Amanda Thompson Live Book Launch - Dean Publishing

🎥 Jun 21, 2023 📺 Dean Publishing ⏱ 20m 👁 7 views

UNLEASH THE CFO WITHIN “A must-read for all women. Amanda will teach you what truly matters when looking at your ...

About Amanda Thompson

In September 2023, Amanda Thompson launched her book *Financially Fit Women: How to Be Your Own CFO*. During a book launch event, Thompson stated that she had a heart attack at age 34, which she described as a "classic burnout from work" and a pivotal moment that led her to start her own business. She said the book aims to provide general financial planning concepts and money confidence, addressing what she described as a significant gap in financial literacy and security for women, including pay gaps and superannuation balances. Thompson described the book as a "self-development, creative goal-setting, and educational book" rather than solely a finance book. She said she prefers the term "spending plans" over "budgets" because budgeting has a negative connotation, and she suggested that tying financial goals to personal and emotional reasons creates stronger motivation. Thompson also noted that affordable access to financial planning is difficult to obtain in Australia and that the book is intended to be accessible without requiring large sums of money for a financial planner.

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Transcript (14 segments)

Host0:04

Good morning everybody. We have got an amazing morning up for you now, especially in today's economy. We need to be aware, we need to learn about this particular topic, and I'm talking about our finances. It's so important to own them, to understand them, and all that there is around finances. Today I've got the amazing Amanda Thompson, who is here to launch her book, and it's called 'Financially Fit Women: How to Be Your Own CFO.' I love that title because it talks about how to be confident, focused, and on top of your money. So welcome this morning, Amanda, and I can't wait to hear all about your book and share it with the audience here today.

Amanda Thompson0:59

I'm amazing and Amanda I'm not used to those together, so I'm struggling to comprehend that. But yes, I wrote a book. And that's no mean feat because the percentage of people that actually get all of their knowledge out of their head into a book to share it with the world is very minimal. It does take a lot of work, a lot of pouring out your heart. I know that this book is not just about learning about finances, but we hear and understand a little bit about me and why this book is so much more than just a book on finances. It's anything but boring, it's simple and easy to digest.

Host1:54

It leads me to find out more. You've got that typical kind of person that you think of as an accountant, and maybe it comes out to be just telling you what you need to know, but there's so much more heart and soul in this book. I know that there's a section in there where you share vulnerably about how you had some things happen in your life that were quite significant, one of those being a heart attack. You'll have to share with us what age that was, and also becoming a single mother. Tell us a little bit about that, and was that a pivotal point to your 'why' in doing this book and sharing this message with the world?

Amanda Thompson2:39

Absolutely. Yes, age 34, and it would be the classic burnout from work as well. So it really is a bit of a whirlpool effect in why I went out into business on my own, why I started to follow my heart, no pun intended. Having two young girls and finding myself... I could have died that night, there's no two ways about that. You'll see in the book that I mention having a lawyer come into the hospital for a particular reason, in case I did need to have my will done properly. So that was a heart attack at 34. I just kept going and thought I was worked and stressed. I've learned a lot about myself from that experience, but also what I'm really passionate about. I really disliked school learning, sitting in a classroom with someone pointing a finger at me and telling me everything I need to know. Don't get me wrong, we all need knowledge, we all need textbook knowledge, but I have this true belief that it's the experiences that enhance that knowledge. So that's really the catalyst of this book. For me, a book is storytelling, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, and I believe that women in particular learn through each other's stories. That's why I've shared some of my personal circumstances throughout this book, coupling that with the knowledge and education that I've had. I am a professional financial advisor, but I am so much more than that when you get to work with me one-on-one.

Host4:38

I love that. I think that a lot of women reading this... I know it's called 'Financially Fit Women,' but it doesn't mean men can't buy this book because they can learn so much, especially written in a way that is easy to understand. I do love that you share about yourself because not only is this book something that people can learn how to get their finances in order, but also a little bit of a wake-up call from a personal development point of view. If someone tells us what to do and get our finances in order, it's not going to hit home as much as, 'Oh my gosh, I could be in my 20s, 30s, 40s and more, and saying wow, this is what happened to Amanda at 34. Who's to say it's not going to happen to me?' It's a wake-up call to say, 'Let's not wait until that happens. Maybe I should get these things sorted first.' I really love that you talk about that, and why it's been so important for you, but also that wake-up call through your story that people may want to get their finances in order. What's your bigger 'why' beyond this book, to be able to help people?

Amanda Thompson6:12

The facts are there, we can't argue them. There is a gap of women in everything financial, whether it's superannuation balances, whether it's homelessness—that's a really scary step that I talk about quite often—and even there is a pay gap. We are chasing generations. So my first 'why' is that someone has to do something to start bridging this gap that is mainly caused by the generational nature of where we've come from. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, but we are a nation now of self-development. Self-development includes understanding—at least understanding—you may not be in charge of your finances completely at home if you're in a couple, but you should be understanding them and having confidence that if you had to, you would be able to do that. So my first 'why' is that women need some help in finding that information. My second 'why' is that unfortunately in Australia, access or affordable access to financial planning is quite hard to come by. I wanted to give as many women and men, if they want to read it, the access to general financial planning concepts and money confidence concepts without having to commit large sums of money to go and get a financial plan done. This is like a conduit to 'what next for me?' This isn't going to give you all the answers, but it will and should give you a where to start in your particular circumstances, instead of listening to the person down the street or the work colleague telling you what you need to do. This will give you the base to decide what you need to do.

Host8:17

I love that because inside the book, not only do you educate people, but you give them the opportunity to actually go and look at their finances personally, to set some goals, and to become aware of where they're at and what they could possibly do to become more financially secure, or at least have that conversation with your partner where maybe your partner isn't even aware of it. The book empowers you enough to have these conversations, not like 'Hey, we're going to split up, so let's get our finances in order,' but more just to be aware and say, 'Did you know this? I've been reading a book and I wondered what we are doing to look at our future before we get to that future, getting older in age.' This book is prevalent to any age because sometimes people have gotten through life and haven't looked at later on in life what's going to happen. They maybe aren't at the end of their superannuation, and there are things they could do or at least start exploring so that they're more set up. I think that's really important. It's not going to have all the answers, but it's coming from a professional to at least open up the awareness to see where there might be some gaps that you might want to go and get some more specialist advice on, because you weren't even aware of them in the first place. You're absolutely right, it's about taking ownership of all of our areas, but getting that education and awareness of where maybe you've got things sorted and maybe you haven't, and you need to get some extra advice and take them through that sort of workshoppy thing that this book does, which I love. Leading on from that, you talk about who the book is for—it's for women or men, all age gaps. I know the book itself has some great things for us to become aware of, but I believe you've got a workbook that people can purchase as well so that they can really delve into doing some actual exercises and work themselves to become even more educated. Tell us about that.

Amanda Thompson10:47

You're using all the perfect words. 'Exercise' goes into fitness, goes into financially, and we didn't even practice this. But yes, I'm going to answer that. So like I said, I'm not a fan of school work. I'm not so much a fan of someone telling me what to do. Our ability to retain information as humans is much better when we are putting pen to paper, or in these days, fingers to a keyboard for this PDF workbook. There are some really good exercises throughout each chapter that you can choose to do to go into your own circumstances instead of just touching the surface of the information I've given you. You can actually go away and get the information and think about what it is that you want to do and start setting some goals. The book itself is a journey for you if you want. You used the word 'exploration,' I use the word 'journey,' but it's the same concept. You can work through it, you don't have to do the exercises of every chapter, or you can pick and choose, but then it's always there for you to go back and do if there's something particular that happens in your life.

Host12:15

I love that. I just wanted to go back to the title being 'Financially Fit.' If I buy the book, do I have to run? No? But can you tell me how does that correlation of 'financially fit' come about? I know there are some runners on the front. Tell us a little bit about that and how that came about.

Amanda Thompson12:42

Well, my business name is Endurance, so there has to be some form of fitness. That's a whole other book in itself, and watch this space, it may come. How 'Endurance Financial' came about... I do like to keep fit, but also I have this ability to turn anything money—you could test me, anything money—into some Lycra analogy, some fitness analogy. If you think about any habit that you want to create, in this day and age we talk about self-development and healthy habits, and a lot of those are around eating or fitness, but this is no different. 'Financially Fit Women' bases itself on the fact that any habit that you have to form is a journey, and it's self-discipline, and it's accountability. I have that joke that a fad diet won't work, so you've got to be able to get some real measures in place for yourself.

Host13:44

Absolutely. All right, I'm going to throw one at you. How do we fit money into, say, running on a weekly basis?

Amanda Thompson14:02

Isn't that so many people in this day and age at the moment? Because, you know, Susan, I feel really strongly about this. We will all know someone that is living paycheck to paycheck at the moment, especially if they have a mortgage. The idea of this... we don't use the word 'budget' in my business. We actually mention the word 'budget' in the book, but only to say that we don't like it. I prefer 'spending plans.' So it's about trying to find a surplus instead of controlling and the negative connotation of budgeting. The biggest part of this book that I think is different than so many other financial planning or financial advising avenues is we start with your 'why,' your values, and your personal goals that aren't necessarily monetary. When we as people start to put personal goals in play, we will then start to want to achieve them more. Whereas if we just put a dollar figure in front of something and have no idea what we're really trying to achieve, that need to look at things differently, that need to spend probably a little more frugally, is important. Running a tight ship is a lot of people at the moment, and trying to get yourself out of that and start putting future goals in place is really important.

Host15:32

Absolutely. I think what's so important that you mentioned is so true. I think more so for women, because men can go, 'I'm going to aim for this number,' and they can achieve that accomplishment—'I want to make a million dollars.' For women, we're heart-centered, we're more emotional connectors and beings. I think that when we know that it's because we want to take the kids to a theme park on the Gold Coast, or we want to go on a family holiday, or we want to do something for ourselves, when we connect that emotion to the monetary figure, it absolutely plays a completely different part. When do we stop to take the time to do that? I think that's what this book lends to, to really have you not only just look at numbers—they can seem boring—but now we're going to put that emotional things that are relevant to us. I think that's absolutely imperative. There are so many things people are going to learn from this book, 'Financially Fit Women,' along with the workbook. This is really a self-development book, a creative goal-setting book, an educational book for your finances. It's so much rolled into one. I know that it's something that is important to women no matter what age, so it's not really based on that. Even though it is gender-specific in saying 'Financially Fit Women,' it is something that men can really get hold of, or even purchase it for their partners so that you can together set some of these goals. Before we finish up, I just want to thank you for trusting in us to be able to help you share this very important message with the world. I know it's going to change people's lives, it's going to save some people's lives in getting them to be financially fit and aware. I want to let people know that this is something you can not just buy for yourself, but I think a gift for your children, a gift for your friends. You can buy it and feel that you're making a difference in someone else's life by buying it and sharing it around, which I know is your biggest 'why' and purpose—to get this out to as many people so that they're getting their finances in order. Is there anything else that you want to leave the listeners with today? Maybe top three things that they might get, and also how they're going to purchase it? We're going to put a link down below so that they can purchase it. Thank you, and anything else you want to leave the listeners with today?

Amanda Thompson18:30

No, thank you for the journey that I've gone on with Dean Publishing from go to now. It's been supported by women. Let's highlight the fact that we really are women supporting women. I know there are a few men in your business, but I've been supported by the women, and that's really important. So thank you, because it sits close to my heart that us as women are lifting each other up. I think if I circle around to what you just said, buying this book for a gift for a friend or a daughter or a mother is such a great way to empower them as well and say, 'I believe in you, you're going great places, and take this step.' I really do believe that it is a self-development book. You don't need to be awesome with numbers, and you don't need to understand financial sheets or anything like that. I've made this as simple as possible to hit anyone's capabilities. And you know what? There is always a way to connect with me if you get stuck during the book. That's the other key—we are open to help anyone. Thank you so much. So yes, I'm going to plug it: go grab the book for yourself, for other loved ones and family and friends. And if you're in business, there are sections on business—don't forget that you've got to have your business in order as well. The link will be there to purchase the book. Thank you so much for being with us, and we're excited to launch this book. Thank you so much, Susan. Bye.