Financial Therapy

Heidi Clemons has worked in finance for years. But it wasn’t until colleagues and friends suggested that her "superpower" was helping others understand their spending habits that she began to realize could advise people in a non-traditional way. As her husband’s military career began to wind down and their family relocated from Hawaii to San Antonio, Texas, Clemons decided it was her time to start up. She launched Managed Expectations in 2023 as a financial coach, counselor and educator – and is currently working to become a financial therapist as well. Today, Clemons, who has also been navigating some medical issues, is scaling her business while helping as many people as possible get a hold of their financial lives. Editor’s Note: Managed Expectations has been named to The Story Exchange’s 2025 list of 10 Brilliant Business Ideas. How is your business different from others in your industry? There aren’t many people in the financial industry who are focusing on money habits and behaviors. Financial therapy is an emerging field and understanding how financial trauma affects money choices isn’t always glamorous. Often people tend to avoid it and would rather focus on financial planning and investing. Tell us about your biggest success so far. In my business, every day can be successful! I recently completed writing a 21-module curriculum for financial counselors who want to work within the military community. During that time , I had significant health challenges and had to pause expanding reaching out to clients. I've been able to focus on this project for almost two years and it's going to go live in early summer. It will impact our entire financial counseling community. How else did your health issues affect your business? I was quite ill for nearly a year and had to focus on getting better. I didn't have the capacity to do everything I wanted to. I focused on my existing clients and contracts and didn't add much to my plate. As my health improved, I've been able to engage on social media more and start to grow my private practice of working one-on-one with clients. What’s a startup challenge you've faced, and how are you addressing it? I'm looking to scale my business, while still keeping it personal. I need an online platform to scale it, but that's more expensive than I want to invest at this point. I'm collaborating with a small business owner on a platform that will work for financial coaches at a reasonable price. What is your biggest tip for other startup entrepreneurs? I decided to start my service-based business debt-free and keep it that way. It means that I will grow a little slower than others, but if I decide to change directions or close my business, I won't have a huge amount of debt that I need to pay off afterwards. I also think it's important to have mentors who will help you along the way. Engaging with others and getting out of your comfort zone is a big key to growing your brand and business. How do you find inspiration on your darkest days? I remember that others need me to help them through their own darkest days. Finances are challenging and affect all areas of life. What is your go-to song to get motivated on tough days? “This Girl is on Fire” by Alicia Keys. Who is your most important role model? I look up to others who are a few steps ahead of me. Sometimes it's another financial coach, a counselor or an educator. Sometimes it's a marketing guru. I look for integrity, trust and authenticity when considering who I want to listen to for advice. ◾ Instagram: @expectmorewithheidiFacebook: @managedexpectations Share your story! Check out our Advice + Tips for entrepreneurs starting-upWatch our latest videosSubscribe to our podcast

Financial Therapy

She Wants to Help You to Get Over Your Financial Trauma

The Story Exchange

Follow