Say what they may about Suze Orman, she calls a spade a spade, even if everyone else around her wants to believe it’s a diamond. Yes, she’s loud, a tad obnoxious, and well, kind of a know-it-all when it comes to financial planning. She doesn’t have the grace of of Jean Chatzky (who I also think is wonderful) and that’s completely fine in my book. The fantastic thing about Suze is that she doesn’t believe in putting off any problems today in the hopes they will either a) be dealt with later or b) magically disappear. “Girlfriend, ” she always says on her TV show, “this is what we are going to do TODAY….”
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reading two of her books: The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke and Women and Money. While I have an MBA from a top-notch school, I am not a CFA (certified financial advisor). Suze’s books are easily understood, entertaining and informative, regardless of your educational background. Through her website, she lays out a personal plan for you to get your financial life back no matter what your age, income level, or financial past.
I hesitated to write this post promoting Suze’s books. As a general rule, I dislike any writing that comes off as if the writer is standing up at a podium preaching his or her beliefs. I am making an exception here because I care about you and your future. Recently, I was talking about these books with a very friend of mine who is in a financial bind. The friend said he couldn’t bear to read them because he was too scared to see how desperate his situation really was. And then I was scared for him. How could he ever get control of his life – be it his career, his personal life, his future – if he couldn’t wrap his head around the steps he needed to take to get out of debt, improve his work situation (meaning his salary), and live the life he so earnestly imagines for himself?
I know debt is frightening. I know finance can be an intimidating subject, especially for those who have little or no training on the subject. I grew up in a very poor household, constantly worried for as long as I can remember that the lights wouldn’t stay on, that we wouldn’t have heat, that there wouldn’t be enough food to it. And many times, those lights went out, we didn’t have heat, and there wasn’t any food. I get it. Honestly. We do not have the luxury to hide behind our fear of finance, our excuses of why we can’t save any money. Time is ticking, and it’s the most precious resource we have.
Just a few more thoughts before I step down from this soapbox I’m on. Getting our finances in order and establishing financial freedom may just be the greatest battle we ever undertake because we have to fight ourselves to get on, and stay on, the straight and narrow. There are retail temptations everywhere and it’s okay to indulge them once in a while, so long as we are also working to provide for ourselves down the line through savings, investing, and paying down debt. If you are like my friend, and afraid to take a peek at your real financial picture, buy Suze’s books and read them, even if you have to have a highball of scotch next to you to get through them. And call me, email me, regardless of the day or time. If you’re in trouble and you need someone to help you through those first difficult realizations, I’m here, and I’ll hold your hand every step of the way down your road to a brighter future.
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
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