The tori

timeline of

hfk

2003

My financial feminist journey started with me starting my first business at age nine. I owned the type of vending machines where you put in a quarter and get a handful of candy out. I had fifteen of these machines by the time I was in high school with all of the proceeds going to my college fund. And after eleven years, I sold that business to a ten-year-old girl who also happens to be named Tori. (Don’t we look alike??)

biz started, sold in 2015

2006

The first time I remember encountering direct sexism. I was 12 and on an all-girls softball team in a co-ed league. When we won the championships that year, not only were the boys on the team furious that a group of girls beat them – but so were their dads.

(ISH)

2016

It shocks a lot of people to discover I didn’t study finance – instead, I have degrees in organizational communication (marketing with less math) and theatre. I was 22 and so excited and fucking terrified for everything that was to come next.

Me on college graduation day

2016

I was running marketing at a major company as their youngest manager. The best part of the job? Meeting my best friend Kristine. The worst part? Realizing that this vision I had of myself climbing the corporate ladder was a fantasy. Instead, I spent the next few years working for many men I didn’t respect and who treated me both like a kid and like an object. This was my realization that money could help me leave any situation I wanted.

My first big-girl job

2019

– me attempting to save $100K by 25 years old. There were many times that I felt like my goal was way too ambitious (cue the 3 months I spent unemployed in 2018, but that’s a story for another time). But at 25 years and 3 months old, I hit my first $100K. 

HFK’s name comes from my own $100K journey

2019

I had flown to Europe with Kristine on our #friendmoon to celebrate my first $100K, and was in a London pub when I got the call from Good Morning America that absolutely changed my life. I did the interview and quit my job 3 weeks later, utterly terrified but determined to make my life’s passion my life’s work.

Good morning america

2020

I had just quit my job before the pandemic, so as you can imagine I was terrified when I was thrown headfirst into my solopreneur journey. But thanks to the power of TikTok and viral videos, I was able to connect with all of you and really dive into my journey with financial education. Thanks to the affectionately named “clown-shit” video, we went viral, gained a following, and now there are 4 million of you. I still can’t believe it and I’m so thankful.

2021

We launched our podcast Financial Feminist with a $99 mic off Amazon. Within 2 days, it was the number one business podcast in the world – and is now the most popular show about money for women. Our show talks about how money affects women differently – and how we can get more of it.

Podcast launched

2022

We created and launched our investing education platform, Stock Market School, with my friends Elias and Ivar (that has now helped over 15,000 women invest). My work is profiled in a splashy feature in the New York Times, and I go to every bodega in Brooklyn to buy every copy. 

NYT Profile

2023

When I was 7 years old – that kid with my nose in any book I could get my hands on – I wrote down that I wanted to be an author someday. Not only did I write the ultimate guide to mastering your money (and fighting the patriarchy), Financial Feminist became an instant New York Times bestseller. I got messages from thousands of women that you grabbed a copy from your neighborhood Target, listened to the audiobook on your hot girl walks, and put it on hold at your local library.  

financial feminist

2023

We’ve grown into a team of 15+ people that help to run HFK’s operations so I can focus on what I really love–connecting with you. You’ve been such an important part of my journey – even if you’re new! – and I’m incredibly grateful.

the year of balance

2023