Today’s guest has an amazing story. This woman has worked for some of the biggest names on Wall Street. Cynthia DiBartolo‘s resume consists of jobs at Bear Sterns, Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney and Citibank. She also has her law degree from the Villanova University School of Law.

In 2009, while working for Citibank, Cynthia was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. After undergoing extensive surgery, she was left unable to eat or speak. Her colleagues at Citibank feared people wouldn’t have the patience to communicate with her, so she took a leave of absence. During this time she applied to FINRA and the SEC and felt empowered to start her own company for the next chapter, Tigress Financial Partners. Cynthia was inspired by ‘Tigress’ because it meant strong female. Her firm is a woman owned and operated service that provides research, corporate and executive services, asset management, sales and trading, wealth management and investment banking services. She also serves as the Chair of Greater New York Chamber of Commerce.

In our conversation with Cynthia, we learn about how she climbed the Wall Street ladder in the 1980’s when the so called ‘glass ceiling’ was actually a really thick brick ceiling. We talk about her devastating personal complication in 2009, and how did she find the strength to bounce back even higher? And why, today, she describes herself, her approach to money, as a conscious capitalist. So, what does that mean exactly?