Stefan Whitwellin the media.
Stefan Whitwell, CFA, CIPM, is an author, an investor, and the host of The Meaning of Money, a podcast about what wealth is really for. As a guest on podcasts, video interviews, and conference stages, he talks about money and meaning; losing everything in 2009, owning it, and rebuilding; the discipline of Zen and Jujutsu; and raising four children while building a firm and a body of written work.
The Story
Four threads, one life
Hosts invite Stefan to talk about money. Audiences remember the story behind it. These four threads run through his conversations, his writing, and his podcast.
Perseverance
He lost everything in 2009, owned it, and rebuilt
In the middle of the Great Recession, a bank declined to renew one loan on Stefan's real estate portfolio. The default spread to every other loan, and he lost everything, with three children at home. He owns his part plainly: he was over-concentrated and had no asset protection or tax plan. A mentor told him, "You know, you walk through fire. You should advise others." He rebuilt from there, starting a wealth management career that led him to found Whitwell & Co. in 2017.
“The hardest part was in bankruptcy court; it was telling my kids we can't afford summer camp.”Watch: his origin story
Discipline
Zen, Jujutsu, and 40 years of violin
Stefan spent a year in Japan studying martial arts and apprenticing with Zen Master Sanshu at the Saijo-ji temple. He holds a black belt in Hakko-Ryu Jujutsu and a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and has played the violin for more than 40 years. He brings the same patience to markets, to clients, and to the long work of building a firm.
“So show up, even when it sucks. That principle will help you build wealth, will help you get better on the mat, will help you build teams. No flash, just reps.”Watch: Consistency Beats Intensity
AI and automation
He builds with AI inside a regulated firm
Stefan does not only talk about AI. He deploys AI and automation inside a working advisory firm, from an around-the-clock concierge line to research workflows, without losing the human relationship. He is co-author, with Brandon Veldman, CFA, of If Done Right: The AI Governance Framework for Regulated Financial Firms.
Fatherhood
A father of four, first
Stefan grew up watching his own father, a school teacher, start a self-publishing business to make ends meet, and noticed that it meant his dad was around when he needed him. He runs his firm to follow that tradition: a thriving business, and a family that thrives along the way. Three of his four children are grown; the youngest is at home with him.
“I think my most important job is being dad.”Watch: The Real Me
On the Record
Podcast and media appearances
Every guest appearance on record, on wealth, business, banking, investing, and the human side of money. Upcoming and unreleased episodes come first, then everything that has aired, newest first. Episode titles are each show's own wording.
Upcoming
2027
Sharkpreneur
Hosted by Kevin Harrington and Seth Greene
Topic: Entrepreneurship and wealth.
Recorded, not yet released
2026
Passion Millionaire Podcast
Hosted by Robert Roth
Topic: Background, entrepreneurship, and general financial planning.
Podcast
September 4, 2026
Win Make Give with Ben Kinney
Hosted by Chad Hyams
Episode: “The Holistic Wealth Paradigm: Health, Wealth, and Purpose with guest Stefan Whitwell”
Topic: Wealth, health, and purpose.
Podcast
August 25, 2026
CEO Sales Strategies Podcast
Hosted by Doug C. Brown
Episode: “When $100 Million Makes Decisions Harder”
Topic: Decision-making and wealth at scale.
Podcast
July 26, 2026
The Unforget Yourself Show
Hosted by Mark and Katie
Episode: “When Success Stops Feeling Like Success with Stefan Whitwell”
Topic: Purpose, wealth, and life decisions.
Podcast
June 25, 2026
Business Leaders of America Podcast
Episode: “What Great Advisors Understand About Wealth, Risk, and Life”
Topic: What good advice looks like across wealth, risk, and life.
Podcast
February 19, 2026
The Ambitious Generation
Hosted by Jack Wagoner
Episode: “He Lost $35 Million, Went Bankrupt, Then Rebuilt Everything | Stefan Whitwell | 123”
Topic: Losing everything in the Great Recession, and rebuilding.
Video interview
December 11, 2025
Toby Mathis Esq (Anderson Advisors)
Hosted by Toby Mathis
Episode: “How To Use Oil & Gas To Offset W-2 And Business Income Before December 31”
Topic: Tax strategy for business owners and high earners, including how intangible drilling costs are treated.
Podcast
October 1, 2025
Debt Doctor Podcast
Hosted by Bill Bymel
Episode: “Why Banks Turn Their Backs When You Need Them Most”
Topic: Distressed assets, banks, and the financial picture.
Video interview
August 12, 2025
The Growth Shift Podcast
Episode: “How to Build Wealth with Purpose: Stefan Whitwell's Guide to Values-Based Investing”
Topic: Building wealth with purpose.
Talk or panel
March 31, 2024
ET Boost
Episode: “The Worsening Banking Crisis in the United States and How You Can Benefit From It”
Topic: Conference talk on the banking system and what it means for depositors.
Talk or panel
December 30, 2023
ET Boost
Episode: “Panel #10: The Future of Wealth Management”
Topic: Conference panel on the future of wealth management.
Video interview
December 27, 2023
Founder Wisdom Podcast
Hosted by Charles Cormier
Episode: “travels, wealth, jiu jitsu and priorities with stefan whitwell”
Topic: Travel, wealth, Jiu-Jitsu, and priorities.
Podcast
August 25, 2023
Podcast
August 18, 2023
Podcast
August 10, 2023
Podcast
July 18, 2023
7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison
Hosted by Zack Ellison
Episode: “How AI Transforms The Investment Industry With Stefan Whitwell, Founder & CIO, Whitwell & Co.”
Topic: AI in the investment industry.
Podcast
June 20, 2023
The Clinton Donnelly Show
Hosted by Clinton Donnelly
Episode: “Help I'm Rich! | Wealth Management for Large Cryptocurrency Portfolios”
Topic: Wealth management for people whose wealth came from digital assets.
Podcast
March 17, 2023
Video interview
July 15, 2022
Changing Reality with Harsha
Hosted by Harsha
Episode: “Changing Reality with Stefan Whitwell, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Whitwell & Co”
Topic: A career across global finance.
Booking
For hosts and producers
Conversations Stefan can carry for readers, listeners, families, and business owners. Each works as a single segment or a full episode.
What money is really for
The question at the heart of The Meaning of Money, the podcast he hosts: once wealth is made, what is it for? A conversation about freedom, family, purpose, and the life the numbers are meant to serve.
Losing everything in 2009, and rebuilding
How one loan a bank declined to renew brought down a real estate portfolio in the Great Recession, the part he owns in it, and what the fall taught him about concentration, protection, and planning ahead.
Discipline from the dojo and the temple
A year in Japan studying martial arts and apprenticing with a Zen master, a black belt in Hakko-Ryu Jujutsu and a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and why steady practice beats intensity, on the mat and with money.
Fatherhood, legacy, and the written word
Being dad first while building a firm, with three grown children and one at home; what a family hands down besides money; and the work of turning hard lessons into books and papers meant to last.
Invite Stefan on your show
Email stefan@whitwellpublishing.com. Approved bios, host introductions, headshots, and show-notes wording are in his full press and speaker kit on the Whitwell & Co. site.
Last updated October 13, 2026. These appearances are general educational conversations. They are not investment, tax, or legal advice. The shows and their hosts are independent of Whitwell Publishing; episode titles are the shows' own, and some episodes were recorded years ago and reflect conditions at that time. Stefan Whitwell is also founder, CEO, and Chief Investment Officer of Whitwell & Co., LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Whitwell Publishing does not provide investment advice. CFA®, Chartered Financial Analyst®, and CIPM® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.