The CFT School with Annette, Gyasi & Melissa
You’ve heard me mention it during podcast commercials and in the Facebook group, but in 2022, Financial Gym, for the first time ever, launched a Financial Trainer Certification program. Before January 2022, the only way for you to earn a Financial Trainer Certification was to be a full-time employee of Financial Gym. In 2021, when we were looking at how we could reach our goal of getting to 1 million Gym clients sooner than later, we realized one of the solutions was to have more trainers out there doing the important work that we do. So we launched the program in January and the interest in it is exploding. To answer many questions people have about the process, the costs and the results, I’m talking to three CFT Certification graduates about their experiences. Joining me today are Gyasi, Annette, and Melissa to share why they invested in the program, what it was like, and their experience throughout the entire process.
What would we be drinking at Happy Hour together?
Annette - Tequila Sunrise
Gyasi - Espresso Martini
Melissa - New York Sour
Shannon - Dirty Gin Martini with blue cheese olives
Podcast Notes
Shannon starts by asking Annette, Gyasi and Melissa why they decided to become Certified Financial Trainers and what interested them in this program.
Gyasi has always loved personal finance and talking about it with anyone in his life who would listen. His background is in sales and he enjoys talking to people. He applied to be an employee at Financial Gym about a year ago so when he got the email about the Certification Program, he was on board immediately. He’s done other training courses in the past, but this one was different because it is centered around personal finance and helping people achieve their goals. Being able to help people is what he wanted, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to bring everything together.
Anette has always been a Financial Gym superfan. She loves the mission and Shannon’s story. As she and her friends all progressed in their careers and had more income to manage, she became the go-to person for all of their questions. She considered becoming a Certified Financial Planner for some time and had a friend who went in that direction. She applied to be an employee at Financial Gym, but the starting salary wasn’t a good fit for her goals at the time. This program felt perfect because she received an outside grant to help pay for the certification, and she is able to build her own business and schedule.
Melissa has been waiting for a program like this for a long time. She loves her job a lot and thought if she ever left, it would be to work for herself. When the CFT program launched, she thought, ‘this is it!’ Personal finance is near and dear to her heart, and she knew it was the right move. As an active-duty military spouse, a toddler mom, and pregnant with a new baby, she wanted to help people similar to her become financially healthy. Becoming a Certified Financial Trainer allows her the flexibility to be home more and build a schedule around spending time with her kids.
Shannon asks the group to talk about their experience going through the program.
Gyasi was excited about the training, though also a little anxious like you are on the first day of school. It was beyond everything he thought it could be. The group was chatty and fun and they really enjoyed getting to know each other. Since he had a background in personal finance, learning the nuances of The Gym’s approach was exactly what he was looking for. He learned a lot about how to communicate these concepts to others and has felt supported by the group.
Annette was part of the first cohort where each level of the training was represented in the group and it was neat to see the different perspectives. The built-in community is so valuable. The Slack channel is one of her favorite parts because not only is it great to connect with others, but will become a wealth of searchable knowledge for everyone who joins. She really enjoys the office hours offered by the Financial Gym Trainers, because you have the opportunity to see your fellow members and get all of your questions answered.
Melissa talks about how her cohort was full of an excitement and positivity that is hard to describe. This model, where you invest in yourself and come out of the other side with a full support system on the other side cheering you on is unique to this program. The community is so valuable, especially when you’re starting out. You’re not alone while building your business, which is one of the most challenging parts of starting one.
Shannon asks the group what it’s been like working with their first few clients.
Gyasi talks about how it’s been really interesting to see clients at all different spots in their financial journey. It’s fun to learn and understand what people are trying to do and help them set goals. He started his own financial journey in 2019 and it took him a long time to figure everything out on his own. He’s excited for his clients because they’re investing in themselves and going to be able to put things into play much faster than he was able to on his own. It’s fun to watch the magic unfold.
Melissa is coming up on her first quarterly reviews with clients! She talks about how new clients are often overwhelmed by their current situation, it feels like breathing through a straw. They can’t even look above the water to see the different options or to dream. She loves guiding folks through the process and seeing the transformations happen. Being the deliverer of good news is pretty cool.
Shannon asks the group who they think this program is a good fit for.
Gyasi: This program is great for somebody who wants to make money, challenge themselves, learn to communicate, and help people get financially healthy.
Annette: If you are interested in helping other people like you, to show them what is possible. If you’re looking for the freedom of owning your own business, without the headache of having to build one from scratch. You do not have to create your own resources, billing system, or client funnel. If marketing isn’t your strong suit, and you’re not interested in finding your own clients, the Full Marathon is a great option.
Melissa: If the question is on your heart or stuck in your head, the answer is probably yes. If you’re interested in personal finance as a hobby and want to make it a profession. It’s important to make an informed decision for yourself, but if it’s on your mind, be brave, believe in yourself, take the risk, and invest in yourself.
Freedom of choice is one of the most powerful aspects of becoming financially healthy. For the first few years, we’re setting goals that can totally evolve and change because it can be hard to imagine the goals in survival mode. Going from having very limited choices to having many is the culmination of the hard work. Sometimes you know what you’re working for with clients, and sometimes you don’t.
Being a Financial Trainer is the greatest job in the world. It has challenges, but being on an intimate journey to experience everything with clients, the good and the bad is the best part.
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a Certified Financial Trainer, check out this page.
Takeaway: My biggest takeaway is that starting a business or a side hustle is a financial commitment, but you know yourself better than anyone, and hopefully betting on you is the best investment you can make for yourself.
Random Three Questions
You are given $10,000 to go on vacation anywhere, where would you go?
What are you currently binging?
If this was your last meal on earth, what would it be?
Meet our new Certified Financial Trainer Licensees:
Annette Margolis, San Francisco-based Certified Financial Trainer
Gyasi Barber, New York-based Certified Financial Trainer
Melissa Velisek, Southern Pines, NC-based Certified Financial Trainer
If you have any topics you would like me to cover on this podcast, or if you’d like to get in the financially naked hot seat, I encourage you to email me at Shannon@fingyms.com, or join the private Martinis and Your Money Facebook group, and let me know what you want to hear.
We have a lot of exciting things happening at Financial Gym in 2022, but the most exciting has to be our Certified Financial Trainer Licensing program. If you are a personal finance nerd with a passion for helping others, this is the course for you. It’s based on my 10 years plus of helping people get financially healthy and led by my amazing team at The Financial Gym. We’re about to start raising the pricing, so if you’ve ever thought about doing something like this don’t waste any more time, head over to financialgym.com and under our services, you’ll find more on the Certification Program