Financial Coaches Network - The Podcast: Build your Financial Coaching Business

By Joshua Escalante Troesh, Garrett Philbin, Amelie Riendl, and Emily BlainBusiness Entrepreneurship

Financial Coaches Network - The Podcast: Build your Financial Coaching Business episodes

July 22, 2025#187: Analyzing the gurus: Tori Dunlap
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 Tori Dunlap, her philosophy of capitalism, financial feminism, and her steps for getting control of your finances.
Top takeaways:
Not participating in a system you don’t like (e.g., capitalism) may hurt you more than the system.
Advice geared towards the general public is generally better than specific advice targeting males or females.
Actionable steps are more helpful than philosophical ideas.
Working on mindset at the same time as working on improving your finances is likely more effective than working just one or the other alone.
Research shows that men tend to get back to their pre-divorced net worth within a decade while many women never reach it, primarily due to which assets they each tend to choose. In divorce, women tend to choose family oriented non-income producing assets (e.g., home), while men tend to take income producing assets such as investment accounts.
Overly simplistic advice (supposedly for everyone), doesn’t actually work for anyone.
Separating high interest debt vs. low interest debt is in general a good idea, though the break point depends on current inflation.
The 3 bucket budget system can be a good tool if it fits your particular situation, though there are many others available as well.
Having an accountability partner can help when deciding what budget items are a necessity vs. a want.
Overly simplistic investment advice can be dangerous (e.g., all investments have an upward trajectory at some point, but they don’t forever).
Performance is not the most important factor to look at when choosing investments.
Related episodes:
- Episode 119: Is the snowball method the best way to pay off debt?
- Episode #92: What is cashflow budgeting?
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
37 min
July 15, 2025186: Analyzing the gurus: Suze Orman
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 Amelie discuss Suze Orman’s philosophy of debt, preparing for retirement, and investing.
Top takeaways:
Overly simplistic advice (supposedly for everyone), doesn’t actually work for anyone.
People generally need a softer approach to personal finance in order to encourage change.
Paying off your mortgage early doesn’t lower your living costs as much as you think it will and can cause financial issues.
The avalanche and snowball method of debt payment are both overly simplistic and aren’t ideal for anyone.
A 20% downpayment on a home isn’t always (or ever) necessary.
Look at the ROI before taking out student loans, but remember that it needs to be a personal analysis.
Research a potential financial advisor to verify their credentials.
Do-it-Yourself investing may be okay for a start, but comprehensive financial planning is better for more complex situations.
Age 70 may not be the most optimal age to start taking Social Security. When to start taking Social Security is not reversible and will impact the rest of your life.
A specific retirement goal of $1 million or $2 million is arbitrary, as each person’s goal is unique based on their circumstances, goals, and needs.
Related episodes:
- Episode #42: When is debt good?
- Episode #119: Is the snowball method the best way to pay off debt?
- Episode #160: Should I buy a house now or wait?
- Episode #157: Does a mortgage make sense with high interest rates?
- A Nonprofit Guide to Choosing and Interviewing a Financial Planner
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
39 min
July 08, 2025#185: Paid Search Advertising
Today, join Josh and Garrett as they discuss what Paid Search Advertising is and when it’s relevant to financial coaches!
3 (+2!) key takeaways:
The benefit of paid search is that IF (big if) you do it right, it gets you in front of people who are actively looking for a solution to a problem that you solve through your coaching.
Paid search gives you keyword targeting abilities AND audience targeting capabilities.
Three things that impact where your ad is placed: price (how much are you paying), competition (how many others and how much are they paying), “quality score” (does this ad actually answer the person’s question that they were searching for? Is there value on the page? How trustworthy is the website?)
Use key phrases, NOT key words.
The fewer people who see your ad, the better, because that means you’ve targeted it exactly to those people who are actually potential prospects, not those who will never be prospects.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
What is a Marketing Funnel and How Do I Create One?
FCN’s Grow service should be live by the end of the year! Sign up for the interest list here.
What is Marketing vs. Advertising vs. Sales?
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
44 min
June 24, 2025#184: Analyzing the gurus: Ramit Sethi
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:
Episode #130: The 411 on HSAs
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
55 min
June 17, 2025#183: Analyzing the gurus: Dave Ramsey
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
48 min
June 10, 2025#182: Chapter 4 - A Systemic Approach to Understanding Diversity in Financial Counseling
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
37 min
June 03, 2025#181: Chapter 3 - The Practice of Financial Counseling
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
27 min
May 27, 2025#180: Building an authentic brand
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
29 min
May 20, 2025#179: What if I can't have more than $3000 in my savings due to governmental benefits?
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
23 min
May 13, 2025#178: Financial Counseling Chapter 2 - Personal Finance Competencies in the Practice of Financial Counseling
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
27 min

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Looking to build a successful financial coaching business? Join thousands of others in the Financial Coaches Community who are building successful financial coaching businesses. Hosted by Joshua…