125: Financial Literacy, Education Gaps, and Reinventing Yourself with Sarah Jeanneault

In this wide-ranging conversation, Sarah Jeanneault shares her unconventional journey from struggling with math in school to becoming a respected leader in fintech, trading education, and enterprise knowledge management. She and Dwayne Kerrigan explore the deep gaps in financial literacy, why traditional education often fails to prepare people for real-world decision-making, and how learning truly begins after formal schooling ends.

Sarah explains how she applied adult learning theory to teach herself trading, why psychology matters more than numbers in the markets, and how curiosity, pattern recognition, and humility shaped her success. The discussion expands into the future of education, AI’s role in learning, entrepreneurship, identity shifts after business exits, and the emotional reality of leadership transitions. This episode is a thoughtful examination of growth, risk, and why continuous learning is the most valuable skill anyone can develop.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Sarah opens by naming the gap in real-world financial literacy.

02:00 – Dwayne introduces Sarah and frames the episode around learning and reinvention.

05:00 – Sarah shares struggling with math and early assumptions about intelligence.

09:00 – Losing her best friend and questioning the direction of her life.

14:00 – Discovering trading and applying adult learning theory to self-education.

18:00 – Why financial literacy is rarely taught despite its life-long impact.

23:00 – Breaking down trading basics and removing unnecessary complexity.

28:00 – Psychology, emotion, and why ego derails good financial decisions.

33:00 – Risk, uncertainty, and learning to sit with discomfort.

38:00 – Podcasts, curiosity, and self-directed learning as modern education.

44:00 – Continuous learning as the foundation of entrepreneurship and leadership.

49:00 – Gamifying learning to build confidence and consistency over time.

54:00 – Building community through transparency and shared learning.

59:00 – Scaling education-driven businesses and teaching at scale.

64:00 – Identity shifts after acquisitions and redefining success.

69:00 – Leadership, disagreement, and creating psychologically safe teams.

74:00 – AI, critical thinking, and the future of learning.

79:00 – Personal growth, reinvention, and staying curious long-term.

84:00 – Reflections on learning, humility, and what truly creates confidence.

88:00 – Closing thoughts, gratitude, and setting up Part 2.

Key Takeaways:

1. Financial literacy is rarely taught, yet deeply shapes life decisions.
2. Learning accelerates when curiosity replaces fear of being “bad at math.”
3. Real education often begins after formal schooling ends.
4. Trading and business are driven as much by psychology as by data.
5. Growth comes from pattern recognition, experimentation, and reflection.
6. Entrepreneurship requires comfort with uncertainty and identity shifts.
7. AI will amplify learning — but only if critical thinking is prioritized.
8. Strong leaders create environments where disagreement is encouraged.
9. Sustainable success comes from continuous learning and reinvention.

Resources Mentioned:

1. ProcedureFlow – Enterprise knowledge management platform - https://procedureflow.com/
2. CNBC – Financial markets media reference

Notable Quotes:

1. “ There really isn't a lot of real financial literacy. We really don't talk about - what do you do with money?” - Sarah Jeanneault
2. ”But what I don't want anyone to believe is that tomorrow you can make a million dollars in the S&P because that is not true. There's no lottery ticket to this journey.” - Sarah Jeanneault
3. “ I think I'm most proud of doing quite well in finance … someone who really struggled in school with math.” - Sarah Jeanneault
4. “Stocks go up, sideways, or down — that’s it.” - Sarah Jeanneault
5. “If you think you're gonna go from education, whatever it is, university, high school, wherever you go, and then learning stops, like go start your own business and try not to learn.” - Dwayne Kerrigan
6. “I would say that one of the key components to the most successful people that we've had on the show … the key component that they have threaded through there is they’re learners” - Dwayne Kerrigan

Sarah Jeanneault is the Vice President of Marketing at ProcedureFlow, where she’s helping redefine customer experience in the age of AI. With over 20 years of leadership across fintech, wealth management, and brokerage services, Sarah is an award-winning executive, speaker, and founder who brings both personal passion and professional expertise to the table.

In 2023, she was recognized as one of the Top 10 Women Leaders in Finance in the U.S. Known for her dynamic mix of strategic vision and human-centered leadership, Sarah believes lasting success comes from having a goal, a dream, and the determination to pursue it—along with a willingness to keep learning and growing.

Links

LinkedIn:https://ca.linkedin.com/in/iam-sarah-potter

Website: https://procedureflow.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Procedureflow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/procedureflow

Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedwaynekerriganpodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwaynekerriganpodcast/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwayne-kerrigan-998113281/

Website: http://www.dwaynekerrigan.com

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.