Living Her Best Life

It's early afternoon in South Florida, and Suze Orman is talking animatedly about her latest venture.

Surprisingly, it's not the stock market or a mutual fund that has the internationally acclaimed author, financial advisor and motivational speaker so excited. Rather, it's her newfound hobby as a fisherwoman.

To quote her friend and mentor, Oprah Winfrey, Orman is living her best life. At 67, she is semi-retired and living on a private island in the Bahamas with her wife, Kathy "KT" Travis. Orman, who hosted "The Suze Orman Show" on CNBC for 13 years until the show ended its run in 2015, has traded in her business apparel for yoga pants and a stylish T-shirt. During fishing season, she and Travis often spend up to eight hours a day on their modest boat.

"Two years ago, I began to wonder if I would still feel fulfilled if my life wasn't dictated by a busy schedule," Orman says. "I wanted to be defined by who I am as a person, rather than what I do for a living."

So began Orman's second act, as she and Travis sold their residences in New York, South Africa and San Francisco and relocated to a private island in the Bahamas.

"Everyone thought I was having a nervous breakdown," Orman recalls with a laugh.

It took two years for Orman and Travis to build their dream home. While they waited, they rented a house on the island and watched with interest as the fishermen departed each morning, only to return in the evening with their prized bounty.

"The Bahamas are known for their master fishermen and trophy fish," Orman says. "So, KT and I decided to give fishing a try. We'd go out and catch these tiny little 6-inch fish and bring them back to the island where we'd fillet and cook them."

Over time, Orman says she and Travis became known among locals as "the fishy ladies who caught little fish." And, amidst the good-natured teasing, a surprising thing happened: The two realized they were not only having fun - they were also becoming quite skilled at fishing.

"We heard the other fishermen talk about catching wahoo, and we had no idea what a wahoo was," Orman says with a laugh. "We asked if they would take us out on their boat so we could observe how to catch wahoo, and we learned the fish can grow up to 8 feet in size and are considered a highly prized sport-fishing catch."

After observing other fishermen, Orman and Travis were thrilled when they ventured out on their own and caught their first wahoo.

"Wahoo are among the most difficult fish to catch," Orman says. "They swim 60 miles an hour and have very sharp teeth. We have to go 16 miles per hour on our boat with a lure that's 15 inches long dragging behind us. Then, if you're lucky enough to catch one, you have to get the 50- to 100-pound fish on the boat."

Orman and Travis were overjoyed the first time they returned home with a wahoo. Their first expedition led to many others, and, as their confidence soared, they decided to enter the island's annual wahoo fishing contest last November.

"Fishermen come from all over the world to enter this contest, and they're in these $6 million sport fishing boats with their captains," Orman says. "In contrast, KT and I have a small Boston Whaler that holds the two of us and our two fishing rods."

The contest limited participants to catching a minimum of three wahoo. After Orman and Travis had successfully caught three, they decided to head home. They were surprised to learn they were the only team to catch any fish that day and were declared winners.

"The men on the island are still talking about it," Orman says. "Winning that contest reminded me of the joy I felt winning an Emmy Award."

Despite her reduced work schedule, Orman still finds time to dispense financial advice. Her popular "Women & Money" podcast (available on iTunes) offers advice on topics ranging from retirement planning to paying off debt. She's also hosting a live "Women & Money" presentation at the Apollo Theater in New York City on Sept. 15 (the event will be filmed and shown on the OWN television network at a later date). Orman has also updated her "Women & Money" book and plans to release a new edition on Sept. 11.

When they're not working or in the Bahamas, Orman and Travis often spend time at their South Florida condo.

"The weather, the ocean, the well-manicured streets of Boca always make it a pleasure to be here," Orman says. "We love to go on walks and eat at our favorite sushi restaurant and enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle."

Looking ahead to 2019, Orman says she and Travis plan to spend three weeks in Madrid, learning the language and walking the Camino de Santiago, a centuries-old trail that runs across the Spanish countryside.

"We've become explorers now," Orman says. "And we're enjoying every day and every moment." O