Financial literacy expert makes $20k/month giving advice on TikTok

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Growing up, we all had dreams of how our lives and careers would progress, but for Chelsea, things didn’t turn out how she imagined. And in this case, that may have been the best thing that could have happened.

Originally setting her sights on a career as a professional athlete, Chelsea’s professional trajectory started on the court and transitioned into corporate marketing. From there, Chelsea decided to take a chance on herself and her message of financial literacy from her social media account, @chelseaspursuit.

Chelsea, who keeps her last name anonymous for privacy reasons online, is now a full-time content creator, and her hard work has paid off in a massive way. In one TikTok, she explains how, in January 2024, she experienced the highest salary month of her life, bringing in almost $28,000. The caveat here is that includes her final paycheque from leaving her corporate marketing role.

@chelseaspursuit This is how much money I made in the month of January 😭 This was my last month as salaried employee and to say that this is some encouragement that I’m on the right path is an understatement 🥹🫶 #vancouverlife #vancouvertok #canadatok #moneytiktok #budgetingtiktok #financialtiktok #budgetlife #personalfinancetiktok #moneyhabits #moneysavingtips #howtobudget #livebelowyourmeans #spendingbreakdown #financialgirlie #moneytalks #howmuchimake #contentcreatorincome #salarytransparency #passiveincome ♬ Chill in a good mood, calm and fun(1263486) – zukisuzuki

Chelsea shared with us the lessons and pivotal moments that shaped her transition from the tennis court to the vibrant landscape of digital influence.

What was your dream career when you were young?

My dream career was a bit unconventional, but I grew up playing tennis, and when I was young, my dream was to become a professional tennis player. I played competitive tennis in high school, but after a serious talk with my coach at around 15, I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t at the level I should have been by that age to make my dream of going pro a reality. So I just continued playing tennis for fun (which I still love to do) to this day.

Did your family, friends, or community influence this choice? 

Not necessarily, but I don’t think I would have a love for tennis like I do today without them introducing me to the sport.

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Were you content during your first professional roles? Were you confident that this was what you truly wanted to do?

I got my first professional job when I was 24 years old, as a social media and content coordinator. Prior to this, I was just serving and freelancing in the PR and marketing field. I love the social media field, and my first job allowed me to explore and further develop my skill set. I felt pretty confident that this was the field I wanted to pursue. I liked that it was constantly evolving, there was always something new to learn, and the field itself felt huge with so many different pivoting opportunities.

How long into your career did you realize you might want to pivot?

Becoming fully self-employed was something I envisioned for myself later in life, but I decided to take a chance on me and embrace the opportunities that are coming my way. I’ve worked in the digital marketing field for about five years now, and I wouldn’t say I’ve made a complete pivot because I still work in the social media space but just in a different capacity.

What inspired you to explore content creation?

Working in the digital marketing field, I’ve worked with hundreds of influencers and I was always so curious about the ones who were able to do it full-time! With my then-role as a marketing manager, I was curious about TikTok because it was a platform I hadn’t explored much before, but I knew it was an important part of the space. So in May of 2022, I decided to start posting myself to understand it better. I also saw it as an opportunity to build my portfolio and personal brand, as this is so important in the marketing world. Personal finance was something I was incredibly passionate about, and I knew I had to pick a niche that I was also knowledgeable and excited about in order to create content. So that’s where it all began.

When did you realize you wanted to pursue this on a more consistent basis?

I honestly did not think that I would ever quit my job to do content creation full-time. In May 2023, one year after creating my account, I started making money, and it was kind of an interesting moment because I had my first $1,000 income day, and that’s when I really thought I may be onto something.

@chelseaspursuitHere are ways that I’m frugal 💰 Being frugal to me means that you’re more intentional with your spending choices so you can still live below your means and invest in yourself and your future 💗♬ original sound – Chelsea | Life & Money

Does your previous career role blend or complement your current role? 

I 100% know that my career in marketing helped me with becoming a successful content creator. Building an engaged, growing, and converting audience was my job, so being able to use my knowledge and skills from my previous career experience has definitely helped.

What has been one of the highlights of your career?

Corporate career highlight: A multi-channel campaign I worked on at my previous job was definitely one of my highlights and projects I’m immensely proud of. It was an influencer partnership and collaboration that was beyond successful where we increased sales projections by over 100%. I pitched, planned, and executed the entire project along with a 30+ intimate influencer dinner to launch the campaign.

Content creation career highlight: The fact that I get to make an impact on real people’s lives. Personal finance and how I manage it has completely transformed my life, and now I get to help others do the same! I’ve received hundreds of messages from followers who use my budgeting template, and they’ve said that even just after a couple of months of using it, they’re starting to see a massive impact on their finances. To be in this online space, where I can make money and do good for others is one of the most rewarding and exciting things I have ever experienced.

@chelseaspursuit What can you claim as business expenses as a content creator? 👀 Canadian tax tips 💰 #vancouverlife #vancouvervlog #moneyinstagram #budgetingtips #budgetlife #financialindependence #personalfinance #moneyhabits #moneysavingtips #howtobudget #livebelowyourmeans #spendingbreakdown #budgetbreakdown #budgettemplate #financialgirlie #moneytalks #canadiantaxes #taxtips #taxwriteoff ♬ That Couch Potato Again – Prod. By Rose

When you were young, did you ever envision that you would be doing what you are now for work?

No way! One reason is because this wasn’t even a job back then, and secondly, because I was
incredibly shy growing up, so creating video content with millions of views every month is not something I ever thought would be in my future.

What are the best parts about your job now?

The fact that I get to make an impact on real people’s lives by bettering their financial habits and sharing financial literacy. Another amazing part about my job now, being fully self-employed and working remotely, is the flexibility and power that I have over my life. I can work from anywhere, there’s no cap to how much money I can make, I’m in control of my own success, and lastly, it’s giving me an even stronger entrepreneurial drive. I have so many ideas and projects I want to do, and it all goes back to the core reason why I’m doing this, which is to help inspire, educate, and get people in charge and excited about their own financial lives!