Kalynne Barlow

Well-known author, Steven Covey, said, “Begin with the end in mind.” Unfortunately, I did not read his book or apply this valuable insight to my professional career until I had already worked in the healthcare sector for many years.  In fact, as a young woman who had completed technical school as an Administrative Assistant, I began working in a legal office, assuming that would be my future.

However, after starting a family, I was enlisted to help manage a dental practice and a small surgery center. After many years of managing both my career and the demands of a young family, I decided to return to college in 2020. The year the COVID pandemic took over the world resulted in life changes for many, including me. I spent the next four years completing a bachelor’s degree fully online while watching my young family grow and begin their own lives away from home. 

During my time at the University of Utah, I became acquainted with the field of financial counseling. I appreciated the distinct perspective it offers, as well as its differences from financial planning. Prior to this time in my life, I had worked with several different financial planning groups and was not always pleased with my experience. Most often, I felt that financial planning firms existed primarily to generate revenue for themselves rather than helping their clients create a comfortable, secure financial future aligned with the client’s goals, rather than the planner’s intentions. It was then that I decided to pursue the Accredited Financial Counselor certification. Having passed the AFC exam less than one year ago, I have been working toward completing the experience hours requirement of the certification. 

While working on experience hours, I have recognized that I prefer working in the back office, handling the data details while supporting those more experienced in the financial planning field. 

Ultimately, my career aspirations include providing excellent service to those who are committed to working toward and achieving their financial goals.

A graduate of the University of Utah in 2024, I earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from 2020 to 2024. Since graduating, I have been working to become an Accredited Financial Counselor and a certified bookkeeper, while also accumulating the required experience hours for the AFC accreditation.