A Love Letter to New York City
I'm writing this from a NYC hotel room, bagel in hand, my 46-year-old body feeling the fallout from the 16,000 steps I logged yesterday walking through the city that raised me.
Back at home, I have this piece by the incredible street artist Benny Cruz — it stopped me cold when I first saw it on his Instagram a year ago:
🗽 "NEW YORK, I HAVE SO MUCH TO THANK YOU FOR."
That hit hard — because I do. Add to cart.
I came here in 2000 as a bright-eyed intern at JIVE Records. No smartphone, no GPS, just a dream and a MetroCard (and a paper subway map!) Living here over 15 years, New York shaped every part of me — from music industry madness (did I ever tell you about the time I was in an SUV with a certain pop star, being chased by paparazzi up the West Side Highway?) to real estate highs (buying our incredible Upper East Side apartment) and heartbreaks (yes, that paperwork sting from selling said apartment still lingers — our self-funded fuel to keep bootstrapping this company without outside investment).
Here in NYC, I learned:
⚡ how to move fast, think fast, do fast (mostly thanks to years of improv classes at Upright Citizens Brigade)
⚡ how to navigate chaos (both in my music industry career and walking the NYC streets!)
⚡ how to see — through new perspectives and diversity
I also made young-and-dumb mistakes (since my parents read this, we'll just leave those specifics out)—all just part of the ride.
This week, I found myself at the Wealth Catalyst Summit with the incredible Syama Bunten (my new bestie except she doesn't know it yet), surrounded by women deploying capital in meaningful ways — into art, impact, other women's business dreams. They weren’t flaunting their net worths — they were owning their power.
It felt full-circle, grounding, and honestly, hopeful. I saw future-me in those seats — sharing how DivaDance made an impact, and what I’ve done with the abundance it created.
So today’s Founder Friday is a love letter. To New York. To growth. To grit. And to the women rewriting what wealth means.
Here’s to knowing where you came from — and using it to realize your own.