Trends with Benefits #8: Financial Fitness with Shannon McLay

April 14, 2020

Listen Time 31:27 MIN

Ed Lopez

Managing Director, Head of Product Management

If you’ve ever tried to get yourself in shape, you know sticking with it is the toughest part. It’s no different when it comes to financial fitness. In this episode of Trends with Benefits I speak with Shannon McLay of Financial Gym about what it means to be financially fit and how her company helps people stick with their plans to reach their goals. She shared some of her tips like ‘5 numbers to live by’ and money saving hacks.

You may be surprised, but even people with financial advisors can benefit from a financial trainer. I was curious why someone with a financial advisor or millions of dollars in the bank would find value in working with one of her financial trainers. Largely, the missing equation of where plans go bad was expenses. Having been a financial adviser herself and seeing this firsthand, she launched Financial Gym on this realization of the disconnect between a good plan and its implementation. Refreshingly, Financial Gym is a service available to all and without the need to meet an asset minimum.

There may different motivations and approaches one takes to launching a business. For Shannon, it’s a passion for helping investors reach their goals. I spoke to her about launching the company, the “dark years”, as she called them, and the fundraising process. Sometimes if you think too much about the “realities” of starting a business you may never do it.

Our discussion reminded me of Nike’s tag line “just do it”. Reaching one’s goals, whether getting fit or starting a business, only happens if you take that first step. At least if your current goal is getting financially fit, Shannon’s team is there to help you along the way.

Trend or Fad?

Listen for Shannon’s take on virtual happy hours, bitcoin/cryptocurrency and virtual fitness.

Follow Ed Lopez @ThatEdLopez on Twitter and Financial Gym @FinancialGym on Twitter at or check out Shannon’s podcast Martinis and Your Money.

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