From Debt to Empowerment
Nina Choi on Navigating Career Transitions and Financial Freedom
Nina Choi
The biggest change is knowing that I’m going to be okay and that I have the ability to create the future I want.
You are a career coach working in the technology and HR spaces, but that wasn't always your job. Can you share a bit about your career path and how you got to where you are today?
I started working in the retail and service industry until I moved overseas to teach English in Japan. Leaving the United States was such a profound experience because I was able to let go of what I thought my family and outside influences expected of me. With that space, I ultimately decided to fulfill a dream of attending art school for visual design to start my own business as a stationer and graphic designer.
I've kept a journal since I was 10 years old, and my love of journals, greeting cards, and pens is partially why I chose Japan as a place to move. I was so passionate about it that I made an appointment to tour the Pilot Pen factory and had a translator guide me through the different levels of the building.
Once my contract overseas was over, I moved to New York City to attend Parsons and worked for one of the most reputable stationers in the US, Dempsey and Carroll. Engraving is one of the oldest types of ink press used by socialites and celebrities for their personal letters and business cards. It requires a metal plate to be etched with the typography, and two tons of pressure would "press" the ink onto the page, creating a raised ink effect (the opposite of letterpress). I got to see the stationery of Katharine Hepburn, Oprah, Madonna, and George Clooney, just to name a few.
After graduating from Parsons, I worked on creating my own line of greeting cards while designing stationery for other individuals and companies. That led me to work with a printer who printed my stationery, and I began selling their services alongside my design services.
“When clients struggle to see their own sense of worth, I encourage them to look at where they started and how far they’ve come. People tend to forget the entire journey they’ve taken to get where they are, and it takes some reflection to remember what they’ve already overcome.”
One day at a networking event, I came across a recruiter who asked if I had ever considered recruiting as a career. I didn't even know what that was at the time. It was then that I made the pivot to the HR world and never looked back. Working in talent, career coaching is part of the gig. I have almost a decade of experience doing that, but it wasn't until I was professionally trained in life and leadership coaching that I truly understood what coaching really is. Witnessing what people are capable of accomplishing when working with a coach has blown my mind. It truly has been a gift.
You've been open about your personal financial journey. What advice do you have for folks who are struggling with their finances?
Getting out of debt was a huge undertaking. Paying off $100k in 4 years was no small feat and required me to take severe ownership of my situation. The first thing that was really useful was learning about money because I didn't even know where to start. My brother-in-law bought me a Dave Ramsey course, and I learned how to keep a tight budget on every penny.
My first suggestion is to really get to know where you currently stand with money. How much do you have, and where is it going? Another suggestion is to look at your budget every weekend and track your expenses daily if possible. Something I heard from Tony Robbins is that what you pay attention to grows. This is true about money.
What do you tell your clients when it comes to knowing their worth and advocating for themselves?
When clients struggle to see their own sense of worth, I encourage them to look at where they started and how far they've come. People tend to forget the entire journey they've taken to get where they are, and it takes some reflection to remember what they've already overcome.
Are there any exercises or techniques you can share to help people move through the discomfort of asking for money?
Working for myself has been one of the biggest growth journeys I've taken. For everyone, this is different. Despite what I was told, I didn’t start charging my clients a high fee right off the bat. I needed to see the results of my clients to understand and believe that what I offered was worth the value. The biggest shift came when I truly began to understand during my intakes that clients expected me to charge more—people often feel that the higher you charge, the more value they are getting. It took me quite some time to really get that.
Since overcoming your debt, what has been the most significant change you've noticed in your mental health or overall life, and how has it influenced your approach to financial coaching?
The biggest change is knowing that I’m going to be okay and that I have the ability to create the future I want. Mindset is one of the biggest obstacles in moving towards the things that take us to higher levels. In fact, I would say the louder the voices that tell you that you’re not able to do something or that you can’t do something, it’s probably a good sign that you’re doing something that’s going to get you closer to what you truly want.