Kaycier Grant-Clarke: On a mission to empower & inspire

THE quote, “It’s not where you start but where you finish,” aptly describes the journey of Kaycier Grant-Clarke, CEO of MoneySmart Consultants and financial coach, who credits her early beginnings in Balaclava, St Elizabeth, and the matriarchs in her family, Mildred and Mervalee Thomas, for shaping her journey.

Young Kaycier recalls a happy childhood characterised by the simple things in life — being surrounded by love and genuine care. She confesses, “It was not until I was in high school — Manchester High School — that I discovered we were not well off, though my family tried their best”.

Against this background, a brilliant Kaycier, after fifth form, set her sights on studying overseas, with the hope of a better life. There, she sat the General Educational Development (GED) exams and completed a computer programming certificate with the dream of landing a scholarship. However, as fate would have it, she decided to return home to St Elizabeth.

With the limited opportunities outside of the hospitality industry, Grant-Clarke moved to Kingston to explore new possibilities, copping her first full-time job at Microlabs. There she was eventually trained as a phlebotomist. Always looking for upward mobility, she decided to pursue higher education, opting to specialise in human resources at the University of Technology, Jamaica. A chance encounter with financial management would change the course of her life.

“My introduction to business came from my grandmother, but because she was not well off even though she was running a business, at first, I wasn’t interested in (majoring in) business because its prospects seemed unattractive to me. However, I soon realised that financial management would allow me to understand my own money and equip me with the tools to help others build a better financial future, and so I quickly switched majors,” she said.

In her penultimate year, the now wife and working student had a new role to juggle when she discovered she was an expectant mother. This news only made her more resolute to complete her degree, pulling out all the stops.

“Education has always been important to me; as it is a value instilled in me from an early age by my father, (Derrick Grant),” she said. With this drive and determination to achieve her goals and be among the few university graduates in her family, she completed her degree earning honours, with baby Kaian in tow.

On a quest to make her mark in the financial sector and put her knowledge and skills to work, she did a stint at Churches Co-operative Credit Union (now FHC), which was instrumental in teaching her the rudiments of good member care. Later, she landed an opportunity at Chancellor Insurance Agency which gave her the perfect avenue to excel in the industry, evidenced by her many awards. “With the additional responsibilities that I was juggling, this role also afforded me the flexibility to create a work-life balance,” Grant-Clarke shared. Her insurance journey led her to Sagicor Life Jamaica Ltd as a financial advisor, which she still credits for “some of her best personal development sessions as part of the Sagicor’s annual production club.”

In 2012, Grant-Clarke changed gears and took a leap of faith to investment banking, which was in line with her finance major. She entered Scotia Investments as a junior investment advisor and within two years was promoted to investment advisor/assistant manager, all while pregnant with her second daughter, Leia. Having whet her appetite in the investment management world, Grant-Clarke continued to explore new opportunities which led her to JMMB as a financial solutions advisor. She then returned to the Scotiabank Group, this time as senior investment advisor/ manager, managing billions in clients’ portfolio and helping clients realise their dreams and leave a legacy for their families.

Though leading a successful career as an investment manager and a star performer, amassing numerous awards and exceeding targets, life threw Grant-Clarke a series of curveballs. “In 2021, I lost my father, underwent a major career shift, and then my family went through a separation, pending a divorce. These experiences were deeply emotional and reshaped my understanding of life, career, and the very essence of financial security. All at once, I wasn’t just an advisor managing wealth; I was a person grappling with my own complex emotional and financial landscape.”

She added: “I came face to face with the fact that life’s financial decisions are often intertwined with our personal stories. These moments require more than just financial advice; they require empathy, understanding, and a plan tailored to our evolving circumstances.”

This tailspin led her to step away from her corporate job and on a path of self-discovery. During her quiet time of introspection, Grant-Clarke made a bold move to follow her passion for empowering people through financial literacy and coaching, and MoneySmart Consultants was born in 2022. “While I was working in financial services, I realised the impact of financial literacy and how it impacted people’s lives. However, in my role, I also saw the disparity that a lack of financial literacy created. I therefore saw this move as an opportunity to help persons like my grandmother, better understand money management.”

With no regrets on taking the journey into entrepreneurship, she attributes her success, so far, to an unwavering faith in God, a resilient mindset, and a strong financial foundation. “I have found my calling,” she reflects.

Now as the CEO of MoneySmart Consultants and financial coach, Grant-Clarke’s success is measured by the impact she continues to make in her clients’ lives and the legacy she is helping them to create.

“I am also determined to leave a legacy for my daughters by building generational wealth and empowering them with financial literacy,” she said.