One Year Later: Interviewing the Woman Behind Simply Finance

It’s Simply Finance’s first year anniversary! Amidst the champagne popping and the zoom party planning, we took time to reflect and look back on the past year with Mariel Bitanga, the Founder of Simply Finance.

Congratulations on Simply Finance’s First Anniversary! We’ve come some far. What are some of the milestones Simply Finance has achieved and that you’re most proud of?

Launching Simply Finance first and foremost! Launching can be the most intimidating part of starting a business and I’m proud that we mustered up the courage to get Simply Finance off the ground. Another meaningful milestone for Simply Finance is steadily attracting wonderful clients that I’ve really connected with. We were also able to collaborate with remarkable partners and companies in the past year and I value their trust in me. The most delightful milestone though is Simply Finance TV. It was never really part of my plan but I’m glad we pursued it. It’s super fun to produce and seeing the impact it has on our community is amazing.

What are you most grateful for?

I’m grateful for all the people that showed their support for Simply Finance. Our clients, partners, and of course my team! I really couldn't have done it without any of them.

What was running through your mind before launching Simply Finance?

It was early on in the lockdown and I did not picture launching my dream firm under those circumstances. I was so scared to launch [Simply Finance] but after overcoming my self-doubt and getting some encouragement from my team and important people in my life--I did it! It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders,

What’s your advice for women who are struggling to get started and launch their dream business?

I think the best advice I could give is to just start somewhere, it doesn’t have to be perfect right away. Don’t pressure your dreams with perfection. You can tweak and polish everything along the way. As long as you’re making meaningful steps with your business every day, everything should work out fine.

Also, ask for help! There’s no shame in that. Seek mentorship from people you look up to, people you can learn from, and people who genuinely want to see you succeed. Focus on your strengths and when it comes to your weakness don’t be afraid to ask and be open to help.

Through Simply Finance, you’ve empowered so many women to take charge of their personal finance but how have your clients empowered you!

My clients empower me in so many ways! It gives me so much joy to learn from every one of them. As a financial planner, I really have to connect with my clients to optimally work in their best interests. Each and every one of my clients is unique and through Simply Finance I had the privilege of learning about their life stories and their goals. Understanding my role in their journey empowers me to do better. I’m rooting for all of them and I genuinely want to see them succeed, not only financially, but in life.

We’ve shared so many finance tips in the past year, out of all of them--what’s your number one personal finance tip!

Treat your relationship with money as an important relationship in your life. And just like any relationship you have with your friends and loved ones, you need to nurture and cultivate it. You have to understand the nature of your relationship and how it impacts and influences your life. Get to know your money, take care of it, love it, spend time with it, respect it--once you do this, everything else will flow easier.

What are your expectations, hopes, and aspirations for [Simply Finance] the year to come!

You know that we like to keep it simple! I just want to continue to help more women (and men!) with their finances through Simply Finance. I’m not trying to change the world or anything! What’s meaningful to me is helping one client or viewer at a time. Knowing that I could have that impact on someone is something I truly cherish and continue to hope for.

What a year it’s been for us in Simply Finance. Looking back, we feel nothing but gratitude. This is only the first chapter and we’re looking forward to turning the page. As we move forward, whatever happens, just know that you are our north star. Simply Finance is guided by its sole purpose to empower your financial success and improve your overall well-being. This is what grounds us, what lifts us, and what keeps us going every day.

So, here’s a toast to you! When we celebrate our first anniversary we are truly just celebrating you.