I Have Notes with Coach Stephanie Finigan

In this episode of Notes from an Entrepreneur in Progress , I’m talking about one of the hardest parts of building something new: other people’s opinions. Why is it so painful when the people closest to us don’t support our business, our pivot, our dream, or the version of ourselves we’re trying to become? Why does skepticism from family and friends hit so much harder than random internet trolls?...

In this episode, I’m unpacking one of the biggest concepts in coaching and personal development: acting like your future self before you have the results you want. We’re talking thought work, energy, mindset, “acting as if,” and why the version of you who already has the relationship, business, money, career, or confidence you want isn’t just some magical future unicorn version of you…she’s built...

Being over 40 has a way of making you pause, look around, and ask some uncomfortable questions. Whether you’ve checked all the boxes you were “supposed” to or feel like you’re behind on the timeline, this episode dives into the very real cycle so many people experience in midlife. In this episode I break down why that stuck, restless feeling shows up, how societal milestones shape our expectations...

In this short, personal episode, I share an honest reflection on grief - specifically the kind that doesn’t wait for a clear ending. After two years of navigating intense challenges I'm now in a new phase: one where the urgency around one situation has quieted, leaving space for something I've been avoiding - grief. In this episode I share a bit about what it means to grieve someone who is still h...

Starting something new, especially a business, almost always triggers the same emotional pattern: excitement, effort… and then the moment when results don’t come as quickly as you hoped. In this episode of the Notes from an Entrepreneur in Progress series of I Have Notes , I break down the self-doubt cycle that many entrepreneurs experience. From the initial burst of motivation to the “crickets” p...

Recently, I finished writing a book in 10 days, which is something I've never done before. In this episode, I break down what actually made that possible: 1) recognizing the voice in my head that says “this is stupid,” 2) setting an aggressively short deadline, and 3) looking for evidence that what I wanted to do is possible. If you’ve been sitting on an idea for years, this episode is your nudge...

You worked for the goal, chased it, achieved it… and its not what you expected. In this episode, I unpack why hitting a milestone doesn’t always bring the fulfillment we imagine, what we’re actually chasing when we set goals (hint: it’s a feeling, not the achievement), and 3 questions to ask yourself to help you move forward when hitting that goal feels complicated. Get in touch: Email: stephanie@...

Ever cringe when you think about a past money decision? You’re not alone - and you’re definitely not stuck there. In this episode of I Have Notes , I am sharing one of my favorite lessons from her Make it Make Cents Money Mindset course, breaking down how financial guilt, regret, and old money stories quietly shape your current results (and how to stop letting them). You’ll learn why most “money m...

What does it really look like to grow a business or passion project while juggling a full-time job, family, and everyday life? In this episode, the second in the Notes from an Entrepreneur series, I share a core mindset strategy I use while building my business in real time: committing firmly to my goals while staying flexible in how I reach them. I pull back the curtain on missing a recent revenu...

This episode kicks off a new series where I pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to build a business while working full-time, parenting, and living a full life. I share the honest story of how my coaching business started as a “jobby,” why I struggled to take it seriously for years, and how caregiving, fear, and self-doubt shaped the path I took. I talk about what it’s like to want m...

In this episode, I talk about perfectionism, fear, and the stories we tell ourselves that keep us stuck—especially when we’re trying to build something new. Recording from my car (because real life), I dig into why so many of us wait until things feel “ready” before we take action, and how that instinct is often just our brain trying to keep us safe from discomfort. We talk about why perfectionism...

In this episode, I talk honestly about trying to stay grounded, motivated, and intentional while living in the horror of the Trump era and the very real harm being caused by policies like ICE enforcement. I wrestle with whether it even makes sense to focus on goals, growth, or building a business when so much feels so much more urgent and broken. I share a personal reflection on asking myself, “Do...

If you’re building something on the side while juggling a full-time job, family, and real life, this episode is for you. In this episode of I Have Notes , I break down five mindset shifts that will help you stop feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or behind — and start making real progress on the thing you keep saying you “don’t have time for.” We talk about: Why protecting your energy matters more than t...

In this episode of I Have Notes , I’m talking directly to anyone who has a side project, a business idea, a book, or a creative dream they can’t seem to make real - because life is already full. I break down the real reasons most people stay stuck (time, money, other people’s opinions, and self-doubt) and why waiting for the “perfect” moment is usually the thing holding us back. I talk about the p...

In this episode, I’m talking about money, mindset, and what The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills accidentally teaches us about power, identity, and financial responsibility. Using Dorit’s very public money unraveling as a case study, we dig into why mindset has to come before spreadsheets, why “just take action” isn’t enough, and how identity drives every financial decision we make. If you’ve ever...

Today's episode is a modified lesson from my upcoming money mindset course: Make it Make Cents. The course will cover all aspects of your money mindset - looking at your Past Self, Current Self and Future Self with money - and will help you see how your thoughts about money are creating your results with money. The good news here? You can change your thoughts, and by doing that you will change you...

Welcome to 2026! Not quite a “new year/new you” episode, but in this one we’ll go over what it is I am taking with me from 2025 into 2026 - habits, though patterns, actions - and what I’m leaving behind (I’ll miss you, Diet Coke and complaining about my lack of time!). Resources mentioned in today’s episode: Gabby Bernstein app Get in touch! Email: stephanie@stephaniefinigancoaching.com Instagram:...

We’ve all been there - or we’re there right now - overeating, overspending, just doing way too much around the holidays, and then deciding “I’ll deal with it in January”. There’s nothing wrong with any of it - unless you decide that there is. In this episode we’ll talk through how using your Future Self will get you through the season - massive Visa bill and all. If you’re interested in going deep...

This episode of the I Have Notes podcast is a lesson from the upcoming Make it Make Cents money mindset training I’m about to launch! You’ll get a sneak peek inside the audio-based course by listening to this episode, which covers the concepts of scarcity, sufficiency and abundance, gives an overview of why our brains default to a scarcity mindset, and the steps you can take to start cultivating a...

This short episode will go over every new discount and offer this Black Friday - including brand new coaching programs: Discount on 12 session 1:1 coaching package Discount on 1 year 1:1 coaching package NEW Small Group Coaching program for New Entrepreneurs NEW Money Mindset Self Paced Coaching Class NEW 1/2 Day in person 2026 Self Identity workshop NEW 1/2 Day in person Over Spending workshop Of...

Welcome back to Part 4 in this short series highlighting all of the tools and practices that got me through the hardest year I’ve ever had. In this final episode of the series you’ll learn about the last 3 tools I used to navigate 2025 - and that I plan to keep using in the year ahead. Hope you enjoy! Stephanie Contact: Email: stephanie@stephaniefinigancoaching.com IG: @lifecoachstephfini Website:...

Welcome back to Part 3 in this short series highlighting all of the tools and practices that got me through the hardest year I’ve ever had. In this episode you’ll learn about Tools 4 and 5 that I used to navigate 2025 - and one tool I’ve had for years that I actually dropped this year as well. Hope you enjoy! Stephanie Contact: Email: stephanie@stephaniefinigancoaching.com IG: @lifecoachstephfini...

Welcome back to Part 2 in this series highlighting all of the tools and practices that got me through the hardest year I’ve ever had. In this episode you’ll learn about Tools 2 and 3 - tools that were surprising to me as well as surprising useful! Hopefully they will be to you as well. Enjoy! Stephanie Resources: Email: stephanie@stephaniefinigancoaching.com IG: @lifecoachstephfini Website: www.st...

In this episode you'll learn the reason behind the podcast title and vibe change up (from I'm the Problem to I Have Notes ) and you'll also learn the #1 tool I used to get me through 2025, which was a hardest year I've had of many! And stay tuned - this is the first of a 4-part series where I'll highlight each of the other tools that helped me go from "Holy shit" to "I've actually got this handled...

Coaching is all great and helpful and worth it...until it doesn't work. You have a goal, you hire a coach, and then you don't get there. So what does that mean? That coaching is useless? Or that your coach was bad? Or that you're just not one of those people who things work out for no matter how hard you try? And what do you do now? In this episode we look at what happens when coaching "fails" - a...