ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Rob! Your personal finance enthusiast & teacher.
I opened my first IRA at age 15 using my earnings from mowing lawns, and have been fascinated by personal finance ever since. I am one of the few CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™ who does not manage any investments. Instead, I choose to focus on financial education and help empower others to take charge of their financial lives.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my wife, Jeannie, and our three daughters, and I can’t wait for the day our family budget doesn’t have such a large line-item for diapers :)
MY STORY
We all have different money backgrounds, here’s mine:
I attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served 10 years on active duty in the United States Coast Guard. After serving in the Coast Guard, I was an early employee at FutureAdvisor, a digital investment advisor in San Francisco. FutureAdvisor was later acquired by BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager. I worked at BlackRock and then left to start my own investment education company. In 2018 I founded Fireside Finances, a company that provides financial wellness programs for some of the nation’s leading companies including, Spotify, Twilio, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and WeWork.
I’ve taught in the classroom at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and currently teach at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Over the years, I’ve perfected a curriculum that delivers financial knowledge in an engaging and refreshingly simple manner. I hold an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and am also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. I’m fortunate that I have found my true passion: using my experiences & skills to empower others take charge of their financial lives.
how fireside was born
It took longer than 9 months, but my baby is finally here!
I’ve always loved personal finance and helping people organize their money. I vividly remember assisting my mom sort through her 403(b) statements, balance her checkbook, and make the trip to the local credit union to deposit checks. My mom was a teacher for over 30 years and I credit her for passing down her love of education to me. (Thanks mom!)
Fast forward to 2015, when I attended a personal development conference in Portland, OR. There was an opportunity for attendees to informally host meet-ups about a topic they are passionate about. I decided, on a whim, to see if anyone was interested in attending a personal finance workshop. Within 45 minutes of posting the event, we had over 30 people registered! Turns out people really want to learn about maximizing their money. I quickly put together a handout, claimed space in the hotel lobby, and my first (unofficial) workshop was held!
It was a hit — folks told me I needed to quit my job and pursue teaching personal finance full-time. I wasn’t quite ready for that leap yet, so I honed my financial experience at BlackRock, added my CFP® credential along the way, and in 2018, Fireside Finances was born. The mission was clear: inspire others to take charge of their finances and unlock their full potential.
What would you do if you never had to work for money again?
do you remember…
What are your earliest memories of money?
Here are some of mine.
Collecting soda cans around town and returning them for a nickel, so we could save up enough money to adopt a dog from the local shelter. Hi Spot! (The most expensive $40 our family ever spent…cue vet bills, dog food, kennel fees).
Taking my 7 year old birthday money promptly to Radio Shack and buying remote control cars for my brother and me. That money was spent as soon as it came in!
Stepping up to the teller at Key Bank, handing over the “passbook” to my savings account, and watching them post the interest. The notion of my money “making money by sitting there” was profound.
What makes Fireside different from other financial wellness providers?
We have deep educational roots and understand how people learn about money. Rob has personally developed the curriculum and taught highly successful electives at the USCGA and UC Berkeley, reaching over 1,500 students per year with glowing reviews.
We build teamwork, comradery, & company loyalty by bringing employees together to achieve their goals. Improving your relationship with money is a transformative experience, one that builds a tremendous amount of team cohesiveness.
We have the financial chops to back up what we’re saying. Rob is a CFP® Professional with years of industry experience. Other providers employ “financial coaches” who might have just a few weeks of budgeting training.
We are not just a digital tool that checks the box of offering a program. By combining live workshops, digital resources, and hybrid learning, we see engagement far greater than other providers.
We don’t sell investment management, or anything else, to your employees. Our advice is unbiased and trusted, and we quickly gain the respect of your employees. Zero conflicts of interest and no hidden agenda.
We welcome spouses, significant others, and families in our programs. Sound financial planning is absolutely a family affair!
