Hi there! My name is Karolina but most people call me Karo. I am the founder of Kapitalize With Karo. A platform dedicated to helping empower women learn how to better manage their money, so that in return, they can live the life they want, with the people they want.
About me
I am a NYC charter school teacher who loves to travel during breaks. I am currently working towards building wealth so I can become work optional by the age of 45!
I am a First-Gen Latina who was born in Ecuador. I moved to the United States at the age of 2. Raised and currently reside in the Bronx, New York.
Since coming to the USA, my parents have worked their butts off to provide a better future for my two younger brothers and I. I cherish my upbringing and I am grateful for the work ethic and values my parents have instilled in us.
Growing up, the only thing I was taught about money was to always try to save a portion of my earnings. Hence every time I got paid, I always put some money into my savings. However, though I was good at saving, during most of my teenage years and early-20s, I was a chronic shopaholic. I loved to shop every weekend and went out a lot! So yes, I was saving some money but I was also mindlessly spending my money.
Fast forward, when I graduated college, I landed a job as a litigation paralegal. Sounds fancy but reality was I was only making $28k a year. So a year later, I pivot careers and became a teacher at a NYC charter school.
My parents weren’t the happiest with my decision to become a teacher. They had hoped their daughter would be a lawyer or a doctor. They thought as a teacher I was never going to make “good money” (i.e.get paid 6-figures). And to be honest, I believed this too for some time. I was naive and thought that only someone who made 6 figures was capable of building wealth–definitely not a NYC school teacher. But we were wrong!
It wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties that I started to wonder, “What else could I be doing with my money?” Yes, I was saving money but I felt stuck. Luckily, I discovered the world of personal finance and dove right in. From reading money books to booking a money coaching session taking money courses, I started to gain so much money knowledge. Little by little, I started applying what I was learning. By learning and taking action, I am now on track to retire way before the average age of 62!
This journey has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. But I am proud to say this Latina, who grew up in a low-income household, was able to save $72k by 27, on a teacher salary. Then, three months before turning 28, I purchased my first home. Since then, I have been focused on increasing my investments so that I can continue to build wealth, while traveling the world. I have traveled to over 25 countries and am still counting!
I share my story to show you all how powerful financial education truly is.
As an educator I have made it my mission to spread all my money knowledge that I’ve gained. Kapitalize With Karo serves as a platform dedicated to helping empower women learn how to better manage their money, so that in return, they can live the life they want, with the people they want.
Join the community. Let’s learn about personal finance in a down-to-earth and relatable way, all while being able to travel the world for less. My goal is to provide you with the right tools, knowledge, and advice needed to help you become rich rich! Let’s level up together!
So come along and Kapitalize With Karo!
If you feel that you need 1:1 support to help you get your finances right, schedule your free 15 minute discovery call so that we can discuss your situation and financial goals.