Money Made Human Podcast

Financial content is everywhere. Personal finance is the second most talked about topic on the internet. And yet, people are more stressed about money than ever before. American household debt sits at an all-time high of $18.4 trillion and the personal savings rate hit 1.4% in July 2025, the lowest in history.

Something isn't working.

You've seen it with your own clients: they nod along, say they understand, maybe even seem motivated. But then nothing changes. They show up to the next session disconnected or discouraged.

In this episode, we're kicking off a three-part series that addresses the disconnect between what we teach people about money and what actually helps them change the way they manage it. We call it the knowing-doing disconnect, and it's costing millions of people the financial freedom they're working so hard to achieve.

This isn't about creating more content or giving better advice. The problem runs deeper than that. Telling clients what to do and helping them feel better isn’t enough to create lasting financial change. This week, we’re walking through the sobering reality of where we are as a profession and introducing the foundation for what needs to shift.

This is part one of a three-part series.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• The knowing-doing disconnect is real. People can know what to do with their money and even feel supported, but that doesn't mean they'll take action or see lasting change.
• Financial stress doesn't capture the full picture. What people are experiencing is despair, hopelessness, and exhaustion. 
• More financial content isn't solving the problem. Personal finance is the second most talked about topic on the internet, yet financial stress is at an all-time high and savings are at historic lows.
• Financial literacy is knowledge; financial coaching is application. We can learn how to eat better, but if we don't actually change how we eat, we don't get healthier. The same is true for money.
• The way we're approaching financial change isn't working. If our mission is to help people experience real change in their financial lives, we have to acknowledge we're not fulfilling that mission.
• Coaching is a partnership, not just sitting back and watching. It's about providing guidance and training, not telling people to figure it out on their own.
• We're not doing good enough, Coach. If we care about helping people, we must do better, starting with understanding what's missing from our profession.

You didn't start your coaching business to become a marketing expert.

But marketing is how you get visible and attract the right clients. Without it, even talented coaches struggle to fill their practice and create the impact they want.

The good news? Boosting your marketing doesn't require a complete overhaul or endless hours. With focused adjustments to what you're already doing, you can start seeing better results.

In this video, I'm sharing 14 marketing strategies we used in our most recent Client Creator Challenge. These strategies help you fill gaps and strengthen your client attraction system, whether you're just starting out or refining your existing efforts.

I'll walk through leveraging testimonials, capturing client results, nurturing referral relationships, crafting clear calls-to-action, and more. The key is choosing one area to focus on and refining your approach from there. As you implement these strategies consistently, you'll start seeing the growth and traction you're working towards.

Links & Resources:

• Join Financial Coaches Unite!
• Episode 9: How do I get clients as a financial coach?
• Episode 28: Why aren’t you getting more clients? 
• Client Creator Challenge

Financial coaching isn't about giving better advice. Most of your clients already know they should spend less than they earn. They know they need an emergency fund. They've heard the standard recommendations before.

So why aren't they making progress?

The gap isn't information. It's follow-through. And follow-through doesn't come from another spreadsheet or a clearer explanation of compound interest. It comes from something entirely different: helping clients shift how they see themselves, how they relate to money, and whether they believe they're actually capable of change.

Early in my coaching career, I made this mistake constantly. I thought if I just explained things clearly enough, clients would take action. I learned pretty quickly that knowledge wasn't the sticking point. What they needed was support, trust, and a process that worked even when life got messy.

In this episode, I'm walking you through what it actually takes to help clients move from understanding to doing. We're talking about the deeper work of coaching: listening for what's underneath the words, creating safety so clients can be honest without fear of judgment, and meeting people exactly where they are instead of where you think they should be.

This is about helping clients build confidence through small, meaningful wins. It's about rewriting the story they tell themselves about money. And it's about recognizing that your job isn't to be an advice-giver, but a transformational guide.

If you've ever had clients who say they understand everything but keep showing up having made little progress, this episode will help you see what's actually happening and how to shift your approach.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group
• Free Workshop: How To Create Commitment With Your Clients
• Money Made Human™ Certification

Key Takeaways:

• When clients say they want a budget, they often mean "I feel out of control." Listen for the emotion underneath the request, not just the surface-level ask.
• Information isn't the gap… follow-through is. Most people already know what they should do with money; they need support in actually doing it.
• Trust is built through safety, not perfection. Normalize struggle instead of rushing to solutions. Say things like, "Of course you've tried this before and it didn't stick. Let's look at why together."
• Test every recommendation against your client's real capacity right now. If it's not doable for their life in this moment, scale it down until it is.
• Small wins create identity shifts. Once clients see themselves following through on something, they start to trust themselves. And that's when transformation begins.
• Meet clients where they are, not where you think they should be. The client drowning in debt doesn't need retirement strategies yet. Match your recommendations to their actual readiness.
• Start every session with a win, even if progress is small. Help clients name it and celebrate it. Self-trust is what enables the next step forward.

People will tell you they want financial literacy. They'll say they need to understand their numbers better, get organized, learn the right steps. And those things matter, of course they do. 

But here's what I've learned after almost two decades of doing this work: knowledge isn't the problem anymore. 

We're drowning in financial education. Books, podcasts, TikToks, workplace programs. If information were the answer, credit card balances wouldn't be at an all-time high right now. Savings rates wouldn't be at historic lows. And money wouldn't be the number one cause of stress in our country.

So what's missing? Over the past few years, I've had a front-row seat to financial coaching happening across our industry. I've worked with large wellness companies, consulted with universities, listened to well over 100 coaching sessions. And what I saw troubled me deeply. 

People weren't walking away transformed. They were walking away with a shrug. "It was fine." 

Fine isn't good enough. Not for our clients, and not for this profession.

The gap isn't knowledge. It's not even application. The gap is ownership. True ownership. The kind of steady commitment that becomes part of who someone is. And as an industry, we're not doing a good enough job helping people get there.

In this episode, I'm sharing what I've seen, why it matters, and what we can do about it. 

Because financial coaching is at a turning point right now. We get to decide what this profession will be known for. And I believe we're capable of so much better.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Fine is not good enough. When clients walk away from coaching with a shrug instead of transformation, we've failed to create real impact. That shapes how our entire profession is perceived.
• The gap isn't knowledge, it's ownership. People aren't failing because they lack information. They're stuck because we haven't helped them build true belief in what they're doing with their money.
• Neutral is the death of impact. Surface-level coaching doesn't just waste time. It leaves clients feeling like they've failed again, reinforcing shame instead of creating change.
• Scattershot coaching is everywhere. When clients leave sessions with disconnected instructions instead of a clear roadmap tied to their bigger journey, we're making it harder for them to succeed.
• Raising standards isn't glamorous, but it works. Precision matters. Every moment in a session shapes whether clients leave feeling confident and committed or unchanged. From how we present options to whether we catch hesitation.
• Financial coaching can be healing. Not in a clinical sense, but in a real-world way. When done well, it helps people stop carrying quiet shame and start believing they're capable of change.
• We're defining the future of this profession right now. The standard we set today determines whether financial coaching is remembered for tip sheets and cheerleading, or for transformation that actually sticks.

Most coaches struggle to talk about their work in a way that makes people want to invest. They know they're getting clients results, but when it comes to marketing, something feels off. They're not sure if they should talk about financial coaching or focus on what actually happens for their clients.

This struggle is costing coaches clients every single day. For over 10 years, I fully embraced that what I created was transformation for people. Then the coaching industry exploded and "transformation" became the buzzword everyone used…even people offering surface-level advice. And so, I pulled back from using it. 

But here's what I realized: by avoiding the word because others were over-using or misusing it, I created a gap in my messaging. I let people creating fluff transformations own that word in the marketplace while I struggled to articulate the real, lasting change my clients were experiencing. My marketing got harder because my message got diluted.

And yet, people don't pay for financial coaching. They pay for financial transformation. Coaching is the vehicle. Transformation is the destination. When you can name the specific transformation you create, your marketing gets easier and your confidence grows.

When you position yourself as “just” a coach, you're competing with free resources. Coaching sounds like a process, and people don't want to pay for a process. They want to pay for an outcome. They want their lives to feel different. When someone hears about transformation, they picture relief, confidence, freedom. That's buy-in. And buy-in is what determines whether someone invests in working with you.

This isn't just about marketing tactics. It's about what's best for your client (clear outcome), what's best for you as the coach (confidence in your value), and what's best for your business (attracting the right people).

This week on the podcast, we'll walk through how to get specific about the transformations you're already creating, how to weave those outcomes into your messaging, and why one subtle moment in a client's journey reveals the deepest transformation of all. 

Because if you're a skilled coach, you're already creating transformation. You just might not be naming it.

If you've been struggling to talk about your work in a way that makes people excited to invest, this episode will help you see what you're really delivering and give you the confidence to own it.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group
• Marketing struggles episode
• Download 7 questions to capture client transformations here

Key Takeaways:

• People don't pay for financial coaching. They pay for financial transformation. Understanding this distinction changes how you talk about your work and how people respond to you.
• When you position yourself as just a coach, you're competing with free resources. Coaching sounds like a process, but people want to pay for an outcome that makes their lives feel different.
• The shift from "I help people create budgets" to "I help people feel confident and in control of their future" changes everything. One is about tasks, the other is about identity and peace of mind.
• Ask this question at the end of sessions: "What feels different for you right now compared to when we started working together?" It helps clients reflect on change in real time and gives you proof of your impact.

“Should I add tax prep to my coaching business? What about investment management or insurance?”

I hear this question from coaches all the time, especially when they're looking to grow their revenue. You see other financial professionals offering multiple services and it makes sense—more services should mean more income, right?

Here's what I've learned after working with hundreds of coaches: adding a new service is like starting a whole new business. You need different marketing, different systems, different expertise, and a completely different client experience for each one.

When coaches ask me about adding services, I start asking questions. How many clients are you working with right now? How many hours a week are you coaching? Could you take on more coaching clients if you wanted to?

Most of the time, coaches aren't maxed out on their coaching capacity yet. They're working with five to ten clients. They're coaching a few hours each week. They're getting their clients great results. But they have room for more.

So when we dig into it, the real question isn't “Should I add more services?” It's “How do I grow my revenue in a way that doesn't spread me too thin or take away from the coaching work I'm already doing well?”

In this week’s episode, we're talking about when it makes sense to add services, what actually grows your revenue without burning you out, and how to make decisions about your business that serve both you and your clients.

Your clients hired you because you're excellent at helping them with their money. That excellence is what creates results, and results are what create referrals and a strong reputation. When you try to be good at everything, you end up being great at nothing.

If you've been thinking about expanding what you offer, this episode will help you figure out what your next move should be.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group
• Roadmap training
• Episode 91

Key Takeaways:

• Every new service is like starting a brand new business. Each one needs its own marketing, systems, expertise, and client journey built from scratch.
• Most coaches aren't actually maxed out when they want to add services. If you're not at full capacity with your current offer, fill those spots first before adding complexity.
• Excellence creates results, referrals, and reputation. When you spread yourself thin, you become known for dabbling instead of being great at one thing.
• The restaurant rule applies to coaching too. If your tables are half full on Friday nights, don't launch catering. Fill the seats you already have.
• Specialists can charge more than generalists. Become the coach for couples who fight about money or the coach who helps people crush six figures of debt.
• Better results equal better marketing. When clients are getting consistent outcomes, you get more referrals, testimonials, and repeat business naturally.
• Your clients don't need you to do everything for them. They need you to be excellent at the transformation you're already best at delivering.

First things first, friends: Imposter syndrome is not a thought: “I am an imposter” or a feeling: “I feel like a fake.” It’s a circumstance. And if we want to overcome it, we need to understand it…which means clearly identifying it for what it is, which removes SOME of imposter syndrome’s power.

Think of imposter syndrome as the monster behind your closet door: you sit there, covers pulled up to your chin, staring at it the door. In your mind, the monster (aka, imposter syndrome) keeps getting bigger and bigger and scarier and scarier. Finally, you muster up the courage to walk across the room and open the closet door. And instead of a monster, your cat walks out, looking annoyed that you found their hiding place. Logically, you know that it was never a monster. It was just your cat.

Get ready to shine a light on your own imposter syndrome fears and frustrations, and learn what you can do to shut it down for good (mostly).

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• You're new, not fake. Because being a beginner is normal and temporary.
• You know enough to help someone today even if you don't know everything yet.
• Do it anyway because confidence comes from taking action, not just learning more.
• "Can I trust you?" is what people really want to know when they ask about your credentials.
• Learn while you coach instead of waiting until you're "ready" to start helping people.
• Name the specific thoughts that make you feel like an imposter, then replace them with better ones.
• Feeling like an imposter means you're growing and pushing beyond what's comfortable.

You hang up from that Q&A call thinking you really connected with that person. They'd be so great to work with. You know you can help them. The conversation went great.

And then it's crickets.

They didn't give you an answer on the call. They said they'd think about it and get back to you. But then that person ghosted you or just fell off the face of the planet.

Does this sound familiar? It's so frustrating, and you're really left wondering what went wrong. Why didn't they say yes? Did you miss something?

This keeps coming up in our Facebook group and mastermind: coaches saying the exact same thing. They had this great Q&A call that got booked, but afterwards, nothing. The person just disappeared.

What's actually happening here is that you're making two very common mistakes on these calls, and they're probably happening at the same time without you even realizing it. The first one is that you're accidentally coaching on the Q&A call. The second is that you're overselling or over explaining everything you can possibly do.

It's very easy to fall into coaching mode when you genuinely want to understand what's been happening with someone and their money. Before you know it, you've given them half a dozen little suggestions along the way, and now they either feel like they have a list of things to try on their own, or they think coaching won't help because they've already tried everything you just suggested.

Then there's the overselling part. You get excited about all the ways you can help, so you start talking about your budgeting system and getting clear on their vision and looking at spending and your three-month program and planning for their kids' college and financial independence. Talk about overwhelm.

The thing is, by the time someone reaches out to a financial coach, they've usually already researched everything they can. They've likely been trying to overcome this challenge for years on their own. They're desperate to know if they can find help or not, and what they want is simple: to know that you can solve their problem.

Your job on the Q&A call isn't to sell yourself or prove your value. It's to learn about what they're experiencing and clearly communicate yes or no, this is something you can help them with.

Listen in to this week’s episode and we’ll give you the tools to do just that.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Stop coaching on your Q&A calls. When you give suggestions and strategies, prospects either think they can handle it alone or that you can't help them since they've tried your ideas already.
• Your only job on a Q&A call is to answer one question: “Can I help solve this specific problem, yes or no?” Everything else is a distraction that confuses prospects and kills conversions.
• “I can absolutely help you with this” said twice beats explaining every service you offer. Validation and confidence convert better than comprehensive overviews.
• Keep Q&A calls to 15 minutes maximum. If it's taking longer, you're coaching, overselling, or not confidently leading the conversation.
• Schedule Q&A calls separately from coaching sessions and create mental barriers so you don't carry coaching energy into sales conversations.
• Financial coaching prospects want solutions, not coaching experiences. Unlike life coaching, they don't care about the process, just whether you can solve their money problem.
• “I need to think about it” means you overwhelmed them with information instead of clearly addressing their specific concern.

We've been watching talented, capable financial coaches hold themselves back from doing their best work, and it has nothing to do with skills or caring.

They'll create a freebie but never really put it out there. Someone asks about their coaching, but they don't follow up. They get invited to present at a workshop but decide “now's not the right time.”

It's not that they don't want the results on the other side. It's not that they're not capable, even if it feels a little scary. So why aren't they taking action on the things they say they want to do?

What we’re seeing is a fear of failure epidemic that's showing up in ways that might surprise you. It's creating this cycle where people avoid taking meaningful action because they're terrified of not getting it right.

But we live in a world where everything feels permanent and public. Social media makes it so your mistakes can follow you forever. There's this pressure to have everything figured out before you even start, which creates paralyzing perfectionism where people would rather do nothing than risk doing something imperfectly.

And our environment makes it easier than ever to avoid the challenging work that creates real results. When something feels hard, there's always an easier alternative just a swipe away. You can spend hours watching videos about marketing strategies without ever implementing a marketing strategy, which tricks you into feeling like you're working but leaves you confused about why you're not getting results.

The irony? You’re listening to this podcast right now, learning instead of doing. And that's exactly the trap.

But what if instead of quietly shrinking away and not doing the thing you said you wanted to do, you committed to what we’re calling “loud failure”? What if you decided that if you're going to fail either way, you'd rather fail by actually putting yourself out there?

Because wouldn't it be cool if being okay with loud failure meant you were doing the hard things—talking more, presenting more, offering to help people more—and maybe, just maybe, those things would actually make you successful?

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• You'd rather spend three days writing the perfect email sequence than three hours making phone calls, because one feels safe and the other doesn't. But only one actually gets you closer to new clients.
• “Good enough to move on” is your new standard, not perfection. Embrace it instead of staying stuck in endless revision cycles.
• If you're going to fail either way, fail loudly by putting yourself out there rather than quietly shrinking away and creating the very failure you're trying to avoid.
• Productive procrastination keeps you busy with tasks that feel important but don't move your business forward, like researching every certification instead of just starting to help people.
• Choose one source of business education and stick with it for a month. Consuming information from multiple sources creates overwhelm and imposter syndrome, not progress.
• Discomfort is a sign of growth, not a warning to stop. Learn to dance with your fear instead of running from it.
• Break big goals into smaller actions: instead of “make $100,000 this year,” commit to “have 5 Q&A calls this week.” The smaller step is what actually gets you there.

There's a question that keeps coming up from coaches, and honestly, it's one that can make or break your business if you get the timing wrong.

Should you start a group coaching program or membership?

The appeal is obvious—leverage your time, help more people, bring in more revenue for your time. What's not to love, right? But there's a reason why some coaches launch group programs and absolutely crush it, while others spend weeks building something only to have one person sign up.

And the difference isn't what you think it is.

There are three very specific indicators that tell whether you're ready to host a group program or if you should pump the brakes. Miss these signs, and you could end up like I did years ago: spending weeks creating content and marketing only to wind up with one person paying me $397 for what became a five-dollar-per-hour time suck.

But when you have these three things in place? Group programs can be incredible. People feel less alone when they realize they're not the only one struggling with money. There's this hive mind effect where one person's question unlocks something for three other people. The accountability that happens naturally in groups can make people implement faster than they ever would on their own.

The catch is that most coaches think building a group program will attract the masses, but it's actually the opposite. You want to attract people first, then provide the offering once you have people there to fill it.

This week, we’re walking through exactly when group coaching makes sense, when it doesn't, and if you're ready, the practical steps to actually make it happen without the mistakes that leave you wondering why nobody signed up.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• One-on-one coaching must come first. It's where you develop actual coaching skills and learn what works versus what you think should work.
• Don't build a group program to attract people; attract people first, then build the program. There's nothing more disheartening than launching a group with only one person in it.
• Three signs you're ready for group coaching: you're fully booked with demand, you have a large engaged audience, or you serve a unique niche that services masses.
• Without one-on-one experience first, you'll become a financial educator instead of a coach. Managing group dynamics while figuring out how to coach is like conducting an orchestra before learning to play an instrument.
• Pattern recognition from individual clients becomes your group program foundation—you need to see the common challenges, resistance points, and breakthrough moments to create effective group content.
• Group programs work when demand already exists, not when you're hoping to create demand from scratch.
• Start small with workshops or mini-programs before committing to a full group offering. Test the group dynamic and your enjoyment of it before making a major time investment.