In many parts of the world, middle-class families are feeling increasing financial pressure as living costs rise and opportunities shift. It’s easy for this strain to turn into frustration, sometimes directed at those with even less.
Sunél Veldtman explores how this comes from a sense of scarcity — the belief that there isn’t enough to go around. She invites us to think more imaginatively and inclusively. By gently moving beyond scarcity, we can help create a fairer, more hopeful future for everyone.
In a world that moves fast and demands more of us each year, the simple act of pausing has become a quiet superpower.
Sunél reflects on her annual life review ritual, a deliberate moment to step back, realign with what matters, and choose intentions with clarity. She shares how a year of recommitting to health reminded her that meaningful change is built through small, consistent steps. At Foundation, we believe this kind of intentional reflection shapes not just our personal lives but also our financial lives.
In a world where financial products grow ever more complex, simplicity has become a rare and valuable skill.
Sunél reflects on a recent “too-good-to-be-true” investment offer and why, at Foundation, clarity always wins over complexity. Elegant simplicity, she argues, is not about being basic; it’s about the higher-order ability to make the complex clear, transparent, and meaningful.
We spend to fit in, to show we belong. Yet the cost of belonging that we see at weddings, matric dances, and even funerals often come at the expense of our financial stability. True belonging, as Brené Brown reminds us, can’t be bought. The real question is: what price are we willing to pay to feel included?
Fear is powerful: it often disguises itself as rational thought and quietly directs our financial decisions. Drawing on Daniel Kahneman’s research and personal reflection, Sunél explores how fear influences our behaviour, why it sometimes feels “rational,” and how awareness can help us choose differently.
AI can run complex financial models in seconds. Some retirees are already using it to test whether they’ll outlive their money, concluding that financial planners are no longer needed.
But experience tells another story. Data alone can’t model emotion, family, or life’s unexpected turns. In this week’s reflection, Sunél considers what AI can do brilliantly and what it can never replace: empathy, perspective, and the human understanding that gives money its meaning.