Keep The Change

New Zealand isn't the same country it was five years ago. But most Kiwis are still living like it is. We've shifted from a factory economy to a skills-based economy, but everyone's still thinking like it's 1995. While you're waiting for your 2.6% pay rise, house prices are forecast to grow 6% annually. The math doesn't work. Mikey and I break down what's really happening: why everything feels hard...

Too many of us have become weak in our reasons. Reasons are very powerful because they carry emotion and can pull us forward. If you haven’t, I would strongly suggest doing some work on your reasons (often called your why, purpose etc.) and drilling into things that are really emotionally powerful for you. We also forget WHO got us here. I was reflecting on this personally recently when doing some...

Most Kiwi employees are sitting on a goldmine and don't even know it. Your boss is probably over 50 and they're thinking about retirement but haven't figured out succession. Meanwhile, you're trading hours for dollars, watching house prices outpace your wages by more than double. Here's what they don't teach you: You can buy into the business you already work for with ZERO cash down. Phil Smith wa...

This Money Mail is inspired by my client, who is a business that turns over hundreds of thousands of $$$ and feeds mouths + provides opportunities. What they do, is tested and works. Success leaves clues. I hope you turn this idea into money and have your best Summer yet. Most people wait around hoping money will somehow turn up, but it won’t. So do this! Hey thanks for listening! Please take some...

I headed to Auckland University to talk with first year students about the money lessons you’ll never learn in a classroom. We covered: Why NZ schools and Uni's don’t actually teach you how to make money The real skills that matter for building wealth (and why most people miss them) How to break out of the “get a job, work hard, hope for a pay rise” mindset The biggest money myths young Kiwis stil...

Over the next 25 years, New Zealand will undergo the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in its history between $1 trillion and $1.6 trillion in assets moving from baby boomers to their kids and grandkids. But here's the problem: as lawyer Andrew Clements puts it, we're approaching this tsunami with "all the sophistication of a kids' game of pin the tail on a donkey." In this conversation, A...

The challenge is simple. Make $100 for yourself. Give $100 to a random. This is a challenge to look around and notice the people who could use a bit of kindness, especially during the festive season. I continue to believe that a little act of generosity can lift someone’s spirits in ways you and I can’t imagine. And this is certainly what the feedback reminded us last year! Recipients were st...

Recently, my KiwiSaver balance ticked over $150,000. Out of curiosity, I looked back through my monthly tracking sheet and saw that only 18 months ago, it was sitting at $100,000. In earlier Money Mails (#198), I shared my goal of hitting $100k so the “snowball” could really start rolling. Just like Charlie Munger talks about. Watching it leap from $100k to $150k in less than two years has been qu...

We sit down with James Fuller, Co-founder and CEO of Hnry, to unpack how recent Budget 2025 changes to KiwiSaver are threatening the retirement security of New Zealand’s sole traders. If you’re a freelancer, tradie, or sole trader or keen on learning from someone who scaled from nothing to 60,000 customers, tune in. James shares insights from Hnry’s joint report with the Retirement Commission, rev...

Why do high-achieving people still struggle with self-doubt, anxiety, and burnout, even when everything looks perfect on paper? I sit down with New Zealand-based mindset coach Sarah Robb, founder of The Breakthrough Blueprint, to unpack the real reasons success doesn’t always silence self-sabotage.  Sarah shares how personal loss led her to the world of NLP, hypnosis, psychology, and timeline...

This one’s from a listener who shows exactly what happens when you take action, even if it starts small. ‘’Now I’ve got no credit card, no car payments, and a better understanding of how money can actually work for me. Your podcast changed the way I think. Now I’m planning how to grow my income and get into a house ASAP. Thank you, bro. I wouldn’t be here without your podcast." Hosted on Acast. Se...

Today we sit down with Greg Smith, newly appointed Investment Specialist at Generate and one of New Zealand’s most recognisable market commentators. With two decades in the industry and a regular presence on Newstalk ZB, NBR, TVNZ and the NZ Herald, Greg brings sharp insights and plain-English analysis to the complex world of investing. Together, we cover: Greg’s background in finance and his new...

Ever stopped to ask yourself: Who am I if I’m not working? Well today we are. In this episode, we dive deep into the topic of identity, exploring how we attach it to our jobs, what happens when work is taken away (thanks AI or unemployment), and why it's so important to know who you are beyond your title. I’ll ask you a few tough questions, share some real-world examples, and challenge you to defi...

The kitchen might still be tiny. The roof still leaks in winter. The location hasn’t changed. The utility and intended use (shelter and sleep) of many of these houses hasn’t even improved. To be fair, many have depreciated. What changed was the number on the bank’s spreadsheet and therefore…what that number could let you borrow. But now, it feels like we’re seeing the full effects. And it’s h...

Today we sit down with Nathan Najib, Managing Director of Najib Real Estate in Christchurch, to explore a refreshing perspective on the New Zealand property market. We discuss:   •  Why Nathan refuses to “spruik” the property market.   •  The key variables behind house prices in NZ that the economists miss   •  Whether we really own our h...

Let’s talk about one belief I keep seeing lately: The 'Have you seen the cost of living? The average Kiwi can't afford to save right now'. I get it. I really do. But you’ve got to be careful not to stay stuck there. Because saving or investing is a habit not a moment. And I’ve seen this thinking in both good and bad economic times. Why, in the tough economic times, will the debt dealers still happ...

I sit down with Amy Po-Ching of https://www.levridge.co.nz to find out what she is seeing out there and it is one word: uncertainty. Kiwi are stuck with what decision to make and what direction to go in. All of this in a time where we’ve never had more information. Perhaps that is part of the problem? Because realistically, Kiwi today can build more financial certainty than ever before. Drawing on...

I recently sat down with Willie Leota on the Fresh Moni podcast for a deep dive into New Zealand's economy, the recent budget, and what Kiwis can actually do about their financial situation. Checkout more podcasts from Willie on his channel Fresh Moni: https://www.youtube.com/@willieleotafreshmoni/ I believe 100,000 kiwi with better financial literacy will create a better New Zealand. The Generate...

New Zealanders pride themselves on the laid-back lifestyle but in life, being too cruisey can cost you. In a world that’s moving faster than ever, speed is a competitive advantage. Speed in decision-making. Speed in execution. Speed in learning. First, you have to know where you’re going and what you’re doing it for.  While others are still “thinking about it,” you’ve already tested, iterated...

I overheard an older gentleman talking about how great KiwiSaver is for younger people. He said: “My kids are going to have millions in there by the time they’re 65… I think.”. “I think” were the 2 words that stuck with me. Because I genuinely believe that most Kiwi don’t KNOW. So the first question is... Have you ever run your numbers to see what your KiwiSaver will be at 65?I did this...

I Team up with Jake from Generate and John from Kauri Wealth for this essential retirement reality check that every Kiwi needs to watch. We break down the brutal truth about retirement costs in New Zealand and why most people are nowhere near prepared for what's coming. Key topics covered: The new Kiwi Saver changes: 3.5% contributions in 2025, 4% by 2028 Why the $260 government contribution cut a...

Meet Mahesh Muralidhar, the tech executive, investor, and the man on a mission to birth 10 billion-dollar Kiwi startups by 2026. Mahesh shares the lessons he learned scaling global giants like Canva and Airtasker, and why he returned home to lead the charge in New Zealand’s tech ecosystem through Phase One Ventures.  We dive deep into:   •  What’s holding Kiwi tech back an...

Having an emergency fund has changed my life. Why? Well it changed who I was. So let’s start putting SOMETHING aside. Just like this person did: The assurance and peace it gives you having an emergency fund is second to none! The thing people don’t realise is start small and the relief from stress of your car breaking down or the likes lessens. It’s not too late, get started and save one. Or...

The Power of Proximity: Get Closer to What You Want! Today we define and explore the concept of proximity why getting closer to action, opportunity, and the right people can change your life.  As the economy begins to shift, now is the time to lean into environments where people are thinking bigger, doing more, and moving forward.  Whether it’s health, wealth, mindset, or momentum proxim...

We each don’t know what each other are REALLY going through. We may all have different incomes. Different realities. But the key to remember? Money doesn’t miss anybody. Instead of wishing for someone else’s life, what if you started reshaping your own? Tidy up one thing. One money issue at a time. Start with where you are and build from there. How could YOUR life be better if you tidied...