In this interview series we chat about all things money (sans-shame) with an array of inspiring women from all walks of life. Our goal is to break the money taboo, share mutual experiences and learn from our amazing community.

“You have to always prepare for that worst-case scenario with some savings – at least enough to pay the rent for a few months at a minimum.”

Hi Kim! Please give us a little background about yourself.

Hey there! I’m Kim, a French/Laotian girl from the sunny South of France living in Hackney for 10 years now. I’m a marketing and events consultant, having recently left a stable 9-to-5 to brave life as a freelancer. With my consultancy Kim Does Marketing, I basically help all sorts of startups, new brands and entrepreneurs with everything from their marketing strategy, social media and website analytics to SEO and pop-ups. I love my clients! Before freelance life I worked in-house everywhere from fast-growing tech startups to magazines like Monocle.

What are your passions?

I’m super curious and love jumping out of my comfort zone. I’m all about constantly discovering new things that excite me, whether that’s a city, recipe, book or simply a new word (since I’m not a native English speaker, it’s easy to learn something new everyday). But if we’re talking about nerdy hobbies, that would be Korean movies and also novels. The more dramatic and emotional, the better.

What’s your secret to career success?

Meeting people. Engaging conversations, chatting and connecting. I’ve been an event manager for a long time and the power of networking is real!

What’s your relationship like with money and personal finance?

I’m getting better with the whole personal finance thing, but that took basically all of my 20s (and, uh, a bit of my 30s) to achieve. I’ve always been careful with spending and I’ve never put myself in real debt, but I guess I’ve been living like lots of millenials in London (well, those not working in finance) – most income pays for rent, utilities and basic living costs and the rest goes to travel and a bit of fun. But as my career progressed I’ve been able to put some away for a rainy day. Not much, mind you, but it’s a start.

Has money ever been a source of stress for you? If so, how did you manage?

100% – when I decided to leave my comfortable, fairly well-paid job as an in-house head of marketing to go off on my own and launch a consultancy. It took me 12 years to get a nice salary and senior position and I had to really ask myself if I was ready to give it all up.

A long internal monologue resulted, as the money fear was real. Incoming work and clients obviously always help to alleviate that anxiety, but I think the stress will always be there in the background. You have to always prepare for that worst-case scenario with some savings – at least enough to pay the rent for a few months at a minimum.

What do you feel is the biggest obstacle women tend to face when it comes to careers and personal finance?

Insecurity and doubts. Family, friends and colleagues don’t always understand the freelance lifestyle. Being on our own, hustling hard to find clients and building a reputation require a lot of motivation and a healthy dose of confidence. Some months are quiet and some months are hectic, so the work/life balance can be unpredictable. Women are often reluctant of going 100% freelance because insecurity equals stress and stress equals self doubt.

Also, knowing what rates to ask clients for. Working with solo entrepreneurs and new small businesses means that marketing budgets are usually limited. It's not rare to have some clients asking for a discount or a lower rate, but they should understand that I'm also like them! I try to make my business sustainable and I need to pay my rent at the end of the month, so I can't easily provide discounts and undervalue myself.

Have you ever experienced a financial epiphany? A sort of wake-up call, where you suddenly think - “I must start doing things differently”?

As my career progressed, I’ve forced myself to stash some money on the side from paychecks for when things go wrong. So no wake-up calls yet, but there have obviously been some close calls when the checking account is about to run dry. I’m in the fortunate position to have a support system in the form of my close-knit family in case things ever go truly wrong – I’m aware not everyone is that lucky.

As a marketing consultant, a lot of people ask advice from me on Instagram, or ask to go for coffee and hear my tips – but they won't book a coaching session with me. My time and advice are precious as that's how I make my money. People need to better understand how consulting works.

What is the best piece of money advice that you received?

One of my freelance friends advised me to always put aside 20% of the money received from clients so I won’t have a heart attack when tax time comes around.

I'm also now following great advice from startup expert (and mate) Fleur Emery. I offer a 30 min 'discovery call' for all initial conversations to try to avoid the one hour chat at the café. I love meeting people face-to-face but some days I don't have so much time to commute and meet up in person.

What does financial independence really mean to you?

When nobody can ever tell me what to do! (French girls don’t like being told what to do…)

What’s the one thing you don’t feel guilty indulging in?

Buying books. Food for the brain, food for the mind – it’s not expensive, it makes me happy, and it cheers me up when I feel down. Books reassure me like an old friend by my side gossiping and telling me secrets :)

What is the best financial decision you have ever made? And your greatest long term investment?

Saving enough money to go freelance and allow myself some time to build my consultancy, website, brand and reputation until the clients started rolling in.

If you could travel back in time, what single piece of advice would you give your younger self (relating to money or otherwise)?

Don’t buy fast fashion too much in your twenties! ‘Trendy’ cheap clothes will go out of fashion if they don’t physically fall apart first! It’s a waste of money and bad for the environment. Really Kim, you didn’t need a pair of pink tie-dye flare jeans when you were 22...

What does Vestpod mean to you?

It’s like my auntie back in France whispering in my ear: “Kim, stop eating out every night and save your money!”

What are your plans/goals for the future?

I’m planning to move to LA within the next few years – living and working beachside in the sun. But, I need to save money for the big move.

Favourite book and podcast?

Froth on the Daydream by Boris Vian – a French surrealist story about a love triangle (what else?)

Hype Yourself by Lucy Werner – a no-nonsense DIY PR toolkit for small businesses. Lucy is also a badass entrepreneur.

Courier Workshop – a podcast about overcoming big business challenges from Courier magazine’s Daniel Giacopelli.

@kimdoesmarketing - helping startups grow with strategy, SEO, social,| pair ads and events.

Lastly - where can we find you on social?

Instagram: @kimdoesmarketing – fun marketing tips, because it’s easier to learn things when it’s not boring right?!

Thank you for your time!

Money Talk with Kim Darragon of Kim Does Marketing