From Finance to Female Empowerment: How Lydia Is Redefining Wealth for Women
- SKHB
- Jun 12
- 5 min read
Meet Lydia Elim — a calm powerhouse with a bold mission: to close the wealth gap and help women build unapologetic financial confidence. From working in NGOs and the energy sector to building a financial coaching platform in the UAE, Lydia’s journey is proof that your path doesn’t have to be linear to be powerful.
We sat down with Lydia to hear how she turned a personal passion into a purposeful business and why women need more than just financial literacy. They need economic power.
From Political Science to Power Moves
Lydia’s professional journey started far from spreadsheets and portfolios. With a degree in political science, law, and international relations, she began her career working across NGOs and the energy sector. Along the way, she even earned a master’s in energy studies.
But after years in that world, she knew it was time for change.
“I didn’t know where I’d land, but I took a leap of faith,” she says. That leap took her from Ghana to the UAE and unexpectedly, into finance.
She entered a male-dominated industry with no formal finance background, no connections, and no safety net. But she didn’t let that stop her. Instead, she rolled up her sleeves, studied hard, got certified, and committed to learning everything from scratch.
“I’m not someone who does things halfway. If I’m going to advise people about money, I want to do it well,” she explains.
The Birth of Love Yourself Financially
While working in finance, Lydia noticed a pattern that kept showing up in her day-to-day: men would take her advice and start investing confidently, but women often held back.
They second-guessed. They apologized for not knowing enough. They said things like “I’m not ready” or “I don’t understand.”
That’s when something clicked.
In February 2019, while sitting with a female client and talking about women and money, she got the idea to host a workshop. “It was just going to be one workshop,” Lydia laughs. “It was Valentine’s season, so I gave it a fun name — Love Yourself Financially.”
What began as a one-off idea turned into a passion project and eventually, a business. “At first I was just doing free workshops. I wasn’t even thinking of it as a business. I just wanted to teach women the basics.”
The Mindset Shift That Changed the Game
Even though Lydia was empowering women to take control of their finances, her own mindset around charging was a major hurdle.
“I was severely undercharging,” she admits. “I didn’t see myself as a coach. I just saw myself as someone helping.”
It wasn’t until she began working with a coach — someone who specialized in mentoring women advisors — that things changed. “She told me to package what I was doing and charge accordingly. Another friend said, ‘Lydia, you’re already coaching.’ That perspective helped me shift.”
One day, she decided to go for it. She raised her prices drastically. “I 100x’d what I was charging and the client said yes. Just like that.”
That moment taught Lydia a powerful lesson: often, it’s not the offer that needs changing, it’s our belief in its value.
Impact Over Income (But Income Matters)
Ask Lydia what success looks like, and her answer isn’t what you might expect.
“For me, it’s not just about someone learning to invest. It’s when a client says, ‘I finally had that difficult conversation I’d been avoiding,’ or ‘I started the business I didn’t think I was worthy of.’”
Every client win — big or small — affirms her purpose.
“These women start to see themselves differently. Their relationship with money changes, but so does their confidence, their self-worth, their decision-making. That’s success to me.”
Strategy, Support, and Scaling
Growing Love Yourself Financially while working a full-time job hasn’t been easy. Lydia’s biggest challenge hasn’t been planning, it’s been having the right people to execute the plan.
“At the start of this year, I focused heavily on my day job team. And that meant LYF took a back seat for a while,” she says.
But now, things are shifting.
She’s onboarded a team — currently four people across agencies and freelancers — and is actively building out the infrastructure to scale.
“I’ve created so many resources, had so many powerful conversations. But they were just sitting there. Now is the time to bring them to life. People need this. I’m not helping anyone by keeping it to myself.”
A Vision That Goes Beyond Business
Lydia’s five-to-ten year vision is bigger than LYF. She’s thinking legacy.
“I want to invest in women-owned businesses, offer scholarships, hire more women, give back. I want to be someone who’s built so much that I can afford to build for others.”
But she doesn’t just want to empower women. She wants to see a world where healed, financially confident men and women support each other, too.
“We can’t do this alone,” she says. “Men need to be part of the healing too. And they benefit when women thrive.”
Lessons from the Journey
Here are Lydia’s biggest entrepreneurial takeaways so far:
Have the right people around you. “You are the average of who you spend time with and in business, it shows.”
Make quick decisions. “Being too nice or indecisive can cost you. Your business can’t afford long delays.”
Don’t internalize failure. “Women often view failure as personal. Men don’t. Now, I treat failure as data. Learn, adjust, move forward.”
The Power of Mentorship & Network
Lydia believes mentorship doesn’t have to be formal and it definitely doesn’t need to be one person.
“There are so many ways to learn. I have what I call ‘online mentors’ — people whose podcasts, books, and content I follow.”
She finds inspiration in women who live authentically and generously share both their wins and losses.
“Your network really is your net worth,” she says. “Most of my business has come through referrals. That’s why it’s so important to pour into others too.”
Lydia’s Superpowers
When asked what makes her unique, Lydia doesn’t hesitate:
Resourcefulness & Connecting People – “I’m a connector. I didn’t always value that, but now I see how powerful it is.”
Calm Confidence – “I’m not easily rattled. I don’t take things personally. That calm helps me think clearly and move forward.”
It’s a mix that makes her quietly powerful and powerfully effective.
Final Word to Aspiring Women
“Make quick decisions. Surround yourself with women who are on the journey or ahead of it. And don’t wait for permission.”https://www.instagram.com/favio.boutique?igsh=bGo1ZmdvYm02ZjZp
Whether you’re just starting or pivoting into something new, Lydia’s story is proof that you don’t need everything figured out to begin. You just need to believe that you’re worthy of building wealth and making impact.
Because when women do, the world changes.
Follow LYF:
Instagram: @lyfladies
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