Show Notes
Grief isn’t the only cost of loss. Melissa Reader discovered this hard truth after living through the unimaginable: becoming a full–time caregiver to her husband, Mauro, whilst raising three young children and keeping their co–owned business afloat. This all came crashing down after Mauro passed away. In today’s episode, Melissa is here to confront the financial aftershocks of serious illness and death that most of us are completely unprepared for. Melissa Reader is the CEO of Violet, a national NFP helping families plan for the later chapters of life, and founder and CEO of Vera, a digital platform supporting families through the ageing journey. Her work sits at the intersection of care, technology and wellbeing, helping people navigate later life with greater clarity, dignity and confidence - long before crisis hits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from The Pay Off with Sylvia Jeffreys
Property prices are falling, but higher interest rates are squeezing borrowing power. So, should you buy now or wait?
Women make up two in three beginner investors. But as investing gets more advanced, that representation starts to fall away. Global X portfolio manager Jessica Leung thinks confidence is a big part of the problem — and she knows what it’s like to feel out of place in finance, having spent much of her early career as the only woman on her team. Jessica joins Sylvia to strip investing back to basics: how ETFs actually work, what to look for when choosing one, the fees that can eat into your returns and why a boring, long-term strategy might be a good thing. Plus, they unpack the AI investment boom — including why the opportunity extends well beyond the big tech names to data centres, infrastructure and even copper — and the biggest mistake Jessica sees new investors making. This episode contains general information only and does not constitute personal financial advice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why does a strong CV disappear into a recruitment black hole? Former recruiter and Project Roar founder Catherine Harris joins Sylvia Jeffreys to explain how hiring has changed, what can stop your application reaching a person, and why spending hours on job boards may be getting you nowhere. They cover: How to make your CV easier for recruitment software and recruiters to read What to do if you’re worried your age is counting against you How to explain a career break, including time spent caring for children How to use conversations and referrals to find opportunities Catherine also shares what employers could gain by hiring more workers in their fifties and sixties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australia is one week out from the RBA’s next interest rate decision — and the possibility of another rate hike is firmly in focus. So what is the Reserve Bank actually watching? RBA Chief Economist and Assistant Governor Sarah Hunter joins Sylvia Jeffreys to take us inside how the bank thinks about interest rates, inflation and the Australian economy — and bust some of the biggest economic myths along the way. In this episode: What the RBA is weighing up ahead of its next rates decision Why interest rates affect far more than just mortgage holders Whether higher interest rates really push up rents Whether migration is adding to inflation How government spending factors into the RBA’s thinking What’s behind Australia’s housing downturn — and where prices could go from here Whether Australian households are showing signs of mortgage stress Why the RBA remains concerned about inflation Plus, Sarah explains what happens behind the scenes before every interest rate decision — from the economic data her team analyses to the papers that land in front of the Monetary Policy Board. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SportsGrad founder Reuben Williams quit his own company — then figured out how to buy it back. But that’s only part of his story. Reuben has gone from landing his dream job at Cricket Australia, to redundancy, entrepreneurship and almost losing the business he built. He’s helped close to 850 people find jobs in sport, travelled the world chasing some of its biggest events, and rebuilt SportsGrad after a buyback deal left him under enormous financial pressure. At the same time, Reuben spent six years navigating the legal system after taking a former colleague to court over a sexual assault. The experience led him to speak publicly about what happened and become an advocate for survivors. Reuben joins Sylvia Jeffreys on The Pay Off for a wide-ranging conversation about ambition, resilience, work and what happens when life doesn’t follow the path you expected. In this episode: The CV mistakes that could be holding jobseekers back Why AI is changing the entry-level jobs market What his experience taught him about the barriers facing sexual assault survivors The four values shaping how he lives and works See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.