Ron is a financial markets veteran with over 37 years of professional money management experience. He held a 21-year career at Janus Capital before starting his own boutique investment firm, Equus Private Wealth which he ran for 15 years before retiring in 2022. Ron is now focused on providing financial education and inspiration for women’s wealth, teen investing camps, and senior finance. Ron and I first chatted at Here House Club and then did a follow-up interview:
Your website, TheFC.me mentions your focus on women’s wealth, teen investing camps and senior finance. Can you tell us what made you choose these three specific areas to focus on? My wife, my kids and my parents! The first creation was Women’s Wealth, to help educate and support women in a group setting, and provide a place for women to talk about one of the three taboo topics; money, sex and politics. Teen investing was the next decision. Having twin 10-year old’s, I wanted to teach them both about investing and talk about stocks, and I started thinking what forum to start now, so that when my kids were of age they could go through this camp, or a camp like it. This is a very unique teens camp because the teens actually get paid to participate. There is such a need for financial education everywhere and this is my background and experience so it’s easy for me to give in an area I’m passionate about and have been in for so long. A few weeks after launching teen investing, I started Senior Finance, to help my parents and their friends and to share the knowledge I gained from administering a complex estate. As our parents age they can use the help, support and organization to keep it simple. So when I retired, I decided these were the things I wanted to do. And they’re all philanthropic offerings, completely free.
How has the economy over the past few years affected your business? The geographic area we live in here in the Roaring Fork Valley is very beneficial for the financial services industry given the influx of wealth so it’s a good place to offer financial services, I had just been in it too long and it was time to move on.
One of the reasons I retired, and one of the reasons I’m doing this work, is that a mentor and dear friend of mine, before he passed away asked me to help him give away all his money after he died. He was my financial and economics mentor, who taught all over the world. The final request in his will was to create a charitable foundation under the themes he cared about. He was my teacher and gave so much and he inspired me to become the financial education teacher he was. In fact, because of his death, I wrote my own eulogy. When writing it, and projecting into the future, I realized I wanted to use my resources and resourcefulness to create this organization.
What else keeps you busy these days, what are your passions or hobbies? Family first, and world travel. We’re using travel to teach our kids how fortunate we are to live in America, how lucky we are. Other than that, the pursuit of a healthy, long lifestyle. Longevity and mobility are my fitness goals. We have these years when we can travel, when we have the mobility, and we should take the opportunity when we can.
How can our members help support you and your organization? Just to get the word out. Visibility means I can reach more people. Well, I’m also looking for 10 kids between now and May for Finance Camp. I’m looking for 10 kids with a curiosity and hunger for financial knowledge and the grit to pay attention for a fast-paced week. They can see how to apply on my website, TheFC.me.
