In this episode of Mike Helfman’s Curiosity, we dive into the hard truths with Ciprian Bratu — a researcher, and founder of Bratu Capital, a financial planning consultancy. From helping people future-proof their finances, Ciprian reveals why most people will never build wealth — and exactly how to escape that trap.We discuss the biggest money mistakes expats and professionals make, why savings alone won’t cut it, how AI and global economies are reshaping opportunity, and the mindset you need to actually build real wealth. If you’ve ever felt stuck living paycheck to paycheck, this conversation is your wake-up call.#wealthbuilding #financialfreedom #expatlife #AI #mikehelfman #curiosity #podcast #bratucapital #investing #personaldevelopment #moneytips #financialplanning🎧 CHECK OUT THIS PODCAST IN AUDIOSpotify: Mike Helfman’s CuriosityApple Podcast: Mike Helfman’s Curiosity📲 CONNECT WITH CIPRIAN BRATUResearch: ResearchGateWebsite: ciprianbratu.comInstagram: @bratucapital📲 CHECK US OUT EVERYWHEREInstagram: /mikehelfmanTwitter: /MikeHelfmanFacebook: /mikehelfmanLinkedIn: /Michael Helfman📩 BUSINESS ENQUIRIES & COLLABORATION✉️ mike.curiositypodcast@gmail.com🎬 TEAMProduced by – Ruth Wilson Das, Mike Helfman, Fahad FikriHost – Mike Helfman⏱ EPISODE BREAKDOWN0:00 Guest Introduction — Ciprian Bratu’s journey5:00 Why most people will never build wealth10:01 AI, modeling tools & the future of construction15:00 The biggest money traps for expats20:01 Savings myths vs. real investing strategies25:00 Creating financial safety nets that actually work30:00 Lessons from engineering applied to finance40:00 Property, ownership & financial resilience45:03 Retirement planning & EPF realities50:01 Corporate careers vs. building independence60:01 How to think long-term and compound lessons70:00 Ciprian’s one big change for Malaysia75:00 Final thoughts — how to truly escape the wealth trap