Episode 044
Kim Kelleher
Can a stay-at-home mom reach a million-dollar retirement goal? In this inspiring episode, Alice Tang sits down with Kim Kelleher to discuss the “Team Riley” partnership. Kim reveals how she and her husband focused on accumulating wealth through retirement plans from day one, allowing her to take a 15-year career break while their savings grew. Learn why Kim views money as a tool for safety and choice, and how she unexpectedly turned a side bookkeeping project into a 14-year firm that funded her four children’s college education without debt.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
"What do you want to do? Because that's where the choice comes in. If you have the money, you can make those things happen."
[00:00:00]
Welcome to Women’s Million Dollar Conversations with Alice Tang, where we share stories from successful business women who have saved, earned, or sold over a million dollars and discuss how they build their success and insights to help you achieve your goals. Now let’s join the conversation.
[00:00:18]
Alice Tang: Good morning, everyone. I’m Alice Tang, and this is Women’s Million Dollar Conversation. I’m sitting in front of one of my new game friends, introduced through Suzanne Hannathan and Tiffany Salzman, Kim Kelleher. Kim has a lot of talent, and today we’re here to have a million-dollar conversation with her. Kim, I’ll let you introduce yourself.
[00:00:45]
Kim Kelleher: Thank you so much for having me, Alice. I’ve watched several of your episodes and just want to say thank you for creating a platform that truly supports women’s voices. My main message is: find the women and listen to them—and that’s exactly what you’re doing here.
[00:01:10]
Kim Kelleher: I grew up on the East Coast, worked in New York for 10 years in consulting with what’s now Accenture, then moved to the West Coast to raise a family. After the 2008 financial crisis, we returned to Portland. I’m now in what feels like my fourth career—running a bookkeeping and accounting firm for 14 years and currently partnering with another firm to build something larger.
[00:02:05]
Alice Tang: Beautiful. Since this is Women’s Million Dollar Conversation, we’re going to dive into money.
[00:02:15]
Alice Tang: What is the value of money for you?
[00:02:22]
Kim Kelleher: For me, the value of money has two parts. First is safety—having enough to keep yourself secure. After that, it’s about choice: what you’re able to do with your life because you have financial freedom.
[00:03:05]
Alice Tang: Financial security and choice—never being stuck.
[00:03:30]
Alice Tang: Every guest on this show has either saved, earned, or made a million dollars. For today, we decided to focus on accumulation.
[00:03:45]
Alice Tang: How long did it take you to get to your first million, and what were some of the biggest hurdles or biases along the way?
[00:03:55]
Kim Kelleher: Our first million came through retirement savings. My father gave me great advice early on: start contributing to a 401(k) as soon as possible and always get the company match. My husband and I both did that consistently from the beginning of our careers.
[00:04:40]
Kim Kelleher: It took about 20 years. I may hit another million through my current venture, this time from revenue, which would be very exciting.
[00:05:30]
Alice Tang: The first million is the hardest. After that, money starts working for you.
[00:05:50]
Alice Tang: Were there any biases or hurdles you had to overcome to get there?
[00:06:00]
Kim Kelleher: I worked in corporate consulting in New York in the late ’80s and ’90s. At that time, women faced a stark choice: stay on the career fast track or take the off-ramp to start a family. Once you stepped off, people stopped asking what you could do professionally. That perception was limiting.
[00:07:30]
Kim Kelleher: Women were often pitted against one another—career versus caregiving. I chose family, but that choice came with assumptions about my ambition and capability.
[00:08:55]
Alice Tang: Priorities change day to day. Humanity matters.
[00:09:25]
Alice Tang: On your road to saving that million, were there moments when it felt too hard—and what kept you going?
[00:09:35]
Kim Kelleher: We treated our retirement accounts as untouchable. The guardrails helped. We also had enough on the side so we never felt forced to tap retirement funds.
[00:10:40]
Kim Kelleher: I ended up building a bookkeeping business organically starting in 2010, which funded our kids’ college—something I never planned but am very proud of.
[00:12:05]
Alice Tang: Passion often leads to opportunity.
[00:12:30]
Alice Tang: When you’re making a big financial decision with high stakes, what process do you follow?
[00:12:40]
Kim Kelleher: I research extensively—books, podcasts, expert opinions—and I collaborate. I talk things through with trusted friends and especially my husband. I value collective wisdom more than going it alone.
[00:13:55]
Alice Tang: The seed starts with you, then you build around it.
[00:14:15]
Alice Tang: If you could give just one piece of advice to a young woman, what would it be?
[00:14:25]
Kim Kelleher: Find the women and listen to them. I intentionally sought out women business owners who were building intentionally—not chasing endless growth, but building businesses aligned with their values. That changed everything for me.
[00:16:00]
Alice Tang: Women lead with vulnerability and connection.
[00:16:20]
Alice Tang: What is your money legacy?
[00:16:30]
Kim Kelleher: My goal is not to be a burden on my children. If we can leave them something, great—but the priority is independence and not passing along financial or caregiving stress.
[00:17:45]
Alice Tang: What are you grateful for today?
[00:17:55]
Kim Kelleher: I’m deeply grateful for my family, my four kids, my supportive parents, and this new phase of life. At 56, I’m stepping into my biggest entrepreneurial adventure yet, with the hope of building something sustainable for the next generation.
[00:19:40]
Alice Tang: Setting it up right so others can grow into ownership—that’s powerful. Thank you, Kim.
[00:19:55]
Kim Kelleher: Thank you, Alice. This has been wonderful.
Kim Kelleher is the co-founder of Luma Accounting and a people-first financial leader who blends analytical expertise with a deep commitment to collaboration. She holds a BA in Mathematics from the University of Virginia and began her career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in New York City, where she worked in systems consulting before transitioning into Human Resources. Kim later served as Director of HR for Accenture’s Metro New York office and led HR teams across the Eastern U.S.
After stepping away to raise her family, Kim re-entered the workforce through volunteer leadership and nonprofit treasurer roles, launching her bookkeeping practice in 2010. By 2018, she intentionally built a collaborative team of women re-entering the workforce, which grew steadily over the next several years.
In 2024, Kim co-founded Luma Accounting, a fully remote, woman-owned firm serving construction and trades businesses. Luma is built around delivering the BEST. EXPERIENCE. EVER. for both clients and team members, while creating meaningful, flexible work opportunities for women.
Known for her warmth, curiosity, and problem-solving mindset, Kim partners closely with clients to understand their businesses and deliver thoughtful, customized financial solutions that support long-term success.