How SIMMER Was Born: From Financial Confusion to Confidence (and a Dash of Cooking!)
by Anoushka Gandhi, Founder & CEO
Managing money can feel overwhelming—trust me, I’ve been there. When I started my career in finance, I was completely lost. But over time, I realized that building financial confidence isn’t about being perfect—it’s about starting small, staying consistent, and having the right tools to guide you.
That’s the idea behind SIMMER: making personal finance simple, actionable, and fun.
My Story: From Lost to Learning
I didn’t grow up dreaming of working in finance. My childhood dream was to become a software engineer. I spent years learning programming, building projects, and eventually pursuing a computer science degree. But one year into college, I had a realization: I don’t love this.
So, I pivoted to business—not out of passion, but out of curiosity to find my way.
When I landed my first job at BlackRock, I was completely out of my depth. Finance felt like learning a new language: “equities,” “dividends,” “compounding.” Every day felt like a crash course. I tried everything—books, videos, even asking colleagues for help. Nothing clicked until I broke things down into simple, manageable steps. Slowly but surely, I started to understand.
Then I moved to Morgan Stanley, and my confidence grew even more. I was fortunate to work under an incredible boss and with mentors who pushed me out of my comfort zone. They didn’t just teach me strategies—they taught me how to think critically, stay consistent, and approach finance with clarity.
I couldn’t have grown without them. Their guidance continues to inspire me to share what I’ve learned with others.
The Big Realization: Everyone Feels This Way
Over the years, friends and family started coming to me for advice.
- “I want to buy a house, how do I save for that big down payment?”
- “Do you think I should start investing or pay off my debts first?”
- “I feel like I have no savings, how do I start budgeting so I can start saving?”
They weren’t bad with money—they just didn’t know where to start. Sound familiar?
That’s when the idea for SIMMER came to life. I wanted to create a platform that simplifies money management, breaks it into small steps, and helps people build confidence.
How Cooking (Yes, Cooking!) Inspired SIMMER
Let’s talk about the name.
During the pandemic, I turned to cooking. I spent hours experimenting in the kitchen and learned one crucial lesson: the best flavors come when you let things simmer.
A quick boil won’t do it justice—you need patience for the ingredients to come together.
Financial health works the same way. Building wealth isn’t about quick fixes or shortcuts. It’s about patience, consistency, and giving your goals time to grow.
That’s why I named it SIMMER. It’s a reminder that good things take time—whether it’s cooking a meal or building your financial future.
What Makes SIMMER Different
Here’s the truth: most financial apps either overwhelm you with tools or leave out the “why” behind your money decisions.
SIMMER is different. Our approach is simple:
- We Teach: Bite-sized lessons that make personal finance easy to understand.
- We Test: Interactive quizzes and gamified challenges to help you practice what you’ve learned.
- You Apply: Practical tools to turn knowledge into action—because real learning happens when you do.
Why SIMMER is Perfect for You
Have you ever felt like:
- “I don’t even know where to start with my money.”
- “I’m too busy to think about finances.”
- “I wish someone had just taught me this earlier.”
Then SIMMER is for you.
Whether you’re saving $5 a week, building an emergency fund, or trying to invest for the first time, SIMMER helps you take small, meaningful steps that lead to big results.
Good Things Take Time (and SIMMER!)
SIMMER isn’t just an app—it’s your financial coach, accountability partner, and biggest cheerleader.
Think of it like a slow-simmered sauce: it might take time, but the result is always worth it.
Join the SIMMER Movement
SIMMER is launching in early 2025, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
If you’re ready to turn financial confusion into confidence, join the waitlist today.
