Back

Explore every episode of the podcast Financial Coaches Network - The Podcast: Build your Financial Coaching Business

Dive into the complete episode list for Financial Coaches Network - The Podcast: Build your Financial Coaching Business. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

Rows per page:

1–50 of 184

TitlePub. DateDuration
#184: Analyzing the gurus: Ramit Sethi24 Jun 202500:54:44

We began a new series about analyzing the gurus! We’ll be spending time discussing several big personal finance names, their recommendations, and why we do or do not agree with those. Josh and Emily discuss Ramit Sethi, his philosophy of a “rich life,” his “conscious spending plan,” and his take on investing.

Top takeaways:

  • Broad-based percentage-based structures just don’t work for everyone.
  • The emphasis on a rich life and guilt-free spending can lead to people to focus on necessities and fun money at the expense of savings.
  • Automation can be great as long as you reevaluate and adjust things over time.
  • Houses are great hedges against inflation in retirement.
  • Ramit’s rant against AUM and financial advisers just doesn’t make sense.

Related episodes:

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#183: Analyzing the gurus: Dave Ramsey17 Jun 202500:47:01

We begin a new series about analyzing the gurus! We’ll be spending time discussing several big personal finance names, their recommendations, and why we do or do not agree with those. First up, arguably the biggest–Dave Ramsey! Josh and Amelie tackle the baby steps.

Top takeaways:

  • His foundational advice is not bad, it's just overly simplistic/broad.
  • Because of the nature of inflation, $1000 today is much less than it was when he originally came up with it.
  • Not all debt is bad.
  • It basically never makes financial sense to pay student loans or a mortgage off earlier.
  • Dave's investment advice is not good and his return estimate is way too high.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#182: Chapter 4 - A Systemic Approach to Understanding Diversity in Financial Counseling10 Jun 202500:36:06

Josh and Emily discuss the fourth chapter of the Financial Counseling textbook, A Systemic Approach to Understanding Diversity in Financial Counseling. 

Top takeaways:

  • Our systems have a huge impact on us.
  • Your race, sexuality, gender, relationship status, background, socio-economic status, abilities/disabilities, religion etc. all have huge impacts.
  • We come at things believing that what’s normal to us is normal to everyone.
  • Anything that creates a superior-inferior, “I know more than you” dynamic needs to be handled VERY carefully.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#181: Chapter 3 - The Practice of Financial Counseling03 Jun 202500:26:33

Josh and Emily discuss the third chapter of the Financial Counseling textbook, The Practice of Financial Counseling.

Top takeaways:

  • Relationship building is key.
  • There’s a fine line between being supportive and being an enabler.
  • Make sure you set boundaries around what you can and cannot do for clients.
  • It’s important to leave space for clients to suggest their own ideas.
  • The more time you spend listening, the better you’re able to help your clients.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

 - Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#180: Building an authentic brand27 May 202500:28:45

Josh and Emily discuss the idea of an authentic brand, how to build one, and some common misconceptions!

Top takeaways:

  • Don't shy away from sharing potentially controversial opinions.
  • You have to be clear on yourself before you can have an authentic brand.
  • The overlap between your personality/interests and your niche is the low-hanging fruit for content.
  • Think about your non-money-related core stories.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch   

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#179: What if I can't have more than $3000 in my savings due to governmental benefits?20 May 202500:22:12

Josh and Amelie discuss various situations where people have limits to savings amounts due to governmental programs such as Medicaid or Disability.

Top takeaways:

  • Many of the limits are state-specific.
  • Figure out what someone in this situation would need an emergency fund for–it might be fewer things than you think.
  • Do not think of “savings” as a monolith–each individual problem should be tackled individually.
  • ABLE accounts are similar to retirement accounts except that they’re for disabled people and their families to be able to pay for specific expenses.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#178: Financial Counseling Chapter 2 - Personal Finance Competencies in the Practice of Financial Counseling13 May 202500:26:16

Josh and Amelie discuss the second chapter of the Financial Counseling textbook by Durband, Law, and Mazzolini. 

Top takeaways:

  • Financial knowledge is very baseline (what is a savings account). Financial literacy is the understanding of how to apply the knowledge.
  • Financial literacy only really works when you’re teaching people about things that are directly relevant to their lives at that point in time.
  • Financial capability is the ability to actually implement the knowledge.
  • Financial ratios are great, but many guidelines are situation-specific.
  • It’s important to be aware of potential scams to help your clients protect themselves.
  • Be aware of the topics (taxes, insurance, investing, estate planning, etc.) that bring higher liability and may be legally regulated as far as what you are and are not allowed to discuss.
  • Make sure you do some kind of continuing ed to stay on top of research, methods, scams, etc.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#177: Financial Counseling Chapter 1 - The Financial Counseling Profession06 May 202500:41:06

Josh and Amelie discuss the first chapter of the Financial Counseling textbook by Durband, Law, and Mazzolini. 

Top takeaways:

  • Many AFCs work on military bases, in non-profits, or in private practice, but there are also opportunities in banks, schools, hospitals, and more.
  • For one-time engagements, technology isn’t as important, but for longer-term engagements, most clients are going to expect some kind of budgeting technology.
  • Counselors should be careful about building codependent, ongoing relationships with clients.
  • Building relationships with other professionals is important so you can refer out.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#176: What questions should I ask in an "end of service" questionnaire?29 Apr 202500:26:16

Josh and Emily discuss how to collect feedback from clients at the end of your work together.

Top takeaways:

  • Have a plan for what to do with ALL the data you gather–don’t ask a question if there’s not something specific to do with that info.
  • People who loved you or hated you are the most likely to fill the survey out.
  • The shorter a survey is, the more likely it is that people will fill it out.
  • You need to think about how to ask the question as much as what to ask.
  • Consider getting an unbiased opinion on your questions so they’re less emotionally charged.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#175: How to build good credit card habits22 Apr 202500:34:57

Josh and Amelie discuss credit cards–how do you build good habits? The strategies are slightly different 

Top takeaways:

  • The proper way to use a credit card is to use it exactly like a debit card–use it for everyday purchases and pay it off every month.
  • For new users (whether brand new or people who have had debt recently), start with something small and simple–put gas purchases on your card, pay the statement in full every month.
  • For new users, keep the limit relatively low and don’t necessarily increase the limit.
  • For experienced users (made full payments every month for 24 months), you can start adding in multiple cards and rewards and all of that kind of thing.
  • If you’re trying to start over, stop using cards and get to the point where balances are consistently going down. Then get a new card with a low limit or a paid off card with a low limit and go back to using it for one type of simple purchase each month (like gas).

Related episodes:

- #119: Is the snowball method the best way to pay off debt?

- #133: Credit versus Debit Cards

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey: 

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#174: Should I offer discounts?15 Apr 202500:27:00

Josh and Emily discuss discounts. What happens when you offer discounts, when to offer discounts, alternatives to discounts…and so much more!

Top takeaways:

  • Offering a discount can lead to a lot of different places, both positive or negative.
  • If you want to offer pro bono services, have a policy in place about what criteria might need to be met; do not decide on the spot.
  • Lowering your pricing or offering discounts will not increase the number of people who see your business.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch 

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#173: State of Financial Coaching High Level Summary08 Apr 202500:19:15

Amelie and Josh discuss top takeaways from the inaugural State of Financial Coaching survey!

Top takeaways:

  • Coaches with niches have more paying clients and higher prices.
  • Counselors with high revenue have niches.
  • Year 1 revenue is REALLY BAD across the board (less than minimum wage bad).
  • Many coaches with high revenue have some form of training and recognized credentials.
  • Counselors with high revenue growth use active prospecting–networking events, contacting referral partners, etc.
  • Coaches with high revenue growth usually have structured programs.
  • Coaches with high revenue growth invest in their businesses.

Resources:

- Watch this video to see the graphs AND purchase the report here: https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/state-of-financial-coaching-counseling-study 

- Participate in the 2025 survey here: https://form.jotform.com/250657386207159

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#172: FINRA Fellowship - A Path to AFC Certification for Military Spouses01 Apr 202500:34:33

Amelie discusses FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship Program, a path to AFC Certification for mil spouses! She is joined by Valerie Richards from AFCPE and Cherie Stueve, a frequent FINRA Fellowship Instructor to discuss the process!

Top takeaways:

  • The FINRA Fellowship process is a great networking and community building opportunity.
  • The AFCPE Symposium is a huge networking and community building conference for everyone!!
  • It’s a very strong, tightknit group with strong interpersonal connections and support both during and after the certification process.
  • There are regular, virtual, regional meetings as well to chat and connect.
  • Applications are open now! You can find more info here: https://www.finrafoundation.org/military-spouse-fellowship-program 

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

-  Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#171: Should I get a loan for _______?25 Mar 202500:35:07

Josh and Amelie discuss the conversation around getting a loan. When does it make sense, and when does it not make sense?

Top takeaways:

  • The first–and most important question–is “why do you want to spend this money?”
  • It’s also very important to weigh the cost of interest versus the benefits of having it sooner.
  • Another question is “will this help you build wealth?” 
  • It’s also worth considering interest rates, impact on taxes, opportunity cost

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch  

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#170: Should we recommend fintech "banks" to clients?18 Mar 202500:34:50

Josh and Emily discuss fintech “banks” through the lens of Yotta’s collapse. Should we be steering clients away from fintechs? How do you evaluate the security of a fintech?

Top takeaways:

  • Using a fintech doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll take longer to get your money back if the underlying bank goes under.
  • You do have liability as a coach if you advise a product/fintech etc. that goes under and causes your client to lose money etc.
  • If there’s a substantial (greater than 1%) higher interest rate on an interest-bearing account, it might be worth considering switching to a different fintech/bank/etc.
  • It’s always important to weigh the “cool new thing” with the security of “old standard.”

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

- Deciding whether Financial Coaching is right for you? Join our free Facebook Community with over 5000 current and aspiring financial coaches! https://www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachescommunity

- Already decided you’re going to be a Financial Coach and want to learn more? Get 30+ tips and best practices in our free 8-part email series! https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/pre-launch-email-series

- Ready to Launch your Financial Coaching business? Join FCN Launch, our step-by-step program that will help you successfully launch your business in four months and grow it to a consistent part-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/launch   

- Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#169: Separating from Federal Government Jobs11 Mar 202500:34:44

Josh and Amelie discuss things to think about when separating from federal government jobs.

Top takeaways:

  1. Before deciding whether to take a separation package, try to take the emotion out and instead think about what you want the next phase of your life to look like.
  2. If you’re going through a big career transition, think of your next position as a transitional and perhaps temporary job.
  3. The first, voluntary package is always better than the non-voluntary package.
  4. Everything is negotiable–you may or may not get what you’re trying to negotiate but there’s nothing wrong with asking.
  5. As soon as you are no longer employed, apply for unemployment.
  6. Figure out what the deadlines for COBRA are.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#168: How do you find clients for the smallest possible financial commitment?04 Mar 202500:36:55

Josh and Emily discuss a question from the Financial Coaches Community facebook group. Turns out, it’s actually two separate questions.

Top takeaways:

  1. A brand new business is not going to provide you with a steady income quickly.
  2. Potential clients can smell desperation.
  3. If you need help getting a job, check out your local community college for career tips or career fairs.
  4. The first things to invest in are having a website hosted on a paid service and business cards.
  5. Figure out who you’re going to serve and why.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#167: What about AI Notetakers?25 Feb 202500:39:30

Josh and Emily discuss AI Notetakers! What concerns should we have, what features should we look for, and what can they do to help?

Top takeaways:

  1. When you’re handling people’s sensitive data, don’t use anything free because their information may be used for various purposes (training their model, etc.)
  2. A company that has booths at industry conferences and/or partnerships with other large companies is a green flag.
  3. Look for SOC-III-compliant software.
  4. Many features are very person-specific–look for something that integrates with your tech stack.
  5. Investing in scheduling software, paid video software, and a CRM are probably more important than AI notetaking software.
  6. FinMate, Jump, and Zocks are all financial-services-specific notetakers (more tailored features but also more expensive).

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#166: Josh's systems: onboarding (aka coaching program)18 Feb 202500:33:24

Top takeaways:

  1. Josh’s onboarding is a 3-month, 4- or 7- 7-meeting process for people who are not psychologically ready to be financial adviser clients.
  2. The first full 60-minute meeting is devoted to short- and long-term goals.
  3. It’s very hard to build a real budget without knowing where you are and where you’re going.
  4. Having short, regular accountability/working meetings is ok–Josh does 30-minute monthly meetings at the beginning and then longer, quarterly “get stuff done” meetings later.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#165: When should I consider adjusting my prices?11 Feb 202500:34:23

Josh and Emily talk about pricing–both raising and lowering prices. When should you consider adjusting your prices downward? What about up?

Top takeaways:

  1. Don’t lower your prices because you’re looking for more clients.
  2. If what you’re offering isn’t different from what they could get from a book or any other coach, you should not charge a super premium rate.
  3. When you raise prices, raise them on all your clients.
  4. If you change your process (number of meetings, services you offer, etc.) you should reevaluate your pricing.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#164: How to Help Clients Set Motivating Goals04 Feb 202500:31:05

Today, Josh and Amelie discuss how to help clients set goals! How can you facilitate the goal setting process?

Top takeaways:

  1. Keep the conversation lighter and casual.
  2. The goals need to be internally set goals rather than external pressure.
  3. Big goals need to be broken down into smaller, faster pieces to add quick wins to build motivation.
  4. Ask questions to get clear on details.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#163: How to Set Motivating Goals28 Jan 202500:36:33

Today, Josh and Amelie discuss how to set motivating goals–and stick to them! 

Top takeaways:

  1. There’s a difference between a goal and a dream.
  2. Most purely financial goals are not really goals–they’re the Measurable part of another goal.
  3. If you think your goal is getting out of credit card debt, the question is “why?”
  4. It’s hard to focus on the future when you’re stressed about the present.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#162: Side hustles: Good idea or destroyer of marriages?21 Jan 202500:33:39

Today, Josh and Emily discuss side hustles. 

Top takeaways:

  1. Side hustles are one of the worst ways to increase your income.
  2. If you don’t have enough income, switching careers is the best way to solve that problem.
  3. Using a traditional side-hustle as a very short-term solution can work.
  4. Side hustles will exacerbate stress.
  5. Consider what you’re losing by doing a side hustle.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#161: How do we as financial coaches talk about money with non-client friends and family?14 Jan 202500:32:57

Today, Josh and Emily discuss how to talk about money with non-client friends and family? If you don’t approve of how they’re handling their money…can you talk about it? What about if they ask you?

Top takeaways:

  1. If you don’t have all the information, do not give a clear answer (because you can’t know!).
  2. If someone is just casually chatting with you, you will not have all the information.
  3. In general conversations, asking questions is a better strategy to start with than answering questions.
  4. When trying to decide whether to talk to family about money, consider whether knowing information about them will change the dynamic of your relationship…and seriously consider referring out regardless.
  5. Working as an accountability partner with a family member (or friend) who you spend time with regularly can definitely lead to awkward situations.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#160: Should I buy a house now or wait?07 Jan 202500:42:06

Today, in an indirect continuation of episode 157, Josh and Amelie discuss what to think about when considering buying a house (or when coaching a client through the decision making process around buying a house!).

Top takeaways:

  1. Don’t buy because you think interest rates will change–no one knows the future.
  2. The number one thing to look at is lifestyle–what’s right for your family’s lifestyle, are you planning to stay where you are long-term or not, are you anticipating big changes in the near future, etc.
  3. “Can I afford this change without sacrificing other, more important things in my budget?”
  4. Having a lower down payment and paying PMI may work out in your favor mathematically rather than waiting until you have a 20% down payment.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#159: From the Vault - Marketing beyond social media31 Dec 202400:46:37

It’s another holiday week, so we’re back with another episode from the Vault! If you’re not a social media fan…what other options are there?! Josh gives a 45-minute overview of his 56-hour college course!

Top takeaways:

  1. Options: Social media, print, TV/youtube, radio/podcasts/direct mail (targeted mail)
  2. Social media is good at connecting the product with people’s interests. Television is great at conveying emotion but horrible at conveying information. Print is great at conveying information, and not great at conveying emotion.
  3. Just because social media is “free” doesn’t mean it’s the best option–your time is valuable!!!!
  4. Think about what mediums exist that your target audience engages with.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
https://www.dataaxleusa.com/lp/business-list/
https://www.bni.com/

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#158: From the Vault: Should I list my prices on my website?24 Dec 202400:47:46

On this holiday week, enjoy this episode from the vault about the pros and cons of putting pricing on your website!

Takeaways:

  1. Someone who doesn’t book a call because your price was listed on your website and it was too high wouldn’t probably sign up anyway.
  2. Someone who doesn’t book a call because your price wasn’t on your website could very well have been a great fit.
  3. Price is not the only deciding factor when someone is choosing whether to purchase something.
  4. If you list all your prices/packages up front, it removes a lot of friction in upselling (and allows clients to upsell themselves!).

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#157: Does a mortgage make sense with high interest rates?17 Dec 202400:21:01

Josh and Amelie discuss mortgage rates…and what to think about when considering whether it’s a good time to buy!

Takeaways:

  1. In the history of mortgage rates (going back to 1971), they’ve ranged from 18% to 2.5% (much more recently).
  2. Interest rates typically impact home prices–as interest rates go up, prices go down (and vice versa).
  3. In most situations, if you’re ready to buy a house, now is the right time.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#156: What is a financial coach's role in a client's estate planning?10 Dec 202400:24:33

Josh and Emily finish up the Estate Planning series by discussing the financial coach’s role in estate planning! What can we help clients with and what should we stay away from?

Takeaways:

  1. If you have no official certifications related to estate planning (CFP, EA, lawyer, etc.) then your best role is as an accountability partner who says “do you have these things and when were they updated?”
  2. Refer clients to 2-3 estate planning attorneys, their CFP, or the state Bar association.
  3. When a client has a big event (buys a house, has a child, gets married etc.), that’s a good time to prompt them to think about estate planning.
  4. Presenting an attorney with a net worth statement right away can be very helpful.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#155: Estate Planning - DIY Estate Planning03 Dec 202400:43:13

We return to our Estate Planning series…so today, Amelie and Josh discuss DIY Estate Planning. What can you DIY, what should you DIY (if anything), and what should you look out for?

Takeaways:

  1. You could DIY through a service or by yourself.
  2. A holographic will is a handwritten will; a nuncupative will is a spoken will. Both can be legally binding depending on the laws of the state.
  3. Much of the “advice” you get from friends/family/the internet will get you into major trouble.
  4. Quick, online services are better than nothing, especially if you have minor children.
  5. If you move, you may need to update your estate planning documents for your new state.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#154: From the Vault - What to do when a client is resistant to your ideas/suggestions26 Nov 202400:44:47

Today, enjoy a throwback episode with Josh and Garrett as they discuss working with clients who don’t take your suggestions well!

Takeaways:

  1. Three reasons clients might be resistant:
    a. Reason #1 - They have a fear of being judged (whether founded or not).
    b. Reason #2 - They don’t see the purpose of something/they think something is extraneous.
    c. Reason #3 - Their past experiences have not gone well in this particular area.
  2. Recognize your clients’ sacred cows.
  3. If someone says they’re happy with their progress, take the win!!!

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#153: Estate Planning -- Marital Assets19 Nov 202400:37:52

Today, Josh and Amelie continue the series on Estate Planning! This week, they discuss marital assets (and debts).

Takeaways:

  1. Estate planning can also plan for the death of a marriage.
  2. Ultimately, it comes down to “is this something that both parties have a right to/will split?” or “is this something that only one party has a right to?”
  3. Some states' policies follow the English tradition (“common law states”); others follow the Spanish tradition (Arizona, CA, Idaho, Louisiana–kind of, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) (“community property states”).
  4. It can be very easy to comingle assets which can affect estate planning.
  5. Depositing an inheritance into a joint account is comingling.
  6. Pensions get much more complex–different pension plans will have different rules.
  7. Pre-nups are extra important in the case of blended families.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#152: Estate Planning -- Key People12 Nov 202400:49:38

Today, Josh and Amelie continue the series on Estate Planning! This week, they discuss key people! What roles do the various people play?

Takeaways:

  1. Guardians - “Who will care for your children if you die?”
  2. Executors (wills) and Trustees (trusts) - “Who will carry out your wishes when you’re dead?”
  3. Executors/trustees may be paid.
  4. Powers of Attorney/legal proxies - “Who will handle your life when you’re incapacitated (in a coma/traumatic brain injury etc.)?”
  5. There are medical and financial Powers of Attorney.
  6. Beneficiary – “Who is rooting for your death?” (who gets your assets when you die?)
  7. A very important question to think about with beneficiaries is how to divide the assets.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#151: Estate Planning -- Trusts05 Nov 202400:41:38

Get ready for a series on Estate Planning! We’ve had a few questions about that lately both in the FCC Facebook group and with our personal clients, so join Josh and Amelie as they talk about estate planning, and then keep an eye out for a final episode with Josh and Emily as they talk about a financial coach’s role in all of this! First up–trusts! What are trusts, who needs a trust, and what does it all mean?!

Takeaways:

  1. Trusts do not magically hide money from taxes.
  2. A trust is a “non-natural” person and as such can own assets/hire people etc.
  3. Revocable trusts can be changed at any time and are somewhat similar to just another account; irrevocable trusts are very limited in what can be changed.
  4. Biggest benefit to a trust is being able to control your money from beyond the grave.
  5. Second biggest benefit is being able to provide for beneficiaries.
  6. There are four people/groups etc. involved in trusts: guarantors/settlers/creators (who put money into the trust), executors (control the trust), income beneficiaries (receive benefits while the trust is in existence), and remainder beneficiaries (those who receive what’s left when a trust ends).

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#150: Prospecting Skills with guest Michael Tuttle29 Oct 202400:31:15

Our FCN members have a new support option–Josh is doing free 1:1 business coaching/Q&A sessions with them that we then record and share with you, our podcast listeners!! Today, FCN Launch member Michael Tuttle

Takeaways:

  1. Prospecting is hard!
  2. When you’re having a casual conversation, think about what your end goal is (raise awareness? Book a sales call? etc.)
  3. Don’t be afraid to say “Now is not the right time to chat; let’s set up a meeting sometime so we can talk more!”
  4. Don’t try to pre-qualify people in casual conversation before an official meeting.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#149: Email marketing - How to get email subscribers onto a sales call22 Oct 202400:24:05

Josh and Emily continue discussing email marketing! In this third episode, they discuss how to turn email subscribers into prospects. It’s all well and good to have people receiving your emails…but then what?

Takeaways:

  1. Connect your content to an incredibly specific group of people.
  2. You have to give people a reason to hop on a sales call–beyond “Oh, I can help you!”
  3. Don’t explicitly ask people to schedule a sales call in every email–but have an understated link somewhere accessible.
  4. Advanced strategy: Don’t have an email list, have segmented lists.
  5. Advanced strategy: Share social proof.
  6. Advanced strategy: Track interesting statistics and research and share that with your audience.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#148: Email marketing - How to build and maintain an email list15 Oct 202400:33:28

Josh and Emily continue discussing email marketing! In this second episode of the mini-series on email marketing, they discuss building and maintaining an email list. 

Takeaways:

  1. People need to know you before they want to get emails from you.
  2. You need to give email subscribers something of value.
  3. Don’t advertise your business, advertise your free thing of value.
  4. Keep your email list small–get rid of people who aren’t opening your emails.
  5. Welcome emails are great, whether a single email or a short series.
  6. Make sure you focus on consistent quality as much as or more than consistent quantity.

Resources

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#147: Email marketing - Is buying email lists worth it?01 Oct 202400:29:07

Josh and Emily discuss email marketing! In this first episode of the mini-series on email marketing, they discuss whether buying email lists is worth it!

Takeaways:

  1. Email is a very bad way to nurture a cold relationship.
  2. Buying an email list and sending cold emails is an easy way to violate the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.
  3. Buying an email list from an event is an easier “in” because of the commonality…but the attendees will probably be getting a million emails from other vendors as well.
  4. You could consider delaying your email so you’ll stand out, but if you wait, the content may not be relevant anymore.
  5. If you meet someone live at an event and want to send them something, have a template set up to be able to quickly send them that thing live, from the booth, in the moment.
  6. If other financial coaches think it’s cool…your niche probably won’t agree.
  7. If you buy a list, do a one-time mailing and have them opt-in to your regular email list.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#146: How Rahkim Sabree leaned into his niche to help people overcome financial trauma01 Oct 202400:48:21

Amelie is joined by Rahkim Sabree, AFC, to talk about niching, other ways of coaching, and how CFPs don’t have a corner on the market of helping people!

Takeaways:

  1. Your story is unique to you–no one else can talk about your story the way you talk about it.
  2. When Rahkim focused in on sharing his experiences and his niche’s experiences, it attracted other people outside of his niche as well.
  3. Oftentimes, successful coaches don’t tell clients what their goals are, they help clients figure out what their goals are.
  4. Consider reaching out to local libraries to do free services.
  5. Conferences (AFCPE Symposium, FinCon, Financial Therapy Association Conference) are a great way to connect with people multiple times.
  6. Figure out how you can get paid AND how you want to get paid.
  7. Don’t chase the high of helping other people.
  8. Consider formalizing your education–both Rahkim and Amelie thought they knew a lot but still learned a ton from the AFCPE process!

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

Are you already coaching clients and want to grow your business to a full-time income? Join FCN Grow, our program that helps you scale your business to a full-time income. https://www.financialcoachesnetwork.com/grow

#145: How to write pitches for reporters24 Sep 202400:29:42

Josh is back with Emily to follow up on the conversation with Vanessa from a while ago about whether it’s worth paying to get featured in an article. In this episode, they discuss HOW to write a pitch! What can you do to increase the chances of your quote getting featured?

Takeaways:

  1. The most important thing to keep in mind is that a reporter is NOT an advertising agency–avoid any inkling of self-promotion.
  2. Make sure your writing style matches the style of the publication.
  3. The first 10 things that come to mind as answers to the prompt from the reporter are worthless (because everyone else will think of the same things).
  4. Be careful of unsubstantiated opinions.
  5. Have original, meaningful perspectives.
  6. Be concise.
  7. Don’t use language like “I” or “me” or “my company.”
  8. Good media training is often very expensive.
  9. Consider taking a good college course through an extension program or community college–check the credentials of the professor.

Other resources mentioned in the episode:

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#144: AFCPE Symposium Q&A with AFCPE Executive Director Rachael DeLeon and Willa Williams, Symposium Chair17 Sep 202400:44:43

Josh is joined by the Executive Director of the AFCPE Rachael DeLeon and one of the Symposium Chairs, Willa Williams, to discuss the 2024 AFCPE Symposium! The Symposium is November 20-22, 2024. The Early Bird Discount ends at the end of September, so get your tickets now to take advantage of that discount!

Takeaways:

  1. The Symposium kicks off at 2pm on Wednesday but there are a lot of pre-Symposium events starting at 8am that day, so come early!
  2. There are topics around coaching, building your business, public policy and advocating, new research presentations, and more.
  3. You receive recordings of the over 60 breakout sessions so you can review the ones you went to or watch the ones you missed. (16:56)
  4. Sessions range from discussions around caretaking to blockchain tech, student loan updates to sessions on working with high-income clients.

Other resources mentioned in the episode:

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#143: If I pay my kid for work, what regulations apply?10 Sep 202400:26:05

Josh and Amelie discuss whether you can (or should!) formally pay your child so you can open a Roth IRA for them etc.

Top things to think about

  1. The first question to ask is do you have a business?
  2. The child has to do work that's valuable to the business and has to be paid the same as any other employee would be paid.
  3. We would highly recommend doing this through a payroll system--and pay social security taxes if you should be.
  4. You PROBABLY legally need to hire them as an employee.
  5. Don't skimp on paperwork!

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#142: How Brittany Bramlett launched her business and found success helping clients improve their financial wellbeing03 Sep 202400:30:23

Emily and FCN member Brittany Bramlett talk about Brittany’s coaching journey, her coaching business, and how FCN’s Launch program helped her build her business!

Top things to think about

  1. The University of Georgia offers a great class in Financial Counseling as part of their Masters of Financial Planning program!
  2. It can be a bit tricky to work with friends who you see on a day-to-day basis.
  3. Sometimes your niche finds you!
  4. The to do lists included in Launch helped Brittany stick to a plan and get things done.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#141: Retention Bonuses–the good and the bad27 Aug 202400:29:23

Josh and Amelie discuss retention bonuses. What are the pros and what are the cons? Mo’ money, mo’ problems?

Top things to think about

  1. Sabbaticals usually operate as retention bonuses–you get the time off (usually for research) and then are required to stay for a year afterward.
  2. You’re locked in for a retention bonus…except that you might be able to negotiate a signing bonus to pay back the retention bonus.
  3. Read the fine print and terms of a retention bonus so you know all the implications.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#140: How do I separate my business expenses if I work at multiple businesses?20 Aug 202400:23:14

Josh and Emily talk about business accounting/bookkeeping/taxes when you have multiple income streams that overlap to some degree.

Top things to think about

  1. You should have an EIN for your business; if you have a 1099 contractor job and used your EIN, then that’s simple.
  2. If you have a W2 job plus self-employed income, then some expenses are deductible and some are not.
  3. If you have a CPA and provided them with all the information, you’re more likely to be able to get out of trouble with the IRS because you can prove that you had good reason for doing things the way you did (aka your CPA told you to).
  4. If you have multiple, related companies that are separate entities, you should not share resources between them (have separate Zoom accounts, separate bank accounts etc.).

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#139: Is real estate really passive income?13 Aug 202400:42:04

Josh and Amelie discuss the idea that real estate is a great way to create passive income. Is it as simple as “sit back and collect rent” or is there more to it?

Top things to think about

  1. If you want truly passive real estate income, invest in a REIT.
  2. Hiring a property manager, attorney, CPA, financial adviser etc. who can help simplify things can make things MORE passive, but it’s not truly passive.
  3. It’s hard to factor in many of the risks associated with real estate.
  4. Screening tenants is a lot of work and maintaining the property is a lot of work.
  5. You have a huge amount of liability when you own property and rent it out.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#138: Getting quoted: is it worth paying to get featured in an article?06 Aug 202400:29:25

Josh and Emily have a conversation with guest, Launch member Vanessa Dean, about whether it’s worth paying to be quoted in a news article.

Top things to think about

  1. As advertising dollars have been disappearing, news organizations are trying new ways to increase revenue.
  2. One way news organizations are trying to increase their revenue is by pure increase in content.
  3. There is an infinitesimally small chance that you’ll get clients from a news article.
  4. However, being quoted in notable sources can add social proof (but it’s more valuable if you have more than a single place).
  5. Consider reaching out directly to local reporters who focus on personal finance.

Other resources mentioned in the episode:

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#137: Business setup basics30 Jul 202400:27:09

Josh and Amelie give a high level overview of setting up your business and whether using a registered agent is helpful or not.

Top things to think about

  1. The first question to ask yourself is whether to go the sole proprietorship route or the LLC/entity route.
  2. Sole Proprietor - You may need a DBA (doing business as/fictitious name statement).
  3. Make sure you check what your local city/county/state requires as far as business licenses etc.
  4. Get an EIN even if it’s not required (it’s easy and free!).
  5. Registered agents…can be slightly helpful, but not as helpful as they claim they are.

Other episodes mentioned in the episode:

Other resources mentioned in the episode:

  • AdvicePay (Essential level included with your FCN Launch Membership)

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#136: Making your business fit into your desired schedule23 Jul 202400:31:16

Josh and Emily discuss making your business fit your desired schedule! Four day workweek? Work around your full-time job? Better work-life balance? How can you make that work?

Top things to think about

  1. Being a business owner is a terrible way to get a better work-life balance.
  2. It’s much easier to find a job that has flexibility–though it may not fit all your other job wants.
  3. Be careful about falling into the trap of filling 80% of your available time with client meetings.
  4. You need to choose which you value more–your time or your money.

Other episodes mentioned in the episode:

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

#135: Is renting a home better than buying?16 Jul 202400:36:48

Josh and Amelie discuss the age-old question of renting vs buying!

Top things to think about

  1. Society claims buying is better than renting; economics disagrees.
  2. When you rent, your max home maintenance is a few dollars for a new lightbulb.
  3. Renting gives a lot more flexibility; owning offers more stability.
  4. One big advantage of owning is that your mortgage stays the same.
  5. The standardized deduction exists in part to equalize tax deductions for land owners and non-land owners.
  6. Overall, lifestyle is much more important to people than the actual finance/economic side.

Want help building or growing a successful financial coaching business? Find resources below based on where you’re at in your journey:

© My Podcast Data · Independent project · Data from Apple & Spotify
AboutMethodologyContactSupport mePrivacy PolicyLegal Notice