The Canadian Champion, Friday, February 3, 2006 - 5 Love her or hate her.. 1Well-known TV money coach tells it like it is By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion F Our years ago, betore she wasa popular TV money coach, former Mittonian Ayse Hogan found herseif with no job, no husband, almost no money in the bank and no idea of what to do next. Unhappy in her marriage, Ms Hogan said shte decided she wanted out and left svitb little but the clothes on her back. She was guilty, she said. of being unprepared and flot planning for life's -what ifs" -explaimng her lack of financial independence. it was, she admitted, a mess. Needless to say, Ms Hogan can relate to the people she belps on ber new TV show, Maxed Out, wbicb sees ber coach one person eacb episode on how to dig out of finan- cial despair. But juss because she understands wbat it's like to go tbrougb money probletns doesn't mean she accepta excuses. "People don't talk about their money in society. They'li talk about their sex lives, but ask them how much money they have in the bank, and they'Il look at you Mie you're from the AYUS A After aIl, she got out of ber messy financial situation, and she expecta notbing less from, the peo- pIe she coaches. 'Either I could lay down and die and let it consume me, or 1 could stand up and figbt back," she said of ber situation four years ago. She soon started her own book- keeping practice - she had 20 years experience - and eventually began helping some of her business clients witb their personal financial situations. It was after Maxed Ont executive producer Kit Redmond read an article about Ms Hogan that she was contacted and tbe show sxas born. Maxed Out. produced by the W Netwvork and RTR Media, pre- miered last Friday and airs every Tuesday at 8 p.m. witb encore pre- sentations Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. and Fnidays at 11:30 arn. and 4:30 p.rn. It's ber no-nonsense approacb that makes people love ber or bate ber, Ms Hogan said. But wben the end of the rnontb cornes and tbere's enougb rnoney to pay the bills, it's usually the former, she said. Tbe show is ail about sornething not normally discussed. "People don't talk about their rnoney in society," Ms Hogan said. ThMey'll talk about their sex lives, but aak them, how mucb rnoney they bave in the batik, and they'll look at you like you're frnm the moon. She seants so end that, she said, and expose a desperate situation. "We're living paycheque to pay- SsSe HOGAN on page B3 Photo eourtesy ot W NETWORK Ayse Hogan helpa people get a handie on their finances on Maxod Out.