The Business of Doing Both: Entrepreneurship, Investing & Gen Z Money Talk with Mary Esposito

This month, we're talking to a guest who's built not one but two businesses before turning 25 and figured out how to make them work together. Mary Esposito is the founder of Purple Pear, a crochet brand she started as a teenager, and the creator of Money with Mary, a personal finance platform built around bringing more young women into investing and money conversations.

Host Mike Manganillo sits down with Mary, a recent UNC Chapel Hill grad, to talk through how she turned a childhood hobby into a full-time business, why she opened a custodial investment account as a teenager, and what it actually looks like to run two brands — and two revenue models — at once. Mary shares the moment she realized there weren't enough people like her in the personal finance space, the investing move she's most proud of (an early bet on Nvidia), and a crypto lesson that cost her real money.

They also get into the economics of being a content creator — brand deals, affiliate revenue, and why YouTube pays differently than Instagram — plus what's next for Mary as she goes full-time on both brands and heads to Bali for a stretch of remote work. Because Beyond the Balance isn't just about the numbers.

Topics covered:
-Turning a teenage hobby into two businesses
-Opening a custodial investment account as a minor
-Early investing lessons (and a crypto mistake)
-How creators actually monetize across platforms
-Closing the financial literacy gap for young women

TradeWinds LLC is an investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information presented is general in nature and is not designed to address your investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs. Prior to making any investment decision, you should assess or seek advice from a professional regarding whether any particular transaction is relevant or appropriate to your individual circumstances. Although taken from reliable sources, TradeWinds cannot guarantee the accuracy of information received from third parties. The opinions expressed are those of TradeWinds and may not come to pass.

Follow Mary:

-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryevaesposito/

-YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moneywithmary1

-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneywithmary1/