Be Awesome Not Broke

04/22/2022

Hello, dear Instagram friend! There have been some big changes on my end that will impact Be Awesome Not Broke, so I want to let you know what's changing and why.

I had COvid back in November 2020 and have been dealing with long-Covid symptoms for over a year now. In a “the Universe has a sense of humor” turn of events, my symptoms (eye pain/headaches/brain fog and fatigue) are somehow only triggered when I look at screens. Not ideal for someone who was running multiple online only businesses, I tell you what!

15 months of trying to juggle these symptoms with work recently reached a breaking point and caused me to re-evaluate, well, everything work-related. As a result, I’ve stepped back from my other business Financial Coaches Network, from leading the Financial Coaches Community (the 5000+ member Facebook Group I started for financial coaches, and am no longer taking any new clients in Be Awesome Not Broke. I'll still serve the crap out of my existing clients but will be referring anyone new looking for help to other badass financial coaches.

Long Covid, and the realization I need to step back from most work to prioritize my health, has forced me to do something I likely wouldn't have done otherwise: re-evaluate my relationship to work. It's been both exciting and uncomfortable to ask myself questions like "why has work become so much of my identity?", "what actually brings me joy?", and many MANY more. And, as I've slowed (work) life down, it's created the space for me to fill it with things I enjoy like hiking, getting back into piano, pulling out the old DSLR camera, preparing for my future role as house-husband, etc. :)

On a practical note - this means I won't be posting here for the foreseeable future. And while I can’t promise anything, I don’t see this as a “goodbye for forever.” I love coaching, coaching coaches, and have a hard time envisioning that this break becomes permanent. That said, I know that right now my job is to heal, explore who I am without work at the center, and follow this path wherever it leads without expectation of where it ends up.

Wishing you health, joy, wealth, and a childlike curiosity for this adventure called life. ❤️

12/24/2021

Is your budget working for you? 🤔

Creating a budget that you will actually stick to is a two-step process that includes:

📝 Planning & 📈 Tracking

In a recent blog post, we dive deeper into the budgeting process.

Click the blog link in the bio to get started.

07/02/2021

I think my shortest and newest Yelp review is my new favorite 😂😂

06/09/2021

I know it’s a systems level problem, but this definitely doesn’t make me hate Jeff Bezos any less.

If you want your blood to be boiled and day to be ruined, check out the ProPublica articles just published about the 25 riches people in America and their tax returns.

05/28/2021

05/18/2021

Sometimes, an all caps text message the day after taxes were due sums it up 💰🔥❤️

This fantastic human got his first independent contractor job last year. He was excited but also super worried about not saving enough for taxes at the end of the year, especially since you have to save more as a self-employed person.

So to see this text and know that we got it right - that he doesn’t have to make up last year‘s taxes throughout this year, doesn’t need to set up a payment plan with the IRS, and can turn the page on his first year as an independent contractor without that fear and anxiety? That’s what this s**t is all about!! ❤️🕺🏻❤️

05/14/2021

Life update!! Amelia and I are moving back to San Luis Obispo, California! (temporarily).

Why? So we can house sit for my parents for six(ish) months while they gallivant around the country in their cute little travel trailer. They are going to have so much fun and I'm so excited that they just made the decision to get out and do it

We have thoroughly enjoyed Tucson, even with the limited ability to experience it with COVID. The hiking is phenomenal, the winters are GORGEOUS, and we really do enjoy the energy of the desert. We will absolutely be back to visit.

In the end though we are moving on in search of another place to call home, and this was a helpful impetus. There's too much dust here for Amelia's health, it's not the exact right place for us to build our commune-ity + farm, and those summers are also like really hot. I knew they would be, but good lordy! There are only so many articles of clothing you can take off before it's socially unacceptable, and as someone who naturally runs hot it's been a lot.

Where to after San Luis? No idea. Considering the way we love living life right now (flexibility, ability to pick up and go whenever), I honestly wouldn't trust the answer I gave you even if I had one I personally am excited to be back in SLO for a bit, to take the new pup (we also got a new puppy!) to the beach, and to start dreaming/planning what the next steps hold for us.

Also, I just feel freaking lucky to be in a position where this is possible. Yes, a lot of things were done intentionally such as building a business where I can work from anywhere, not owning a bunch of things so it's easy to pick up and move, etc. But we're also very fortunate and grateful to have family who has such a nice home to share, to have the financial capacity to move frequently, and jump at opportunities as they come up.

Onward and onward!

05/12/2021

EXCITING TOPIC ALERT!! Come learn about the difference between the Marginal vs Effective Tax Calculations! 😉😂

Okay, I get it – while it probably doesn’t sound very ‘exciting’, it is actually a really helpful concept to understand.

Why? Well, I’ve talked to many self-employed people who are worried to earn more income or take on more work because of how they think it will impact their taxes. And many of those fears aren’t accurate and keep them from earning in the way they truly want!

So, on today’s Fireside Financials, come learn about the difference between these two calculations, why that’s important, and how it impacts you.

Financial fun ahead!

04/28/2021

Getting sued by a previous employer is a less-than-ideal way to start your new business, I tell you what!

You likely super jazzed about the idea of working for yourself and finally being able to put your time and energy into something you have ownership of, that’s yours. Not to be a wet blanket, but before starting your business and accepting payments it’s important to know what you legally are allowed, or obligated, to do. Hence the tips in this post.

What I recommend to clients who might have to deal with these issues is to hire a lawyer to help them do their due diligence. Don't worry, I don't throw them to the wolves - it’s also why I partner with attorneys who specialize in working with aspiring/small business owners so you don’t accidentally end up with someone who specializes in divorce law giving you advice on your employment contract.

It won’t necessarily be “cheap”, but paying to get the correct advice when starting out will save you so many headaches down the road.

04/21/2021

Okay okay okay I'll own this post...

Capitalism + Hustle Culture + MY lack of boundaries = my new boss back in 2015.

Don't be me 😜

04/14/2021

Don't 'grind' yourself into the ground - make sure your plan for getting your business off the ground doesn't compromise your physical or mental health.

Don't do it all yourself - be sure to set aside money early on in your business to invest in tools and talent that can help you get back more of your time, so you can focus on the things that have the biggest impact in your business.

And, lastly, take care of yourself so that you can ultimately serve the crap out of the people you work with. In my experience, that's what having your own business is about at the end of the day. That and being able to take multiple naps daily :)

04/13/2021

Today we are talking about credit card debt, whether you should consolidate, and if so – how?

Why? Because you want to know how to pay off your credit card debt fastest while paying the least in interest, that’s why!

We’ll broadly cover two main ways of consolidating:
- Consolidating the cc debt into a personal loan
- Consolidating the cc debt into another credit card via a 0% balance transfer

When doing so you’ll want to be aware of two things: how much lower will your monthly payments be, AND how much less will you pay over time in interest.

There are pros and cons to each approach, and one is not always better than the other. So join me on another edition of Teaching Tuesdays and let’s get learning!