How a Single Mom Built a Profitable Fintech in Cannabis with Aubrey Amatelli
Description
What does it take to leave a decade-long career at JP Morgan and build a profitable fintech startup in one of the most stigmatized industries in America, Cannabis?
In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., host Sonia Couto sits down with Aubrey Amatelli, founder and CEO of PayRio, the first payment provider focused exclusively on cannabis and alternative medicines.
Aubrey shares her journey from the stability of corporate banking to the chaos of startup life, all while raising three kids as a single mom. She opens up about:
- Leaving JP Morgan to launch a cannabis fintech from scratch
- Turning stigma into strategy in an underbanked industry
- Hitting profitability in under 12 months, self-funded
- Balancing motherhood, burnout, and leadership in a male-dominated space
- How one platform crash reshaped her entire approach to resilience
This conversation is a masterclass in tenacity, purpose-driven leadership, and building credibility when the system isn’t built for you.
🎧 Listen if you’re a founder breaking barriers, rebuilding after setbacks, or redefining success in a stigmatized industry.
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