Starting a business sounds so glamorous. You see the Instagram reels: laptops on the beach, perfect coffee mugs on pristine desks, captions like “be your own boss.” And sure, that part exists. Kind of. But behind those polished posts is a lot of sweat, late nights, and more than a few moments of quietly panicking while whispering “What have I done?” into a lukewarm slice of pizza.

The financial side? Well, let’s just say it’s not the part people rush to post about.

When you first get the itch to start your own thing, money feels like both the fuel and the fire. You need it to get going, but you’re also terrified of watching it burn too fast. It starts with those “just a few startup costs.” A website here, some software there, maybe a logo that you swear you can design yourself but end up spending hours searching UpWork and Fiverr to pay someone to do it for you. Before you know it, your credit card balance looks like a phone number and you’re muttering, “Well, that escalated quickly.”

Then comes the rollercoaster of income. One month you feel like a rock star. The next you’re googling “how to sell a kidney legally.” Welcome to entrepreneurship.

Here’s the thing most people don’t tell you upfront: the biggest danger isn’t the spending or even the slow months. It’s not having a plan. A lot of people walk into entrepreneurship with nothing but a great idea and a hope that “it’ll all work out.” Hope is lovely. But hope doesn’t pay vendors, taxes, or that health insurance bill that somehow doubled when you left your 9-to-5.

This is where having a financial coach comes in. And no, I’m not just saying that because it’s my job (okay, maybe a little). But seriously, someone needs to be your financial reality check while you’re dreaming big. You need someone who’ll ask, “Do you actually need that $900 course on how to grow your Instagram following?” Or, “Have you set aside money for taxes or are we going to cry together in April?”

A financial coach helps you build a plan that fits your actual life. Not someone else’s glossy highlight reel. We talk about things like setting up a business emergency fund (because stuff will go sideways), separating personal and business accounts (so you don’t accidentally use your grocery money to buy a new laptop), and figuring out how to pay yourself consistently—even when business feels like a rollercoaster strapped to another rollercoaster.

Starting a business is one of the most exciting and terrifying things you can do. You’ll have days where you wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. You’ll have days where you Google job openings at Target because at least they offer benefits. But with a solid financial foundation, you can ride the ups and downs without constantly living in panic mode.

Money doesn’t have to be the thing that breaks your business. Done right, it can be what gives you freedom. The freedom to grow, to experiment, to fail and pivot, to take time off, to eventually sit on that beach (without bringing your laptop). And if you need someone in your corner helping you figure it out—well, you know where to find me. I’ll bring the spreadsheets. You bring the big dreams.

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