The Financial Coach Academy® Podcast

Kelsa Dickey
  • 5.0 (107)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A weekly educational podcast from the founder of The Financial Coach Academy®, Kelsa Dickey, that will teach you how to create and grow a profitable financial coaching business that you LOVE and are proud of. At The Financial Coach Academy®, we are passionate about helping you create the business of YOUR dreams – whether that’s a side hustle, part time gig, or 6+ figure company. Get ready to elevate your success!!

  1. 6D AGO

    142. [Inside the Session] Targeted Focus That Changes Your Coaching

    Last week, our Client Seat episode featured me coaching Michelle through feeling out of control with her money after moving to Guatemala. The cash system felt chaotic. Multiple accounts, inconsistent tracking, and no clear rhythm for how money moved. She wanted stability back. This week, I'm showing you what was happening on my side of that conversation. The coaching decisions I was making while listening and what I chose to prioritize and intentionally left alone. When you don't know the client's context, when the situation is completely unfamiliar, you can still lead a session that creates real progress. This isn't about having all the answers, because we never will. It’s about helping the client find clarity. Four specific observations from that session show how to guide someone toward that clarity when the path isn't obvious to either of you yet. Links & Resources: Join the Facebook groupFinancial Coaching EssentialsEpisode 133: Coaching session with Mary AnnClient Seat application Key Takeaways: Targeted focus narrows the conversation and reduces overwhelm. When a client's situation feels chaotic, ask: Where does it feel most out of control right now?Not knowing something doesn't remove your authority as a coach, but pretending does. Name what you don't know and stay present as the guide.Progress happens in layers. Stabilization comes before optimization. Solving one thing well creates momentum for what comes next.Your clients can be the expert on context while you remain the expert on process. True collaboration happens when you share the stage.When clients feel scattered, optimization adds pressure. Stabilization gives them room to breathe, refine, and improve from a solid foundation.Limited scope isn't a weakness. Framing realistic progress as a win builds trust and creates buy-in during the session.Predictability before perfection. Give clients something concrete they can work with right now, not everything they could eventually do.

    16 min

  2. FEB 5

    141. [The Client Seat] Coaching Through When Life Changes the Rules

    This episode is part of our Client Seat series, where financial coaches get real-time financial coaching from Kelsa. It’s a great opportunity to showcase what goes into a financial coaching session. If you’re a financial professional, you can apply to be a guest on a future Client Seat episode. Being a financial coach doesn't mean your own money is always perfect. Different seasons of life require different systems, and sometimes what worked beautifully before stops working entirely. Michelle Kopp is a CPA and financial coach living in Guatemala. Before moving from the U.S., her money was completely under control. Then her family relocated internationally, and everything fell apart. Bills are now paid in cash. Day-to-day spending is cash. She went from total control to tracking every dollar in a Google form, which she hates doing. This week’s episode is about what happens when your context changes so dramatically that you have to rebuild. Michelle needed someone else to help her see what she couldn't see on her own. That's completely normal, even for financial professionals. You'll hear how we worked through the comparison trap she'd fallen into, identified what was worth keeping from her previous approach, and created a concrete plan that gives her stability without trying to control every dollar.  This is what it looks like to help someone stabilize first before trying to optimize everything at once. Needing to rebuild doesn't mean you're failing. It means your season changed. Links & Resources: How to Create Buy-in - Free WorkshopBe on a future Client Seat episodeJoin the Facebook groupMichelle's websiteKey Takeaways: When your context changes, your old system might not fit anymore. Michelle's Plan Ahead Method (now called SpendFirst™) worked perfectly in the U.S. but couldn't translate to Guatemala's cash-based economy. You're not failing if what used to work stops working.Comparison will keep you stuck. Michelle kept measuring her current spending against what she spent before the move, expecting Guatemala to be cheaper. That comparison made her feel like she was failing instead of recognizing she was rebuilding.Stabilize first, optimize later. The goal isn't to create the perfect system immediately. It's to create enough stability that you can work with what you have, then refine from there.Your effort might be scattered, not insufficient. Michelle was putting in tons of effort tracking every dollar, but that effort wasn't getting her anywhere. Sometimes you need to redirect your energy, not add more of it.Cash needs different routines than digital money. When most of your spending is cash, you can't rely on bank statements to tell you where money went. You need a withdrawal schedule that creates predictability.Even financial professionals need outside perspective. Michelle is a CPA and financial coach, but she couldn't see her own patterns clearly. Sometimes you need someone else to ask questions you can't ask yourself.Progress happens in layers. We didn't try to solve every aspect of Michelle's money in one session. We tackled the biggest chaos creators first so she could build from a stable foundation.

    1h 2m

  3. JAN 29

    Five Strategies for Getting Out of Debt

    I’m just going to come out and say it: there is NO “right way” to get out of debt. In fact, there are a number of ways that you can support your clients (or yourself) to pay down your debts - and today, we’re going to examine five of those strategies.  When I first started coaching clients whose goal was to pay off their debts, I would have ask the client to give me their financial details, which included balances, interest rates, payments, etc. Then I’d use the information they provided to create a “debt snowball” spreadsheet. Next, I’d show their spreadsheet to them and say, “see- this is how you do it,” or “see- this is what you’ll do.” I found out rather quickly that while some clients had no problem sticking to the plan, others just couldn’t seem to stay on track. When my clients “failed” to “execute” the plan I’d given them, I dug deeper, asking them questions about what wasn’t working for them. Then I’d tweak the plan, taking their feedback into consideration, and give it back to them with the hope that it would work…this time.  I quickly realized that I had been looking at my client’s goal to pay down their debt totally backward - once I had that revelation, I stopped telling every client that they needed to “snowball” their debt. Instead, I started asking more questions to figure out which debt payoff strategy would be the best fit for the client. And it worked! My clients were more engaged - excited even - which resulted in them getting results and enjoying the process.  Let’s take a look at some of the different tactics you can use with your clients to take care of their debt. Links & Resources: How to Create Buy-in - Free WorkshopJoin the Facebook groupKey Takeaways: The best debt payoff strategy is the one that creates the most buy-in for your client. Financial calculators don't account for human motivation and follow-through.Present options before prescribing solutions. Instead of showing clients "the right way," explore what will work best for them through curiosity and conversation.Pause after showing clients their debt totals so they have space to process the number. Then ask, "What's going through your mind right now?" before moving forward.One debt might carry emotional weight that makes it worth prioritizing. If a balance triggers shame or keeps someone stuck in the past, eliminating it first can unlock progress.All five debt payoff methods share the same structure: pay minimums on everything except one debt. They only differ in which debt to prioritize first.Quick wins matter for some clients and financial optimization matters for others. Match the strategy to what will keep this specific person motivated.Ask, "Is there one debt that really frustrates you?" early in the conversation. The answer reveals whether emotional factors should drive the strategy.

    26 min

  4. JAN 22

    140. How to Take Feedback

    Getting feedback used to make my chest tighten. I'd spend so much energy trying to live a life where I'd never have to hear that I let someone down or disappointed them. The problem? That's impossible. You will inevitably get feedback as a coach and as a business owner. So you need to get good at it. Not just operationally, but emotionally. This episode walks through the three mindset shifts that change how you receive feedback, plus the actual systems we use at my companies to automate and analyze feedback without it derailing an entire day or week.  What’s important to remember is that you get to choose what you think of the feedback you receive. Feedback isn't fact or truth necessarily. It's just an opinion, an observation, or a thought. The choice you make about which feedback gets your energy is entirely up to you.  Don’t let one negative comment spiral you out of control while barely registering the positive ones. Instead, appreciate positive reviews and feedback more deeply so you can stay grounded when the negative ones come in. This week, we’re covering how to automate your feedback process so it doesn't hit your inbox unexpectedly, when and how to review it, what questions to ask yourself when analyzing whether to act on it, and why the customer isn't always right. That last one matters more than you think when you're trying to build a sustainable business. If feedback makes your stomach ache or your palms sweat, this episode will help you build the operational and emotional shields you need. Links & Resources: How to Create Buy-in - Free WorkshopJoin the Facebook groupFinancial Coach Academy enrollment Key Takeaways: You get to choose what you think of the feedback you receive. Feedback isn't fact or truth necessarily; it's just an opinion, observation, or thought. You decide what to make of it.Negative feedback doesn't have to be louder than positive feedback. Which feedback gets your thoughts and energy is entirely up to you. It's your choice.You will get feedback, so you might as well get good at it. Once you accept this is inevitable, your mind shifts from trying to prevent it to learning how to be ready for it operationally and emotionally.Never make changes based on one person's feedback. Note it, but wait to see if others bring up the same thing. Over-tweaking costs you time, money, and business momentum.Ask: Is something wrong, or is this a personal preference? This prevents over-optimizing. Nice-to-have ideas go on a list and get prioritized. Broken things get fixed.Is there merit to this feedback? This softer question makes analysis easier than asking if feedback is "right" or "wrong;” you can find merit in pieces even when the full feedback stings.The customer isn't always right. Sometimes you've already considered what they're asking for and chose not to do it. That's okay. Feedback needs to be weighed against values, resources, and other priorities.

    14 min

  5. JAN 15

    139. How to Be a Financial Coach and Work Full-Time

    The state of things right now isn't exactly predictable. Costs are up, people feel cautious about spending, and there's this underlying tension around money that's hard to ignore. If you're working full time and thinking about becoming a financial coach this year, or if you're already coaching and trying to figure out how to navigate 2026 without burning out, this episode is for you. The good news? Flexibility is your competitive advantage right now. When your expenses are lean and your approach is strategic, you can be generous with clients, creative with pricing, and responsive to what people actually need. This isn't about playing small or operating from fear. It's about being the kind of financial leader who can adapt without compromising impact. In this episode, we're talking about practical strategy for this season: why your full-time job might be the best business asset you have right now, how to design your coaching business around your actual life instead of an internet ideal, and what it means to maximize your three key resources (time, energy, and money) when you're already stretched thin. If you've been feeling pressure to go all in, scale up, or match someone else's version of success, this episode will help you see that steadiness is strategy. And the steadiness you create for yourself is exactly what your clients are craving from you. Links & Resources: Ultimate Growth GuideJoin the Facebook groupHow to Create Buy-In Training(free)Episode 138: The State of People's Finances Key Takeaways: Flexibility is your competitive advantage. When your expenses are lean, you can offer payment plans, adjust pricing, and respond to clients' real needs without financial pressure forcing your hand.Predictable income is a business strategy, not a compromise. Your full-time job gives you something full-time entrepreneurs don't have: the ability to plan, save, and give your business time to grow without crushing pressure.Your business doesn't need to be impressive to work. What matters is whether it fits your actual life, serves your clients well, and gives you something nothing else in your life currently gives you.Scarcity motivates action. Limited availability isn't a weakness. Instead, it cuts down on client indecisiveness and makes scheduling easier for everyone involved.Focus on activities that fill a gap only your business can fill. If your full-time job is high pressure, make your business fun and relaxed. If parenting feels thankless, let client appreciation fuel you.You have to claim what you need and ask for it specifically. The hardest help to ask for is often just space, permission to focus on your business for a Saturday morning without guilt.Steadiness is what your clients are craving right now. By creating it for yourself first, you bring that same grounded energy into every coaching session.

    17 min

  6. JAN 8

    138. How to Be a Financial Coach in 2026

    Your clients’ budgets absorbed increases they never saw coming this year. A healthcare premium that jumped several hundred dollars per month. Utility bills up $50 at peak usage. Return-to-office mandates that added childcare costs, gas expenses, and convenience spending they didn't budget for. Buy now, pay later options at grocery checkouts, not just for wants but for food. When your clients sit down with you, they're financially stressed. And they're also cautiously pessimistic, worried about what's next, and hoping they can just stay stable. This is the reality of financial coaching in 2026, and it's why the gap between need and demand matters more than most coaches want to admit. This episode looks at being a financial coach in 2026 from three perspectives.  First, the concrete ways rising costs are squeezing your clients' household budgets right now. Second, the role you play in cutting through their worry with clarity and steadying energy instead of more information. And third, how all of this shapes your business strategy, your messaging, and the way you position your work when clients aren't buying on "maybe this could help."If you've wondered why your ideal clients aren't reaching out even when they clearly need help, or if you've felt the tension between knowing coaches are needed and watching people hesitate to hire you, this episode will help you see what's actually happening and how to meet this moment with courage and strategic clarity. Links & Resources: Ultimate Growth GuideJoin the Facebook group Key Takeaways: People need financial coaches more than ever, but need doesn't equal demand. Just because someone is struggling doesn't mean they're actively seeking your solution. And that means that how you talk about your work matters more than ever.Healthcare premiums increased significantly for many families in 2026. When you combine that with utility rate hikes and return-to-office costs, clients are absorbing hundreds of dollars in monthly budget increases they didn't plan for.Shift from selling to steadying. Right now, people aren't buying on "maybe this could help." They're saying yes when the outcome is crystal clear and the commitment feels manageable.One in four Americans now uses buy now, pay later for groceries. This isn't about luxuries anymore. It's a signal of how tight household cashflow has become, and it's creating unnecessary chaos in people's budgets.Return-to-office mandates don't just increase commute costs. They ripple into childcare, eating out, work clothes, and spending more for convenience because flexibility at home disappears.75% of our own small business vendors raised their rates in 2025. Business owners are navigating the same financial squeeze as clients, which means your financial coaching mind is your greatest asset in running your business strategically.Being a financial coach in 2026 takes courage. You need to speak sincerely and clearly about how you help people, make faster business decisions, and lead by example in uncertain times.

    27 min

  7. JAN 1

    137. [Announcement] Evolution of The Plan Ahead Method™ to SpendFirst®

    After almost two decades of watching clients struggle with traditional budgeting advice, one pattern became impossible to ignore: the advice itself was creating the problem. Track every dollar. Cut spending wherever possible. Follow this exact plan. The advice was restrictive, rigid, and built on the assumption that everyone should manage money the same way. No wonder people felt like failures when they couldn't stick with it. For years, coaches and advisors have been teaching a different framework to clients who finally experienced their "this makes sense" moment. The Plan Ahead Method™ worked because it focused on understanding spending instead of judging it. Planning for it instead of reacting to it. Creating clarity without adding more rules to follow. The system helped thousands of people stabilize the chaos in their financial lives. But the name never captured what made it different. It sounded like every other budgeting method out there. That changes now. The Plan Ahead Method™ is officially SpendFirst®. And this represents more than new branding. SpendFirst® means something specific: stabilize the chaos in your financial life first so you can focus on everything else. Most financial advice responds to chaos with restriction.  SpendFirst® flips that. It helps people get their spending under control first, remove the overwhelm first, align their spending with their goals first. Then they watch how that transforms their entire relationship with money. If you've been teaching the Plan Ahead Method™ with clients, this episode gives you clarity on what's evolving and how it positions your practice. If you're looking for a proven framework that clients actually stick with, this is your introduction to a system that's about to reach a much wider audience and create a category coaches can build their identity around. This isn't about helping one client at a time anymore. This is about a movement that changes how people see, save, and spend their money. Links & Resources: How to Create Buy-in: Designing Financial Experiences that StickJoin the Facebook group Key Takeaways: People don't struggle with money because they're bad at saving; they struggle because spending feels chaotic and overwhelming.The SpendFirst® Method focuses on stabilizing the part of your financial life with the most movement: your spending. When you plan for spending instead of reacting to it, you create the mental space to focus on everything else.SpendFirst® means putting a system in place for your spending first, not spending recklessly. It's about understanding spending patterns, not judging them, so clients can align their money with who they are and what they want.The best tools are the ones that get used consistently. A method only works if people actually stick with it, which is why flexibility and humanity matter more than perfection.When you're building something meaningful, there's an element of stubbornness that serves you well. What looks like stubbornness might actually be your commitment to creating something that aligns with your vision.SpendFirst® isn't just a budgeting method. It's a mindset shift that helps people see money differently. The goal is to change how people see, save, and spend their money by giving them a clearer, kinder, and more human approach.High standards take time, and that's okay. The pace at which something happens doesn't matter as much as staying true to your vision and refusing to settle for half-assed solutions.

    23 min

  8. 12/25/2025

    First Paid Sessions: Creating an Experience Clients Remember

    You've got a client who's ready to work with you—they've paid for their first session and now you're feeling those pre-session nerves. Sound familiar? In this episode, we talk about what's really going on in your client's mind when they show up for that first paid session (hint: they're probably more nervous than you are). I share the exact structure I use to make sure every client leaves their first session feeling heard, hopeful, and clear on their next steps. From creating a warm welcome that puts your clients at ease, to helping them see their full financial picture (often for the first time), we cover how to make your first paid sessions truly valuable for your clients. I share my biggest mistakes and what I learned from them, so you can skip the trial and error phase I went through. Plus, I walk through our follow-up system that keeps clients engaged and taking action even after the session ends. Whether you're new to paid sessions or looking to make your current process even better, this episode will help you create an experience that has your clients saying “they get me” and ready to take the next step in their journey. Links & Resources: Ultimate Growth GuideJoin the Facebook groupEpisode 91 Key Takeaways: Want your clients to open up about money? Start by acknowledging their courage - it takes guts to share your finances with a stranger and pay them for help.Trying to solve every financial problem in one session isn't generous, it's overwhelming. Pick their most exciting goal and solve it completely.Your clients can sense when you're in your head worrying about delivering value. Their emotional rollercoaster is 10 times bigger than yours.Numbers tell a story, but you need to narrate it out loud. Walk clients through your thinking process so they can see how you got to the solution.The magic isn't in telling clients to spend less, it's in finding their big goal that makes them excited enough to actually change their habits.When a client shares multiple money goals, celebrate internally. They're showing you they have a genuine need for ongoing coaching, so don’t try to tackle all those goals at once.Your follow-up system is a safety net that catches clients before they fall off track. Make it systematic but personal, like checking in when reality and procrastination typically hit.

    37 min
See All (174)

Trailer

5
out of 5
107 Ratings

About

A weekly educational podcast from the founder of The Financial Coach Academy®, Kelsa Dickey, that will teach you how to create and grow a profitable financial coaching business that you LOVE and are proud of. At The Financial Coach Academy®, we are passionate about helping you create the business of YOUR dreams – whether that’s a side hustle, part time gig, or 6+ figure company. Get ready to elevate your success!!

Information

You Might Also Like