Try financial coaching for 30 days. Then decide.
A guided 30-day practice where you learn just enough to coach one real person. No certification commitment. No theory-only training. Real clarity from doing the work.
✓6 months access
✓Coach 1 real person
★★★★★
Built by Financial Coach Academy, training financial coaches across the US, Canada, and beyond.
Most coaching programs ask you to commit before you know what the work feels like.
You’re supposed to invest thousands, sit through months of theory, and then start working with real people. That’s the wrong order.
Financial Coaching Essentials flips that. Over 30 days, you learn just enough to have one real money conversation. Then that conversation teaches you what no amount of research ever could. Whether this work is something you want to keep doing.
Not theory. Not imagination. Real clarity from doing the work.
By the end of 30 days, you’ve coached one real person. You know what a money conversation feels like from the other side. And you have the data you actually need to decide what comes next.
How 30 days breaks down
Four weeks. One real client. A 5 part session structure you can actually use.
By Day 30 you will have:
Real experience to base your decision on. Not guesswork.
What’s inside
Practical tools, designed to be used immediately. Not theoretical.
A real coaching session, on video
Watch how a real money conversation unfolds before you have your own.
5 part session framework
A simple structure you can lean on for your first conversation, and reuse after.
Worksheets and reflection prompts
Move through the program with clarity, not guesswork.
Client-ready handouts
Reference materials to use during your first session.
Language guides
How to describe what you do, in plain words, without overpromising.
Scope and ethics guidance
Clear guidance on scope, ethics, and staying in your lane.
“This course confirmed that financial coaching is something I want to pursue more seriously. I went in curious and came out clear.”
Essentials Graduate, 2026
Built by the team behind Financial Coach Academy
Essentials is built by Kelsa Dickey, founder of Financial Coach Academy and creator of the SpendFirst methodology.
FCA has spent more than a decade training financial coaches and supporting people in their own money decisions. Essentials is the entry point. The step before full certification, designed to help you find out, with real experience, whether this work is for you.
Who Essentials is for
A clear yes for some people. A clear no for others.
Start Essentials for $297
Spend the next 30 days finding out if this work is for you.
- ✓Self-paced
- ✓Start anytime
- ✓6 months of access
- ✓Coach 1 real person
Frequently asked questions
If you have a question that isn’t here, email info@FinancialCoachAcademy.com.
Do I need any certifications or credentials to start?
No. Essentials is built for people who haven’t started yet. You don’t need a license or credential to coach someone through a money conversation. We cover scope and what you can and can’t do.
What if I’ve never coached anyone before?
Most people who take Essentials haven’t. That’s the point. You’ll watch a real session, learn a simple structure, practice the conversation, and then have one with someone you know.
What if I don’t have someone to coach?
We walk you through how to find your first person. It’s almost always someone already in your life. You don’t need a website, a business, or paying clients to do this.
How much time does this take per week?
Most people spend 2 to 3 hours per week, plus the actual session in week 4. It’s self-paced, so you can move faster or slower.
Is this the full Financial Coach Academy training?
No. Essentials is the intro. It gives you the framework and the first set of tools you’ll use with clients, and it stands on its own. If you want to keep going from here, the next step is The Builder, a free program that walks you through pricing, positioning, and the structure of a sustainable practice. From there, SpendFirst Certification opens in October 2026 for coaches who want to certify in the methodology.
What if I finish and decide coaching isn’t for me?
That’s a completely valid outcome. You’ll have spent 30 days getting clarity on a question that would otherwise take years to answer. That’s worth $297.
How long do I have access?
Six months from the day you start. The program is built to be completed in 30 days, but you have flexibility if life intervenes.