Nischa Shah, formerly a prominent investment banker in London, took a bold step by switching careers over a year ago.
Leaving behind a decade in the corporate world, she traded her six-figure salary for the world of YouTube content creation. This risky move resulted in a 4x increase in her earnings and a deeper sense of satisfaction.
In 2022, Nischa Shah was working as an investment banker and associate director at Credit Agricole in London, earning more than $256,000 (approximately Rs 2 crore) annually. Despite her high salary, she felt a lack of fulfillment and sought a more meaningful path.
Nearing her ninth year in banking, she realized her job was neither challenging nor intellectually stimulating. "I wanted to help people while getting paid for it, rather than assisting corporations and governments," she told CNBC.
In January 2023, Shah left her high-paying job to become a full-time YouTuber, focusing on personal finance. Her decision paid off, as she earned over Rs 8 crore between May 2023 and May 2024 through YouTube monetization, selling courses and products, delivering corporate talks, and partnering with brands.
"I'm earning much more now than I did in banking," she said. "By focusing on what I love and excel at, my passion has brought me greater rewards than I ever expected."
When starting her YouTube channel, Shah built an emergency fund to support herself for at least nine months after quitting her job. This financial safety net gave her the confidence to pursue her passion full-time.
She recognized that waiting to earn substantial money from YouTube before quitting her job would have taken too long. Instead, she fully committed, using her emergency fund as a backup. She viewed it as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to take control of her life and go for it.
Her success on YouTube wasn't immediate. It took her 11 months to reach 1,000 subscribers. However, a pivotal moment came in September 2022 when a video about her life as an investment banker went viral, quickly gaining her 50,000 subscribers and earning over Rs 3 lakhs.
Nischa Shah's videos cover a wide range of topics, from "Money Habits Keeping You Poor" and "How to Invest Your First $1000" to "7 Passive Income Ideas." Her videos attract between 100,000 and 9 million views, establishing her as a trusted authority in the personal finance space.