What are some of your favorite healthy and filling snacks?

I am a huge fan of Ezekiel sesame bread, raw almond butter and honey. Nibbling on this between races at the Velodrome or between teaching multiple cycling classes at Peloton is one of my favorite ways to feel satisfied without feeling full. Greek yogurt sprinkled with Grape Nuts cereal and raw almonds or cottage cheese with balsamic glaze and walnuts are some of my favorite snacks, too.

Many times in your life, you’ve been told you couldn’t do something only to overcome those criticisms and succeed in yet another new arena, how has this formed who you are today?

The moments in my life when I have been shut down, whether being too big to be a ballerina, too young to be cast as my character type, too small (without padding) to be a plus-size model, have all made one thing very clear to me. All the things that others said I was “too much” of, were the things that became my greatest strengths. “Success” in those endeavors was tied to subjective opinions of others about my appearance. When I discovered cycling and bike racing and winning, my success was not subjective at all and had nothing to do with how I looked. My success was built on my strength, the decisions I made in a race and crossing a finish line first. And it turned out that the thighs that caused me so much shame as a child, became the thing of which I am most proud as a Masters National and World Champion Track Cyclist, as a senior Peloton Instructor and during my workshop, Wordshop™.

What is the #1 hurdle you see when helping others to create and maintain their financial wealth, and how can they start to overcome it?

The biggest hurdle to creating and maintaining financial wealth is the acknowledgement that the status quo must change. This discovery and acknowledgement can take a few days or, in some cases, years. Naturally, there is that tension between what needs to be done first and what can wait for a later date. This tension if not addressed properly can lead to inaction. A trusted financial counselor or professional can be very instrumental in holding us accountable in taking the steps towards changing the status quo.

What are some small and easy ways to start securing your financial future now?

First, understand your expenses. I think most of us spend a significant amount of time focusing on the revenue section of our income statement. As a result, it is not uncommon to find individuals who make six- and seven-figure salaries, and yet, they have negligible net worth. It is important to commit to lowering your expenses. Second, setting aside an amount each week or month that you can invest can greatly impact your wealth accumulation. Especially, if this practice is coupled with dollar cost averaging where you strategically invest the same amount of money in the same stocks or funds, ignore market fluctuations and skip the guessing game of constantly buying and selling.

The job search process has shifted to virtual interviews and interactions due to the pandemic. What tips can you provide to help your fellow alumni secure that dream job in a digital interview process?

Many traditional interview tips still hold true: do your research about the company, be ready to tell stories about your career particularly based on your résumé and LinkedIn profile, and have a set of at least five to 10 questions to ask. But here are few tips to make a great (virtual) impression:  

• Make sure you have all the appropriate software downloaded and know how to use it at least 48 hours in advance. If anything is not set up properly or there is something you don’t understand, you have time to reach out to the right people for help before the interview.
• Check your lighting. Be sure you have a useful amount of sunlight or synthetic light (light bulbs, LED video lights) set up in advance. You want to look your best, and in a virtual world, lighting is vital. It will be most helpful to do your practice run at the same time of day and location, so that you are as prepared as possible to shine when the interview time arrives.
• Perfect your camera angle. For most of us, our cameras should be placed well above eye level and angled down and be sure the focus point of your gaze makes it seem as though you are looking directly at your interviewer.
• Dress professionally but consider adding a little more personality than usual. If you feel nervous, that means dress from head to toe, not just waist up. It’ll improve your performance and reduce the risk of you standing and exposing your gym shorts or pajama bottoms.
• Bring a notepad with your questions. Take notes and be sure the interviewer can see you taking notes without being overly dramatic. The prepared, inquisitive and engaged will have an edge in 2021!  
• Be graceful and calm, and don’t worry if life intrudes during your interview. The way you handle the intrusions is just as important as the rest of this important career hurdle. Use any disturbance, be it dogs barking or kids wandering around, as an opportunity to build a stronger human connection and demonstrate that you can handle anything, especially a virtual interview.