Self Made

Book excerpt: For readers of #GIRLBOSS and viewers of Shark Tank—a global revolution in entrepreneurship is under way, inspiring women to blaze a trail of financial self-reliance and become self-made. Featuring a foreword by Suze Orman. What does it mean to be self-made? It’s not just about having money, but financial empowerment is where it begins. It means getting out of survival mode, where you are one problem away from catastrophe. It means changing your mindset from instant gratification to goal orientation. It means being able to sleep at night without worry. It means being rich in every way: rich in money, rich in family, rich in love, rich in time—abundant! For Nely Galán—entrepreneur, TV producer, and real estate mogul—helping women to become self-made is a movement and a mission. Galán pulls no punches. She is the straight-talking friend and mentor you’ve always wanted, and here she shares valuable, candid, no-nonsense lessons learned on her own path to becoming self-made (“There is no Prince Charming”; “Think like an immigrant”; “In your pain is your brand”; “Don’t buy shoes, buy buildings!”). You’ll read inspiring stories of women who started and grew businesses out of ingenuity, opportunity, and need. You’ll find exercises to help you identify your goals and your strengths. You’ll learn tips and tricks for saving money, making money, and finding “hidden money” that can help jump-start your self-made dreams. When you become self-made, the change in you inspires change in those around you, because one of the greatest rewards of a self-made life is seeing how the sparks from your personal revolution can light a fire in others. So come, join the Self-Made movement. The revolution starts inside of you! Praise for Self Made “A much-needed and wise book that teaches women not to fear money but to see it as a means of reaching our dreams. Nely shows us how to become money courageous instead of finance fearful. I want to give this book to so many women (and men) I know. Thank you, Nely.”—Sandra Cisneros “Nely Galán and I have traveled the country together helping women grow their businesses and live their dreams. I know firsthand that Nely is the ultimate self-made woman and your best girlfriend. Her generosity of spirit jumps off the page as she shares the secrets of her hard-won success and her contagious confidence.”—Nell Merlino, creator of Take Our Daughters to Work Day and founder of Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence “Self Made teaches women to unleash their spark and hustle. Nely inspires readers to use what they have to get what they want on their path to becoming self-made.”—Tory Johnson, “Deals & Steals” contributor on ABC’s Good Morning America and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Shift “You are not truly complete as a woman until you feel confident and empowered to make decisions about your money. Throughout my career, I have seen how a woman who takes ownership of her financial life is transformed and liberated, and how that in turn has a tremendous impact on her children. This is my belief and my personal experience, and it’s why Self Made resonates so strongly with me.”—Maria Elena Lagomasino, CEO of WE Family Offices and member of the board of directors of the Walt Disney Company, the Coca-Cola Company, and Avon Products, Inc. From the Hardcover edition.