Through the lens of the media you often just see one side of finance, Wall Street traders and stock charts make up most of the images that grace your screens. At How To Money, we know there’s a lot more to finance than that, and there are countless individuals working in the industry across a wide variety of roles.

Whether you’re looking to work in finance or are just interested in what they do all day, this series focuses on people working in the industry and their stories. Welcome to the Faces of Finance…

In the sixth instalment of Faces of Finance, we interviewed Paridhi Jain, the founder of SkilledSmart. We’d love your feedback and suggestions on who we should interview next! Get in touch via the comments section below or send us an email at howtomoneyaus@gmail.com.

Introducing Paridhi Jain from SkilledSmart

My name is Paridhi, I’m the founder & CEO of a financial education company called SkilledSmart. We offer educational courses, events and create content to help people get better with their finances. I started SkilledSmart because I wanted to help people get better with their finances, and provide more affordable access to financial expertise and knowledge. I wear many hats — sales, marketing, finance, etc! Prior to starting SkilledSmart, I worked as a management consultant at Ernst & Young after completing a Bachelor of Business/Law degree.

How did you get into finance?

Well, a combination of luck and accident. My initial interest in money and finance started way back when I read Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad when I was a kid. But I think what led me to work in the space was noticing how many opportunities there were to help people. I’d worked at the Cancer Council where I spoke with Australians who were in financial difficulties, and I think that had a considerable impact on me because I witnessed how devastating it could be when your financial foundation isn’t strong enough to withstand a crisis.

Later, speaking to my friends, I noticed how common the problem of not understanding money and finance was. So, my passion was more about making a difference in people’s lives, and I think finance really ended up being a way of doing that.

What do you enjoy about working in the financial services industry?

I don’t really think of myself as working in the industry per se. I think of us more in the education industry than the finance industry. One thing that keeps me motivated is seeing how finance is connected to so many areas of a person’s life — their marriage, their kids, their health. So if you can help people with their finances, then you can make a meaningful impact on many areas of their life.

Do you see any downsides to working in this industry?

It’s a complicated industry that can be a bit of a minefield, and there’s been a lot of mirky behaviour that hasn’t been in the best interests of consumers. It can be hard to know who to trust and where to turn to; when sometimes it seems like everyone has a vested interest and may not be working in your best interests!

If you received $1000 extra to spend to ‘increase your happiness’ right now, what would you use it on?

Hmm. I’m a bit of a lifelong learner — I love learning new things, so I’d probably spend it on some type of book or course or coach.

What are your tips for young Australians considering a career/job in finance?

For anyone in any career, I think in today’s environment it’s important to create your own platform or brand — like Kate’s doing with How To Money! It could be an Instagram Page, or LinkedIn articles, or a blog, or a youtube channel. The benefit of that is, it shows initiative, genuine interest, and creativity. I know people who got a job in finance because of the blog they wrote (not based on prior experience!). It helps you stand out, it gives you a platform to connect with people, it accelerates your learning. There are so many benefits to starting your own platform.

Learn more about Paridhi and SkilledSmart here.

Want to learn more about money and personal finance? Check out our article archive, the How To Money Podcast and the Australian Finance Podcast. Catch us on Twitter @HowToMoneyAUS and Instagram on @HowToMoneyAUS.

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