Hey, all. It’s me, Doug. Missed you mucho, but I’ve been swamped with transitioning our wealth management firm to its new custodian, Altruist. More on that below, but let’s keep this big picture for a moment.
There are stretches of life when you sow. You show up, you plant, you water, you wait. You keep the faith that your work will pay off, even when no one can see it happening (including maybe, even you). And then there are rarer times when the ground breaks open, and the work answers back.
I think that’s what’s happening now.
A day of “proofs”
Earlier this week, we had a day we won’t forget. Our first book signing took place at Future Proof Festival in Huntington Beach, California. On that very same day, The New York Times Your Money newsletter featured Money Together. Two very different milestones, landing within hours.
I am not new to financial media, but this hit different. This truly felt like Heather’s big debut. Watching her light up when she saw The Times mention the book she’s poured so much of herself into made me happier than almost anything we’ve ever worked on together.
If you know Heather, you know why. She has always been a fantastic writer, winning awards, topping her class in college and grad school. She’s the kind of student who could expose local corruption back in our college town (who does that?!). To see her talents being recognized at this level feels like watching a door open that was always meant for her to walk through. It’s awesome.
Heather’s first live TV segment…whoops!
Riding the high of our placement in the NYT, we jumped at the chance to chat with Bloomberg Businessweek the next day. Heather thought they were just recording audio. I knew it was live TV but didn’t tell her, because I didn’t want her to be nervous. Readers, how do you think she took it when she found out two minutes before??
Well, she did great. She says she’s most mad about wearing a beach coverup on live business television. I say, my heart was in the right place.
Free agents
We also sat down with Jason Wenk, founder of Altruist, to talk about why we chose them as our custodian and technology partner. Here’s what that arc looked like: I spent six years registered as a registered investment advisor (RIA). Fourteen years affiliated with a broker. And now, for the first time, we are truly independent.
That shift is not only operational. It is philosophical. We have always said we want to grow with our clients and live the same kind of lives they are living. That means modern tools, relatable experiences, transparent costs, and the freedom to build a practice we can all believe in. Moving to Altruist lines up our business with the people we serve and the lives we are building for ourselves. It’s pretty damn cool how natural and good this feels.
I am in my twentieth year as a financial advisor. I have lived many lives inside that time.
At 24, I was a kid who had just moved to New York, carrying the weight of big hopes and the quiet fear that if it all fell apart, I would have to give up the life I went there to build.
That was a long time ago. I am not that person anymore. The work, the years, the setbacks, and the wins added up to positive. I am steadier, more confident, more seasoned. Standing here now with Heather, our kids, our firm, and our book, it feels less like the end of a journey and more like the start of the kind of career and life I was always working toward.
Now the pieces are starting to click at the same time. The book is real. The firm is independent. Our lives at home are establishing a new rhythm. We are growing a business that truly grows with us. And we want to be who our client is: ambitious, values-driven, practical and, above all, human.
Thank you for reading, for cheering, and for challenging us to build something worthy of your attention. We planted a lot of seeds over the last decade and it’s a privilege to share our journey with you.
TJA in the news
We joined Olivia Howell, co-founder of Fresh Starts Registry, to talk about Money Together, on A Fresh Story podcast.
She Reads featured Money Together in their Most Anticipated Memoir and Nonfiction books for Fall 2025.
Barron’s wrote about why financial advisors are using books to accelerate their careers. (Sorry, it’s behind a paywall but including for our FA readers.)
Money Together: have you pre-ordered your copy yet?
Our upcoming book, Money Together: How to find fairness in your relationship and become an unstoppable financial team, arrives on October 28, 2025. If you enjoy The Joint Account, we’d be incredibly grateful if you pre-order from your preferred retailer. Imagine if every one of our subscribers ordered early…that would mean the world to us.
Also…
Are you a financial advisor? Would you like a free chapter of Money Together? Well, we’d love to send you one. All you need to do is e-mail us your request and the name of your firm. It’s that easy!
Shameless plugs
Click here for more info on Money Together and how to have us come chat with your organization.
For example, we’re co-hosting a free estate planning webinar with Steward on Thursday, October 9th from 1-2pm EST. All registered attendees of the event will receive a free copy of Money Together. You can sign up here!
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Find us on social: @dougboneparth + @averagejoelle :)
The content shared in The Joint Account does not constitute financial, legal, or any other professional advice. Readers should consult with their respective professionals for specific advice tailored to their situation.
great sharing a panel at FP with you Doug !
Love to see all of it!