My banking career got me lost in the right direction

It was 2010, the year before I moved to Hong Kong and I had just watched the movie, Up In The Air.  I beamed with excitement as I told my boss how much I loved the movie and suggested that he watch it before I returned the red envelope to Netflix. The next day as he returned the DVD to me, he said, “I’m a bit concerned about you, that movie was depressing! What did you love about it?”

I laughed and went on to explain that the motivational exchanges on following your passion had resonated with me most. Specifically, the scene which began with “how much did they first pay you to give up on your dreams?” I was forced to think of what I would have been doing if I were not in my banking role. A few months later, I reached out to a stranger on LinkedIn and inquired about his path to securing his banking role in Hong Kong.

At that time, I was living in New York City – one of the most vibrant cities in the world and was working with a global bank that inspired me in so many ways. My job allowed me to connect with people from all around the world and each interaction carried me to a new place. When I did not physically visit my clients’ homelands, I traveled through the stories they shared while sitting across my desk. Nevertheless, I knew my time in New York was coming to an end.

My curiosity about the world and my conversation with that stranger from LinkedIn inspired me to apply for a role in Hong Kong to lead an international team. No stranger to migration, my transition to a life in Hong Kong was effortless. As a teen, I had migrated to the United States from the Caribbean, so I associated relocation with opportunity. After years of working and exploring Asia, I had decided to leave my banking career to pursue my MBA full-time.

Prior to banking, my career began in retail fashion but I had been misguided by those who believed that fashion was not a respected career. 🙂 During business school, I had the perfect opportunity to explore my interests so I began considering a career change to a more creative role. I later took a few courses that reignited my interest in fashion and inspired me to explore a career path in that sector. The following summer, I pursued an internship opportunity in Ghana which is where the idea of launching a fashion brand would later be born.

You don’t often meet people who leave a decade-long banking career to start a fashion brand and travel across Africa, but every step was necessary for me to discover my passions. My banking career inspired my nomadic lifestyle, led me to Hong Kong, then to Ghana, which deepened my love for Africa and inspired my journey across the continent. This journey has led me to merge my passion for travel and fashion to launch Beam Bold; my travel inspired clothing brand. Simultaneously, I have launched this platform and relaunched my consultancy, Global Identity Partners, to focus on empowering emerging creatives.  I am currently drowning in my passions and urge you to do the same. 🙂