The Time Freedom Podcast

Kelly Poquiz Burke on Why Time Is the Ultimate Flex

Episode Summary

Today on the podcast, Brian and Kirby welcome Kelly Poquiz Burke. Kelly, 36 and married with a five-year-old daughter, lives in Dallas, TX. She spent 14 years in corporate marketing, including her dream job as Doritos brand manager, before leaving to become a career coach and keynote speaker. In this episode… Kelly shares the journey from graduating with $80K in student loans to paying off nearly $200K in debt by tripling her income, and why that still wasn't enough to make her leave corporate. She talks about being diagnosed with breast cancer at eight weeks pregnant, right as the pandemic hit, and the pivotal moment when her three-year-old daughter told her how to be a better mommy. She and Brian also dig why increasing income matters more than budgeting and how stability comes from self-belief, not a corporate job.

Episode Notes

Top 5 Takeaways:

  1. Time is the ultimate flex. Kelly took eight and a half weeks off in her first year of entrepreneurship. That was never possible in corporate.
  2. Increasing your income beats budgeting. Kelly tripled her income by investing in herself with an MBA, and it paid off faster than 8% in the stock market ever would.
  3. You don't have to marry rich or live in a tiny home to have time freedom. Kelly's realtor showed her that strategic choices make it possible for anyone.
  4. Sometimes it takes multiple pushes. Cancer didn't change her mindset, but her daughter's words did.
  5. Stability comes from self-belief, not your employer. When you believe in yourself more than you doubt yourself, everything changes.

Chapters:

KELLY POQUIZ BURKE 

Kelly Poquiz Burke is a career and leadership coach and keynote speaker based in Dallas, Texas. She spent 14 years climbing the corporate ladder in advertising and marketing, including roles at Frito-Lay where she led the Doritos brand. After being diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy and navigating motherhood through the pandemic, Kelly left corporate America to help others overcome burnout and lead more authentic lives. She works primarily with marketing and advertising professionals in middle management. 

You can connect with Kelly at careerslay.com.