In Conversation with Shivani
Introducing leading London-based Wealth Coach and Founder of Next Gen Wealth, Shivani Pathak
Shivani advocates the transformative quality of wealth coaching, with her practice being one of the first of its kind.
Known for her unique blend of academic expertise, financial psychology training and practical experience, Shivani sets out to highlight the hidden dynamics of significant wealth.
Next Gen Wealth was founded to specifically target rising wealth holders, offering invaluable guidance and support to navigate the opportunities and challenges that accompany significant wealth.
Sit down with Shivani as she delves deeper into her niche specialism…
Q: How did you discover the transformative nature of wealth coaching?
A: My journey into financial well-being began with my own experience. I grew up with strong financial foundations, but as I took on greater responsibility in my early thirties, I found that money began to cloud my decision-making - both personally and professionally.
Working with a money coach led to a profound shift. I began to see money not as a source of fear, but as a tool - something to be understood and directed with intention.
As that relationship changed, so did my sense of self. Anxiety gave way to clarity, confidence, and a deeper understanding of my values and path. That shift ultimately led me to found Next Gen Wealth - a space where individuals can explore and reshape their relationship with money in a thoughtful, non-judgemental environment.
Q: You have referenced at various points the importance that childhood plays in our adult money behaviours. Why is it important to look at patterns from the past and how do you do this in your practice?
A: While my work is forward-looking, lasting change requires understanding the origins of our financial behaviours. Many of the patterns that shape how we think, feel, and act around money are formed early - through family dynamics, lived experiences, and unspoken beliefs.
In my practice, I help clients surface these patterns and understand how they show up today - often in ways that sit outside conscious awareness. This includes identifying self-sabotaging behaviours, emotional triggers, and recurring decision-making loops.
From there, the work becomes practical. We focus on shifting behaviours, building financial capability, and creating new patterns that are aligned with the client’s values and long-term goals. My approach integrates financial psychology, practical financial knowledge, and experience from working within family enterprise systems - allowing for a more holistic and grounded transformation.
Q: Why have you chosen supporting wealth holders as your niche specialism?
A: First, we are in the midst of one of the largest intergenerational wealth transfers in history - estimated at over $120 trillion. Without the emotional, psychological, and practical foundations to steward that wealth, many inheritors will struggle to use it effectively - for themselves, their families, and wider society.
Second, this group remains significantly under-served. Wealth can be isolating. Many individuals feel they cannot openly discuss their challenges for fear of judgement or appearing ungrateful. Yet wealth brings its own complexities - for example, identity pressure, family dynamics, and enormous responsibility.
My work creates a space to navigate these challenges, supporting clients to make thoughtful, values-aligned decisions with their capital.
Q: What are some of the most common psychological barriers people face when it comes to managing their wealth, and how do you help clients overcome them?
A: A common barrier is fear—particularly fear of loss. The more wealth one holds, the greater the perceived risk of losing it.
For inheritors, this often shows up as: “Will I be the one to undo what was built?”
For first-generation wealth creators: “What if this disappears and I have to start again?”
Guilt is another recurring theme. Inheritors may feel discomfort around wealth they did not create, while first-generation wealth holders may feel a sense of distance from their past or community.
These emotional undercurrents significantly influence decision-making. Common tools I use for helping clients recognise and work through these patterns, come from the fields of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Positive Psychology and of course, Behavioural Money Coaching.
Q: What are some misconceptions people have about wealth and financial success that you often find yourself addressing with clients?
A: A common misconception is that wealth removes life’s difficulties. While it can ease certain constraints, it often introduces a different set of challenges.
My clients frequently navigate pressure, judgement, and internal conflict around their wealth. When left unaddressed, this can become deeply destabilising.
Next Gen Wealth was created to offer a space where these experiences can be explored openly, without judgement - so that wealth becomes a source of agency, rather than a constraint.
Q: How does wealth shape identity and purpose, especially for those inheriting significant assets?
A: Wealth shapes identity and purpose in several distinct ways.
First, identity can become closely tied to family legacy and the responsibility of preserving wealth. This is particularly common among those from family businesses or long-standing wealth structures, where a sense of duty to the family is deeply ingrained. I often see this in clients from Europe, as well as from more collectivist cultures, where maintaining and stewarding family assets is central to one’s role and identity.
Second, wealth can create the freedom to pursue work based on passion rather than financial necessity. While this is a privilege, it can also introduce complexity. Without the need to earn, some individuals may struggle to derive a sense of purpose, achievement, or independence from their careers. Over time, this can impact self-esteem and one’s sense of personal contribution.
Finally, for those without a predefined path, such as a family enterprise - identity can become tied to external markers of success. These individuals often feel a strong pressure to ‘do something significant,’ particularly when they are aware of the scale of wealth or expectations behind them. In these cases, identity may become linked to titles, income, or professional achievement, sometimes at the expense of deeper alignment with personal values.
Across all three scenarios, the underlying theme is the same: wealth amplifies questions of identity and purpose. The work, therefore, is not just financial—it is about helping individuals define who they are, independent of the capital they hold, and how they want to deploy that capital in a way that feels meaningful and aligned.
Q: What are some of the big success stories you have had with clients?
A: The most meaningful outcomes in my work are relational.
I’ve seen clients repair relationships with parents, reconnect with siblings after years of tension, and rebuild intimacy within partnerships where money had become a source of conflict.
These shifts extend far beyond finances. They restore trust, ease, and connection - and ultimately shape the emotional fabric of families.
That, for me, is the most rewarding part of this work.
