The Lady Who Built a 40-Person Company And Still Didn't Trust Herself With Money w/ Nileta Knoetzen (EP#

She built a company for 16 years.

Managed 40 people.

Exported handmade seed paper across three continents.

And had never once opened the financial statements herself.

Nileta Knoetzen is the co-founder of Growing Paper — a South African handmade, plantable seed paper company turning recycled paper into cards, stationery and gifts embedded with real seeds.

Behind the scenes. Running the factory floor. Keeping people employed through COVID, cash flow crises, and a co-founder stepping back.

And still running from money topics.

Until she realized:

"By running away from it, you are causing much more problems."

Here's the paradox she lived:

Leading a production team that ships to Europe every month.

Avoiding her own personal finances every day.

Why?

→ Her father lost the family farm when she was little — money meant fighting, fear and silence

→ She married young and handed over the financial decisions without realizing it

→ Nobody taught her that money wasn't supposed to be scary

Her truth:

She didn't lack intelligence.

She lacked permission — permission to believe this was hers to understand.

"I think I ran away from it most of my life."

But here's what makes Nileta's story different:

She didn't wait for a divorce or a disaster.

She decided — quietly, slowly — that she was done being the last person in her own financial life.

She hired a business coach.

Started going through the financials every session.

And realized: the company she'd built for 16 years had already been teaching her everything she needed.

"My role in Growing Paper helped me grow to a place where I want to know more. I want to grow."

She's still figuring it out.

And that honesty?

That's exactly why this episode matters.

In this episode, we talk about:

→ Growing up with financial silence — and what it costs you decades later

→ Why women wait for a crisis before taking ownership of their money

→ Running a handmade business of 40 people and refusing to automate — because hands create jobs

→ The "sandwich generation" — being financially responsible for your kids and your parents at the same time

→ Breaking generational money cycles from the inside out

→ What it really feels like to step into leadership when you never planned to be the one in front

→ Why you don't have to have all the answers — you just have to stop hiding from the question

Her final words:

"Don't put yourself in the corner.

Everybody has something special in them.

Take on opportunities.

Make bold decisions."

Learn more about Nileta Knoetzen:

Website: https://growingpaper.co.za/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nileta-knoetzen-a7b960304/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niletaknoetzen/

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