My Story
My audience has been growing up... and so have I.
At the age of 22, I was over $30,000 in debt. I made $18 an hour. Before taxes. With a Master’s degree. In New York City. Those early years involved lots of borrowed clothes, canned tuna, and $5 Footlong Subway sandwiches. But it was worth it. Because, as I slowly climbed out of debt in the most expensive city in the country, I realized that there was a void...
Young adults had no access to effective, fun, or even digestible financial advice.
As a financial reporter, I empathized with young professionals who felt financially drained and lost. I jumped at the opportunity to help educate that demographic, to get them excited about taking control of their financial life.
It was the start of a beautiful relationship with my audience – one where we continue to grow together.
My first book, You’re So Money – Live Rich Even When You’re Not, published in 2008 and was a nationally acclaimed tell-all for young adults searching for financial independence. Soon the book took on a life of its own and I began making regular appearances on the Today Show and Good Morning America and writing for several top magazines including Glamour, Marie Claire, and O, The Oprah Magazine.
At the same time, I began coaching Americans who were struggling with piles of debt and other money challenges on SoapNet’s reality series Bank of Mom and Dad and on TLC’s makeover program, REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE. Then came the Webby-nominated personal financial series Financially Fit on Yahoo! where for three years I served a daily dose of money inspiration to millions of viewers.
But money isn’t just dollars and cents.
It’s a deeply layered issue.
It’s not enough to walk into someone’s home and share 5 straight-forward tips on how to get out of debt. There are psychological, mental, and emotional barriers that prevent us from taking action around money.
I was fascinated. I wanted to learn more about the emotional connections that people have with money. This research led to my 2nd book, Psych Yourself Rich: Get the Mindset & Discipline You Need to Build Your Financial Life.
As I developed this whole new way of talking about money and relating to people around their finances, my career matured. The types of issues I tackled matured. I matured.
I was no longer just “the lady who helps you with a budget.” I was a trusted friend and a shoulder to cry on.
I began helping people unravel deeply buried knots, so they could finally clean up their financial messes.
And my audience and I are still figuring out how to balance everything, now that our lives have shifted.
I’ve fallen in love.
I’ve gotten married.
I’ve become a mom – twice.
When women make more, the world becomes a better place.
As the breadwinner in my family, I arrived at an interesting emotional and financial paradigm in my early 30’s.
The fact is, while female breadwinners are on the rise, society still expects men to take the financial lead as breadwinners in their households.
This economic shift can lead to guilt, shame, and questions of identity for both sexes. Money is already a bone of contention for most people; when she makes more, however, the plot thickens.
This led to my book, When She Makes More, a resource for any woman who brings home the bacon and hopes to keep her love and family life alive and thriving. Based on dozens of personal interviews and an academic study of nearly 1,000 top-earning women, the book reveals 10 counterintuitive rules these women must follow in the 21st century to manage (and take advantage of) this unique circumstance—emotionally, socially, and financially.
And now...
Twenty years into my life’s work, I feel like I’ve just begun. I’m having a blast hosting So Money, a Webby-winning podcast I launched in 2015. The podcast features intimate conversations with inspiring and highly accomplished individuals, from Queen Latifah to Seth Godin to Barbara Cocoran, about their personal money lessons—good, bad, and ugly.
My fourth book, A Healthy State of Panic, published by Simon & Schuster, addresses the emotional underpinning of our financial questions: Fear. In the book, I demonstrate through many personal stories how fear can be your superpower to maximize your success and live richer and happier.
I continue to speak across the country to audiences large and small. I love collaborating with forward-thinking brands as they develop financial campaigns for their audiences.
I couldn’t have done all of this without the constant support and feedback from you, my audience. I am deeply grateful. Thank you.
I hope you’ll stay along for the journey as it contues!
Official Bio
Farnoosh Torabi is one of America’s leading personal finance authorities — hooked on helping you live your richest, happiest life.
She is a multi-bestselling Financial Author, former CNBC host and creator of the Webby-nominated podcast So Money, Farnoosh has become one of the country’s favorite go-to money experts.
The New York Times calls her advice, “perfectly practical.”
Farnoosh’s Webby-winning and critically-acclaimed podcast, So Money, has surpassed 35 million downloads, thanks to its one-of-a-kind interviews and deep conversations about money. On the show she spotlights leading experts, authors and influencers – from Arianna Huffington to Margaret Cho, Queen Latifah and Tim Gunn – about their financial perspectives, money failures and habits. She also answers listeners’ personal financial questions each week.
Farnoosh was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to immigrant parents who left Iran in the late 1970s in search of a more fulfilling life. Arriving with two suitcases and the promise of a small stipend from her dad’s university, the Torabi’s took a leap of faith and settled in the United States hoping to build their version of the American Dream. It was here that her parents furthered their education, found fulfilling work, became homeowners and instilled in their children the virtues of patience, generosity and hard work.
Money may have been tight (really tight), but it was never a taboo in the household and for that, Farnoosh is eternally grateful. It’s what ultimately inspired her to lead a mission to help others achieve financial greatness.
Today, Farnoosh is a sought-after speaker and bestselling author. Each year she speaks at numerous events, companies, organizations and schools.
She’s written multiple books, the latest bestseller is entitled When She Makes More: The Truth About Love and Life for a New Generation of Women. Her newest book is entitled A Healthy State of Panic: Follow Your Fears to Build Wealth, Crush Your Career and Win at Life.
Farnoosh’s work and advice have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Time, Marie Claire, Glamour, Redbook and USA Today. She appears on major news and talk shows. Highlights include the NBC Today, CNN, MSNBC, Good Morning America, Dr. Oz, The View and Live! With Kelly and Michael.
For several years, she hosted the Webby-nominated web series, Financially Fit, on Yahoo. She’s also served as a money coach on such shows as Remake America on Yahoo!, Bank of Mom & Dad on soapNet and TLC’s REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE.
Farnoosh graduated with Honors from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Finance and International Business. She also holds a Master’s from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
She resides happily in Montclair, New Jersey with her husband and two children.
