Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Gatti.
Katie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I graduated from the University of Alabama in 2017, I moved to Dallas to work in Marketing at Southwest Airlines (where I still currently spend my 9-5 hours!).
I was thrilled to have a full-time salary with great benefits, as well as parents that emphatically reinforced the value of contributing to your 401(k), but outside of that, I was a little lost.
Personal finance was something I was mildly interested in but felt intimidated by — all the material out there seemed to be steeped in finance bro condescension or jargon that made me feel like I needed an accounting degree to understand.
I’ll never forget the first time a financial adviser reached out. All I truly wanted to know was how much I needed to be saving each much, how much I could afford in rent, and how the heck to start investing — the basics. I was shocked to find out that those weren’t questions this person could answer for me. “Then what do you do?” I remember asking puzzled.
So I took it upon myself to read and listen to as much material as possible, and over time, I became more familiar with personal finance. I was lucky to have a few friends who saw my interest and enhanced it by encouraging me to read “A Random Walk Down Wall Street” or listen to “ChooseFI,” a podcast about the financial independence movement.
And before I knew it, I was helping both friends and strangers create financial plans for their lives, open investment accounts, and make better decisions.
The formation of Matriarch Financial was almost inevitable, I think, given the natural hunger among young women to know, be, and achieve more financially.
And because I truly believe in the energizing power of side hustles, I also teach a class called Cycle45 at Class Studios a few times a week — gotta walk the talk.
Has it been a smooth road?
I am very fortunate to have male friends and acquaintances who support and believe in what I’m doing, but there’s the occasional anonymous “finance bro” who can’t comprehend or accept a woman without a traditional finance background helping to educate other women about how to make smarter decisions with their money.
The discouraging, rude interactions are — luckily — few and far between, but I think it teaches an important lesson: when someone feels their intelligence or livelihood is threatened or undermined by you and your efforts, it’s likely they’ll project that on you. Accept constructive criticism gracefully and know when to listen and take it into consideration, but discern when it’s just someone’s personal insecurity. That goes for both men and women — human beings aren’t that complicated. Most of us follow the same patterns when we feel at risk, and know that often it’s not personal to you.
I like to follow the 90-second rule when it comes to disappointment — feel it intensely for 90 whole seconds, then let it go and move on.
And of course, there will always be the challenge of time management and work ethic. As long as you’re living and striving, there will always be this balance to strike — and some days will feel longer than others. But remember: there’s nothing fulfilling about constant ease and relaxation. There’s no purpose to be found in being stagnant. On your busiest, fullest days, remember that many would kill for the opportunities you have now and the chance to be in those meetings, lead those clients and make the impact you’re making.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Matriarch Financial story. Tell us more about the business.
We started Matriarch Financial to answer questions for women that nobody was able to answer for us. There was no financial institution designed to educate and cater to young women, especially not one that would provide 1:1 consulting and generate personalized plans.
When you work with Matriarch, you’ll start with a free consultation. We spend 15-20 minutes getting to know you, understanding your situation, and talking through any nuances — money is far from just a numbers game. It’s highly emotional and intrinsically tied up in our self-worth, and we recognize that sometimes it’s difficult to confront our own patterns and problems. I think that’s a big differentiating factor for us as a brand.
We offer three different tiers of packages: Foundational, Future, and Freedom, all geared toward women in different phases of their financial journey. If you’re in debt, need help learning how to save, and haven’t yet started investing, Foundational is best for you. If you’ve set the wheels in motion but you’re ready to go deeper and optimize, Future is made for you. And Freedom is for those clients with more intricate circumstances — maybe you’re newly married, combining finances, and ready to start the home-buying process.
Our goal with every client, more than anything, is to get them to a point where they’re comfortable discussing and taking control of their finances. We want you to feel educated and empowered enough to jump into the conversation at the dinner table. We want you to know you’re taken care of financially, because of decisions that YOU have made, to walk away from the job, person, or place that no longer serves you.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
In general, I think the biggest barriers for any marginalized group to be considered for leadership is that — consciously or unconsciously — you have to prove your worth and ability more intensely and more frequently before anyone will take a second look.
In finance specifically, I think it’s the fact that most of the industry is white men over 50. And that’s no knock on white men over 50 — some of my informal mentors would fall into that category, and they’ve been nothing but supportive of me.
But it’s more challenging (sometimes subconsciously) to believe you’re welcome and worthy in an industry where — when you look around — nobody really looks like you, lives your experience, or understands where you’re coming from.
And it’s not just women who want to work in the realm of money who suffer from this reality — it’s women everywhere who feel intimidated by the idea of asking questions and speaking up. Nobody wants to feel condescended, and unfortunately, it’s a profession and industry where I think women fear that’s what’ll happen if they were to raise their hand. That said, I want to acknowledge that we’ve come such a long way and it’s so encouraging to see and experience the progress firsthand.
That’s why I believe empathy is so critically important in life and in business. It’s such a gift and practice to be able to look at your fellow human who may come from a completely different background, try to embody their perspective, and intently listen to what they have to say — nothing has changed my life more than believing that every single person I come into contact with knows or feels something I need to learn.
I’m grateful for industry leaders like Sallie Krawcheck and her work with Ellevest because I think it’s allowing women and their money to have a little bit of a cultural moment too.
Pricing:
- Packages starting at $150
- First consultation is free
Contact Info:
- Website: www.matriarchfinancial.com
- Phone: 8598030260
- Email: katie@matriarchfinancial.com
- Instagram: katiegatti
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/katiegatti
- Other: www.katiegatti.com
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