With a father working in the financial industry Olympus, Rene du Preez always knew that she wanted to one day have a career in the financial industry. Especially since her dad always taught her that a woman needs to have her own car and control her finances. Where her father has a passion for finances, her mom is more of a people’s person and Rene says the combination of both definitely helped her become the businesswoman she is today.
Today, Rene works as a financial advisor and has a personal passion for teaching women the basics about everyday finances.
“As a financial advisor I often sit in people’s homes and see how women seldom show any interest in the household finances. As soon as I open my portfolio file, many women excuse themselves, saying they have to go check on the kids or make coffee. Women often come to my office after their husbands have passed away or when they’re going through a divorce and have no idea what is going on in their finances,” Rene says.
She strives to teach women the basic principles and empower them to manage their day-to-day finances. Her list of top five things all women should know include:
1. A budget
2. A plan to achieve financial freedom
3. An emergency fund and savings
4. A will
5. An insurance plan
“I’ve learnt from my own journey as a women and through hardship that it’s important to be independent. I realised that you could determine your entire future with the correct knowledge and action,” Rene says.
Apart from co-authoring ‘The Ordinary Millionaire’ and authoring ‘Die Miljoenêrvrou – 7 stappe tot ‘n sprankel vrou’, Rene also hosts her very own web series called ‘Dis okay met Rene’. The series started because of her book ‘Die Millioenêr vrou.’
“God is and was so amazing that he sent all the right people across my path at the right time. I have a passion for women and for finances and because I also have a story to
tell ‘Dis okay met Rene’ was born,” Rene explains.
“I have the privilege to chat to everyday women, who are millionaire women”, she says. The term ‘millionaire woman’ does not have anything to do with the balance in your bank account. It is all the women that she comes across in her daily life. Normal ordinary women whom she meets in the gym or sends her their stories. “My path somehow just cross with
the women whose stories just have to be told. Any woman who does the best with what she has and cares for a family is a millionaire woman,” Rene says.
Rene is a mom of two sons, aged 25 and 17. Her eldest son even works with her in the financial industry. “I teach my kids to save and not to take anything for granted. They have to work for what they want. You cannot build your happiness or identity on materialistic things. It has no eternal value and can be taken away easily,” Rene says.
The biggest lesson she’s learnt on her journey of women empowerment?
“To judge less and save more.Everyone has their own story and pain. We sometimes don’t even see each other’s pain and don’t know what goes on in others’ lives. We have to treat people with compassion.
As a working mom her diary is always full, but she makes sure to find time for the important things in life. “My diary is packed and I have to keep many balls in the air – between my work, family and talks. My passion for my family, my work and women empowerment is equally big but it’s difficult to keep a balance.”
When she is not working she loves spending time with friends and family or catch a movie on television. Spending time with her family and just relaxing charges her batteries.
Christmas is a very special time of the year for Rene and this year the family will be spending the festive season at the beach. In January she’s going skiing, something she’s never done and is very excited about it.
Her Christmas message? “Make time for family for life is extremely short. The festive season is for spending time together and sharing special times. I pray that everyone will experience a festive season filled with God’s love and peace. Make a difference in someone’s life – it is a time of giving, even if you just give something of yourself to others,“ she says.
For 2020, Rene has big plans. She got an offer from a publisher about a new book and even hints at a daily planner book.
More about Rene
Her favourite local restaurant… I recently discovered Namaskar Indian restaurant in Colbyn. I don’t think there is any other restaurant that makes better Indian food than Namaskar.
Her beauty secret? For me beauty has to do with inner peace and stability. The calmer you are and the more peace you project, the more your true beauty will shine through. True beauty comes from the inside… and I drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
