I’m a born and raised Dominican American Jersey girl. I grew up in a traditional Dominican household where fruit and flamboyant tree paintings graced the walls, Café Bustelo was the only coffee made in a Greca (stovetop espresso maker), and Platanos and a Pilon were necessary for cooking almost every meal. Spanish was a required language, not optional, and my mother was the queen of the house - it was her way or no way at all. School was never a choice; it was mandatory and good grades were expected. And by good my parents meant higher than an A. Throughout the years, I’ve seen my Welita (grandmother), Mami, Nina (Aunt), and Tio Caesar work hard through education and work to better my family’s life.

Now, after completing my undergrad and MBA (Master of Business Administration) and Adulting I’ve learned things are different from back in the day. We work harder and longer, education is now a requirement (and an advanced degree is preferred), money was limited, but provided, and now money is one of the most exploited topics of my generation.

Growing up with a Mami that has worked in the financial industry all my life, I’ve grown to have a keen affinity for personal finance. Paying off my undergrad student loans within a year after graduating, of course with much sacrifice and help from my family, only to accumulate more student loans obtaining my MBA, I understand managing money is not as easy as one may think, especially for us millennials.

However, I found there is refuge in understanding your personal financial goals and being committed to attaining them. This is how my passion to help others design their own fortune came into fruition.  Because "us" new generations operate completely differently than our parents and grandparents. 

In addition, I found there is more to life than just worrying about finances. Investments in leadership development, quality life decisions, and motivation are integral parts of our financial capacity to help us achieve greater success.