Oddly enough, most Financial Coaches do not come from the financial world, per se, but have been in their own personal trenches learning how to become what we teach.  My story is no different. 

 

Although I secured my College Degree from the University of Georgia in Journalism/Public Relations, I ended up in the financial industry underwriting mortgage loans, administrative support positions and human resources, but never in sales or an advisory capacity. After college, I met and married my husband and had two beautiful children.  As a couple, trying to make ends meet and keep up with our friends, we proactively amassed an ENORMOUS amount of credit card debt! Because we had no budget or savings, we would pay one card with another until we lost track of what we were doing. We could not get a grasp on our income and expenses and the marital fighting was so severe, we fought ourselves right out of a decent marriage. I felt like a failure at being a wife. 

​

Because guilt and shame were enormous buddies of mine,  I insisted on taking on all the credit card debt and half the mortgage since my income, at that time, was a bit more than that of my soon-to-be ex-husband.  To his credit, he did not want me to go through with this decision, but I desperately needed to shut down the negative voices in my head.

 

Desperate people make silly decisions and I remember learning that this chaotic, budget-less decision I had insisted on making, put me in a situation that I believed would be next to impossible to cure. So many emotions permeated my psyche:  depression, guilt, anger, frustration and helplessness. Nonetheless, I possessed perseverance which is 80% of the battle, but the remaining 20%, head knowledge, I sorely lacked. 

​

Enter Dave Ramsey and his conversation about Emergency Funds, Debt Snowballs, and Baby Steps. This was the missing 20% I needed to put it all successfully together. I was hooked. It took me about a year to save my $1,000 emergency fund (that's how bad my debt to income ratio was), and then I started my debt snowball. After five years, I was completely freed of all consumer debt. Next I went to work on my six-months' living expenses and quickly dumped cash into my retirement savings. Currently, I do own a house and am at Baby Step 6, paying off that mortgage early!

​

This whole experience has drawn me to become a Dave Ramsey Certified Financial Master Coach to teach and mentor people on the topic of money. Without my walk through the stress and pain, I wouldn't have the perspective I have today on sound money management.  And to see my clients achieve complete success following the Baby Steps is very exciting for me, because I know how it feels to be the Hero in my life.

​

Learn to be the Hero of your Life!