Here’s a smart girl, Catey Hill (Money Editor for New York Daily News Online and former Forbes Financial Marketing Manager) who knows what she wants (shoes mostly) but she’s wise enough to set limits and boundaries to keep her finances in check. Luckily for the rest of us she’s written a book to share her strategies and tips to help other women in their 20’s-30’s take control too. Catey covers spending, credit cards, student and auto loans, saving, investing, buying a home, and more. She teaches with a I’ve been there/big sister approach and offers exercises and worksheets to help her readers.
I recently met Catey on Twitter and was delighted to learn about her newly released book, with a catchy title “Shoo, Jimmy Choo! The Modern Girl’s Guide to Spending Less & Saving More”. I thought many of our readers would resonate with the subject of Catey’s book, (it’s 0n my Amazon wishlist) and enjoy learning more about why and how she wrote her book.
Congratulations Catey for publishing your book and for her publisher for moving mountains to get it in the stores before Christmas too…way to go!
Best wishes with your book launch and all the opportunities ahead.
Enjoy getting to know Startup Princess Catey Hill!
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Current Residence (City, State): New York, NY
Education:
- B.A. in Psychology, Business Minor from Tulane University
- M.A. in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin
Professional Background:
-Author, Shoo, Jimmy Choo! The Modern Girl’s Guide to Spending Less & Saving More (Sterling Publishing, $14.95)
- 6 years of professional marketing experience, including working as the Financial Marketing Manager for Forbes
- 6 years of professional writing experience, including my current position as the Money Editor for the New York Daily News online
What you wanted to be when you grew up: A veterinarian (but as it turned out, I faint at the sight of blood!)
What you are: Writer (a pretty blood-free profession, so I’m doing OK).
Brief Summary of your Start Up: I’m an author and I’m pleased to share my first book, Shoo, Jimmy Choo! The Modern Girl’s Guide to Spending Less & Saving More.
Company Website: www.ShooJimmyChoo.com
What inspired you? Watching other women go through what I did – spending to much, not saving enough, feeling intimidated by money management and investing – and realizing that there was not a personal finance book that truly spoke to women like me (those of us who know we’ll never give up gorgeous shoes or much-needed beach vacas but still want to get out of debt and save more).
How long have you been in business? 3 years
How did you fund it? Currently, I work as the Money Editor for the New York Daily News to supplement my income as an author (what can I say, I love new shoes, and I can’t afford them on my author salary alone!).
Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? My girlfriends
Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Association of Women in Communication, LinkedIn
Current Business Challenge? I’d like to help even more women manage their money in a savvier way.
What are you doing about it? I’m working with the New York Junior League on a free seminar series, and I hope to partners with other organizations to do something similar.
Favorite motivational quote: Just do it. (OK, it’s a Nike tagline, not a quote, but I love it! It’s simple, concise and inspirational.)
Family? Jay Robert (partner); Mouse, the cat (yes, she’s family!); Carey and William Hill, parents; Susie Hill, sister; my girlfriends.
If so, how do you balance family and business? I block out “no-work” zones on my calendar at least twice a week and go have drinks with the girls, see a movie with Jay, have brunch with an old friend, etc.
Favorite book? Anna Karenina
What do you do to relax? Reading, writing and wine (what can I say? A nice glass of Savingnon Blanc after a hard day of work works does the trick!)
What do you want to change most about your world? Time – I need more hours in the day.
What are you most proud of? My book, Shoo, Jimmy Choo! The Modern Girl’s Guide to Spending Less & Saving More, and my relationships with my boyfriend and friends.
What advice would you like to offer other Startup Princesses?
1) Don’t be intimidated by managing your money!
You can spend less, get out of debt and save smartly. Ladies, if I – the girl who can’t spend an hour without scouring the eBay for the latest Prada bag and who refuses to wash her hair with anything other than Kerastase – if I can do it, so can you!
2) Start taking control of your finances today!
The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll have the money you need for your dreams.
Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? Bankrate.com – when in doubt about almost any financial issue, they’ve probably got the answer.
If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Emeralds and diamonds. Green is the color of money – and we all know I love money – and diamonds, in addition to being a girl’s best friend, are elegant and classic.
Thank you, Catey!
