It’s time to break free from the taboo!

Anyway, for the last few months, I’ve been working hard to start my new business as a Personal Finance Coach. Part of that “kicking off” process had been coming up with a business name. (Sorry for a little Oscar moment, but…) I want to thank those of you who have been standing by me through this painstaking process! For the most part, we’ve been playing with words that are closely related to the nature of what I do today – coaching, centered around money! (I know, you are probably thinking: “you mean like a money shrink?” Ha, I like that name actually, but I’m not crazy enough to use it as the “official” business name.)

I’m going to be holding a workshop called “What’s Your Number?” next week, trying to poke at a question that either very few people have asked themselves or have been avoiding the question altogether. In my efforts to promote the workshop, I’ve created a FB page, a new Meetup group called “Women & Money”, and an Eventbrite page. Through all of these activities, one thing keeps circling around in my head – the Name! What should I name the Meetup group? What should I name the FB page? The same dilemma I have been having with coming up with a business name. I’m literally paralyzed!

So, I did a little soul searching this morning. (Hey, gotta practice my coaching skills on myself sometimes). I finally realized that there is heavy sense of guilt about using the word “Money”. I feel a little embarrassed about talking about money all the time. “Is it a good or bad thing to have the word Money in a name?” “Are people going to think I’m a total money freak?” (Ironically, for someone like me who is in the “money business”, various personality tests have shown that I’m actually a Money Monk! Messege me if you don’t know what that means). Wow, that realization was a Ding-Dong moment for me! I just self-diagnosed with a negative thought about “money”. While I have a healthy relationship with money when dealing with my own finances, I still feel conscientious talking to others about it, in public. It underscores the power of social conditioning! (The force is strong!)

Recently, while net surfing, I stumbled onto a “Women’s website”. Naturally I looked for finance related information. There were so many tabs on the main menu, with topics ranging from Beauty (hair, nail, body), Career, Love, etc… literally anything you can think of to cater to women, they have it, EXCEPT Finance & Money! Sorry, but I found that appalling! In the name of self empowerment, how exactly are you going to achieve all that without discussing one of the key ingredients in life? Oh yes, that’s minor detail… sure!

But seriously, an entirely new vision just unfolded in front of me this morning. What I truly want to do is way beyond individual coaching. It’s about creating a new movement to being unapologetic about talking about money, especially for women! It’s about time that women take the driver seat in managing personal finances, with or without a male partner. Let me be very clear, I have nothing against the man being the one who manages the household finance. But the woman needs to stay involved and be part of every decision making process. With that revelation, my company name just became so clear! “Project M”, M stands for Mind & Money (and Mimi, my dear friend who came up with this during one of our brainstorming sesions).

If you are reading this, you are in the know as I haven’t announced it anywhere else! As a token of my appreciation for you taking the time to read my blah blah, I will send a free movie ticket to the 1st 5 readers and the 1st person who respond by asking “what is it” or (something along those lines). Please go to my FB page and post on my wall: “I know your business name. I’m in the know”. Please do not respond to the person who asks “what is it” right away, because I want to honor the 1st readers as promised.

Let’s get the game started!