FWC Financial, LLC

10/17/2026

Sharing my vision board with you. Hope it helps you change your life.

10/12/2026

If I’m successful in any way whatsoever, or am able to leave the world a little better than I found it, it’s due to the mentoring, fellowship, friendship, and insights of the most wonderful people in the world.

This weekend at the 2026 Society for Neuroeconomics convention, I had the opportunity to fellowship with hundreds of the world’s leading researchers, scientists, students, and professors in their respective fields of psychology, neuroscience, neurology, neuroeconomics, and financial economics.

I’d like to mention a few of them by name who offered me far more encouragement and/or insight that I certainly could have deserved at my own current level of study.

If any names are not mentioned… then I beg pardon and forgiveness for the omission, as your insights are more meaningful to me than you could ever imagine.

First…. to Dr. Elizabeth Phelps, Pershing Square Professor of Human Neuroscience, Harvard University, former President of the Society for Neuroeconomics (SNE)… who encouraged me to fellowship with the SNE…. and who has shown far more patience than I could ever deserve in my pursuits of this field. Your Cognitive Neuroscience class at Harvard ES generated my interest in this field in the first place.

Dr. Catherine Holland, Yale University, Postdoctorate Researcher of Cognition and Neuroeconomics… who encouraged me to fellowship with the SNE… who shared her earlier experience and academic interests in neuroeconomics research and was one of the first to encourage me to pursue this field of study… and who offered her time outside of her obligations as a research assistant in the HES program.. and for her extraordinary encouragement.

Dr. Cendri Hutcherson, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Toronto, current President of the SNE… for allowing me to fellowship with her cohort at the 2026 convention in Pasadena, and for her incredible patience with my own excess of personality. Her suggestion that I offer insights as an industry professional at the next SNE convention means more to me than she could ever imagine. Your fellowship shared knowledge with me for which I cannot possibly express sufficient gratitude, and the least I could do is offer my own to the next generation of scientists endeavoring to understand and quantify what I call the human equation.

Dr. Robb Rutledge, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Yale University, incoming President for SNE… for allowing me to consider participating in the 2027 convention, and for his incredible tolerance of my own excess of personality, and for allowing me to sponsor the next SNE convention as a sign of my gratitude for SNE’s friendship, mentoring, accountability, and fellowship. You’re leaving an indelible fingerprint on humanity that’ll be felt for centuries.

Dr. Kenway Louie, Grossman School of Medicine Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, New York University, for his extraordinary medical insights into the neurology of decision-making as related to my own potential doctorate research interests.

Dr. Brian Knutson, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Stanford University, who spent far more time with me that I could have ever hoped to ask and whom I daresay possesses a most delightful surplus of personality when it comes to the academics of neuroscience and the psychology of economic decision-making. We spent an entire evening together building a friendship that will change my life.

Dr. Agnieszka Tymula, Professor of Economics, University of Sydney (former President of the SNE), for her insights into my own research interests, and whom possesses an understanding of the intuition of human decision-making beyond anything I could ever possess.

Dr. A. David Redish, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota… for offering insights into my own research interests in cognitive optimizations as applied to Neuroeconomics… who steered me to literature relevant to my own interests.

Dr. Erik Kimbrough, Professor of Political Economy and Philosophy, Chapman University… for offering insights into my own research interests in cognitive optimizations as applied to Neuroeconomics, and who knows more about industry than he realizes.

Dr. Alec Smith, Virginia Tech University, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroeconomics… with whom I share a common professional history with a certain Wall Street firm… and for offering insights into my own research interests in cognitive optimizations as applied to Neuroeconomics.

Dr. Jordan Teresa Deakin, University of Hamburg, postdoctorate researcher of Neuroeconomics, who graciously offered her insight into her experiences with academic studies… and for whom I pray will be at peace in recognizing she will change the world for generations born long after the turn of the next century.

Dr. Veronika Wendler, Ph.D. Candidate of Neuroscience at University of Birmingham and postdoctorate researcher of Neuroeconomics, who graciously offered her experience as a student of neuroeconomics, and will certainly influence an entire generation of cognitive neuroscientists with her passion and love for her own field of study, and who should have no fear in sharing her insights into the science of the human mind.

Dr. Lorenzo Del Puppo (Ph.D candidate), University of Karlsruhe, who is researching financial neuroeconomics and offered is own insights into my research interests, and with whom I look forward to sharing a few drinks at the pub at the next SNE convention in Barcelona, as he possesses an extraordinary insight into industry seen with few academics.

Dr. Tobias Kalenscher, University of Düsseldorf, Professor of Neuroeconomics, who suffers from what I dare say is a delightful excess of personality as one of the foremost experts in my own research interests, and with whom I look forward to sharing a German b**r over watching a European football game at the SNE 2027 convention near Barcelona, Spain.

Dr. David Smith, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, who spent more time than I could ever deserve offering insights into my research interests, and is an expert in my own field of curiosity, and held me accountable in correcting errors in my own assumptions about economic theory.

Dr. Daantje de Bruin, Ph.D. Candidate of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brown University… who is engaged in research directly relevant to my own and graciously shared her insights as I discern my own programs of interest.

10/11/2026

Financial Kitty needs reassurance that you’re adequately saving for retirement. Otherwise, he is going to angrily meow at you.
(Like and follow us for more fun content!)

10/11/2026

Well, that was fun.

Neuroeconomics researchers are attempting to better understand why you make the decisions you do, especially those that are not optimal or rational.

Many in the academic world, and I was pleasantly surprised how many of the world’s leading scientists as this convention agreed with me on this sentiment, operate in a vacuum without the ability to see the real world relevance (or lack thereof) of their research.

Shared with Dr. Cendri Hutcherson, current President of the Society for Neuroeconomics, that they write music they never get to hear in the field, and that some of that music never gets played.

She absolutely agreed with that sentiment.

I have two goals with my interests within the SNE community.

First, to offer my own insights as an industry professional that many of them might not otherwise see from where they sit in academia.

Second, to develop a better academic framework for understanding why people don’t behave rationally, especially on a subject as critical as personal finance.

I’m blessed to be surrounded and mentored by better people than I deserve.

Please do follow and share my content as I seek to increase awareness of these topics!

10/07/2026

Spent more time than usual helping an entrepreneur understand that she should *never* argue about her value proposition. It's a lesson she's struggling to learn as an emerging professional of her industry.

I learned that lesson long ago.

Only about a third of the general American population seeks financial counsel. But more than 80% of multi-millionaires have a professional investment manager or advisor, and the vast majority of billionaires hire the best professionals in the world to advise them.

What's even more fascinating to me is that the majority within my industry lacks financial training beyond the *minimum* amount needed for licensure. Check the educational credentials of those putting fingerprints on your finances.

The financial services industry has one of the lowest barriers to entry of any career.

The fact so many people hand over finances to those without a foundation in even elementary financial mathematics will never not cause me to scratch my head.

Corporations hire only the best accounting and finance experts to run their financial operations. Why don't many of you?

This came up in a conversation within my academic cohort recently. The overarching discipline of my study is within the fields of behavioral finance/economics - the neurological and psychological drivers of your decisions with money.

The neuroscience of those decision-making heuristics is very poorly understood, and I'm writing a thesis on this topic for scientific journal publication.

One of my cohort members is the daughter of a near billionaire. When she learned of my research interests, we spoke at length, and she affirmed what I've been saying for years: don't take advice about money from people who don't know how it works.

Many of these professionals use software to make recommendations when they don't understand the mathematics behind the analysis, or they rely on templates provided by a corporate back office.

I made a tangential observation about cultural dimensions to this phenomenon... that the population of the American South is far more likely to value relationships over competency on this subject. It's why I no longer proactively market my services in that region of the country.

An antagonist on my LinkedIn profile spammed one of my posts on this subject yesterday. Using rather profane language, he demanded to know why he should take advice from someone like me.

I said that he shouldn't, and that he is right where he belongs... far outside my closest personal and business circles.

My services are reserved for those who recognize at first sight a fundamental Truth of what should be common sense.

If I have to argue about it in any way whatsoever, then I've already lost interest in the conversation.

My encouragement to the entrepreneur I counseled, and to those struggling to find their foothold in business: *never* argue.

Take the time to learn the nature of your specific market, and never look twice at anyone else.

Ever.

10/07/2026

The best part of my work is learning about your story.

While each may feel unique to the one sharing it, the human story rhymes across all eras, languages, and cultures.

The Truth of Story is written into the fabric of the human condition. It's why Jesus shared profound theological truths with parables, because we easily remember them.

Story endures now in new medium unknown to ancient audiences, such as film, and few storytellers understand the metaphysics of its truth as director James Cameron.

"The Terminator" can be read as more than a science-fiction story about a machine traveling through time. Cameron claimed the genesis of the story was through a dream he had, with a machine sent back in time to kill him.

But Cameron knows that Story is more than about plot. It must contain truths essential to the human spirit.

Beneath its plot lies an ancient structure: the story of a promised savior, an impossible birth, and a hero who must survive the forces determined to prevent humanity’s salvation.

The Christian parallels are difficult to ignore. John Connor’s initials immediately evoke Jesus Christ. John is not yet present for most of the story, yet his existence determines everything that happens. Sarah Connor must be protected because she will give birth to the man who will eventually save humanity from destruction. Like the Christian narrative, salvation arrives through an apparently ordinary human birth, while a powerful force seeks to destroy the child before his mission can be fulfilled.

Sarah herself also occupies an interesting position within this mythology. She begins as an ordinary young woman who does not understand her significance, but is transformed through suffering into the mother of humanity’s future savior. Her pregnancy becomes almost prophetic: she carries within her the person who will change the fate of the world.

Yet The Terminator also reaches beyond Christianity into Greek mythology. The climactic pursuit through the factory resembles that of Theseus entering the labyrinth to confront the Minotaur. The Terminator is essentially a mechanical Minotaur... a monstrous creature that relentlessly pursues its prey through an industrial labyrinth. Sarah, accompanied by Kyle Reese, must navigate this maze while being hunted by something that appears almost impossible to kill.

The final confrontation completes the mythic parallel. Theseus defeats the Minotaur and escapes the labyrinth... Sarah destroys the Terminator within the machinery of the factory.

That is what makes The Terminator endure in the frontiers of our imagination... and fear with the threat of AI destruction. Beneath its science fiction is an ancient story. Cameron dresses these archetypes in steel, electricity, and time travel... but the underlying human story is as old as humanity itself.

I love storytelling. Your story will echo in the lives of future generations long after we're all gone.

09/30/2026

An early mentor encouraged me to remember that the best relationship, friendship, client... is sometimes the one you turn away or don't take on.

A friend tried making an introduction to a potential corporate client for me. While waiting for the introduction, I did my diligence on its public filings and immediately lost interest. Thankfully, the company declined anyway. They are a lawsuit waiting to happen.

It's a beautiful day to be alive.

My thanks to the dear friend who did what I asked a month ago: "Wake me up when September ends."

😂

An early mentor encouraged me to remember that the best relationship, friendship, client... is sometimes the one you turn away or don't take on. A friend tried making an introduction to a potential corporate client for me. While waiting for the introduction, I did my diligence on its public filings....

09/29/2026

One of the first assessments I make in new potential business conversations is their sensitivity to social media news and current events.

The so-called Rorschach inkblot test was a popular method of psychological assessment throughout the 20th century, but it has since been subsumed by better psychometric methods of study.

If you haven't heard of the Rorschach inkblot test, you've definitely seen it in popular culture: an inkblot is held up, and the subject provides their interpretation of what he or she sees. The neuropsychology of finding meaning in images is called pareidolia: "that cloud looks like a fire engine." The original theory was that we could glean a great deal about psychology by the associations made from that image.

More often than not, I feel like a National Geographic scientist observing fauna in the wilderness, while wisely trying to stay clear of its teeth or claws. Many people react violently to even the perception of threats against their person, their ideology, or their existence.

What's interesting about this exercise is that it tells you nothing about the inkblot, but a great deal about the subject.

Social media news is for me a case study of the Rorschach test, because it tells me a great deal about the personality, sensibilities, and values for the person with whom I'm engaged in conversation.

One such meme shared a while back on Facebook stated something to this effect: "social media warrior activism is the lowest form of intelligence. It does not take any rational thought to invest violent emotional outrage or energy over one's sensitivity to a subject."

It takes no great virtue or intelligence to be offended by anything and everything on social media. Recent news is created in its current form precisely because it generates views and ratings for that media outlet, which translates to advertising revenue.

We see this kind of emotional volatility in topics as diverse as politics, science, law, crime, economics, taxation... even sports.

Those sensitive to these kinds of influences are generally not a good personality fit for my business model.

I endeavor to challenge the status quo and conventional thinking in my closest circles, and ask that they do the same for me. We do not agree on everything, but all of them are willing to lay their cards on the table for an honest assessment of whether their convictions are the curve of best fit to reality.

Those for whom this quality does not apply are referred out, or are politely declined for further conversation. Even that has sometimes generated outrage, which tells me a great deal about his or her personality.

The scientist in me is fascinated by human behavior.

I'm blessed with far better friends than I deserve.

One of the first assessments I make in new potential business conversations is their sensitivity to social media news and current events. The so-called Rorschach inkblot test was a popular method of psychological assessment throughout the 20th century, but it has since been subsumed by better psycho...

09/28/2026

The moral descent into evil never begins as anything other than appealing.

My wife had me watch X-Men: First Class last evening. She’s a Marvel girl.

You often see me write that great Story illuminates the truth of the human condition, and that the only story worth telling is for the salvation of the human spirit.

In this film, we see the origins of two prominent women antagonists in the series, and how their evil was rooted in response to trauma.

In this film, Mystique, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and Angel, played by Zoë Kravitz, demonstrate how insecurity and trauma can make people vulnerable to ideological manipulation.

Magneto recruits them on the pretense of preventing humans from committing genocide against mutants. He witnessed his mother’s murder in a N**i death camp as a child, so his psychological motivation is understandable. His moral evil is borne from trauma.

Mystique’s insecurity centers on her physical identity. Having spent much of her life concealing her natural appearance, she longs to be accepted without hiding who she is. Magneto offers her an apparently liberating alternative: rather than feeling ashamed of being different, she should regard her difference as a source of strength. Yet self-acceptance is morally distinct from believing that one’s suffering justifies hostility toward others. Mystique allows personal insecurity to become resentment and ultimately permits Magneto to turn her vulnerability into ideological commitment. The film strongly implies and we are meant to infer that her virginal insecurity is a metaphor for the sacrifice of her innocence on the altar of moral evil.

Angel represents a different vulnerability to evil. Her introduction emphasizes sexuality and physical attractiveness, suggesting that she has learned to derive identity and social power from being desired. Her profession as an erotic performer in a Vegas casino hints at her experience of having been objectified by men her entire life. Magneto offers her belonging and a community without being seen as an object of sexual desire. But accepting that community ultimately requires accepting his increasingly militant worldview.

Neither woman’s suffering is itself a moral failure. Their moral failure lies in surrendering judgment to resentment. They could acknowledge injustice without becoming unjust, and reject shame without embracing hatred. Magneto succeeds because he transforms their insecurities into a worldview that makes retaliation against humans appear morally justified.

Their stories therefore illustrate a fundamental principle of moral agency: trauma can explain a person’s vulnerability to evil, but it does not remove responsibility for choosing it.

Their healing must be a choice, one that is never easy to make, and that, if not made, may lead one down a path of moral evil from which it may be too late to turn back.

I applaud Marvel for creating a parable for children to teach them moral agency.

The moral descent into evil never begins as anything other than appealing. My wife had me watch X-Men: First Class last evening. She’s a Marvel girl. You often see me write that great Story illuminates the truth of the human condition, and that the only story worth telling is for the salvation of ...

09/26/2026

A job candidate’s competitiveness is not determined solely by the experience listed on a résumé. It is also revealed in the quality of the questions they ask. Candidates who take the time to understand what a company genuinely needs demonstrate something more valuable than simple enthusiasm: they demonstrate an ability to think like a potential contributor.

Instead of focusing exclusively on what the company can offer them, strong candidates ask questions such as: What is the biggest challenge this person will be expected to solve? What would success look like six months from now? Where is the team currently struggling? What skills or qualities would make the greatest difference in this role? These questions transform an interview from a one-sided evaluation into a conversation about solving problems.

Understanding the company’s needs also allows a candidate to connect their experience directly to those needs. Rather than reciting everything they have accomplished, they can identify the experiences, skills, and perspectives that are most relevant to the organization’s immediate priorities. The candidate is no longer simply saying, “Here is what I have done.” They are saying, “I understand what you need, and here is how I can help you accomplish it.”

Candidates should apply the same principle to their résumé. Rather than sending the exact same résumé to every employer, they should tailor it around the specific job posting, using the company’s own language and keywords where those terms accurately describe their experience. If the posting repeatedly emphasizes terms such as client relationship management, strategic planning, data analysis, or team leadership, those concepts should be clearly reflected in the résumé when applicable. This helps the employer quickly recognize the connection between the candidate’s background and the position, while also making the résumé easier for applicant-tracking systems to identify as relevant. The goal is not to manufacture qualifications, but to communicate genuine qualifications in the language the employer is already using.

That distinction can make a candidate memorable. Companies do not hire résumés; they hire people to solve problems, create value, and move important objectives forward. The candidate who learns what matters most—and then demonstrates how they can contribute to it—shows initiative, curiosity, preparation, and strategic thinking.

Ultimately, asking the right questions is not merely a way to impress an interviewer. It is a way to discover whether the opportunity is one in which the candidate can genuinely create value.

A job candidate’s competitiveness is not determined solely by the experience listed on a résumé. It is also revealed in the quality of the questions they ask. Candidates who take the time to understand what a company genuinely needs demonstrate something more valuable than simple enthusiasm: the...