Jul 8, 2026
Derek Coburn has made a lot of decisions in his life. Good ones. Bad ones. But ask him which one changed everything — and the answer comes without hesitation.
Marrying Melanie.
Not a business deal. Not a career pivot. Not a bold financial bet. The person he chose to build his life with. And 17 years, two kids, and a thriving wealth management practice later — he's more convinced than ever that who you marry is the most important decision you'll ever make.
In this episode, Derek gets refreshingly honest about what it actually takes to build a great marriage, a great career, and a great life — at the same time.
We get into:
Why "happy wife, happy life" is some of the worst advice ever given
Starting therapy while engaged — and never stopping
The privilege nobody talks about: waking up next to someone you love
The Tale of Two Tonys — and why you probably only need to save 1% to retire well
The $50,000 moment every parent is taking for granted right now
Why he restructured his entire day around being available when his kids want him
What it means to be in the "regret minimization business"
Why he's not selling anything — and why that makes everything he says more worth hearing
If you've ever wondered what it looks like to actually design a life you don't want to escape from — this one's for you.