Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Sexton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Laura, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I was holding my 2 month old baby girl, trying desperately to get her to go to sleep when my husband mentioned something I never thought I would hear – bankruptcy. Already battling postpartum anxiety, I now had to deal with failing to live up to my promises, and the shame that would come with making this choice. Shortly after I mentioned to my mother how I’d never known anyone who filed bankruptcy. She very quietly replied, “Laura, we filed twice before you graduated high school.” My mind was blown. How could I have not known this?
As a society, we don’t talk about bankruptcy. We don’t talk about money in general. And that set me up for a difficult start in life. Facing $372,347 in debt, my husband and I had our first real talk about money. It should have come sooner, but no amount of “should-ing” would change where we were. We could only change moving forward.
We paid that final debt December 31, 2019 and went into 2020 feeling like we were on top of the world. Then, of course, the world came to a screeching halt. My friends who had witnessed our journey began reaching out and asking for help. I began coaching them through their budgets, but also coaching through the emotional roadblocks that were keeping them financially struggling. Seeing them win empowered me to try to reach more people.
Now, I’m focused on helping families change their money stories. Accelerate Your Legacy means stop paying for your past and start saving for your future. Legacy is more than dollars and cents; it is the mindset, tools, and habits we pass on to the next generation. Legacy is children seeing their parents talk about money instead of fight about it or hide it from them. Legacy is empowering the next generation to fund philanthropic endeavors that fill not only the receiver but the giver as well. Legacy is living a life of abundance.
What legacy do you want to leave?

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a wife and mom to four children, ages 6, 3, 2, and new. A former actress, turned financial coach.

I fell into coaching by accident. I’ve always had a heart for encouraging and teaching. Now I get to educate people on their finances, but also encourage them to live an abundant life that they choose.

Currently, I work 1:1 with my clients, helping them determine what their abundant life will look like, then giving them the habits, tools, and mindset to go out and achieve that dream. My clients go from feeling overwhelmed to completely mastering their finances by putting systems in place that fit best with their lifestyle. Personal finance is personal. There is no one size fits all budget, and we adapt based on family values.

I help couples unify their relationship with a shared vision & common language around money so they can live abundantly. This cuts down on money fights and builds harmony in the home and allows the couple to build an inheritance, both financially and spiritually.

In the first 40 days of this year, I have seen marriages restored, clients become debt free, and other clients become confident enough to begin or grow their own businesses. I am inspired by them to continue to grow and develop so I can see even bigger changes in the future.

This year has seen the launch of my podcast, Accelerate Your Legacy, the day before my youngest daughter was born, and will also see the launch of my Unify Money and Marriage online seminar, course, and membership. 2023 will be a year of growth for my company. But more than that, I hope it’s a year of growth for all who hear my voice (or read these words).

Have you ever had to pivot?

I came to California to be an actress. My dream had been to see my name in lights outside a movie premier at the Chinese Theatre. After over a decade of trying, I chose, January 1, 2020, to pause my acting career. It was a very difficult choice as it felt like I was cutting off a limb. But it was the right one for my young family (I had two children at the time). I had chosen to begin writing screen plays. And I had my first feature film under contract with a production house within a few months. We were waiting on the lawyers to draw up the final contracts when the world shut down. What was supposed to be only two weeks turned into two months, into six months, into the production company closing down – taking my dreams of seeing my film on the big screen down with it.
In that six months my friends were reaching out for help. So, I began to help and to teach. By helping them, they taught me something as well. They taught me that not everyone knows what I know. I didn’t even know what I know just a few short years before that. My eyes were open to the possibility to change not only my life but the lives of my community.
By allowing my neighbors to take charge of their financial lives, they are empowered to give freely to their neighbors. We don’t change our financial lives to be misers, we change it to be outrageously generous. The impact will affect generations to come.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

A taboo subject, money can sometimes make people uncomfortable. So how do I change that? I have the receipts. I have proven that I know what I’m talking about by walking it out and doing so publicly.
I have a reputation for making money relatable. That is because I go first. I share where I’ve failed with money. I share my money mistakes, and those of my family and mentors. I don’t want anyone to think I’ve always had it figured out, because I haven’t. And it’s because I made those mistakes that I care so much about the people I serve.
By being vulnerable and going first, I free other people to share about themselves. By having an open, honest conversation, we are able to dig to the root of the problem and make lasting change.
People know they can come to me and they won’t be judged for where they have failed. I’m thankful to be thought of this way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.accelerateyourlegacy.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/accelerateyourlegacy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraSextonMoneyCoach
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurasextonmoneycoach/