At age 23, I walked into Blackrock’s New York office out of Wesleyan University, ready to conquer Wall Street. By 28, I had traded my corporate badge for a mission to empower women through Ringlight and content creation. Along the way, I learned that the biggest impact doesn’t always come from the biggest institutions. 
This journey began in 2018, when I joined BlackRock’s financial markets advisory team. In my role, I advised governments and banks on complex financial matters. At age 23, I was analyzing balance sheets and sitting in rooms where multi-billion dollar decisions were made. After two years, I moved to an investment bank as a corporate bond trader. High speed, high pressure, complex work.
But even as I was building that impressive Wall Street resume, I kept thinking: What am I really drawn to? I had access to financial knowledge that most women would never have. But, because of the restrictions some Wall Street firms put on their employees, I wasn’t allowed to share basic financial information with the world.
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The moment that changed everything
After leaving Black Ark, I went to work at an investment bank, and that’s where everything changed. It was there that I uncovered systemic pay inequality. Hundreds of black employees, including myself, were working just like our white counterparts.
However, we used to pay significantly less. I collected the data, documented the discrepancies, and wrote a letter to the head of HR. The email led to a formal review and compensation reform, which led to the reassignment of hundreds of black employees across the firm.
This email did not immediately lead to change. It took months of review before the compensation was officially corrected, ultimately resulting in revised pay for hundreds of black employees across the firm.
It was a win, but it came at a price. Even before sending this letter, the person responsible for pay equity tried to dismiss my concerns. After that, I was repeatedly told that our compensation was already correct. It wasn’t. The data proved otherwise.
Even with the obvious evidence, this experience of being gaslit made something clear to me: I no longer wanted to spend my career fighting for equity in institutions that failed to recognize or value me until external pressure made it inevitable.
My passion was not climbing the corporate ladder. It was making women aware of their finances, beauty and health. I wanted to encourage women to embody health and wealth in everything they do. As my motto says: Be healthy and wealthy.
I wanted to build something where my voice and values were not up for negotiation.
Axis: From Trading Floor to Techtalk
In May 2022, I posted my first vlog on TikTok as a form of self-expression.
I technically missed the big creator boom of 2020 and 2021, but I wasn’t chasing virality. I was just pretending to be myself.
I started sharing videos of my day-to-day life as a Wall Street trader, and people were fascinated. After that, I weaved in life lessons, beauty routines, and wellness tips because they’ve always been a part of who I am.
Beauty was not new territory for me. I got certified in Makeup Artistry and Skincare in Spring 2014, when I was still in high school in Jamaica. When I moved to America for college at Wesleyan University, I was the go-to girl for graduation, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween.
So, when I started creating content, I didn’t pick a niche and force myself into a box. I showed up as my perfect self: a finance professional who also loves a good skincare and beauty routine, green juice, and perfectly tailored clothing.
The audience grew faster because I wasn’t performing. I was just living out loud. I put “Finance Buddy ® ” in my TechTalk bio almost as an afterthought, just a fun name when I was randomly creating content about my life.
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Then one day at a Women’s Wall Street networking event, the host mentioned that the young professionals there recognized me from TechTalk, and excitedly told them, “That’s a finance baddie!” I then realized that the name stuck. The Younger Women of Wall Street actually wasn’t for my corporate title, but for the content I was creating in my spare time.
Building a multifaceted brand
Today, I have partnered with brands across beauty and skincare, health and wellness, home and kitchen, food and beverage, technology, fashion, and travel. This range is not random. It’s a reflection of how I really live.
I have been able to work with many brands in different sectors because Authenticity is my platform. I really incorporate these brands into my lifestyle.
When I partnered with Primal Kitchen, it was only natural to feature their dressings in my meal prep videos because that’s what I actually use in my kitchen. When I worked with Aveeno Skincare, it was a natural fit because their products have been a part of my skincare regimen since I was a little girl. Most recently, I collaborated with Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare™, whose LED Facewear Pro Mask has been a regular part of my nighttime skincare routine. I only recommend high quality products and services that I believe in, like, and use.
Some creators have a niche. I am odd.
My audience follows me for a variety of reasons. Some come for financial wisdom. Others want beauty tips, meal prep ideas, juicing recipes, fashion inspiration, or skincare routines. The common thread? They trust me.
This trust comes from the value proposition beyond the brand partnership. I host finance workshops and classes for women. At my financial vision board party, Rich Girl Reset, I guided women through setting their financial intentions and creating an action plan to help them actually follow through.
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In my finance masterclass, Time is Money, I taught women how to maximize their earning potential and turn their time into money. The goal is to put themselves in a financial position where they can pivot for any scenario.
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I share real insights, not just sponsored content. My reputation precedes me, and brands work with me because they know I’m building a community, not just promoting products.
Lessons I have learned
My journey from Wall Street to content creation taught me lessons that anyone considering a career pivot needs to hear:
- Your skills are portable. The financial knowledge I gained on Wall Street didn’t end when I left. It became the foundation of my content and what gives my voice credibility in the creator space.
- You don’t have to choose a passion. Finance, beauty, fitness, fashion – they can all coexist. The most authentic brand reflects all of who you are, not just one dimension.
- Authenticity promotes trust, and trust promotes longevity. I only partner with brands that I genuinely use and believe in. That’s why my audience trusts my recommendations and why brands continue to work with me.
- Timing is less important than authenticity. I started creating content after the rise of Pandemic Creator in 2022. But, being authentic and consistent is more important than being a beginner.
- Offer value beyond the transaction. I host workshops, provide real financial education, and build community. This is what separates content creators from influencers and makes partnerships meaningful.
- Your reputation is your currency. Whether on Wall Street or as a creator, how you manifest matters. Build a reputation for quality, integrity and value.
- Freedom is the ultimate wealth. The ability to work on your own terms, share what you’re passionate about, and influence life the way you choose? That’s worth more than any Wall Street bonus.
- Sometimes the most powerful move is creating something new. Fighting for change in broken systems is exhausting. Sometimes the answer isn’t fixing the organization from within. It’s creating your own platform on your own terms.
Why honesty wins
The transition from Wall Street to content creation wasn’t about running away. It was about running to 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 single day. I can teach them about compound interest and the latest lip plumper in the same breath. I can show them that you don’t have to choose between being financially savvy and loving beauty, between being strategic and creative.
I went from advising governments on some of the most complex economic and financial decisions to how to help women build wealth, confidence, and the lives of their lives. And honestly? The effect feels great. The finish is deep. Freedom is real.
Wall Street may not be your real trading destination. This is anywhere you’re told to lower the price, box in, or dim your lights. But remember: You are allowed to leave. You are allowed to create something new. And you are allowed to show up as your full, multifaceted, unpopular self.
That is where the real wealth lies. Not in salary. Not in the title. But in the freedom to live and work on your own terms.
And trust me: That’s a return on investment no Wall Street firm can match.
