#283 Katie Curry: Risk by Training, Reinvention by Choice

Katie Curry doesn’t follow a path—she redraws the map. In this first of a two-part conversation, we explore her journey from communist Bulgaria to the heart of Wall Street, from technical risk roles to creative leadership. Katie shares how she builds mental toughness, adapts across industries, and leads Gen Z with humor and humility. Through it all, she reminds us that reinvention isn’t something you do once—it’s a muscle you build. 

For Gen Xers who know how to change ambitiously, this is reinvention with purpose, not panic.

>>From Bulgaria to the Big Apple

“On that bus in Manhattan, I said—I want to work here one day.”

Katie’s first reinvention wasn’t a job—it was a total life shift. Growing up in a small town under communism, she shares how dreaming big and thinking globally reshaped her trajectory.

>>Credit, Creativity, and Everything in Between

“I’ve led analysts, operators, and creatives. You can’t lead them the same way.”

Katie breaks down how she adapted her leadership style across radically different teams—from rating derivatives to managing editors—and what each one taught her about people and power.

>>Risk Isn’t a Concept—It’s a Practice

“Some of my biggest breakthroughs came from the biggest pivots.”

With a career built around risk—from Citi to S&P to insurance tech—Katie reveals how she balances data and gut instinct, logic and psychology, and why you should never expect certainty before you leap.

>>Fail Fast, Learn Hard

“If you’ve never failed, you’re playing too safe.”

Katie redefines success through her personal KPIs: energy, impact, relationships, and learning. And she makes a strong case for post-traumatic growth—yes, even at work.

>>Leadership with Presence and Punch

“During COVID, my kids watched me lead from our kitchen table. That was my real resume.”

Whether she’s coaching a Gen Z team or raising one at home, Katie leads with clarity, care, and curiosity—and she’s not afraid to be both the strategist and the student.

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Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Katie Curry

 

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