"I love walking people through transitions," explains Tania Brown, certified financial planner and accredited financial counselor dedicated to helping women over 40 leave their jobs for self-employment.
Though, this passion for guiding others through major life changes didn't materialize overnight. It emerged from Brown's own non-linear journey—one that weaves through a college dropout, military service, corporate upheavals, and personal financial struggles—ultimately shaping her unique approach to financial planning for career transitions.
From Grenade Assaults to 401K Plans
Brown's early aspirations had nothing to do with finance. "I wanted to be a child psychologist," she recalls. "I always loved helping people." But her collegiate journey didn't follow a straight line. After about two years of college, she left to join the military where she would serve for eleven years.
Among her various military roles, Brown particularly enjoyed being an instructor, teaching everything from administrative skills to survival tactics. "I taught people how to survive a grenade assault," she shares, a skill set that would prove metaphorically useful in her later career guiding professionals through what can feel like explosive job transitions.
After leaving the military, Brown's career path continued to evolve through banking, psychology, social work, and human resources—all within a compressed timeframe. "Let's just say I was rapidly making these decisions," she admits.
The turning point came after the September 11 attacks. While serving as a reservist handling HR responsibilities, she observed two distinct groups among her fellow soldiers: 1) those who wanted to leave the military but couldn't afford to, and 2) those who wanted to join active duty but couldn't afford the pay cut. "It was a really weird illustration of how much money impacted people's decisions," Brown recalls.
These observations sparked her interest in personal finance. Her commander noticed this new passion and encouraged her to consider it as a career, even connecting her with his financial advisor at Edward Jones. Brown initially hesitated."I didn't have the money pedigree that everybody has. I grew up poor," she shares candidly.” But she eventually took the leap, starting her financial advising career at Edward Jones.
Brown's initial role was primarily investment sales, but her subsequent move to Morgan Stanley shifted her focus toward comprehensive financial planning and wealth management. Later, she pivoted to managing 401(k) plans, where she discovered that many professionals needed more fundamental financial education.
"You can't out-earn poor money habits," Brown emphasizes. This realization coincided with her own financial challenges following the 2008 economic downturn. As she and her family faced six figures of debt, Brown had an epiphany: "All the technical knowledge in the world didn't save me. I had to shift behavior,” she shares. “So when I shifted the behavior, that's when everything changed."
Learning from Her Not-So-Confident Exits
Brown's entrepreneurial journey began in 2019 following what she describes as "the performance review from hell.” Her first attempt at self-employment created a constant state of hustle without a clear niche. "I would love to tell you I rode into the entrepreneurial sunset on a unicorn," she says with a laugh. "It felt more like a donkey that was lost a lot. I pivoted, I fell, my head spun like that girl from The Exorcist."
Despite approaching six-figure revenue, she eventually "burnt the business to the ground" because it wasn't aligned with her vision. Through reflection and experience with hundreds of clients, Brown developed a specialized approach to helping women transition to self-employment. "Traditional financial planning is meant for somebody with steady income," she explains. "Well, that's the exact opposite if you're self-employed. You have no income or it's variable."
Now, Brown focuses her practice on women over 40 contemplating self-employment. She chose this demographic because of the numerous transitions women face at this life stage—from physical changes to career shifts, empty nesting, and evolving identities.
For these women navigating major life transitions, Brown creates a safe space to let them know they’re seen, heard, and treasured. She offers a streamlined set of services: a free 30-minute consultation, a 2-hour "Get Financially Ready" intensive, and a 90-day "Confident Leap" coaching program. She also launched "Quit with Confidence," workshops addressing the financial foundations needed before resigning from traditional employment.
Four Essential Strategies for Your Exit
If you're planning your own transition to self-employment, use these tips from Brown to help you take the first steps.
1. Personalize Your Exit Strategy
Financial planning for self-employment isn't one-size-fits-all. During her free consultations, Brown focuses on understanding her client’s dreams, challenges, and most viable options. “Sometimes, the best next step isn't self-employment,” she advises. “I think [self-employment is] right for the right person."
2. Trust the Process When Your First Idea Fails
"The first thing you choose is probably not going to work out. Probably not the second or the third," Brown notes from experience. "Eventually you'll hit it if you’re consistent and patient." Her own journey included multiple pivots before finding her true niche.
3. Treat Your Business Like a Series of Experiments
"If you would look at everything as an experiment and take the pressure of perfection off, you'll enjoy the journey a lot better," encourages Brown. This approach reduces anxiety and creates space for growth and learning.
4. Build Financial Security Before Making the Leap
Brown's "R.E.A.D.Y" approach advocates building a solid financial foundation before resigning. "The number one thing is protecting the security you have and stretching your money because you're living off of savings," she explains. This means establishing adequate reserves and understanding how to manage variable income—crucial skills that traditional financial planning often overlooks.
From Brown's story, we see that our exits—from education paths, careers, or business models—often lead us precisely where we need to be. Each transition builds experience and wisdom that can ultimately contribute to more fulfilling, purpose-driven work on your own terms.
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