We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Patti Diamond. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Patti below.
Hi Patti, so excited to have you with us today and we are really interested in hearing your thoughts about how folks can develop their empathy? In our experience, most folks want to be empathic towards others, but in a world where we are often only surrounded by people who are very similar to us, it can sometimes be a challenge to develop empathy for others who might not be as similar to us. Any thoughts or advice?
Empathy wasn’t something I woke up one day knowing how to embody—it was forged through the kind of life lessons no one asks for, but everyone can learn from.
I used to believe there was a simple formula for success: if you worked hard, made smart choices, and avoided extravagance, you’d be immune to financial failure. Poverty, I thought, was simply the result of bad decisions—a consequence of not doing things “right.” I was convinced that if I followed the rules and poured my heart into my craft, I’d somehow earn the guarantee of security.
For nearly 20 years, working in entertainment, that belief seemed to hold true. My former husband and I lived in a constant cycle of feast or famine—relying on credit cards when money was tight and paying them off with the next big job. It wasn’t easy, but it worked for us. I didn’t realize at the time that I was gambling with my life, living on the edge of financial stability.
Then everything shifted. The economy shifted. The world shifted.
Live theater started drying up—venues closed, and many touring shows went non-union. Suddenly, the work we’d always counted on was just gone. Poof. For the first time, we couldn’t pay off the credit cards. Debt began to pile up, and we were desperate for a solution.
We decided to bet everything on ourselves. We put up our home equity to pay off our debts and start a new business—a booking agency for artists. For a while, it worked. The business thrived right out of the gate, and it felt like we’d turned a corner. But then, it happened again. The economy shifted once more, and our new bread and butter, corporate entertainment seemed to vanish overnight. All at once, we were right back where we started, struggling to stay afloat.
Why? Why did this happen – again? I did everything “right.” I worked constantly, reached the top of my field, and was careful with every dollar I made. None of it protected me from the financial freefall that came seemingly overnight. Experiencing poverty was sudden and excruciating, shattering my illusions about how the world worked.
We went from abundance to scarcity so quickly it felt like the ground disappeared beneath us. Credit card debt piled up, and I’ll never forget the knot in my stomach the day I walked into the welfare office, hoping no one would notice the expensive car parked around the corner. That moment humbled me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. It taught me that no one is immune to hardship, and it planted the first seeds of understanding and compassion that I carry with me to this day.
In that moment, sitting in the welfare office, I realized I wasn’t so different from anyone else. The people around me weren’t lazy, irresponsible, or somehow “deserving” of hardship. They were just like me—doing the best they could with the cards they were dealt.
It was humbling to see how quickly circumstances could change, and for the first time, I truly understood what it meant to walk in someone else’s shoes.
During those dark times, I came face-to-face with a truth that many people live with every day: not everyone has a safety net. Generational wealth is a privilege so many others take for granted.
Without that safety net, you can’t take risks—and without risk, dreams often wither before they ever have a chance to bloom. So many brilliant minds are stifled from living to their full potential simply because they can’t afford to risk failure.
I didn’t have parents or family elders with deep pockets who could swoop in and keep us afloat until we found our footing again. But I did have my sister. She stepped in when we were at our lowest, paying our mortgage for a while, even though it became a hardship for her.
It was life-saving. At a time when foreclosures were sweeping through neighborhoods across the country, we didn’t lose our home. But it was also mortifying. Taking money from my sister was embarrassing and humbling in ways I hadn’t experienced before.
She always told me she didn’t do it for me or my then husband—she did it so my kids would have a place to live. That simple, selfless act of love flattened me. I felt like I was on my belly in the dirt, depressed and utterly devastated. But even in those moments of despair, I started to see things differently. Her kindness reminded me of the power of compassion and how interconnected we all are.
At my core, I’ve always been driven. So, when I found myself facing financial hardship, I made a decision: If I’m going to be broke, I’m going to be the best at being broke. I’m going to be the best broke person – ever! That mindset ignited something in me. I wasn’t going to let my circumstances define me—I was determined to adapt and thrive, no matter what.
I dove headfirst into learning everything I could about living well on less. I read every book, article, and blog I could find about spending wisely, stretching a dollar, and using creativity instead of cash to replace the lifestyle I could no longer afford. I learned how to make small changes with a big impact—things like cooking from scratch, repurposing what I already had, and finding joy in simplicity.
I got so good at it that people started noticing. I was feeding a family of six on less than $75 a week. I was still throwing parties. Friends and other moms began asking me for advice on saving money and living creatively, and I loved sharing what I’d learned. What started as casual conversations grew into something bigger—a community of like-minded people looking to live well without overspending.
But wait! There’s more! At nearly 60 years old, I was diagnosed with ADHD—a diagnosis I never saw coming, but one that makes so much sense now.
It all started when my adult son asked me to fill out a questionnaire to help determine if he had ADHD. As I answered each question, I found myself thinking, doesn’t everyone feel this way? Doesn’t everyone think like this?
Wait, you mean not everyone lives in a sea of color-coded post-it notes? Not everyone sets timers to go off every 15 minutes just to stay on task? Not everyone has two songs and an inner narrator constantly jostling for attention in their mind? It was a huge revelation—what I had always thought was simply the way life was, was actually a condition.
I went to my doctor, and sure enough, the diagnosis was confirmed. I am off the charts ADHD. I started on medication, and my life changed. It felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders, but also like a deep, painful realization of how much harder I’d made my life by not knowing.
I’d spent my whole life running the rat race in flip-flops, while everyone else had on running shoes.
When I look back at all the hard work I’ve put into building my career and two successful businesses, I can’t help but wonder: What would my life have been like if I had received this diagnosis sooner? What if I could have been on medication to help me focus and think more clearly? It’s a bittersweet thought, but it’s also empowering to know that it’s never too late to change, to grow, and to finally get the tools I needed to run this race with everything I’ve got.
In the end, everything I’ve learned—the struggles, the setbacks, and the triumphs—led me to create Divas On A Dime. Just like in theater, I’m still a diva, but now I’m getting that same self-assurance and satisfaction, not from a glamorous paycheck, but from living fully on a dime. My greatest desire is to help others who are doing the best they can with what they’ve got, and to offer them a lifeline when they feel lost in the cycle of financial hopelessness.
Through Divas On A Dime, I’m able to share the tools and knowledge I’ve gained—whether it’s teaching someone how to cook budget-friendly meals, plan affordable holidays, or make the most of what they have without compromising on quality or joy. This space is for everyone who wants to feel pride again—the pride of scoring a deal at the thrift store, of harvesting the first fruits of your own garden, or of walking out of the grocery store with a receipt showing you saved more than you spent.
We’re all Divas on a Dime, and we all deserve to feel empowered by our choices, proud of the lives we’re creating, and confident in our ability to thrive on our own terms—no matter what the world throws our way.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
We can mention I write a nationally syndicated newspaper column for King Features weekly, a Division of Hearst Publishing. Before that I had a weekly column in several papers in Southern Nevada. I’ve written and published a column every week for 590 weeks. Sometime in April of this year will be my 600th column. I would love to find my way into more publications.
I do write a useful and fun weekly newsletter through my website www.divasonadime.com called The Divas Weekly Inspiration. It’s free as are many of the resources on my website.
I have recently written a cookbook called “The Diva Dinner Dash” with over 200 dinner recipes that come together in 20 minutes or less. I’m in the process of self publishing. Wish me luck!
Oh! There will be a free Meal Planning Reset Challenge to get people on track to easy, healthy, delicious meal planning in the new year. I’ve been asked to share my own meal plans and I’m considering offering a membership soon. I’m thinking of calling it “The Savvy Supper Club”. What do you think?
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Resourcefulness, Creativity, and the ability to make something out of nothing have been central to my business and my life. Whether its transforming thrift store finds into treasures, creating memorable meals on a shoestring budget, or reimagining how to celebrate holidays without overspending, I find that resourcefulness and creative problem-solving are key.
Empathy and Connection: my personal experiences with financial hardship have given me deep empathy for others who feel overwhelmed by similar challenges. I feel I meet my readers where they are, without judgment, which is an important quality in any business. This empathy fuels my ability to connect with my audience on an emotional level, offering encouragement, understanding, and practical advice that feels attainable.
Communication and Teaching: I started teaching tap dance and musical theater classes when I was 16 years old, and I’ve been teaching ever since. It seems I have a natural talent for breaking down complex or overwhelming concepts—like meal planning, budgeting, frugal living, or tap dancing — into simple, actionable steps.
I guess I turned this into 6 qualities. I’m a sneaky little devil, aren’t I? 😉
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
Both! I believe it’s essential to focus on both honing your strengths and continuously learning new things.
Strengths are the foundation of what makes us effective and confident, but the world changes quickly, and thus adaptability is key. To thrive, we have to expand our skillsets and venture outside our comfort zones.
Over the past several years, I’ve experienced this firsthand. When I started Divas On A Dime I already had a base of knowledge about frugal lifestyle, but I had to learn about writing, developing recipes, food styling and photography. My strengths have always been in creativity and connection. But, I quickly realized that wasn’t enough. I had to learn a whole new set of skills to succeed in an online market place.
In my late 50’s I taught myself website construction and design, SEO, affiliate sales, marketing, graphic design, DMARC and email delivery, domain hosting—you name it. All. The. Things. I don’t consider my self remotely technical and I’m thankful for endlessly patient help I received from my partner, Jason and my sons, Bobby and Billy. And every tech support person I called upon over the past three years.
It was overwhelming at first, and I wasn’t sure I was going to succeed. But I knew that if I wanted to truly control my business, I needed to understand and master ALL the elements that made it run. I never wanted anyone to be able to hold any part of my business hostage because I didn’t have the necessary skills.
Like I do everything – I dove headfirst into learning, breaking complex topics into manageable steps and proving to myself that I was capable of doing hard things.
Life will always demand you step up in ways you never expected. The key is to approach new challenges with curiosity and resilience.
Learning these skills not only gave me the tools to run my business but also bolstered my confidence, proving to myself that I could thrive independently.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://divasonadime.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divasonadimedotcom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DivasOnADimeDotCom
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-diamond-54754a4/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivasOnADimeDotCom
Image Credits
The food photography – Pix 1, 2 and 3, Food stylist – Patti Diamond/Divas On A Dime Photo credit Jason Coblentz/Divas On A Dime
