Daily Inspiration: Meet Shireen Eddleblute

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shireen Eddleblute.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
By the age of four, I had already lived on four continents starting in India, then moving to England, followed by Sierra Leone, and finally arriving in America at the ripe old age of three-and-a-half. This global start mirrored the expansive wisdom my father, a physician who rose from humble beginnings, shared with me: education is empowering, work diligently, save prudently, and invest wisely. When he died unexpectedly during my senior year of high school, these weren’t just lessons anymore—they became a lifeline and legacy.

My father’s principles guided me through business school, an MBA in finance, and a 20-year career in institutional asset management. I pivoted, however, and stepped away from my career to care for my young family and aging mother. Those almost 12 years of being away from the paid workforce revealed a different kind of investment—in family bonds, in volunteer work with vulnerable and disadvantaged children, in philanthropy, and in planting financial seeds of values in our sons that would later bloom.

As we were launching our youngest for college, I returned to the investment world as the head of research and co-portfolio manager of a sustainable investment fund. The idea of doing well by doing good resonated with me. Yet something was missing. After my mother passed away at the age of 91, I found clarity and purpose in my grief: my calling was to share financial wisdom with those who needed it the most—children.

Sprouting Sparks was born from that mission. Drawing on my years in investments and writing research reports, I embraced a more creative approach to storytelling. I also drew on the countless stories created by my husband and me, instilling the same values in our own children and emphasizing the importance of working hard, earning, saving, spending wisely, and giving back, which I weaved into my books, as so many of the stories parallel our own lives and those of our boys. That’s how I created the FinTale$ series (short for Financial Tales)—picture books that make money concepts accessible to children ages 4-8.

Keys To My Heart, launched strategically on Tax Day during Financial Literacy Month, was my first book in that series. The story is set in Arizona and teaches budgeting fundamentals like earning, saving, spending, and the importance of sharing. My second book, Garage Sale Goldmine, was just released on October 7th and explores sibling teamwork, problem-solving, purchasing decisions, and introduces concepts such as sales tax, borrowing cost, and compound interest. I hope to add 2-3 more books to the series, covering other important financial concepts not covered in the first two books.

In all these pages, my parents’ and my husband’s and my values live on—transforming the financial wisdom of two generations into the building blocks of the next.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
After losing my mom, I created Sprouting Sparks and discovered that entrepreneurship required a different toolkit than the one I had. Moving from the corporate world to children’s book authorship was like learning a new language—challenging every muscle memory I’d formed over the years. I struggled most with unlearning the formal voice that had served me well through my career when writing investment reports and replacing technical jargon with fun characters children could relate to and analogies that made complex topics understandable. I attended two writing workshops and a children’s author conference to learn how to explain financial concepts without diluting them.

Entering the intensely competitive children’s publishing market with books about saving rather than superheroes means competing for shelf space in an industry where financial literacy might not be a young readers first choice. However, with financial literacy increasingly being mandated in high schools and now adopted by 30 states, we know that teaching these concepts early on can shape a child’s economic trajectory. When I hear that a child asked his or her parents for a chore chart or wanted to share some of the money they earned to help someone in need because they’ve read one of my books, I’m reminded why it’s worthwhile for me to translate financial literacy and values into playground language.

By making complex financial concepts accessible and engaging, we can empower a new generation to make informed money decisions. This foundational knowledge can lead to greater financial stability and independence in their adult lives. Mission accomplished!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a children’s book author focused on financial literacy. Below are my published works and I’m excited to share that both have become best-sellers! Keys To My Heart was even named the prestigious “Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient.”

(1) Keys To My Heart – 1st book in my FinTale$ series
(2) Garage Sale Goldmine – 2nd book in my FinTale$ series

What sets me apart from other authors who write about financial literacy is my blend of investment experience and hands-on teaching with my own kids about the financial concepts that are written in my books. Today my own boys are now self-sufficient adults who save, invest, and spend prudently so it’s nice to see the fruits of my labor.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Trust your unique perspective. When you pivot careers like I did, your professional background doesn’t need to be a liability—it could be your greatest differentiator, and quite frankly, your competitive advantage.

I also recommend that you invest intentionally in your craft. I love to learn and am a big advocate for constantly learning and honing my skills. It helped me tremendously in my journey to become a children’s book author, despite having no prior experience. I believe that continuous learning is vital for a sustainable and successful career.

Lastly, discovering a community that fosters growth and connections can expedite your learning process, create opportunities, and offer continuous support. I’m glad I did because my author community has been a lifeline for me!

Pricing:

• Hardcovers $24.50
• Paperbacks $14.99

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sproutingsparks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sproutingsparks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sproutingsparkseducation
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shireen-eddleblute-mba-cfei%C2%AE-54b2581/