About Nely

Latina media dynamo and women’s empowerment advocate Nely Galán, dubbed the “Tropical Tycoon” by The New York Times Magazine, is one of the entertainment industry’s savviest firebrand talents. An immigrant and self-made media and real estate entrepreneur, Galán was the first Latina President of Entertainment for a U.S. television network, Telemundo. She is an Emmy Award-winning producer of over 700 episodes of television in Spanish and English including the FOX hit reality series, The Swan. for 20th Century Fox, which she produced through her multi- media company Galan Entertainment. Her company also helped launched over 10 television channels abroad for companies like HBO, ESPN, FOX, MGM and Sony.

Galan took a mid-career sabbatical, completing a masters and doctorate in Clinical Psychology, where she focused on the Psychology of Money, in multicultural communities. She then authored The New York Times bestselling book SELF MADE: Becoming Empowered, Self-Reliant, and Rich in Every Way (published in English, Spanish and Mandarin), a manifesto in the revolution in women’s entrepreneurship led by multicultural women in the U.S. and emerging women around the world, coining the term, “Don’t Buy Shoes, Buy Buildings”. In China, her book sold 2.1 million copies.

Galan’s new financial podcast Money Maker/Mi Mundo Rico on Money News Network, has a goal of reaching listeners who have traditionally been denied a seat at the table. Money Maker is the only business and entrepreneurship podcast for a mainstream audience with episodes in English and in Spanish; allowing Mi Mundo Rico to address the gap in entrepreneurial content for the Latino community, while tapping into the burgeoning market of Latino podcast listeners. Galan is devoted to creating financial literacy and wealth building in communities of color.

Galán founded The Adelante Movement, a 501c3 nonprofit aimed to empower and train multicultural women both economically as well as entrepreneurially. Her digital platform, Becoming Self Made reaches over 1,000,000 women monthly and hosts content in financial literacy through self made stories of women of color and webinars, offering over 300 hours of content.

Galán is a sought-after speaker, having spoken in over 500 cities advocating for small business owners. She has become an expert in virtual content,  teaching financial literacy and empowerment in communities of color. She has also spoken at The United Nations, The United States of Women, and major corporations such as The Coca-Cola Company, American Express, J.P. Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Walmart, Dell, Google, Facebook, eBay and Uber. Furthermore, Galán’s speeches have inspired thousands of students across the United States as she has spoken at many universities including Harvard, USC, UCLA, University of Arizona, University of Miami, University of Arkansas, Babson College, Bryant University, Simmons University and Santa Monica College.

Galan serves on the corporate board of directors for The Wild Alaskan Company, and Aspen Institute’s Latinos and Society Advisory Board. Galan is an Emeritus board member of the Smithsonian Institute. She has also served on the board of directors of The Hispanic Scholarship Fund from 2008-2022 and the advisory board of Coca-Cola’s Advisory Council from 2008- 2022.

Galán is the mom of Lukas Rodriguez and she is based in Miami Beach, Florida.