Nine Years Ago, My Life Broke Open

Today marks exactly nine years since the day my life changed forever.

Nine years since I learned my marriage—the one I thought would last a lifetime—was over.

Nine years is a long time. Long enough to rebuild a life from the ground up. Long enough to make mistakes, learn from them—and then make a few more.

But let me take you back to that day.

We had just sold our beautiful old wooden house by the river. In my mind, we were about to begin an exciting new chapter—one filled with dreams we had been talking about for years.

I dreamed of moving to a new city. I dreamed of finally bringing the family business—my inheritance after losing my mother so suddenly to cancer—to a point where it could either be sold or run by someone else.

We dreamed of real estate investments, of a temporary home in a nearby city before moving to the dream farm that lived in my imagination.

And then, in the middle of packing boxes, my husband told me he didn’t love me anymore—and that he had been unfaithful.

That moment split my life into before and after.

When the storm inside me finally quieted—after weeks of shock and sleepless nights—I realized something important:
My life wasn’t shattered. The illusion was.

The dream I thought we shared? It had been mine alone.

I also realized how painfully naïve I had been. I never asked for a prenuptial agreement. I assumed love was protection enough. I still feel shame admitting this to you.

The assets that came from my inheritance, from the family business, would now be divided in half. The life we built together—though with two sets of hands—was largely funded by my wealth. And now, it was split right down the middle.

Could I have fought for more? Yes. But I chose peace and the easier road. We had two small children. I believed the most important thing was to protect them from a war between their parents. I didn’t have the strength for a long legal battle.
(By the way, we managed to find a healthy way to co-parent. We may not be best friends, but we are good friends.)

And I refused to return to the chaos of the family business after years away, just to start from zero again—as I had already done once after my mother died.

So I walked away. The business stayed with him. I left with a decent sum and a heart full of questions.
How will I survive? Can I manage money on my own? What if the money runs out and I can’t take care of myself and my children?

Nine years later, I can say this: I’ve made new mistakes—but also choices I’m proud of.

COVID didn’t spare me either—it almost destroyed the coaching and speaking business I had worked so hard to build.

I sold off investment properties just to survive the years of illness and recovery. And slowly, the financial pressure grew tighter and tighter.

And yet—I know how lucky I am. I had savings. I had investments. Many women in my situation have nothing. I’m deeply grateful for that.

But I also know I could have done so much better.

What I lacked, above all, was courage.
Courage to follow my inner compass.
Courage to make bold moves instead of safe ones.

I made the safe investments everyone else was making. I ignored my gut and kept going, pretending I was fine, instead of asking for help.

Hindsight is easy, isn’t it? Today, I know what I should have done—and what kind of support I needed most back then.
But all those struggles shaped my mission. I want to help women take their lives into their own hands—not to become “hard boss babes,” but to stand on their own feet and be free to choose their partner, job, and lifestyle… out of love, not out of a lack of options.

Today, my life looks very different. I’m married to a financial coach and investor. We are both coaches and entrepreneurs. I’ve learned a great deal about money from him, and I’ve had the privilege of coaching hundreds of his clients on the mindset aspect of financial well-being.

Over time, this has become my mission:
To combine my expertise in transformational coaching with financial literacy, especially for women.

Because I’ve seen it too many times:
Women left with nothing because they hand over every financial decision to their partner.
Or left with money—but no skills to maintain and grow it.
When divorce came, they had no idea how to manage their finances or build security.

This is why I created Wise Wild Wealthy.

I never want another woman to experience what I did—feeling powerless, unprepared, and terrified of what comes next.

For generations, women have carried the weight of history in our DNA—a history where we were denied the right to learn, to earn, to manage money. And even today, those silent beliefs still whisper to us:
You’re not good with numbers. You’re not capable. You’re not the “money type.”

But here’s the truth:
You already have what it takes.
You just need the right support—to be fully you, to honor your dreams and values.

Building a life you truly want to live may require learning new skills and putting in the work.
But more than anything, it takes courage.
Courage to let go of fear.
Courage to start walking the path you were always meant to walk.

Because this isn’t just about money.
(But you can’t ignore it either.)
It’s about owning your future.

Wise Wild Wealthy is a space for women ready to break those chains—
To claim their freedom, independence, and wealth.
To create a life built on wisdom and courage—a life they truly want to live.

Because freedom doesn’t just happen.

It’s something you build.

With love

Tinka