We Started With a Simple Question
Back in 2013, three colleagues sat in a Melbourne café wondering why finance education felt so disconnected from real life. Most resources talked at people instead of with them.
That conversation turned into monteralvia. We're not here to sell miracle solutions or promise instant wealth. Finance is just about understanding what your money can actually do and making choices that fit your situation.
Our approach comes from working with thousands of Australians who needed straight answers without the jargon. Some were managing household budgets, others were running small businesses. The common thread? They wanted practical information they could use tomorrow, not theory.
We've spent twelve years building resources that reflect how people actually handle money. Sometimes it's messy. Plans change. Life happens. And that's exactly what our content addresses.
What Guides Our Work
These aren't just nice words we put on a wall. They're decisions we make every single day when creating content and working with people.
Clarity Over Complexity
Finance has enough complications already. We break down concepts into language that makes sense when you're actually dealing with bills, loans, or investment choices.
Context Matters
What works for someone in Sydney with a stable income might not suit a freelancer in Brisbane. We provide frameworks you can adapt to your actual circumstances.
Honest Limitations
We don't have all the answers, and we say so. Some financial decisions need qualified advice beyond what any article or course can provide. We'll tell you when that's the case.
Education That Fits Real Schedules
Most people don't have hours to spend studying finance. Our workshops and online modules are designed for busy lives. You can learn during lunch breaks or after the kids go to bed.
We test everything with real participants before publishing. If someone gets confused or finds the pacing off, we rework it. The goal is making financial concepts stick without requiring you to become a finance expert.
Starting September 2025, we're launching evening sessions specifically for shift workers who can't make traditional workshop times. Because access shouldn't depend on having a nine-to-five schedule.
Meet One of Our Team
We're a group of educators, former advisors, and regular people who got tired of confusing finance content. Here's someone who helps shape what we create.
Margot Brennan
Head of Financial Education
Margot spent eight years as a financial advisor before joining monteralvia in 2017. She got frustrated watching clients struggle with basic concepts because nobody explained them properly. Now she leads our content development, making sure everything we publish actually helps people make decisions.
She's the one who insists we test every module with at least twenty people before releasing it. Sometimes that slows things down, but it means our content works when you're stressed about money at midnight, not just when you're relaxed and focused.
Want to Know More About Our Approach?
We're always happy to explain how our programs work and whether they might fit what you're looking for. No sales pitch, just honest conversation.
Get In Touch