To Grit With Grace: Season 1

98% of the time, we know the paper version of our colleagues.

We see the resume version: their schools, their jobs, their carefully curated online profiles. We witness the veneer that they share with the world ― the same veneer we all concoct as a kind of modern survival method. 98% of the time, we don't have the time or the emotional bandwidth to get to know the person behind the curtain, the person that struggles, hurts, and sometimes has a hard time getting through the day.

Randy Kaufman and producer Dustin Lowman developed the podcast, "To Grit with Grace," to illuminate the hardship ― often near-fatal ― that underlies most highly successful individuals. In pared-down, curated episodes, "To Grit, with Grace" shares stories of adversity and perseverance ― grit and grace ― that have defined and shaped my guests' lives. Each episode serves as a jolt of inspiration for people negotiating this chaotic world.

In 2021, they produced nine episodes. "To Grit with Grace, Season 1" contains transcripts of each, curated with images and some commentary from Randy and Dustin.

Randy Kaufman is the managing partner of Aker Advisors, LLC. Prior to Aker Advisors, Randy was a Senior Vice President at EMM Wealth and a Partner at Cerity Partners. Her expertise includes estate and income tax planning, pre-deal planning, multi-generational issues, impact investing, and philanthropy.

Previously, she worked at Evercore Wealth Management as a Wealth Advisor, and at Federal Street Advisors, where she managed the firm's Family Office Services. Randy also spent seven years at LongVue Advisors, a multi-family office that she co-founded, and six years with Fleet Bank and its predecessor, BankBoston, where she was the founder and managing director of the Wealth Strategies Group in Fleet Bank's Private Client Group. Before becoming a wealth adviser in 1998, Randy held various investment banking and tax structuring positions at J.P. Morgan and practiced corporate tax law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

She has been a featured speaker over the years on numerous topics, including behavioral finance and philanthropy, the integration of business and personal issues, and estate planning strategies. Randy is the Past President of the New York City Estate Planning Council and a senior adviser to the Wealth and Giving Forum. She also serves on the Board of Advisors for Indego Africa and Acumen.

Previously, she was a trainer for the Redwoods Initiative, which provides next-gen financial literacy educational programs, served on the advisory board of the Naomi-Berrie Diabetes Center, and was a member of the Jewish National Fund's Sapphire Society and the board of governors for Opportunity International. Randy is also a certified 21/64 Trainer, having received specialized training in how to engage the next generation of philanthropists. Randy received her Bachelor's degree from Middlebury College and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago.