Kelly Gushue

Introduce yourself to our audience. Tell us who you are and what you are currently focused on.

I'm a finance coach. I encourage women to take control of their finances so they can create financial freedom. I started an online platform dedicated to women for three reasons:

1. Women live eight years longer than men.
2. Women earn $0.80 with the gender pay gap.
3. Women often take time off to have children and take care of elderly parents.

Women need to make their money last longer. I provide online education programs, host weekend retreats, and speak at live events. I enjoy bringing women together to talk about money.

Tell us about your favorite Ellevate Network memory or success story. Why are you a member?

I'm an active member of Ellevate because women's professional groups have been critical to my success as a business leader. Ellevate's online platform and live events provide valuable skills for women to advance in their careers.

My favorite event was with Sallie Krawcheck as a speaker in Boston in 2017. She spoke candidly about her experience at Citi and Bank of America as a female executive - which is a true rarity. She vulnerably shared how she was pushed out and the key lessons she learned. We need to hear these women's stories so we can learn and grow. That event has continued to inspire me to use my voice. Thank you, Sallie!

How would you define your professional mission?

My mission is to empower women to take action and manage their personal finances! My inspiration comes from my mom, Maryann. She was raised in the 1950s to be a homemaker and to let her husband control the money. When I was three, my mom needed to leave my dad, and she was frozen out of the bank accounts.

Over the next several years, my family struggled. I'm the youngest of four kids, and we relied on government assistance while my mom worked three different jobs to support us. This experience instilled in me the importance of financial independence. I offer a place for women to learn about personal finance so that this experience doesn’t happen to anyone in my community!

What project have you worked on that you’re most proud of? Why?

When I worked in Shanghai, I interviewed several candidates to join our team. Bernice’s resume stood out with her four internships in college. During the interview, her drive was apparent, and she shared that her thoughtfully-chosen Greek name meant “messenger.” I wanted her on my team and we worked closely together. When I was hired by another firm, I asked Bernice to leave the safety of a highly-selective Chinese firm and join me at an American-based startup. She trusted me and joined me.

This decision changed the trajectory of her career and family life. Bernice gained valuable international experience that earned her a spot at Columbia Business School. She helped her family buy their first apartment. Her family went on to buy four properties, and they are thriving! Although Bernice was based in Shanghai, China, she had the American dream - to earn enough to have a nice place to live, provide for her family, and make extra money for vacation and travel. She helped me understand that this dream is the same all around the world!

Bernice is living the Chinese dream with her finance job traveling the world, taking care of her family, and creating a life with financial freedom. She is my best success story yet! She is part of my inspiration to create a global platform and empower women all over the world!

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

I love making a difference in the lives of my clients! My content, programs, and speaking events shift mindsets, provide best practices, and transform women’s relationship to money. It is so much fun to hear stories from clients that, after working together, they are on a clear path to their #1 financial goal! Do you know your #1 financial goal? Come check out my resources.

What legacy do you hope to leave through your work?

I train women to become Finance Warriors! I chose “warrior,” as it refers to courage and the mastery of skills. They also become Finance Warriors for their families. They become examples for their daughters, mothers, female relatives, and female friends and show how empowering it is to know about money and investing.

When women take my courses, they develop valuable money skills that go beyond the benefit to themselves and influence their families, communities, and future generations. This is how important managing your finances is!

What is your morning ritual?

My morning ritual starts with hitting the snooze button. I know - I'm not supposed to do that! I hit it just once. Then I get up to go to a weekday 6:00 AM gym class - bootcamp, spin class, yoga. I like a class where someone tells me what to do. Just for an hour!

I then take ten minutes to meditate (I listen to one of apps), and then I get ready for the day! On the way to my co-working space, I like to buy a cup of coffee and say hello to the baristas. Many of my baristas have gone on to do such cool things - fashion school, teach English in Mexico, grad school in Oregon, or open their own bakery. The connection is worth the money every day for me.

What would you say your personal superpower is?

I’d love to have the superpower to wiggle my nose and transport myself to another location with the snap of a finger just like in the TV show Bewitched. One of my superpowers is reviewing an investment portfolio and making suggestions to improve it. I have over fifteen years of industry experience, so I am familiar with the breadth of fund families and index funds. Once the client shares their goals, I will adjust the portfolio to add a fund or remove a fund. Plus, I think it is FUN! This is why I love helping client with their portfolios.

Is work-life balance a problem for you? What is one no-fail tactic you use to create balance?

Yes it is! (Laugher) I accept that I chose a career path that involves huge learning curves, financial markets that are dynamic by nature, and now entrepreneurialism! My favorite way to relax is to take a walk along a beach or waterfront area.

Most places I have lived have been near the beach or waterfront – so at least once a week I spend some time by the water. On hectic weeks, I go for a walk every day - sunrise in Boston and sunset when I'm on the west coast. A cup of coffee and a walk along the waterfront clears my head.

What is one piece of advice you’d offer working moms?

I encourage women to stay in the workforce! In my online programs, I cite Chicago Booth research to show how much women give up in earnings and career advancement by staying home with their kids for more than two years. I recommend women think about different work scenarios in advance - before the situation becomes too stressful.

Often, a woman will stop working when child care and work together become too demanding, especially with two kids under five. If the family needs someone to stay home, I recommend one spouse stays home for one year and then the other spouse stays home for a year. This way, there is a similar impact on both careers. Ladies - it is up to us to shift the paradigm!