Simran Kaur, Young New Zealander of the Year and University of Auckland (UoA) alumna 2024, was always destined for something spectacular. At a recent gathering at the university’s School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVS) to celebrate Kaur’s awards, head of school Dr Andrew Collins recalled Kaur’s stellar career trajectory from BOptom graduate and former president of the New Zealand Optometry Student Society in 2019 to global finance and investment author, podcast and TED-talk phenomenon.

Kaur is the founder and director of media company Girls That Invest and book and podcast of the same name, which she launched during lockdown to “level the playing field” for women investors. It’s now the world’s number one investing podcast while her book has topped the bestselling lists in Canada, the UK, the US and New Zealand.

The 26-year-old millionaire admitted, however, to feeling “a little nervous coming back” to the place where it all began. Reflecting on her five years at UoA, where she also launched a side-hustle – social media platform, The Indian Feminist – Kaur told the SOVS gathering that university was ‘stressful’.

“When you’re young, you constantly get told ‘the outside world, the outside world’ and it’s like, ‘what are you talking about, this outside world?’ But uni gave me so many opportunities to put myself out there. It gave me the best memories and the closest friends I still have.” It also gave her many skills, such as public speaking, which at the time she didn’t realise she had, she said.

Kaur, who was presented with a bouquet at the SOVS’ tea by professional teaching fellow, mentor and optometrist John McLennan, is also a 2023 Forbes Under 30 honouree and has been featured in Vogue, Business Insider and Oxford Women in Business. And it all started with a BOptom at SOVS, said Dr Collins. “We look forward to seeing what the future brings.”