What Is Personal Innovation?

World Trade

While many people have already moved on from their New Year’s goals, I’ve been struggling with mine—in the best possible way.

I wanted 2025 to be a year of reinvestment and innovation.

But what does that really mean, especially when you work in a field that many consider “boring,” like money and investing?

It means iterating and experimenting.

At the start of the year, I set out with a bold intention: to secure a traditional publishing deal for my next book—not just self-publish again. But when I participated as a mentor at the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Mentoring Monday in February, a speaker flipped the switch for me: “You need an audience before you can get a book deal.” With attention spans now reduced to short-form content and 60-second videos, I knew I had to stop resisting and start building and 1. find an audience.

That shift started with a talk I gave at Emory’s Goizueta Business School titled “Discovering Your Alpha.” I spoke about how we each create our own unique value—our “alpha”—not just in investing, but in life. I shared my backstory, including lessons from navigating investment bubbles, career pivots, and owning my financial narrative. The students were engaged, curious, and energized. It confirmed something I suspected: this content works, especially when it’s personal, which led me to 2. What's the Theme?

Then came another turning point—#tariff news once again shook the markets, and WSJ spotlighted financial influencers like Vivian Tu who were offering fast, clear, and relevant commentary. I decided to take the leap myself and started posting 60-second videos—complete with props. One even reached 8,000 views on YouTube and 4000 on LinkedIn (a big deal for me!). But my favorite moment? Caroline’s teacher told her she liked my videos, earning me a rare flicker of teenage respect. Which led me to think about 3. What's the catalyst?

This creative journey has sparked something bigger, I can merge my investment philosophy with my own backstory —as a mom, entrepreneur, and investor—and create content that’s meaningful and memorable.

Here’s what I’m learning: success in content and in life comes down to three things—quality, authenticity, and reliability. So much financial advice online feels cold, technical, or condescending. That’s not my style. I speak to my audience like a friend—the kind you’d chat with over breakfast about your kids and your money. 

You don’t have to be exceptional to build something meaningful.

You just have to work hard, be honest, ideate and keep showing up.

Version 2.0 of me is about investing in creativity.

Just returned from NYC, where I attended the Invesco Advisor Hub conference—thank you to everyone who made it such a thoughtful, energizing experience.

The future of #financialadvice is changing—and I’m excited to be part of it.

Thanks for reading!

Tiffany Kent

Your Friendly Wealth Engagement Guide

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