Sam Krupit built Goalpost Finance around advice without referral fees
Sam Krupit is Founder & Finance Coach at Goalpost Finance, which provides personalized financial coaching for individuals and couples. The conversation explores how trust shaped the service, why the business avoids referral fees, and how Sam approaches first customers and early decisions.
A clear boundary around referral fees can help keep financial coaching focused on clients’ needs. For a service involving personal finances, patient conversations and regular follow-up help turn a plan into practical next steps.
How did the business start, and what makes it different from others in your space?
I started Goalpost after working in credit repair and seeing how people were treated when they called for help. They were often worried or embarrassed about money, and I felt they deserved more patience and respect. I wanted to give people a place to talk honestly about their finances and work out a plan they could actually live with. My clients work directly with me, and I don’t sell financial products or take referral fees.
How did you win your first customers, and where does most new business come from today?
My first clients were former colleagues, so I started with people who already knew me. That was a helpful starting point for a service where people are sharing something as personal as their finances. I still put a lot of emphasis on those early conversations: giving people room to ask questions, understand how I work, and decide whether they’re comfortable working with me.
What is one decision that changed the direction of the business, and one mistake that taught you the most?
Committing to never accepting referral fees gave the business a clear direction. If I get paid for sending someone to a particular company or product, that creates a bias, even if I think I’m being objective. I wanted to take that out of the equation.
For a mistake, I’d probably say not starting sooner. Looking back, I wish I’d given myself the chance to build this earlier. There are things you learn from doing the work that you can’t figure out just by thinking about it.
What has changed in your industry or in what customers expect, and how have you adapted?
Financial information is very easy to find now. You can watch a video, download a budget template, or ask an app a question and still be unsure what to do with your own money. I’ve focused on helping with that next step. We look at the client’s actual numbers, agree on a plan, and check in regularly. The client portal keeps things organized between sessions, and people can reach me directly when a question comes up.
If someone were starting a business like yours today, what should they do first, and what should they ignore?
Talk to the people you want to help. Find out what they’re struggling with, make sure you’re qualified to help, and be clear about what you’re offering. I’d ignore the pressure to post on every platform or buy every tool right away. Start with a service you can deliver well, learn from those first clients, and build from there.
Thank you to Sam Krupit and the team at Goalpost Finance for sharing what actually worked with Leaders Perception readers.
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