Most founders aren’t actually afraid of their numbers—they’re afraid of what those numbers might confirm about them. In this episode, I take you beneath the spreadsheets and tax forms to the deeper truth: money fear is a safety problem, not a financial one. And until you feel safe, no strategy will ever stick.

On this episode of Become Sensible, I break down why avoidance around money is so universal, why women entrepreneurs in particular face systemic financial gaps, and why your nervous system—not your bookkeeping—drives so much of your financial stress. We explore how identity wounds shape your reactions to IRS letters, unread bank statements, and messy bookkeeping. Then we shift into how to build safety, clarity, and control so your numbers become tools—not threats—for making confident decisions. I also share four small habits that completely transform your relationship with money over time.

When you understand your numbers, you rise differently. “Safety gives you clarity. Clarity gives you control. Control gives you power. And power gives you growth.”

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• 0:00 – Why this episode goes deeper than tactics
• 0:54 – What founders are really afraid their numbers will reveal
• 2:00 – Money fear as an identity wound, not a math issue
• 3:24 – Why avoidance happens (and why it’s logical)
• 4:58 – How lack of financial education, especially for women, feeds overwhelm
• 6:26 – When your nervous system interprets money as danger
• 7:52 – Why safety must come before strategy
• 9:54 – How understanding numbers shifts decision-making power
• 11:44 – Using data and instincts together as a founder
• 12:42 – Four simple habits that build financial safety (Track one number weekly, 15-minute weekly review, One simple tax-year folder, Rewrite your money identity)
• 16:28 – Why founders rise when they feel safe, not shamed
• 18:10 – A reminder: you’re doing the best you can with the capacity you have
• 19:36 – Invitation to take the first step toward money safety

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