My story

I’m Meryl, founder of Foundation Women.

My journey towards financial freedom started when I was 23.

I realised quite early that if I wanted to create real financial security and freedom, simply working harder and earning a salary wasn’t going to be enough. I wanted to build assets that could create income and give me more choices.

So I bought my first rental property and took in four housemates. I’m very sociable, and I soon learnt that creating additional income could open up opportunities and give me choices I might not otherwise have had.

That first property was the beginning of a journey that has shaped much of my financial life.

Alongside my career, I continued to invest in property, build my portfolio and learn through doing — understanding the opportunities, the risks and the practical realities of creating wealth.

My experience has been built in the real world, not just from learning about finance and business in books. I’ve made decisions, taken risks, made mistakes and learned from them. I’ve seen first-hand how building assets can change what is possible in your life.

I also have an MBA, and over the years I have developed experience across business, property and investment.

But perhaps the most valuable thing I have learned is that financial freedom isn’t simply about how much money you have.

It is also about mindset, personal development and having choices.

In 2022, I attended an event hosted by Northern Power Women.

During the event, I met a student from Durham University. If you’re reading this, Lucy, I hope you spot yourself. She said these life-changing words to me:

“You’re living my dream.”

Her words have stayed with me. At the time, life felt messy and I was struggling to see the wood for the trees.

I was rebuilding my life through a difficult divorce, and it was easy to become caught up in everything that had gone wrong and lose sight of everything I had actually achieved — and everything that had gone well.

Lucy reminded me to look beyond the difficulties of that moment and recognise that, despite everything, I had built a life that many other people dreamed of.

And I know many women experience something similar.

During periods of transition, it can be easy to lean towards self-doubt or panic about how to become financially independent, adjust to living on your own for the first time, navigate a separation or cope with widowhood.

Sometimes it is difficult to feel good about the future when life is changing around you.

I know that many women are intelligent, capable and hardworking, but may never have been given the financial education or confidence to understand what they can do with their money.

And life can change everything.

Divorce, widowhood, career changes, becoming financially responsible for yourself, or simply reaching a point where you realise you want more control over your future can all create a need to understand your finances in a completely different way.

That is why I created Foundation Women.

Foundation Women brings together the financial knowledge, principles and practical thinking I have developed through my own experience into a simple tool designed to help women understand their financial foundations and identify where they can take action.

It isn’t about telling women what they should do with their money.

It is about giving them the knowledge, confidence and starting point to make informed decisions for themselves.

Because I believe financial freedom starts with understanding where you are — and knowing what you can do next.

My hope is that Foundation Women helps more women build the confidence to create their own version of the life they dream about.

And if my own journey has taught me anything, it is this:

Keep moving forward, one step at a time.