Podcast
The Important Part: Investing with Liz Thomas
Hosted by SoFi · EN
Every investment is a high-stakes decision made without certainty. How do the world's most successful investors and business leaders navigate risk, tolerate failure, and stay agile when everything changes? And what can be learned from their insights?
Liz Thomas, SoFi's Chief Market Strategist, sits down with influential leaders to unpack the pivotal decisions that shaped their careers and portfolios, and wade through the noise to get to the important part. Liz speaks with top voices in finance, business, academia, and media armed with knowledge to help listeners achieve their financial goals. Investing isn't just about picking stocks. It's about defining your relationship with risk, learning from failure, and staying resilient.
For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday on SoFi’s website, sign up for On the Money, SoFi's financial literacy newsletter, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat.
This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal.
©2025 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
31episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Investing and Risk: What You Need To Know in Today’s Market
5d ago00:50:29Summary readyWar, inflation, and AI are converging to create a high risk moment in the market. But in this bull market, many are seeing high returns. On this episode, Shannon Saccocia, Chief Investment Officer for Neuberger Berman, sits down with SoFi’s Chief Market Strategist Liz Thomas to discuss where the big risks are, how they’re shifting, and what investors can look out for to manage their exposure. They discuss how America and China’s different approaches to AI build-out will shape the market going forward, the search for the next Mag 7, and how investors should think about investing in this maturing market. This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Subscribe to The Important Part for smarter conversations about markets, investing and the forces shaping your financial future. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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How to Research Stocks and Build a Portfolio
2w ago00:43:22Summary readyPicking individual stocks has never been easier. Figuring out how to evaluate them is another story. Stephanie Link, Chief Investment Strategist, Head of Investment Solutions, and Equity Portfolio Manager at Hightower Advisors, joins Liz Thomas to explain her approach to researching stocks and constructing a portfolio amid a noisy and sometimes volatile market. Link discusses how investors can begin evaluating opportunities and how dollar-cost averaging may fit into a longer-term strategy. She also explains how she distinguishes long-term potential from short-term momentum, with an emphasis on company quality and understanding the underlying business rather than reacting to headlines. This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The Spending Paradox: Why Americans Are Still Opening Their Wallets
3w ago00:37:19Summary readyAmericans say they feel bad about the economy. Their spending tells a different story. Michelle Meyer, Chief Economist at Mastercard and head of the Mastercard Economics Institute, joins Liz Thomas to share her perspective on what Mastercard is seeing in real-time spending data. The episode looks at why consumer sentiment has stayed weak even as spending has held up. Meyer says the data shows consumers are still buying, but the easy spending environment has changed. Higher prices have made people more selective. That puts more pressure on companies that once had more room to pass costs through. The conversation uses travel as one example of the gap between mood and behavior. And also looks at how spending behavior is changing beneath the headline numbers, from online returns to the way people research purchases before they buy. This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Subscribe to The Important Part for smarter conversations about markets, investing and the forces shaping your financial future. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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What It Means to Be a Future Rich Person, According to Mrs. Dow Jones
4w ago00:34:35Summary ready“Future rich person” is not about getting rich overnight. For Haley Sacks, a.k.a. Mrs. Dow Jones, it is about learning how money works early enough to give yourself more choices later. On this week’s episode, Haley sits down with Liz to talk about the money habits that can quietly change someone’s financial life, from investing earlier to negotiating with more confidence at work. She also explains why she tells people to keep a “wins folder,” and why speaking up for yourself is part of taking your financial life seriously. Haley and Liz also get into the money stories women grew up watching on TV, where the cool girl was usually overspending, under-earning, or pretending money did not matter. Haley wants to replace that archetype with something different: women who are financially confident, independent, and proud to build wealth on their own terms. This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Subscribe to The Important Part for smarter conversations about markets, investing and the forces shaping your financial future. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Should Investors Befriend the AI Bubble? Lessons From the Dot-Com Era
Jul 800:48:33Summary readyToday’s bull market just keeps building with stock indexes reaching record highs, AI buildout booming, and blockbuster IPOs smashing records. It’s giving the ‘90s… and we know how that ended. On this episode of The Important Part: Investing with Liz Thomas, Dan Greenhaus, Chief Strategist at Solus Alternative Asset Management, takes us back in time to understand the years of build up before the Dot-Com crash and what we can learn from that history today. Dan also shares his perspective on the unbridled enthusiasm in the market, how the explosion of AI is similar to and different from the Dot-Com era, and the potential opportunities lost when investors assume a burst is coming. No one will ring a bell at the top, so how do you befriend the bubble? This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Subscribe to The Important Part for smarter conversations about markets, investing and the forces shaping your financial future. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The GLP-1 Economy: How New Prescriptions Are Reshaping Markets
Jul 100:43:07Summary readyAbout one in eight U.S. adults say they take a GLP-1 drug, according to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation. And that raises a number of questions for investors. As use of drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound grows, the effects are moving far beyond healthcare and into the way people eat, shop, and spend. In this episode of The Important Part, Liz Thomas sits down with Caleb Silver, editor-in-chief of Investopedia and Chief Business Editor at People Inc., to examine the rise of the “GLP-1 economy.” Together, they explore how changing consumer behavior could affect food companies, restaurants, apparel, travel, home appliances, telehealth, and the pharmaceutical industry. Liz and Caleb also discuss where new demand may emerge, which established businesses could face pressure, and what investors should watch as the GLP-1 market continues to develop. Can major brands adapt quickly enough, or will a new group of companies be built around this changing consumer? This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment or medical advice. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Wearable Tech Is a $90 Billion Market. Are Investors Still Early?
Jun 2400:38:57Summary readyWearables have gone from counting steps to tracking sleep, recovery, heart health, and more. But the bigger story may be what all that data makes possible next. In this episode of The Important Part, Liz Thomas sits down with Craig Shapiro, CEO of Collaborative Fund and an early investor in WHOOP, to discuss why he believes wearable technology is still in its infancy. Using WHOOP’s rise from a niche product for elite athletes to a company valued at more than $10 billion as a case study, Craig shares his perspective on how he spots consumer behaviors before they become mainstream. The conversation explores what happens as people gain more access to their own health data, why the technology itself may eventually fade into the background, and how that shift could create entirely new products and industries. Craig also shares the “villain test” he uses when evaluating companies and gets candid about why some strange ideas take off while others, including cricket-protein bars, never catch on. Subscribe to The Important Part for smarter conversations about markets, investing and the forces shaping your financial future. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Space Investor
Jun 1700:54:54Summary readySpaceX launched as the biggest IPO in history last week, officially igniting the space economy. But what exactly is the space economy? Is it about astronauts and space stations? Exploration and research? Infrastructure and defense? Morgan Brennan, anchor of CNBC’s Morning Call and host of the podcast Manifest Space, says it’s all of the above and so much more. On this episode of The Important Part: Investing with Liz Thomas, Liz and Morgan discuss how this historic IPO will transform the market and upcoming highly anticipated public offerings. Morgan emphasizes long term mindset investors will need to go in on space – think decades and generations, not months and years. Morgan also breaks down how the private sector has transformed space exploration, how innovation happening in low earth orbit is changing lives today, and how all Elon Musk’s companies are building towards the grand vision of putting a million humans on Mars. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
SummaryThe Important Part with Liz Thomas | Investing, Markets, and Your Money Explained
Jun 1500:00:51Summary readyThis market can be hard to read unless you understand what is actually driving it. On The Important Part, SoFi’s Chief Market Strategist Liz Thomas talks with the folks thinking through markets in real time — from where capital is moving to what is driving returns. Subscribe to The Important Part from SoFi for smarter conversations about your money.
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No Energy? No AI
Jun 1000:47:34Summary readyEnergy has quickly become one of the biggest market stories of 2026 and its impact is spreading beyond gas prices. In this episode of The Important Part: Investing with Liz Thomas, Liz sits down with DrivePath Advisors energy specialist and former Bloomberg anchor Alix Steel to unpack the ripple effects of the global energy shock that’s reshaping everything from inflation and AI to geopolitics and supply chains. Steel explains why the market may still be underestimating the long-term consequences of disruptions in the Middle East, how energy insecurity is forcing countries and companies to rethink the way they operate, and why the next phase of the AI boom could depend less on chips and more on infrastructure. The pair also discuss why oil prices have behaved so strangely during this volatile period, what investors are missing about renewables, and what the next phase of this sector has in store. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Additional resources: On The Money: Sign up for SoFi's newsletter for intel, insights, and inspo to help you get your money right. Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2026 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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