I am not sure if you know, but in addition to being all things Frugal Feminista here, I write for a number of online sites, one of which in MadameNoire. I actually write a column called “The Watercooler Chronciles” for the MadameNoireBiz section headed by Business Editor Tonya Garcia, who is awesome. While I was covering the screening of An African City (the African response to Sex and The City and Girlfriends at Buka, a cute Nigerian restaurant during African Restaurant week, I bumped into Victoria. I recognized her after a brief visit to Molgodum’s (the parent company of MadameNoire.com) headquarters in the City. I introduced myself to her, we chatted, and I decided that she was DreamGirl material– great energy, thoughtful, and driven. She has a lot to share.
-K

What do you do and why is it important?
I’m the associate editor for MadameNoire.com. It’s important to me because I feel that on a daily basis, we provide the type of stories that I always wanted to see when I was growing up: empowering profiles of everyday women and famous women; the scoop on everything happening in the entertainment industry; advice for your love life and life in general; tips and encouragement for the entrepreneurial spirit in you; and engaging slideshows!

What advice would you give to your 20 year-old self?
Stop focusing so much on what your boyfriend is and isn’t doing and learn how to stand on your own and be happy. Also, continue to hustle to live out your dreams, it will definitely pay off.

What are three things that you know for sure?
You can’t get anything without hard work. Just because other people are slacking off in different aspects of life and/or in their career doesn’t mean you should.
God is real. There are certain blessings that have come into my life that I know I didn’t bring about on my own. That’s why I’ve become so much more involved in the church I go to.
It’s a blessing to have love. The love and support of family and friends is everything. And not only that, but finding love and support in a man (or woman, whatever works for people) can also have a remarkable impact on your happiness.

What is the best advice (financial, emotional, spiritual, health-related) that you have ever received? Why did that piece of wisdom resonate with you so much?
It’s actually a quote: “Maturing is realizing how many things don’t require your comment.” – Rachel Wolchin; I’ve dealt with a lot of foolishness in my personal life over the years, and I deal with a lot of foolish comments and ugliness as someone who works online and through social media. The old me would go back and forth with foolish people, curse out folks for being ugly (and in turn, act ugly myself) and just let people raise my blood pressure. I’ve learned to take a deep breath and let all that go. Not everything requires your opinion or comment. Let fools be fools, and you worry about your next big move.

What are you the most proud of as a woman, entrepreneur, scholar, or anything in between?
As normal as it is, I would say the fact that I’ve been able to move to New York, put money that I saved down for an apartment (a one-bedroom for me, myself and I) and keep it up for three years now, keep food on my table and keep clothes on my back, without having to ask anyone to let me hold a dollar. It hasn’t been easy, and I’ve made financial mistakes on the way that I’m still trying to pay down (lol), but considering where I started, I’ve come a loooong way.

What is going on in your business/career that EVERYONE should know about now? Is there a product or services that we should ALL know about?
Well, I’m doing a lot more video work for MadameNoire, letting the comedienne in me shine. I did a video (PLEASE subscribe to our YouTube channel!) called The 5 Stages of Watching Scandal, as well as one called Engaged Girls Be Like… and my first video A Day In The Life of an Internet Troll, and all have been received so well. It’s given me the chance to write jokes instead of just stories, which is nice, because I do hope to write a screenplay of sorts in the near future. I have more videos coming up soon. Stay tuned!

Here is Engaged Girls Be Like.. (super funny. I SO know women like this.)

What makes you a DreamGirl?
Even before I was given the job at MN, I was willing to leave the new full-time job I had in Chicago, and take a pay cut for a new gig, just to move to NYC to live my dreams. I had actually planned to just move with my savings even if I didn’t find a job immediately. I felt stifled at my parent’s home, at my job in the city of Chicago with my uptight managers. I needed to be free. To be around movers and shakers and explore a new place. And here I am, three years later, excelling in my position and watching a site I was with in the early days, grow massively and gain a major following.

What rituals, if any, do you do on a daily, monthly, or yearly to keep you focused, positive, or centered?

I go to church every Sunday. I sing in the choir and go to practice every Friday. All of this keeps my head on straight. I also try to find at least two hours out of my busy work schedule to do what I WANT. Even when it’s late at night. If I don’t find time to lay around and watch old TV shows or just lay around doing nothing, I will feel stifled and not ready to give 100 percent to my work (and relationship).

How do you handle setbacks? What skills, support, or personality trait do you rely on the most to help you overcome adversity?
My sense of humor and the fact that I try to have a sunny disposition. Even when people are a jerk I try to deal with them with a sense of humor. Even when people fail to get back to me for stories for the site, I keep emailing and stay positive. I don’t like to let people keep me from being me, or to let people bring me down. My mother always provides the best support and encouragement to know that no matter what, I’m blessed. It ‘aint over ‘til it’s over.

Victoria Uwumarogie is associate editor for MadameNoire.com. She is a transplant to New York by way of Matteson, IL (MattTown stand up!) who loves to write, do brunch (oh, how I love brunch), cook, bake and hustle. She is the youngest of eight kids and has always stood out because of her personality and ability to make others laugh. She believes in hard work, giving and God.

Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GhostwriterVic
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