This Former Journalist Discovered A Story That Transformed How She Now Earns A Living

Sammi on her relationship with money:

I've always had a pretty terrible relationship with money, especially when I was younger. I think I was about 18 when I got my first credit cards, and I really didn’t understand how they worked. All I knew was that they were giving me money to spend, and at some point, I was supposed to pay it back. But I didn’t grasp the seriousness of things like late payments, letting the debt pile up, or how it could impact me in the long run.

There was a point where I just wanted more. I wanted to spend more money, travel, and keep up with others. I’d see people who didn’t necessarily have high-paying jobs still living the life they wanted—traveling, buying nice things—and I couldn’t figure out how they were doing it. That’s when I realized the key wasn’t just about having more money; it was about managing the money I already had. Once I started doing that, I found I could do the same things.

On the moment she knew something had to change:

Honestly, it was the feeling of always waiting for the next paycheck. I was stuck in that rat race so many people know today—just working to pay bills and covering the necessities, but never really having enough left over to do the things I actually wanted to do. It’s frustrating, and I got to a point where I was like, “There has to be more than this. It wasn’t just that, though. I was also curious. I kept hearing about investing, stocks, and all these financial strategies, but I always thought, “Is that even for me? Or is it just for people with a lot of money?”

Eventually, I decided to see for myself.The turning point came one day at work—I’ll never forget it. As a journalist, I was supposed to be working on a story, but the story itself was about a company that had just received government funding. I remember thinking, “This is probably going to make their stock go up.” So, instead of focusing on my story, I opened my first brokerage account right there at my desk.

I put $200 into the company’s stock and, to my surprise, made a profit within a day. I was shocked! It wasn’t a huge amount, but it was enough to hook me. From there, I knew I had to educate myself and figure out how to take control of my finances. It was a life-changing moment.

On making the decision to pivot professionally:

My first job in journalism paid about $30,000 a year - it wasn’t much at all. From there, I learned that in the news field, you usually have to move to a new market to make more money or get a better position. Typically, that means moving to a bigger city. So I went from South Dakota to Georgia, then to Alabama, and eventually ended up in California, where I’m still based now. The highest salary I made in news, as a reporter and later as a news producer, was around $80,000 to $90,000 a year.

When I started trading and got comfortable making consistent profits, I reached a point where I was able to replace my journalism income just from trading. That took me about a year and a half of learning, studying, taking courses, and reading everything I could. Instead of working 8- or 9-hour shifts—or overnight shifts, weekends, and late nights like I did in news—I was in control of my schedule. Since then, I’ve increased my income from trading, but also started a business with a learning platform where I offer courses.

I’ve also created a stock market trivia game. It’s something I developed from my own learning experience to make the stock market fun and entertaining. Right now, I’m selling the game on my own, and it’s been doing really well. But in the future, I see myself partnering with major retailers like Target or Walmart to expand the reach of my game.

On the power of multiple streams  and additional income:

I do have this side gig that I can’t believe I’m doing. In the beginning of the year, I got really into tech. I ended up taking a certification course, and I actually had a lot of fun with it. One of the people I did the course with recommended me to a hospital here in the Bay Area with an opportunity. Now, I randomly go in for 2 or 3 days. It’s been a good experience. We’re not always working, so it’s a pretty laid-back vibe. I bring my laptop with me and work on my business when there’s downtime. It kind of gives me the feeling of still having a job, and I get to see people, which I love because I work from home a lot.

On advice for people looking to invest:

Investing is bigger than just stocks. If there's a startup or a company you truly believe in, and there's an opportunity to invest, I think that's a great route to take. For me, one of the investments I’m really excited about is Fanbase. It’s a social media platform created by a Black man. Like, I really believe it has a future and it has so many features.

And then there’s real estate—there are so many different avenues to build wealth. If you look at any truly wealthy person, their money isn’t tied up in just one area. They diversify. I don’t own a home yet, but I plan to own one within the next year. Looking ahead, I also want to invest in properties like apartment complexes and even commercial buildings. That’s my big focus for 2025.

When it comes to stocks and long-term investments, I focus on companies that I believe will have a significant impact on the future. Like right now, AI is a big thing. Ten years ago, AI wasn’t a household topic, but now it’s everywhere. Imagine the people who invested early just by paying attention to where the world was heading—they’re reaping the benefits now. It’s about doing research and staying ahead of trends. My advice for anyone looking to invest is to look for companies that are making big impacts in the future and those that you know aren’t going anywhere and will continue to grow.

On unhealthy habits she had to quit:

Probably - spending money just because I had it. I got to a point where I felt financially comfortable. Bills were taken care of, and I’d spend because I knew things were okay and I’d get more money soon. Now I've learned to save, invest, or move it toward another goal. The unhealthy thing I was doing the most was probably eating out and giving it away to family and friends. I was always that person. That’s cool sometimes, but when you’re doing it too much, it can be a problem. I had to learn to use my brain and not my heart.

On her ultimate savings goal:

I invest in my Roth IRA, so I plan to retire as a millionaire. But I want to be a millionaire before I retire, and then I'll have my retirement money to just add on to it. My savings goals really are really to put the majority of it into investments, and whenever I'm ready to take it out, it's grown, it's multiplied, and then I'm able to help the next generation, like my nieces and nephews. And when I have kids, I want them to be financially okay. I don't ever want them to struggle. So pretty much, just making sure that my future children are okay and I’m in a place where I don't ever have to worry - I'm comfortable.

Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.