If someone had told me a few years ago that I would become a financial YouTuber, I would never have believed them. Before starting Kelvin Learns Investing, I had tried so many projects, and all of them failed. As a programmer, I had built various apps and websites, hoping that one of them would succeed. But none of them truly worked. Some never even got their first users, while others slowly faded away. It was incredibly frustrating, and I often wondered if I was on the right path.
Then, in 2020, I started a YouTube channel, not with the hope of success, but simply to share what I had learnt about personal finance. My interest in financial management actually began around 2015–2016 when I was preparing to get married and buy a house. Seeing such large expenses, $100,000 or more was truly shocking to me. From that moment, I began optimising all aspects of my finances, from choosing the best insurance to cutting down on daily expenses. Over time, I learnt so much and felt that others could also benefit from this knowledge.
At first, my goal was simply to share financial tips with strangers on the internet. I never thought about building a large audience, let alone making it a career. But unexpectedly, people started watching. They engaged with my content, asked questions, and even shared their own financial experiences. Unlike my previous projects, which were solely focused on technology, this YouTube channel felt much more connected to real life. Especially with finance being a topic that so many people can relate to, and the way I discussed it seemed to capture people’s attention.
Looking back, I realise that all my failed projects were not in vain. They taught me perseverance and adaptability. More importantly, they led me to something that I genuinely enjoy.
Now, my goal is to continue growing this channel while staying true to the reason I started it in the first place: to help people make smarter financial decisions. If there is one thing I have learnt from this journey, it is that failure is not the end, it is simply part of the process towards something greater.
This article is part of TSS Confessions, a weekly column where we delve into personal finance topics that are unscripted and genuine real accounts from people.
Kelvin Tan is a content creator who shares practical insights on personal finance and investing through his YouTube channel, Kelvin Learns Investing. You can follow him on TikTok and Instagram here.
