A smiling man with gray hair wearing a gray button-up shirt, standing outdoors with a dark background. Text overlay says 'About DEREK' with three small star icons below.

In 3 Bullet Points

• I’ve been a banker, end-of-life caregiver, small business owner and counselor.

• I’m a husband, parent, grandparent, HIV survivor and HSP.

• I’m always learning & adapting as I go, taking lessons from every experience, and doing my best to choose progress over perfection (easier said than done).

In 3 Minutes

1959: Born in Athens, Ohio [classic first-born!]

1975:  Started first job at McDonald’s in Akron…have been working ever since

1977:  Arrived in Oxford, OH to attend Miami University

1981:  Graduated with a BS in Finance, moved to New York City to work in corporate banking

1984:  Relocated to Los Angeles as part of bank’s west coast expansion into Corporate Finance

1985:  First son born

1987:  Started Fully Employed MBA program at UCLA

1989:  Came out to wife & family, learned I was HIV+, separated, completed MBA

1989 to 1999: Focused on staying healthy, packing a lot of living into a little time & flipping houses in Los Angeles

1994:  Rode in first ever California AIDS Ride, biking from SF to LA

2003:  Earned CFP® certification, discovered Bikram Yoga

2004:  Started my fee-only financial planning practice

2007:  Met David and his son, Leo - have been a family ever since - we three left LA

2008:  Found our Best.Dog.Ever at a shelter outside of Portland, Oregon

2014:  Moved to central California to care for my dad, started Taylor Street Favors

2021:  Earned my Wayfinder Coach Certification with Martha Beck, moved to Palm Springs

2022:  Completed ICF ACC Coaching certification, started financial coaching business

2024: Discovered my high sensitivity trait & completed HSP Coaching Certification

2025: Upped my coaching with PCC Certification & my personal finance chops with AFC®

In 3 paragraphs

I’ve turned my toughest experiences—coming out, living with HIV, navigating big transitions—into fuel for coaching others. I bring empathy, wisdom, and practical know-how to help you turn your own challenges into growth in every conversation.

Coaching matters to me because I've lived the difference between surviving and thriving. I've been the person who felt stuck, who thought change was too risky, who believed it was too late to start over. I unlearned the habit of existing without taking up space and discovered what becomes possible when you do. I’m at my best when I have the opportunity to serve those who serve others, helping them discover they're capable of more than they imagined and build the life that proves it.

As a highly sensitive person (HSP), I bring a heightened awareness and intuition to my coaching, allowing me to attune to my clients on a deeper level. With a background in corporate finance, entrepreneurship, and caregiving, I understand how closely money and meaning are tied together. This I know: it's never too late to start over, chase what matters, or make a difference.

If this resonates, let’s talk about what’s next for you.  I look forward to connecting.

Curious?  Let’s talk.

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