Once upon a time, I wanted to be an investment banker.

I set my eyes on Wall Street and signed up for college courses accordingly. With keen ambition and laser focus, I earned a degree in finance and economics, graduating with high honors. I thought I was well on my way.

However, there was a slight hiccup: it was 2009.

Stocks had bottomed out. Wells Fargo bought Wachovia. Mortgage lenders closed their doors overnight. And nobody was hiring.

So instead, I took an accounting job at a software firm. Not exactly Wall Street but, hey, “it’s just temporary,” right?

Fast forward five years. My husband and I had started a family and moved across the state. We now had three children and due to the prohibitive cost of child care, I had little choice but to be a stay at home mom. Reluctantly, we were down to one income–and it was tough.

Month after month, we struggled to make ends meet. I was earning little to no income yet I owed a hefty sum in student loans every month. I had to pay back money that I owed to get a career that I didn’t have.

I knew something wasn’t right.

That’s when I started exploring the field of financial planning. I had a lot of questions so I went looking for answers.

You see, I didn’t grow up with any knowledge of financial planning.

As a first-generation immigrant, I had parents who worked hard and made a humble living. When they had extra money to save, they didn’t put it in stocks or bonds. They didn’t buy CDs or open retirement accounts. They saved their money in cash. Physical cash.

So naturally, my concept of wealth was cash flow based. I thought income equaled wealth. The more you could earn, the richer you’d be. Debt was just negative cash flow, right?

I soon learned I was wrong. The end game wasn’t income. It’s wealth. “Assets-minus-liabilities” wealth. “Net worth” wealth. And time value of money? Well, it blew my mind.

So I charted a new course. I enrolled in the financial planning program at Florida State and took the classes over two years. I finished in spring 2017.

Then it came time to sit for the CFP board exam–a grueling 6-hour exam. It took every ounce of free time I had to prepare for. And every ounce of perseverance, too.

Luckily, I passed. With three small children and a part time job. A husband who travels for work. Desperate overuse of childcare at the gym. Somehow, against the odds, I passed.

Today, I’m working on gaining experience for CFP certification through virtual paraplanning. I help independent advisors create and deliver comprehensive financial plans. I’m also a writer, blogger, and behavioral economics/finance/anything nerd.

My goal is to help others who are struggling with money. Not only to correct wrong assumptions and improve outcomes, but to address underlying issues that prevent a person from accumulating wealth and living abundantly.

I never made it to Wall Street but now, I get to help people on the other side of the street. And for me, that makes all the difference.