What working with me actually looks like

Yes, I specialize in working with college coaches and their families. College coaches deal with career instability, frequent moves, uneven compensation, outside pressure, and financial decisions that usually don't look like the decisions other professionals face. Because of that, I think coaches are better served by an advisor who actually understands the profession. My work is built specifically around helping college coaches make smarter financial and life decisions in a career that makes stability unusually hard.

I specialize in working with college coaches because I have lived in that world myself and understand how different the profession is from most careers. Coaches deal with instability, pressure, relocation, and financial decisions that don't fit neatly into a normal planning model. I also genuinely enjoy working with coaches and tend to connect well with how they think and operate. Because of that, I have intentionally built my practice around serving college coaches and their families.

All types. I don't limit my work to one division, sport, title, or career stage. That includes coaches who are actively working as well as coaches who are retired. College coaching tends to create a certain kind of financial life regardless of sport or title, and my work is built around understanding that. I offer multiple planning tiers so coaches in different roles and different situations can still get help. You can learn more about that here.

Not directly. I keep my practice focused on college coaches and their families so I can do my best work for that group. That said, the broader team at Rock Bridge Financial Advisors works with a wider range of clients, and by working with Rock Bridge you would still be working with me as part of that team. 

Yes, I work virtually with college coaches in many states. A lot of the planning process can happen through phone calls, Zoom meetings, and email, which tends to fit well with the schedules and moving pieces that come with college coaching. If you live outside Missouri and want to know whether working together makes sense, that is something we can talk through in the first meeting.

No, I don't use a strict income or net worth minimum for college coaches. That said, I do use discretion. If I don't believe I can provide value well in excess of my fees, or if I don't think the relationship makes sense, I may choose not to move forward. My goal is not to work with the highest number of people possible. My goal is to work with college coaches I can actually help.

If you're a college coach, that's a good start! From there, the first step is just a conversation where we get to know each other, talk through your situation, and see whether there is a fit. My goal is that after our first meeting, you have a clear sense of how I work, whether I understand your situation, and whether you want to keep going.

Financial planning for college coaches is different because college coaching is not a normal career. A specialized financial advisor works with the kinds of financial issues college coaches deal with all the time, not just once in a while between meetings with doctors, business owners, lawyers, and any other profession you can name. A general financial advisor can still do a good job, but they may not be especially tuned in to your world. It's similar to the difference between working with a certified personal trainer and working with a running coach if you're a serious runner.

A fiduciary is someone who is legally required to act in your best interest when giving advice. Your advisor also being a fiduciary is important, and it's one of the first things you should look for when evaluating a financial advisor. But nowadays, being a fiduciary is table stakes. It tells you something important, but it doesn't tell you everything about how an advisor works, how they communicate, how well they understand your situation, or whether they are actually a good fit. It's a good place to start. It's just not the only question worth asking.

SE-AWMA® stands for Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor™. It is a designation offered through the College for Financial Planning and involves specialized study in areas like investments, tax planning, trusts, cash flow, business planning, and employee and retirement benefits for sports and entertainment professionals. In plain English, it means I have done additional work to better understand the kinds of financial challenges that tend to come with careers in sports. That extra training fits naturally with the work I do with college coaches.

You may not know yet whether now is the right time to hire a financial advisor, and that's normal. Financial uncertainty has a way of showing up in parts of life that don't always look like financial problems at first, especially in a profession as unstable and demanding as coaching. One of the best ways to figure out whether now is the right time is to have a conversation and see whether working together would actually be useful for your situation.

The first meeting is just a chance for us to get to know each other. We'll talk a little bit about who you are, what your situation looks like, and what your goals or concerns might be going forward (if you don't know what your goals or concerns are, that's okay). You will also have a chance to ask me questions about how I work, how I think, and what the planning process looks like. You don't need to bring anything or prepare anything special for that first conversation, although you are welcome to if you think it would be helpful. It's a casual, low-pressure conversation. What won't happen is any personalized advice or specific recommendations being given.

No, the first meeting isn't a sales pitch. It's a chance for us to talk through your situation, see whether there's a fit, and decide whether it makes sense to keep going. If I think I can help, I may recommend moving into a paid relationship, and you can learn more about my fees here. If I don't think there is a fit, I'll tell you that too, and we'll part ways as friends. The goal of the first meeting is clarity, not pressure.

That depends somewhat on your situation, but my process is built to respect the long hours, uneven schedule, and shifting demands that come with college coaching. I try to be proactive without being intrusive, which is one reason email is often my main way of handling updates, non-urgent questions, and general communication. I'm also available by phone, Zoom, and in-person meetings when needed, and many of the coaches I work with prefer to meet virtually because it's simply more practical. If you want a better sense of how the process works throughout the year, you can view the services calendar here.

Ongoing planning is the norm. I do one-time planning in the right situations, but in most cases I think college coaches are better served by a long-term relationship than a one-off project. If we decide after the first meeting that a one-time plan makes sense, we would talk through that and agree on a fee based on the complexity of the situation.

No. Honestly, if everything were already organized, there'd be a good chance you wouldn’t need to be reaching out in the first place! If we decide working together makes sense, part of the onboarding process is me helping you get more organized.

Yes. In most cases, I think spouses and families need to be part of the planning process because they're affected by the decisions being made. If a coach is married and refuses to involve their spouse, I would be very unlikely to move forward. That's not me being difficult. It's me taking the work seriously. I'm not interested in giving financial advice around a marriage while pretending the marriage doesn't exist.

Maybe. Sometimes working with more than one advisor can work, but other times it creates overlap, conflicting advice, and a messy planning process. If I think having multiple advisors would make your financial life less clear or wouldn't be in your best interest, I may choose not to move forward. I believe strongly in the value I bring to college coaches, but I'm not interested in pressuring anyone to leave an existing relationship just to win business.

Yes. With your permission, I'm happy to coordinate with your CPA, attorney, or other professionals when it makes sense. Good financial planning often overlaps with taxes, estate planning, insurance, and other decisions, so it helps when the right people are on the same page. My job isn't to replace those professionals. My job is to help make sure your overall plan works together.

Yes, you can work with me for planning only, investment management only, or both. I offer financial planning directly, and you can learn more about what is included and what it costs here. If you want investment management, that is handled through my team at Rock Bridge Financial Advisors and involves a separate fee based on the amount and complexity of the assets being managed. You don't have to move assets to work with me for planning. If you do use Rock Bridge for investment management, you may be eligible for credits toward your planning fees. We can talk through the details in the first meeting.

No, you don't have to move your investments to work with me for planning. If you want investment management through Rock Bridge Financial Advisors, that's available, but it's not required in order to work together on the planning side.

For planning, I charge an onboarding fee and a monthly subscription fee based on the level of service you choose. You can find those fees here. If you use Rock Bridge Financial Advisors for investment management, there is a separate asset-based fee tied to the amount and complexity of the managed assets. If you choose to buy insurance through me, I may also receive a commission from the insurance company. That means I am not fee-only in every situation.