Known for her thoughtful blend of money wisdom and mindful motherhood, @mama.mj_valueinvestormom shares more than just personal finance tips—she’s documenting what it means to build wealth while breaking generational cycles.
Over the years, MJ has explored everything from value investing and P2P lending to #FundItFriday habit-building and raising her daughter Enya with intention.
In this interview, she opens up about her investing evolution, the mindset shifts that came from both loss and resilience, and what it really means to raise money-wise kids while healing your own money story.
Q1: Hi Mama MJ! For those who don’t know you yet, could you briefly introduce yourself and what sparked your passion for personal finance, particularly in the areas of family finance and conscious parenting?
Hi there, I’m MJ. You can call me Mama or MJ or combine the both if that works for you. You can tell from my transparent name, haha. I’m a mom, value investor, and advocate for conscious parenting.
My passion for personal finance started in my early twenties when I discovered financial education and realized two things:
1. Money decisions aren’t just about numbers, and
2. Money talks aren’t just for boys, which is old-school programming.
We have the power to change that and reshape our family’s future and values. Becoming a mom to my rainbow daughter amplified this for me.
I wanted to break cycles, raise children who understand money and mindfulness, and build a strong foundation for freedom and choices.
Q2: Was there a particular moment or experience that pushed you to take your first step into investing or financial literacy?
Yes. In my early twenties, I was lucky enough to attend a financial education workshop that completely changed my perspective.
Before that, I thought money was just about earning and spending because that was what I was told growing up.
That workshop opened my perspective in many ways and introduced me to concepts like paying yourself first, making your money work for you as merely working 9-5pm won’t get you out of the rat race.
It was a huge wake-up call because I never knew this kind of education existed, and I believe it’s one of the most crucial forms of education beyond rote learning.
That moment set me on the path to investing and building financial literacy, and I’ve been on this journey for over 15 years now and still ongoing.
Q3: How would you describe your approach to money today, as both a parent and an investor? Are there any guiding values or “non-negotiables” you live by?
I think this has come a long way, now I see money as a tool to create freedom and choices, not as a measure of worth.
As an investor, I focus on long-term value and sustainability instead of chasing quick wins (though honestly, we’ve all been there).
We’re not a T10 family, but I believe there’s abundance out there. It’s a fine line and cliché, I know, but money doesn’t just show up.
You need strategy, effort, and consistent execution to build it. Sitting around and waiting for it to come isn’t going to work. Even if it does (Thanks PMX), it’ll probably be a short term fix.
As a parent, I’m doing my best to make sure our money habits reflect the values we want to pass on.
Kids learn more from what we do than what we say, so I normalize money conversations instead of making them taboo. I also make it a point to verbalize what I’m doing with money for myself and the family.
My non-negotiables are spending within our means, never investing what we can’t afford to lose, and aligning money decisions with our bigger goals (eg, we’ve been renting >10 years and are still renting our home).
I want my daughter to grow up understanding that money is a tool. It’s not everything, but managing it well can provide the options of freedom and opportunities we have.
Q4: You’ve tried ASNB, Versa, P2P lending, and more – how has your investment strategy evolved over time, and what are some key lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Haha, I’ve tried many things before, too many (shhh).
There’s a saying, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, and another that says put everything in one basket and guard it damn well.
Honestly, I don’t have the talent to guard one basket damn well, so I’m the former. I have some eggs in everything.
I started with properties, and once I maxed out at 90% loans, I started looking for other options because 30% down payments can be painful.
Explored trading a bit, but I still prefer with value & growth investing locally and internationally, we also tapped into crypto & businesses. I’d say these are my offences.
My defense would be things like ASNB, Versa, or KDI for their money market funds. If you remember my football analogy.
For me, everything has a season.
When you’re young, you have more capacity to explore and push boundaries.
Now, being a mom, my approach has shifted toward sustainability and simplicity, and I stay away from things that are emotionally draining.
Key lessons?
First, chasing high returns without understanding risk is a recipe for stress.
Second, diversification matters, but over-diversifying without purpose just spreads you thin. Peter Lynch calls it Diworsification.
And third, the most important investment is in yourself, your mindset, your skills, and your ability to make sound decisions. That’s what compounds the most over time.
Q5: What inspired you to start #FundItFriday, and how has it grown into a movement that others now join in?
Honestly, #FundItFriday started as something fun and random.
If I remember it correctly, the term came up during a conversation. It was never about creating a big movement, but I just shared it openly because consistency is where most people struggle, I do still struggle with consistency in certain aspect of my life.
Has it grown into a huge movement?
No, perhaps, not yet.
But a few people have messaged me saying it inspired them to start their own habit (financially or health wise), and that matters to me.
I’m still figuring out if I’ll take it further, but the core idea will always stay the same.
Execution over just dreaming.
Q6: You’re raising Enya with such intention, from jiujitsu tournaments to business fairs! What are some ways you’re teaching money values to her, and what’s been the most surprising part of that journey?
Thank you so much for the compliments.
I believe money values start at home, not just through formal lessons.
For Enya, we normalize money conversations and make sure they’re never a taboo topic. We talk about money at the dining table, in the car, just like any other subject. I introduced the 3-jar concept when she turned 4.
I don’t give her a regular allowance by design, but she can earn money by completing agreed tasks or jobs with signed contracts and agreements.
The business fair this year happened by chance.
We saw a newsletter, asked if she wanted to give it a shot, and she said yes.
A 4-hour event with a month of prep taught all of us so much.
During one of our debriefs (yes, I do these often with her, perks of being an educator, haha), she said selling was the hardest part but also the most fun.
We’ve always prioritized experiences over things, and these experiences really stick. The lessons show up months later in her conversations.
I’ll add a little disclaimer: yes, a lot of things we do with Enya are intentional for building life skills, character, and decision-making, but the money lessons flow naturally with it.
I love what Jimmy Carr said, ‘Hard choice now, easy life later.’ This applies not just to financial literacy for kids but to life in general.
Kids pick things up so fast. Sometimes she reminds us of our own rules, like alternating screen time or sticking to her budget when using her splurge money.
It showed me kids don’t just listen, they watch and absorb everything.
That’s why it’s so important to hold firm to boundaries for the long term, just like investing, instead of giving in to short-term comfort.
Q7: In 2021, you faced a tough chapter with your ACL injury. How did that experience reshape your perspective on money, motherhood, or momentum? And what helped you come back stronger?
Two left knee surgeries taught me one key thing in life: health.
It sounds cliché, but isn’t it true that we don’t really appreciate it until we lose it?
Suddenly, I couldn’t move the way I used to, and everything slowed down.
The ACL chapter in 2021 was tough, but honestly, not as tough as losing my late daughter in 2018. That was a different kind of wake-up call.
When #babyclea’s incident happened, it showed me how precious life is.
Back then, I was a workaholic, packing my days and weekends with maximum productivity and minimal breathing space. When it happened, my world crashed, it felt like the end of everything.
Then came the freak ACL accident in 2021.
But now, knowing I had a daughter to raise and nurture, I couldn’t back down even when the rehab sessions were brutal.
In hindsight, these events taught me the importance of planning for setbacks because life will happen.
Financially, it reinforced why emergency funds and multiple income streams matter.
As a mom, it reminded me that being present and adaptable is far more important than being perfect.
And now I have come to appreciate that being able to exercise/swim/move my body is such a privilege and a luxury.
What helped me come back stronger? This is something I personally believe – yes, you may have temporary support & care, but no one will come and save you.
No one could magically fix my leg. The only way forward was to put in the work myself.
I’ll admit, my hyper-independence is probably a trauma response, haha.
Q8: What’s one belief about money or parenting that you’ve completely changed your mind about?
Oooh, this is a great question.
One belief I completely changed is that talking about money with kids is taboo, or that you only need to understand money when you’re older.
I grew up in an environment where money conversations were either hush-hush or stressful, and girls were told they were not good/didn’t need to know about money. I thought that was normal.
Now, in our family, money is a normal/common topic. Anyone can learn, work, and manage money.
Healthy conversations about these so-called taboo topics (not just about money) must start at home because kids learn from us whether we talk about it or not by observing us.
The last thing we want is that they learn it from somewhere else, from a random person, which could be worse.
Another big shift was thinking parenting is about controlling outcomes.
I’ll be real, I have anxiety about raising daughters in today’s world.
I used to believe being a good parent meant steering everything, but now I see it as guiding and modeling values, not engineering their entire life. More like a shepherd, offering space (physically and mentally) and opportunities.
Sam Altman said recently in a podcast, ‘My kids will never be smarter than AI, but they’ll be vastly more capable.’
Things are changing so fast, too fast, and we can’t use old methods to raise kids today, and we definitely can’t just let their lives run by blindly for most of the time.
Our job is to prepare them for life, not live it for them.
Q9: You juggle many roles: mom, CFO, content creator, educator. What routines or systems help you stay grounded and make time for what matters?
Interesting that you called me a content creator, because I’ve never called myself that before!
I think I live what many would call a boring life. I’m usually the last to know about the latest shows or trends, which, as an investor, I’m relearning because sometimes timing matters while tapping into a new market, haha.
There’s no such thing as a perfectly balanced life.
As an everything-mom, it often feels like we have to do everything at once, but the truth is, I can’t do everything superbly well. And I’ve learnt to pick and choose, we’ve started outsourcing weekly cleaning and laundry (my worst nightmare) to a part-time helper. But I still make time to cook for my family whenever I can.
What keeps me grounded? Time-blocking for important work, batch meal prepping for frozen dishes, locking in gym time at the same place as my daughter’s class, and automating my finances monthly.
Oh, and snacks. I snack, sometimes a bit too much, when I need a boost, then regret it later when the sugar crash hits.
There have been some good systems along the way, but I’d always want to improve them further. Again, I’m aware this is another trauma response of mine.
I used to say I am enough, BUT I can do more/better, now I’ve levelled up saying I am enough, AND I can do more/better.
Most importantly, we hold on to non-negotiables like family dinners, experiences over things, and keeping unnecessary drama out of our home.
Those little anchors keep me grounded. And I’ve learned to give myself permission to slow down.
I feel it is to find a rhythm that works for you and your nuclear family.
Q10: Lastly, what advice would you give to other Malaysian parents who are trying to raise money-wise kids while also healing their own money stories?
Start small and start at home.
Make money conversations normal, not taboo. Talk about earning, saving, spending, giving, and even the mistakes you’ve made.
You don’t need to know everything before teaching your kids. In fact, learning together can be powerful.
We all mess up at times, and that’s okay. The key is acknowledging it, apologizing when needed, and trying again.
When it comes to your own money story, give yourself grace. Most of us grew up with old programming (this is not about blaming anyone, but admitting the fact that we are all flawed in one way or another), and unlearning and relearning take time. Healing that story is part of breaking cycles for the next generation.
Show your kids what healthy habits look like, but also let them see that growth is a process.
Focus on progress, not perfection. One small habit at a time compounds, just like investing.
And here’s a reality check: a lot of people enable bad choices by justifying their actions, telling themselves ‘it’s just one time,’ or ‘it’s for the kids,’ or ‘we deserve it.’ The truth is, every choice adds up, good or bad.
Breaking cycles starts with us. With the right intention and consistent action, you’ll thank yourself later for choosing change instead of staying stuck.
Final Thoughts
A heartfelt thank you to @mama.mj_valueinvestormom for sharing her story with such honesty, depth, and warmth. It’s rare to find someone who can speak fluently about investing, healing, and raising resilient children and MJ does it with clarity and care.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that financial wellness doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s shaped by our past, expressed through our daily choices, and passed on to the next generation through the values we live; not just the lessons we teach.
Here are three takeaways we loved from this interview:
- Money habits are built through lived experience. MJ shows how everyday moments like dinner table chats and business fairs shape lifelong values, especially since kids learn from doing.
- Setbacks don’t mean stopping. Her life journey reminds us that pain can be a powerful teacher and resilience is built one step at a time.
- You don’t need perfection to make progress. Intention and small consistent actions create lasting change in both money and motherhood.
Follow MJ on Instagram at @mama.mj_valueinvestormom for real talk on parenting, personal finance, and building a values-led life—one intentional choice at a time.
