Our featured article either offers a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re up to at Empower or provides a fresh lens on how to grow, operate or think differently about business.
ON PLANNING WELL
Writing all of you from the other side of the pond [the UK] this week, taking a (in my opinion) well-deserved vacation. I’ve written before about the power of a pause, or taking a brief slowdown to lead to your next speed up. This is me taking my own medicine.
Since we’ve entered the final stretch of the year, and I’m sure there’s a subset of you thinking, sh*t it’s Q4, this week’s post is all about planning. I wrote a few weeks ago about how this time of year can often feel like you’re running two races. But, not to fret. There’s still plenty of time to tighten your focus, ship what matters and carry real momentum into January.
Staring down 2026 planning? I suggest re-reading the featured post from Edition 025, in which I provided a framework and steps to take for setting the subsequent year up for success.
And, if you like build-in-public transparency, here’s Empower’s Q3 scorecard. A few roses; a few thorns.
After this break, I’ll be laser-focused on building a healthy, strong pace through that 2025 finish line.
Until next time, cheers!
A peek into another entrepreneurial journey. The wins, challenges, pivots and lessons.
MEET ASHLEY FEINSTEIN GERSTLEY, FOUNDER & FINANCIAL WELLNESS EXPERT, CFP®OF THE FISCAL FEMME
Q: When did you know you were destined to build a business?
A: “I grew up watching my dad work as an entrepreneur and later, my mom too. I was so inspired by the flexibility and freedom it provided. I always wanted to be my own boss. In college, I fundraised for a company called Philanthropets, which sold pet collar tags where proceeds would go to the humane society.“
Q: What’s the most unexpected thing (+/-) that’s happened along your entrepreneurial journey?
A: “Hard to choose! It's been a journey. Looking back over the last 14 years running The Fiscal Femme, I would never have imagined what it would have become. I was terrified of public speaking, and now giving keynotes and workshops are a huge part of my business. I was petrified of being on camera, and now I am a creator and spokesperson for brands. It’s so important to look back and see how far you’ve come (vs. only looking ahead to the next goal).“
Q: When did you hit your first scaling challenge, and how did you overcome it?
A: “I wanted to help people who were typically ignored by the financial services industry, so it was important to me to keep my 1:1 coaching at an affordable price. That being said, there is only so much time in the day, so as my client base grew, I saw a cap to my earnings. I also noticed that I was saying a lot of the same things over and over to my clients, regardless of whether they were earning $30K or $500K. This inspired me to create a program that I could offer at a lower price point and help more people. I ended up running The 30-Day Money Cleanse live for 5 years before it became my first book in 2019. An updated version just came out in paperback a couple of months ago.“
Q: If you were starting all over, what’s one piece of advice you would give yourself?
A: “When you're an entrepreneur, your money mindset is even more important because you are not only in charge of spending money for you and your business, you are in charge of earning it. Negative money beliefs or blocks really smack you in the face. Whenever I've been stuck in my business, the thing that gets me unstuck is turning inward and uncovering a limiting belief or some type of block. Then the progress becomes quick and easy. So many times I tried to power through and just work as hard as I could (something I learned from my investment banking days), but there was a much easier way.“
Q: Do you have one ask or offer you would like to share with the Empower community?
A: “If you sign up for an annual membership in The Money Club ($290), you’ll get a free 1:1 session with me.“
Q: A fun one, what’s your all-time favorite restaurant and where is it located?
A: “Such a hard one. Probably my most memorable meal was from our honeymoon in Italy. At Piazza Duomo, I had the most delicious and beautiful 37-ingredient salad (it varies by season) that looked like a wildflower garden. If I could choose anywhere to go right now, it would be Le Botaniste. There are a few locations in NYC. I just feel so good and nourished after I eat their food.“
Want to learn more?
Visit The Fiscal Femme’s website or follow on Instagram. Ashley also recently launched an informative + entertaining profile @howdoyouaffordthis. I’ve personally enjoyed these “from the street” interviews Ashley’s been curating.
An approachable tip designed for incremental improvement with outsized impact.
FIVE STEPS TO RESPONSIBLE “OOO”
As a business owner or startup founder, being unplugged and OOO (out of office) can be a challenge. If you struggle with giving yourself a break, here’s my approach to feeling more at ease when I pause for vacation:
Give people plenty of notice: The sooner your vacation is on people’s radars, the more in advance they can plan for your absence, too.
Remind them, and then remind them again: Repetition is your friend. Communicate to key stakeholders one month, two weeks, one week and the day before you’re stepping away. The reminders are good triggers for confirming priorities, proactively addressing potential blockers and handing off ownership.
Give people clear direction: For your direct reports, be clear about your expectations and action items before you leave. Provide support and guidance ahead so they feel confident.
Create a vacation coverage document: For your primary coverage, clients, key partners, etc., put together a handoff document, including what’s in flight and what you need from them.
Let yourself be off: Set OOO notifications. Provide contact information for emergencies. Silence as many notifications as you can. If you do need to check in, aim to set specific windows and stick to them.
We all deserve rest. Who knows, it may be what unlocks your next breakthrough.
Curated reads or listens to spark new ideas or expand your thinking.
REPORT: THE NEW ECONOMICS OF STARTING UP FROM MERCURY
TL;DR
Mercury recently released a report on the state of startups in 2025, which I’m sure will be intriguing to many of you (if you haven’t already seen it). There’s a lot that gets covered, from sentiment to capital, team building, and more.
I’ll leave you with three tidbits:
In a macro landscape that’s otherwise highly tumultuous, early-stage companies reported feeling pretty good.
There are increased capital diversification options for startups vs. other time periods (e.g., grants, revenue-based financing, crowdfunding, debt financing). It’s not all about venture capital.
61% of those surveyed said their company is “very reliant” or “reliant” on contractors, a model that’s increasingly a “defining feature of modern startup operations.”
Playful and purely for enjoyment.
A BRITISH SCENE
Before I go, I’m sharing one scene from London. We didn’t catch any royals, but it was a beautiful day to stroll.
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