In late summer 2021, I was looking to find my dream job. I was coming off a role and organization that plateaued my growth and maybe even sent me backwards in some ways. I knew that after two and a half years and with a warped mindset created by a toxic culture, I needed some outside help.
So I went on LinkedIn, found the first three career coaches in my area, interviewed each, and signed a contract with the one who, ironically, was more of a life coach than career coach. In hindsight, she was exactly who I needed because she helped me reset my nervous system, get confident in who I am, and be my accountability partner when I eventually applied to jobs.
There were a lot of factors that made my summer 2021 job search process the best I’ve ever had. But my life/career coach was by far one of the top, if not the most important resource, I had during that time.
She showed me that I had everything within me to be successful. With the skills and practice she taught me, I could regulate my nervous system, build confidence in myself again, and find the role and workplace that I couldn’t have imagined myself.
In all parts of our life, it is helpful to have guidance, a coach, or someone holding us accountable. You see it in sports, education, mental health, etc. A friend of mine even hired a coach around her unique nutritional needs. This type of support exists in personal finance as well and I have the receipts to prove that it works!
But first, what is a personal finance coach?
“A financial coach is a type of advisor who can help you reach your financial goals by teaching you money management skills, such as how to build savings, create a financial plan or pay down debt. A financial coach can help improve your financial literacy, but they likely cannot give you investment advice.” (NerdWallet)
In short, a financial coach can guide and coach you on your financial mindset and behaviors, processes, and systems. They can set you up with the confidence to manage and own your finances. However, depending on their credentialing they may be limited in giving investment advice (meaning where you invest your money and how).
I have been coaching since 2023 when I started my first cohort of women looking to better understand personal finance. Here is some feedback I heard:
“I think the biggest change I have noticed after having started these conversations in 2023 is that I have grown both in confidence and comfortability in navigating how to talk about an otherwise sensitive subject. This was a personal change, one that I felt reverberated across my relationships with friends and family — even those outside of the original group.” (Cohort 1 Member)
You, right now, have everything you need within you to be successful. You may just need someone to show you the skills and give you the space to build your confidence. So what is keeping you from taking an intro call (should be free!) and interviewing some financial coaches right now?
And in the comments, let me know how I can help.
With accountability,
Your personal finance friend