I was supposed to become a priest. Instead, I built a 28-year career in financial advisory. My journey into the world of finance, insurance, investments and financial planning was never what my mother expected. I went to St. Paul’s Seminary in Nyeri with the intention of eventually becoming a priest. But after KCSE, I found myself at a crossroads. I chose to pursue a university degree first, believing I could still return to priesthood later. I joined Moi University in 1993, graduated in 1998, and only a few months later, I started my career as a financial advisor at Old Mutual Life Assurance Company. I was one of 37 financial advisors in my class, and I quickly learned that succeeding in financial advisory wasn’t simply about selling insurance policies. It was about understanding people’s financial needs, providing solutions, building trust and putting yourself in the customer’s shoes. With the mentorship I received, I got my first clients, started earning commissions and, remarkably, by my graduation in November 1998, I had saved enough to buy my first car for KSh 235,000. But the biggest transformation wasn’t financial. It was a mindset shift. Further training in South Africa exposed me to experienced professionals who had built successful careers in financial services. That’s when I realised that this was the path I wanted to pursue. I left behind my interests in chemistry and physics and committed myself to financial planning, insurance, investments and helping people build better financial futures. Since 1998, I’ve had the privilege of seeing clients use financial plans to educate their children, buy homes, retire better, build wealth and protect their families when they lose loved ones. That’s what has kept me going for all these years. Sometimes, the career you planned for yourself isn’t the career you’re ultimately called to pursue. Have you ever changed direction in your career and ended up discovering something you were meant to do? - @mathualfred