Purse Strings

What Purse Strings does

Purse Strings, LLC is a woman-focused financial education and professional-vetting platform headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois. The company connects women across all 50 U.S. states with vetted financial professionals (financial advisors, attorneys, bookkeepers, mediators, money coaches, business coaches, real estate agents, and insurance specialists covering 20+ specializations) through a curated, searchable directory filterable by state, investment range, client focus, and life stage. The platform also publishes educational content including the long-running 'Women & Money: The Shit We Don't Talk About' podcast, free downloadable guides and worksheets (e.g., Financial Foundations for Women eBook, Divorce Prep Checklist, 8 Savvy Ways Women Invest), a blog resource library, and recurring 'Money Talks' virtual events with Q&A between women and vetted professionals. Co-founded by Barbara Provost (EdD) and Maggie Nielsen (MBA) as a mother-daughter duo, the company was founded in 2015 and operates with 1-10 employees.

The underlying technology is a content management system plus community/directory platform with a self-serve search interface and faceted filters for geographic and demographic matching. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the company website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube), email newsletter, and virtual events, with earned-media placement in outlets including MarketWatch, Fox, Yahoo Finance, Morning Star, Benzinga, and San Diego Union Tribune. The professional supply side is governed by a documented 5-step vetting process (1:1 consultation, work review, commitment check, BrokerCheck credential verification, and network invitation).

The business model is two-sided with monetization concentrated on the supply side. Consumer access — directory search, educational content, podcast, guides, and Money Talks workshops — is free. Financial professionals pay to join the 'Purse Strings Approved' network at $83/month or a $996 annual one-payment plan, with a minimum one-year commitment, in exchange for directory listing, promotional endorsement, and access to the female audience. No disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors are reported. The company is a bootstrapped, founder-owned LLC with no public ticker, no acquisitions, no licensing or certification frameworks, and no patents disclosed in the source data.

Name

Purse Strings

Legal name

Purse Strings, LLC

Website

https://pursestrings.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Purse Strings operates a vetted financial-professional directory and educational content platform (podcast, guides, virtual Money Talks workshops) serving women across all 50 U.S. states. The company monetizes exclusively through subscription memberships paid by listed financial professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Grayslake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Membership Fees: Financial professionals pay a membership fee to join the Purse Strings Approved Professional network. The fee provides networking opportunities, promotional exposure to the female market, and access to Purse Strings' community of women. Professionals are vetted before joining.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Purse Strings operates a women-focused financial education and professional referral platform. Its core product is the Purse Strings Approved Professionals Directory — a curated, nationwide directory of vetted financial professionals (advisors, attorneys, bookkeepers, mediators, coaches, real estate agents, insurance specialists) who specialize in serving women's financial needs. The platform is supplemented by a podcast, virtual Money Talks events, free educational guides, and a paid professional membership program ($83/month or $996/year) that gives financial practitioners directory listing and access to a community of women.

Product overview

Purse Strings is a women-focused financial platform that connects women with vetted financial professionals through its core Purse Strings Approved Professionals Directory. The platform offers a multi-channel approach including the 'Women & Money: The Shit We Don't Talk About' podcast, the free Money Talks virtual workshop series, and a professional membership program (Purse Strings Pro) for financial professionals seeking directory listing. The ecosystem also includes free educational resources including the Financial Foundations for Women eBook and various downloadable guides. The company operates as a Mother-Daughter duo (Barbara Provost and Maggie Nielsen) headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois, serving women across all 50 U.S. states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Purse Strings Approved: The vetting and certification program for financial professionals in the Purse Strings network.

Products and services

• Purse Strings Approved Professionals Directory A nationwide curated directory of vetted financial professionals — including financial advisors, attorneys, bookkeepers, mediators, money coaches, business coaches, real estate agents, and insurance specialists — searchable by category, U.S. state, investment range, and client focus. Designed for women seeking professionals with verified expertise in serving women's financial needs.
• Women & Money: The Shit We Don't Talk About Podcast A podcast featuring conversations with financial experts and thought leaders on women's financial topics including divorce, investing, wealth building, fertility, career transitions, and financial independence. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.
• Money Talks Virtual Workshop A free virtual workshop series covering financial topics relevant to women, featuring expert guest speakers and interactive Q&A sessions where women can ask financial professionals questions directly.
• Purse Strings Pro Membership A paid professional membership program ($83/month or $996/year with a minimum one-year commitment) for financial professionals. Members are listed as Purse Strings Approved Professionals in the directory, receive promotional endorsement on the platform, gain access to the professional network, and may attend training workshops. Includes a 24-hour cancellation window after purchase.
• Reach, Engage and Earn Live Workshop A hybrid workshop for financial professionals who want to join the Purse Strings Approved network, teaching them how to reach, engage, and earn by serving the women's market. Serves as both training and an on-ramp into the Pro Membership.
• Financial Foundations for Women eBook A free downloadable eBook providing foundational financial education for women, covering topics such as budgeting, investing, and financial planning.
• Free Downloads Resource Library A library of free downloadable resources for women, including the "8 Savvy Ways Women Invest" guide, Divorce Prep Checklist, "Where is My Money Going" worksheet, and Family Emergency Binder template.

Quantifiable outcome

• Financial professionals can reach engaged female clients through a curated network

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Purse Strings Approved ProfessionalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of vetted financial professionals (advisors, attorneys, bookkeepers, mediators, coaches, real estate agents, insurance specialists) who pay membership fees for promotional endorsement and access to the female client market. Professionals are vetted through a 5-step approval process including BrokerCheck verification.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zoe Financial: Online matching platform that connects consumers with vetted financial advisors. Comparable in curating an approved professional directory, though not women-specific.
• HerMoney: Media and education platform focused on women's personal finance, offering podcasts, courses, and content. Directly comparable to Purse Strings' women-focused financial education and community approach.
• Ellevest: Digital investing and financial planning platform built specifically for women. Targets the same underserved women-investor audience with a more product-led (investing/wealth) offering versus Purse Strings' directory-led model.
• Worth Financial Planning: Financial planning platform tailored for women, providing advisor matching and financial guidance. Closely comparable in mission and in routing women to vetted planners.
• Wealthramp: Advisor matching service that connects consumers with vetted fiduciary financial planners. Operates the same curated-directory model as Purse Strings but for a general audience.
• Harness Wealth: Platform connecting high-earners and professionals with vetted financial advisors. Comparable curated advisor directory with a tech-enabled matching experience.

Broad incumbents

• XY Planning Network: Network of fee-only financial advisors serving Gen X and Gen Y, with a membership model for planners. Comparable as a competing professional membership community and the largest established player in this curated-network category.
• Facet Wealth: Tech-enabled financial planning firm offering flat-fee advice directly to consumers. Adjacent competitor for the consumer end of Purse Strings' funnel, with overlapping planning categories.
• Stash: Consumer investing and financial education platform targeting first-time and emerging investors. Comparable in financial-education mission and content-led acquisition, though not women-specific.

Emerging players

• Zeta: Financial planning app for couples and families with joint accounts, budgeting, and advisor access. Overlaps on the life-transition and household-financial-planning audience Purse Strings addresses.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pursestringsco
• Facebookfacebook.com/pursestringsco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pursestrings
• Instagraminstagram.com/pursestringsco
• TikToktiktok.com/@pursestringsco
• Xx.com/PurseStringsCo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Purse Strings