The realization about my qualifications as a Financial Coach
During a Financial Coaching session, I heard someone ask my client – “What makes her qualified to help you?”
Without hesitation, she glared at me and said, “My husband wants to know your qualifications”. I started rolling off my résumé. Well, I said, I’ve worked in finance my entire career, including working for H&R Block and Citigroup while in college. Professionally, I’ve… I stopped mid-sentence. This is when it hit me. I realized he may have wanted my qualifications, but this couple recently paid thousands of dollars to a Financial Planner and received a mere canned presentation containing confusing graphs, charts, and industry jargon. He didn’t want my résumé, he wanted to know what my résumé could do for them. I started over.
You see, I said, I can look at a person’s bank and credit card statements and tell you a lot about them. What I have found in all my years is the story I read was not the one they wanted to tell. They want a story that says they are smart with their money. They live a very fulfilling life with no financial stress. They have little to no debt. They save and invest. They have a great credit score and are on track for a very nice retirement. I have worked with individuals and businesses of all net worths, income levels, and revenue sizes. I’ve consulted CEOs and CFOs of banks and credit unions on how to generate deposits. Wait! Did I just go back to rolling off my résumé? Urgh! Let me try it again. Here goes:
Ok, this is what I know. Personal Finance is not just about the numbers. As you earn, spend, save, and give money, your values are reflected. It becomes a gauge of who you are, what you stand for, and where you are headed. When you are consciously clear about yourself, you feel good, expand, and grow. When you are not clear and not conscious of your money exchanges, you end up doing things, often repeatedly, that do not make logical sense.
I’ve worked with thousands of people and their money. Did you hear that part? I said “People and their money”. I didn’t say market findings, statistics, analysis, and portfolios. This distinction is very important in a coaching relationship.
I’m qualified because as a former banker, I see finances from a banker’s perspective. This means my insight provides a big-picture road map for you, your family, and your business. I’m qualified because I have experience with the tricks of the trade; those that are designed to charge you hundreds of dollars in fees and penalties for making a simple mistake. I’m qualified because I created sales pitches, strategies, and techniques used to get you to borrow more money so that you pay a lot of interest for years. I’m qualified because I’ve seen first-hand that when you invest your money, often it’s more about which investment will yield the highest commission for the advisor vs. what is the right fit for you. I’m qualified, because I know debit cards were not invented as a security measure or convenience for you, but because every time you swipe, lots of companies are getting paid; bad for you because studies show the average person spends 20% more when they pay with cards. I’m qualified because I know the color green is associated with growth, vitality, and renewal, and playing the right music, not putting dollar signs on your menu, and having specialty drinks at certain times of the year entices people to spend $6 every day for a drink that cost pennies to make. I’m qualified because I know the 5c’s (research it) and teach personal finance from that perspective; contributing to longer-term success for my clients. I’m qualified because I practice what I preach.
Let me ask, is caring a qualification? If so, I’m qualified. I left corporate because I never found the right space to truly help people with their finances. So, I decided to build that space myself. Thus, I’m qualified because I built the space. I believe financial freedom is possible for everyone. That belief is the point where my coaching begins.
If you’ve made it through my laundry list of newly realized qualifications, you’ve probably identified with something. Take the step and schedule your free 20-minute consultation HERE
Coach Lana
Want some direction on how to move forward with your finances, schedule your free Q&A with me, and let’s see if working together is the right move for you, CLICK HERE
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