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In this new series, Behind the Advice, we ask advisors about their relationship with money from a young age, lessons learned over the years, and how their experiences influence the advice they give clients today. Zainab Williams, certified financial planner at Elleverity Wealth Management in Caledon, Ont., talks about how her upbringing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya shaped her relationship with money – and the investment scam she suffered that led her to become “obsessed” with personal finance.I was born in the DRC where the banking system was unreliable. As a result, my mother always stressed the importance of investing in good jewellery.
Money has never been my source of excitement. The newest gadgets don’t capture my interest. I believe in making my things last, like my trusty 2008 Ford that gets me where I need to be. And now, I’m trying to teach my kids about living within their means. It isn’t easy with social media and other influences around them all day.When I was in my early 20s, my family and I invested most of our savings into a farming project in Congo.