Episode 045
Can your inner work actually fuel your professional growth? Alice Tang welcomes Ivana Polonijo, founder of Courageous Being, to explore the intersection of conscious leadership and financial independence. Ivana shares a deeply personal look at her 15-year journey to a million-dollar net worth, revealing how she had to “bust” inherited beliefs about what was possible. From her early years as an immigrant to her time in the financial services industry, Ivana explains why money is a living expression of energy that rewards authenticity. Learn why humanizing business is the ultimate strategy for success in the age of AI.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Ivana Polonijo
"Money is energy and energy is everything. I see money as a living being that likes to have experiences. It likes to move."
[00:00:00]
Welcome to Women’s Million Dollar Conversations with Alice Tang, where we share stories from successful businesswomen who have saved, earned, or sold over a million dollars, and discuss how they built their success and insights to help you achieve your goals. Now let’s join the conversation.
[00:00:35]
Alice Tang: Good morning, everyone. I am Alice Tang, the host of Women’s Million Dollar Conversations. Today, I am sitting in front of a good friend, an entrepreneur, and a mastermind of inner work — Ivana Polonijo. Ivana, could you tell us about yourself and your business before we dive into questions about money?
[00:00:58]
Alice Tang: Ivana, could you tell us about you and your business?
[00:01:02]
Ivana Polonijo: Thank you, Alice. It’s wonderful to be here with you and share this moment in the sacred space you’ve created for women to have conversations about important topics. One of the things you’ve taught me over the years is to show up authentically…
[00:01:19]
Ivana Polonijo: We met through the retirement services industry, and you encouraged me to keep being who I really am. That truth is now expressed through my company, Courageous Being, a conscious leadership center dedicated to empowering women and men — women+ — to embody their magnificence and humanize the world of business.
[00:02:27]
Ivana Polonijo: Business works better when people are allowed to be whole — mental, emotional, spiritual — especially in the age of AI. Courageous Being creates space for authentic voices where they are often overlooked.
[00:03:02]
Alice Tang: What is your value of money?
[00:03:06]
Ivana Polonijo: I see money as an expression of energy. Money is energy, and energy wants to move. Sometimes it needs to rest and grow, sometimes it wants to create. When I treat money as a living force, its value becomes clear.
[00:03:44]
Ivana Polonijo: Money enables experiences — security, joy, and time. As an immigrant, financial freedom was essential. Money supports my family, fuels growth, and allows me to share opportunities with others.
[00:05:03]
Alice Tang: What is your first memory of money?
[00:05:07]
Ivana Polonijo: One of my most defining memories was watching my grandparents in Croatia lose all their retirement savings during the civil war. They did everything right, rebuilt their lives after World War II, and lost everything overnight.
[00:06:17]
Ivana Polonijo: Witnessing that grounded me early in the realities of financial insecurity and the tangible and intangible power of money.
[00:06:57]
Alice Tang: How long did it take you to get to your first million?
[00:07:02]
Ivana Polonijo: I haven’t yet made a million in revenue, and I’d love to come back when that happens. But I have saved a million dollars through disciplined planning and belief work over about 15 years.
[00:07:31]
Ivana Polonijo: That required breaking beliefs about what’s possible and redefining wealth. It allowed me to invest in my business while standing on the shoulders of my ancestors.
[00:08:35]
Alice Tang: What was the biggest challenge, hurdle, or bias you faced along the way?
[00:08:41]
Ivana Polonijo: As a female immigrant in a male-dominated financial services industry, I faced gender, cultural, and career-path biases. I’m often labeled “woo” or “touchy-feely,” even when those traits are strengths.
[00:09:52]
Ivana Polonijo: Rather than being discouraged, I use these biases as opportunities to highlight my unique perspective, practice compassion, and model resilience.
[00:11:00]
Alice Tang: When you’re making a big decision, how do you approach it?
[00:11:05]
Ivana Polonijo: I use a process that blends nervous system regulation, embodiment, intuition, and mentorship. I must be calm and present in my body to hear my inner guidance.
[00:12:25]
Ivana Polonijo: I start with my internal GPS, then consult trusted mentors. This balance of intuition and support leads to better outcomes and more aligned decisions.
[00:13:36]
Alice Tang: What is your best advice for women who are looking up to you?
[00:13:41]
Ivana Polonijo: Own your story fully, then detach from the narrative. Everything you’ve experienced has prepared you. Be present in the moment and ask how past experiences serve you now.
[00:15:35]
Ivana Polonijo: Detachment brings freedom. It allows us to plan, dream, and act without being controlled by outcomes.
[00:16:13]
Alice Tang: Is there a book you would recommend?
[00:16:17]
Ivana Polonijo: I recommend The Source by neuroscientist Dr. Tara Swart. It explains how mind, body, and energy work together to create the life we want in accessible language.
[00:16:51]
Alice Tang: What is your money legacy?
[00:16:56]
Ivana Polonijo: My money legacy is independence, purpose, and community support. I wish I had embraced conscious leadership and inner work earlier as part of professional growth.
[00:17:27]
Ivana Polonijo: Wealth includes personal growth. I hope my transparency around money helps others navigate financial challenges with confidence and ease.
[00:18:42]
Alice Tang: What are you grateful for?
[00:18:46]
Ivana Polonijo: I’m grateful for courageous beings like you, Alice, who create safe spaces for conversations about money, emotions, and leadership. This work is changing culture.
[00:19:23]
Alice Tang: Thank you, Ivana, for sharing your wisdom and courage with our audience.
[00:19:30]
Ivana Polonijo: Thank you, Alice.
Ivana Polonijo, Ph.D. is the Founder and Chief Solutions Officer of Courageous Being, a conscious leadership center dedicated to helping women+ and male allies humanize the workplace and navigate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through embodied, values-driven leadership. Courageous Being focuses on developing four core skill areas—physical, emotional, mindful, and energetic—to support confident decision-making, healthier work environments, and sustainable business results.
Ivana brings together a Ph.D. in anthropology, 15+ years of executive experience in finance and nonprofit governance, and advanced inner-work facilitation training to help leaders cultivate clarity, resilience, and empowered calm. Her work is grounded in both lived experience and professional expertise, shaped by early advocacy, immigration, single parenthood, and the demands of corporate leadership.
Before founding Courageous Being, Ivana built a distinguished career in the retirement services industry. She most recently served as Chief Client Officer at Fiduciary Decisions, leading client success and operations teams serving many of the industry’s largest 401(k) providers. Prior to that, she spent a decade at M Financial, overseeing retirement services for more than 60 independent advisor firms and serving as a Compliance Officer.
Ivana serves on the national board of WIPN, advancing equity for women in the retirement industry, and on the board of ZanaAfrica, supporting adolescent girls in Kenya. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Zagreb and her M.A. from York University.