Hi, I’m Serena

3 financial disasters …..and a mission

I'm Serena Humphrey FCMA, a Chartered Management accountant, financial trainer, financial mindset coach, NLP coach, and a highly experienced CFO and business owner.

For over 30 years, I've been on a lifelong mission to help business owners achieve the financial security they deserve from their businesses.

This isn't just a business for me. It's deeply personal.

It all began in the 90’s

It started in the early ‘90s. At 21, I lost my home that I'd proudly bought at 18 as interest rates soared to 15%.

Then, the amazing business where I was the finance manager, collapsed overnight. We'd spent three years building it into a £10m nationwide success story. I had to make 400 people redundant and shut down our stores.

Finally, I watched helplessly as my parents lost their dream business and their home to the recession.

It was brutal.

Everyone’s security had gone and we had to start again.

It felt like my fault, and I needed answers…

Why do some businesses survive the tough times when others fail? Why do some people get financial security when others stay vulnerable, no matter how hard they work?

These questions ignited the mission that still drives me today - to understand the real drivers of financial security and to help business owners build it for themselves.

So I qualified as an accountant to learn what I could have done to stop it all happening. I then set up my own business in 2000, built and sold a management accounting practice, and I’ve worked as a financial coach and CFO for many years.

I’ve made the same mistakes many business owners make

For years, I bought into the hustle myth that scaling and exiting was the only path to financial security.  I grew a team of 12 people, systemised everything, reinvested every penny and chased the million-pound turnover.

But I bloody hated it! I felt trapped. I was working silly hours, I was unhappy and sacrificing my health. I was selling my soul for a dream that wasn’t even mine.

So I sold my business and started again.

I was still as ambitious as ever, but I had to find a different way to success.

I focused on profitability, financial strength, and used my business to create my financial security. I saved more, spent less, built up my investments and cleared my mortgage. 

Now, we’re mortgage-free in our dream home, financially secure and on track to financial independence. 

I believe this makes me a stronger coach, because I’ve faced the challenges too.

My work is the culmination of everything I've learned - not just as a CFO or financial expert, but as a coach and a business owner who's followed all the “should” advice and found healthier happier way to create financial successs.

Healthy and happy comes first now

I was brought up to believe you have to work ridiculously hard to succeed. Business comes first.

I did the crazy hours, and inevitably after a few years I completely burnt out. I developed ME, and finally a cancer diagnosis, before I finally understood you can’t sacrifice your health for success.

Now healthy and happy comes first. I’m passionate about nutrition, I love juicing, and I meditate, journal and exercise most days. I don’t work Fridays, evenings or weekends.

And guess what? My business does better when I’m feeling great!

These health pillars come first in my life, and they’re front and centre of my coaching too.

If you want to achieve great things with your business, you need health, energy, and the sparkles!

A bit more about me

Now that I have free time, I spend my time outside of work enjoying actual hobbies (who knew you could have hobbies AND a business!)

I’ve taken up sewing and making my own clothes.

I love my daily walks by the river, I joined Rock Choir which has given me more joy than I could imagine.

I’m obsessed with nutrition and I love cooking (healthy food obviously) and spending time with my husband Captain Sean, my friends, family and of course our cats, including our 2 giant ragdoll kittens!