Hi! I'm Coach Steph.

In 2012, I was a young, naïve, and broke new wife, who had unknowingly married into $115,000 of credit card and student loan debt. In fact, it wasn't until a year into my marriage when we started a personal finance course for couples that I found out just HOW MUCH debt we were in. That was the turning point where I finally took the reins on my financial life. After completing the course, my husband and I paid off all of our debt in just under 3.5 years, in addition to saving for and purchasing two (reliable, used) cars in cash during that same time. We did this all while living in one of the nation’s most expensive cities (Seattle) and making less than $95,000 annually, combined.

We did this by downsizing apartments, selling stuff (I'm a Facebook Marketplace PRO), sharing a car when our second one broke down, and working multiple jobs. My husband refereed adult league rec sports at night, while I waited tables, bartended and catered, on top of my low-paying 9-5 nonprofit day job. One year I had FIVE W-2's. And honestly? It sucked. Do we love being debt-free? YES! Has this hard work paid off and afforded us opportunities we wouldn't have otherwise had? Absolutely. Would I do it again, with that much intensity and that quickly? Probably not. It came at a great personal cost - one that strained my closest family relationships and almost cost us our marriage.

I tell you all this to say I have learned a lot from my money successes and mistakes - enough that I believe I have formed a uniquely well-rounded take on financial mentorship and coaching. Does it take hard work and sacrifice? Yes. Will I expect you to challenge and stretch yourself in ways that will be uncomfortable? Also yes. Is working SO much that you don't get invited to family birthday parties, because they already assume you won't be available, worth it? A million times no. There's a healthy balance, and I will help you find it after learning this the hard way.

Since we got out of debt, I've had a fire and passion for helping people take control of their own financial lives and futures. I know that if I can do it, anyone can, and I use my story to bring hope, encouragement and actionable steps to any situation, regardless of current roadblocks and past money mistakes.

In the summer of 2020 while recovering from knee surgery, I completed Dave Ramsey’s Master Financial Coach Training, and started working as a Financial Coach for an online education program, helping the historically left out re-claim their seat at the table of their own financial lives. Now, I am venturing out on my own with this Financial Coaching thing, while working toward another certificate through the Financial Coach Academy. I started this business to help you achieve financial confidence and stability for good. I hope you'll join me!