Millennial Woman Was Always a 'Finance Nerd'—by Her Mid-30s She'd Retired
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
For one self-described "finance nerd," crunching numbers did not just build wealth—it unlocked the coveted path to early retirement. Jumoke, a former investment banker based in London, England, retired in her early 30s and now lives in part off passive income from her investments.
"I retired from my 9-5 in my 30s and now I live off my investments," she told viewers online in a YouTube video from February. "How would you like to wake up every morning knowing that your bills and lifestyle are completely funded, not by your 9-5 salary, but by passive income?"
The 16-minute video has triggered a wave of support and discussion among viewers, with many praising her clear breakdown of financial concepts and her practical walk-through of building $1,000 per month in dividend income.
She told Newsweek that she used the platform since rejoining social media via YouTube in 2023—having left all social platforms in 2017—not to flaunt her success but to unpack the habits and knowledge that enabled her to achieve financial independence early in life.
"I became an early 9-5 retiree before the age of 40 or said differently, I became work-optional before 40," Jumoke, who would prefer to keep her full identity private, told Newsweek. "I hold the Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designations, two of the top accreditations in my industry."
From left: Jumoke poses for a professional headshot; and speaks in a YouTube video.
From left: Jumoke poses for a professional headshot; and speaks in a YouTube video.
@JumokeMi
Jumoke, now in her late 30s, began her journey in the high-stakes world of global finance.
She worked for one of the top investment banks in the world, advising wealthy clients and institutions across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. But despite the prestige of her job, and how much she enjoyed working with her clients, she quietly built an investment portfolio designed to generate consistent cash flow and long-term independence from the rat race.
What pushed her to start sharing her knowledge online was not a career pivot—but the pandemic.
"I took the knowledge and experience I had in investing for granted because I assumed most people were aware of good money and wealth building habits and investments in general," she said. "But during the pandemic, my perspective significantly changed.
"Financial markets were extremely volatile but they also presented a once in a lifetime wealth building opportunity."
The market volatility in 2020 drew friends to her with questions about how to secure their finances. Realizing that most people lacked foundational financial education, she launched her YouTube channel JUMOKE MI - FINANCE NERD, under the handle @JumokeMi, with a mission to teach the basics of wealth building in a digestible, authentic way.
And building passive income is a lot more accessible than it has ever been thanks to the internet, access to finance and other tools required
"The 'finance nerd' part comes from my healthy obsession with studying and investments," she said. "My aim is to provide financial education that sadly is not taught in school.
"I loved my job and my clients and didn't leave because I hated it, on the contrary, a six-month travel hiatus turned into years-long, and now, I am absolutely enjoying living fully on my own terms and schedule."
Breaking Down Dividends
Central to Jumoke's approach is dividend investing.
Dividends are payments made by companies to their shareholders, often on a quarterly basis, as a way to distribute profits. For those aiming to fund a lifestyle without a salary, value or dividend-paying stocks can offer a stable source of income—if approached correctly.
"The key is to find strong and reliable dividend-paying companies that can help you build a consistent or steady cash flow," she explained in the video.
She walked viewers through concepts like dividend yield—the annual dividend income as a percentage of the stock's price—and demonstrated how to calculate projected income based on different investment scenarios.
Jumoke emphasized targeting stocks with a proven track record of paying and increasing dividends.
"The recommendation is to look out for stocks that have a very strong track record of paying consistent and growing dividends," she said, adding that she invests in a combination of growth and value stocks.
The idea for her video came during a conversation with a friend, a well-paid corporate lawyer based in London who asked how she managed her finances in retirement. The contrast between their experiences prompted her to share her story publicly.
"She struggles to save monthly, not to talk of investing, even on her high salary," Jumoke said. "It dawned on me that more people could benefit from how I quietly did things over the years.
"So I took to YouTube to introduce dividend investing to my audience and explain how I part fund my lifestyle through dividends and income from other assets."
Her video has racked up more than 540,000 views to date, inspiring thousands by demystifying how dividend investing can supplement, or even replace, traditional income.
"People often think of retirement in an outdated, archaic manner," she said. "Retirement has changed and for the better, and it is now about freedom to pursue passion or just live, travel, rediscover and enjoy the beauty that the world has to offer.
"I want to empower people to believe that it is possible for a regular individual to achieve financial liberation before 65 and that they don't need to be on a six figure salary to attain that financial freedom."
Jumoke's story challenges long-standing myths about money—that financial freedom is only for the rich or that early retirement is only for tech entrepreneurs.
"Some people view wealth building as an activity for the rich without realizing that you are a sum of all decisions you've made in the past, and your future will be a sum of decisions you make from today," she said. "It is not an easy journey but it is doable.
"And building passive income is a lot more accessible than it has ever been thanks to the internet, access to finance and other tools required."
Though her approach has reached a large audience, her goal was never followers or internet fame.
"I did not share my journey with the intent of going viral," she said. "I thought: if 100 people watch this and 10 people start building investment income as a result, I'm happy."
What drives her is a simple promise to her audience: "Every video has one singular objective: For viewers to leave saying—I feel smarter because I learned something new or that was a good reminder to pursue financial freedom."
Do you have a monetary dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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