A Gentle Note Before We Begin

It’s not about “what’s wrong with you,” but “what’s happened to you.” (Gabor Maté) 

In society, we’re often led to believe that financial challenges are solely personal—rooted in individual responsibility and self-discipline. This perspective can quickly lead to feelings of blame and shame around money. 

This is an invitation to shift to a more compassionate view. Beliefs about money are deeply rooted, the result of a rich tapestry of life experiences, family patterns, cultural expectations, and even echoes of generational trauma.

In business, there’s often pressure to "put on the CEO hat" and leave emotions aside. However, these ingrained beliefs and responses often shape our financial choices in subtle ways, even when we’re not fully aware of them. By approaching these patterns with curiosity and self-compassion, you can gain valuable insight into how they influence your financial journey. This awareness lets you move forward with intention, choosing patterns that support your dreams while gently releasing those that don’t.

It’s worth acknowledging the broader systems we all live within dominated by capitalism and consumerism which thrive on scarcity and 'never enoughness', which shapes our beliefs and behaviours around money in powerful ways. While these forces influence us all, we have the capacity to respond to them with greater awareness.

If exploring your results brings up any complex feelings, know that this is a completely natural response. Feel free to take a moment to pause, feel the ground beneath you, and take a deep breath.

You’re not alone on this journey!

With empathy and empowerment,

Harriet x

 Your financial archetype is…

THE CHAMELEON! 

🦎 The Flexible Adapter – Navigates Finances with Ease and Adjusts to Changing Circumstances

Does this sound familiar?

As a Chameleon, you’re highly adaptable and responsive to changes in your business environment.

This may manifest as: Making financial decisions based on current needs and market shifts, easily pivoting your strategy as circumstances change.

Examples of your financial behaviour might include:You’re likely to adjust your spending depending on cash flow or market trends, and you may vary your pricing or business priorities based on demand. This flexibility makes you resilient in fluctuating situations, though it may sometimes mean you lack a consistent financial structure.

Strengths/Benefits of the Chameleon Archetype

• Adaptability to Market Changes: Chameleons excel at adjusting to new trends and changing financial positions, allowing them to pivot quickly and take advantage of emerging opportunities.
• Flexible Budgeting and Resource Allocation: You're skilled at reallocating funds based on immediate needs and priorities, ensuring that resources are used effectively and responsively.
• Innovative Problem Solving: You are creative and resourceful, often finding unique solutions to financial challenges, which helps you stay resilient in the face of uncertainty.

Your adaptability allows you to respond quickly to market shifts, keeping your business relevant and responsive. You’re comfortable with change and able to manage uncertainty better than most, which is especially useful in dynamic or fast-moving industries.

This flexibility can foster resilience, as you’re less likely to be thrown off balance by unexpected challenges.

 

Potential Downsides/Areas for Growth

• Inconsistent Financial Planning: Your flexible approach can sometimes lead to a lack of structured, long-term financial planning, making it harder to achieve steady growth.
• Tendency to Avoid Commitment: You may struggle with fully committing to financial goals or investments, potentially missing out on the benefits of focused, sustained efforts.
• Difficulty Building a Financial Safety Net: Constantly adjusting resources can lead to you overlooking the importance of stable reserves, leaving the business vulnerable during downturns or unexpected expenses.

While your flexibility is a strength, it may also lead to impulsive decisions or a lack of long-term planning. Without a structured financial approach, you might find it challenging to build reserves or plan for sustainable growth.

There’s a risk that, in responding to immediate needs, you overlook future security or end up overspending and tight on cashflow.

Three Practical Money Tips To Move Forward

Here are three practical tips to support your adaptable nature while fostering greater financial stability. Each action is designed to balance flexibility with structure, helping you stay responsive without compromising your long-term financial health.

1. Clarify Your Long-Term Vision and Goals:

Take time to define a clear vision for your business’s future, outlining key financial goals you want to achieve. This big-picture perspective gives you a direction to work towards and helps guide your flexible approach, ensuring that each decision aligns with where you ultimately want to go. Regularly revisit and refine this vision to stay motivated and on track, even as you adapt to new opportunities along the way.

2. Implement Automated Savings Transfers:

Set up a system that automatically transfers a percentage of income into savings or reserve accounts to the side. This provides a foundation for financial stability, helping you build security without needing constant oversight.

3. Set a Simple Monthly Financial Check-In:

Establish a regular monthly review to track finances, even if you adjust your spending month-to-month. This keeps you aligned with long-term goals while accommodating your adaptable nature. Accountability from a mentor or partner can be helpful here to keep you on track with a routine.

Money Mantra

“I align my financial choices with my vision, creating stability as I adapt.”

Reflections

Jot down your thoughts on your quiz results and report:

• What really resonates?
• Did you get any surprises or revelations?
• Is there anything you disagree with in the results?
• What's one thing you can let go off?
• What's one thing you can start doing?

 Explore the results for the other archetypes

When you completed the quiz, you would have seen a percentage score for each archetype right away. In this pilot phase, however, we’re only able to retrieve your highest-scoring archetype for later reference, so we can’t access the full percentage breakdown again.

If you can remember or took a screenshot—perfect! You can now explore the reports for other archetypes you scored highly in below:

🐢 The Turtle: The Cautious Money Avoider

🦉 The Owl: The Meticulous Money Planner

🦌 The Deer: The Hesitant Observer

🐿️ The Squirrel: The Savvy Saver

🦁 The Lion: The Bold Risk-Taker

Thanks so much for getting curious 🧭

We’d love to hear your thoughts—just a few quick questions to help us make this even better and create resources that really work for you!

🔗Complete this quick follow-up questionnaire🔗

 

Hi👋, I’m Harriet!

A Radical Fractional CFO, ICAEW Chartered Accountant, Trauma of Money Certified™ Practitioner, and Executive Business Coach. I support purpose-driven founders, SMEs, and startups who are changing the world for the better.

After years in the corporate world, I became disillusioned with serving 'faceless entities' and wanted my work to create real impact. So in 2020, I founded Below The Line Finance to go back to supporting founders who want their finances to fuel their creativity and mission - not limit them.

“For too long, creative people have been led to believe they’re just ‘bad with money,’ and I am here to change that!

Financial fears and anxieties are real and valid, and I honour that in my work, inviting a holistic, trauma-informed approach where finance becomes an enabler rather than a blocker.”

Money With Soul

I challenge the lie we all heard at school: that you could either be “kind, creative, and poor” OR “good with numbers and successful.” This narrative keeps brilliant people playing small, and I’m here to help rewrite that story.

Our financial outcomes are deeply influenced by our beliefs about money - whether it’s fear, shame, or past experiences. Traditional finance ignores these emotional drivers, but I’ve seen the transformative power of working through them. My approach combines logical, strategic expertise with compassion and intuition.

Together, we’ll build a financial foundation where you can be uniquely you—creative, ethical, and financially empowered.

The Good Life 🌱

From my meadow-side office in Somerset, surrounded by retired racehorses, ponies, and my gaggle of dogs, I help founders build sustainable, profitable businesses that stay true to their values.

Through 1:1 consultations, courses, retainers, mentorships, and workshops, I bring a human touch to finance, showing that ethical profits and positive impact can thrive alongside fun, creativity and solid strategy.

Resources to Support Your Journey

Follow for Insights: Find me on Instagram @belowthelinefinance for values-driven finance tips.

Listen In: My podcast Voice Notes From Your CFO Bestie explores the human side to practical money management in business.

 Get Number Savvy: Finance training platform that pairs practical advice with emotional depth, helping you make aligned, impactful decisions.

Receive 1:1 Support: Money Awakening Intensive 

"You're finances can both feel good and do good - so let's make it happen!"

P.S. Watch your inbox for resources to turn finance into a positive, empowering force in your business journey!