108. From Hesitant Accountant to Confident Coach: How Amber Joy Pietrangelo Found Her Way

Financial coach and bookkeeper Amber Joy Pietrangelo never planned on having her own business after business classes in college completely turned her off from entrepreneurship.

But now, Amber has created a unique coaching approach where bookkeeping and financial guidance blend seamlessly. In her own business.

After struggling through multiple career and business shifts, Amber discovered her “magic sauce,” getting financial data organized and then helping clients truly understand what the numbers mean for their future decisions. What started as a search for purpose after personal struggles has evolved into her own authentic business model.

Working as a CFO for a nonprofit while maintaining her coaching practice, Amber shares in this week’s episode how she finally stopped trying to do business “the right way” and instead trusted her intuition. She says she’s surrendered and allowed things to be what they are, contrasting her current confidence with her early days of trying to copy other successful coaches.

For new financial coaches, Amber offers this wisdom: “Really listen to your own intuition and give yourself permission to follow it.” She believes businesses achieve longevity precisely because they embrace change rather than rigidly sticking to predetermined formulas.

Listen in to hear how finding your own path, even when it's messy, leads to both personal fulfillment and a thriving practice that genuinely serves others.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Amber's Website

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace your unique combination of skills rather than forcing yourself into a single professional identity.
• Trust your gut when building your business; the sooner you listen to your intuition instead of following others' formulas, the faster you'll find your authentic path.
• Connection beats promotion. One-on-one relationships and referrals create more stability than aggressive marketing tactics that don't align with your natural style.
• Your business model should make you feel good; if juggling multiple roles drains you, it's unsustainable, regardless of what the numbers say.
• Is your approach working? Ask yourself “How does this feel?” instead of just “Is this profitable?” to build a business that energizes rather than exhausts you.
• Businesses achieve longevity through embracing change, not by rigidly following initial plans when they no longer serve you.
• The magic isn't in getting the numbers right—it's translating those numbers into meaningful insights that help clients make better decisions.

About Amy Joy Pietrangelo

Amber Joy Pietrangelo is a financial coach and bookkeeper who lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. After joining the Financial Coach Academy® in 2019 while searching for more purpose in her life, Amber has built a unique coaching practice that combines her accounting background with intuitive coaching. She currently works as a CFO for a local nonprofit while supporting women with service-based businesses through her coaching and bookkeeping services. In this interview, she shares insights about her business model, her journey of finding her authentic coaching style, and advice for new coaches.