Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Pike Walters.
Hi Kim, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
For over 10 years, I focused on climbing the corporate ladder in my finance career. I made good money and worked with some good people, but realized I was no longer excited about the work itself.
So I started doing some soul searching. I figured a good starting point was looking at how I spent my free time. For over 10 years, I’ve been volunteering with a program called Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), doing taxes for families with income under ~$65,000. I kept coming back year after year because I truly loved the positive impact I could make in someone’s life through a little bit of financial help. One person was so grateful that she offered to tip me! I politely declined, but that gesture of gratitude has stuck with me for all these years, especially when I knew how little she had to spare.
Around the same time, I spoke with a friend who had been saying for years that they wanted to move to a new city, but couldn’t afford to do so. I knew that if I sat down with them, we could walk through their numbers and come up with a plan to make it happen.
With these two points of reference and some quality time with Google, I learned about financial coaching, and something clicked. The more I learned about it, the more excited I became. I was having a hard time sleeping because I was brimming with enthusiasm, ideas, and possibilities! I feel so lucky that I now have a career helping other people decrease their financial stress!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has anyone ever said yes?! I’ve definitely had my fair share of road bumps and potholes. I’ll name a couple here, but know there have been a lot more!
The biggest struggle at first was lack of time. When I started my business, I was still working full-time in my corporate finance job. That left the evenings and weekends to build my business, and I let self-care and rest go by the wayside. I was essentially working two full-time jobs, which was exhausting.
I’ve also struggled with maintaining a positive mindset throughout the ups and downs. Entrepreneurship has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. I have high days when I have a great client session or sign a new client. And I have low days when I feel like I’m trying so hard with marketing, and I don’t have anything to show for it. I started my business so I could help people with their money, and so far that has been a small percentage of how I’m spending my time.
We’ve been impressed with KPW Financial Coaching, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a financial coach who specializes in helping health and wellness practitioners who feel stressed about managing their business and personal finances. Through working together, they gain financial clarity and confidence, so they can spend less time worrying and more time helping their clients. I help them confidently manage their day-to-day finances, like creating and sticking to a budget, paying off debt, and saving for big goals.
I love working with clients to create a custom plan and find an approach that works for them. Think of me as a personal trainer for your money! I encourage my clients to take a balanced approach towards managing their money, so they can achieve their goals without being miserable.
Regarding what sets me sets me apart & what I’m most proud of, I think a couple of my 5-star Google reviews capture it perfectly:
“Kim is so awesome and super encouraging! I had such a great experience working with her. She really took the time to understand my situation and helped me set up a clear budget plan that seems realistic for my lifestyle. What I appreciated most was how approachable and supportive she was without any judgment. She made me feel safe and comfortable speaking about money since it’s a vulnerable topic for me, or anyone. I came out of our session feeling a bit more confident and in control of my finances now. Highly recommend to anyone looking for guidance with money management!”
“Before working with Kim, I was struggling with credit card debt and trying to figure out a way out while still managing my monthly expenses. After 4 months, I was able to pay off all my credit card debt, establish weekly check-ins on spending habits, and create savings buckets to fund upcoming trips and “treat myself” expenses. Kim was crucial towards building confidence in myself and creating a self-sustaining plan to set myself up for success to pave the way for my long-term financial goals. I can’t thank her enough!!”
One additional thing that sets me apart is my background in corporate finance and tax. I know how big companies manage their finances and provide that expertise to my clients in an affordable way, as well as factor in the tax impact in our planning and decision-making.
If you’re interested in learning more about financial coaching, please reach out so we can schedule a free 15-minute call! We’ll talk about your money goals and see if working together is a good fit.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to find a community of other entrepreneurs. Support from family and friends is important, but other entrepreneurs have a unique perspective and appreciation for what you’re going through. I joined the Financial Coach Academy Mastermind, and that community has been invaluable for providing support, encouragement, friendship, and motivation. I’m a one-person business, but I have a community behind me, cheering me on and providing guidance.
Something I wish I knew when starting out is that it will take longer than you think to build your business. Stay patient (easier said than done, I know) and be consistent with your client attraction efforts. Things will feel hard when you’re first starting out, but it will get easier as your comfort zone expands and you figure out what works for you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kpwfinancialcoaching.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneycoachkim/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-pike-walters/
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/11yccs5hx5&hl=en-US&q=KPW+Financial+Coaching,+LLC&shndl=30&shem=lcuae,lsptbl1&source=sh/x/loc/osrp/m5/1&kgs=6b98c6dcaeb01c54&utm_source=lcuae,lsptbl1,sh/x/loc/osrp/m5/1#lrd=0x79681166ea0d401:0x2db53727e6b5d5ad,1
