Some careers are chosen carefully. Others quietly choose you. For Rebaabetswe “Reba” Makhudu, financial planning was never the original dream, yet it became the path that shaped her purpose. What began as a university application mishap evolved into a career grounded in discipline, empathy and a deep commitment to helping people take control of their financial lives.
Today, Reba is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and wealth manager, working closely with clients to navigate money decisions that are as emotional as they are technical. But before the designations and titles, her story begins somewhere far more personal.
Beyond the Title: Who Reba Is Before the Career
Before the credentials, the exams and the client meetings, Reba Makhudu is a woman grounded in family, identity and lived experience. Born and raised in Soshanguve, Pretoria, she is the last-born in her family, a wife, and a mother to her energetic four-year-old son. Her life outside work is intentionally simple—reading when she can, hiking when time allows, and embracing motherhood as a space of deep personal growth.
This grounding matters, because wealth management is not just about money. It is about people, emotions, fears, hopes and future dreams. Reba’s personal life has quietly shaped the way she shows up professionally—empathetic, intentional and deeply human.
Listen: Spotify
When the Career Chooses You
Reba often says that financial planning chose her, not the other way around. Her original dream was to become a chartered accountant. Like many young people entering university, she applied with a plan—but life redirected it. A full accounting class meant she was placed into BCom Finance instead, a decision that initially felt accidental but later revealed itself as pivotal.
What began as a backup option became a discovery process. Instead of forcing her way back into accounting, Reba chose curiosity. She researched the field, explored the modules, and slowly realised that finance—specifically financial planning—offered something broader and more flexible than she had imagined.
That moment of pause and openness changed the entire direction of her career.
Listen: YouTube
Discovering the Power of Financial Planning
One of the biggest surprises for Reba was just how broad financial planning really is. Unlike more linear career paths, financial planning opens multiple doors—advisory, paraplanning, wealth management, investment specialisation, risk management and even academia.
However, the true “aha” moment only came in her third year, when theory finally met reality. Through a group case study, Reba and her classmates were required to build a full financial plan for a hypothetical client. For the first time, all the scattered concepts—tax, investments, risk, cash flow—came together in a way that made sense.
That project revealed the real impact of financial planning: it changes lives. It helps people move from confusion to clarity, from survival to intention.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Learning Beyond the Lecture Hall
Interestingly, it wasn’t a specific lecturer or module that shaped Reba’s thinking the most. Instead, it was collaboration—working with other students, debating perspectives, and learning how differently people think about money.
Those early conversations taught her something crucial: money is never just technical. It is personal, emotional and shaped by background and experience. That insight would later become central to how she works with clients today.
It also solidified her decision to continue with honours in financial planning, committing fully to a field she now understood more deeply.
From Intern to Wealth Manager: Climbing the Ladder
Reba’s career path followed a realistic and often unseen progression—starting with an internship, moving into advisory support, then paraplanning, and eventually stepping into her role as a wealth manager and Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).
Each stage came with its own lessons, but the biggest challenge surprised her. It wasn’t the technical work or the exams—it was conflict management. Learning how to navigate disagreements, work with diverse personalities, and resolve tension without damaging relationships forced her to grow emotionally and professionally.
In an industry built on trust and collaboration, those skills are just as critical as financial knowledge.
Listen: YouTube
What It Really Takes to Become a CFP®
Becoming a Certified Financial Planner is not a quick or easy process. Reba is open about this. It requires an honours degree or postgraduate qualification, rigorous board exams, and at least three years of industry experience before one can officially use the CFP® designation.
The exams themselves are not about memorisation—they test competency. Candidates must demonstrate that they can provide accurate, ethical and practical advice in real-life scenarios. Reba did not pass all her exams on the first attempt, an experience that humbled and strengthened her.
For her, the low pass rates are not discouraging—they are reassuring. They ensure that those entrusted with people’s money are truly capable.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Redefining What a Wealth Manager Really Does
One of the most persistent misconceptions Reba challenges is the idea that wealth managers are salespeople or that their services are only for the wealthy. In reality, her work begins with understanding the person before the portfolio.
As a wealth manager, she helps clients assess their full financial picture—assets, liabilities, income, expenses, goals and fears. Sometimes that means delaying investments and focusing on fixing the foundation: reducing debt, building emergency savings, and stabilising cash flow.
Even after implementing a plan, the work continues. Regular check-ins ensure goals remain relevant as life evolves—marriage, children, career changes and unexpected setbacks all require adjustments.
Her philosophy is simple but powerful: you fix the house before you buy the furniture.
People First, Always
Working across different corporate environments reinforced one belief for Reba—clients are human before they are numbers. Money conversations are emotional, vulnerable and deeply personal. Trust must come before calculations.
One lesson she still lives by is advice she received early in her career: measure twice, cut once. In an industry where mistakes can be costly, precision and care are non-negotiable.
This mindset defines her approach—thorough, thoughtful and centred on long-term impact rather than quick wins.
Listen: YouTube
Advice for Students and Young Professionals
For students considering a career in wealth management, Reba’s advice is introspective before it is technical. She encourages young people to invest time in understanding themselves—their strengths, values and motivations—because financial planning offers many paths.
Knowing who you are helps you choose where you want to go, and more importantly, stay resilient when the journey gets hard.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
What’s Next for Reba Makhudu
At this stage of her life, Reba’s focus is clear: grow in her career, expand her impact, and reach more people through financial literacy. She believes education is the true starting point of financial empowerment.
A master’s degree may be on the horizon, but for now, her priority is mastering her craft, serving young professionals holistically, and continuing to grow as a mother, professional and lifelong learner.
Why Her Story Matters
Reba Makhudu’s journey reflects a truth many young professionals need to hear: careers are not always linear, certainty is overrated, and growth often comes from unexpected turns. Her story demystifies wealth management, humanises success, and reminds us that behind every title is a person who had to learn, fail, adapt and persist.
And that is what makes her story not just inspiring—but necessary.
