Are you ready to elevate your career? The job market is evolving faster than ever, and adapting to these changes has become critical.

In this episode of Smart Advice we dive into a conversation with Kelley Keehn, author, entrepreneur and financial educator, on how to manage your career as a business.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, learning how to align your career with your financial goals can make all the difference in building a more secure and successful future. 

Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

1. Learn how to set personal standards that guide your professional and financial decisions.
2. Discover how to align your career with your financial goals
3. Get strategies to adapt to an ever-changing job market.

Resources

• Kelley Keehn - Website | LinkedIn
• Kelley Keehn’s Book She Inc.
• Money Wise Workplaces by Kelley Keehn
• Read the CIBC article “Helping Canadians Think Differently About Their Finances”, featuring Kelley Keehn.
• Visit CIBC for more smart advice

Episode Highlights

[00:21 ] Career Motivations and Job Market Dynamics

• Half of Canadian professionals plan to seek new jobs in 2024, driven by increased income potential.
• The pandemic has shifted job market dynamics, leading to new career plans and a focus on flexibility and retraining.
• The world is rapidly changing, encouraging people globally to reinvent themselves to match the current job market or skill gaps.

[02:53 ] The Concept of Treating Yourself as a Corporation

• She Inc. is one of the books published by Kelley that advocates for treating oneself like a corporation to achieve career and financial goals.
• It's vital to draft your personal standards, habits, and values as a blueprint for life and career.
• Adopting this mindset had a significant benefit to Kelley's financial and career opportunities.
• Treating yourself as a corporation reduces decision fatigue and frees up mental space for creativity.

[05:29 ] Practical Steps to Adopt the Corporate Mindset

• Regardless of your career stage, it's a good idea to start thinking about your brand.
• It is important to set realistic goals and remove noise to focus on what matters.
• Using a calendar can help you hold yourself accountable for important activities, such as self-care and work.

[07:29 ] Kelley: “Whatever it is, you use your calendar to hold you accountable.”

• Burnout is a huge problem in modern society, so it's invaluable to balance the rigidity of your calendar with flexibility.

[08:36 ] Staying Relevant in the Job Market

• The job market is constantly evolving; it's therefore critical to be adaptable so that you can find new career opportunities.
• Advisors and coaches can provide a sounding board and help you identify new career possibilities.
• Consider the athlete: no athlete succeeds in competition without coaches and mentors.
• Investing in education and delegating tasks unrelated to your career (or other things important to you) helps free up time for personal and career development.
• In Kelley's case, she hired out a lot of chores and household tasks to spend quality time with her aging mother.

[13:25 ] Career as an Asset Class in Financial Planning

• Your career choice will affect your investment strategies. Different career paths require different investment approaches.
• Kelley introduces the concept of the "fourth asset class" - your career - and its influence on risk tolerance and investment strategies.
• It's critical to discuss any asset changes with financial advisors to adjust you investment portfolios accordingly.

[16:52 ] Kelley: “Now, maybe you're buying rental properties, and you don't tell your advisor that. That's kind of a side hustle would definitely affect your portfolio.”

[17:47 ] Navigating Entrepreneurial Success

• Kelley's opinion on finding financial success despite changing trends in the market is that it's important to be nimble and adaptable.

[18:56 ] Kelley: “One thing I can definitely say is, don't wait, I've written 11 books because I don't wait. If I have something that's popped into my head, I act on it as quickly as humanly possible.”

• It's best to act quickly. The moment you have a new idea, act on it. Always be in motion; keep upgrading your skills or your network.
• Success isn't guaranteed, but resilience and tenacity go a long way toward overcoming failures and achieving success.

[21:44 9] Future Projects and Financial Wellness

• Kelley shares her ongoing projects, including Money Wise Workplaces, an online financial literacy program for employers.
• Moving forward, Kelley plans to collaborate with the financial industry to equip advisors with better communication skills.
• Trusted financial professionals and advisers play a huge role in people's financial wellness; they're an invaluable resource that more people should utilize.

About Kelley

Kelley Keehn is an accomplished financial educator, entrepreneur, and passionate consumer advocate. She is dedicated to making financial literacy accessible and empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. Kelley has authored 11 books on personal finance, including Talk Money to Me, and has become a trusted voice in helping Canadians transform their relationship with money.

Kelley’s work emphasizes the importance of treating your career as a valuable asset and aligning financial goals with professional growth, making her a leading expert in personal finance and career strategy. One of her most effective mantras that helped shape her financial success was treating her career as an asset.

Connect with Kelley Keehn on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or X . Visit her website for more resources.

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