Corporate & Clueless

I was young, ambitious, and fired up. Let’s shoot for the stars, ride a rocket to the moon—why not? I really thought that’s what my corporate career would look like.

At 22, I had a finance degree, a job in the industry, and was even paying taxes and separating my whites from my colours. I was deep in discussions about the next OCR drop at the office coffee machine, but honestly? I was still so confused.

Playing the part.

I had dipped my toes in different areas of finance—services, financial support, and even put in my time as a lending analyst. Some exes might say this proves I had commitment issues, but that’s a story for another day. Through it all, one question nagged at the back of my mind: What does being "corporate" or a "professional" even mean?

Here I was—young, fun, and stuck at my desk listening to Karen recount her weekend with the kids or Mark going on about combine harvester rates. I was the youngest on the floor, promoted faster than anyone else, and making good money for my age. So why wasn’t I thrilled? Why didn’t I feel like I was "living the dream"?

Reality check.

The truth? I was clueless. I had the job, the paycheck, and the title, but I felt lost. No passion, no alignment with the industry I was in, no fun, no role models. It was like I was just going through the motions, feeling disconnected from the whole thing.

Being a young woman in a male-dominated industry, I saw the huge gaps in financial knowledge and confidence between men and women. I witnessed the lack of salary transparency and the absence of guidance for young professionals. There were so many misguided assumptions about investing, saving, and lending—it was frustrating.

Clueless, but confident. 

And then came my f**k it moment. I realised I wanted to change things. I wanted to give back and help build financial confidence for younger generations. So, I packed up my "corporate and clueless" life and left.

I started thinking, how can I use everything I’ve learned to actually make a difference? That’s when I landed on becoming a financial advisor. I was determined—studied while working, got registered, and left my fancy job in the big city to move to sunny Mount Maunganui.

Am I still clueless? Yep. But in a good way. I’ve learned that part of growing in your job, career, and finances is recognizing what you don’t know. It wasn’t about being obsessed with money—it was about wanting security and financial freedom. I just didn’t know how to get there, and that lack of knowledge knocked my confidence. I felt ashamed to talk about my goals.

Bridging the gap.

And that’s why I’m writing this. I talk to people every day who hesitate to admit their financial struggles. They're embarrassed to ask for advice, to share their debts, or to admit they’re not sure where to start. Friends are shocked when we talk about salary transparency or investing in their future. There's so much confusion and shame around money.

We need to change that.

If we’re going to build confidence, grow wealth, and close the gap, we have to admit we’re clueless. We have to say, “F**k it, I don’t know—but I’m ready to learn.” Let’s stop feeling awkward about asking someone how they budget or save. Let’s stop being afraid to ask for a pay rise when we’re underpaid. And why stay stuck in a picture-perfect corporate job when you’d rather be somewhere else? These conversations aren’t awkward—they’re necessary. We’re all thinking it, so why not talk about it?

I had my f**k it moment and became a financial advisor to help spread awareness, protect and build wealth, and empower others with financial confidence. I was once that "corporate clueless" person who didn’t know her purpose or feel confident in her financial well-being. But my f**k it moment taught me we’re all clueless in some way, and that’s okay.

So don’t be embarrassed to ask for advice. Don’t feel ashamed to ask your colleague what they earn. Don’t hesitate to grow your financial confidence. Have your f**k it moment. Let’s bridge the gap of financial confidence and raise the curve.

Let's keep the convo going. 

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The Big Share