Why Kiwis Stay “Average” + 5 Biggest Money Mistakes, Being Cringy, Tax that helps? | E25 LUKE KEMEYS

Luke Kemeys is a New Zealand Fellow Chartered Accountant and award-winning business advisor known for his straight-talking, practical approach to money and business. He runs nextAdvisory, where he works with business owners to turn financial complexity into clear strategies and better decisions. Luke is also the creator and host of Keep The Change Podcast a financial literacy platform aimed at helping tens of thousands of Kiwis improve their money habits—with a stated goal of helping 100,000 New Zealanders lift their financial literacy. In this episode, we unpack the biggest financial literacy gaps Luke sees in Kiwis. Why self-promotion is seen as “cringe” (Tall Poppy Syndrome), and how consumer debt traps like BNPL and credit cards quietly limit freedom.Luke also shares a bold idea: using tax incentives to encourage better behaviour—like investing in your health, education, and other things.If you want to increase your value, build leverage, and stop living on autopilot, this one’s for you.CHAPTERS:(00:00:00) — 🫟  INTRO(00:03:02) — 🤝 The “20 Episode” Challenge: How Luke Got on the Show(00:04:44) — 💪 The Internal Grind: “Everything is Still Hard For Me”(00:08:21) — 📖 Changing Your Story: Moving from Envy to Curiosity(00:11:17) — 🥀 Battling Tall Poppy Syndrome & Negative Comments(00:13:27) — 💡 The 5 BIGGEST Financial Literacy Gaps in NZ(00:17:53) — 🚀 How Taking Action Leads to Exponential Growth (The $1000 Story)(00:20:58) — 😬 “It’s Cringy”: Why Kiwis Struggle with Self-Promotion(00:23:20) — 🤯 Why It’s “Easy” to Succeed in New Zealand(00:28:45) — 📈 Tax Incentives for Self-Improvement: A Game-Changer?(00:39:21) — 🌏 The Immigrant Mindset vs. The Kiwi “Work-Life Balance”(00:42:53) — ⏳ Value Per Hour, Not Dollars Per Hour: The New Economy(00:50:58) — ❤️ Solving Other People’s Problems to Fix Your Own(00:53:37) — 🆚 Stay or Stray? (The Dilemma Segment)(00:55:34) — ✈️ Stay in NZ or Chase a Bigger Paycheck Overseas?(00:58:03) — 📉 Revenue Dips: Double Down or Play it Safe?(01:09:06) — 💳 The Traps of Consumer Debt (BNPL, Credit Cards & Car Loans)(01:16:12) — 👵 The Coming Pension Crisis & The Blame Game(01:17:51) — 🎛️ The Soundboard: Quickfire Questions(01:21:36) — 🫂 The One Moment to Relive: Priceless Time with Mates(01:26:36) — ✌️ Final Words & Where to Find Luke-ABOUT THE MELDING MUSE PODCAST 🟣Melding art & design, music, film, entrepreneurship, fashion, sports, gaming and whatever is in between. We exist to showcase extraordinary people to inspire the next generation of creatives & leaders. These are stories that motivate us to continually challenge ourselves, push boundaries and ultimately reinvent ourselves time and time again.Streaming from the land of the long white cloud - Aotearoa, New Zealand 🇳🇿🎟️ MERCH OFFICIAL STORE & SITE:🔗⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://themeldingmuse.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Like this content? 🔴 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎼 Podcast Intro: [High Ball from Pterror Dak Trill by Nick Maclaren] | Outro [Trippin' feat. Leroy by Unda]A project powered by:🟩 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NEZIAK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Crafting the most delightful brands & digital experiences.Supported by:🟠 PATO - Your Fitness Companion | CODE: TMMP for a FREE TRIAL▪️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NZK Creative Collective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | CODE: TMMP for 25% off🏋 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BFT Gren Eden⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Te Atatu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Get 1 WEEK FREE + 1 Evolt Full Body Composition Scan & Consultation by mentioning "The Melding Muse" - Visit the studio or book by text to 021 466 407 - Glen Eden or 021 273 8123 - Te Atatu🇲🇽 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Salsaroha Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | CODE: TMMP for 25% off