In Part 1, we walked through how Adeline Tiah moved from two decades of corporate marketing leadership into a hybrid retirement built on her own terms. That transition wasn’t accidental – it was the result of intentional financial planning, disciplined habits, and smart money management.
Here are five lessons from her journey, along with action tips you can apply to your own financial future.
1. Pay Yourself First: Mastering Cashflow for Financial Security
The Lesson:
Adeline started her financial planning journey in her 20s, maintaining healthy money habits by saving diligently and living within her means. As her career advanced and income increased, she managed lifestyle inflation wisely, ensuring her savings and investments grew alongside her earnings. These habits continue to serve her well today, especially as an entrepreneur where income can sometimes fluctuate.
How She Did It:
- Lived within her means while still enjoying life
- Prioritised saving before spending
- Made conscious financial decisions and practised mindful spending
Action Tip:
Commit to paying yourself first. Automate savings and investments so that at least 20% of your income is secured before expenses. Be mindful of your finances using the A.B.C approach.
2. Invest in Yourself: Your Greatest Asset Is You
The Lesson:
Your most valuable income-producing asset isn’t your investments — it’s you.
Adeline understands that staying relevant, adaptable, and continuously growing is key to lifelong employability and financial security. She believes in investing in both financial literacy and professional skills to create more opportunities, stay ahead in a changing world, and find meaningful work. A growth mindset has also been instrumental in helping her transition from corporate leadership to coaching, consulting, and startup advisory.
How She Did It:
- Took financial education courses, including three CFP Institute modules
- Invested in leadership, coaching, and advisory skills alongside continuous reading on career transitions and entrepreneurship
- Applied her knowledge early — calculating her retirement needs in her mid-30s while building skills for her next phase
Action Tip:
Set aside time and money to invest in your skills and knowledge. Some ways to do this:
- Take a course to upgrade or expand your expertise
- Develop high-value skills that future-proof your career
- Read books and seek mentorship or coaching to accelerate growth
- Apply what you learn — knowledge is only valuable when put into action
Remember: the more you invest in yourself, the greater your ability to create income, opportunities, and a fulfilling second act.
3. Know Your Numbers: Plan for Financial Independence
The Lesson:
Financial independence isn’t a vague dream, it’s a calculated goal. Adeline mapped out her financial independence number early on by determining how much she needed in assets and passive income to sustain her lifestyle.
How She Did It:
- Set clear income and savings targets based on her ideal future lifestyle
- Adjusted her plan as she progressed in her career
Action Tip:
Calculate your financial independence number today, or work with a trusted advisor to set up your financial plan. Start by:
- Listing your expected annual expenses in retirement, ideally separating basic needs and lifestyle expenses
- Calculating the amount of assets or passive income required to sustain that lifestyle
- Setting a target and creating a strategy to achieve it
This is exactly the kind of clarity we work through together in a Hybrid Retirement Planning session – getting clear on how much you actually need to fund your next chapter, and mapping out a realistic path to it. See how Hybrid Retirement Planning works
4. The 3 Cheques Framework: Balancing Enjoyment and Security
The Lesson: Adeline follows a simple yet effective financial framework to ensure she enjoys the present while securing her future:
- Pay Cheque — income from active and passive sources to cover daily expenses
- Play Cheque — money for lifestyle, travel, and indulgences, funded by investment gains
- Post-Dated Cheque — wealth set aside for future security and legacy
By structuring her finances this way, she maintains a balance between financial security and living life fully.
Action Tip: Apply the 3 Cheque Framework to your finances:
- Ensure your daily expenses are covered by stable income sources
- Allow for lifestyle spending, but fund it through investment growth or bonuses instead of dipping into savings for the future
- Leverage wealth preservation solutions to create a legacy that can be passed on to your loved ones
5. Build Multiple Income Streams: Diversify for Stability
The Lesson: Adeline didn’t rely on a single source of income. Over time, she built different income streams, including:
- Speaking engagements
- Consulting and startup advisory
- Adjunct lecturing
- Coaching and workshop facilitation
- Investment income
This diversification ensured she had financial security without the stress of a fixed salary.
Action Tip: Identify at least one additional income stream to build outside of your primary job. This could be:
- Investing for passive income
- Freelancing or consulting in your area of expertise
- Monetising a hobby or skill
Adeline’s financial journey is a testament to intentional planning, discipline, and adaptability. By applying these five lessons, you can build your own roadmap to financial security and a meaningful second act.
Curious where you stand on your own hybrid retirement timeline? Take the two-minute Hybrid Retirement Readiness Quiz to see which stage you’re at – Starting Line, Building Momentum, or Almost There, and what to focus on next.
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