FAMILY CFO
The LAKSHMI Program · Finance Academy Australia
A teenage girl in a Family CFO hoodie, holding a tablet that reads: know the real value.

Family CFO

Chief Financial Officer Observer

One day, your child will make money decisions on their own.

Family CFO helps them think, reason, and choose wisely, long before that day arrives.

A teenage boy in a Family CFO hoodie, holding a tablet that reads: save for tomorrow.

Does this sound familiar?

"My child knows the price of things, but not the value behind them." "They think money simply appears when we tap a card." "They know what they want, but not what it takes to earn it." "I don't want to keep saying 'no'. I want them to understand why."

Children don't become financially confident by listening to lectures.
They become financially confident by thinking, reasoning, and making small money decisions, long before they start earning.

Cricket → Business → Family Finance

Different game. Same goal. Better numbers. Stronger future.

Tap the picture to enlarge it.

To make money, we need knowledge, skill, and expertise.

To spend money, we need values.

Without values, money going out will usually be more than money coming in.

And sooner or later, that becomes a vicious cycle.

— Chinmay Ananda

Chinmay Ananda, smiling, in a navy jacket.

Designed by Chinmay Ananda

Financial educator, Business Storyteller, TEDx speaker, 2X Author & Investor.

Since 2014, Chinmay has trained over 15,000 business owners and managers in Australia, India, China and Indonesia.

The teaching behind the method

Trusted to design & teach finance programs to E-MBA students
at universities across three continents.

RMIT University logo
Torrens University Australia logo
University of New England logo
Kennedy University of Leadership logo
Ducere Global Business School logo

Chinmay on LinkedIn →

Ready to meet your family's CFO?

Our approach

Why LAKSHMI?

Lakshmi is widely known as the goddess of wealth. But before wealth comes wisdom.

Before children learn how to earn, save, or invest, they first need to learn how to think about money.

That's why LAKSHMI is more than a name. It's the entire learning journey.

Seven letters. Seven modules. Seven thinking habits.
Each one helping your child make wiser money decisions, one conversation at a time.

ModuleThe child's thinking habitWhat you will notice at home
LLearn to Pause"Is this a need, a want, or neither?"Your child stops you before a purchase and asks, "Is that really needed?"
AAnalyze the Price"If I made this, what would it cost me?"Your child picks up a ₹20 samosa or a ₹150 delivery and can see the work and cost hiding inside the price.
KKnow the Real Value"How is value created, and who pays for it?"Your child starts seeing that money is earned by creating value, not by luck.
SSave for Tomorrow"Is today's me stealing from tomorrow's me?"Your child protects their savings streak from an impulse buy, and grins: "future me says thanks."
HHarvest Wealth"Will this feed us, or will it eat us?"Before a big purchase, your child asks whether it will help the family's money grow, or only keep costing.
MMind the Traps"Who benefits if I say yes?"Your child reads a "0% EMI" banner or a "guaranteed double" tip, and tells you who really profits.
IInvest in Yourself"What else can I learn about how money works?"Your child starts asking bigger questions about businesses, investments and family decisions.

Each module is designed for a child to complete comfortably within a month. No rush. No pressure. The pause is the point.

Three age groups. One program.

Every chapter, activity and simulator adapts to your child's age, so they always meet the idea at their own level.

Below 14
Can begin at 11 or 12. Concrete examples, hands-on activities, gentle numbers.
15 and 16
Comparisons, estimates, and real family numbers with guidance.
17 to 19
Deeper reasoning, real calculations, and proposals defended at dinner.

Why This Approach?

Each LAKSHMI module is designed to be completed over four weeks with ease, with one short episode each week.

Every episode combines interactive Decision Labs, real-world Missions, and family conversations, because children learn far more by doing than by simply listening.

Instead of memorising financial terms, they develop the ability to think, reason, and make better money decisions.

The goal isn't to teach finance, it's to build lifelong thinking habits.

We measure success not by what children remember after a lesson, but by the questions they begin asking at home.

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