From Red Zone to Green Zone: My Journey

At 45, despite a successful technology career, I faced a financial crisis. My finances were moving backward, not forward. I was caught in the painful gap between appearing successful and feeling financially insecure.

Sound familiar? That crisis became my catalyst. Over the next 12 years, I developed what I now call the "Red Zone to Green Zone" framework.

This system helped me navigate:

Divorce and financial reset

Caregiving responsibilities for aging parents

Career transitions and optimization

Investment strategy during market volatility

The emotional barriers of shame and fear around money

At 57, I achieved complete financial independence. Not through inheritance, not through luck, but through intentional strategy and emotional healing.

Why Help Late Starters?

Because I AM a late starter.

I didn't have wealthy parents. I didn't have an elite education. I didn't start investing at 22. I made plenty of mistakes—expensive ones.

But I also discovered something crucial; late starters have advantages that early starters don't:

- Higher earning capacity in our peak career years

- Life wisdom that prevents costly emotional mistakes

- Clear priorities shaped by real-world experience

- Urgency that creates focused action

- Catch-up contribution opportunities after age 50

I wrote this book and created these programs because when I was in the Red Zone, I couldn't find resources that spoke to MY reality. Everything assumed I started in my 20s, had decades of compound interest, and faced none of the complex life situations that come with midlife. Now I help other late starters transform their relationship with money and build the freedom they deserve.

Beyond Personal Finance

When I'm not writing or mentoring, you'll find me:

- Managing and playing on multiple senior softball teams

- Competing in pickleball tournaments

- Traveling and exploring new places

- Throwing balls for my rescue Lab-mix who thinks every throw is too short

- Writing about money, meaning, and midlife transformation

I live by the philosophy that financial independence isn't just about the numbers. It is about reclaiming your time, aligning your life with your values, and having the freedom to make choices based on what matters most.