We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Money & Pleasure Coach Olivia Sblendorio. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Olivia below.
Olivia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
One of the most rewarding client journeys I’ve witnessed involved less advice and more about facilitating a space for true introspection and exploration of options. When it comes to making shifts in personal finances, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of all-or-nothing thinking. One client tended to swing between going without basic needs in order to pay off all credit cards too quickly, to going on benders–maxing out all cards until they’re declined.
Like many of the couples I work with, one partner, in this case the wife (for others, it’s often the wife or one of the wives, but contrary to what might be imagined, I’ve found it’s less likely to be the husband), had taken on the bulk of the family finances. She’d found herself in a situation where she hadn’t fully disclosed to her husband the extent of their mounting debt. Though she’d hinted at it, he remained unaware of the depths of the financial challenges they faced.
As we delved into their financial flows and she gained a clearer understanding of where their money was going, she began shedding the shame that had weighed heavily on her everyday life. As a result, their romantic relationship underwent a profound transformation during this time, despite the stress of living as expats in a distant and challenging country with three children in tow. But she was still keeping secrets.
I helped this client recognize that she truly had a choice in how much of the financial picture she shared with her husband. Previously trapped in a spiral of nervous-system fear, secrecy seemed to her the only viable path forward. Every week, she’d express her reluctance to broach the subject with her husband. I met her where she was, affirming her feelings and providing support. Then, one Tuesday afternoon, even though she’d just told me she wasn’t ready to come clean, she made the courageous decision to confide in him.
Since then, their bond has grown stronger than ever. She now describes them as true partners, a dynamic she had never experienced before. No longer does she succumb to the temptation of buying unnecessary kids’ toys to ease her guilt about their transient lifestyle. Instead, they engage in open and honest conversations about money every day, interspersed with affectionate love notes.
She recently shared with me a heartfelt message from her husband, expressing deep gratitude for her. She wrote me: “Olivia, you’ve literally changed my marriage. I’m showing up as the leader of my family in a way I didn’t even know was possible. I had no idea I’d clean up my money, and that’d clean up my life.” It’s moments like these that reaffirm the value of firm, honesty with our clients. I’m tough, but with full and unconditional love for every aspect of life that has brought people to the present moment. My goal is to trade shame and guilt for empowerment and accountability, in all aspects of life.
Olivia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I started my company, Land in the Net, because I love to leap headfirst into life’s taboo territories. (And named it after my old career as daring young woman on the flying trapeze!) If there’s something you were warned to steer clear of around the dinner table, I’ve probably been obsessed by it, studied it deeply, and got a certification to teach about it! My favorite topics are body-acceptance, family finances, racial equity, class struggles, and the Bedroom Hokey Pokey.
Oh yeah, and I’m still a professional Vaudeville performer, who’s played stages ranging from Ringling Bros. Circus to anarchist clubs in Croatia. My passions might seem random, but considering I’m the offspring of a Broadway Fosse dancer and a Zen Buddhist Jew with an unusually high aikido martial arts ranking for a white guy, no one who knows me is ever very surprised at what I’m doing.
Traveling around the world, studying Mandarin, teaching Pilates, and swinging on trapezes, I always found like-minded people all over the globe. And those are the types whom I made my business for: the blended family that hates the words “self-help,” the couple tiptoeing around the money talk (or the sex talk; they often go hand-in-hand, just saying), a single looking for deeper connections, or a small business owner who’s been winging it in the finance department.
Land in the Net began as a bespoke Pilates, meditation, and stretching business. I ended up working with so many creatives and neurodivergents who needed support in the foundational needs of life: emotional and financial security.
So I offered Financial Fun Money Coaching, which isn’t just about balancing the books. While it’s also about reducing stress and calming those money jitters that keep people up at night, there’s even more. It’s about forging deep connections between your values, your wallet, and, even more importantly, your own self-trust. From regulating your nervous system to finding a financial plan that fits your lifestyle, I guide solo superstars, fearless family femmes, and budding business builders every step of the way.
I even created fun group money classes, the most popular of which is Flirty Finances. Given the prevalence of shame and secrecy surrounding discussions about money, these provide a supportive community for individuals facing such challenges. Surprisingly, these group sessions have become some of my most sought-after offerings, particularly among clients burdened by deep shame. Not only do these courses offer affordability, but they also facilitate powerful healing through the realization that we’re not alone in our struggles. By fostering an environment of transparency and acceptance, participants are empowered to embrace their true selves and thrive. Flirty Finances embodies this ethos and seamlessly integrates all aspects of my work.
But I’d never be satisfied just working with dollars and cents. After working as a money coach, and seeing so many relationships improve once money was no longer the major stressor, I knew I had to get certified again. I wanted to help people who are cut off from their life force, due to whatever circumstances. With Erotic Coaching, I take intimacy to new heights. Whether you’re craving hotter, funner sex or simply yearning to be seen for your true self, I’ve got simple, repeatable tools to revitalize your connection and ignite your passion. Land in the net’s Fun Coaching and Intimacy Coaching are open to all – because pleasure knows no bounds!
And for the people who’ve got it (almost) all together, I bring deep healing through laughter. My shows take the hardest-to-swallow realities of our world and flip our perspectives upside-down. I customize shows from birthday parties and baby showers of top executives, to intimate gatherings in enclave communities, to refugees of trauma, in areas such as Haiti and Poland.
What I’m most proud of is exemplifying a crucial lesson I’ve learned: the importance of prioritizing one’s own well-being above all else, even above the pursuit of self-improvement and profit (yes, surprising coming from a money coach!). I want to emphasize that I don’t juggle all my roles and responsibilities simultaneously.
I change hats, celebrate each tiny step (the ones forwards and those that feel ‘backwards),’ and take LOTS of naps (I’m very mean and cranky with less than 8 hours of sleep). My main mantra is: as long as I don’t quit, then I’m still in the game. And my company helps people define and create the rules by which we’re each willing to live.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
As the stepmother of a teenager, I’m gonna take another leap here and shine a spotlight on the often overlooked complexities of family dynamics and money. While I usually keep this part of my life under wraps, I’m all about breaking down barriers – whether it’s chatting about cash, hubby cuddles, or the weirdness of being in a step-family. With nearly half of US marriages blending families, it’s high time attention is paid to the unique joys and struggles we step-parents face.
Picture this: my hubby and I were just starting to get the hang of this whole ‘Financial Fun’ thing when life threw us a curveball. Cue the dramatic music – my stepchild’s mom announces plans to jet off to a faraway land–with my stepchild–leaving us scratching our heads in disbelief. Spoiler alert: the courts said ‘bon voyage’, and suddenly we found ourselves globe-trotting on credit cards, sans plan for the financial fallout.
Yep, you heard that right – we hit the plastic without a roadmap for payback.
Like many families, before we had gone through money coaching ourselves, our lives were a blur of credit card chaos, perhaps especially so with our backgrounds in the wacky worlds of creativity and teaching. Going through financial recovery coaching ourselves, we had finally gotten a handle on our debt. Opting for more debt just as we’d become a family seemed about as sensible as juggling flaming torches, but my financial recovery training had taught me a crucial lesson: not every money move is just about the dollars.
Sometimes, you gotta lead with your heart – and boy, did ours lead the charge. Luckily, by that time, I had also learned heart-led decisions ONLY work IF you have taken the time to develop the skills needed to make the ‘unreasonable’ work.
Those skills are not merely about know-how or understanding your family’s cash flow. Those skills must be woven in with trust you have earned from yourself. For us, that meant
a) no longer living in denial about how risky debt is, and
b) diving off new unknown platforms, ie taking big life risks.
In order to really save money, we both joined a company where we had to live full-time with a client. We leapt into totally unknown-to-us industries: health care and working with adults with special needs.
Everyone who knew us was surprised we’d taken such a hairpin turn. But, it worked! If we hadn’t taken a break from performing or even tried a more conventional route, we may not have been able to do what we ultimately did: tackle debt, rebuild our credit, and eventually convince a bank to give us a mortgage–all while doing work that is meaningful to us.
Flash forward to today, and our clan is tighter than a trapeze artist’s grip. So many times, I wanted to give up: through all the courtroom dramas and customs kerfuffles. I got to live what I now impart to clients: with a dash of determination and a sprinkle of silliness, there’s always a way forward. Even when the path seems as twisty as a circus contortionist. Life’s not necessarily pretty, but the net really does catch you.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Clowning around! (No, I’m not one of those rainbow wig clowns. I wear a little black dress and a ridiculous red feather.) Helping people laugh and stretch has been my life-long super power, and it’s surprisingly healing for my clients, whether they’re starting their first grown-up savings accounts or wanting to spice up their bedrooms with some new ‘interest’ing deposits and withdrawals.
Many people experience stress and anxiety surrounding money because they become trapped by their thoughts, disconnected from their values, and even their own bodies. Hmm, you might’ve noticed those are the same things that get us stuck around intimacy.
The same tools that help people unlock new levels of financial confidence are also the ones I teach for people wanting to enjoy the physical side of life more.
Because I’ve literally flown through the air, done splits all over the world, and faced countless fears, I truly believe people can get unstuck, whatever their current situation is.
Another side-effect of my being a side-show freak, is that I refuse for things to be boring. Yup, that means we get up out of our chairs during sessions! We laugh, listen to music, and might even shimmy, if you’re game. People are often shocked by how a little fun can transform what has felt like an immovable stone for years into a pebble we toss (or juggle!?) together.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.landinthenet.com/
- Instagram: @landinthenet
- Facebook: /Olivia.hallie
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/livvylehrman?sub_confirmation=1
- Other: Newsletter:: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/534842/111175326770398598/share
- Website 2: www.landinthenet.com
- Website 3; www.prettysmartentertainment.com
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