The Business of Life Is the Accumulation of Memories

Author: Vanessa Stoykov
Category: Financial Freedom

I’ve come to believe something that’s changed how I live: life isn’t really about money or things — it’s about memories. Once that clicks, you start seeing your spending differently. Not just in terms of what you can afford, but in terms of what kind of memories you want to create.

For me, it’s always been travel. In my late twenties, I took my dad on a father–daughter trip to Serbia, where he was born. I paid for first class. We stopped in Austria first, stayed in five-star hotels, and I got to see him in his own world — as a man, not just my dad. That time is etched in my heart. Priceless.

I did something similar for my mum. I took her on the Queen Mary 2 for her 70th birthday. Her mother — my nana — never had the means to travel but used to receive cruise brochures from her wealthy sister. Nana kept them like treasures, and when she passed, she left them to me with her elegant handwriting in the margins. Taking Mum on that cruise felt like honouring her and my grandmother at the same time. We laughed like friends. We lived in the moment. And those moments have stayed with me.

When I sold my company for a seven-figure sum, I splurged. I took the whole family to London, Ireland, and on a road trip around Scotland. We flew business class. I thought the good times would keep coming — so why not? Could I have used that money in a thousand different ways? Definitely. Do I regret it? Not for a second. We explored ancestral towns with my children’s father’s elderly aunt. We heard stories that brought generations to life. Watching my boys connect with their heritage — that’s a different kind of wealth.

But life isn’t a straight line. After COVID, everything changed. Like many business owners, I had to scale everything back. And I’ll be honest — I found it hard. I’d earned good money for many years. Losing that freedom put a lot of pressure on my relationship, and eventually, it ended in divorce.

That season forced me to reevaluate everything. No travel. No more splurges. Not even my beloved 150 bath bombs made the cut. But it also taught me something I didn’t fully understand before: you don’t need money to make memories. You just need to be present.

A shared laugh. A homemade meal. Watching Netflix together with microwave popcorn. Sunshine. A song that makes you dance in the kitchen. Noticing these little things — and really taking them in — is what makes everyday life beautiful again.

That shift changed me. I’m building something new now, from a different place. And I’m more certain than ever that the small moments are the big ones.

In my dad’s final weeks, he spent a lot of time resting in bed. One day, he looked over at a photo of me on the wall and said, “I think of us together a lot — all the wonderful times we had. And when I think of the best times, when we were happiest, it’s not the big things. It’s the little things we did.”

Maybe I knew it all along. But it took the highs and the lows to truly feel it in my bones.

That’s why I care so much about talking to people about life, money, and values. Because money isn’t just financial. It’s emotional. It’s how we create, remember, and connect. And in the end, those moments — big or small — are what we carry with us.

If the business of life is the accumulation of memories, what’s next on your list? Write down five moments you treasure — and five more you want to create. Put them on your wall. Let them remind you what you’re really working for.

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Each day I wake up excited to inspire everyday people to open up and take control of their money, regardless of their history, goals, or savings amount. About Vanessa >>

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Authors

Vanessa Stoykov

Vanessa has been passionate about writing and storytelling since her days of hiding under the doona with her torch to read after bedtime.
Kathy Skantzos

Kathy is a yoga-loving world traveller who also happens to moonlight as a business journalist and writer. She was the finance editor of news.com.au and the Managing Editor of CEO Magazine (Asia) before joining Vanessa and the evo squad.
Shayne Sommer

Shayne is second dan black belt in karate, and a budding romance writer with a difference. Why? Because she writes romance stories that always have a money lesson.
Antoinette Colbran

Specialising in stories for 50+ women, Antoinette draws from her own experiences to help other women avoid the pitfalls and see the benefits of understanding their money situation.
Michael Crooks

Michael Crooks is a more than 20 year writer and documentary maker who has worked with Time Inc and the BBC, who wants to expose the truth from real victims of financial crime to help others avoid their mistakes.
Kim Payne

Kim Payne has spent the past three decades as a speaker, trainer, business coach, and consultant in financial services. She has worked with and transformed hundreds of brilliant, educated, high achievers who are chronically under-living.
Rebecca Pritchard

Rebecca Pritchard is on a mission to help men and women achieve equality when growing a family.
Antony Perring

Ant is a writer, designer and business builder with a love of food, design and good living. He writes on food and money in an easy to do way.
Julie Hyde

Julie Hyde is a leader of leaders. A disruptor and a powerful people enabler who empowers leaders to make big things happen.
Joshua Pennell

As a Dad to four kids and a business owner, Josh is passionate about family and finances and is known as The Family Finance Guy.
Sid Lal

Sid is a serial entrepreneur who set up his first business when he was still in University. Since 2009 he has been heading Bruce Clay, first in India & more recently in Australia.
Lou Johnson

Lou Johnson believes in the power of sharing stories to build empathy, understanding and connection. Growing up surrounded by books and storytelling, alongside her drive to make a difference led her to a highly successful career in book publishing.
David Rae

Dave is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and has been a financial adviser since 2003. He works with a range of clients and has a strong focus on ethical and sustainable investing.
Natallia Smith

Natallia specializes in assisting pre-retiree single women—whether they are never married, widowed, separated, or divorced—understanding deeply the importance of financial stability during life's pivotal moments such as separation, divorce, retirement, and the loss of a loved one.
Mark Hoy

With over 15 years of experience in financial services, Mark established Wollemi Wealth Management in 2013. His business is built almost entirely on referrals and word of mouth — a testament to the trust, integrity, and long-term relationships he forms with his clients.
Derek Gascoigne

Derek Gascoigne is the State Manager for UniSuper Advice in Victoria and Tasmania. Derek has been with UniSuper for over 15 years, and his career in superannuation and financial services spans 27 years and counting.
Annika Bradley

Annika Bradley is Head of Advice Strategy, Research & Technical at UniSuper. She brings over 20 years of experience across investments and wealth management in both the public and private sectors.
Wayne Leggett

Wayne has been a recipient of numerous industry awards and was one of the first to qualify as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). He has been heavily involved in industry affairs at the highest level, including serving as national president of the Association of Financial Advisers (now FAAA).
Conrad Francis

Conrad Francis is the Founding Director of Inspired Money, a Perth-based financial coaching and financial planning, mortgage broking and money coaching firm he established in 2011.
Andrew Beks

Andrew Beks is a Chartered Accountant and the founder of Simplified Business and Accounting.