Fortunate to have been born and raised in Colorado, I have always adored mountains. I did not stray far for college and I attended Colorado State University to earn my Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Although I was a natural saver when I was younger, in college I gave into pressures to spend more money than I should have. My meager internship wages barely afforded me the nice dinners out or the name brand clothes I splurged on, let alone rent or groceries. To cover tuition, I had racked up about $50,000 of student loans. But everyone has debt; it’s normal…. right?
Stress and worry that I wouldn’t be able to afford something weighed on me. But then, in my final semester of my Master’s of Accountancy program at CU Denver, a professor assigned us material that profoundly changed my way of thinking. The topics revolved around pursuing financial independence: managing personal spending, paying off debt, and saving for retirement. Even though this content did not relate to the curriculum, our professor knew that even as accounting professionals, we had not received the knowledge to help people with their money, including helping ourselves. When I started working at a large accounting firm, I realized most of my colleagues had a pile of debt and lavish spending habits.
After graduation, I struggled with celebrating my degrees because I still owed the federal government for my education. Even though I had the diplomas, they didn’t feel truly mine yet. I was inspired by the financial writers who wanted more out of life and worked hard toward achieving it. These topics resonated with me and I voraciously educated myself on personal finance. Once I realized that my spending did not align with my values, I was motivated to aggressively pay off my loans in only two short years.
The most rewarding part about becoming debt free is that managing spending doesn’t have to be restricting- it fuels liberation. This freedom allowed me to leave my full time job and start a business where I can not only help companies with their money, but help people with their money. My mission is to be an ally on your financial journey, supporting you to define and measure success on your own terms. Together we will get you organized financially, pursue tax optimization strategies, and reduce your stress over money. It’s time to take your money to new heights!
Lauren Sickler is a Certified Public Accountant based in Colorado. With a dedication to help individuals and business owners achieve financial success, she offers accounting, tax, and financial consulting services.