All Episodes

Esperanza Lopez and Stephanie Lopez—mother and daughter—are the founders of Spurs Bar & Grill in Willmar, an agriculture-dominated city in West Central Minnesota. We met with them at their restaurant housed in an historic downtown building. Esperanza and Stephanie didn’t have much money. What they had was a vision and the drive to pursue their idea.

Denise Pieratos, along with her sister Tracey and her two daughters Dani and Nikki are creating Harvest Nation, an innovative company with ambitions to transform agriculture in Minnesota. Members of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, we met with Denise and Dani at their home on the Bois Forte reservation in northern Minnesota. 

Systemic racism and stereotypes about lower income individuals denies them access to mainstream financial institutions. Yet they need money to buy a home, start a business and live. A time-honored way to provide loans is with lending circles. A group of people, often with close cultural ties, work together to provide members with the money they need to achieve their goals.

Too much financial commentary assumes people earning low wages aren’t smart with money. Wrong, deeply wrong. Necessity forces many to be savvy money managers. There are also societal, financial and government institutions that have erected barriers to progress. Ultimately, people want the opportunity to help themselves. They want to live with dignity.

In every conversation we asked, “What did you learn from your parents about money?” Everyone’s initial response? Nothing. 

A classic personal finance question: Is that a want or a need? The framing of the question suggests needs are necessities and wants are luxuries. Yet no one we interviewed for the podcast talked about luxuries. They said they wanted opportunities to take care of their families and to do better.

Personal assets include your talents and the skills of people you trust. Making use of personal assets is a creative way to solve many money problems.

People with disabilities must navigate a complex system of government benefits and support. Many work, although many more would like to be employed. The disabled also confront limitations created by misperceptions about what people living with disabilities are capable of and have the desire to do.

The pandemic has affected everyone. But some individuals and families have been hit much harder than others, especially minorities and low-wage workers. Everyone we interviewed for the podcast had a story about how the pandemic impacted them.

Many people with low and unstable incomes start a business. Their entrepreneurial drive is rooted in community and the need to put food on the table.

Hosts Chris Farrell and Twila Dang talk to community members who are redefining wealth and poverty, the value of community and the purpose of money.