Going independent changes your relationship with money in ways most professionals are not prepared for. You are no longer receiving a monthly salary into a single account, and the informal financial structure of employment disappears the moment you work for yourself.
In this session, Mariam Umarji, a chartered accountant and senior finance and development expert with over 15 years of experience advising governments and international organisations across Africa, Asia and Europe, shares how she manages her finances as a long-term independent consultant, and what she wishes she had known earlier.
Watch the full recording here:
How to set your consulting rate when starting out, including how to benchmark against industry standards and why you should never price based on what you need to earn each month
The cues to look for when adjusting your pricing across different client types, sectors and contract structures, including the often-overlooked emotional cost of certain engagements
The practical difference between budgeting and expense tracking, and a bucket approach for managing personal, family and business costs as an independent professional
How to plan for dry spells, late payments and gaps between projects, including building buffers into project timelines and maintaining an emergency fund
How to separate your personal and business finances, set rules for transferring income across accounts and invoice consistently across concurrent projects
What to consider when it comes to retirement planning as an independent, including how legal requirements vary by country and why voluntary provisions require deliberate discipline
This session is for independent professionals at any stage who want to take a more structured approach to their finances without overcomplicating it. Mariam is direct, grounded and draws on years of real experience, not theory.