I’m a licensed financial advisor, a nationally-recognized writer and a financial wellness speaker.

I've been interested in money ever since my mom used to listen to Dave Ramsey on the radio. I'd hear listeners call in to Dave and share their problems. I loved hearing how Dave would listen to anyone's story and find solutions for their money problems. It almost seemed like magic the way he would talk about the debt snowball method and how anyone could pay off their loans if they really tried.

What My Parents Taught Me about Money

Growing up, my parents always talked about money honestly. They shared how much they were earning, spending and saving. I knew they made sacrifices to send me to a private school, and I knew they valued traveling abroad more than buying a new car. Figuring out money problems became like a puzzle to me. If I wanted to travel to Europe, I had to figure out how to save money for it. If I wanted to go to the college of my dreams, I had to decide if I could afford to pay off the student loans that came with it.

When I got in college, I learned that my parents were unusual. Most kids didn't grow up learning the difference between an IRA and a 401(k) or why it's bad to only pay the minimum a credit card. Most parents didn't share their salaries with their kids, for fear it would make them spoiled. My parents did, because they wanted me to know what it cost to live the life we had.

What College Taught Me About Personal Finance

When I was in college, I took a basic personal finance course. For fun. I loved learning about money and how it works. I also realized how complex finance could be and how there were few resources available for people my age looking to educate themselves about money.

Once I graduated, I realized it was time to put my knowledge into action. I was on my own financially, and I had to start budgeting, saving and paying off my student loans for real. I started reading books and blogs about personal finance and trying to implement what I read. I couponed, bought secondhand clothes and lived frugally. 

I also realized that many of my peers weren't doing the same. They weren't trying to pay off their student loans early or start contributing to a 401(k). I started talking about money at work and convinced my boss to let me start blogging about it. I soon spent more time writing for my blog then doing my other assignments.

From Financial Blog to Financial Advising

A few months later, I started my own blog, Debt Free After Three, where I chronicled my journey to pay off my student loans in three years. I loved writing about what I learned about money, what worked and what didn't. After a couple years of blogging, I attended FinCon, a conference for financial media professionals. There I met other people writing about personal finance and making a living at it. I started booking freelancing gigs and in September 2015, I quit my job to be a full-time freelance writer specializing in personal finance.

Every day, I get to educate, inspire and encourage people to change their financial habits. I've seen friends share my articles without realizing I'm the author. I love knowing that someone who reads a story I wrote could learn how to pay off debt, start a retirement account or buy a house. I share the trials and successes of real people along with advice from experts. Every day, I hope that more people learn what I did at the dinner table. 

In 2025, I received my Series 65 license and became a financial advisor at C.H. Douglas & Gray Wealth Management in Indianapolis, Indiana. Now, I get to advise people on their finances in a holistic way. Working as a writer for 10 years has taught me how to explain and condense complicated financial jargon so the average consumer can understand it.

I live in Indianapolis, IN with my husband and two dogs.