We had the good fortune of connecting with Moushumi Ghose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Moushumi, do you have a budget? how do you think about personal finances?

As a business owner, I most certainly do budget myself. I think it’s important to know your income, and what lifestyle your income affords you. Its also important to splurge every now and then, if you can, and be frugal as much as you can, as well. I am not a fan of frivolity, however I love traveling, shopping and going out and living life, but I also know how to do it inexpensively. I  do not have any shared accounts with anyone else. My money is my own business. I am no ones dependent and no one is dependent on me.

I work for myself. And, what that means is that money fluctuates. And quite often it is feast and famine. For many years, money will flow and there are lean lean times.It’s important to always, no matter, what build a savings account. I contribute to that savings account whenever I can.This is probably the one thing that has saved me during lean times. Lean times are a hard adjustment, no doubt, but having some savings can make the transition much smoother.

I also think it’s important to invest. If you can’t invest in real estate, invest in stocks. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money, but just putting a little away can bring bigger dividends later.

Most of all be frugal when you can. Splurge occasionally only and only when you can. Cultivate a style that looks expensive. Take care of your belongings so they last a long time.

It’s okay to use credit cards, once in a while. Mine have gotten out of hand before. I try to be conscientous, now, but life can be costly.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

I am the founder and CEO of Los Angeles Sex Therapy also known as LAST collective. We are a group of psychotherapists, sex therapist, relationship coaches, and wellness professionals that provide services from a sex positive, pleasure positive lens, and are kink aware, and LGBTQIA/BIPOC centered.

Being a business owner is really hard. It is definitely not for the faint of heart but as an artist it has always been very important to me to be in charge of what I put out into the world, whether it be from a business, political or creative standpoint.

Combining traditional ideas as a root to build off of, I create. Whether it be art, or education that supports our human condition, I know that what I do must have purpose and be a part of my core mission.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a writier and a reader, and someone who loves books so I’m going to focus on bookstores. Some of my favorite book stores in LA:
#1 Iliad in North Hollywood, this place is such a gem, so many many old old books you can get lost in this place, just resist the urge to buy everything all at one!
#2 The LAST Bookstore in DTLA. Another amazing oldie, that is also somewhat touristy, perhaps, because of its uniquenss, however don’t let that sway you from all the amazing reads, new and used, here.
#3 Circus of Books in West Hollywood, Located in the heart of Boys Town, this one comes witha little bit of a warning before you walk in. Being that this is a Queer book store, it does have Pornography, Adult Toys and videos. That being said this store also has amazing books from the Gay Rights Movement, The AIDS Crisis, and art books by queer artists.
#4 Kinokuniya Los Angeles is in Korea Town/Japan Town and though many of the books are in either Korean or Japanese, I still love walking through this bookstore to look at the artistic covers, and to buy journals. They also have tons of cute litte trinkets to buy, playing cards, pencil.makeup bags, very unique and something you would only find here. I love this place!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents insilled in me the importance of having nice things, but not going overboard. More important was being well read, and well traveled. You can be well-dressed, too, but you don’t need to be extravagant. Simple and elegant taste and choices are less expensive in the long run.

Website: moushumighose.com

Instagram: moushumighose

Linkedin: moushumighose

Twitter: moushumighose

Facebook: moushumighose

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/moushumi-ghose-mft-los-angeles-sex-therapy-glendale

Image Credits
Photo Credits: Michelle Muldrow Jozie Di Maria

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.