About Our Founder

Dionisia “Diony” Cespedes is a financial coach and business strategist who built Sole Strivers Financial Fitness to help clients achieve goals related to financial wealth and well-being. She defines wealth as: Health+Happiness+Cash+Time+Income producing assets.

Diony has more than 20 years of corporate and start-up experience, playing lead roles in over 160 projects with budgets ranging from $10,000 to $100 million. She has created and/or executed strategies for large organizations including: ABN AMRO Bank, Rothschild Advisors, Warner Music Group, Aetna, and the State University of New York.

Diony is also the author of Make Your Dreams Happen—5 Steps to Turn Your Dreams into Realities, a goal attainment guide. Her personal finance articles have appeared in a variety of media including: LatinTrends Magazine, Triple the Focus, World Bride Magazine, The Network Journal, BET.com, and NV Magazine. Recently, she was quoted in the book The Freelance Mindset: Unleashing Your Side Hustles for Better Work, Play, and Life Hardcover written by Joy Batra (2023).

Diony earned a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Marketing from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, a certificate in Finance from Baruch College, a Master of Science in Education from the City College of New York where she graduated with highest honors (4.0/4.0), and a Master of Business Administration from Howard University, where she was a Howard University Trustee Scholar. She speaks French and Spanish.