Hi, I’m Serena
I've been on a 25-year mission to help business owners get clear on what they want from life, then build the wealth to make it happen - without selling their souls to the hustle culture
I'm Serena Humphrey, Chartered Management Accountant, experienced CFO, wealth and mindset coach, and business owner of 25 years working with hundreds of small businesses.
But this isn't just what I do - it's why I exist.
How it all started
In my early twenties, I lived through three financial disasters that changed everything:
I lost my home at 21 when interest rates hit 15%. Then I watched a brilliant £10m business collapse overnight - I had to make 400 people redundant and close the doors. Finally, my parents lost their dream business and home to recession.
That's when I knew: brilliant business owners deserve to build real wealth from what they've created - but most never do.
Too often because of poor financial advice and support, and not knowing what they even wanted.
I was going to spend my life changing that.
Why I rejected the hustle culture
For years, I bought into the hustle myth. Scale fast, sell your business, sacrifice everything for growth. I built a team of 12, chased the million-pound turnover, worked silly hours.
I bloody hated it, and it broke me. I was working harder and harder but didn’t really know why. Just hoping it would somehow work out. I burnt out completely, developed M.E., and eventually had a cancer diagnosis before I finally understood - you can't sacrifice your health for success.
So I chose a different way. I focused on profitability over growth, used my business profits to build wealth and financial security, and prioritised my health and happiness.
The result? We're mortgage-free in our dream home and financially secure.
This makes me a stronger coach; because I've lived through what happens when you follow the wrong advice, and found the path that actually works.
My money manifesto!
I've made every money mistake in the book and learned from watching others make them too. After 25 years, these are the rules I swear by - the ones that actually build wealth, not just the appearance of success:
Cash is everything. Keep all your taxes in a separate account and build a 3-6 month overhead buffer
Money determines the life you live. The sooner you build wealth, the sooner you're free to choose how you spend your days.
You MUST understand your money. This is the one thing you can't delegate. Until you do, you'll always be winging it, and someone else will have control of your future.
Your wealth is too important to risk it all on selling your business. Make your business highly profitable, invest those profits consistently, and let time and compound interest work for you. No aggressive scaling or exit required.
Society is set up to part you from your money. From "look successful" pressure, and following other peoples’ dreams, to advisors who don't actually help you build wealth. You MUST be intentional with your money or it WILL disappear.
Financial resilience is survival strategy. With AI changing everything, and a more uncertain world, being financially bulletproof isn't a nice-to-have anymore.
A business coach once told me I needed a "decent car, one befitting my position" instead of my (brand new) Golf convertible.
His message? Spend money to look wealthy so people would take me seriously. I ignored his advice, kept my car for 13 years (still got it!) and I put that £500 a month into my pension instead.
That decision will be worth £440k by the time I retire. That's the power of knowing the real wealth rules.
Healthy and happy comes first now
After years of burnout and health scares, I learned that my business does better when I'm healthy, happy and feeling great.
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 love my daily walks by the river, I've joined Rock Choir (pure joy!), taken up sewing, and I'm obsessed with nutrition and cooking.
I spend my time with my husband Captain Sean, family, friends, and our cats - including two giant ragdoll kittens!
Because building wealth should fund your dream life, not consume it.
