We Started With A Simple Question
Back in 2018, we noticed something odd. People were drowning in budgeting apps and financial advice, yet most Australians still felt confused about their annual finances. That disconnect bothered us enough to do something about it.
From Spreadsheets to Real Understanding
Our founder, Rachel Nguyen, spent twelve years as a financial advisor in Melbourne before moving to Adelaide. She kept seeing the same pattern — clients would nod along during meetings but leave without actually understanding their annual budget cycle.
The breakthrough came during a community workshop in 2017. Instead of presenting polished slides, Rachel asked attendees to map out their actual spending patterns on butcher paper. The room transformed. People started connecting dots they'd never seen before.
That messy, collaborative approach became our foundation. We're not here to hand you a perfect budget template. We teach you how to build one that actually matches your life — the one you're living right now, not some idealized version.
Since opening our Adelaide office in early 2019, we've worked with over 2,400 individuals and families. Each person brings different challenges, but the core issue stays consistent: they need practical frameworks, not generic advice.
What Drives Our Approach
These aren't values we printed on a poster. They're the principles that shape every workshop, every consultation, and every resource we create.
No Financial Jargon
If we can't explain something in plain language that your teenager would understand, we haven't thought it through properly. Complexity is often just laziness in disguise.
Your Reality Matters
Cookie-cutter budgets fail because life isn't uniform. We start with where you actually are, not where some financial guru thinks you should be. Your irregular income, your family situation, your goals.
Progress Over Perfection
A budget you'll actually use beats a perfect one you'll abandon by February. We focus on building systems that survive real life — the unexpected car repairs, the forgotten subscriptions, the birthday months.
The People Behind The Programs
We're a small team based in Adelaide's east end. What we lack in size, we make up for in experience — between us, we've helped navigate everything from post-divorce finances to small business cash flow puzzles.
Miriam Holloway
Former accountant who got tired of only seeing clients once a year. Now designs our core curriculum and runs quarterly workshops. Has an unusual talent for making tax planning almost interesting.
Freya Kensington
Spent eight years in corporate finance before realizing she preferred helping real people over optimizing shareholder returns. Specializes in making complex financial situations manageable through simple systems.