Exclusive Interview w/ Grace Vandecruze

THE EVOLVING WOMAN MAGAZINE with

Grace Vandecruze

In your book, Homeless TO Millionaire, you share about the incident that left you and your family homeless. What were some of the emotions you struggled with during that period?

At the age of twenty-one, I stood outside my brownstone apartment on Saratoga Avenue in Brooklyn with my six brothers and sisters, my mom, and my dad, and watched everything we owned—our clothes, memories, and shelter—go up in flames. And what didn’t go up in flames, what I thought we’d saved, was ruined by the chemicals in the fire retardant foam the brave firefighters used as they battled tirelessly to save our home.

However, My life took a tragic turn that day. The first tragedy was that everything my family and I owned could now fit in a black 13-gallon trash bag with room left to spare. The second was the 228 nights that my siblings, my mom and dad, and I would sleep on cots the size of yoga mats. In an area littered with abandoned buildings and known for its crimes, we coordinated our schedules so that we’d never have to be by ourselves on the street or at the shelter. We prayed continuously for our safety and survival. We came to the U.S. from Guyana for the American Dream, but this was the American nightmare.

Have you ever had a dream demolished in front of your very eyes? Then you may understand the anguish, helplessness, agony and pain of losing everything that you consider of value to you.

I am grateful for the Flagstone Family Center on Amboy Street, Brooklyn which became our home for those formidable seven months. My parents did everything they

knew to do to ensure that we were cared for and loved, but there were things they didn’t know. If only my Mom and Dad had known about and purchased insurance, the homeless shelter could have been a brand new furnished apartment. What I learned later is that my family did not have to spend seven months in discomfort had mom and dad known and had chosen to buy insurance, our lives would have been very different and the homeless shelter would not have been our home.

That fire ignited a passion within me to promote financial education, wellness and empowerment. Today I advocate for families building their wealth, securing their futures and passing on financial legacies to the next generation. This passion has led me to speak about financial empowerment in high schools, colleges, community centers and churches. I believe in families staying together healthy and safe and I invite you to climb your financial abundance mountain with me.

How is it that you did not allow that loss early in life to derail you but instead light a passion in you to promote financial education?

There is an African proverb which states “where ever the stream flows, it never forgets it source.” The source of my inner confidence and strength comes from my late grandmother, Hager Delph. She set a brilliant example with her compassion, grace, and abundance mindset. My mother was the second of Hagar’s nine children. Regardless of their limited resources and space, Hagar found room in her heart to adopt five additional young girls after their own mother passed. While a household of fourteen children was always a bit of an adventure, Hagar’s positivity ensured that everyone got what they needed. It wasn’t long before many of those children started families of their own. I am the third of fifty-two grandchildren. Yes, fifty-two! And I can assure each and every reader that I was the favorite. My grandmother lifted me in love, praise, and blessings. Her spirit of gratitude, forgiveness, and grace served as a healing balm not only to me, but to everyone who has been in her presence. Her actions demonstrated unconditional love, and her indomitable spirit flows through my veins; as such, I am a living legacy of this

great woman and am proud to stand on her strong shoulders. Her most treasured words to me were “Believe beyond your limits.” Your goals, dreams and visions must never be limited by current circumstances and situations. Never let your circumstances prevent you from pursuing your aspirations.

What was the defining moment in your life, that changed your attitude from “not having enough” and “settling for less” as normal, to creating your ideal financial future?

Would it surprise you to learn that anyone who is a descendent of slavery, regardless of where in the world that person lives, is suffering from Financial Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome or Financial PTSD? There is a wealth of empirical evidence that trauma goes well beyond the psychological damage to biologically impact cells within our bodies. As a result, the physiological impact of trauma is past down from generation to generation. After

enduring the ravages of slavery, which provided the largest transfer of wealth in world history, and living through the aftermath which was rife with financial terrorism - theft, misappropriation, fraud, discrimination, unfair compensation, financial mismanagement, lack of fulfilled promises – we must now recognize and address our Financial PTSD. We may be in different countries and time zones, speak different languages and practice different religions, but the common theme of financial PTSD is woven into the fabric of our global lives.

In my book, Homeless to Millionaire, there is an exercise for readers to examine their first memory of money. If their experiences were similar to mine, it would include scarcity, lack and poverty. However, living in a homeless shelter in New York City served as an awakening within me. Looking at my surroundings, I knew that I did not belong there. I determined to work with every ounce of my being to make sure that I never find myself or my family without a financial safety net. Financial security and empowerment are critically important to all of us. We hold the pen to write a brand new financial future which is dramatically different from the past. We have a unique opportunity to rewrite what our future will be. Words such as theft, misappropriation, and homelessness will not be in our future chapters—not in my book and not in our lives! My book includes tools and resources to guide you on your path to building financial wealth. It contains a straightforward step by step approach. Technology is leveling the playing field. Information and resources that were not available or were too expensive in the past are now at our fingertips, accessible from any smartphone. In a land of plenty, where milk and honey (or money) flow abundantly, we must educate ourselves and implement changes to our finances like never before. Our biggest challenge and best opportunity lie in shifting our mindset. Our future chapters must be filled with abundance, investments, wealth, mastery, grace, love, and legacy.

As an African American woman, what struggles did you overcome to build your financial wealth?

When I look back at my life, I’m shocked that I went through a divorce. I realize that you can invest everything you have, emotionally, financially, and spiritually, into a relationship or venture and in spite of your best efforts, it can still fail. Not only do you have to deal with the failure of the marriage, but sometimes this comes along with an unimaginable betrayal of trust. In my case, this Betrayal occurred even though I took 18 months off of work to care for my spouse as he recovered from a serious illness. To have your love and commitment rewarded with betrayal can be devastating.

One of the things you learn when going through a divorce, particularly as a woman, is that it doesn’t matter how much you invest in your relationship. Your investment (time, love, and emotion) is a sunk cost. It’s the past. You must live in the present and focus on the future. Divorce comes from the Latin word “divortium” which means to divert, turn aside, and to leave. While I am a strong believer in marriages and having a healthy, abundant family support system, I know that in our life’s journeys, there are toxic and abusive relationships that should end in order for us to heal and thrive. I could not have imagined the bright future that would unfold in my life in the valley of that moment, but today, I’m living a more confident, loving, and fulfilling life after turning from such a draining and toxic situation.

How would you describe where you are and what you have accomplished?

As a strategic advisor to insurance companies for the last 25 years, I have completed over $5 billion in transactions. Many of those transactions involved companies raising capital on Wall Street or acquiring other companies. Also, I am honored to have served as a member of the board of directors of three financial services companies. As such, I have advised Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, and boards of companies on major transactions. In addition, I am a mountain climber and I have climbed 25 mountain peaks across three different continents including Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, and Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe. That accounts for a total ascent of more than 100,000 feet, which is the equivalent of the Empire State Building stacked atop itself 67 times. Moreover, I’ve also mentored more than 80 high school students and I still have my sanity and I have joy! I am living the American Dream blessed with love, health, wealth, and a fulfilling life. As I have climbed out of homelessness to Mount Everest and ascended the ladder to wealth and abundance, my mission is to transform the finan-

cial climate for women, unleash their money power, and teach them how to build sustainable wealth platforms. We are the first generation with access to the vast opportunities and knowledge to build wealth. I am the first person in my family to become a millionaire. It was a daunting achievement that I have learned to embrace, own, and be proud of. I stand tall, knowing that my grandmother and ancestors fought so hard for the right for me to stand in the financial privilege I now enjoy.

What would you tell other women today if you were going to try and influence or shape their lives?

African American women are the most educated group in the United States. We are earning bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and even PhDs. African American women are increasingly becoming business owners, and business owners are members of the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in this country. Now is the time to heal our relationship with money. The biggest risk women face is that we may outlive our money. At our jobs, we are generally paid less than men for comparable performance. In addition, we are in the midst of a longevity revolution and are outliving our male counterparts. Given the global pandemic, we must access the tools and resources for us to survive and thrive. My life experiences including mountain climbing have taught me that change must come from within. We may be social distanced but we can still remain connected. Women are relationshiporiented and we learn best from each other while building an amazing sisterhood. My book is filled with real life stories and lessons along with affirmations and declarations of changes we are manifesting in our lives. We have the power to make the changes in our lives and create a financial blueprint to build wealth and leave a lasting legacy. How do you keep yourself inspired? This is a very important question in these challenging and difficult times. I keep myself inspired by remembering my purpose and mission. I am on a mission to educate, inspire and transform the financial climate of my generation.

If you had to start over right now, what would you do differently?

If I had to start over right now, I would do a few things differently. One is to always remember how beautiful, brilliant and gifted that you are each and every day. Second is to know your value and never settle for less in work and relationships. Third, take deliberate action to build a professional network, you will need allies, accomplices, mentors, sponsors and prayer partners to reach your full potential.

What are the things that bring you joy?

There are a number of things that bring me joy. The list include: completing a challenging project for my clients, watching a sunset, conversing with friends and family, listening to the waves on a beach, reading a great book, singing along with my favorite songs, listening to classical and jazz