For many in the business world, the journey to financial confidence feels daunting. Juggling career growth, family, and the pressure to make smart financial decisions often leaves little room for financial planning. This is where Dinah Poehlmann, founder of Your Finance Mind, steps in. Her philosophy of empowering new investors through knowledge, mindset, and habits offers a clear path to financial clarity. Through her transformative coaching, Dinah brings accessible, actionable strategies that have changed lives across Southeast Asia, helping clients finally feel in control of their financial futures.
Dinah’s mission goes beyond just teaching finance; she helps her clients rewrite their “money stories,” uncovering limiting beliefs that may have held them back for years. With Dinah Poehlmann as their guide, her clients not only learn to manage their finances—they start living with purpose, empowered to create the futures they’ve always envisioned.
Key Takeaways:
- Financial confidence starts with understanding and reframing personal money beliefs.
- Simple, actionable steps make financial planning accessible to everyone, regardless of their background.
- Empowerment through financial knowledge and mindset shifts leads to long-term financial independence.
Highlights
From Banking to Coaching: A Journey of Empowerment
Q: What do you love most about your job [after more than a decade]?
A: As a finance coach, what I love most is the deep, trusting connection I get to build with my clients. They often open up to me about their finances and fears around money – something they may not even discuss with close family.
It’s incredibly rewarding to witness their transformation from feeling anxious and overwhelmed to feeling empowered and confident in making their own financial decisions.
When clients return months later and share how my coaching program has “changed their lives”, I know I’m doing meaningful work. Seeing that shift and knowing I’ve been part of it is truly the most fulfilling part of my job.
Q: Can you describe how a typical day for Dinah Poehlmann at work has evolved over the years?
A: Compared to my banking career days, where long hours were the norm, running a finance coaching business allows me a much more flexible schedule. I now organise my time around my daughter’s school runs and activities.
A typical day involves one or two coaching calls, where I work closely with clients on their financial goals and money mindsets. The rest of my time is spent writing – whether it’s developing blog ideas, creating social media content, or designing new coaching programs or workshops.
Q: What initially inspired you to pursue this career, and has that inspiration changed over the years?
A: After I left my banking career and was based in Jakarta as an expat, I was investing on my own and I was looking for a community of investors to exchange ideas with.
I started a chatgroup in my expat community for people interested in investing. To my surprise, most members were new to investing and eager to learn. I unintentionally became the ‘expert’ in the group, and what began as casual meetups for coffee quickly turned into regular sessions where I’d share insights on personal finance and investing.
Soon, coffee mornings grew into Zoom webinars, and I began attracting private coaching clients across Southeast Asia. Before I knew it, even large MNCs were reaching out for financial literacy workshops and collaborations.
It was an unplanned but wonderful turn that transformed my passion into a business and a new way of helping others.
Q: What has been your most memorable experience on the job, and how has it shaped your career?
A: One of my most memorable experiences was a project with a stock trading platform, where I was brought in to help them understand and engage their female customers better. Research showed that women often feel less confident in their investing decisions than men, which can hold them back from investing consistently.
Over a few months, I collaborated with their in-house team to create messaging that resonated with their female customers and developed a live workshop designed to boost their customers’ confidence in investing. The project was a success, with great feedback from participants who felt more empowered to take control of their financial journeys.
This experience highlighted the importance of addressing different needs in finance and reinforced my commitment to making investing accessible and empowering for everyone.
Q: What skills or qualities are essential for long-term success in your field?
A: A listening ear, empathy, and a genuine desire to empower others are essential in my field. Staying up-to-date with financial markets is important, but what truly sustains a career in finance coaching is the ability to connect deeply with clients, understanding their fears, hopes, and dreams.
The combination of technical expertise and emotional intelligence is powerful, allowing us to guide clients effectively through their financial journeys.
Q: How do you handle challenges or difficult situations at work, and have your strategies changed over time?
A: I’m fortunate that difficult situations are rare, though occasionally I encounter resistance from clients, often rooted in deep-seated beliefs about money. In one case, I gently challenged a client’s need to spend, sensing some initial annoyance. I held space for him to reflect on the questions, though I left the session feeling slightly unsettled. At our next session, however, he shared a significant breakthrough: he realised his spending habits were tied to an outdated money story that no longer served him and were actually misaligned with his financial goals.
This experience reminded me how powerful it can be to persist with empathy, allowing clients to uncover transformative insights on their own terms.
My strategies have not changed over time; I continue to listen to my clients’ stories and use my intuition to guide them toward their truth.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job now, compared to when you first started?
A: Similar to what I mentioned in question 1, the most rewarding part of my job is the connection I build with my clients. Witnessing their transformation through coaching and knowing that I’m making a meaningful difference in their lives is incredibly fulfilling.
A bonus reward: My 10-year-old daughter came up to me recently and said “Hey mom, I found many pictures of you when me and my classmates googled our parents in class. I’m so proud of you!”
Q: How do you stay motivated and engaged in your work after so many years?
A: My motivation comes from the evolution of my own journey as well as my clients’ journeys. I’m continually learning, from the technical part of building an online coaching business to the psychology of money and mindset, a topic which I love.
There aren’t many coaches in my niche, helping individuals to understand their finances and money mindset while empowering them to create their own investing strategy. Knowing that there’s a demand for this guidance keeps me engaged and motivated.
I also love designing coaching programs and workshops that allow me to connect with my audience and expand my impact.
Q: What advice would you give someone considering a career in your field, especially for the long haul?
A: In finance coaching, knowledge is only one part of the equation. To sustain a career in finance coaching and truly make an impact, you need a deep understanding of human behaviour and a commitment to continuous learning.
This career is fulfilling if you’re driven by a genuine desire to empower others and make a difference in their lives. Also, stay curious and embrace change as both the financial landscape and client needs are always evolving.
Q: How have you balanced your work with your personal life over the years, and has your approach changed?
A: As I grow my business, I remain mindful of why I started this journey – to share my knowledge and empower new investors to start investing with confidence.
It is also important that my coaching business supports the current season of my life, where flexibility is key to balancing work with family.
I realised that living my desired lifestyle authentically – one that is balanced, fulfilling, and rich in experiences – not only aligns with my values but also inspires my clients to pursue the same.
So my approach has always been to choose the clients that I want to work with as well as the projects that I want to work on, based on my time availability. So far, this has worked well for me.
Inspiring Change, One Client at a Time
Dinah Poehlmann’s approach to finance coaching exemplifies the power of combining expertise with empathy. Her stories of guiding clients through life-changing transformations reflect her passion for helping individuals take confident steps toward financial independence. For those striving to make meaningful financial decisions, Dinah’s insights offer not just guidance but inspiration to face financial challenges with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose. As she continues to support new investors on their journey, Dinah Poehlmann redefines financial empowerment—one breakthrough at a time.
Highlights
Read this article in Chinese here.
