Sascha Ferguson	The Week of December 12th, 2004

Cirque du Soleil Meets James Bond

1. What’s in your wallet right now?

Two packets of Emergen-c, a photo of my son, my license, two credit cards, business cards. about 15 phone messages, two hundred bucks, and a note to myself to calm down and focus.

2. What do you wish your parents taught you about money?

Although I was brought up in a comfortable home, I have worked constantly since I was 15. I learned work was inevitable, so I might as well choose something I really loved to do. I’m glad they taught me to “always have my own thing” because now that I am divorced, I would be really unlucky to be a single mom and not have something to do to fulfill me and help me heal. My mom was a stay-at-home mom during the course of a 20+ year marriage, and it cost her in the end when my parents split up. Neither she nor my father have ever really quit justifying their side of the story, which is really draining for a child, and continues to affect me. It affected my marriage a great deal.

I wish my parents had recognized that both the stay-at-home parent and the working parent contribute equally to the success of a family. Women work so incredibly, incessantly hard to create an environment so husbands can thrive in their chosen careers, and to be a stay-at-home mom with the secret worry that “what if we split up and I have sacrificed it all” is too much. I’ve been fortunate not to repeat the pattern. I just separated from a now incredibly successful ex-husband, and although he is paying me support and alimony, it is far from equal to what he will be making in the future. I’m sure it would sting a lot more if I didn’t have my own thing.

3. What is your worst habit around finances?

Budgeting! I am an instant gratification whore about some things and its hard for me to deal with the reality of cost sometimes. It took me until I separated to truly create a budget that I must adhere to. It is so scary to look at the big picture, and so overwhelming, I would rather ignore it....wouldn’t it go away? There are some things I will unapologetically spend on, though. I have very few regrets about my luxuries.

4. What makes you happy?

Sharing accomplishments with others. Doing stuff that is difficult and a little scary! Blowing the lid off anything that keeps me feeling badly about myself. Driving around in my sportscar listening to music made me very happy, but I had to sacrifice my sportscar once I was separated. Being in Paris makes me very happy. My son, there are no words. Although it may seem contradictory to my life, I like physical activity and being outside and relaxing that way...and I plan to make enough money that I can indulge myself more often that way, by spending the whole day outside playing.

5. Personal philosophy around money?

If I really really want something, I’ll buy it. It’s not true that money isn’t important, it is very valuable. It's a must to understand how to use it to your advantage and not be a victim. I have this little formula: I divide the cost of something by how many times I will use the item, therefore justifying a $500 pair of shoes every once in a while. If I will wear them 100 times, they are not so expensive after all. I call this my self-leasing program. I believe saving and cushioning yourself is crucial;the emotional stress of living paycheck to paycheck is too much for me. But wealth comes from sharing with others, and doing things with people who make you happy.

6. Where does money come from?

Trees, right? Time and faith. I believe if you do what you love and are willing to share, the money will truly appear. But only if you are willing to identify what you do and put a price to it.

7. What would you do with a million dollars?

I would hire a full time assistant, definitely, to free up my time. Pay off my apartment in Paris, reinvest in my business. Put money away for my son’s education. And buy a brand new car. And take a few weeks off. Oh, I could really go here.

8. What is your most prized possession?

My health.

9. Who is your role model?

I have a few: Napoleon, Oprah, Madonna, the usuals. I’m a big fan of Oprah. In a lot of ways, my family and friends are my role models. My two business parters, my ex-husband, my boyfriend, all of these people influence me more than they know. Oprah and Madonna are cliché, but I really appreciate the bold path they blazed for women everywhere.

10. What is your greatest achievement?

Raising my son, and championing absolution until it became tangible so that other women can experience what I'm experiencing.

11. What organizations do you support?

I have invested almost all of my being into absolution...i believe very strongly in what we are doing.. The Lollipop Theatre organization, which brings current films to terminally ill kids in hospitals and is an amazing charity. Hollygrove Foster home in Hollywood! I am on their “circle of angels” committee, so I ask people to donate at least $1000 to Hollygrove. I have no problem asking people of wealth to donate money; it’s weird how the wealthy have to be asked to donate. Time is money too so I ask people to donate time a lot.

12. What contributions to society do you want to make?

I want to show women what It feels like to know their own boundaries, and to be comfortable with them, to be able to express them. I want to alter women’s lives.

13. If you could buy one thing right now what would it be?

Serenity. And my apartment in Paris.

14. Favorite activity that doesn’t cost a dime?

Wink.

15. How do you indulge yourself?

Trips to Paris. Chocolate chip cookie dough. A good massage. Taking a day off and rock climbing with my boyfriend. I am a hedonist pig. The list goes on. I could quit today and indulge myself in a gazillion ways...but I have some things to do first.

For more information about Sascha Ferguson and Absolution, please visit www.absolution-la.com.

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