EMERGE Everywhere
Podcast

EMERGE Everywhere

Hosted by Jennifer Tescher, President and Chief Executive Officer

EMERGE Everywhere is a podcast dedicated to improving financial health for all – especially the most vulnerable among us. Hear from visionary leaders across industries as they tackle the complex issues intersecting the financial well-being of people across America, and explore how to build an inclusive economy.

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All Episodes

Yemi Rose | DEI, Financial Health, and the Future of Work

DEI in the workplace has evolved dramatically over the last few years. As a new administration takes office, how can employers navigate the changing landscape and make sure they’re doing right by their workers? Yemi Rose, founder and CEO of financial wellness platform OfColor, sits down with Financial Health Network Vice President Matt Bahl to discuss his own journey as a DEI leader and strategies to prepare for what’s next. Don’t miss their conversation on the final episode of our EMERGE Everywhere Workplace mini-series.

Bharani Rajakumar & Chris Gardner | The Role of Good Jobs in the American Dream

While the American dream is still alive, it’s no longer accessible to everyone. It has become harder to raise a family, earn a livable wage, and create generational wealth. What can we do to help more Americans believe in this dream again and improve their financial lives? Good jobs, and more of them, may be the solution. In this episode of our special EMERGE Everywhere Workplace mini-series, Transfr Inc. Founder and CEO Bharani Rajakumar and bestselling author of “The Pursuit of Happyness” Chris Gardner discuss why the American dream feels out of reach for many, how good jobs can turn around this outlook, and what organizations can do to help Americans obtain a good job.

Evan Starr | The Noncompete Effect, From CEOs to Sandwich Makers

As the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s recent rule effectively banning noncompete agreements sends shock waves across the business world, this often misunderstood employment tool is in the spotlight. Typically considered the sole province of executives, nearly 1 in 5 workers are subject to a noncompete – including some fast food workers. So are these agreements essential to protect a company's proprietary assets, or are they a blunt tool whose utility has been overextended to create anti-competitive practices? If the noncompete ban stands, what might this mean for workers, their financial health, and our broader economy? In the opening episode of our special EMERGE Everywhere Workplace mini-series, host Matt Bahl, head of workplace financial health, dives into the details of noncompetes with University of Maryland Associate Professor Evan Starr, whose research directly informed the FTC’s rulemaking. Note for Listeners: Since we recorded this episode, multiple conflicting lower court rulings have risen which all but guarantees noncompetes will be taken to the Supreme Court. Regardless, this episode focuses on the past, present, and potential future of noncompetes and their financial health impacts.

Brian Moynihan | Reflecting on a Decade as a Financial Health Visionary

Good leaders drive day-to-day results. Great leaders share visionary ideas and then inspire organizations and stakeholders to find a way to get there. The Financial Health Visionary Award recognizes those who have shown unparalleled leadership in building a more inclusive financial system and empowering the next generation of leaders to innovate solutions that improve financial health for all. Meet this year’s Visionary Award honoree, Brian Moynihan, Chair and CEO of Bank of America, and hear about his commitment to financial health and the upcoming headwinds and tailwinds impacting customers’ financial health.

Zeynep Ton | Rethinking What Makes a Good Job

As people struggle to make ends meet amid a cost-of-living crisis, employers play a critical role in supporting workers’ financial health. Research shows that creating good jobs isn’t just the right thing to do, but also the profitable thing to do – improving employee satisfaction, company performance, and market competitiveness. Listen in as Zeynep Ton, Professor of the Practice at MIT Sloan School of Management and Co-Founder and President of the Good Jobs Institute, makes the business case for investing in good jobs and shares ways to implement a good jobs approach.

Michael McAfee | Rewiring Corporate America To Advance Racial Equity

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, many large companies made commitments to advance equity. Nearly four years later, those commitments have largely faded away – despite the strong link between equity and business outcomes, innovation, and long-term value creation. How can we urge corporate America to make racial and economic equity a foundational part of their businesses, so that all of us can prosper? Listen to Jennifer’s conversation with Michael McAfee, President and CEO of PolicyLink, about the pivotal role of corporations in promoting inclusion and key steps for embedding equity into business standards.

Anne Evens | Reflecting on the Cost of the Climate Crisis

As the climate crisis deepens, it weighs most heavily on marginalized communities that are already financially fragile. How do we protect these groups from the economic impact of rising energy costs, pollution, and natural disasters as we combat climate change? Listen in as Anne Evens, CEO of Elevate, joins Jennifer to explore the climate-financial health connection and how government, financial, and nonprofit leaders can drive equity through climate action.

Suze Orman | Rethinking How People Save

What’s the key to financial security today? As technology and a shifting economy reshape how we save, spend, borrow, and plan for the future, mastering the art of money management is critical for achieving financial health. Join us as Jennifer speaks with Suze Orman – personal finance expert, author, Emmy Award winner, and Co-Founder of workplace emergency savings platform SecureSave – about the critical role of savings and the most important step companies can take to support employees’ financial success.

Mary Ellen Iskenderian | Rewiring Gender Equity Around the Globe

Financial inequity isn’t a problem unique to the U.S. – it’s a global challenge that prevents many women and their families from escaping poverty. How can we empower all women to achieve financial security? Increasing access to financial services and creating women-centered products are integral parts of the solution. Hear Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, paint a picture of the challenges facing women across the world and the unexpected solutions required to close the gender gap in financial health.

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About the Host

About the Host

Jennifer Tescher is President and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Health Network. She founded the organization in 2004 to champion increased access to high-quality financial products and services for underserved consumers. Over two decades, she has cultivated a robust network of relationships to raise the profile of financial health. Jennifer is a recognized thought leader and participates as an advisory board member for several of the nation’s largest financial institutions, nonprofits and research organizations.

A native of Miami, Jennifer is a graduate of Northwestern University and holds an MPP from the University of Chicago. She lives in Chicago with her husband, bestselling author Jonathan Eig, and their children, Lillian, Lola, and Jeffery.

Join the Conversation

We live in a world that is both more interconnected and more siloed than ever before. Meet the silo busters – the leaders who are unleashing creative new ways of doing business by seeing their customers, employees and communities in 3D. Be part of the conversation as Financial Health Network founder and CEO Jennifer Tescher engages with visionaries to uncover how they are creating connections, listening for nuance, and using newfound insights to build businesses, products and programs that create real value for all their stakeholders.

Hosted through Provoke.fm Media, the leading network for innovative fintech content, and available wherever you get your podcasts.

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Our Sponsor

The financial health movement will only be successful if everyone comes to the table. EMERGE Everywhere is proud to be supported by U.S. Bank, a long-time champion on this journey.

US Bank