Money Coaching Case Studies (2024)

An Inside Look at How Money Coaching Works Using Actual Client Case Studies…

Below are four sample case studies based on actual client experiences demonstrating what is possible with money coaching and how it differs from traditional financial advice.

Case Study 1 – Reduced Investment Risk

Mary (not her real name) owned more than a million dollars in California investment real estate at the height of the boom in 2006.

I coached her on the principle of valuation as an investment risk management tool and helped her apply risk management to her real estate portfolio.

“Because of your expert advice and experience in risk management, you saved me $40,000 in losses on a real estate investment. Having you as a financial coach is one of the best decisions I've ever made!”– Jennifer Dickens, Real Estate Investor; Los Angeles, CA

The education helped her understand the risk built into California’s premium pricing.

Fundamental valuation models – whether it be discounted cash flows, replacement cost, or any model except the greater fool theory (otherwise known as comparable sales) – indicated underlying values were a tiny fraction of market prices.

This resulted in substantial downside risk for her portfolio.

I then educated and coached her to build her own market selection model for real estate based on valuation and economic growth. She did her homework and chose a replacement market to 1031 exchange her equity into.

The result was a substantial decrease in risk: during the subsequent real estate debacle her replacement properties only declined 10-15% compared to her previous properties declining 40-50%.

The beauty of this strategy was she retained full upside growth potential because she exchanged to a strong growth market while substantially reducing risk at the same time through valuation.

Related: How to make more from your investing by risking less

A traditional financial adviser would not have helped her with any of these risk management or investment strategy issues because direct ownership of real estate is not a product advisers can sell and is usually outside their expertise (despite the fact that real estate represented the bulk of her net worth and was the critical financial decision she faced).

Case Study 2 – Business Growth to Build Wealth

Bob (not his real name) owned a successful business with a minority partner. The two partners hired me because their business growth had stagnated for years despite various efforts to take it to the next level.

The core of the majority owner’s wealth strategy was the development and growth of his business to throw off additional cash flow for passive investment. As we developed and implemented strategies (I just coached them – they were the experts in their business) it became clear the critical factor hurting their progress was their relationship.

Each partner wanted different things out of the business and each was motivated by a different outcome. I coached them to see the intractable problems that had blindsided their business progress and negotiate an amicable split that was beneficial to both parties.

“Even though I have 21 years more experience in the investment business, I don't know anyone with more wisdom than Todd. His perspective and talents shifted my whole investment company and helped me multiply monthly cash flow ten times from $5,000 per month to $50,000 per month. If I were to hire anyone to run my business, Todd would be the first on my list.”– Gary Craig, Entrepreneur and Former Hedge Fund Owner; The Sea Ranch, CA

I was then retained by the majority partner where we worked to substantially change growth strategies and successfully increase cash flow despite a horrific downturn in the economy. He is now on track to achieve his original objective – funding wealth through business cash flow.

Obviously, this would be completely outside the scope of traditional financial advice even though it was the core of my client’s wealth strategy. A traditional financial adviser only wants to manage the wealth you've already created.

He is not in the business of helping you create wealth in the first place. A money coach is different because his focus is helping you grow your net worth – not just invest it.

Related: Why you need a wealth plan, not a financial plan.

As a side note, I’m now working with that client to acquire commercial real estate to house his businesses instead of renting. This strategy integrates his wealth goals with his long-term business goals while also making economic sense due to the real estate decline.

Case Study 3 – Independent Investment Strategy

Ted (not his real name) came to me stressed about portfolio losses and completely lacking confidence in his investment abilities and financial future. He made good money and saved substantial sums, but the roller coaster markets had decimated his nest egg.

Our first step was to examine his investment strategy based on the principles of mathematical expectation and investment edge. Ted realized the crux of his problem was that he was gambling and not investing.

“I initially came to the coaching calls looking for you to tell me what to do because this is what I've done all my life. What I've really learned working with you is how I'm very capable of thinking and making decisions for myself.” – Nahrein David, Consultant; San Ramon, CA

I then provided him with independent research so that he could study fundamentally sound investment strategies and coached him to independently find other resources and studies to base his decision on.

A final step in the process was to relate each investment strategy he was considering back to his interests, skills, and time available so that he could decide which best fit his personal needs.

Related: How to be a pro at growing your wealth

As a result of this education and coaching Ted found one strategy that made sense and implemented it with success through the recent volatile market period.

He now invests with confidence which allows him to focus on growing his business without being distracted by all the market noise.

A traditional financial adviser would have taken a different approach because his business model is managing money – not educating clients to do it themselves.

An adviser would have provided portfolio recommendations or directly managed Ted’s portfolio. Helping clients become independent by finding their own investment strategy that fits their skills, interest and abilities is the essence of financial independence, but it is directly opposite the traditional financial adviser business model.

Case Study 4 – Matching the Right Investment Strategy to the Underlying Goal

Janet (not her real name) came to me with a growing real estate portfolio that was becoming a big headache. She had no free time because she had effectively bought herself a second job in real estate management, and she didn’t like it.

Her underlying goal had always been passive income, but she had learned her investment strategy from a one-size-fits-all guru who never asked about the core values behind her goal.

Janet had a high value on personal freedom and a bunch of single family homes was progressively taking away what little freedom she had left.

I helped her understand the source of the conflict – that direct ownership of real estate is not a passive investment but is half-business and half-investment – and coached her through the process of developing a real estate strategy consistent with her personal values and goals.

“You were a great sounding board during my recent investment property acquisition. Your questions saved me thousands of dollars by helping me to see parts of the deal that may have been overlooked. Your candid style and thorough approach to problem solving and due diligence was highly beneficial to my analysis.”– Will Mattox; Owner and President, Storage Parks Inc.; Cheshire, OR

Eventually, Janet decided to 1031 exchange her portfolio of multiple small properties into one large property thus reducing management hassles and time required.

A traditional investment adviser wouldn’t have worked with direct-ownership real estate or taken the time to integrate her personal values with her emotions and investment strategy.

These issues aren’t part of their business model even though they were essential to this client’s satisfaction with her investment strategy.

The Common Thread in Each Money Coaching Case Study…

There are several things each case study shares in common that helps illuminate the unique value money coaching brings to the wealth building process…

1. Money coaching is an educational process that develops independent, successful investors.
2. Money coaching provides a wide range of educational services to satisfy varied client needs. There are three avenues to building wealth – paper assets, business and real estate. Money coaching works with all three. No other service provides that breadth.
3. One-on-one money coaching has no pre-set agenda or curriculum. It is 100% driven by each client’s unique needs because no two client situations are identical. This provides the most efficient and effective path to producing results because nothing is wasted on extraneous issues. All education, support, and accountability is custom tailored to your unique situation saving you time and money.
4. Money coaching seeks to identify the key factor limiting your success and resolve the problem. It meets you where you already are by providing proven principles to help you move to the next level. It helps you get to the root cause of the problem so that it never comes back.

“I just want to say how awesome it is working with you. To find a mentor with actual business experience, real estate, and financial background is huge. Not only that but your value to living a balanced life with your family. In the past I had become frustrated looking for a mentor with just one of these traits, much less to have the ability to teach and really mentor on top of that!”– Dan Cosgrove; President, Mercantile Systems and Surveys; Brentwood, CA

If you would like more examples showing actual coaching client results please see my testimonials page here. These are real testimonials written in the client's own words demonstrating the many ways money coaching can help you grow wealth.

The key point to remember is money coaching is an educational service. It is not an investment product sales process like traditional investment advice.

Money coaching is not about selling investment products in an effort to manage the assets you’ve already built: money coaching is about helping you grow your wealth in the first place – whether it is through business, real estate, and/or paper assets.

There is never any risk to try money coaching so schedule your free strategy session today.

It is an investment in yourself and your financial future that will pay dividends for a lifetime.