We revisit the conversations that shaped how we think about money, markets, and growth over the past year. Featuring insights from Luke Kemeys, Nicola Willis, Mahesh Muralidhar, and Jarrod Kerr, this episode brings together practical lessons on investing behaviour, housing, economic recovery, and business scale in New Zealand.
Money, Behaviour, and Compounding with Luke Kemeys
Luke Kemeys unpacked one of the most practical investing discussions of the year, focusing on how behaviour often matters more than pure maths. Using real examples, he compared income investing with compounding and showed how inflation can quietly erode returns when income is taken instead of reinvested.
While compounding delivers stronger long-term outcomes, Luke emphasised that consistency and motivation are critical. For some people, receiving regular income helps them stay engaged and committed, even if reinvesting is mathematically superior. He applied the same behavioural lens to debt reduction, explaining how small wins – like clearing a smaller balance first – can build momentum and reinforce better financial habits.
Housing, Supply, and Policy with Nicola Willis
Nicola Willis discussed housing affordability through a broader policy and social lens. She framed home ownership as more than a financial asset, highlighting its role in providing stability, security, and better long-term outcomes for families and communities.
Rather than a lack of land, Nicola pointed to planning rules, zoning restrictions, and regulatory barriers as the key drivers of housing unaffordability. She explained that increasing housing supply by reforming planning frameworks and improving development processes is central to making home ownership more achievable in New Zealand over time.
Growth, Scale, and Global Ambition with Mahesh Muralidhar
Mahesh Muralidhar shared lessons from scaling a global technology business, offering insight into what rapid growth really looks like behind the scenes. He described how hypergrowth creates constant pressure across teams, systems, and infrastructure, forcing organisations to learn and adapt quickly.
A key theme from Mahesh was that large, successful businesses are built on years of foundational work that often goes unseen. Early ambition, long-term vision, and persistence were critical, reinforcing that what looks like overnight success is usually the result of sustained effort over many years.
Markets, Confidence, and Economic Signals with Jarrod Kerr
Jarrod Kerr focused on the state of the economy and what actually signals a recovery, drawing on business conditions, interest rates, and confidence rather than headline data alone. He explained that relying solely on lagging data can delay decision-making, and that business confidence, hiring intentions, and consumer spending often provide clearer insight into momentum.
Jarrod discussed how lower interest rates, improving tourism, and stabilising housing markets can support confidence, but stressed that real recovery shows up when businesses move from cost-cutting to investing and hiring again.
Key takeaways
-
Behaviour and consistency matter more than the maths
-
Housing affordability comes down to supply and regulation
-
Scaling globally takes long-term vision and resilience
-
Recovery shows up in confidence, hiring, and investment
-
Compounding works best when people stay motivated
-
Sustainable growth relies on productivity and exports
Next steps:
Buying a home, investing, or want better control of your money? Register now to join Mike and James for a practical 2026 financial planning webinar.
If you’d like to watch more, check out these other episodes below.
For a no obligation discussion to see how we can help you on the path to wealth, please contact us.
Disclaimer:
The information in this article is general information only, is provided free of charge and does not constitute professional advice. We try to keep the information up to date. However, to the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, in relation to this article – including (without limitation) warranties as to accuracy, completeness and fitness for any particular purpose. Please seek independent advice before acting on any information in this article.
