Sharing is caring.
How can we build communal wealth for our friends, family, colleagues & community in a way to help everyone thrive?
If you’ve ever wondered how to build financial resilience without going it alone- or going into debt- this week’s guest on the Brave New Girls podcast has answers that are both ancient and innovative. Nina Mohanty, founder of Bloom Money and shortlisted for the Veuve Clicquot BOLD Woman Future Awards 2025, shows how we can build communal wealth that lifts everyone as the tide of financial safety rises.
Nina’s app Bloom Money brings tradition into the digital age by helping people manage community savings circles- also known as money clubs. This isn’t just a fintech innovation. It’s a reinvention of a practice that has quietly sustained immigrant and working-class communities for generations across the globe. Whether it’s called “ajo” in Nigeria, “huì” in Taiwan, or “pardner” in Jamaica, the concept is simple and powerful: people pool their money and take turns accessing the lump sum. It’s a form of mutual aid, accountability, and empowerment that doesn’t require credit scores, bank loans, or interest rates.
But what Bloom Money adds is something previous generations lacked: security, visibility, and digital ease. Through Bloom, Nina has created a platform that preserves the trust and community spirit of traditional money clubs while removing the risk of bad actors and lost cash. It’s fully regulated, transparent, and inclusive- designed especially to support the communities that are often left behind by mainstream financial systems.
Nina's journey is rooted in her own heritage as the child of Indian and Taiwanese immigrants, shaped by family values of service, generosity, and education. Her parents instilled in her the idea that financial security is a shared responsibility, not a solo achievement. After a successful career at fintech giants like MasterCard and Klarna, Nina saw a gap- and stepped into it.
Through her work, Nina shows us that communal wealth isn’t just about money. It’s about relationships. It's about trust. And it’s about recognising that when one of us thrives, we all do.
Brave New Girl- How to Be Fearless.
10 Actionable Steps for a better future.
1. Start a Conversation: Talk to your community- friends, family, colleagues- about financial goals and shared struggles. Transparency is the first step.
2. Form a Circle: Create a small group of trusted people to start pooling resources monthly. Even five people is a powerful start.
3. Digitise the Trust: Use tools like Bloom Money to manage the logistics- securely, easily, and with accountability built in.
4. Educate Yourselves: Host learning sessions about budgeting, saving, or credit building to level up together.
5. Celebrate Each Payout: Mark the turn of each circle member with small rituals to keep the energy positive and motivated.
6. Save Before You Spend: Encourage circle members to put a portion of their payout into a savings or investment account.
7. Stay Inclusive: Invite people of all backgrounds and income levels into the circle to create equity, not hierarchy.
8. Build Intergenerational Wealth: Consider pooling money for education, citizenship costs, or small business start-ups.
9. Combine Money with Care: Host community meals, share resources, and offer emotional support alongside financial support.
10. Give Back: Once your circle is thriving, mentor others to start their own.
As Nina reminds us, communal wealth isn’t a dream- it’s a return to something deeply human.
PS. Listen HERE to AYESHA'S journey on BRAVE NEW GIRLS podcast to hear how she helps us create well beings on a well planet.
