The architecture of financial freedom.

In short:

Walking away from a secure income is terrifying, especially with a family and a mortgage – but Maira did it anyway.

After twenty years on the corporate ladder she found the courage to launch her startup, Elo Architecture. In this story she shares the practical steps she took to build a financial buffer, how an emergency fund kept her grounded during the scary early days and the steep learning curves of entrepreneurship nobody tells you about at school.

Maira spent two decades building other people’s dreams before taking the leap to build her own. That transition was fuelled by a solid financial plan that kept her and her family protected while she got started and scaled.

Looking back to move forward.

Maira’s career in Architecture spans almost 20 years across both large commercial businesses and boutique residential studios. 

“It was an incredible learning ground,” she reflects. “You’re exposed to big teams, big systems, and enormous responsibility. But you’re also several steps removed from the people whose lives your work will impact.” 

As her career progressed, Maira gravitated toward high-end residential architecture, spending close to a decade designing deeply personal homes for families on Sydney’s North Shore and Northern Beaches.  

This is where she discovered what truly mattered to her; connection – to the site, to the lifestyle, and to the people she was creating for. 

“What I found was that the best design happens when you’re close to the client – when you understand their routines, their challenges, and the way they imagine their future.” 

Along the way, she also became increasingly committed to a more human way of practising architecture. 

“I’ve never believed that long-hours culture leads to better design. I wanted to build a studio where my team could create beautiful work and still have balance.” 

This combination of experience, values, and clarity ultimately shaped the foundation of what would become Elo Architecture – a practice built on thoughtful design, clear communication, and genuine relationships. 

Corporate architecture taught Maira the rules, but financial freedom gave her the power to rewrite them. No more long hours culture, just purposeful, connected design.

How it all Started. 

“After years of working in larger firms, I wanted to create something more personal. That was the fire in my belly, to go out and build something where values come first and design feels purposeful”.  

For Maira, the pull to build a practice where she could lead with integrity and care was undeniable – and a final turning point came during a seemingly casual conversation. 

“I’d always thought to myself that the perfect time would be when my youngest daughter started Kindy and one day, half-jokingly, I said to a colleague ‘why don’t you join me?”  

That colleague, Nicola, promptly jumped into a campervan and drove in the opposite direction.  

“She took six months to go travelling off grid around Australia. She was in the van with solar panels and her family, that kind of thing, and when she came back, she said ‘you remember, that thing you told me about? Why don’t we do it now?  

And that’s how it all started.” 

Maira and Nicola ditched the corporate grind to pursue their own values – and it was all possible because they had the numbers to back their ambition. no more waiting, just doing.

How the Business was Named

Nicola returned from her sabbatical inspired and with a renewed appreciation for simplicity, sustainable living, and living with intention – mirroring Maira’s own passion for thoughtful, environmentally conscious design. 

“I  completed a master’s degree in sustainable design, and I am so interested in the idea of  designing with care for the environment”, Maira explains. “In the early days of planning, before we talked about finances or logistics, we spent months simply sharing ideas.  What we believed in, what we wanted this practice to stand for, and the kind of experience we hoped to create for our clients.” 

Those conversations formed the foundation of the studio. What emerged was a shared vision for a practice grounded in connection, clarity, and genuine care –  a place where design feels personal, human, and considered. 

“We eventually landed on the name Elo Architecture. ‘Elo’ means ‘connection’ in Portuguese, and it felt right immediately. Connection to people, to place, to purpose — that’s the heart of what we wanted to build.” 

‘Elo’ is more than just a name; it is a commitment. And it was born from a conversation about what truly matters – connection to people, place, and purpose. Something apparent in every design the studio produces.

How it Feels to give up a Salary 

It’s one thing to have a clear vision, but another entirely to walk away from a secure income. This was the central conflict Maira had to confront head-on. 

“The decision to leave a stable salary and start something from scratch was really scary,” she shares. “For many years I was used to getting a regular salary. We have two kids, we have a big mortgage to pay, and even though we had some savings, watching them being drained from your account is very stressful”. 

While the business didn’t require a huge upfront investment, it demanded discipline and clear prioritisation. Maira made a conscious decision to pause personal spending, delay upgrades, and not pay herself in the early months.  

She focused single mindedly on building a financial buffer for the business.  

“It meant living with a bit of uncertainty,” she reflects, “but it also gave us freedom to grow at our own pace without external pressure”. For her, this intentionality transformed what could have been a reckless leap, into a considered and empowering step toward her ideal life. 

Maira traded a regular salary for creative autonomy. She achieved it, in part, through meticulous planning – building a financial buffer that removed the external pressure to ‘just get any client’ to pay the bills.

How she saved the funds

“By the time we launched Elo, I’d been working with a financial adviser for several years and he’d already had a huge impact on how I approached money” she says. This foundation proved instrumental in helping Maira prepare for the business’ launch. 

To address her financial fears, Maira actively worked to build an emergency fund for herself and her family alongside one for the business.  

Here’s a practical guide on how she approached it: 

1. She got Across the Numbers: 
   Maira first worked with her adviser to gain clarity on her finances by tracking what was coming in and going out. This meant identifying all of her fixed and variable personal expenses, then forecasting her business’s baseline costs. This process removed the stress of uncertainty and gave her the freedom to be more thoughtful and intentional with her spending.
    

1. She Separated and Automated: 
   To manage cash flow and remain tax-compliant, Maira set up a system of separate bank accounts, or “buckets,” for personal and business finances. This included dedicated accounts for taxes, savings, and general business expenses. Automating transfers on payday meant her money was always going where it needed to be, keeping her on track without having to think about it.
    

1. She Prioritised the Business: 
   Maira made the disciplined choice to prioritise building a financial buffer for her business before paying herself a salary. She consciously reinvested money back into the business, allowing her to hire a new team member and grow at her own pace without external pressure. 

This meticulous preparation didn’t eliminate the uncertainty, but it gave Maira the confidence to make the leap from a place of considered intention and not recklessness. 

Maira didn’t just launch; she engineered her exit. Alongside her financial adviser, she created a system to track every dollar and forecast every cost. This meticulous preparation turned a scary career move into a considered step toward her ideal life.

How it feels when it all pays off

For Maira, the business she built was more than just work – it was her ticket to creative freedom and the autonomy to work and live on her own terms.  

Elo is the culmination of years of experience and a clear vision for a healthier, more human way of working. A place where the team is supported, clients feel heard, and design is guided by purpose rather than ego.  

“I love being able to work with people who care about making considered choices for their homes,” she says. “When the values align, the whole process becomes deeply meaningful.” 

One example is her work on a significant rural property in Galston  – a project shaped by landscape, lifestyle, and the desire to create something enduring and connected to place. “It’s the kind of project that really reflects what we stand for at Elo,” she shares. 

Her story is a testament to the fact that while starting a business is scary, with the right preparation and courage, you have the power to create a reality you love. As she reminds other aspiring entrepreneurs, “Back yourself. Build something that aligns with your values, your lifestyle, and what genuinely matters to you. 

In doing so, you can build a life you’re not just proud of, but one you are fully in control of.” 

The ultimate payoff. Maira built a life where she’s 100% in control. By getting her finances sorted early, she traded corporate ego for creative freedom and the autonomy to live – and work – on her own terms.

Fox & Hare can help.

Maria knew she needed a solid financial plan before taking the leap into small business – she just didn’t know how! She found the courage to ask for help and the results speak for themselves.

If you ready to take the next steps toward the life you aspire to, reach out to Fox & Hare for a free virtual coffee catch up.

We have helped hundreds of 20-45 year olds unlock their potential and find the freedom, security and stability they deserve.

We can assess your current financial world – and give you 100% clarity on how to:

• Pay down debts
• Save to buy a home
• Quit work for a career change / start a business
• Achieve financial freedom

With clear, reliable and realistic time frames.

If you want to be debt free? We can tell you exactly how long that will take. If you want to own a home? We can tell you how long that’ll take too. Want to start a family? We can tell you down to the day.

So, if you want to put an end to that feeling of unease “when will I be able to buy a home?” “when will I be debt free?” “will I ever feel financially secure?” Hit “Book now!” and claim your free virtual coffee with our Member Success Manager, Will today. 

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About Fox & Hare:

The company was Founded in 2017 by two former Macquarie execs. Fox & Hare aims to empower and educate Australians in the wealth accumulation phase of their life journey. Through the provision of a safe, inclusive and accepting environment, they’ve built a diverse and devoted following of 20- 40 somethings. Members come from many backgrounds, abilities and genders. The organisation and its co-founders have featured in the AFR, Equity Mates and Sydney Morning Herald. They have been included in Financial Standard’s Power 50 and Glen Hare was voted Australia’s best Financial Adviser for 2024.