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Before COVID-19 forced everyone to take a microscopic look at their finances \\u2014 Leigh Phillips was helping Americans save.\\xa0

As unemployment claims skyrocket, it\\u2019s clear just how fragile Americans\\u2019 personal finances are. Roughly 40 percent of Americans don\\u2019t have an emergency fund of even $400.\\xa0

So how can anyone think of retirement savings when the day-to-day budget is already a struggle? Enter Leigh Phillips and her nonprofit SaverLife.

Starting in local government, Phillips served as director for the office of financial empowerment in San Francisco, spearheading programs for the \\u201cunbanked\\u201d like \\u201cBank on San Francisco,\\u201d which has taken off nationwide.\\xa0

Phillips also oversaw the implementation of the nation\\u2019s first publicly funded universal children\\u2019s savings program, through which 100 percent of public school elementary students have a college-savings account in their name.

Now, as CEO of SaverLife \\u2014 a nonprofit organization whose mission is to establish savings habits and incentives for the under-served and for employers \\u2014 Phillips continues to try to improve the financial lives of people everywhere.\\xa0

On this episode of SheVentures, listen as Phillips discusses the systemic setbacks many face, the spirals of poverty, challenging yourself to pivot careers, and so much more.