If you're looking for a financial advisor or a financial coach in Westchester County, I'm Connor Tyson, and I run Progress Solutions out of Pleasantville, NY. I help people who earn a good income build a simple system to get control of their money. I meet with clients in person around Westchester and virtually anywhere.
Here's what working with a financial coach looks like, and who it's a good fit for.
What does a financial coach do?
A financial coach helps you build the day-to-day system for your money. Where it goes each month. How to plan for the bills that always seem to sneak up on you.
Think of it like a personal trainer for your money. You already know you should eat better and work out. The trainer gives you a plan that fits your life and keeps you showing up. A coach does the same thing with your finances.
Financial coach or financial advisor: which do you need?
A lot of people in Westchester start by searching for a financial advisor. That makes sense, since it's the title most people know. The two roles do different jobs, though.
Here's the simplest way I can put it. A financial advisor tells you how your money should behave. A financial coach helps you with how you behave with your money.
An advisor focuses on long-term planning, like investments and retirement. A coach works on the day-to-day. That means habits and behaviors, accountability and follow-through. It also comes with a lot of encouragement and way more hand-holding, on purpose.
A coach also helps with the parts that never show up on a statement. How you and your spouse talk about money, which is a big one. And the money mindset and old beliefs that keep getting in the way.
The biggest difference is in how the two work. Ask an advisor a question and they'll give you the answer. A coach believes you already have the answers inside you, so they ask questions until you get there yourself. Those two approaches lead to very different outcomes. When you come to the answer on your own, you own it, and it sticks. You also make the decision with a lot more confidence. If I tell you something, you might not believe it. If you say it yourself, you do.
Advisors also tend to be data-driven, focused on the numbers and product features. A coach starts with the why: what's important to you and what you want to avoid, and the emotions behind both. An advisor can hand you a beautiful financial plan with all the answers on page 47. The real question is how much of it gets done. A plan built only on logic misses the place where most people get tripped up, which is emotion. It's hard to say no to yourself. And look at the word itself: emotion. Inside it is motion, to move. Emotion is what gets people to take action, so a plan that ignores it tends to sit on the shelf.
Many advisors are paid through the products they sell or a percentage of the money they manage. A coach is paid for the coaching. That frees a coach up to help with the things advisors usually aren't paid to do, like budgeting and getting out of debt.
If you earn well but nothing is left over to invest, a coach is usually the right first step. Once your system is working, you'll have money to invest, and that's when an advisor becomes useful.
I go deeper on this here: 5 Signs You Need a Financial Coach (Not a Financial Advisor).
Who do I work with?
Most of my clients make good money and still feel like it slips away. Many are women in the middle of a big life change. A divorce. Losing a spouse. The kids leaving home. Leaving corporate America to start a business. Changes like these turn your money picture upside down, and it helps to have someone in your corner.
I also work with couples who want to get on the same page, and with small business owners who are making money but still feel broke.
Some have debt. Some don't. What they share is wanting less stress and more control.
How does coaching work?
It starts with a free consultation. We talk about where you are and where you want to be, and see if we're a good fit. No pressure.
If we move forward, our first session is a deep dive. We look at everything and get clear on what matters to you. From there, we meet regularly to build your system and keep it working. Between sessions, you can text or email me when a money decision comes up, so you're never guessing on your own.
Do you meet in person or virtually?
Both. I'm based in Pleasantville and meet with clients in person around Westchester County, including Chappaqua, White Plains, Mount Kisco and Briarcliff Manor. I also coach virtually, and I've worked with clients from Albany to Massachusetts and Maryland.
Note: please check the town list. Swap in the towns you actually want named, ideally the same ones in your Google Business Profile service areas.
About me
I've spent more than 25 years in the financial industry, including time at some of the industry's largest companies. I hold the ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) designation and a degree in finance from Quinnipiac University.
Over the years I noticed something. The people who struggled with money usually didn't need more information. They needed a system that worked even on their worst week, and someone to help them stick with it. That's why I started Progress Solutions.
What clients say
"In our first consultation, Connor made us feel comfortable and not alone. We felt hope, a sense of direction and judgment free."
Mark and Amy, Coaching Clients
How do I get started?
Try the free First Clear Look to see where your money is going, or book a free consultation and let's talk.
Common questions
Is there a financial coach in Westchester County, NY?
Yes. Connor Tyson, ChFC, of Progress Solutions is a financial coach based in Pleasantville who works with clients across Westchester County.
Can I work with a financial coach virtually?
Yes. Progress Solutions offers virtual coaching, so you can work with Connor from anywhere.
What's the difference between a financial coach and a financial advisor?
A financial advisor tells you how your money should behave and focuses on long-term planning, like investments and retirement. A financial coach helps you with how you behave with your money day to day, through habits, accountability and follow-through, so there's money to invest in the first place.
