For Rekha, financial freedom and living authentically have been at the core of her story with Navigate Advisory.
Rekha has been a client of Navigate Advisory for close to two decades. From early budgeting challenges and first home purchases to dealing with life challenges and redefining what wealth means to her, Rekha’s financial story has been deeply intertwined with Navigate’s guidance.
Thank you, Rekha, for chatting with us today. We would love to hear how Navigate Advisory supports you.
“I have been with Navigate Advisory for close to 20 years. They’ve helped me with all my financial planning. They’ve essentially just been my go-to for any financial matters.”
And while you have been working on your financial story since a young age, what does it mean to live a great life for you now?
“I think a great life is so subjective for everyone. For me personally, a great life is being happy, being able to do things that I enjoy doing, making time for my family, being able to go on holidays, being able to be debt-free to a certain extent, and not worry about income to the point where you can’t do things that you enjoy.”
What were some of the biggest financial challenges you were facing before you started working with Navigate Advisory?
“I started working with Navigate when I was quite young, newly married. Initially, I had no budget, no idea about budgeting. I had no idea of buying a property. Everything was just in the too-hard bucket. Working with them made me realise that I could potentially buy a home, and they also broke down what that meant from a day-to-day cashflow perspective.”
As life evolved, so did her financial needs and challenges: “As I got older, we started working together to think about investment properties. I went through some life changes along the way – health issues, personal issues. And eventually, when I had to stand on my own, Navigate helped me understand what good financial planning looks like for a single parent. So at different stages in life, they’ve helped me in different ways.”
How specifically has Navigate Advisory helped you?
A pivotal moment in Rekha’s journey came through a simple but transformative conversation with Senior Adviser Jenna about her life goals.
“I remember having this conversation with Jenna where she asked, ‘What are your life goals?’ And I said, ‘I want to travel’. And I laughed about it. And then she wrote that on the board – travel number one. And I responded with, ‘Don’t write that. That’s not a very adult thing to do’. And she’s said, ‘No, if that’s what’s important to you, we need to put that as number one’.”
This moment changed everything for Rekha: “This opened my mind to question, why am I scared to, or embarrassed, to say that this is actually important for me?
So I need to do things that will support the life I want to build for myself, which includes travelling at least once or twice a year. And so I keep telling Jenna, ‘you’ve changed my life just by asking me that question’.”
The approach at Navigate gave Rekha something she hadn’t experienced elsewhere: “They don’t have to tell me what to do. They’ve just asked me those questions to get me thinking. I think that’s been the biggest one for me, knowing that I have some experts in this area to go to, to ask questions, has been useful.”
What was one of the biggest financial changes since working with Navigate?
Life threw Rekha some major curveballs that completely shifted her financial priorities and goals.
“The biggest shift was when I first started working with Navigate, I was married. The goals I had then with my husband were to have our home and to have an investment property that we could eventually give to our kids.
“Along the way, I went through health and relationship challenges, so what became more important for me was that I needed to have the right insurance in place, because health can take a turn when you least expect it. So what was important for me at the early stages when I met Navigate was very different from what they are now, because of what had happened in my life.”
The health challenges gave her a new perspective on legacy as well: “It made me think if tomorrow I’m not here, what would my kids remember me by? They wouldn’t think about the investment property. They would think about the time they had with mum.”
Are there any goals you’ve achieved that you didn’t think were possible before?
“Travelling is definitely one thing. I am now travelling guilt-free. I appreciate that not everyone gets a chance to do that, but for me, accepting that this is something that is really important to me, it actually helps me mentally and emotionally.”
Rekha has redefined what building wealth means to her: “I think working with them has made me realise that not everyone needs to build wealth in the same way. I’m building a wealth of memories, but others are building wealth in other ways. So I guess that acceptance has been very important.”
Do you now feel more empowered or knowledgeable about managing your finances since working with the Navigate team?
“I feel more empowered for sure. I think we have built that trust to the point where I know that if I am not paying attention to something I should be paying attention to, Jenna will come and tell me that. Hey, have you had a chance to think about this?”
The relationship has given her confidence in her choices: “It’s nice to speak to someone who is not judging you for travelling every year. And when you ask friends and family, they bring their opinion, and I think working with Navigate, they give you the different opinions and leave it with you to think what’s right or wrong, versus thinking about what has worked for someone might not necessarily work for you.”
What advice would you give to anyone considering financial planning?
“It’s important to start at some point. Don’t be too scared to think about it. Just a simple action of talking or thinking about your financial situation is the first step in the right direction”.
Rekha’s journey shows that financial confidence isn’t about following a prescribed path – it’s about having the clarity and support to make authentic choices that align with your values. Her long-standing relationship with Navigate Advisory has given her the freedom to redefine success on her own terms, proving that sometimes the most valuable wealth is the memories you create along the way.
If you’re looking to define your own version of a great life, book in a call. We would love to see how we can help you get one step closer to your goals.