Hi! I’m Grace.
And the big question I often ask myself is: “how did I get here?” As a lover of words and lifelong wannabe writer, I still pinch myself when I wake up and realize that I’m a journalist and this is what I do. So, ok, yes, I did graduate from Columbia’s graduate journalism program, which is not an easy feat. But beyond that, I’ve covered the stock market, investing, personal finance, and money in general for a variety of publications over the past 15 years; my first decade was spent at Dow Jones, where I wrote for The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s, and since 2015, I’ve been an independent financial storyteller out here in PAIDlance land.
One of my biggest missions in life is to serve as a demystifier who uses my skill to help heal or close up gaps that others might have. For the longest time, no matter who I interview or the subject at hand, my wish is to be a smart enough writer that anyone could come away from my pages having learned something new or gained a new perspective: beginner or pro. That goal has taken me on an incredible journey where I get to the heart of the person whether they’re an up and coming jazz maestro, a high-powered CEO, a cat lady on a mission, or a small business owner. One of my favorite things is to elicit a chuckle or a “that’s a really great question,” during the course of my conversations. It’s like hearty soup for my battered wordsmith soul.
So, my latest project is figuring out how to tackle this Big Book Project (final pages due to my editor next spring—eeeek!) while juggling full time work, COVID-19 related obstacles (“w” is for “worst homeschool mom EVER!”) and the ebb and flow of creativity.
So, in the spirit of my mission, I say let’s demystify it all, shall we?
Xo, G