Money, Activism and Impact with Lisha Bell

I sometimes get asked, what does it mean for women to stand in our money power? And on this podcast, we talk a lot about personal finance, about the importance of not just saving but investing and building wealth, and about breaking taboos that prevent many women from talking openly about the ways money can be an expression of our values.

But money power can mean other things, too. My guest on this episode, Lisha Bell, used her voice and influence to move real money at PayPal, where she works as a product manager. In the Spring of 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, Lisha spoke up and started a conversation at PayPal that quickly led to a promise of solidarity—and more importantly, a $530 million commitment to support Black and minority-owned businesses and communities.

Lisha’s not only an employee-activist, she’s also leading multiple investment initiatives meant to close the wealth gap for Black and Latinx women. She has an investment thesis that helps her align all her resources—financial and otherwise—with her values.

"It guides everything that I do . . . And keeps me focused and committed and recommitted. Until someone says, Lisha, we have equal representation, we have equal pay--if we had that, my job would be done, I would need a new investment thesis. But until then,  you gotta keep working on it. "   - Lisha Bell