Podcast #75: Jean Smart of Penelope

On today’s episode, I sat down with Jean Smart, Founder & CEO of Penelope.

Penelope is the retirement savings platform for small businesses & entrepreneurs. Small is the key term; Penelope focuses on the smallest of the small businesses.

Penelope currently serves companies that have no more than 15 employees. A lot of these small firms are local mom-and-pop shops. One of the biggest barriers these companies face is finding and retaining talent.

Penelope offers them a chance to compete. Retirement accounts are one of the top asks from prospective employees. Having the chance to offer retirement savings helps level the playing field.

Jean and I discussed her journey to Penelope, her family’s immigrant journey, how Penelope designs content & education, do-it-yourself investing apps, risky asset classes like crypto, raising capital, and much more.

Episode highlights include:

• Jean’s professional journey to Penelope
• The biggest barriers SMBs face in trying to offer benefits 
• Lessons learned from Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and others
• Language and education barriers
• Financial inclusion
• Changing the perception of SMBs
• Crypto
• Raising Capital
• And much more

Connect with Jean on LinkedIn

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968820/11879773-pitchit-podcast-75-jean-smart-founder-ceo-penelope.mp3?download=true