Maria Simone
In this episode, we have Maria Simone as our guest.

Maria Simone is a transformational business strategist, investor, speaker, author, philanthropist, and more. She’s the co-founder of ZenMoose Capital, a Social Impact Fund that invests in companies that have the potential to make a big difference in the world while also being highly profitable. They’ve invested in some cool things, like a charity-makeover reality TV show called “Operation: Impact,” the Smart Moose NFT Impact Club, and United Tiny Homes, an affordable housing company.

Maria is also an experienced producer in the media industry, and we’ll be talking to her about that too. Plus, she’s got a new and upcoming book called “Love Yourself Rich,” which sounds intriguing. It’s a self-help guide about helping people achieve financial freedom and live their best lives.

  • We’re excited to talk to Maria about her many passions and how she’s making a difference in the world through her work. Among the highlights of the episodes are:
  • What inspired Maria on her journey to where she is today? What was her dream growing up?
  • What is the concept of focusing on raising awareness and raising consciousness?
  • How did Maria get out of the confines of a secured job career?
  • How does she create prosperity in her team?
  • What is her book “Love Yourself Rich” about?
  • What would Maria tell her younger self based on what she knows now?
  • What’s coming in the next six to 12 months?

Join us for this episode to learn more about Maria’s journey and how she’s making a difference in the world through her various ventures. Join us for the conversation! Listen to the full episode here:

If you found this story worth your time and made changes in your life, we’d love to hear from you! Subscribe and leave a review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Connect with Maria here: http://maria360.com

The Underdog Podcast host is none other than Pamela Bardhi. She’s rocking the Real Estate Realm and has dedicated her life as a Life Coach. She is also Forbes Real Estate Council. To know more about Pam, check out the following:

Ready to elevate your life and take ownership of your power? Join Pamela for a 15-minute call to set clear goals and build your game plan today! Visit http://meetwithpamela.com/ to schedule your session now.

 

Click To Read The Transcript

Maria Simone Shares Her Journey and Unveils the Secret to Live Life Rich

Kevin Harrington
Hi, I’m Kevin Harrington, an original shark from the hit television show Shark Tank and you’re listening to the underdog podcast

Pamela Bardhi
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the underdog Podcast. Today I have an incredible guest here with me Maria Simone. How are you?

Maria Simone
Hello darling. I’m doing great.

Pamela Bardhi
Yes, I’m honoured and privileged to be here with you today. And I’m just like, so blown away at your fierceness, your amazingness. Like everything you’ve accomplished in life. it’s like a woman that I look up to seriously.

And I can’t wait to hear Maria’s story in full detail. Because we spent a couple of days together now. And I’ve heard part of it, but I know it’s not all of it. So I’m so excited to hear that and kind of where you’ve been where you’re going.

Like all the amazingness that you’re that you have coming up in your journey. So that’s a big question. So what what? It’s not even the first question when the first question is where you’ve been. Where are you going?

Oh, my gosh, it’s a lot, right? It’s all of our life journeys. And it’s so funny how life just goes. Like, here, there and everywhere. So I love starting with this question, because it’s a super loaded question.

And they can take you wherever it is that you want to take it. So if you’re ready, go for it. Awesome. All right. What inspired you on your journey to where you are today?

Maria Simone
What inspired me? That is a good question. You know, for the first part of my life. I always did what others told me to do. So I always had an entrepreneurial, creative spirit. From a young, really young age.

I remember living, you know, starting my first business. and I was always interested in arts and creativity and writing. But my family, they weren’t, they weren’t entrepreneurs in my family.

So it was always told to go to school. get a good job, and you do that. you’ll be good if you do that, you know, so I did that. And I did the best that I could do.

And I just was like, you know, type A personality overachiever. I just wanted my family to be pleased. And yeah, I was pretty much living that by default for many years. very successful in health care.

And then finally, I just said after 20 years of doing that. well, I think it was because of a health scare. And I finally just got real. if I want to start doing the things I really love, like what’s in my heart.

and I’ve stopped being afraid to go out on my own. It’s never gonna happen. And so for the first time, I resigned job. I started my own businesses, and I just started doing the things that I love to do.

So what about fashion, I wanted to learn more about fashion. I started a fashion company and I got involved in real estate investing. because I wanted to know what it was like to have a portfolio of properties.

And I’ve been involved in different industries. I had a retail chain and retail stores. And so I always admire the people that have one burning desire to do like this widget. you know, there’s like one thing they have to achieve in their life.

I’ve never been like that. I’m always just more curiosity. And also, you know, once I was unleashed. once I got past the fear of going forward. then it’s like, well, what about this?

What about media? What about entertainment, so that I’m very clear that I have a certain skill set. I have a certain genius. And I know now that it can be applied to any industry.

So it’s more like following my heart, right now. at this point really do my legacy work. because I got the whole money thing. like I got clear on money, and I developed a good relationship with money.

And I’m really good at capitalising businesses. and figuring out how to fundraise for businesses and projects. So I got really good at that point.

And at this point, we decided why don’t we now support the creators and innovators in the world. we’re solving our most pressing problems, we don’t have to do the work.

I’m older now. And so I just kind of support others more. So Chad, and I got together and said. Let’s support the creators and innovators who are solving the problem.

And also let’s be part of raising consciousness on humanity, consciousness of humanity. so that humanity can start embracing more of these solutions. we have plenty of solutions, we have a lot of problems, we have plenty of solutions.

So we have to start embracing the solutions. And in order to do that, we needed to come to the table with the money the funding. And so that’s what we’re trying to create a quote unquote, Bank of transformation.

So we’ve been down this path of really building a very large fund using a unique financial methodology. And now we’re supporting different projects and not just about the money.

but we have kind of an incubator type environment of cross pollination and collaboration to support them. So you know, that’s kind of what I’m doing right now. It’s really having the maximum impact.

You know, I can on the planet raising consciousness. It was really challenging for a few years. years ago, and as I said, it was never like one widget. Like, it wasn’t one thing that I had to do all my life. It was like just everything.

Yeah, it was just like learning and growing and always challenging myself. And I was always up for that. but a few years ago. Someone took advantage of us and stole money from us. But it was quite a sum of money.

But it was more than that. The ripple effect was tremendous from that. and it really created havoc in our company and our personal life. And it was just really, it was one of those curl up in a foetal position to cover. like, what are we gonna do now kind of it?

And it was really, it was very daunting just to think about dealing with it. And I remember somebody said, you know, you did, you gave it everything.

Yeah, like, why don’t you just file bankruptcy. you didn’t do anything wrong. and you don’t have to deal with. all this Fallout, you can’t file bankruptcy, and just do something else.

And it was the first time in my life that I thought, like, I feel like I really do my dream. like this is the culmination of all that meandering and doing. they’ll feel the fates, which it would be other things are great.

But this is like a really huge undertaking. this journey that we’re embarking on. And so I felt for the first time I said, Wow, this is my dream. like, what would I do?

And I never ever had that thought before. So it was really interesting. So that’s we’re doing, I got here, all that,

Pamela Bardhi
oh, my gosh, that’s just like a snippet, you guys. All of the things because Maria is out of this world. Oh, my God. So I’m gonna back it up a little bit. Because you’re just incredible. I want to know, as a young child, though. what did you want to be when you grew up?

Maria Simone
The things that I’m doing now are the things that I remember dreaming about. and thinking when I was younger, when I was young. So I admire, I always encourage people to do that. to look back at what gave them joy when they were younger.

Because when you were younger, you didn’t have all the filters and social norms. you don’t have all the other pressures that are put on you.

And so I was very creative. I’m a great producer, I organised the I can organise people. I’m a producer. I have artistic talent. I used to write , I liked writing. So all those things that I’m doing now.

So my genius is in building businesses, funding businesses, strategizing on next steps. gathering people really good at bringing people to getting the people’s solution together.

Yeah, just I don’t know. I mean, I had a dream. During COVID, it came to me that tiny homes was an agile solution for the affordable housing crisis. I didn’t know anything about tiny homes. And I mean, I liked them.

But it was a real download. like, Oh, this is a solution for what’s happening out there. And I didn’t know how to build tiny homes. but I knew enough to start working on the business plan. I know how to create the plan.

I knew all the steps that would be necessary to create a successful tiny home business. And one by one out of the blue, a friend called Friends of 20 years who asked about finance.

She goes, do you finance tiny homes? I was like, Are you kidding me? Like Shut the front door. And you just had a dream about. I started thinking about finding homes, tiny homes. and she had the same dream.

And she was in another industry, and actually was living in Arizona. and starting a tiny home company with another partner that didn’t work out. so we decided, I said, I’ll come up with you. Let’s do it.

And so we all got together and started. Now with a really successful tiny home business. It’s less than two years old. but it’s one of the fastest growing tiny home manufacturing companies in the country.

But the point is, I never, you know, you don’t have to do everything. you have to know how you don’t have to. You just have to if you get clear on what’s in your heart. what you love to do.

and really get focused on what your genius is, and stay really focused on that. And then you start attracting all the other pieces.

So I think that’s, and I was always like that. And so now I really allow that. That’s, I’m more in flow with that as an adult. So yeah, this is like little Maria.

Pamela Bardhi
I remember you saying that, like you were 11 years old. you’re putting on this production and you were charging people.

Maria Simone
We were playing. Yeah, I know, my friends. You know, we were all in the US to them. People kids in the neighbourhood. They were just playing and doing shows and things like that. to me, this was a business like, This is a production.

I was like, Oh, I can make money from this right set up. You know, we set up a stage in my girlfriend’s backyard. and you’d sell tickets and have concessions and everyone had their own number.

and I was like, wow, this is like a business like I could do this. I was 11 But guess what I’m doing like I do something like that now. So I love that stuff. I love gathering people for a common purpose and having a goal and all that so it’s good.

Pamela Bardhi
It’s so cool for me like so you mentioned you were the only Entrepreneur on your family. really that came out of that.

Maria Simone
Yeah, I think we had. I did have a cousin who was entrepreneurial. And I think he opened up, I remember he opened up a deli in New York City. But I didn’t, you know, growing up. and I’m so appreciate, you know, I’m in awe.

There’s so many role models, like I love, like just listening to you. And you had such an amazing trajectory. You know, you’re very young, and you’ve created success at a very young age. And I, which is great.

And I applaud that. And if I had had any inkling that that was possible. or if I had had any role models, or people supporting me. I think you had to demonstrate it to you, your father, my father. Yeah, exactly.

I didn’t have that at all. I was like, always against the system. Like them, I was that kind of creativity and entrepreneurship. and all that was not fostered that was mostly squashed a little bit.

So I didn’t have that. And so there was always this fear factor of going out on my own. because I, you know, it wasn’t supported. So it was a real Undertaker, I had to really work up the courage.

you know, to do that to go out on my own and do my own things. And it’s so crazy, right? Because you’re the only one stopping you. There’s no one stopping you. And it was just amazing.

And it was actually I think it helped scare me that allowed me to finally screw it. let’s just go do it. And so whatever that thing is, I believe we’re all confronted with something.

and hopefully, it’s not too loud to make a change. But yeah, so that was my thing. So not having the role models that we have now and real estate investor business building.

and, you know, going out on your own that just wasn’t done. And I was growing up in New York City. I’m from New York. I grew up in New York City. then I moved to the suburbs of Ireland.

but I went back to the New York City area to work and to go to school. and then came out west in 1990. And that’s when I really, I starte moving away. I was in the corporate world and health care. but I started getting more on the business side of it.

And then I also, at the same time I that’s when I started my own business. And so things took off from there, I don’t think I could have done it. In New York, I needed a little separation.

Family, and you know that God loved them. But they were with a completely different mindset that they’ll never forget. when I retired from my and I retired my licence.

I’m a retired pharmacist, and they didn’t understand, how could you possibly give up. a professional licence and leave a corporate job doing so? Well? I think nobody could understand that.

Pamela Bardhi
Right. Amazing. Well, that takes a lot of heart to do. I mean, like, to go parts the word is courage. Courage, heart. I mean, all of it, I think. because it’s like, you’re here in a secure place.

And you’re totally like me, being pharmacist is pretty profitable. it’s a secure job, a secure career that’s never gonna go away. And this is the struggle that most people.

like, how do you get out of that box? Especially you spent 20 years in it? and jumped into what you want to love to do. So I’d be interested to hear that.

Maria Simone
You know, I think I was getting the messages that I should. but I just so comfortable. there was so many perks and financial, all of that, like, ah, like it was.

but it was the message was getting louder, louder. And I think for some people when you start getting in claiming that something should change. if you’re in a job that you don’t love.

and there’s something else you want to do. if you’re in a relationship, that’s not healthy for you and you need to leave it. but maybe just enduring it, you know, whatever scenario you’re in. and you start having an inkling that things should change.

If you don’t pay attention, you’re gonna get a pretty loud message. So that’s when you get the health scares, or the financial scares. or something else will happen.

And it’s gonna be very dramatic and loud. And the consequences could be, who knows. so I just, I started getting those messages. my soul was like, I just felt it in my body. like, you got to do something, do something.

This isn’t right, this isn’t right. And it was just getting louder and louder. I finally said, okay, okay, I’ll do it. And I did. I remember as soon as I made the decision to go on my own, and that was huge.

Because I had never, I had never fully been on my own as an entrepreneur. As soon as I made a decision to leave my career I gave myself. I created like the six month plan.

And within six weeks, I was done. Like, wow, like, it just happened really fast. So I think as soon as you start taking those steps to make those changes. without always knowing how to start taking those steps.

then the resources and everything else.the universe will conspire to support you and give you what you want. And it’s Oh, it always happens.

You just have to take those steps and most people just don’t take those first few steps. And that’s all it is. It’s just one step and another step. truly that’s all it was.

And so I was able to create a consulting company very quickly. like overnight because I haven’t Tired, I left, I quit my job. But I almost hired myself back to my industry. just to get started.

And it was nice, I started now I was on my own. I started, I had my own revenue. and then I built out from there. then I moved on from consulting, to really starting businesses.

And then I sold the business. And I went back to consulting and created a nice platform, very nice. I’ve helped 1000s of entrepreneurs over the years. to my online trainings in person trainings, live events. things like that in business building and funding.

and I’ve raised 10s of millions of dollars and all of that. So it’s speaking author, it’s just really great doing that being part of that world helping people have their dreams.

And honestly, as a woman, I really can say I’m one of the few back then. when I started doing all that, No, one of the few women that not only had a very solid corporate career. were successful entrepreneur.

I could articulate like, I could share the steps and talk about money. and encouraging others to have the same. So I definitely, you know, feel good about that legacy. So now we’re just doing some bigger things.

Pamela Bardhi
Absolutely. I love them. And I love that you helped start all these businesses. and like it just your evolution has been so cool. When you started speaking on stages. we’re gonna get to book for sure.

Love yourself. Oh, absolutely. Sorry about that shortly. But all of it is so incredible. because not only are you focused on business. you’re also focusing on raising consciousness and raising conscious business leaders. which is a whole nother thing.

And for anybody who’s listening. I guess we can explain really what that is. because it’s kind of for some, it’s a new concept for others. Actually, for me,

Maria Simone
I will tell you, so I have a quite a spiritual awakening. when I was a young girl, I was five years old. and I was paralysed from the neck down. And it was a lot of pain.

all I could do was move my head when I had a presentation by Angel Gabriel. and he said, You’re not going to die. I thought I was miserable. I thought I had pissed God off, I did something wrong. and I was just gonna die.

That’s what I was just waiting to die. And he said, You’re not going to die. you have great things to do, get up, get up. so shortly after that, I actually thought I was moving. And I honestly have no cure.

And I definitely attribute that there was like this cellular shift in me. And from then on, I had that connection of just knowing not only that. that there were greater things for me.

but I had the connection of intuition and empathy. And really, I could feel other people and just had a different appreciation for life. As a young girl, as I got into business.

I was able to incorporate those spiritual gifts and that consciousness into my work. but back then, years ago, you didn’t talk about it just right. So people thought she’s so brilliant in business.

and in negotiations and things like that. but a lot of times, I’m just tapping into the other person. and you don’t understand. I can understand the situation more with my intuition.

I just have a different appreciation for what doing the right thing. and, you know, creating Win Win situations and collaborating more. like very conscious principles, you’re just more self aware.

and to be enlightened is really just as self aware. And it was always about the good of everyone. it was never, you know, back then business was Doggy Dog. You know, somebody’s gonna wait, something’s gonna lose.

And I never had that concept, though, consciously. I never wanted to have that. But so I always had an appreciation. you don’t, don’t screw someone else. you know, the competition doesn’t work. If I treat you well, even though you’re a competitor.

if I’m good to you. you’re gonna be good to me, if I just know law of reciprocity. and I really, actually it really was all about universal wisdom, universal law.

So you know, just held giving, if I wanted to raise. I was in the middle of a capital raise, I gave a lot. And because I knew that would always come back to me. or, you know, just all of that.

And I totally, always circulating that energy believed in that wisdom. But it was silent. I didn’t really talk about it as much. And then eventually, people were asking me, well, how does that happen?

How do you do this? How do you do that? So then I started really embracing this other side. because the truth is, your business is like 20% strategy, and 80% all the other stuff.

It’s the mindset, it’s the universal laws. all of the other unseen things that you do. Which is the head is the last thing to take action. usually figuring things out, yeah, execution.

So yeah, so now I’m really the sole money catalyst. I incorporate spiritual principles into the grounded business. you know, strategies when we create business.

When we invest in the business over creating a business. it’s always about having maximum impact and maximum profit.and to make sure that teams are aligned. they’re conscious and collaborative and all of that.

So it’s more than just making money. We look at that, and that’s what I teach as well. So it’s very important right now. I am so glad that people like you are taking up the baton. and you embrace that and yeah, making it like mainstream. It’s really

Pamela Bardhi
important. Literally, I remember so it was two years ago. I was sitting at a real estate conference and Tony Robbins was the lead speaker. And he said something that shook me to my core.

because I’ve always been a deeply spiritual person consistently. And everyone always asked me, Pam, how did you do at such a young age? And I’m like, I’m always guided, like, I just listened.

And I just keep going. That’s it. I don’t know how else to say it, except for that. I just hustled really hard. And when I prayed for something. that person that I needed would show up. the resource would show up, like, I don’t know how to really put

Maria Simone
your attention to and you recognise it. That’s how

Pamela Bardhi
I remember Tony Robbins said this one book that I was like, that shook me. And I was like, oh, like, that’s it. And then he said, business is a spiritual game. And my light bulbs went off.

I was like, This is why every successful entrepreneur, fulfilled entrepreneur that I know. is deeply spiritual behind the scenes. like there’s like so much more to business than just that.

Like, there’s all these depths to it. that it’s almost like that’s like the surface level of money is energy. And I know, he’s talking about that. It’s just amazing how you built, you built your platform.

And now you are working on basically becoming the transformation bank. right for all the other entrepreneurs and helping them build their businesses and fund their businesses.

because that’s really the biggest struggle for entrepreneurs. they have this dream, and then they’re like. But how the hell do I structure it? And how the hell do I fund it?

All we’ve got is a dream. And, and it’s hard right? To build a business. you’ve seen it all kind of from the ground, I don’t think there’s anything

Maria Simone
is confined, that’s one of the most confronting things is actually building your business. I think people that want to have the ultimate spiritual training in their life, go start a business.

Yeah, because you’re gonna learn more about you. and more about the universe and more about everyone. Yeah, when you do that, you’re gonna be confronted on all levels. and especially when it comes to the money? Absolutely.

Pamela Bardhi
Oh, my gosh, and it’s crazy. And I love that you do that, and that you’re focusing on that. And you’ve really incorporated that into your business. Like, it blows my mind.

And so incredible, he’s you were doing this at a time, we’re really this isn’t, this wasn’t a thing. I mean, it’s starting to become a thing now. Yeah, lightly, you know, like, you know, conscious capitalism. and all of these things, all these concepts, you know, that are

Maria Simone
going around it? Well, it’s been around for a long time. And I didn’t, back in 1990, I had no to 2000. I remember, I had my company name.

And then I had conscious, conscious capitalism consultant, or whatever on my card. That was like, over 20 years ago, 2023 years ago. So

Pamela Bardhi
that’s incredible. But it’s gonna take me this long to learn this debit, like, to me is amazing. It is amazing. And I think more entrepreneurs are stepping up into that realm, which is so cool.

And, you know, throughout your experience. What have you found have been some of the most successful companies or entrepreneurs? What were some of the things that they did that helped them become successful.

Maria Simone
I believe that if you one of the things I find and I used to teach us at my event. the Enlightened entrepreneur Summit. use your business as a force for good. if you start build impact into your company, always look for that.

Now, what happens is business owners, entrepreneurs have a thing. When I make a lot of money, I’m going to donate or I’m going to do this. If you look at your business, treat it as even like a nonprofit.

or the mission of a nonprofit. look at your business and every aspect of your business where you can have the maximum impact. you will do great right from the beginning.

So it’s not just about being successful in donating money. It’s like figure out, build impacted every aspect. So like have high purpose in your business. all my businesses, everything I’m involved in solves a problem.

It’s a real tangible solution for an existing problem. The tiny home company solves the affordable housing crisis. The fund that we’re building really will solve the challenge of entrepreneurs accessing capital.

Our NFT company has military grade security technology that prevents piracy and hacking. So it really creates more financial sovereignty for the creators and stuff. because they’re getting hacked and pirated all the time.

So things like that. So we always have high purpose. we don’t have time for bullshit. Businesses realise right now, if you’re just doing that to make money. you’re missing a great opportunity to serve your community serve the planet, so have high purpose.

Look at everyone you work with to figure out a way. to create prosperity for your team to encourage them to be happy and fulfilling lives. Your employees just don’t want to get a paycheck.

They have other lives outside of your life. And so we always look for ways to improve their well being on my team. Because we have endless capital because we have fun.

The people that work with us create additional income streams within our company. They have their own prosperity engine within the company. So it’s not just about paying them more money.

It’s about well what else can you do? What can we do for you. and in partnership with you to help you create additional revenue streams, something.

They can look forward to they own that piece in our tiny home company. they do vision boards together, and they have the journal in the morning. the employees before they get to work, and things like that.

So we always look at the employees. and then also get your arms around some community initiatives. like what can you do in the community, to support the community. the community will support you.

So you always want to partner up with a charity or some community initiative. because guess what, they have the mailing list, they have the voices. you know, in their platforms in their databases.

So they’re going to support you in promoting your products and services. So it’s a really, if you’re supporting them financially. and with other resources. they will support you with amplifying your message.

So there’s so many ways of looking at how to have impact, in your business. that will help lead to your success. And I think that’s really critical right now, I think every business that does that. that’s more sustainable.

It’s a more sustainable business model. because it has a self generation of resources in clients. and you know, all of that is going to be more successful. Now. That’s something I always look at whenever I’m supporting a business or starting a business.

Pamela Bardhi
That’s incredible. And have you seen many of them startup, but kind of do their thing. So

Maria Simone
yeah, it’s and then the other thing is. you could have the greatest idea on the planet. But if you have schmucky leadership, it’s not going anywhere. You know, at this point, it’s all about the team.

It’s all about the heart and soul, a team. the consciousness of a team. their ability to learn and grow and take it. be able to be coached, and to surround themselves with more people.

maybe people that know more things, have other skill sets. it’s really critical to have a great team at top, because otherwise you have a great best idea.

But if it’s not executed properly. and with the right heart and with the right consciousness. it may not go very far. So that’s really why we’re really critical of that. We’ve super focused on that.

when we’re about to make a decision on whether to partner with someone or invest or whatever. we just spend a lot of time with those people. And fortunately, I’ve been blessed to be able to go into business. with people that actually have known for a while.

I don’t think I could have done that any other way. So yeah, that’s really important to us right now the impact and the people at the helm.

And I have to love them. Love the people that you’re working with, why not? It’s like, this is your life. salutely Absolutely.

Pamela Bardhi
I love that Maria. I love that. And you recently wrote a book called Love yourself, right? Is

Maria Simone
Love Yourself rich. I love it. I love the title and love the case. And it’s not out yet, but we live in Berea three sixty.com. And sign up, we’re gonna probably do a launch this summer. there’s a sign up for notifications.

Yeah, it’s just a combination is my story. And also, you know, incorporating it’s a metaphor for rich life. You know, having a rich life. It’s a metaphor for having that type of life. I just love the word rich.

And I think that, to me, it’s not about the monetary richness, it’s like rich in all areas. also, it’s an acronym for you know. it’s a personal management system for living a life of ease and flow.

And it’s what I’ve used over the years to I applied anything. I’m doing and I’ve always been able to create success and create money. but most importantly, right now.

I noticed like the more I create, put my life in a container of love. with anything I’m doing in a container of love. And mostly self love. Things take off even faster. That way. So just I look forward to everyone reading the book. I think it’s very needed right now.

What Would Maria Older Self Tell Her Younger Self

Pamela Bardhi
I can’t wait to read it. I’m so excited for that. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. And I mean, you’ve had such an interesting thread throughout your whole lifetime. It’s been so many different dynamics and things happening throughout your lifetime.

And I’m so interested, very interesting. So interested to know. but what would your older self tell your younger self based on what you know now?

Maria Simone
Oh, yeah. So relax. Enjoy the ride. Don’t be so scared. You are Love, you have nothing to prove. Just go for it. You know, I feel like I’ve held myself back a little too much. I’ve cared too much with others’ thoughts and only to find out you’re so brilliant.

Pamela Bardhi
Yeah, knew

Maria Simone
what you were doing. You’re brilliant and just go for it. And so I’ve taken you know, I’ve learned to because I can be a little fearless.

I have gone on taking risks and things like that and it’s okay. but whatever, you know, it’s the earth hasn’t opened up to swallow me and it’s okay. It’s just go for it, so I don’t consider any.

I don’t consider myself ever failing. I’ve done a lot of you know, I always keep taking that step forward. So some people classify. they consider themselves having failures along the way.

And I’ve had a lot of learning lessons and just I pivoted and other things. I’ve never looked at having failures, everything is built upon.

It was built upon the next thing. So I think if we all take that approach wins hold ourselves back so much. It’s too bad when we all do that, and it’s not necessary.

Pamela Bardhi
Oh my God, you have coming up is so super duper duper duper exciting. So you’re launching this fund in the next leg within the next month.

Maria Simone
Yeah, well, within weeks,this is something that has been years in the making. And we’re so excited about it. And so we wanted to create. we’re doing a lot of innovative disruptive things out there in business and different systems.

So as we were building our fun. we started using the old paradigms of building the fund. from multiple sources, and then deploy the capital. And we’re like, no, if we’re going to innovate, let’s totally innovate.

Now. I think that whole venture capital model of fundraising, for businesses, even for philanthropy is kind of broken. because it’s still very competitive. you’re taking money from other places and moving it around.

And so to me, it lends itself to more scarcity thinking. and it’s not as abundant, feel competitive. So the question we ask ourselves is. Where is money stuck on the planet? Like, where is their money? Not in circulation?

Like, what? How can we liberate it, and that’s what we wanted to put into circulation. And so we’ve tapped into restricted stock. it’s called rule 144, restricted stock.

And so we have a methodology where these are wealthy shareholders or affiliates. shareholders of companies that they’ve taken public. they’re the founders of public companies, major shareholders, investors, Board of Directors members.

but they are considered affiliates, they have large amount of stock. And I don’t try to send that correctly. Anyway, they have a lot of stock. so they are restricted as to how much the stock they can sell every year.

And so it’s very daunting when you’re sitting on. you know, millions and millions of shares of stock. it may take upwards of 20 years to liquidate a portfolio. and you don’t know if the value of the company will maintain that. Exactly. That value.

So it’s you know, it’s they’re always looking for ways to do something with the stock. so what they can do with us is they can actually exchange their stock into our ppm. and we give offered them a lot of protections and distributions. and it’s a win win.

but we have the ability to cash it out. and then deploy it until the projects and things like that. So it’s a resequencing of existing steps. It hasn’t been done before the way we’re doing it.

And you know, if you’re restricted stock holder and thinking. Oh, this is already out there, nope. that’s not like, seriously, this is 20 years in the making.

We’ve been working on it ourselves. refining it with our partners for the last four years. we weren’t part of it for 20 years. our partner created this and worked on it as refined it all these years.

And we’re taking it across the finish line these past few years. But it’s taken years, for even us working on this. So we’re excited.

Pamela Bardhi
when you finally see that dream come to fruition, it’s like,

Maria Simone
oh, yeah, it represents this is a $7 trillion. or capital that’s not in circulation. It’s a living right now with a tea. Yeah, it’s huge. So it’s a cafe with a couple of other companies that have been, you know, really.

since the Great Depression, this rule, the securities law, came into effect. after the depression because of all our dumping and all that. And so since then, this is to protect the consumer.

the average person and their investments. but it’s, it’s created a bag. there’s so many companies that have gone public. and it’s a $7 trillion source of capital.

And we understand why it’s in place. but we’re trying to see if we can. we want to work with it in a different way. So what that means is, this is a replicatable process.

And now we can put more money back in circulation for investing in projects and for philanthropy. and for other really cool causes. So I think we’re excited. So doubling light

Pamela Bardhi
At the end of the tunnel is here, and we are rocking and rolling. Oh my god, I’m just so excited for you. I honestly just like can’t wait to see it launch.

And just because I know there’s so many things coming behind the scenes for you. that you guys will find out about later. And this time, but I’m just so excited for you around like oh my gosh.

you’re so inspiring and incredible. So I’m sure everyone who’s been listening wants to know where to find you and your awesomeness. You mentioned

Maria Simone
Maria three sixty.com Has all our links to different companies. you can sign up for the book release. Please do that and reach out .you can contact us we have other financing sources as well.

Yeah, you know, our company offers business lines of credit and some other things. So anything to do with financing your business. we’re happy to to share some information with you about that. So just reach out

Pamela Bardhi
amazing. thank you so much for being here today and your incredible story. like all the incredible things you’re doing for the world. I can’t wait to see this fun fully launch. and all the beautiful things that are coming along with her so

Maria Simone
thank you.

Pamela Bardhi
So that’s it for today’s episode of underdog catches. Next week, always dropping on Thursdays. And remember, if you’re interested in real estate. or want to learn how to create more money and magic in your life. check out meet with pamela.com and let’s chat sending you so so much love.

 

Tune in to the episode to hear the rest of my incredible interview with Maria Simone. If you found this story worth your time and made changes in your life, we’d love to hear from you! Subscribe and leave a review. The Underdog Podcast host is none other than Pamela Bardhi. She’s rocking the Real Estate Realm and has dedicated her life as a Life Coach. She is also Forbes Real Estate Council. To know more about Pam, check out the following:

If you’re interested in elevating your life 10x, and owning your power, Pamela invites you to join her for a 15-minute call to set your goals straight and get clarity. Start building your game plan now: meetwithpamela.com