We're Just Regular People Who Got Tired of Money Stress
Started in 2019 when three mates realised none of us actually understood our own bank statements. Now we help thousands of Australians figure out the money stuff that schools never taught us.
It Started Over Coffee and Confusion
Back in early 2019, Callum Strahan was sitting at a cafe in Majura with two friends, all of us staring at our phones trying to work out why our accounts were always empty before payday. We had decent jobs. We weren't spending wildly. But somehow the maths never added up.
That's when it hit us – nobody ever actually taught us how to handle money. School covered quadratic equations but not budgeting. University taught critical thinking but not bill management. We were supposed to just... know this stuff.
So we started learning together. Reading books, testing spreadsheets, making every mistake possible. When things finally clicked for us, we wanted to share what we'd figured out with others who felt the same confusion we did.
How We Actually Work With People
We're not financial advisors in suits. We're educators who remember what it felt like to be completely lost with money decisions.
Plain Language Always
No jargon unless we explain it first. If we can't say it in words our younger siblings would understand, we rethink how we're teaching it.
Real Examples Only
Every scenario we teach comes from actual situations people have shared with us. We use real numbers from Australian life – rent, groceries, utilities, transport.
No Shame, Ever
Money mistakes are how we learn. We've all made them. Our sessions focus on moving forward, not dwelling on what went wrong before.
Who Actually Runs This Thing
Callum Strahan
Founder & Lead Educator
I spent my twenties working in retail management, making okay money but always feeling broke. Turned out I was spending nearly 40% of my income on things I didn't even enjoy – subscriptions I forgot about, takeaway because I was too tired to cook, impulse purchases that seemed important at the time.
When I finally sat down and tracked everything for three months, I was genuinely shocked. Not at how much I spent, but at how much of it brought me zero actual happiness or value. That realisation changed everything.
I started melquastrae because I kept meeting people with the same problem. Smart, capable people who just never learned the practical side of money management. Our programs now serve over 2,000 Australians each year, and honestly? Seeing someone's face when they finally understand their own finances never gets old.
These days I focus on creating content and running our quarterly workshops across Canberra and online. When I'm not doing that, you'll find me hiking around the Brindabellas or attempting to keep my vegetable garden alive.
What We Actually Believe
Financial Literacy is a Right
Everyone deserves to understand how money works, regardless of their background or current situation. This shouldn't be knowledge reserved for people who can afford fancy advisors.
Small Changes Stack Up
You don't need to overhaul your entire life overnight. Understanding one bill, tracking one week of spending, adjusting one habit – these things compound over time.
Context Matters More Than Rules
Generic advice about "cutting coffee" doesn't help anyone. We look at your actual life, your actual numbers, and work with what's real for you.
Progress Over Perfection
There's no such thing as a perfect budget or flawless money management. We're after sustainable improvement, not Instagram-worthy spreadsheets that nobody actually uses.
Ready to Actually Understand Your Money?
Our next learning program starts in September 2025. Six weeks of practical sessions that focus on your real financial situation, not theoretical concepts.