Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mandy Saunders. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Mandy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
The idea of becoming a retirement readiness coach evolved as I approached the culmination (or at least the formal culmination) of my 34-year career as a Social Services professional, then College Counselor, and finally as a Community College Administrator. My post-retirement dream was always to continue in some form of mentorship to college graduates and/or to the college professionals that I served as dean and manager. I’d engaged in training professionals on the various aspects of managing college programs for various student needs.
Those activities in themselves forged relationships with colleagues that felt like a logical progression for me, in retirement. I’ve also taught psychology, sociology and even elementary Spanish at the high school and college levels. My expectation was that I would continue to teach even on a part-time basis. I just didn’t picture myself being at home with little to do more than watch soap operas and eat bonbons! But I was so driven about my work that I wasn’t really prepared for retirement at all, and four years prior to my retirement year, I went into a major panic: I had a 401-k retirement account that I paid fair to insufficient attention to, and I hadn’t talked to any retirement professionals about the steps that I should be taking to be remotely prepared for this endeavor.
I remember seeing an ad on social media about a retirement information session at the local library, and I knew this was my opportunity to get in front of someone away from my work environment. Perhaps, they could give me a non-judgmental clue about where and how I should begin to plan for the glorious occasion. I was so afraid of being judged. Here I was, a college official who managed and mentored so many on any number of academic and life challenges, and I felt clueless about what my retirement years would look like. Thankfully, I connected with professionals who were ethical, and genuine in their desire to help me get my finances in order. That did happen, and I am ever so grateful for the financial literacy, and the preparation achieved. Four years later, I was achieving my goal.
What no one explained to me even then, was the fact that retirement involves several life stages that many retirees stumble through quite painfully, sacrificing great friendships, and other personal relationships in the process.
This is where ‘Leaders with Mandy’, my retirement well-being coaching service, solves a number of pains! I teach pre-retirees and recent retirees, how to be the leaders and authors of their own lives, moving forward. That guidance encompasses the financial, psycho-emotional, and personal health aspects of retirement – in all of its stages. Retirement is the ultimate reward of our mature years; it is to be enjoyed with the least amount of regret possible!
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?
My educational and professional backgrounds have influenced the angles of my business in a large way. I have a bachelor’s degree in social work, a Master of Science in Counseling and College Student Personnel. I’ve also completed substantial doctoral studies in Educational Psychology, which involved concentrations in human development and in the lifespan. I am passionate about assisting retirees and future retirees with a holistic approach to their preparation. This ensures that they are not neglecting a critical aspect of their future retirement season.
The expectation of most retirement preparation professionals is that they will align your finances for a fairly comfortable retirement, and that is absolutely necessary, but there are other critical variables that must be considered and planned in advance. Some areas are the shift in one’s medical insurance needs, and the interpersonal changes that inevitably happen about a year into retirement, and beyond.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
When I began the journey with a chosen financial advisor to get my ducks in order for that ‘glorious’ retirement date, I felt extremely inadequate for the first time in years. I felt a lot of shame, because I was recognizing how much I did not understand about this preparation process. I just imagined that all of my colleagues were way ahead of me, and I wanted to keep this shame as private as I possibly could. This may have been self-inflicted, but at times in my paranoia, I felt like certain professionals were somewhat condescending in their approach to helping me find my way. When I decided to pursue retirement coaching I promised myself, and currently promise my clients that my coaching service is approached as “a service first; a business, second”!
I want my clients to always understand that they’re working with a coach who truly possesses the empathy to rid them of their apprehension about the areas they need to address. I strive to convey how well I understand their dreams and goals for the future.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Before starting this retirement readiness business, I was very shy about promoting myself on social media! I registered for a business coaching bootcamp (30-day program) that basically ‘threw me in the water and forced me to swim’! All I had at the time was my personal Facebook profile. The class was instructed to make an official announcement on our profiles about starting a business, explaining what it was and asking for the support of friends and family. At the time, we all squirmed at the thought! But we supported one another, by giving honest feedback, etc. on the content of our introductions, and the rest is history! I am now regularly on Facebook, and Instagram, and recently began to build a presence on TikTok. I will eventually engage prospects on LinkedIn and YouTube as well…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leaderswithmandy.com
- Instagram: @coach_mandy_s
- Facebook: Leaders with Mandy
- TikTok : @leaderswithmandy