Dear Friend,

Most of my financial therapy work has to do with helping people create a more mindful, savvy and empowered relationship to money.

This could be in the realm of personal finances, couples finances and even in business finances.

In my Mentor program, which is a group program for therapists, coaches and financial professionals, I’m additionally supporting folks to create a more sustainable business.

In that context, we’re not just working on our money psychology, we’re also working on new ways of offering our services and adding new revenue streams.

And the way you do that has everything to do with your business models.

There’s a funny thing about running a business though: once you do it for several years, you realize that the business model you thought would bring in great revenue forever…sometimes starts to not work so well.

And when that happens, it’s time for a business model update.

There are dozens of things that can change in the outside world that can lead to you needing to change something in your business model. It could be changes in a social media platform’s algorithm or something larger like a worldwide pandemic.

And, there can be dozens of things that can change in our inner world that can also lead us needing to update our business models, such as having a new baby, going through a divorce, or experiencing a health crisis.

Sometimes we just need to find creative ways to adapt and adjust our own business model so that it works better for the particular life phase that we are in.

After a recent class I led for my Art of Money Mentor group, I had a strong intuition that there are more of you out there who might be facing challenges in your business or private practice that could be less challenging if you updated your business model.

And I knew then that I had to share the audio recording from this call, because I took a deep dive into the topic of business models: what they are, why we need to change them, examples of different kinds of models, and a box full of stories from times when I’ve had to change my own business models.

So today, I want to share this recording with you from my most recent Mentor Group call.

If you have a business or private practice that could use a business model shift, I hope you find some helpful nuggets in this recording!

Here’s to getting creative and fine-tuning,

Wisdom for money riddles, koans, and super-tough nuts to crack. by Bari Tessler

Bari Tessler interviews Lindsay Bryan-Podvin a Social Worker turned Financial Therapist and they discuss ADHD money tips and more.

Find more on baritessler.com/podcast

In this candid interview, Geneen shares her own money story about losing her life savings to Bernie Madoff and how it changed her relationship with money - and herself - forever. If you are seeking to bring a deeper sense of security to your money journey, if the question of enoughness resonates with you, I encourage you to do a gentle body check-in and listen in.

Content Warning: Please be aware that while this interview is a candid conversation about our intimate relationships with money, enoughness, and ourselves, relationship with food, as well as disordered eating behaviors, do come up along the way. If today’s teaching is not right for you, please know I see you and always encourage you to honor your needs and well-being first and foremost.

You’ll hear:

- What Geneen learned from her lived experiences with scarcity, abundance, and losing everything more than once.

- Why Geneen struggled with feeling disconnected from truly receiving (and spending!) the money she earned.

- How the money beliefs Geneen inherited from her father helped her save even in times of scarcity - and kept her from being present with what she had.

- Why trying to change “undesirable” behavior keeps you from getting curious about what you believe and why you behave the way you do.

- How Geenen overcame catastrophic financial loss and found enoughness within.

Find out more here: baritessler.com/2023/06/what-is-enoughness

Also, heads up: This is an older interview from 2013, and the audio quality is not so good.

Dear Money Adventurer,

Sometimes, as we move deeper into our relationship with money, we find that this work brings up old wounds or painful emotions that we thought we had healed.

These moments are a testament to your mindful awareness and personal growth, yet their unfolding can feel disorienting and overwhelming.

Finding yourself moving through painful histories while also simultaneously trying to learn new practical money skills can feel like the ground is giving way beneath your feet.

You might feel like a child again, yearning for care and support amid difficulty, longing for safety and stability that you cannot provide yourself.

In the midst of these truths lies another: in turning inward to bring awareness and compassion to the places where we feel unsafe, we can learn to cultivate a deeper sense of inner safety to ground us through life’s ebbs and flows.

The somatic term for this feeling-safe-in-your-body-no-matter-what is “self-regulation.” – Just as the name suggests, it is a gift that we can cultivate for ourselves.

I’m going to share three of my favorite somatic practices to help you foster a sense of internal safety as you navigate your money journey.

These body-based exercises are simple, yet profoundly powerful.

When you find yourself struggling with money stress, discomfort, or any big emotion, these personal practices can help you feel supported as you learn to self-regulate with compassion and gentle curiosity.

Let me show you how.

More here: baritessler.com/podcast

Dear Money Adventurer,

Every single day of our lives, whether we realize it or not, each one of us is writing our own unique Money Story.

Yet, no matter how different our journeys may be, there are certain themes and questions that we all struggle with at some point or another. And when we realize that we aren’t the only ones facing these challenges, the burden is a little easier to carry.

As your guide on this journey, here are the 10 Things Your Financial Therapist (me!) wants you to know right now.

In a world where so often our self-worth gets tied to the work we do or the money we make, we unconsciously invest our personal value in metrics, paychecks, and bottom lines. And we undermine our ability to truly honor and share our gifts, to show up as our most authentic selves, and to thrive in our work and lives.

So, how can we transform the attachment between self-worth and money that is so prevalent in life and business?

This question came up during my recent Office Hours call with the Art of Money participants, and the answer is a profoundly personal journey of self-discovery, tuning in to our inner knowing, and reclaiming our deepest values.

Find out more here: https://baritessler.com/podcast

I recently had the opportunity to interview Iris Brilliant for The Art of Money podcast, and I am so excited to share her insightful wisdom with you today. Her former roles include Social Justice Strategist at investment management firm Robasciotti & Philipson and National Organizer at Resource Generation, where she helped move over 10 million dollars to social justice organizations.

In this profoundly moving conversation, Iris shares her own story of navigating unexpected wealth and loss and how we can deconstruct the ideals of capitalism to stand in the integrity of our own personal values to create a more equitable world.

Find out more here: https://baritessler.com/podcast

The work you do, the paycheck you earn, your bank account balance - none of these has anything to do with your intricate worth.

You are priceless beyond measure.

Yet, we live in a world where most of us need to work to earn money to support ourselves, our families, and, as small business owners, our team as well.

We don’t like to talk about making money, though, it feels uncomfortable, shallow, and vulnerable. Even more so when we’re in a position where we want or need to be making more money.

But these silent taboos don’t serve us. Frankly, they never have. So it’s time to bring some loving honesty to break them down.

I recently had the opportunity to interview a dear friend and colleague of mine, Money Coach and author of “Why Women Earn Less: How to Make What You’re Really Worth,” Mikelann Valterra.

Find out more on the podcast: https://baritessler.com/podcast

I am SO excited to introduce you to my latest guest on the Art of Money podcast, Jayson Gaddis. Founder of The Relationship School, leading relationship expert, and sought-after coach, Jayson helps folks learn to repair everyday conflict with respect, compassion, and understanding for each other - and ourselves.

The wisdom, insight, and accessible practices that Jayson shares in this interview will empower you “to love bigger and work out your differences.”

Click here to learn more: https://baritessler.com/podcast