Hi, and welcome to my Substack! I’m so glad you’re here. For those of you who are new to Fortune Inspired, I thought I’d start by sharing a little bit (or maybe a lot...everything is relative!) about myself.
I’m 51 years old, a mother of three, and a grandmother of two. I was born in Brooklyn and raised on the Jersey Shore. I attended NYU, majored in communications, and got married three weeks after I graduated. People often ask if I met my husband in college - we didn’t. We met through mutual friends when I was 19.
I’ve been living in the city for almost 30 years and spend summers on the Jersey Shore. I probably sound like a broken record by now, but as much as I love the city, I’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart.
After graduating, I worked for Mode magazine, a fashion publication focused on sizes 12+. “Style beyond size”. After about a year and a half at Mode, I returned to school to pursue my master’s degree in sociology at NYU. However, while enrolled, 9/11 occurred. I was newly pregnant, and ultimately, decided to drop out.
Between the ages of 24 and 35, I was a stay-at-home mom, aka CEO of the household. During this time, I volunteered at my children’s school and became involved in several charities. I also took various courses, including journalism and handbag design, earned my real estate license, and yes, even my bartending license.
Once my children were in school full-time, I began working with a life coach. People are often curious about the difference between a life coach and a therapist. In my experience, a life coach is more goal-oriented, while a therapist helps you understand behavioral patterns, how childhood can shape them, and how those patterns influence the decisions we make as adults. Therapists also share tools to help navigate challenges and become the best version of yourself. I’ve dealt with anxiety for most of my life, so my weekly sessions have been incredibly important to my mental health.
Back to my life coach; while I haven’t worked with one in over 10 years, mine helped me narrow down five different career paths. Ultimately, after a lot of hard work and due diligence on what each path entailed, I chose to become a stylist. How I became a stylist is a post all on its own, but it was a fun ride.
While I was a stylist, my life coach recommended I start a blog, and voilà, 12 years later, here I am!
In addition to being a content creator, I host shopping events for fashion and beauty brands, including Michael Kors, Net-a-Porter, and Nili Lotan. Travel is also a true passion of mine and a space I’d love to grow in. I’ve had the pleasure of teaming up with hospitality partners like Auberge (Primland in Virginia)and Italy’s Palazzo Fiuggi. I’m a proud ambassador for the luxury travel agency, @embarkbeyond. Visiting all 50 states is at the top of my bucket list. So far, I’ve been to 31, with 19 to go!
In my free time, I enjoy reading, jigsaw puzzles, and tackling crossword puzzles. Whenever I travel, and there’s a mountain nearby, you can find me hiking.
It sounds corny, but I love to laugh and meet new people. I enjoy a glass (or two) of red wine, dirty martinis, and the occasional skinny margarita (no salt). Artichokes and a cheese board are heaven to me, and I can’t live without salt. I carry multiple mini bottles in my bag at all times. Speaking of charcuterie and cocktails, I adore at-home entertaining, especially over the summer on the Jersey Shore.
I’ve been snowboarding for the past 30 years, though you’d never know it. I fall off the ski lift almost every single time without fail, and I’ve become a bit more apprehensive getting down the mountain as I’ve gotten older.
What else can I share? I’m an over thinker, sensitive, a neat freak, and have somewhat of an obsessive personality. For example, I eat the same thing for breakfast every single morning. I speak fluent English and Spanish, can read, write, and understand minimal Hebrew, and maybeeee get by with basic French.
Obviously, I love all things fashion and beauty, and I have my mom and aunt to thank for inspiring me. Speaking of my mom, I lost her to pancreatic cancer a year and a half ago. I never knew what a broken heart truly meant until I experienced her passing.
Beyond growing in this space and bringing a little joy and inspiration into your lives, I hope to live in daily gratitude, be surrounded by my loved ones, and enjoy the magical moments, big and small, that come my way.
Outfit details: J.Crew grey cashmere crewneck sweater, Bode plaid trousers, Dries Van Noten tan leather trimmed suede sneakers
xo,
Fortune