WMW #34: Sarah Lombardi, financial advisor and mum of 2 infants
"Focus on one thing at a time and just keep calm, no matter what."
Welcome to all my new subscribers here! Thank you for choosing to be here.
What we have here is a wonderful community of working mums looking to work smarter so that they can build better careers whilst being the mums they want to be.
I write about the juggle of a working mum, entrepreneurship, productivity, AI and redesigning our lives to so that we can thrive at work and at home.
Also, a few times a month, I share the stories of the incredible mums I meet and today is the day for one of these.
It’s been a while since I put one of these interviews out.
And the truth is, I have so many interviews for you piled up that are waiting to see the light of day! 🙈
I haven’t stopped conducting them, I’ve just not been able to prioritise releasing them. 🤷🏽♀️
The last few months I’ve been laser focussed on building my business and everything else has taken a back step.
Being an entrepreneur is a totally different ball game to having a full-time job; in fact a full-time job feels like a half time job after you decide to take the entrepreneurship path!
Entrepreneurship is challenging me in ways I’d never imagined.
I’m always out of my comfort zone and my personal growth has been off the charts, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you are not constantly building your business, soon you will realise that you don’t have one.
You have to stack up all the momentum to start seeing revenue come in.
It’s hard to switch off from your work. It’s easy to lose focus.
That said, I’m proud to say that my love of labour is reaping fruit and September has been my biggest revenue month yet!
I am exhausted but also SO motivated and driven. It’s a contrasting combination that I am strangely enjoying.
Anyway, more on that later.
Now let’s focus on my interview this newsletter today!
Doing these interviews are the best part of this newsletter for me because it gives me an opportunity to share the stories of incredible working mums.
We’re always looking for ways to enhance our careers without compromising on family life and there is so much we can learn from each other.
I take so much inspiration from the mums I meet and I am so happy to share them with you!
On that note, here is today’s interview.
You can watch or read it, whatever you prefer :)
Meet Sarah Lombardi, financial advisor and mum of 2 small kids
Abha: Tell us a little about yourself, your career journey, and where you are now?
Sarah: I’m originally from Switzerland. I moved to Singapore in 2011 for my job as an equity analyst working for an investment fund. After that, I worked for a family office, managing their investments.
A few years later, I got married, moved to Malaysia, and continued in asset management. Then came my first child, and soon after, COVID hit. We were forced to leave Malaysia because the lockdown there was quite intense, so we moved to Dubai. Initially, we thought we’d stay for just a few months, but the Malaysian borders stayed closed, so we decided to make Dubai our home.
At that time, I wasn’t working. After a year, I started looking for jobs in asset management again, but it was tough. I had been out of the workforce for a while and wasn’t willing to go back to the same demanding schedule. After months of interviews, I wasn’t feeling motivated by the options.
Then I met my current boss, Akshay Sardana, who gave a talk about financial planning at a women’s network event. I found it very interesting—it was similar to what I used to do, but focused on people and their financial needs. I asked him if he hired people without direct experience in financial advising, and he said yes. They provided training, and that’s how I started my current role.
Now, I’m a financial advisor in Dubai, working with families and companies on their financial planning, from insurance to investments. It’s been a year now, and it’s going well.
Abha: That’s amazing! You found a way to continue in finance without being tied to a traditional office job.
How did you feel transitioning away from office work?
Sarah: It wasn’t easy. Admitting that I didn’t want to work in an office anymore made me feel guilty, like I was spoiled. Everyone around me was going back to work, doing the 9-5, so I felt this internal struggle.
I wasn’t ready to work like I used to, but I also didn’t know what else I could do that would be flexible, interesting, and still feel like a real career. Fortunately, thanks to my network and support from friends, I found this opportunity, and even though I wasn’t sure at first, it’s turned out to be a great fit.
Abha: I think many of us can relate to that feeling of guilt, especially as mums. But the good thing is that COVID really normalized remote and flexible work, and it opened up so many opportunities that didn’t exist before.
How do you manage your time now, balancing work and family?
Sarah: In theory, having flexibility sounds great, but it doesn’t solve everything. It’s definitely a marathon! My most productive time is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. while the kids are at school. I try to schedule all my meetings and important work during those hours. After I pick them up around 3 p.m., it’s harder to do physical meetings, so I handle emails and reading in the afternoons while they play or do activities. I’m fortunate that I can organize my workday around their schedules, but of course, it means I’m always the last one on my priority list!
Abha: Do you have a set end time for your workday?
Sarah: I usually wrap up around 5 p.m. The kids eat early, around 6 p.m., and they’re in bed by 7:30 p.m., so I still have some evening time for myself. I used to exercise in the mornings, but now I fit it in right before school pickup so I can have a longer work block in the mornings.
Abha: It sounds like you’ve created a great routine, but as you said, disruptions happen. How do you stay so calm and composed through it all?
Sarah: (Laughs) It’s just my nature! I’ve always been calm, and I try to go with the flow. I also learned during COVID that there’s no point in over-planning. Now, I take things one step at a time. Of course, I get frustrated sometimes, like any mom, but I stay calm by focusing on the moment and knowing that everything will work out.
Abha: I can feel your calm energy! What’s your ultimate goal as a working mum?
Sarah: For me, it’s about being financially independent. I’ve always been career-oriented, and I want to be a strong role model for my kids, especially my daughters, to show that you can do it on your own and don’t have to depend on anyone else. It’s important to me to contribute financially to the family and be independent.
Abha: I love that. What’s the biggest challenge you face right now?
Sarah: One challenge is working from home without a separate office space. Trying to sound professional on a call while there’s drama happening right next to you is tough! You have to juggle it all, and the kids don’t understand “give me five minutes for this email.” The lack of a commute also means there’s no time to mentally transition between work and family. It’s always go-go-go.
Abha: How do you deal with the constant demands and manage to stay composed?
Sarah: It’s all about mindset. I try to focus on one thing at a time. When I work, I give it my full attention. When I’m with my kids, I’m fully present. You can’t multitask too much, or everything suffers. I’ve learned to take things step by step and adjust when needed. Plus, knowing when to ask for help is important too.
Abha: What advice would you give to new mums or those returning to work after a break?
Sarah: My advice is to join a community. When I joined the Crunchmoms women’s network, it helped me feel less alone and more confident. I realized I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to go back to a demanding office job. Networking is key—whether through formal groups or informal connections. It opens doors and reminds you that you can still have a meaningful career on your own terms.
Abha: That’s great advice. Do you have a favourite productivity hack?
Sarah: Focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking sounds great, but it usually leads to inefficiency. When I’m working, I don’t check my phone. When I’m with my kids, I’m fully with them. Separating tasks helps me stay productive.
Abha: Has becoming a mother changed how you approach your work?
Sarah: Oh, absolutely. Before I had kids, I was very career-driven, even questioning how people balanced family and work. But after having my first daughter and living in Malaysia, I realised there’s more to life than work and money. COVID also shifted things. I’m still career-oriented, but my priorities have changed. I’m no longer willing to give 100% of myself to work at the expense of my family.
Abha: What’s your parenting mantra?
Sarah: Keep calm. Just keep calm, no matter what.
Abha: What’s your go-to parenting book or resource?
Sarah: The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. It helped me understand how a child’s brain develops and why you can’t expect too much from a two-year-old. It’s made me more patient and understanding of their needs and behaviours at different stages.
Abha: Lastly, do you have a favourite quote that you live by?
Sarah: I’d say Carpe Diem, live in the moment.
This really became my mantra since COVID. Before, I was a huge planner—I’d plan holidays two years in advance because life had always been predictable, no big interruptions. But COVID changed all of that. We ended up living in a different country, I’m working in a job I never expected, and my husband’s work changed too. Nothing went according to plan, so now I focus on being happy with what I have today. It’s about living in the moment and adapting to whatever comes.
I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I did putting it together.
If you like what you read and want to connect with Sarah, you can leave a comment or find her here.
More of these coming soon, I promise!
If you’d like to be featured, reach out at abha@workingmumsclub.com and let’s chat.