At 23, I walked into BlackRock’s New York office, fresh out of Wesleyan University, ready to conquer Wall Street. By 28, I had traded in my corporate badge for a ring light and a mission to empower women through content creation. I learned that the greatest impact doesn’t always come from the largest institutions.
The journey began in 2018 when I joined BlackRock’s Financial Markets Advisory team. In my role, I advised governments and banks on complex financial issues. At 23, I was analyzing balance sheets and sitting in rooms where billion-dollar decisions were being made. After two years, I moved to an investment bank as a corporate bond trader. Fast, demanding and complex work.
But even as I was crafting that impressive Wall Street resume, I kept thinking: What am I really aiming for? I had access to financial knowledge that most women would never have. However, due to the restrictions that some Wall Street institutions place on their employees, I was not allowed to share basic financial knowledge with the world.
Table of contents
The moment that changed everything
After I left BlackRock, I worked at an investment bank and that’s where everything changed. There I uncovered systemic wage inequality. Hundreds of black employees, including me, did the same work as our white colleagues.
However, we were significantly underpaid. I collected data, documented discrepancies and wrote a letter to the HR manager. This email led to a formal compensation review and correction, resulting in a change in salaries for hundreds of Black employees across the company.
This email did not result in an immediate change. It took months of internal review before compensation was officially corrected, ultimately leading to a change in salaries for hundreds of Black employees across the company.
It was a victory, but it came at a price. Even before I sent this letter, the pay equity person tried to address my concerns. Afterwards I was repeatedly informed that our compensation was already correct. That wasn’t it. The data proved the opposite.
This experience of being gaslighted, even in the face of clear evidence, made something clear to me: I no longer wanted to spend my career fighting for justice in institutions that don’t recognize it or value me until external pressures make it inevitable.
My passion wasn’t climbing the career ladder. It was about educating women about their finances, beauty and well-being. I wanted to encourage women to embody health and wealth in everything they do. As my slogan says: Stay healthy and wealthy.
I wanted to build something where my voice and my values weren’t up for negotiation.
The Pivot: From Trading Floor to TikTok
In May 2022 I posted mine first vlog on TikTok as a form of self-expression.
Technically, I missed the big creator boom of 2020 and 2021, but I wasn’t looking for virality. I just showed up as myself.
As a Wall Street trader, I started sharing everyday videos and people were fascinated. Then I incorporated life lessons, beauty routines and wellness tips because these have always been a part of me.
Beauty was not new territory for me. I received my makeup artistry and skin care certificate in the spring of 2014 while I was still in high school in Jamaica. When I moved to the US for college Wesleyan UniversityI was the girl who did everyone’s makeup for graduation, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween.
So when I started creating content, I didn’t choose a niche and force myself into a box. I was completely me: a financial professional who also loves a good skincare and beauty routine, a green juice, and a perfectly put-together outfit.
The audience grew quickly because I wasn’t performing. I just lived out loud. I had added “The Finance Baddie®” to my TikTok bio almost as an afterthought, just a fun name while I was randomly creating content about my life.
Then one day at a Wall Street women’s networking event, the presenter mentioned that younger professionals there had recognized me from TikTok and excitedly told them, “This is The Finance Baddie®!” That’s when I realized the name had stuck. Younger women on Wall Street actually looked up to me, not because of my company title, but because of the content I created in my free time.
Building a multi-dimensional brand
Today I work with brands in beauty and skincare, health and wellness, home and kitchen, food and beverage, technology, fashion and travel. This area is not random. It’s a reflection of how I actually live.
I’ve been able to work with so many brands from different industries because Authenticity is my platform. I really incorporate these brands into my lifestyle.
When I worked with Original cuisineIt was a no-brainer to feature their dressings in my meal prep videos because that’s what I actually use in my cooking. When I worked with Aveeno skin careit was a natural addition since their products have been part of my skincare routine since I was a child. Most recently I worked with Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare™whose LED FaceWare Pro Mask is an integral part of my nightly skin care routine. I only recommend high quality products and services that I believe in, like and use.
Some YouTubers have a niche. I am the niche.
My audience follows me for different reasons. Some come for financial wisdom. Others want beauty tips, meal prep ideas, juice recipes, fashion inspiration, or skin care routines. The common thread? You trust me.
This trust comes from providing value that goes beyond brand partnerships. I run financial workshops and courses for women. At my Financial Vision Board party, Reset Rich GirlI’ve helped women set their financial intentions and create an action plan to help them actually achieve them.
At my Finance Masterclass, Time is moneyI taught women how to maximize their earning potential and monetize their time. The goal is to put yourself in a financial position to be prepared for any scenario.
I share real insights, not just sponsored content. My reputation comes before me and brands work with me because they know I’m building a community and not just promoting products.
Lessons I learned
In my journey from Wall Street to content creation, I learned lessons that anyone considering a career change needs to hear:
- Your expertise is portable. The financial knowledge I gained on Wall Street didn’t disappear when I left. It became the foundation of my content and makes my voice credible in the creative space.
- You don’t have to choose a passion. Finance, beauty, wellness, fashion – they can all coexist. The most authentic brand reflects your entire being, not just one dimension.
- Authenticity creates trust and trust creates longevity. I only work with brands that I really use and believe in. This integrity is why my audience trusts my recommendations and why brands continue to work with me.
- Timing is less important than authenticity. I started creating content in 2022, long after the pandemic-induced YouTuber boom. But it was more important to appear authentic and consistent than to be early.
- Deliver value beyond transactions. I host workshops, provide real financial education, and build community. This is what separates content creators from influencers and what makes partnerships meaningful.
- Your reputation is your currency. Whether on Wall Street or as a creative: it depends on how you present yourself. Build a reputation for quality, integrity and value.
- Freedom is the ultimate wealth. The ability to work on your own terms, share your passion, and impact lives in the way you choose? That’s worth more than any Wall Street bonus.
- Sometimes the most powerful step is building something new. Fighting for change in broken systems is exhausting. Sometimes the answer isn’t fixing the institution from within. It’s about creating your own platform on your own terms.
Why authenticity wins
Transitioning from Wall Street to content creation wasn’t about running away. It was all about running towards impact.
On Wall Street, I was a voice in a system that often didn’t want to hear me. As a creator, I reach hundreds of thousands of women every day. I can teach them about compound interest and compound interest the newest lip filler in the same breath. I can show them that you don’t have to choose between financial skills and a love of beauty, between strategic and creative action.
I went from advising governments on some of the most complex economic and financial decisions to advising women on how to build wealth, confidence and a life they love. And honestly? The impact feels greater. The fulfillment is deeper. Freedom is real.
Your Wall Street may not be a real trading floor. It’s any place where you’re underestimated, you’re locked in, or you’re told to dim the lights. But remember: you have permission to leave. You have permission to build something new. And you have permission to show up as your complete, multi-dimensional, unapologetic self.
That’s where the real wealth lies. Not in salary. Not in the title. But in the freedom to live and work according to your own ideas.
And believe me: That’s a return on investment that no Wall Street firm can match.