Malu Marsault on Building Financial Freedom for Women in the GCC

“I never want to see a woman stuck in a bad situation because she has no financial way out,” says Malu Marsault, founder of This Mama Invests, a Doha-based financial education platform focusing on empowering women in the GCC-based to create generational wealth. “Financial freedom is not a luxury. It is what gives you agency. It is what gives you peace of mind that no matter what life throws at you, you are going to be okay. That is what I am building toward. This is bigger than one business. This is a movement.”

The 42-year-old Peruvian-French entrepreneur arrived in Doha, Qatar, 12 years ago to build a career in hospitality. But it was becoming a mother of three that ultimately set her on the path toward pursuing her own financial freedom first. “Becoming a mom cracked something open in me,” she says. “I wanted more time with my kids but couldn’t afford not to work. Then COVID19 hit, I found out I was pregnant with our third, and something in me just decided: I will figure this out. Because I grew up with real financial hardship, I had promised myself I would never repeat that story.”

Marsault immersed herself in mentorship programs, books, podcasts, and courses focused on wealth building and personal finance; and, six years later, the results are reflected in the numbers. Her family’s net worth grew from US$200,000 in 2020 to more than US$700,000 today, while her investment portfolio has delivered average annual returns of 20.5% over the past six years.

Building This Mama Invests came organically, Marsault explains, as sharing her own financial journey on social media quickly revealed strong audience curiosity. However, she also discovered a major gap in the market, as most of the investing content available online was heavily tailored to Americans, with far less guidance available for expatriates of other nationalities trying to navigate their financial futures while living abroad.

“That lack of relevant content was initially a challenge, but I flipped it into my entire positioning,” Marsault says. 

Financial education in the GCC appears increasingly critical, as Yabi’s Financial Health Report 2024 revealed that 50.46% of respondents more than they earned, only 63% said they managed to pay their bills on time, and a substantial 41% reported little to no optimism about achieving their long-term financial goals.

Today, This Mama Invests has supported more than 13,000 women in beginning their investing journeys through a combination of free and paid educational resources. More than 1,000 participants have enrolled in its paid programs across multiple offerings. These include the Ready Set Invest Bootcamp, which has welcomed 641 students to date; the Six Figure Investor Program, which has guided 342 women through its full curriculum; and the Wealth Builders Mastermind community, which currently counts 120 active members.

“The Ready Set Invest Bootcamp is the entry point, a beginner’s crash course on investing and getting started,” Marsault explains. “The Six Figure Investor Program is where students go deeper, learning how to build and grow a real portfolio. And the Wealth Builders Mastermind is our subscription community, where members get ongoing support and stay connected.

“So, we have a one-time entry offer, a flagship program, and a recurring membership. That structure creates stability. We’re growing year on year, and honestly there is still a lot of room to scale.”

Reflecting on her experience educating novice women investors, Marsault says one of the most consistent patterns she has observed is that their motivation to build wealth is driven not by status, but by a strong sense of purpose. “Women tend to be more thorough. Less gambling, less jumping in and out chasing quick wins. The problem is not capability, it’s confidence,” she says. “So many women feel like they need to know everything perfectly before they start. But that willingness to learn everything before acting? That’s not a weakness. That’s actually what makes women incredible investors once they get going.”

This Mama Invests operates with a lean but focused team structure, while Marsault currently focuses on strengthening the company’s underlying infrastructure through the expanded use of AI tools. “I’m investing in a mentorship program specifically to learn how to build a truly AI-powered operation. Not to remove the human element, but to remove myself as the bottleneck,” she says. “I want This Mama Invests to be scalable, organized, and running like a clean lean machine with me leading the vision, not drowning in the day to day.”

Speaking about the impact of her work, Marsault recalls the experience of one student who moved from fearing investing to building a diversified six-figure portfolio. “The money is only part of the story,” Marsault says. “Her confidence completely transformed, and it created a domino effect in every area of her life, including her marriage. She said it feels like they leveled up together. Stories like this are why I do this. Because it was never just about the money.”

In the final part of the interview, we asked Marsault what people should look for when choosing a wealth coach, as well as the key red flags they should avoid. “My number one rule when choosing any mentor or coach: find someone who has the results you want to achieve,” she says. “That has gone through the challenges you’re going through right now and has figured out their way out. That has the right methodology, has a long-term approach and is credible.

“In the UAE, look for coaches registered with the Securities and Commodities Authority. This is a real regulatory body that does a full background check, and it exists to protect people from scammers.

“Beyond that, check reviews, see what real students are saying, and make sure you actually like the person. If their energy doesn’t resonate with you, you won’t show up and you won’t learn.

“One thing to watch out for: commission-based financial advisors. When someone profits from the specific products they recommend to you, that’s a conflict of interest. Always look for someone whose income doesn’t depend on the choices you make.”

Investing From Scratch: The Essential Dos and Don’ts by This Mama Invests Founder Malu Marsault

Dos

“Educate yourself as financial literacy is not optional, it’s the foundation of everything. Second, know your goal. Not a vague “I want to be rich” goal, but have a real, specific plan with a clear target and a timeline. Third, work on your money mindset. This is the one people skip and it’s the one that sabotages everything.”

Don’ts

“Don’t wait. Not until you know more, not until you have more money, not until things calm down. The cost of waiting is always higher than the cost of starting imperfectly. Don’t let analysis paralysis talk you out of taking action. And don’t choose investments based on hype or fears of missing out. If someone on social media is telling you to buy something because it’s going to the moon, that’s not a strategy. That’s gambling.”

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