"I remember looking at my fiancé and saying, if we can't pay for this wedding where our friends are baking the cake and bartending, how the heck are we going to afford a life together?"

For Nicole Stanley, a panic attack over wedding finances became the spark that ignited her journey to financial freedom - and eventually, to becoming a successful financial coach.

In this episode, Nicole pulls back the curtain on her transformation from a financially anxious newlywed to the owner of Arise Financial Coaching, a business that's helped hundreds of women change their lives through financial literacy and wealth building.

But it wasn't smooth sailing from the start. Nicole opens up about the crippling imposter syndrome she faced and the real fears of getting sued that almost stopped her from pursuing her passion.

You'll hear how Nicole navigated the early days of her business, including the surprising truth about group coaching programs that nobody talks about, and why she ultimately chose a different path to scale her company.

Whether you're considering a career in financial coaching or you're knee-deep in building your own business, Nicole's candid insights and infectious enthusiasm will leave you inspired and eager to take your next step.

Tune in to discover how this self-proclaimed "nosy girl" turned her love for budgeting into a thriving coaching business that's changing lives - and why she believes you can do it too.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group
• What is a program?

Find Nicole Online:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok

Key Takeaways:

• Personal struggle can lead to professional passion: Nicole's own financial anxiety became the catalyst for her successful coaching career.
• Start before you're ready: Nicole began by helping friends and family for free, which laid the groundwork for her business.
• Community is crucial: Surrounding yourself with other financial coaches can provide support, inspiration, and legitimacy to your new career.
• One-on-one coaching can be more fulfilling than group programs: Despite the popular push for scalable group offerings, Nicole found more satisfaction and success in individual coaching.
• Success evolves: Initially defining success as earning $2,000 a month, Nicole's perspective shifted to focus on the number of lives she could impact.
• Imposter syndrome is normal but surmountable: Even with her success, Nicole still experiences moments of self-doubt, but she's learned to push through them as she grows her business.

About Nicole Stanley

Nicole Stanley is owner and head money coach at Arise Financial Coaching. After paying off debt and increasing her family’s net worth through investing, she discovered her passion for helping women change their life through financial literacy and wealth. 

Arise Financial Coaching has helped hundreds of women get out of debt, save, and become confident investors. Nicole and Arise have been featured on GMA, Yahoo Finance, Time, ABC News, Go Banking Rates, and more.

Wondering what it's like to build a thriving financial coaching business as a couple? In this episode, we sit down with James and Amberlee Rich, a dynamic husband-and-wife duo who have turned their passion for helping others into a successful coaching practice.

From their early days as a teacher (Amberlee) and campus pastor (James) to launching their own business, the Riches share their journey of transformation—for themselves and their coaching clients. They share how they've crafted a unique approach to financial coaching that allows them to homeschool their kids, travel, and make a real impact in people's lives.

You'll hear about their innovative "Steward Lab" program, designed to fill a gap they noticed in faith-based financial education. James and Amberlee also share how they've embraced authenticity in their marketing, overcoming the fear of standing out in a crowded field.

But it's not all business talk. The couple opens up about their personal strategies for maintaining work-life balance, including their sacred weekly rhythms and how they use AI to manage their busy schedules.

This conversation is just one of many in our success stories series, and it’s packed with practical tips and inspiring insights. Tune in to learn how James and Amberlee are redefining success on their own terms and helping others do the same.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group
• Rich Living Coaching

Find the Riches Online:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Tiktok

Key Takeaways:

• Authenticity is key: Being true to yourself and your unique style can help attract the right clients and make your business stand out. And standing out is exactly what you need to do.
• Adapt and innovate: The Riches created "Steward Lab" to fill a gap they noticed in faith-based financial education, showing the importance of identifying and addressing market needs.
• Balance is crucial: Implementing structured weekly rhythms and prioritizing family time alongside work can lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling coaching career.
• Leverage technology: Using AI tools for task management can significantly boost productivity and help manage a growing coaching business more effectively.

About James & Amberlee Rich:

James and Amberlee Rich are financial coaches who have been helping people with their personal finances for over 18 years. 
In 2018, James and Amberlee launched the Debt Dump Challenge, inspiring over 60 families to join them in taking control of their finances. Through coaching and monthly challenges, the Debt Dumpers successfully paid off over half a million dollars in debt. James and Amberlee also achieved their goal of becoming 100% debt free by paying off their home during the process.
The Debt Dump Challenge inspired James and Amberlee to fully dedicate themselves to helping people with their finances. As a result, they have established their own financial coaching business and launched an online group coaching program for Christians called Steward Lab.
James and Amberlee are driven by their passion to assist Christians in fully embracing the life God has destined for them, free from financial constraints. Understanding the pervasive impact of money in our lives, they believe that by purposefully addressing financial matters, every aspect of life can be significantly better. 

In today’s episode of the Financial Coach Academy Podcast, we’re going to answer another burning question: is financial coaching different from financial advising?

The short answer is YES. While both financial coaches and financial advisors are needed in the world, financial advisors are future-focused. A financial advisor will run a variety of scenarios and your likelihood of financial success based on your investment strategies, rate of return, risk tolerance, asset allocation, and portfolio.

Then they help you execute a strategy based on that future vision by helping you buy and sell stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles. They also will monitor your portfolio and keep a focus on asset protection, but all of this is from a 50,000 foot view.

In contrast, financial coaches help people with their money NOW. This can get complex depending on what the client’s unique financial situation looks like. We strive to focus on the whole person – not just the financial side of their life, diving into the reasons behind their financial habits so that we can create lasting change.

At the end of the day, we both help people do better and feel more confident about their money.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

You've got great money tips to share, but are you forgetting one crucial detail in your marketing? We’re talking about the fact that you're actually a financial coach.

This might sound obvious, but we see it all the time—coaches sharing awesome money advice without ever mentioning they work with clients. If that's you, you're not alone. And it could be costing you business.

In this episode, we're talking about how to make it crystal clear that you're a coach who helps real people with their money. Not just another finance influencer or content creator.

We'll cover some simple ways to weave in the fact that you work with clients, without sounding sales-y or awkward. Things like "This is one of the things I help my clients with" or "When people first come to me, they often struggle with..."

You don't need to give a full sales pitch to let people know they can hire you to help with their money. Just little mentions here and there to remind people that you actually work with clients and how you help them.

By the end, you'll have some practical ideas for how to make it obvious you're a coach and you’re for hire. Because if you never tell people you're a coach, how will they know they can hire you?


Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Investing conversations can be a minefield for financial coaches. Where's the line between education and advice? How much is too much to share? What responsibility do you have for offering advice (or leaving it alone altogether)?

This week, we’re tackling the hot topic of how financial coaches can talk about investing with clients—without crossing into advisor territory. We look at why these conversations matter and how you, as the financial coach, can actually complement the work of financial advisors.

You'll learn a framework for exploring retirement and investing with clients in a way that builds their confidence and clarity. We cover key areas like helping clients envision their ideal retirement, assessing their current investing knowledge, clarifying future goals, and understanding their options for getting started.

For coaches who've been hesitant to discuss investing, this episode offers a roadmap for having these important conversations without feeling like you’re stepping into unknown territory. You'll walk away with practical questions to ask and crucial points to cover with clients.

We also address the debate around whether coaches should discuss investing at all. Our take? Coaches play a valuable role in helping clients engage with this critical aspect of their financial lives.

Remember, as coaches we're not here to tell clients what to do about investing. Our job is to help them determine what they think and identify their next best step. This episode will show you how to do just that.


Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Social media is a great way to connect with new prospective clients, but it can feel impersonal and salesy too. We’ve all been the target of unsolicited DMs from people who want to sell us something.

Let’s not be those people in our own businesses.

This week, we're talking about how to initiate conversations with new people in a way that feels authentic and real, and then move those social media chats into real-world connections.

Because if we stay in the DMs or try to convert new clients there, we miss out on the nuances of face-to-face talks. It’s hard to build trust through text alone and we want our clients to feel good about saying yes to us.

Listen in as we cover what not to do in your DMs (like jumping straight to selling or offering coaching advice) and share six practical tips to make your conversations more effective. You'll learn how to validate people's feelings, be yourself, and naturally move chats offline.

Whether you're struggling with awkward DM exchanges or want to improve your online communication, this episode has real-world advice to help you connect better with potential clients. We'll show you how to read between the lines, acknowledge emotions, and invite people to chat in a way that feels natural and helpful.

So if you want to stop feeling stuck in never-ending message threads and start having meaningful conversations that lead somewhere, tune in to this episode. You'll walk away with simple strategies to make your DMs work for your coaching business, not against it.


Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Ever feel like you're hitting a wall when it comes to pricing conversations with potential clients?

We've all been there: you have a great call with a potential client, but then they hit you with the "I just don't have it in my budget right now" reasoning for not moving forward. It's easy to start doubting yourself or your pricing, but here's the thing: it's usually not about the price at all.

This week on the podcast, we're breaking down six practical steps to navigate these tricky conversations. You'll learn how to validate your client's concerns, get into their mindset, and figure out what's really holding them back. We'll talk about avoiding that pushy "convincing" energy and even discuss when it might be okay for a client to put coaching on a credit card.

(Are you shocked that we just went there? You need to listen in.)

The key takeaway? When a client says they can't afford it, they're often just nervous and unsure if coaching will truly solve their problem. Your job is to help them see the value and feel confident in their decision.

So grab a pen and get ready to shift those awkward pricing conversations into opportunities to connect with your clients and show them how you can help. Trust me, after this episode, you'll feel way more prepared to handle these situations with ease.


Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group
• Client Creator Challenge
• Episode 33
  
  

When you decided to become a financial coach, you were probably just like me - thinking you’d sit down with a client, explain the ins and outs of money - and they’d immediately “get it.” In one session, they’d see the vision, change their habits, and I’d be there to support them as they had an incredible transformation.

But, as I’m sure you’ve discovered, actually coaching someone through a real financial transformation is nothing like what I’d imagined - instead of teaching (which is essentially what I thought I’d be doing), I had to learn how to be a coach. Not an instructor, not a lecturer, not…like the “well-known” financial gurus (who aren’t coaches, BTW).

Because here’s the truth: Coaching is helping a person as they become the person who creates a certain outcome for themselves. YOU, as the coach, are likely already that person - you’ve developed the skill set, the knowledge, the understanding, and the awareness to make that decision, but coaching isn’t about YOU, it’s about the client.

Get ready to dive in, because this refresher is one we all need from time-to-time.

Links and Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

This week’s episode is part of a series on your unique value proposition. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to go back and listen to episode 75 first to get the full context of this topic.

In this week’s episode, we're talking about the beliefs your clients need to have to invest in you. It's not just about what they believe about themselves and their own finances or ability to make a quality decision. You also need to know what they think about your coaching and any misconceptions we need to clear up.

We’re also looking at the feelings your clients need to have. Are they feeling hopeful? Valued? Ready for change? Understanding these emotions can help you create marketing that really connects.

I share how I wrote stories about my actual clients to bring all of this to life. These aren’t perfect, polished stories, but I do capture the human side of what we do as coaches.

We also talk about finding common ground with your clients: What experiences do you share? What hopes for the future do you have in common? These conversation starters can really help you connect.

I also encourage you to think about freebies or challenges you can offer that meet your clients where they're at. And here's something that might sound a bit out there: I suggest writing a love letter to your client persona. Trust me, it can be a powerful exercise!

And we wrap up by putting all of this together into your unique value proposition.

This whole process takes time and effort, but it's so worth it. When you're done, you'll have a clear picture of who you are, who your clients are, and how you can help them. Bringing your authentic self to your work will help you feel more aligned with your audience and business which can foster more success.


Links & Resources:

• Episode 75
• Join the Facebook group

Are you struggling to stand out in the crowded world of financial coaching? I've been there. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on how I completely transformed my business by rediscovering my unique voice.

For months, I felt disconnected from my own brand. My website didn't feel like me, and my messaging was all over the place. Sound familiar? I bet it does. That's why I'm sharing the exact process I used to cut through the noise and reconnect with what makes me, well, me.

I'll walk you through creating a vivid client persona that goes way beyond basic demographics. We're talking about getting inside your ideal client's head—understanding their deepest fears, their secret dreams, and what really makes them tick.

I'll challenge some common assumptions about what clients actually care about when hiring a coach. Spoiler alert: it's probably not what you think. I'll even break down a real-world example that blew my mind and completely changed how I approach my marketing.

Like always, I'm giving you the practical steps I use inside my own business. Whether you're just starting out or you've been at this for years, this episode will help you find your unique edge and speak directly to the heart of what your clients really want.

Fair warning: this work isn't easy. It took me eight solid months of work to do this work. But the payoff? It's been huge. I now have a website I love, messaging that feels authentic, and a clear vision of the value I bring to my clients.

Ready to unlock what makes you truly unique as a financial coach? Tune in, and let's dig in together.


Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group