- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 1 week, 6 days ago by
.
-
CEO, founder, and money enthusiast Ibi Ibru is tackling Nigeria’s economy by expanding access to financial knowledge and practices for women.
Ibi Ibru’s approach to life and work is rooted in a deep sense of purpose, collaboration, and impact. When building Money Start and The Mum Fund, Ibi’s journey reflects a willingness to listen to real problems and develop solutions. Her journey began from a simple Instagram page and evolved organically into a financial planning firm managing millions in client assets. For Ibi, building something meaningful is about intentionally surrounding yourself with people who can help bring a shared vision to life.
In this edition of #WorkLife, Ibi shares the heart of her driving philosophies and her strong belief in financial empowerment, especially for women. She highlights the importance of shifting away from survival-based thinking to ownership and independence. She also speaks candidly about the cultural pressures women face, the emotional weight of money as “security,” and the need to challenge long-standing narratives around ambition, motherhood, and success. Whether she is speaking about motherhood, burnout, or legacy, Ibi consistently returns to the idea of impact — the desire to change lives in small but meaningful ways every day.
For her, legacy is something built through consistent service, where even helping one person at a time becomes a lasting contribution to the lives of others and our society.
You founded The Mum Fund in collaboration with Feyi to support mothers. What personal experiences shaped your need to bring the initiative to life?
Portrait of Ibi Ibru via Ibi Ibru It all started when I launched my financial planning firm, Money Start. I didn’t begin Money Start intending for it to be a women-focused company, but naturally, a lot of women gravitated toward it. That was the first real lightbulb moment for me. I realised that women seemed more comfortable talking to another woman about their money, their lives, and their personal goals. It made me understand how important community, familiarity, and safe spaces are for women when it comes to finances.
Today, I would say about 95% of my clients are women. One of the first things I noticed was that mothers were the ones investing the most and investing the most consistently. But whenever we spoke about their priorities, everything centred around their children. It was always, “I want to save for my children’s education,” or “I want to put money aside for my children when they’re older.” Then, when I asked them about their own plans for themselves, there often wasn’t much there. They might mention having some savings or mutual funds, but there wasn’t a strong focus on themselves or their own financial future.
That really made me think deeply about societal conditioning. Nigeria is modernising, of course, but the patriarchy still has the loudest voice. Many women struggle to even admit to themselves that they want to build wealth for their own sake.
What I kept seeing, especially with mothers, was this pattern of putting everyone ahead of themselves and leaving themselves last. That mindset affects every area of life, including money. Every mother has a story like this: maybe she only has 100 naira, but her child needs something that costs 95 naira. She will spend the 95 naira on her child and somehow figure out how to survive on the remaining five naira herself. That level of sacrifice is so deeply ingrained.
Women are naturally impact-focused. We are nurturers, we care deeply about the people around us, and we think about our families, our communities, and the future. But often, in caring for everyone else, women completely exclude themselves. I wanted to help create that mindset shift, especially for mothers.
Even in a wonderful marriage where you are loved and provided for, you cannot live with a false sense of security. I have worked with women who were widowed much earlier than expected, in their 50s or 60s, only to discover they didn’t truly own anything. Their house deed might simply say “Mr and Mrs.” instead of listing their actual legal names. Their cars are not in their names. They don’t have independent ownership, savings, or financial security. Suddenly, they are faced with the shock of realising they cannot sustain the life they thought was secure.
That is why, to me, the real conversation is about ownership. It is not enough to say, “My children are in school, I can travel, and we are comfortable.” Women need to own things in their own names. They need assets, investments, and financial independence.
So ultimately, all of this came from seeing the gap firsthand and wanting women, especially mothers, to realise that building wealth for themselves is not selfish — it is necessary.
What does a typical workday look like?
Honestly, no two days in my life are ever the same.
On the first day of the week, the first thing I had was a vendor meeting for The Mum Fund event we’re organising. After that, I went for a fitting, recorded a podcast, came back home, and then spent time working on all of my clients’ Q1 portfolios.
The next day, I worked out at home, took my daughter to get her passport, had another meeting for The Mum Fund, attended two client meetings, worked on social media content, got my nails done, and then went to a speaking engagement.
Today, I woke up and immediately had more meetings for The Mum Fund. I also had a meeting with one of our asset management partners to resolve a few issues, followed by a meeting with one of our sponsors. After that, I took my children to gymnastics, came home, and now I’m doing this interview. Later tonight, I still have another engagement at 7 p.m.
So when people ask me what a typical day looks like, I honestly can’t give one fixed answer because every day is completely different. But one thing I do consistently is focus on my top three priorities for the day. As an entrepreneur and a mother with young children, I’m always juggling a billion things. So instead of trying to do everything at once and becoming overwhelmed, I ask myself, “What are the three most important things that absolutely need to get done today?”
That approach helps me stay focused and grounded. Even if I don’t complete everything on my to-do list, I know I’ve handled the most important priorities for that moment.
So, really, my days depend on what life requires from me that week. I focus on my top three priorities, try to stay present in whatever I’m doing, say a prayer, and then get into it.
How do you avoid burnout with a consistently full schedule?
I’m still learning how to manage burnout properly. I’m not naturally very good at it. I used to push myself until I was completely burnt out, which is honestly not healthy at all.
One thing I do is try to stay consistent with meditation. I meditate for 15 minutes every single day, and that has helped me tremendously. It gives me a clearer head, reduces anxiety, and helps me stay connected to myself and my body.
When I was younger in my career, I completely ignored my body whenever it tried to tell me I was tired, overwhelmed, or needed to slow down. I would push through exhaustion, ignore the signs, and struggle to say no. But now, I pay much more attention to those signals.
For example, I have a big sofa in my office, and sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, I’ll lie down, put my phone and laptop away, grab my iPad, and watch something light and funny. It always has to be something silly and easy to watch because I don’t want anything emotionally heavy. I love shows like “Friends” or “Grace and Frankie” — fun, simple 30-minute episodes that completely allow my brain to switch off for a bit.. After that, I can usually come back to work feeling more refreshed.
Another thing that has really helped me avoid burnout is moving my body. I’ve realised that it’s important to get out of your head and back into your body. So whether it’s walking, running, paddling, working out, or simply moving around consistently, it helps because your brain becomes focused on what your body is doing instead of being consumed by constant thoughts and stress. Movement has become a huge part of how I regulate myself mentally.
The first two years of building a business were incredibly intense. Honestly, when you’re building something from the ground up, it can feel almost impossible not to pour your entire soul into it. But now that things have stabilised a little more, I’m making a much more intentional effort to take care of myself and create a better balance.
Read also: The 10 smart investment apps every woman in Nigeria should know for all their financial goals
Tell me about “Money Start” and how important it was to bring the company to life
Portrait of Ibi Ibru standing beside a wooden desk in an oxblood dress. When I founded Money Start, what I really wanted to do was address the shame, fear, and anxiety that so many people, especially women, have around money. I noticed it constantly in my daily interactions. And honestly, social media has only amplified it. I’m a millennial, I’m 32, so my generation grew up with the internet. We grew up watching people constantly post their wins, their lifestyles, their vacations, their achievements, and you never really know what’s real and what isn’t.
But regardless, it creates this overwhelming feeling that everybody else is doing better than you are. When I began consulting new clients, I would ask them how they felt about their financial situation compared to the people around them. I would say about 90% of them believed everyone else was doing better financially than they were.
I knew for a fact that wasn’t true because I had direct insight into people’s finances. But it made me realise how deeply comparison culture had affected people’s relationship with money. Social media definitely contributes to it, but another major issue is that we simply don’t talk about money openly.
I’ve always been someone who speaks openly about money. I’ve always been comfortable asking questions about money or sharing information about finances, even in situations where it made people slightly uncomfortable because they simply weren’t used to those conversations. But the more I spoke about it with my friends and people around me, the more they would tell me, “You’re really good at explaining this,” or, “You should talk about this more.”
Fast forward to when I decided to start Money Start, I initially wasn’t trying to build a business at all. I simply wanted to build a personal brand that could support my career. I asked myself, “What is one thing I could talk about forever?” The answer was obviously money. So I created an Instagram page and started posting videos about money, investing, saving, financial strategy, and how to build a solid financial plan around your goals and your life.
I didn’t start with a business plan, I genuinely did not intend to start a company, I started posting content because I enjoyed discussing financial literacy.
At the time, I actually thought I was targeting Gen Z — young people who had just graduated from university, were entering the workforce, and were earning meaningful income for the first time. I assumed most adults already knew the things I knew about investing and personal finance. But then I started receiving so many messages from people in their 40s saying things like, “Wow, this is so insightful,” or, “Can you explain what an ETF is?” or, “Can you explain what you meant in this video?”
That was a huge moment for me because I realised there was an enormous gap in financial education. I had underestimated how many people, especially women, were looking for someone to explain money in a relatable and approachable way.
As I mentioned before, about 98% of the people who gravitated toward Money Start were women. They naturally connected with it. And the more people reached out asking for help, guidance, and financial strategy, the more I started to think, “Maybe I actually can help people do this.”
That led me to set up my first asset management partnership, and since then, we’ve built five. Today, we manage over $6 million on behalf of our clients.
Money Start happened very organically. It grew in response to a problem that I didn’t initially realise was widespread. I noticed a significant gap when it came to women who were educated, successful, hardworking, and earning well, yet still lacked financial strategy, investment knowledge, and long-term wealth planning. In many cases, they were starting from zero to understand how to grow and manage wealth intentionally.
Being able to help close that gap has been incredibly fulfilling for me. It has made me genuinely happy because I’ve seen firsthand how empowering financial knowledge and financial confidence can be for women.
From your perspective, what are the biggest structural barriers Nigerian mothers and CEOs face when trying to build careers?
When I think about the obstacles women entrepreneurs face as they build careers and businesses, I would honestly say that one of the biggest challenges is cultural conditioning. The culture really gets into your mind over time and starts affecting the way you think about yourself, your ambitions, and your choices.
As a woman, when you are visibly ambitious, pushing your career, growing a business, and working hard, people constantly make comments that sound supportive on the surface but often carry an underlying judgment. It’s things like, “I hope you’re not too tired,” or, “How are you managing with the children?” There’s this subtle implication that maybe you’re doing too much.
For me, I’m fortunate because I have a strong support system. I have two nannies, and my mom lives just six minutes away. She’s retired, and if you ask her, she’ll proudly tell you she’s a full-time grandmother. So my children are surrounded by love, support, and care. But despite that, I still get asked those questions.
And I know I’m not alone in that experience. I know so many women who are excelling in their careers and businesses, and they constantly hear comments questioning whether they’re balancing motherhood “properly.” Every time they succeed, get promoted, travel for work, or become more visible professionally, the conversation somehow shifts back to whether they’re still managing their responsibilities at home.
Meanwhile, fathers who are equally involved parents rarely get those same questions.
I think that’s one of the biggest barriers women face — the culture itself. Even if you are naturally independent-minded, and I consider myself very independent-minded, meaning I don’t usually internalise people’s opinions too deeply, repeated messaging still affects you over time. When society consistently questions your ambition, you eventually start questioning yourself too.
You begin wondering, “Am I doing too much?” “Should I be more focused at home?” “Is there something wrong with me for wanting more?” Even if you didn’t initially feel guilty, repeated conditioning can slowly create guilt where there wasn’t any before.
The second major obstacle women face is fear, particularly fear tied to security. I think women and men often relate to money very differently because of the way we are socialised.
For many women, money represents security. The money you have access to feels like protection and stability. For many men, money is viewed more as a tool — something you use to get from one point to another or to build something bigger.
And honestly, that mindset difference matters a lot in business and career growth. When money feels like your only security, you become much more afraid to take risks. You become afraid to start a business, afraid to make mistakes, afraid to fail publicly, and afraid to lose what feels safe.
That fear can stop women from speaking up, taking opportunities, negotiating, investing in themselves, or pushing forward in their careers. So I would say the two biggest barriers are cultural conditioning and fear rooted in the need for security.
How does financial independence change the way mothers approach both work and family life?
Portrait of Ibi Ibru via Ibi Ibru In terms of how financial independence changes how women approach work and business, I think it completely shifts your mindset from focusing on what you are trying to escape to targeting what you are moving toward.
A lot of people stay in jobs simply because they need the paycheck. The job pays the bills, so they remain there even if they don’t enjoy it or feel fulfilled by it. But when you have financial independence, you gain the freedom to pursue work that actually feels meaningful to you.
I also believe women, especially, care deeply about doing work that is impactful while also being financially rewarding. So when a woman has financial independence, her mindset changes from survival to purpose. She starts asking herself, “What work do I actually care about? What impact do I want to make? What kind of life do I want to build?” Financial independence gives you the freedom to move toward those things instead of simply trying to stay afloat.
It also changes the power dynamic in work environments. When you have financial independence, you are empowered to leave toxic jobs, unhealthy work environments, or difficult bosses because you are no longer operating from panic or desperation. You’re not making decisions from a place of, “Oh my God, my savings are about to finish, so I have to accept whatever comes my way.” Instead, you have options. You have breathing room. You have control over your decisions and your future.
When it comes to family life, I actually think financial independence is incredibly beneficial for relationships and families. I’ve seen firsthand what happens when all the financial responsibility and access to money sit entirely with one partner. It can create pressure, resentment, and instability, especially because no human being is invincible. There may come a time when the person you rely on financially can no longer provide at the same level they once did. They may go through a difficult season, lose income, or face unexpected challenges. And when a family depends entirely on one person financially, that can create extreme stress.
What practical advice would you give to a new mother trying to re-enter the workforce without losing herself in the process?
My first advice to any new mum, especially a working mum, is to take all the help you can get. Do not try to be superwoman. Don’t try to be a hero, and don’t convince yourself that you have to do everything alone because you absolutely cannot do it all.
Trying to do everything on your own will eventually leave you completely overwhelmed, exhausted, and burnt out. You need support, especially when you’re raising a young child. If you’re a new mom with a baby under one or even under two, motherhood itself is already a full-time job. Then, if you also have a career, a business, or other responsibilities on top of that, you truly need all the help you can get.
Secondly, know yourself and understand your limits. Be intentional about identifying what truly makes you happy and what drains you. That way, when you’re having difficult days or feeling disconnected from yourself, you know what you can return to in order to feel grounded again.
This might sound strange to people who haven’t had children yet, but it’s actually very easy to forget yourself after becoming a mother. Your entire world suddenly revolves around keeping another human being alive, and in the middle of that, you can completely lose touch with the things that once brought you joy.
So it’s important to regularly ask yourself: “What do I actually enjoy? What makes me feel like myself? What makes me happy outside of being a mother?” You have to consciously put yourself back onto your own priority list.
But with time, things do become easier. You find your rhythm. Your child grows. You become more confident in yourself. The overwhelming moments become more manageable. So if you’re in that difficult early stage, just know that it will not feel this hard forever. Hang in there.
How would you describe the philosophy that guides your approach to work and life?
I think about it as something rooted in one of my favourite Bible verses: to do everything as though you are doing it unto the Lord. It’s not necessarily my absolute favourite verse, but it has become my guiding philosophy.
What I love about that idea is this: imagine if the creator of the universe came down and asked you to do something. You would do it to the very best of your ability, you would go above and beyond and you would aim for excellence in every detail.
That’s the standard I try to bring into everything I do. I like to say that excellence is my theme song. It’s also something I expect from everyone I work with — just to approach every task as though it is something meaningful and intentional, something worth doing well.
And I apply that same mindset to every area of my life, not just work. I try to do everything as though I am doing it for God.
In my mind, I’m not doing it for people. I’m doing it unto God.
That perspective makes everything lighter. It removes a lot of emotional frustration because it stops becoming about how people treat me or how I feel on a given day. Instead, it becomes about simply showing up, doing my best, and maintaining excellence regardless of the circumstances.
How important is collaboration in the work that you do, and how do you approach it?
Collaboration is everything to me. I truly believe no man is an island, and if you want to go far, you have to go with other people. I know what I am very good at, but I also think knowing what you are not good at is a superpower, because it allows you to collaborate intentionally with people who fill those gaps.
My entire business is built on collaboration. It is actually how I could grow Money Start from just an Instagram page into a financial planning firm that now manages millions of clients’ money. It all came through working with other people, building relationships, and finding the right partnerships.
I naturally love working with people. Whenever I meet someone strong in an area where I am not strong, my first thought is always: how do I work with this person? How do I bring them into my orbit? How do we create something together?
For example, when it came to working with Feyi — who has been my best friend for as long as I can remember and feels like family to me — it was a very natural collaboration. When I started thinking about hosting an event focused on money for women, I knew I didn’t want it to be generic. I wanted it to speak to a very specific audience.
Feyi has a strong community of mums, and she is incredibly good at building spaces where people feel something. I, on the other hand, am very structured and logical in how I think. If it were left to me alone, I would design an event that is very clean, very minimal, very straightforward — almost like straight lines and beige tones. That is just how my mind works.
But Feyi thinks very differently. She thinks deeply about how people will feel when they enter a space, how they will experience it, and what emotion they will leave with. She is extremely strong with people, emotion, and atmosphere. That is something I am not naturally as strong at.
That is exactly why I felt we would make a perfect team. Together, we complement each other. We fill each other’s gaps. It really is like a puzzle coming together.
Working with her, especially on last year’s event and preparing for this year, has reinforced that even more. People sometimes ask if it is difficult working with your best friend, but for me, it is actually the opposite. It works because there is complete trust.
I trust her fully in the areas she excels in, and she trusts me fully in the areas I excel in. So when decisions need to be made about design, I defer to her completely. When it comes to budget or financial structure, she defers to me. And that clarity makes everything run smoothly.
In many ways, it is like a perfect partnership. I have always been very intentional about working with people who make me better — people who cover my gaps while allowing me to focus on my strengths. And in return, I do the same for them.
When you think about your legacy, what’s one thing you want to leave behind through the work that you do?
For me, legacy and greatness are really about how many people’s lives you change.
I’ve always thought that if, when I die, even a few people can say, “She did this one thing, and it changed my life for the better,” I would die happy. That alone would be enough for me.
I’ve started to understand legacy differently. It is not just about one big achievement later in life. It is something you build every single day through small, consistent impact. That is where real legacy is formed. If you impact enough people over time, your work continues to live on through them. People talk about it, they share it, and it spreads in ways you cannot always control or even predict.
So now, I think of legacy as something daily. If I can wake up each day and help at least one person, then I feel like I am building something that matters.
React to this post!The post Ibi Ibru is empowering women to build wealth and strong financial knowledge appeared first on Marie Claire Nigeria.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
