Jacqueline Higginbotham recalls the feeling she had after assisting several area residents apply for and receive a home loan, only to see the buyers go into foreclosure.

     “I had worked at the city (Lake Charles) for 15 years assisting with down payments and closing cost assistance through community development programs. The people who experienced foreclosure were not prepared to sustain.

     “That tugged at my heart to see people work hard for something and lose it. They were paper ready, but not mind ready. As a result, I wanted to help people,” Higginbotham said.

     She eventually opened JLH Financial Coaching and was accepted into the Business Incubator inside the SEED Center located at 4310 Ryan St. in Lake Charles.

     Higginbotham’s goal is simple. She views herself as a coach and is looking for a large team to work with.

     “My motto is ‘Preparing today for tomorrow,’” she said. “All I want to do is help people with financial literacy. I want people to be able to read a credit report, know how to dispute items on that report, budget, save and even understand how to obtain credit.”

     As a start-up, Higginbotham was looking for program where she could learn and grow.

     Through word of mouth, Higginbotham realized the Incubator may be a good place to start her business. She reached out to former Incubator Director Adrian Wallace who encouraged her to apply.

     Within the Incubator system, Higginbotham has partaken in business roundtables, received mentoring and business counseling, along with meeting other start-up owners.

     “Just knowing there are others experiencing similar ups and downs as a business owner is so important. I’ve been able to collaborate with other Incubator clients and know there are people who care here.

     “There is a family feeling here. I realize it is not just me going through all this, we are all in it together,” she said.

     As for the work of a financial coach, Higginbotham said people need to consider that she can “help you become debt-free, help you decide on a safety net, help you plan on your future, and help you build wealth.”

     From personal experience, Higginbotham understands families tend not to talk about money. Her strategy is to work with clients and their children (if they have any).

     “It is about teaching financial literacy for the whole family and breaking some generational cycles related to money. For many, the discussion of money is taboo. But in order to maintain and sustain, a person or family needs education.

     “As a coach, I am the neutral party in the equation. I listen, see where the problems are in a family’s finances and work on developing a plan and hold my teammates accountable. Success is about understanding, making sacrifices and working hard,” she said.

     According to www.investopedia.com, some of the overall benefits of financial literacy are:

• Prevent devastating mistakes
• Prepare for emergencies
• Help to reach goals
• Invoke confidence

     Higginbotham believes she has the skills to help others.

     “I propose to be a multi-million dollar company with a multi-million dollar team. I am the coach and the clients are my team. For me, it is about helping others and that will help build the JLH brand.”

     For more information about JLH Financial Coaching, call 337-438-6040 or email at jackie@coachjlh.com.

     If you are interested in the Incubator and services, call 337-433-0977.