My Smile Money Story: How I Got Off the Path and Found My Purpose

I grew up believing there was only one path to success.

You know the one—finish school, go to college, get a “good job,” buy a car, get promoted, purchase a home, get married, raise a family, save for retirement, and one day… enjoy life.

I didn’t question this path. It was the American Dream, right?

So I hustled. I made money. I got promoted. I earned a bit more. And I spent even more. I financed the lifestyle I thought I was supposed to live. But behind the scenes? I was unhappy, disconnected, and slowly burying myself in debt and dissatisfaction.

At one point, I had to admit something hard to myself: a lot of the stuff I bought with the money I worked so hard to earn is probably decomposing in a landfill somewhere.

That realization hit me. I wasn’t living my dream. I was stuck in a financial queue—following a path so many others were on, not because it brought joy, but because we never thought to step off it.

Growing Up Without Money Conversations

I grew up in a modest household in Elizabeth, New Jersey. My parents worked hard, and we had what we needed. But we never talked about money. It only came up when we couldn’t afford something—like the musical instrument I wanted to play, or a school trip I couldn’t go on.

My first real money conversation happened senior year of high school. We didn’t have enough to pay for college. I had done “everything right”—got the grades, joined clubs, volunteered, played sports. But I was forced to face a truth I didn’t know how to talk about.

So I hid my financial reality.

As my friends left for college, I took a job at Newark Airport. I cleaned toilets and served drinks to first-class travelers. I was earning my own money—but I wasn’t managing it well. No one had taught me how.

I got credit cards, spent beyond my means, and fell into a cycle of debt. But I pushed through. I paid for school with a mix of income and student loans. I graduated with a degree—and a mountain of debt.

Choosing Money Over Passion

Originally, I wanted to be a filmmaker. But I changed my major to finance, chasing what I thought would be security and success. I climbed the corporate ladder in banking. I made it to six figures, drove a German luxury car, wore designer clothes, and traveled often.

From the outside, I had made it.

But behind the scenes? I was living paycheck to paycheck. Student loans. Car loan. Credit card debt. I wasn’t saving. I wasn’t free. I was living the debt-strapped version of the American dream—one that looked good on social media but felt hollow in real life.

Learning a New Language: Financial Wellness

Fortunately, working at a credit union opened my eyes. I learned from financial educators and everyday people managing money in ways that aligned with their values.

That exposure transformed me.

I realized I had a scarcity-based money mindset—limiting beliefs shaped by my upbringing. But as I gained knowledge, I shifted my behaviors. I started saving. I began investing. I finally had options.

And that’s when I made a different choice.

I was on track to become a successor CEO. Instead, I resigned from my executive job, sold everything I owned, and backpacked around the world. Twenty-plus countries in just over a year. I wasn’t rich. I was financially healthy—and that gave me freedom.

A Moment of Clarity in Myanmar

One morning in Bagan, Myanmar, I climbed up an 8th-century temple to watch the sun rise over thousands of ancient pagodas. I sat there alone, feeling free, aligned, and at peace.

And I had one of those life-changing realizations.

I was living my dream—but how did I get here? More importantly: where was everyone else?

That’s when it clicked. It wasn’t luck. It was knowledge. Financial knowledge gave me the power to change my life. And if it worked for me, it could work for others too.

Turning My Story Into a Mission

When I came home, I launched a blog that grew into a community. That community funded a successful Kickstarter campaign—raising $78,501. That led to the Road to Financial Wellness, a national road trip to break the taboo around money and start conversations about living well.

Since then, I’ve…

• Been published three times
• Traveled to all 50 states and 41 countries
• Produced documentaries and spoken on big stages
• Walked the Great Pyramid, hugged a sloth in Belize, admired wild camels in Oman
• Built phroogal into a platform empowering people to live their best financial life

I’ve been on TV. I’ve been paid to speak. I’ve helped spark real change. And it all started with one decision: to learn about money and take back control of my story.

Why I’m Sharing This Smile Money Story

This is my Smile Money Story. It’s my journey seen through the financial wellness lens.

Our life stories are multi-dimensional. But when we look through the money lens, we start to understand just how much our beliefs, behaviors, and financial systems shape the lives we live—and the lives we could be living.

I want to create space for more of these stories. Stories of transformation. Of empowerment. Of financial awakening.

Soon, I’ll be inviting others—authors, creators, leaders, everyday people—to share their Smile Money Story. Because when we share, we spark change. We give people permission to imagine—and pursue—a different path.

And sometimes, that makes all the difference.