The world constantly tells us to rely on traditional paths for security — stable jobs, retirement plans, and perhaps a side gig — but Arielle Deane's life experiences taught her a different lesson. As a single mother and former corporate innovation strategist, Deane discovered that true financial security doesn't come from external sources, but from developing your own ability to generate income regardless of your circumstances. For her, it’s about becoming your own financial safety net—mastering specific income-generating skills that can sustain you when traditional supports fall away.
"You have to make sure that YOU are okay,” Deane emphasizes, reflecting on the lessons learned from life's unexpected turns. This realization came after experiencing personal loss and career setbacks that shook her foundation despite following the conventional path to success. Her experiences led her to develop a philosophy that’s counter to common financial advice: "Focus on the main thing, and make the most money out of it, but always plan for the negative." This approach to building her own safety net has transformed not only her financial situation but her entire outlook on security and independence.
Free Falling Without a Net
Deane's path wasn't always clear. After completing her MBA and Masters in Innovation and Design Thinking at Northwestern University, she worked as an innovation consultant, helping major brands like Samsung and Best Buy develop innovative solutions to turn their business around.
"It was the beginning of me accepting that in innovation, you don't have to have all the answers," she shares, reflecting on the insecurity she previously felt for wandering through the business world without fully knowing where she was headed. "That was the first time in my life that was celebrated."
Deane would soon have to put her innovation skills to use in her personal life when two unexpected losses changed things for her overnight. First, her fiancé passed away unexpectedly only two weeks after proposing. Then years later, she was laid off well into her pregnancy. In both instances, Deane was forced to reconsider her relationship with financial security.
"How did this happen to me?" she recalls thinking. "I checked all the boxes." Still, these experiences taught her a crucial lesson about being able to take care of yourself. “I had always tied my security to someone else—first it was my fiancé, then it was my job. I learned that you have to be your own safety net."
The Pandemic Pivot
From her innovation consulting, Deane learned to accept mistakes as part of the journey and to find opportunities in setbacks. So when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and she was furloughed from her role in the hospitality industry, she asked herself, "How am I going to turn this into an opportunity?" Instead of panicking, she invested in her education, taking courses on app development, business fundamentals, and most significantly, stock trading. When a former colleague offered her consulting work, she seized the opportunity.
"I made more the year of pandemic consulting than I'd made in the previous years," Deane notes, “and it was very empowering." Even with that success, the real breakthrough came after she left her corporate job and dedicated time to learning options trading. "Trading options is a lot easier and faster than trading stocks," she explains. "[It allowed] me to be my own financial safety net without requiring a boss, customers, or an office,” a revelation that left her wondering why she didn’t start trading options sooner. “That was much easier for me and is easier to maintain.”
As Deane refined her trading approach, she discovered a deeper calling. "I had to figure out how to use trading to help myself and to help others,” she eventually felt. Though initially hesitant about teaching, she now helps others, particularly women, build their own safety nets through her Trading Basics course. “It is really important for you to know so you can take control of your independence.”
How to Build Your Own Net
Ready to learn from Deane's playbook? Here are a few of her practical insights to help empower your financial freedom.
1. Master What You Have First
"What are you doing with what you have?," Deane suggests asking yourself. Before pursuing new income streams, examine if you're maximizing your current resources. "Are you wasting money? Are you telling your money where to go? Is your money paying for the life you want to have?"
2. Build Knowledge Before You Need It
"Even if you don't have the capacity to do it, invest in education while you have a job," Deane advises. While working full-time, she studied trading, entrepreneurship, and real estate—knowledge that became invaluable when opportunities arose. “You can always pull from them later when you have capacity.”
3. Identify Your True Priorities & Automate
"Getting laser focused on how [she] directs [her] time and money," was key to Deane's success. She prioritized what truly mattered—her daughter's education and quality food—and minimized spending elsewhere. With your priorities set, next automate your finances to support them.
4. Enjoy Yourself
“Find a simple way to make money that you enjoy,” Deane recommends, having learned first-hand how challenging it is to balance a demanding career with side hustle attempts while raising her daughter. “It may not be trading, but find a way to make money that doesn't require a lot more energy, time, or resources.”
5. Recognize Your True Source
Perhaps most importantly, Deane’s spiritual perspective on financial freedom helped her navigate uncertainty with confidence. "I stopped putting all my faith and trust [in jobs and relationships] and got clear on Who is my source."
For busy professionals who recognize the fragility of traditional security systems, creating your own financial safety net might seem daunting amid an already jam-packed schedule. Fortunately, Deane's journey shows us a way forward through intentional focus, strategic skill-building, and clear priorities. "We learn the things, but we don't know how to play the game," she observes. Her story is proof that you too can build the confidence and capability to play the game well and weather financial uncertainties on your own terms.
—
Want more insights on building financial freedom and creating a life on your own terms? Subscribe to The Purpose Post for weekly inspiration, practical guidance, and more stories of entrepreneurs building fulfilling businesses on their own terms. Join our community of 1000+ purpose-driven professionals charting their own paths to success, plus get our free Self-Employed Starter Kit for your 30-day launch plan.
