What is the most significant thing you learned at Dave Ramsey’s Counselor Training?
Like most, I initially focused on the technical knowledge and the numbers. The biggest lesson, however, was that we are working with people, not numbers. The better I get at helping people develop their “why” the better I can help them implement the “how.”
Why are you passionate about being a financial coach?
The reason changes every day! Improving and even saving marriages. Instilling hope in a single paren. Giving peace to a retiree or widow. Being a spark of encouragement that lifts up a broken man. Feeling the appreciation of clients for changing their lives and becoming good financial stewards.
How did you realize this was something you wanted to do?
For my first job (out of college), I sold insurance because I wanted to help people build wealth. I hated it and quit six months after I started. When I read about Dave Ramsey’s Counselor Training, I had an immediate interest, but I was still hesitant to explore it because of my insurance sales experience.
One day, I picked up the phone and talked to a few coaches from across the nation to find out what this coaching thing was about. Next, I contacted my personal network to get feedback and see if they could see me as a coach. It was clear from these discussions that coaching was my calling and the support that developed from the above steps, has helped me build my business.
What are some of the success stories you have seen?
My favorite examples are clients who don’t accept any more excuses and get so intense that they steamroll Murphy!
One couple I coached had made up their minds to claim bankruptcy and I was the last stop. He used to earn a six-figure salary but was not confident in himself anymore and was earning $50,000. Their marriage was strained.
As I talked them off the bankruptcy ledge four times, they began to develop hope and a belief in themselves, sold five rental properties and eliminated more than $100,000 in other debt in just over one year! They now have about $20,000 of debt left and their net worth has improved by more than $1 million. Their marriage is blossoming and his confidence is back, as he is now earning more than $250,000 annually. All of this change just one year after coaching.
What would you tell someone who is interested in attending Dave Ramsey’s Counselor Training?
We need more good coaches out here, but this isn’t for everyone. If you think you will make a lot of money quickly or that training will give you everything you need, you are wrong. Building a coaching business is a process, not an event. Here are my tips for those moving forward: Find three or four coaches who you like and stay in touch with them. You will thrive with the support and encouragement of each other. And you haven’t experienced anything like Dave’s staff! If you are willing to start your day with a 6 a.m. breakfast meeting and meet until midnight, they will make themselves available. I used every break to quiz Dave’s team members.
