Ms Moneypennies: Redefining Financial Planning for Everyday Life

The air in the conference hall was thick with the hushed murmur of industry leaders, mostly men in tailored suits, discussing market trends and complex algorithms.

Jill Steeples, then fresh to the financial advisory scene, scanned the room.

It was 2011, and the stark reality of the male-dominated financial services industry was clear.

Yet, across the room, another woman, Kelly-Anne Quinn, was also observing, a quiet determination simmering beneath the surface.

Two Irish women, in a landscape often defined by jargon and traditional models, would soon meet, connect, and embark on a mission to democratize financial wisdom, proving that money matters do not have to be intimidating.

Their shared journey, culminating in the Ms Moneypennies podcast, speaks to a powerful truth: true expertise is not about complexity, but about clarity.

It is about empowering people to understand their finances, not just manage them.

This human-first approach is reshaping how individuals interact with their money, building confidence bit by bit, and making the future less daunting.

In short: Kelly-Anne Quinn and Jill Steeples, founders of Life Planning and Steeples Financial Consulting respectively, left corporate roles to create client-centered financial advisory firms.

In 2024, they launched the Ms Moneypennies podcast to demystify finance and make it accessible and relatable for everyday people in Ireland and beyond.

Why Demystifying Finance Matters Now

In an increasingly complex world, managing personal finances can feel like navigating a labyrinth blindfolded.

The financial services industry, as observed by Kelly-Anne and Jill, often exacerbates this by employing jargon and traditional models (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This linguistic barrier creates a significant hurdle, making many feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the prospect of financial planning.

The lack of accessible, jargon-free advice means countless individuals avoid critical financial decisions, from pension planning to investment strategies.

When markets experience volatility, as they did during events like 9/11, the feeling of powerlessness is amplified.

This current reality underscores the urgent need for a more human-centered, accessible approach to financial education and advice, championed by the likes of Ms Moneypennies.

It is about more than just numbers; it is about providing peace of mind and building financial literacy from the ground up.

The Unconventional Paths to Financial Entrepreneurship

The traditional route in finance often involves a rigid corporate ladder, but for Kelly-Anne Quinn and Jill Steeples, the path diverged.

Both women felt a deep calling to offer more, to connect with clients on a deeper, more understandable level.

Their stories are a testament to finding purpose beyond established careers, a core element of successful entrepreneurship.

Jill Steeples, for instance, did not begin her professional life in finance at all.

Her early career saw her as a professional tennis coach, and later, she managed a bar, restaurant, and property business abroad.

It was only upon returning to Ireland that she sought a career she was truly passionate about.

Her dad, a partner in an accountancy firm, inspired her, but accounting itself was not the right fit.

Instead, she found her calling in financial advice after persistently telling a visiting financial advisor that he needed to hire her.

This tenacity, a clear theme in many startup journeys, speaks volumes about her drive.

Jill obtained her regulation in 2021, setting up Steeples Financial Consulting, a firm built on personal touch and clear communication.

Kelly-Anne Quinn’s journey began in more traditional financial institutions like Irish Life and Standard Life, working in pension scheme administration.

Yet, a pivotal moment in 2001, after the 9/11 crisis led to fund drops and panic calls, ignited a desire to be on the advisory side.

She felt powerless in her administrative role and wanted to directly help people navigate financial uncertainty.

This powerful motivation led her to pursue Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA) exams, and later the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and a Masters in Financial Planning.

Achieving the CFP gave her the confidence to launch Life Planning in 2023, a firm dedicated to putting advice into everyday language (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

It was at a financial conference, a space still predominantly male, that Kelly-Anne and Jill first met.

Their shared perspective on the industry’s shortcomings and a mutual desire for client-centered finance quickly forged a connection.

Their individual decisions to build independent practices reflected a desire for greater autonomy and a client-first approach, diverging from traditional corporate structures (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This laid the groundwork for their collaborative venture.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in a New Venture

Embarking on their entrepreneurial journeys, both women faced a common foe: self-doubt.

Jill candidly admits that when she first opened her office, she had not one client, and a lot of doubt.

Her powerful internal monologue — I am okay with failing, but not with not trying.

I did not want to retire wondering what if? (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies) — highlights the critical role of belief.

Kelly-Anne echoed this, describing the challenge of imposter syndrome when creating something from nothing and the initial uncertainty of success (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This internal battle is a crucial, often unspoken, part of the small business growth narrative.

Making Money Matters Approachable: The Ms Moneypennies Revolution

The Ms Moneypennies podcast, launched in 2024, was not just another financial show; it was a deliberate response to a pervasive problem.

Both Kelly-Anne and Jill recognized that the financial services industry’s reliance on jargon and traditional models made it intimidating for everyday individuals (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

Their mission was clear: to simplify, demystify, and make financial planning accessible, empowering, and even enjoyable.

As Kelly-Anne states, I wanted to make financial planning simpler and less intimidating.

People often feel overwhelmed when looking to the future.

My aim is to put advice into everyday language (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This commitment extends beyond verbal communication; Kelly-Anne even designs retirement documents with bigger font with less text for easier digestion.

Jill shares this vision, wanting to strip out the jargon and make advice accessible, noting that too many people walk out of a meeting not understanding all that was said (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

Their unique selling proposition, therefore, is not a complex product, but a simple philosophy: financial advice is for everyone.

They actively challenge the notion that one needs a certain level of wealth before consulting an advisor, stressing that Ms Moneypennies is for real, everyday people and not just people with accumulated wealth (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

The podcast itself embodies this, designed to break down barriers with light, accessible conversations, building listeners confidence bit by bit (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

Its relatable, fun, and approachable tone, even reflected in its name, has been key to its success in fostering financial literacy among a wider audience.

Navigating Challenges: Belief, Processes, and Digital Adaptation

Building a business from the ground up, especially in a regulated sector, is a journey fraught with challenges.

For Kelly-Anne and Jill, two key pillars have been their unwavering belief in their vision and the meticulous development of robust processes.

The Power of Belief and Values

At the heart of their entrepreneurial resilience lies a profound belief in themselves and their mission.

Kelly-Anne emphasizes the importance of being clear on your values and do not waver (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies), highlighting how being firm about her operational principles even brought back clients who initially were not a fit.

Jill echoes this, asserting, know your values, run your business your way and believe in yourself (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This internal conviction proved vital, particularly during the initial lean period when Jill had no clients, and Kelly-Anne was battling the uncertainty of creating something from nothing.

The reward, however, is tangible: clients start making real changes in their lives and you see the impact (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

Processes as the Backbone of Success

Beyond personal conviction, both advisors underscore the critical role of strong processes.

Kelly-Anne documents everything, a strategy for scalability and eventual delegation, while also embracing new technology.

Jill, while admitting a preference for old-school filing, agrees that processes are vital and maintaining order is essential for her firm, Steeples Financial Consulting.

This emphasis on structured operations ensures consistency, efficiency, and the ability to hand over tasks, forming the bedrock of sustainable growth.

Digital Transformation in a Traditional Industry

The financial sector, often perceived as slow to adopt new technologies, is ripe for digital transformation finance.

Kelly-Anne has embraced it wholeheartedly, operating a paper-free office, utilizing digital signatures, and incorporating an AI note-taker in meetings.

This AI tool is a game-changer, allowing her to focus on clients instead of scribbling notes, and capture their expressions and emotions (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

Jill, while acknowledging her bit more old-school nature and initial distrust of tech (What if the system crashes?), is actively learning to lean into it more, gradually becoming more comfortable.

This blend of adoption and cautious integration highlights a realistic approach to technological advancement in financial planning.

The Future of Finance: Growth, Inspiration, and Lasting Wisdom

Looking ahead, Kelly-Anne and Jill both envision thoughtful, client-aligned growth for their firms and the Ms Moneypennies brand.

Kelly-Anne plans to bring in new team members who align with her client-centered approach and aims to develop a specialized division for pension schemes, an area she believes is highly underserviced (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This focus on a niche, critical area for everyday people underscores her commitment to broader financial literacy.

Jill, while prioritizing the personal touch, foresees adding one or two advisors who share her values, rather than managing a large team of twenty.

Their growth strategies are deeply intertwined with their core values and desire to maintain authentic client relationships.

Sources of Inspiration and Mentorship

Neither woman’s journey has been solitary.

Kelly-Anne found immense support within the financial planning community after earning her CFP, describing it as a a collaborative space where everyone wants each other to do better (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

She now actively gives back by serving on the board of Financial Planners Ireland, and credits Jill as a huge support during her own startup phase.

Jill, while not having had extensive industry mentors initially, draws inspiration from her phenomenal businessman father, whose wisdom is always just a phone call away, and her supportive mother.

She is also motivated by inspiring female friends – a network of estate agents, pharmacists, and entrepreneurs – whose success pushes her on (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This mutual support and external inspiration are vital for women in business.

Timeless Business Wisdom

When asked about the greatest business advice, both converged on the theme of unwavering values.

Kelly-Anne advises, Be clear on your values and do not waver (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies), emphasizing that this clarity attracts the right clients.

Jill similarly counsels to know your values, run your business your way and believe in yourself (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

This grounded advice, rooted in personal experience, transcends fleeting trends and offers a powerful blueprint for entrepreneurs.

Playbook You Can Use Today

For anyone looking to navigate their own entrepreneurial journey or simply improve their approach to business, Kelly-Anne and Jill’s experiences offer a clear playbook.

1. Define Your Core Values (and stick to them): Before anything else, understand what drives your business and how you want to operate.

   As Kelly-Anne notes, being firm about your values can attract the right clients and even bring back those who initially did not fit.

2. Simplify Communication: Eschew jargon.

   Whether it is client documents, marketing materials, or internal communications, strive for clarity and simplicity.

   Ms Moneypennies exemplifies this by putting advice into everyday language (Kelly-Anne Quinn, My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

3. Embrace Incremental Confidence Building: If your goal is to educate or empower, break down complex topics into digestible, light conversations.

   The Ms Moneypennies podcast uses this strategy, building listener confidence bit by bit (Kelly-Anne Quinn, My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

4. Prioritize Strong Processes: Document everything, establish clear workflows, and seek order.

   This is crucial for scalability, consistency, and eventually delegating tasks.

   Both Kelly-Anne and Jill highlight processes as vital for success.

5. Cultivate a Support Network: Seek out mentors, join professional communities, and surround yourself with inspiring peers.

   Kelly-Anne credits the financial planning community and Jill’s support, while Jill finds strength in her father and female friends.

6. Trust Yourself and the Process: Overcome imposter syndrome by focusing on your belief in your abilities and knowledge.

   Jill’s mantra, I am okay with failing, but not with not trying, is a powerful reminder to take the leap and trust that mistakes can be fixed.

7. Thoughtfully Integrate Technology: Be open to new tech that genuinely enhances client interaction and efficiency, like Kelly-Anne’s AI note-taker.

   While cautious, be willing to lean into it more as Jill does, to improve comfort and capability.

Risks, Trade-offs, and Ethics

While the Ms Moneypennies story is one of inspiring success, any entrepreneurial journey involves inherent risks and ethical considerations.

The biggest challenge, as both Kelly-Anne and Jill attest, is Belief – the initial uncertainty of creating something from nothing (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies).

Mitigation involves meticulous planning for startup costs and living expenses (as both did, planning for two years without salary), and a strong personal conviction.

The trade-off of a personal touch model, as Jill prefers, is scalability.

While it fosters deep client relationships, rapid expansion may conflict with maintaining that individualized attention.

Ethically, this model requires absolute integrity in client selection to ensure mutual fit, as Kelly-Anne practices.

A final risk lies in digital transformation: while AI offers efficiency, over-reliance could depersonalize advice.

Jill’s caution about system crashes also highlights the need for robust backup and security protocols to protect sensitive client data.

The goal is augmentation, not replacement, of human connection.

Tools, Metrics, and Cadence

To stay organized and on track, Kelly-Anne and Jill utilize a blend of digital and traditional tools, suitable for financial planning professionals prioritizing client relationships.

Key Tools:

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) System: Both advisors use a CRM to manage tasks, client interactions, and data.

  This is foundational for any client-focused business.

• AI Note-taker: Kelly-Anne employs an AI note-taker in client meetings, freeing her to focus on active listening and emotional cues rather than scribbling notes.
• Digital Signatures: Streamlining paperwork and enhancing efficiency.
• Whiteboard / Physical Lists: Jill, and even Kelly-Anne, appreciate the tactile satisfaction of writing and ticking off tasks, showing that sometimes, the simplest tools are the most effective for personal productivity.
• Social Media (TikTok, Instagram): For Ms Moneypennies, these platforms are used to share podcast clips and quick tips, leveraging their relatable content to connect with a wider audience.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) & Review Cadence:

• Client Retention Rate: Annually.
• Client Satisfaction Scores: Quarterly surveys.
• Referral Rate: Monthly.
• Podcast Listener Engagement (Downloads, Shares, Reviews): Bi-weekly after each episode.
• Revenue per Client: Quarterly.
• Process Efficiency (e.g., Time to Onboard): Biannually.

Regular review meetings—weekly for personal task management, monthly for client pipeline, and quarterly for strategic business growth—would ensure alignment with values and growth plans.

FAQ

Q: How do Kelly-Anne Quinn and Jill Steeples make financial planning less intimidating?

A: They achieve this by simplifying complex financial concepts, stripping out jargon, and communicating advice in everyday language.

Their Ms Moneypennies podcast uses light, accessible conversations to build listeners confidence bit by bit (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies, 2024).

Q: What motivated these two Irish women to start their own financial advisory firms?

A: Both Kelly-Anne Quinn and Jill Steeples were driven by a desire to offer client-centered financial advice, free from corporate constraints.

They wanted to make financial planning accessible to real, everyday people, not just those with significant wealth (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies, 2024).

Q: What role does belief play in their business success?

A: Belief is crucial.

Both founders emphasized that trusting in their abilities and vision was the biggest challenge and motivator.

Jill articulated this as being I am okay with failing, but not with not trying, underscoring the importance of conviction in entrepreneurship (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies, 2024).

Q: How do they use technology in their financial practices?

A: Kelly-Anne embraces technology, operating paper-free with digital signatures and an AI note-taker for meetings to enhance client focus.

Jill, while valuing traditional methods, is increasingly integrating tech into her operations, indicating a growing comfort with digital transformation finance (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies, 2024).

Q: What advice would they give their younger selves?

A: Both Kelly-Anne and Jill would advise patience and to be less hard on themselves.

Jill specifically recommends starting a pension at 21, highlighting its significant long-term impact on financial well-being (My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies, 2024).

Conclusion

The journey of Kelly-Anne Quinn and Jill Steeples, the women behind Ms Moneypennies, is more than just a business success story; it is a blueprint for empathetic leadership and purposeful entrepreneurship.

They saw a gap, not just in the market, but in human connection, and they filled it with clarity, warmth, and an unwavering commitment to making financial well-being accessible.

Their shared experience reminds us that true impact often comes from breaking down barriers and trusting in a process fueled by genuine values and patient belief.

In a world clamoring for authenticity, Ms Moneypennies offers not just financial advice, but a pathway to confidence and empowerment for everyday people.

Listeners can explore their insights on the Ms Moneypennies podcast, available through various platforms.

Glossary:

• CFP (Certified Financial Planner): A professional certification mark for financial planners.
• QFA (Qualified Financial Advisor): A professional designation for financial advisors in Ireland.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Software for managing customer interactions and data.
• Jargon: Specialized words or expressions that are difficult for others to understand.
• Imposter Syndrome: Persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud.
• Client-centered: Focused on the needs and goals of the client.

References:

My Business Life: Ms Moneypennies, publisher unknown, date unknown, url unknown