Manisha Bhudia: Money Starts With Mortality

Some people inherit a path. Others decide to break it. In this episode of Internal Momentum, Ben sits down with Manisha Bhudia, financial adviser and wealth strategist at Ultimum Financial Services, to unpack why money means very little until you know exactly what you are building it for. Manisha grew up in Nairobi, where the shape of her life was mapped out before she was old enough to question it. She was eight years old when her mother sat her and her two brothers down and told them their father might not survive a car accident, and it was the hopelessness in her mother's eyes that day that changed the direction of everything after it. Unable to afford further study, she registered with a UK accounting institute at nineteen, ordered textbooks from London, and spent six years as her own student and her own lecturer, driven by the belief that giving up would be a disservice to generations who had not been born yet. Ben and Manisha explore what happens when a person is quietly told their capability does not count, and how proving that your existence matters can become the engine behind an entire career. They talk about mortality, and how the sudden loss of Manisha's mother in 2022 changed the way she spends her time, her attention, and her money. Manisha shares the conversation she had with her daughter on a school run past a cemetery, and the question she puts to every client before a single financial strategy is written. They also go somewhere most money conversations never go. Ben admits that family is not actually his top value, despite saying it for most of his life, and talks about letting go of the pressure to be a perfect father. Manisha offers a different way to hold all of it, values arranged in a circle rather than a hierarchy, where no part of a life has to be sacrificed to make room for another. If you have ever worked hard for money without being able to say clearly what the money is actually for, this episode will hand you the question to sit with before you build anything else. About the Guest Manisha Bhudia is a Perth-based financial adviser and wealth strategist with Ultimum Financial Services, working across accounting, tax, investing, estate planning, and behavioural finance. Born and raised in Nairobi, she taught herself Chartered Management Accounting from textbooks ordered out of London before immigrating to Australia in 2007, and in 2021 was named one of the fifty most influential advisers in Australia by Financial Standard. Her work centres on helping business owners, professionals, and women build financial independence around a life they have actually defined for themselves. Connect with Manisha: Website: ultimumfinancial.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/manishabhudia Chapters: 00:50 Introduction to Manisha Bhudia's Journey 03:08 The Promise of Education and Change 05:41 Defining Moments and Mindset 07:59 The Role of Education in Empowerment 09:54 Cultural Perspectives on Women's Empowerment 12:31 Balancing Motherhood and Professional Life 15:35 The Importance of Support Systems 18:09 Awareness of Mortality and Living Fully 23:43 Finding Balance Between Living and Saving 29:12 The Importance of Understanding Your 'Why' 30:21 The Meaning of Money and Life's Purpose 33:15 Holistic Financial Planning and Life Experiences 35:41 The Journey of Self-Discovery and Podcasting 38:30 Identity Beyond Roles and Celebrating Individuality 41:20 Finding Your Why Through Mortality Awareness 44:16 The Impact of Life Events on Perspective 46:14 Creating Memorable Moments and the Role of Money 48:54 Letting Go of Perfectionism in Parenting 52:34 Challenging Societal Values and Personal Truths