Clear Over Clever
Finance people love jargon. We don't. If we can't explain something in plain language, we haven't understood it well enough ourselves. Clarity is a sign of mastery, not simplification.
We Started Because Something Was Missing
Not another finance company promising miracles. Just real education about money that should have been taught years ago.
Back in 2019, we noticed a pattern. Smart people—university graduates, professionals with decent jobs—were making basic money mistakes that cost them thousands. The problem wasn't intelligence. It was that nobody ever actually taught them how money works in practice.
How We Got Here
Saffron worked in accounting for eight years. She'd sit across from clients who earned good money but had no idea where it went. They'd bring in shoeboxes of receipts, bank statements they never opened. Bright people, completely lost when it came to managing their own finances.
Kirsten taught high school economics. She watched seventeen-year-olds learn about supply curves and fiscal policy, then graduate without knowing how to read a payslip or understand a credit card statement. The curriculum covered theory beautifully. Practical application? Not so much.
We kept talking about this gap. Eventually, we stopped talking and started building something to fill it. That was six years ago now. We've worked with over 2,000 people since then, teaching the fundamentals that somehow got left out of formal education.
What Makes Our Approach Different
We focus on skills that matter in daily life. Not investment strategies or wealth-building secrets. Just the practical knowledge that helps people make better decisions about their money every single day.
Start With Reality
We begin with your actual situation. Not ideal scenarios or perfect budgets. Real income, real expenses, real life. You can't fix what you don't understand, so we start by understanding what's actually happening with your money.
Build Systems That Work
Willpower fails. Good systems don't. We help you set up simple structures that make smart money decisions easier than dumb ones. Automation, clear rules, practical frameworks that fit into your existing life without requiring constant effort.
Teach Understanding
We explain why things work, not just what to do. Understanding compound interest isn't just academic—it changes how you think about debt and savings. When you understand the mechanics, you make better choices naturally.
Who's Teaching This Stuff
Two people who got frustrated with how financial education was failing regular people, so we built something better.
Saffron Bjellqvist
Director of Learning
Former accountant who spent years watching people struggle with basics that should have been second nature. After eight years of giving the same advice over and over, she realized the problem wasn't individual—it was systematic. So she left practice to teach what should have been taught from the start.
Kirsten Vanhanen
Program Development Lead
Teacher who realized traditional education was failing students when it came to practical money skills. Watched too many bright kids graduate without knowing how compound interest works or what superannuation actually means. Designs our programs to fill those gaps with clear, practical content that sticks.
Honest About Limits
We teach budgeting and money management. We don't promise wealth, freedom, or life transformation. Good financial habits improve your options. They don't solve everything, and we won't pretend they do.
Respect Your Time
You're busy. Our programs are built around that reality. We don't waste time on theory you'll never use or exercises that don't connect to real situations. Every session should make tomorrow's decisions easier.
No Judgment Zone
Everyone makes money mistakes. We've made plenty ourselves. Our job is to help you understand what happened and how to do better next time, not to make you feel bad about past decisions.
Where We're Headed
Our autumn 2025 program starts in March. We're keeping groups small—15 people maximum—because this stuff works better when there's space for real questions and actual discussion.
Over eight weeks, we'll cover everything from tracking where your money actually goes to understanding how different types of debt work to setting up systems that make saving automatic. Not theory. Practical skills you'll use the week you learn them.
We're also building resources for people who prefer learning on their own schedule. Self-paced modules, practical worksheets, clear guides on specific topics. Those should be ready by mid-2025.
See What We Teach
