Margot Thomas, Co-Founder, Ikigai Leading

The Inner Work Behind My Money Story

“I grew up in Brazil in a loving and modest blue-collar family where money was earned through hard work and shared with generosity. We did not have a lot, yet there was always enough. Enough to live, enough to give, enough to dream. Those early years taught me that wealth is not measured by possessions but by the quality of our relationships, the strength of our integrity, and the ability to stay generous even when life is demanding.

Becoming the first in my family to attend university felt like both a privilege and a weight. I carried the responsibility of honouring every sacrifice that made it possible. Over time, money became intertwined with worth, not only in what I could afford but in how I could prove that my parents’ investment in me was worth it. That sense of duty became a powerful driver carrying me across continents and leadership roles that offered financial stability, yet also stirred deeper questions about what success truly meant.

In those years between my late twenties through to my early forties, I discovered that financial independence can quietly morph into emotional dependence on performance, recognition and control. Outwardly I appeared to thrive; inwardly, I was still learning to trust my worthiness, regardless of titles or balance sheets. My turning point arrived when my work pace became unsustainable and the longing for a more multidimensional life became too loud to ignore. Letting go of what had defined me for so long was not easy. From that opening though, money began to look different. It became less a measure of achievement and more a mirror of my unfolding.

Over the past decade, I have made choices that sit closer to what truly matters. I stepped away from an outdated idea of success and began investing in what nourishes me and supports others. Letting money serve meaning, rather than the other way around, changed everything. As this shift took root, founding my own business emerged naturally, almost like the next honest liberating step.

At this point in time, I see money as a resource to respect but not revere. Its value lies in what it enables and supports. And when it is used in service of what is life-giving, it seems to return in ways that cannot be measured.”