The Financial Coach Academy® Podcast

Ever tried to talk a client out of a risky decision? Found yourself pushing harder when they won't listen to your advice? If you've ever felt your stomach drop when a client chose the path you knew was wrong, this episode is for you.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: when we try to control our clients' choices, it's usually not about them. It's about us. Our insecurity that their mistakes will reflect badly on our coaching. Our arrogance in thinking we can predict the future and know what's best for everyone.

But here's what I learned after years of doing this: trying to shelter clients from consequences actually slows down their growth. The very skills they came to us for - making intentional, informed decisions and learning to pivot when things go sideways - only develop when they experience real world outcomes, both good and bad.

In this episode, I share the mindset shift that changed everything for me. My job isn't to be right or protect clients from ever feeling regret. It's to help them become more resourceful and confident in their ability to respond when life throws them a curve ball.

You'll hear the exact approach I use when clients insist on strategies I think are risky. How to create extreme clarity by mapping out best case, worst case, and most likely scenarios. The questions that illuminate financial, emotional, and logistical impacts without fear mongering. And how to help clients build contingency plans that make risky moves safer.

This isn't about becoming a yes-person who just smiles and nods. It's about the difference between coaching and controlling. Between building resilient clients and making their success about your ego.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Your need to control client decisions isn't about protecting them - it's about protecting your ego from their potential mistakes.
• Real progress happens when clients learn to make intentional decisions and pivot when needed, not when they follow your blueprint perfectly.
• Stop robbing clients of consequences because that's exactly what they need to build the skills they came to you for.
• When a client wants to take a risky path: Map out best case, worst case, and most likely scenarios - then let them choose with eyes wide open.
• Ask yourself: Am I making their success about my comfort or their growth?
• The goal isn't for clients to make the same decision you would - it's for them to make clear, confident decisions they can handle.
• Ethical coaching means walking beside clients with your eyes open and theirs, not telling them which direction to go.

Have you ever met someone in person after following their content and thought, “Wow, they're exactly who I thought they'd be”? That's the power of authenticity, and it's what your clients are looking for too.

Today we're talking about something I see happening a lot in our profession—coaches trying to sound like someone else instead of developing their own voice. I'll share why this matters more than you think, where the line is between inspiration and copying, and how to create content that sounds like you.

I’ll also share something else I’ve been ruminating on for the last year or so: We've somehow lost the art of giving credit where it's due. There used to be blog circles where content creators would openly build on each other's ideas, linking back and adding their own perspectives. But somewhere along the way, we stopped doing this.

Here's what I know for sure: Your clients don't expect you to generate every idea in isolation. They want to work with someone real; someone who speaks their truth, shares their experiences, and isn't afraid to acknowledge where their inspiration comes from.

I'll walk you through practical ways to develop your authentic voice, including how to start with real conversations instead of other people's content, and why your vulnerability creates connection in ways that polished, generic content never will.

Plus, I'll share why I took a three-month content consumption break and how it helped me find my voice again. Sometimes the most distinctive coaches consume less content from their direct competitors and find inspiration elsewhere entirely.

This conversation will help you show up as yourself in your business, which truly is your greatest asset as a coach.
Listen in to discover how authenticity isn't just about integrity; it's about building a sustainable business that attracts the right clients and creates meaningful transformations.

Links & Resources:

• Financial Coach Academy 
• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• Your clients hire you for your perspective, not your ability to sound like someone else. They can sense when something feels off even if they can't put their finger on it.
• Start with conversations you've actually had with clients or friends instead of starting with other people's content; real questions create real connections.
• Giving credit doesn't diminish your authority—it actually shows you're engaged with your field and humble enough to acknowledge others.
• The most distinctive coaches often consume less content from their direct competitors and find inspiration from psychology, behavioral economics, or leadership development instead.
• If you have to ask yourself “would I be comfortable if someone changed my content this way?” then the simplest solution is to give credit.
• Your vulnerability creates connection in ways that polished, generic content never will; share your money mistakes, lessons, and turning points.
• Content creation becomes easier and more enjoyable when you're drawing from your own well of experience rather than trying to maintain someone else's voice.

I used to lose sleep before coaching sessions where I knew I had to deliver tough news. If I saw someone's finances and they were way over budget every month, I felt like, oh my gosh, I'm going to have to be the messenger of terrible news. What are they going to think? How are they going to react?

Today we're talking about those conversations that make your stomach tighten—the ones many coaches want to avoid because they think their client will be unhappy or uncomfortable. But when we avoid these conversations, problems compound, resentment builds, and most importantly, we fail to serve our clients with the honesty they deserve.

We'll cover the specific language that transforms these dreaded moments into opportunities for deeper connection. Instead of saying “at this rate, it will take you 13 years to pay off your debt,” you'll learn how a simple reframe can shift everything. Plus, I'll share how asking clients to rate their financial health on a scale of one to ten changed my entire approach to difficult conversations.

Whether it's discussing negative cash flow, addressing spending habits that don't align with goals, or talking about business finances that aren't working, you'll get concrete phrases and questions that create openness instead of defensiveness. We'll also talk about what happens when clients get emotional (because money is emotional) and how to handle those vulnerable moments in ways that deepen trust rather than damage it.

If you've ever felt uncomfortable having to tell a client something they don't want to hear, this episode gives you the tools to approach these conversations with confidence. Because the truth is, delivering tough news with care is one of the most valuable services we provide as financial coaches.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Episode 27: The Stages of Learning for Financial Coaches

Key Takeaways:

• Preparation beats panic: Practice what you'll say before tough conversations, because delivering bad news with care is one of the most valuable services you provide as a coach.
• Questions starting with “why” create defensiveness, but “what” and “how” create openness. Choose your question words carefully to unlock client insights.
• “You should have” focuses on a past that can't be changed, while “Let's explore what's working” builds on strengths that already exist.
• Emotional moments aren't interruptions to coaching. They're opportunities to create profound trust by staying present without trying to fix or change the feelings.
• Ask clients to rate their financial health 1-10 before delivering tough news; often they already know something's wrong and just don't want to face it alone.
• Every problematic financial habit began as an attempt to meet a legitimate need. Acknowledge this and clients feel seen rather than judged.
• Your comfort with client emotions directly impacts your effectiveness as a coach; when you can hold space for tears without rushing to solutions, real transformation begins.

Many coaches think they need to be everywhere on social media, posting constantly and hoping their ideal clients will find them. But there's a problem with putting all your eggs in the social media basket: social media in 2025 is not the same social media from 10 years ago. And that means that growing a business on social media is leaving too much to chance.

This week, we're talking about why email marketing matters more than ever for financial coaches (and, honestly, any business). You'll hear why your social media following isn't really yours and how one of the contractors in my business lost her entire Facebook account overnight. We'll also cover the six strategies that actually work for growing your email list, including the one approach that we often see coaches completely overlook.

If you've been wondering how to get people to actually sign up for your list, or why your current strategy isn't working, this episode breaks down exactly what you need to know. From creating lead magnets that people actually want to understanding the psychology of what makes someone open your emails week after week.

Plus, I'll share the biggest mistake coaches make with their email lists and the simple fix that can change everything. Whether you're just starting to build your list or looking to breathe new life into an existing one, you'll walk away with practical steps you can implement right away.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Episode 93: Client Conversations with Nora Sudduth
• Episode 94: Build Trust to Attract Financial Coaching Clients

Key Takeaways:

• Your social media following is rented space, but your email list is property you actually own—and no algorithm change can take it away from you.
• Nobody wants another newsletter in their overflowing inbox. They want solutions to their problems, so lead with value, not volume.
• Email marketing delivers $35 for every $1 spent, while social media posts disappear into the void. That's why email is the foundation of a sustainable coaching business.
• The best lead magnet creates an immediate win: don't give them 17 steps to transformation, give them one thing they can implement today and see results.
• Stop asking, “Will you join my newsletter?” and start saying, “I have a resource that helps with exactly what you just mentioned. Can I send it to you?”
• Financial coaching requires nuance and depth that a social post can't deliver, but an email creates the private space people need to engage with sensitive money topics.
• The most important email strategy isn't how often you send or what day you choose; it's consistency and value in every single message that hits their inbox.

Starting a new career can be a challenge. In many instances, we have the opportunity to learn from a mentor or manager who can guide us in the right direction. And while I serve as a mentor for financial coaches, few have actually experienced or witnessed a financial coaching session. 

So I was thrilled when a member of our online community agreed to allow me to record a coaching session as I coached her around a financial decision she was trying to make. See, she had asked for input from our online community but received so many different responses she was actually further from a decision than before.

I hope you’ll tune in to this bonus episode and hear how we walk through Lydia’s decision. I share a bit of what pre-work I did before the session and why I approached the session like I did. 

Please pardon the audio quality; this is the first of what I hope to be a number of examples of what a coaching session looks like in real time.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• The clarity required to make a confident financial decision comes not from avoiding the worst-case scenario, but from being fully prepared for it.
• When facing a major financial choice, ask yourself: Am I making this decision from a place of fear or from a place of purpose-driven growth?
• True financial courage isn't eliminating all risk—it's understanding exactly what you're risking and deciding it's worth the potential gain.
• Your relationship with money reveals itself most clearly when you articulate what you believe you'll gain from spending it.
• Indecision is exhausting; a clear “no” is often more empowering than a perpetual “maybe.”
• Financial coaching isn't about telling someone what's mathematically optimal; it's about guiding them to clarity through their own values and circumstances.
• The next time you're stuck in financial uncertainty, remember: The decision isn't the point. The process is the point.