About Me — Krystle McGilvery
Sharing more than finance — such as why I thought people who wear glasses don’t get married…
Below is a mish-mash of my life thus far. I questioned whether this should talk purely about finance/maths-related things, but decided I am a complex woman and shall exist as such.
My intention?
I wish for you to learn a little more about the various sides of me, and I’ve challenged myself to not hide behind an excel spreadsheet! I hope you enjoy reading about my journey thus far.
Let’s go!
Glasses, anxiety, and failing university
At seven years old I was prescribed glasses for myopia (short-sightedness, being able to only see things close by). I recall walking up the path to our flat after collecting my first pair of glasses.
I cried to mum:
“I won’t find a husband if I wear glasses, will I?”
I genuinely believed this to be true. Saying that… I’m not married… hmm.
Mum was a business owner in the beauty industry, so everything she was about (and taught me) reeked of style, fashion, looking pretty and perfect. She didn’t wear glasses and no one close enough to me did. So, I think the assumption I had at seven years old was pretty spot on!
I was a goofy girl who danced around, forced her younger brother to act in her plays, and loved Polly Pocket. I was also the awkward kid at school, fitting nicely in with the nerdy lot. I loved maths and had a wonderful teacher called Ms. Scott. She told me “I had something”, so I committed to studying numbers and left school with an A at GCSE Maths. I am also a creative and love to draw people.
See some of my work below!
At 15 years old, I learned a harsh truth about the world. People are not as nice as I’d like them to be — this included family. My cotton wool, pink, delicate world had crashed.
I am to spend the next 10 years lost. I suffered from anxiety, dissociative identity disorder, and suicidal times. I tried to connect with organisations and churches — anywhere that I could develop a sense of self and attach myself to something. The truth I had learned had caused me to question who I was, why I was here, and my purpose.
“I’m NOT going to be an Accountant”
I studied Financial Mathematics at a London university, which meant I stay home with mum. I almost failed university, but pulled through by repeating my final year.
I’d spent 5 years at university screaming at the top of my lungs “I’m NOT going to be an Accountant”. Yet, that is exactly the career path I fell into. I worked for several companies, achieving significant pay rises with each new role. I qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA) and see another large pay rise ahead of me — I start to see the potential.
Picking up the pace and quitting the 9–5
…I do some quick maths.
I’d been teaching maths since I started university and was getting into the swing of it. I decided to focus on getting money and building wealth. I purchased my first London property whilst on a £25,000 salary.
I experienced a shift, and begin to find the bureaucracy of the office to be jarring.
My two elder sisters encouraged me to travel the world, so I officially quit the 9–5 and begin travels in October 2018. The first stop was India. I travel around the country with a small group, by train, plane, jeep, you name it!
To exhibit how flippant I was, I recall booking a one-way trip to India, only to learn last minute that it was a requirement to have my return trip booked to enter the country!
After India came Thailand, followed by more of Asia. I end my trip by visiting Ethiopia, Benin, and Togo. In total, I’d been travelling alone for over a year.
“In Udaipur, India, I met a psychic in a jewellery store. He told me to drop the Accountancy and do what I felt in my heart. I hadn’t told him I was an Accountant…”
It was cleansing.
I learned to follow my own lead. I discovered that I am enough. I built the strength to live my life as I wanted and not under an artificial veil. I found my voice and discovered peace, freedom, and happiness were in my full control.
During my time in Chaing Mai, Thailand, I unraveled some of the ideas that were swimming around in my head.
All in and committing to the cause
“I have a way of helping people explore themselves, digging deep into their psyche and learning why they do what they do.”
I’d been teaching maths since I was 18 years old and helping people with their personal and business finances. There was a gap, a major lack of finance skills. I dived into researching financial illiteracy and the reasons for it — lack of access to knowledge and self-efficacy.
This was my calling.
I believe I have been tasked with utilising my financial strengths and people skills to facilitate growth and development. I am often praised for my ability to explain money-related concepts in a simple manner, encourage people to dive into learning, and not feel silly for their lack of understanding.
Linking behavioural psychology and finance is my calling to help people make improved life and finance decisions. I’ve found a way of helping people explore themselves, digging deep into their psyche, and learning why they do what they do. This gives them the power, control, and autonomy to learn and make life-improving changes — and I LOVE it!
I have decided to dedicate my time to the following:
- Improve social mobility through increased finance skills
- Improve business success by supporting founders (especially marginalised women)
I have also recently created a community for women who are keen to learn, connect and grow together. Together we push boundaries that will see us being better, stronger, and wealthier. (Do let me know if you would like to hear more). In the near future, I hope to create larger initiatives to support the causes detailed above.
Since quitting the 9–5 in October 2018:
- I’ve travelled the world alone
- Been rejected from over 20 finance roles (a big sign to go it alone)
- Lived through a pandemic
- Started and failed at two businesses
- Built a growing finance consultancy business
- Supported over 50 people with their personal/business finances
- Created a course with Allbright and Boots No7
- Featured as a guest speaker at over 50 events
- Delivered over 20 finance events
- Continued investing in property (and been challenged heavily during)
I will be attending Warwick University this October (2021) to study more about Behavioural and Economic Science. The plan is to deepen the integration of mind work into my finance consultancy.
If you have an interest in the work I do, you can find out more about me and make contact on my website.
I’m signing out!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about me, sending love.
About the author
Krystle McGilvery is a qualified Chartered Accountant who nudges founders and individuals to build financial confidence so they can achieve their goals. She uses behavioural finance to support her in coaching and consulting. Krystle is based in London, UK, and is a mature student at Warwick University. She loves yoga, dancing, and creating fine art.
Connect with her on Twitter , LinkedIn, Instagram, or email krystle@krystlemcgilvery.com.
