Derek has had the good fortune of spending the last three decades in the financial markets as both a trader and a financial advisor. In 2004, after spending nearly 15 years on trading desks and in commodity pits, he began building his financial advisory practice.
As Derek began working with different types of personalities, he came to understand two important truths. (1) Good financial outcomes depend on good behavioral outcomes. (2) It’s hard to provide meaningful financial advice without first providing meaningful behavioral advice. Struck by this aha moment, Derek recognized that if he really wanted to help his clients manage their financial lives more effectively, he had to develop an approach that would help them manage their emotional and behavioral lives more effectively.
On one hand, Derek needed an approach that would help his clients understand the external events taking place within the financial markets. On the other hand, he needed an approach that would help them understand the internal events taking place within their heads. For him, an interdisciplinary approach that focused on the behavioral sciences felt like the right answer.
Today, whenever anyone asks him what he does for a living he tells them, “In theory, I’m a financial advisor but in practice I’m really a behavior coach, because when it comes to long term financial success, it’s not about what’s going on in the markets that matter most, it’s about what’s going on in your head. Your thoughts, your feelings, your behavior, and the decisions you make are all connected and they all play a critical role in your overall financial and emotional well-being.”
In response, more often than not, Derek gets a smile. A smile that says, “Yes, I can appreciate the irony in what you’re saying. Yes, I recognize how closely my financial life is tied to my emotional life, and yes, I could probably use some help when it comes to understanding and managing my financial behavior.” Perhaps you feel the same.
Academically, Derek holds a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree in Human and Organizational Psychology from Touro University Worldwide. He holds a Master of Science degree in Financial Services from The American College in Bryn Mawr, PA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, VT.
Professionally, Derek has earned the Certified Family Business Specialist (CFBS) designation enabling him to provide specialized advice and resources to family business owners. He has also been recognized as a Certified Master Coach from the Behavioral Coaching Institute and is a member of the International Coaching Council (ICC) for professional workplace coaches.
Derek and his family enjoy an active lifestyle balancing their time between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the concrete canyons of Manhattan, NY.