Interview with Valerie Bowman

We are always excited to welcome Mr. Hayward Suggs, as a guest writer for our blog.  If you missed it, check out his article An Oscar Story where he highlights the Oscar-winning film Hidden Figures and proclaims that

Thank you, Mr. Suggs, for introducing us to Ms. Valerie Bowman. We appreciate your continued contributions and support.

Hayward: What are some of your favorite books and which authors have inspired you?

Valerie: Les Brown’s “Live Your Dreams” and Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” have been huge influences on me.

Hayward: How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Valerie: I wanted to make sure that the people in my life didn’t repeat the financial mistakes of our past; I wanted to empower them to make clear, educated choices and understand that making good financial decisions goes beyond just making and managing money.

Hayward: How did you come up with the title of your book?

Valerie: The title “Anatomy of a Paycheck” came to me a couple of years ago when I saw others get their paychecks and they continued to be shocked at the amount of money they actually brought home. I didn’t want the next generation to fall into the same traps as our generation. They think that they’ve earned a huge increase only to realize they just received an extra $22 on their check.

Hayward: What is the main thing you want readers to take away from your book?

Valerie: The main concept I want for my readers to take away is; to embrace and understand that a mindset of success can move you from the cubicle to the corner office with a view, or to entrepreneurship.

Hayward: Is there anything about the financial world that you think is generally misunderstood?

Valerie: People do the right thing by investing their money into a 401K plan but it is not until they retire that they realize they must pay taxes on all of that money. I want the next generation to have more options. In my book, you will learn that tax-deferred plus tax-free equals a happy retirement.

Hayward: If someone is brand new to the world of finance, what books would you recommend they start with? 

Valerie: I would recommend my book “Anatomy of a Paycheck: Understanding Your Paycheck, Managing Your Paycheck, Thinking Beyond Your Paycheck to Financial Independence” and “Get Your Share:  A Guide to Striking It Rich in the Stock Market” by Julie Stav. This book really helped inform my learning.

Hayward: What are your future projects?

Valerie: As a matter of fact, I am planning my next book. It will focus on entrepreneurship for baby boomers and will include detailed financial reality stories that many readers will be able to relate to.

Hayward: How can readers get more information about you and your work?

Valerie:

• My website is http://valeriejbowman.com/
• You can purchase my book at:  http://www.pubgraphicsdirect.com
• You can use the promo code “wealth4u” to receive a 10% discount.

Hayward: What was the best thing about writing this book?

Valerie: I enjoyed writing the book very much. It just flowed. Submitting it to editing was an entirely different world, whoa! Other than that, I really enjoyed the whole process.

Hayward: What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

Valerie: I love my book. I really liked the part where I discuss the reality of your salary. I also enjoyed writing about your current financial success and because it talks about the journey towards financial independence.

Hayward: Do you have any final thoughts on financial success?

Valerie Bowman: I would like for people to be able to recognize when they’ve reached financial success. I would like to see them make huge philanthropic contributions. It isn’t always about investments.

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