When Debbie White says coaches don't need to be louder or slicker to stand out, she means something that might feel backwards at first. After spending 20 years launching brands like Starbucks and building multiple seven-figure businesses, she's watched too many coaches try to sound like marketers instead of humans.

The problem? People buy from people, not from polished marketing speak. And right now, there's so much formulaic content out there that it all sounds the same. Your ideal clients are scrolling past it because it feels like white noise.

Debbie walks through her Lighthouse Effect concept—a way to get crystal clear on who you serve, what makes you different, and how to talk about it so your people think “Oh, it's you I've been looking for.” She talks about why being more yourself actually makes you magnetic to the right clients, and how repetition of the right message beats posting constantly with the wrong one.

We get into the messy reality of finding your voice when you've been taught to sound professional. Debbie shares stories from her own clients—like the financial coach whose people said things like “looking at my numbers makes my throat tight” and “I'm terrified to check my credit card balance.” That's not budget management speak. That's real human fear, and when you can speak to that, everything changes.

There's also an honest conversation about the COVID years and how they created this rise of formulaic business coaching that focused on revenue numbers instead of actually helping people build sustainable businesses. Debbie thinks we're seeing a backlash now—people are getting smarter about spotting content that doesn't feel real.

She gives practical advice about creating content for one person instead of trying to talk to everyone. She explains why AI-generated content often falls flat and how to use it without sounding like every other coach out there. And she shares what she wishes every coach knew about their own value and why the world actually needs what they have to offer.

If you've ever felt like you're blending in even though you know you have something unique, this conversation will help you figure out how to show up as yourself in a way that makes it ridiculously easy for the right people to find you.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Take the persona quiz
• Visit the Clarity Wins Clients website
• Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn
• Join the Lighthouse Marketing Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Stop trying to sound like a marketer and start sounding like a human. Because 95% of buying decisions happen in the emotional, subconscious part of our brain where we connect with real people, not polished marketing speak.
• The math is simple: Would you rather post generic content 20 times that gets ignored, or post one authentic piece that makes your ideal client think “that's exactly how I feel”?
• Your “professional mask” isn't protecting your credibility; it's making you invisible. When every coach sounds the same, being more of yourself becomes your competitive advantage.
• Here's what your clients are really saying: “I'm terrified to look at my numbers. It makes my throat tight.” Stop talking about “budget management” and start speaking to the actual fear keeping them up at night.

If you’re trying to do everything for your clients, you’re doing them a disservice. Yep, I said it. As financial coaches, we don’t know everything there is to know about finances, and that’s okay. We’re focused on our niche and expertise and while there’s nothing wrong with learning and growing with our clients, there comes a time when referring them to another professional is the best next step.

I used to think that referring clients to other professionals meant I wasn't good enough at my job. Turns out, it's actually one of the most valuable things I can do for them. When you position yourself as the quarterback of your client's financial journey, you become more essential to them, not less.

Most people have a financial advisor who doesn't talk to their CPA, who doesn't coordinate with their insurance agent. That leaves your clients trying to figure out how all these pieces fit together on their own.

And that's where you come in.

This week, I’m sharing exactly how I've learned to recognize when my clients need specialized help and the clear indicators that tell you when it's time to bring in other professionals. And you know what? Some referral relationships have become some of my best sources of new clients.

Here’s just one example: For 12 years, I handled student loan guidance myself. But when the rules started changing rapidly, I made the decision to partner with a specialist instead. I didn't feel bad about this decision. I felt proud that I cared more about what was best for my clients than my own ego.

Your scope of practice isn't a limitation. It's actually what makes you valuable. Listen in to hear specific language for these referral conversations and explain how to build relationships with other professionals so you have a solid network ready when your clients need help.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Episode 66
• Episode 53

Key Takeaways:

• You're not your client's only financial resource, you're their quarterback. Coordinate the game plan while bringing in specialists for specific plays.
• Refer too early rather than too late. If you're unsure whether a client needs specialized advice, lean toward making the referral.
• The strongest referral relationships develop through consistently positive experiences with mutual clients—so be patient and focus on quality over quantity.
• Frame referrals as expanding resources, not passing clients off. Say, “To help you reach your goals faster, I'd like to bring in a specialist” instead of simply “This is outside my expertise.”
• Your scope of practice isn't a limitation, it's what makes you valuable. When you try to be everything to everyone, you become less effective at what you're truly great at.
• Clients need your coaching support most when implementing advice from other professionals. Schedule specific sessions to help them translate technical recommendations into practical action steps.
• Build relationships with professionals who care about staying in their lane as much as you do. Look for people who won't tell you how to do your job while you respect theirs.

You want to grow your financial coaching business but you're not quite ready to make a big investment. Maybe you're just getting started, or you're building momentum but hesitant about spending thousands of dollars on training programs.

This week, we’re tackling one of the most common questions we get: how can you grow your financial coaching business using resources that are available right now, without waiting until you feel perfectly prepared or have the budget for a mastermind or program?

We’re firm believers in lifelong learning and know there is an incredible library of free and low-cost resources available online (this podcast included). But first, we need to address the mindset piece that's absolutely foundational to your growth. Many coaches get stuck thinking they need to know everything before they can help anyone, and that's simply not true. You likely know more than you realize about personal finance, and you've already overcome challenges that your future clients are still facing.

The reality is that growth as a coach happens through a combination of learning and doing, not just one or the other.

We explore the shift from consumption to implementation. The most successful coaches are the ones who take one idea, implement it fully, measure the results, and then move on to the next thing. They don't learn endlessly without taking action, and they don't wait until they feel completely ready.

Throughout the episode, we walk through specific free and low-cost resources that can help you grow right where you are. From podcasts and training materials to community groups and industry connections, there are tools available to support your journey at every stage.

We also cover how to combine these various resources into a personalized growth plan that actually works for your life and business. The key isn't which specific resources you choose, but your commitment to applying what you learn consistently over time.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear roadmap of next steps, regardless of where you are in your journey, plus practical examples of how other coaches have used these resources to solve specific challenges in their businesses.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Episode 85
• Episode 72
• Episode 88
• Episode 106
• Episode 105
• Episode 93
• Episode 66 

Key Takeaways:

• Growth happens through learning and doing simultaneously, not waiting until you feel perfectly prepared.
• Ask yourself this: What you're really seeking is certainty, and you only get that by helping someone and seeing results.
• Move from consumption to implementation by taking one idea and fully implementing it before moving on.
• Focus here: Strengthen your weakest link instead of trying to learn everything at once.
• The real marketing secret: Your clients’ experience and results drive referrals better than any strategy.
• You can make incredible progress in six months through focus and consistency, even if you don't notice it weekly.

There's something happening in the financial coaching world that's got a lot of us feeling uneasy. Maybe you've heard the whispers, or maybe you've been losing sleep over it yourself.

AI is coming for our jobs, they say. Clients can just ask ChatGPT for financial advice now. Why would they need us?

I've been watching this conversation unfold in coaching groups and on Reddit, and I've got to tell you—the fear is real, but it's also missing the point entirely. Because here's what I've learned from working with coaches who are already experimenting with AI, and from my own experience using these tools: the question isn't whether AI will replace us. It's how we're going to use it to become even better at what we already do.

Think about the last time a client came to you. Did they need someone to crunch numbers? Or did they need someone who could see the hesitation in their voice when they talked about starting that business? Someone who noticed their body language shift when debt came up? Someone who understood that their financial decisions weren't really about money at all, but about the stories they've been telling themselves for years?

That's the thing about transformation. It's messy in a way that AI simply can't navigate. And transformation is what we're really in the business of, isn't it?

I've had clients try AI tools for financial guidance, only to come back because they missed something they couldn't quite name. They missed the relationship. They missed being truly seen and understood. And they missed having someone who cared about their success in a way that went beyond just giving them the right answer.

And while AI can't replace what we do, it can absolutely make us better at doing it. I've been experimenting with ways to use AI as my behind-the-scenes assistant, handling some administrative stuff that drains my energy so I can focus on the human work that only I can do. And the results have been pretty remarkable.

This week, I’m sharing more about this timely topic and why AI isn’t going to replace you. Instead, I want you to understand exactly what makes you irreplaceable so you can use technology to lean into those strengths even more.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• AI can analyze numbers, but it can't feel the pit in your stomach from buyer's remorse or recognize the fear behind someone's excitement about starting a business. THIS is what makes you irreplaceable.
• Use AI to handle the mechanical tasks so you can spend more time on the meaningful work that transforms lives.
• What is rare becomes priceless. As technology advances, human connection becomes increasingly valuable, not less.
• Your clients need more than information. They need someone who notices their body language when discussing money topics and hears the hesitation in their voice.
• Pick one repetitive task that doesn't require your unique expertise and experiment with AI handling it this week.
• Be upfront with clients about how you use AI in your business. This builds trust and shows them where technology ends and your human expertise begins.
• Double down on your humanity. The coaches thriving with AI aren't replacing their human touch. Rather, they're using technology to create more space for deeper, more personal client interactions.

You can create the most beautiful, helpful content in the world, but if you're not inviting people to work with you, you're an educator, not a business owner.

Walli Miller learned this the hard way. She was doing everything “right” as a content creator. Her posts were gorgeous, her financial tips were solid, people were commenting and sharing her stuff. But months went by after her first client, and crickets.

The missing piece wasn't better content or a perfect Instagram strategy. It was something way simpler and way scarier: she wasn't actually inviting people to work with her.

Walli started her blog anonymously because she was frustrated that no one in her circle was talking about building wealth beyond just staying out of debt. As a first-generation college graduate from an immigrant family, she knew there weren't enough voices sharing that perspective.

At FinCon, she learned she could make money from her content. But even after getting her first paying client, she kept creating the same educational content for months without getting another one.

The breakthrough came when she realized she was treating content creation like teaching, not coaching. She was giving people tips but never painting a picture of what was possible for them personally. More importantly, she wasn't making it easy for people to take the next step.

Walli had to shift her whole relationship with sales. At first, “salesy” felt like that pushy car dealer vibe. Now she sees sales as service. She's helping people make a down payment on their financial breakthrough.

She realized her clients weren't struggling with the math. They needed someone to help them believe their finances could actually look different. That's when everything changed for her approach to content and conversations with potential clients.

Listen in to this week’s conversation to hear Walli’s whole evolution story.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• FinCon (Use code KELSA50 for $50 off any FC25 pass)
• Follow Walli on Instagram
• Financially Thriving Money Coaching
• The Elite Coaching Program

Key Takeaways:

• If you're not inviting people to work with you, you're an educator, not a business owner. Even the most beautiful, helpful content won't translate to clients without clear calls to action.
• Coaching starts before the coaching relationship begins. Help people believe change is possible and visualize what working with you looks like—don't assume they know how to take the next step.
• Sales isn't pushy. It's helping people make a down payment on their breakthrough. When you shift from seeing sales as manipulation to seeing it as service, everything changes.
• Your clients aren't struggling with information—they're struggling with belief. Stop throwing more tips into the world and start showing people what's actually possible for them.
• “What price are you willing to pay for someone else's breakthrough?” Sometimes that price is sitting in the discomfort of being visible, making offers, and putting yourself out there.
• People need to see themselves in your story to believe your results are possible for them. Sharing your background and journey isn't bragging—it's giving others permission to dream bigger.

Brian Haney has watched it happen more times than he can count. A client comes to him with what looks like a straightforward financial situation, but six months later, they're calling his office feeling completely overwhelmed. Not because the plan was wrong, but because something fundamental was missing.

In Brian's case, one example was a recently retired client who had plenty of money and a solid income plan. She should have been celebrating, but instead she was paralyzed. The issue wasn't her portfolio or her budget—it was that she'd never actually managed her own spending before. Her late husband had handled it, then her kids stepped in to help. Now she was on her own and terrified to spend a dime of her own money.

This conversation digs into what happened next and why it changed how Brian thinks about partnerships in financial services. We talk about the moment he realized he wasn't the right person to help her with this specific challenge, and what it felt like to tell a client she needed to work with someone else.

Brian shares his perspective on why some advisors still operate in silos while others actively build their bench of trusted professionals. He explains what makes a coach outreach actually worth his time versus the messages that get ignored, and why he thinks the future of financial services looks more like a law firm than the current model.

And we explore his four financial concern areas framework and why he believes most people in the financial industry suffer from the same training gap. Plus, you'll hear about the million-dollar-earning surgeon who couldn't get approved for a loan and what that taught Brian about the difference between earning money and handling it.

If you've been thinking about reaching out to build partnerships with others in the financial industry but aren't sure how to start, or if you're curious about what collaboration actually looks like when it's working well, this conversation gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how these relationships really develop.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Brian Haney
• Financial Guy Podcast

Key Takeaways:

• “I'm not the person to help you with that, or at least I'm not the best person to help you with that.” Learning to say this to clients isn't a weakness, it's the foundation of excellent service.
• Stop trying to be the expert in everything. Just like law firms have specialists, financial practices work better when you master your lane and partner for everything else.
• The million-dollar surgeon with terrible credit proves this truth: It doesn't matter how much money you make if you don't know how to handle it.
• When reaching out to potential partners, lead with curiosity, not your pitch. “I'm really interested in understanding what a day in your life is all about” beats any sales script.
• Blue ocean thinking: There are plenty of fish in the sea for all of us. Focus on adding value to the marketplace instead of competing for the same clients.
• Your clients should use you as a resource to find other professionals. When they call asking for referrals to specialists you don't know, that's a sign you're doing partnership right.
• Four financial domains everyone needs help with: daily money management, major purchases, planning for the future, and planning for the unexpected. No single professional can master all four—and they shouldn't try.

When you're starting your coaching business, your friends and family feel like the obvious first clients. They already trust you, they want to support your new venture, and honestly, it feels way less scary than reaching out to complete strangers.

But what happens when your sister stops sharing her real spending habits because she doesn't want you judging her credit card debt at Thanksgiving dinner? Or when your best friend expects free advice every time you grab coffee together?

The thing is, financial coaching requires complete honesty and vulnerability. With strangers, there's less at stake emotionally. But when it's your college roommate or your cousin, suddenly they're holding back information because they don't want to change how you see them at family gatherings.

And then there's the flip side: you might find yourself going easier on them because you don't want to create tension in your friendship. You avoid the hard conversations about their shopping habits because you're worried about protecting the relationship, which impacts your ability to be an effective coach.

In this episode, I'm sharing the real pros and cons of coaching friends and family, including practical strategies if you do decide to work with your inner circle. But the bigger question is this: Is this actually sustainable for building the business you really want?

If you've been wondering whether you should coach the people closest to you, or if you're already doing it and feeling stuck, this episode will help you make intentional decisions about your business that honor both your relationships and your professional goals.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Your inner circle might trust you, but that doesn't mean they'll tell you the whole truth about their finances.
• The problem with coaching friends: You may go easier on them to protect the relationship, which means they don't get the coaching they actually need.
• Question to ask yourself: Am I building a business or just helping people I already know?
• If you coach friends and family, treat them more professionally than your regular clients, not less.
• Your personal network has an expiration date as a client source—eventually you'll need to look beyond people who already know you.
• The most successful coaches use friends and family as practice, not as their business model.
• Here's how to keep the relationship with friends and family: Let them refer people to you instead of becoming clients themselves.

If you've been coaching for any length of time, you've probably experienced this. A client introduces you as their financial therapist or thanks you for their financial therapy session. It might seem like a compliment, but there's something important we need to address.

Money is deeply emotional. When we help clients work through their financial challenges, we're often helping them process feelings like shame, fear, anxiety, and guilt. This emotional component can make our work feel therapeutic, even though we're not providing therapy.

But there's an important distinction between what we do as financial coaches and what therapists do. Understanding that difference actually makes us better at our job and helps us serve our clients more effectively.

Some coaches feel uncomfortable when clients call them therapists because they worry about overstepping professional boundaries. Others feel flattered and take it as a sign they're providing meaningful support. Both responses make sense, but these moments are actually opportunities.

When someone calls you their financial therapist, it's a chance to help them understand what coaching really is and set clear expectations about how you work together. And it’s important to be crystal clear about your role and be confident in what you do (and don’t do).

This isn't about diminishing the support we offer or making our work seem less meaningful. Financial coaching absolutely changes lives. It's about being intentional with our professional boundaries in a way that actually serves our clients better.

The coaches who thrive understand when their clients might need something they can't provide, and they see making referrals as professional integrity, not failure. They've learned how to acknowledge the emotional aspects of money while staying firmly within their coaching role.

Being clear about the distinction between coaching and counseling doesn't take away from what we do. It actually helps us do it better.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Coaching focuses on the present and future while counseling explores the past. This timeline difference shapes everything about how you work with clients.
• You don't tell clients what to do, you help them discover what they want to do. Financial coaches act as sounding boards, not financial advisors making recommendations.
• The basic presumption of coaching is that clients are mentally and emotionally ready to receive guidance. They're in a good place to make changes toward their goals.
• Money is deeply emotional, which makes coaching feel therapeutic even though it's not therapy. Acknowledge the emotions without stepping into a therapeutic role.
• Making a referral isn't a failure, it's professional integrity. Recognizing when clients need mental health support shows genuine care for their wellbeing.
• Use it as a teaching moment when clients call you their therapist. Say, “I appreciate that our work feels supportive, though as a coach, my focus is helping you build financial skills.”
• Include the coaching vs therapy distinction in your onboarding materials. Set appropriate expectations from the start with clear explanations in your welcome packet.

Have you been spinning your wheels with marketing, doing all the things you're supposed to do…but feeling like you're getting nowhere? You're showing up on social media, going to networking events, having coffee chats, but your client list isn't budging. Most of us think the solution is to do more—add another platform, attend more events, schedule more meetings.

What if that's actually making things worse?

There's this pattern that happens with so many financial coaches. They start with Instagram, post for a couple months without much to show for it, then decide they need LinkedIn too. 

Maybe YouTube. Before they know it, they're spread so thin that nothing works well. Their content gets watered down, their message gets muddy, and they're exhausted without the clients they want.

The same thing happens with networking. A few events don't lead to clients, so the response is to book more coffee chats and attend more events. But here's the thing (and you probably already know this): quantity rarely solves a quality problem. If your Instagram posts aren't connecting with the right people, making more of them won't fix that. If your networking conversations aren't turning into business, having more of the same conversations probably won't change much either.

We get caught up in mistaking activity for progress. We feel busy, we're checking boxes, but we're not actually moving anything forward in our business.

There's a different way to think about this. Instead of asking, “what else should I be doing,” what if you asked, “how can I make what I'm already doing more effective?” That shift changes everything.

This episode breaks down how to stop the marketing hamster wheel and start seeing real results without burning yourself out. We'll talk about why doing fewer things better often leads to more growth than trying to be everywhere at once, and how to create what I call a learning loop that actually moves your business forward.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Quantity rarely solves a quality problem. If your Instagram posts aren't resonating, making more won't fix the disconnect with your ideal clients.
• Stop asking “what else should I be doing” and start asking “how can I make what I'm already doing more effective.” This one question shift changes your entire marketing approach.
• You're mistaking activity for progress when you feel busy checking marketing boxes but your client roster isn't growing.
• True scaling often means doing fewer things better. The most successful coaches aren't doing more marketing activities than you, they're being more intentional with what they choose.
• Sometimes the best way to help a plant thrive isn't to plant more seeds, but to prune what's already growing. Your marketing needs refinement, not expansion.
• A simple shift from “DM me if you have questions” to “DM me with the word ‘budget’ to receive my free guide” can make all the difference in your conversion rates.
• Create a learning loop: action, evaluation, refinement, then action again. Real growth happens when you get better at the fundamentals, not when you constantly try new things.
  
  

What does it really mean to be a financial coach in integrity with what we do? This week on the podcast, we’re tackling this head-on, talking about the realities behind what's often seen but seldom spoken about. It’s the challenges behind coaches coaching coaches (say that three times fast!) and staying in integrity with how we market ourselves and being open and transparent with clients.

In this episode, you’ll hear some real-life examples of the vulnerable (and the ick) when it comes to coaches coaching coaches and I hope you hear my invitation to really think about your own role as a financial coach. How do you balance ambition with honesty? How do you navigate the complexities of scaling a business while staying true to your mission? These are just a few of the ideas you’ll hear, as well as my own answers to these questions.

So, if you're curious about what it really takes to uphold integrity in financial coaching, if you're looking to find a balance between your financial acumen and your coaching spirit, or if you're simply seeking a heart-centered approach to this profession, this episode is for you.

Tune in to discover insights that could redefine your approach to financial coaching. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one!

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, but never step outside your integrity zone - the distinction between growth and compromise matters more than you think.
• The coaches coaching coaches industry often becomes a pyramid where the only six-figure business they've built is teaching others to build the business they never actually built themselves.
• Ask this critical question before hiring any business coach: Have they succeeded at the actual thing they're teaching, or only at teaching it?
• Over-promising is the supplement industry of coaching - claiming your program cures everything while delivering results you can't control.
• Two sides make financial coaches powerful: the dreamer who believes in potential and the realist who sees the hard work required.
• The life coaching pyramid targets you as the easier sale - coaches buy faster than real clients because hope sells better than results.
• Truth in marketing means being honest about what you haven't achieved, not just highlighting what you have - transparency builds more trust than hype ever will.