About

When asked the question of "Who are you?", most of us talk about what we do for work. I was a user-experience designer in tech for over 5 years. That's not only what I do, it's also what I want to achieve — solving people's problems in ways that are in their best interest.

In the past 2 years, AI has increased the shipping speed beyond many people's imagination. I found myself spending less time understanding the people I solve problems for and more time executing assumptions. Talking to people face-to-face became more of a luxury under today's rushed timeline. As a result, I rarely got to verify what problems the users expected me to solve.

During this time, I found allocating my assets to the most financially sensible accounts and helping my friends and family make financial decisions became one of the things that truly energizes me. Seeing the numbers change, even with a small amount, I get a great sense of achievement. That's the tangible impact I always wanted but rarely found in my work now.

I learned the term "Financial planner" from my therapist during one of our sessions. It didn’t immediately click, but I was curious, so I started looking into it. I did extensive research, including watching YouTube videos, talking to a few financial planners, and reading two books about how ordinary people should plan their finances. The more I learn about it, the more I like the aspect of talking to people and planning finances holistically. I know I want to do this.

With my tech experience, I created financial tools such as Buy vs. Rent calculator, Investment growth projection calculator, and various spreadsheets to address the financial situations I encountered. I kept thinking about different scenarios and edge cases and integrated them into the tools I developed. One time, my friend told me she was considering buying a small apartment. I shared my Buy vs. Rent calculator with her. She told me the number leaned towards renting, but she still wanted the mental security. I felt happy about informing her, even without changing the decision. Following that, I sent her my House ownership cost spreadsheet to help her plan her monthly budget.

With all those experiences, plus lots of deep thinking, I decided to leave tech and pursue becoming a CFP (certified financial planner). I would be lying if I said I didn’t hesitate or think about going back. But what I know for sure is that helping people to keep their finances under control aligns with my career goal. I want to help people live more calmly and sleep with peace of mind, and eventually gain the freedom to pursue their calling.

In this transition, I met many warm-hearted and knowledgeable CFPs who shared their experiences with me and guided me to move forward. If you’re open to sharing your experience or if my story resonates with you, feel free to reach out. I’d really appreciate hearing from you.