the curtain on ESG — not the buzzwords, but the real mechanics: what’s working, where the backlash is coming from, and why long-term investors are staying the course even as the headlines scream otherwise.

We also dug into the private markets, which can feel like a black box to so many of us. Janine shared practical entry points for women who want to start investing in early-stage businesses — not someday, but now. From funds with lower minimums like Portfolia, to angel groups like Pipeline Angels, to education-based communities where you learn by doing, she made the landscape feel not just accessible but exciting. She reminded us that investing in private markets isn’t just about returns — it’s about relationships, learning, and growing your confidence alongside others.

And perhaps most powerfully, she reminded us that your financial foundation matters. That knowing what you own, understanding your asset allocation, and setting clear goals are the base layer — the cake — and that your values are the icing. “You can’t have the icing without the cake,” she said, “but also — let’s be honest — the icing is the best part.”

This is exactly the kind of perspective Janine will be bringing to our private retreat this autumn — Unleash Your Legacy: A Divine Awakening at Canyon Ranch. In a sacred desert setting designed for reflection and transformation, Janine will guide a small circle of women through the creation of their own Legacy Models — a deeply personal process for aligning time, money, and values with your future impact. It’s an experience that’s less about spreadsheets and more about soul. If the clarity you’ve been craving is both financial and spiritual, this retreat might be the doorway.

The chat was alive with follow-ups. Women asked how to find an advisor who actually listens, how to start building technical fluency without giving their whole life to it, and how to begin moving their capital into the world they want to live in. Janine shared her favorite tools — from the ValuesAdvisor (special code for readers