About Briana and

the Beginning of SheStax

My DREAM to EMPOWER women through their FINANCES all started when…

I had financial problems even though I’m a smart, well educated, independent woman. I graduated from Columbia University's Barnard College with a degree in Economics and a job with a social investment firm. I am very thankful for that degree because it helped me get great jobs at places like McMaster Carr, Google, and now at Upstart, a personal finance startup, where I'm the Head of Investor Operations. 

Yet, back when I graduated, all that high level education still left me confused and uncertain when it came to my personal finances. I left college with $150,000 in debt and I was trying to live in Brooklyn. I knew I had to pay off that debt, but I was uncertain about how to balance that overwhelming debt with both my life in Brooklyn and my long-term financial goals. I mean, what is the point of living in Brooklyn if I have to eat at home every night?!

I realized all the personal finance information on the internet was abstract and idealized.  

Despite a cacophony of personal finance information nothing felt real or helpful to me in my personal situation. So, I decided to apply my education in economics and psychology to my own personal finance adventure. I came up with a personal plan that prioritized what I valued most. Some people thought I was crazy, but mostly people were surprised when I paid off my debt in 5 years! WOOT WOOT! Then, the same confusion took place as I started investing to build my wealth. I had to figure out how to build wealth, invest, spend, and enjoy my life in a smart way based on what I value most.

Friends started asking me about how I paid off my debt and built my savings. They asked for help navigating their financial choices and getting help thinking about money and investing.  I started having real conversations where we broke the unspoken rules: they told me their real numbers and admitted when they were unsure. I answered their questions about investing, 401ks, debt consolidation, and equity negotiations so they could understand and get control of their finances. From there, it became clear that too many incredible, brilliant women were facing the same problem I had.

I have a talent for breaking down a complex subject into something approachable. Personal finance doesn’t have to confuse or intimate anyone. There are so many brilliant, capable women intimated by their finances and that seems wrong to me. 

I set out to empower and encourage women to understand their money, their values, and to help them make their money work for them. That is when SheStax was born.