Sara’s Money Story

I grew up the 6th of 10 children.  My father, a successful entrepreneur, was a dominant force in the family growing his business from lean startup years to abundance as he exited. I learned to work hard, and that money was scarce. I was told women don’t need to worry about money, find a man who'll take care of you. That same father later kicked me out of the house and told me I was worthless, I learned that too. 

Early in my career I learned manual bookkeeping and embraced the new desktop technology.  I went out to conquer the world as a single mom and started my first business helping entrepreneurs manage their finances and migrate their accounting to the new technology. I took all that I learned with me, including my worthlessness, and ended up in bankruptcy. 

Sitting across from my bankruptcy attorney he offered advice that changed my life. He told me to go find people who were successful with money and model what they did. I followed the advice, learning very quickly that there was one common thing that wealthy people did. They paid attention to and were in relationship with their money. 

I quickly realized I could bring the same consciousness and care to my own finances that I’d been doing for clients, in that moment everything began to change.

I learned to date my money, building a healthier relationship with it.  I learned to track the flow of money in my life and pay attention to old habits and poor decisions that were too often made when I was running from some version of shame and self-doubt.

Over time, I went from bankruptcy to buying a house as a single mom, sent my son to college and created a thriving business helping small business owners manage their finances and grow sustainable businesses.

In 2010, with a certificate in integral coaching from New Ventures West in San Francisco, I re-launched my financial services business to more deeply support my clients. As I presented financials to clients, I listened with a coach's ear hearing their trauma around money. 

“I’ll work with you when I have money to manage.”

“It’s going to look terrible.”

“I’m so embarrassed, I don’t know where to start.”

“I’m just not good with money”

I realized developing financial statements and metrics wasn’t going to be enough to solve business owners’ financial challenges.  The elephant in the room were the emotions – shame, guilt, self judgment, fear - preventing business owners from prospering and enjoying the fruits of their success.

Today we help entrepreneurs and small businesses do two essential things 1) get conscious about old money stories and habits so you can make powerful new decisions rooted in your worth, 2) build sustainable, profitable businesses and make an impact with your wealth.

I believe the conversation of money is one of the most important components to bridging the economic and racial divide we suffer. My mission is to help small businesses thrive while changing the conversation of money from one of dread to delight.

Things that nourish my soul are spending time with family and friends, hiking, biking, swimming, adventures to lands unknown, live music and the light of a lovely full moon.