ChickSpeak

Alicia Dunams is not just a pretty face. This young mother and model holds her bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA, has travelled the world twice and is now on a mission to harness her own earning potential while she helps other young women do the same through her book and consulting.

Alicia Dunams originally set out to marry a millionaire, instead she is on her way to becoming one and has penned an inspirational book teaching women the principles of thinking like a millionaire in Goal Digger: Lessons Learned from the Rich Men I Dated. This empowering book is a step-by-step guide for a twenty to thirty something female audience to create their own personal wealth in a witty, engaging and provocative approach inspiring the next generation of female investors in health, life and wealth. Why marry a millionaire when you can become one yourself?

We recently interviewed Alicia Dunams to find out more about her book, philosophy on wealth and what makes her tick.

CS:  Have you stayed in contact with your Rich Men?  Are they supportive of
your book and optimistic of your journey to become a millionaire?

AD: Yes. I have stayed in contact with most of the Rich Men I dated.
Although I no longer date the men in my book, we continue to be
friends, and I consider some my mentors. A few of the men I see on a
regular basis for coffee or lunch, but I stay connected to most via
email. All of the men are extremely supportive of my book and my
journey. Mr. Rich says that he is proud that he was able to help me,
and is excited I am doing so well. I contact them still for financial,
investing, and business advice.

CS: What Lesson do you feel is most important? What Lesson do you feel is
most difficult to learn?

AD: I think integrity (Lesson 10) is the most important lesson I learned.
The rich men I dated taught me that integrity is not only the right
thing to do, it?s the expedient thing to do. Integrity is about
ownership, and being confident in your decisions and who you are as a
person. It about living an authentic existence.

Being fearless (Lesson 5) and taking risks (Lesson 6) are the most
difficult to learn. Women by nature are risk adverse. What I learned
on this journey is taking risks is a major part of creating wealth. We
have to be fearless enough to take risks, like reducing our hours at
our job to start a business. Or investing in the stock market. All of
the Rich Men I dated were entrepreneurs. They invested in themselves
and now it is paying off 100 fold. Sometimes risk is deferring
self-gratification for something greater in the future. Whatever risk
means to you; it usually takes you out of your comfort zone for a bit.
But you will never know what you can achieve unless you leave your
comfort zone.

CS:  In your book, you teach women to spend smarter. What is something a
woman could do to avoid the “Sex and the City Syndrome?”

AD: Maintain internal wealth. If you are happy on the inside you don?t
need the ?material trappings? required to keep up with the Joneses.
Now, don?t get me wrong, I?m not against fancy things, and the odd
shopping spree, but if material things are what is keeping your
self-esteem afloat, you need to check yourself. To avoid the ?Sex and
the City Syndrome? I would recommend women buy the condo, instead of
rent the condo. Also, to expand your means by starting a new business,
and turning your passion into a profit. This may sound overly
simplistic, but if you are focused on your endgame (i.e. buying a
condo) and you focus on the small milestones required to achieve your
endgame (i.e. saving for a down payment, asking family or friends for
help, maintaining (or fixing) your credit score, and then going to the
bank to qualify for a loan), you are well on your way to achieving
your goal. I always put it this way, things are easy when you think
they are easy; things are hard when you think they are hard. I live my
life thinking everything is easy.

CS: Do you think that your book only applies to women, or would men find the
lessons helpful as well?
The principles in the book are universal. Actually, I find men are
extremely intrigued by the content, and are some of my biggest fans.
Men get a lot from reading this books ?not only do they find out about
the intimate secrets of the Rich Men mentality, but they find out how
women think. All men want to know why women are attracted to wealthy
men For me, rich men?s attractiveness goes beyond their external
riches. It was about their confidence. The Rich Men I dated lived with
an overpowering sense of worth and accomplishment, which I found
extremely addicting. From this, I learned to be more confident myself.

AD: What woman is your leading role model? Why?

Of course, Oprah. She overcame many obstacles and has achieved great
success ? beyond wealth. Oprah?s commitments to her Leadership Academy
in South Africa has made a big impact on me. In addition, Oprah is a
dreamer and a doer. Actually, the book could be titled ?Lessons
Learned from Oprah Winfrey,? because, I believe, she lives by many of
these principles, such as gratitude, integrity. and accountability.
Oprah is a great believer of positive thinking and has used
visualization to help manifest her dreams.

CS: What has been the most challenging part of your life and how did you
overcome it?

AD: I would say my abusive marriage, but I think it is deeper than that. I
think my marriage and subsequent relationship made me feel as though I
was unlovable. I am currently overcoming these feelings. And I am
finding out, quickly, that the way you cure these feelings is not
trying to find someone to love you, but loving yourself.

CS: You have traveled around the world twice.  If you could travel to any of
those places right now, where would it be?  Who would you take with you and
what would you do there?

AD: In 1998, I lived on a sail boat for 6 weeks in the South Pacific. I
learned how to sail, and sailed with a group of travelers from Fiji to
Vanuatu. It was the most amazing experience ? I bathed in the deep,
blue Pacific; swam with dolphins; and went to bed every evening under
a star lit sky. I would do the same thing, but instead of six weeks I
would prefer to take the entire summer, sailing from Tonga to New
Zealand, via Fiji, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. I would be with my
daughter, when she is a few years older, of course.

CS: You refer to your Rich Men as Mr. Rich, Mr. Smooth, Mr. Brawn and Mr.
Renaissance.  Which one of these men has impacted your life the most and
why?

AD: Mr. Smooth. He was the man that said, ?Alicia, you?re industrious
enough to be your own millionaire.? That statement, to me, launched a
thousand ships. I never thought that way before his comment. He also
taught me the metaphysical aspects of wealth creation. He taught me
that positive thinking and visualization techniques are just as
important and influential as raising capital, investing, and
entrepreneurship in creating wealth. I consider Mr. Smooth my
spiritual guru, and he was the impetus that initiated my journey.

For more information on Goal Digger, visit Alicia’s website at http://www.goaldigger.com/. To purchase your copy click here.