From stage to strategy: Building skills with Frais Capital and Toastmasters

How Rohan Zakharia’s case competition experience led to an internship

My path to the University of Melbourne wasn't a straight line. Before Finance, I studied Music Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston and toured internationally, experiences that taught me how to perform under pressure, work precisely as part of a team, and lead without always being at the front of the stage. When I later looked at careers in the Business and Finance world, I saw familiar patterns, where structure, timing, and how you communicate all shape your work.

I chose to pursue further study at Melbourne because I wanted to build a technical and theoretical foundation. Finance and Economics demand rigour, and university felt like the right environment to develop those skills properly. At the same time, I was conscious that knowledge alone wouldn't be enough. I wanted to strengthen my ability to present ideas clearly, speak with confidence, and engage people from different backgrounds, which is what drew me to opportunities beyond the classroom. When I applied for the MBS Case Competition, the main thing that drew me in was that the finalists would attend a Toastmasters program with Frais Capital, a firm whose founders invest intentionally in young people.

Across six weeks, Rick Finlay and Mark Dorrity of South Yarra Toastmasters pushed me outside my comfort zone. In each session, I spoke, listened, and got direct feedback, with one lesson staying with me: you belong in any room you walk into. Confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything; it comes from trusting your ability to think clearly, engage honestly, and learn in real time. That belief shifted how I approached unfamiliar situations and conversations.

Siobhan Blewitt and Celeste Blewitt, the CEO and CCO of Frais Capital, respectively, made this growth possible by creating a space that felt supportive from the start. Although nerve-racking, it never felt isolating because everyone in the room was there for the same reason: to improve, to be challenged, and to help others do the same.

This opportunity ultimately led to me joining Frais Capital as a Research Analyst, working directly with Siobhan and the team at Frais Capital on day-to-day tasks, learning about markets and contributing to tasks involved in wealth management. Being trusted with this level of responsibility has accelerated my learning and made my university work far more applicable, as concepts move from theory into practice through real clients and real outcomes.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to continue learning from both the classroom and my work at Frais Capital as I complete my final year of study.