TomThalman
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®
Why do we keep buying things we don't need with money we don't have?
After years in financial services, I've watched countless intelligent people sabotage their financial futures—not through major disasters or poor investment choices, but through a thousand small decisions that feel insignificant in the moment. The truth is, our brains are wired for survival in a world that no longer exists, while living in a marketplace designed to exploit every psychological vulnerability we have.
Every swipe, every click, every 'add to cart' triggers the same reward pathways that once helped our ancestors survive—but now they're bankrupting our futures.
After three decades as a financial planner, I have discovered what textbooks never taught: the biggest threat to financial security isn't market crashes or economic downturns—it's the hidden battle happening inside our own minds.
Through years of watching intelligent clients repeatedly sabotage their financial futures with seemingly small decisions, I uncovered the neurological pathways that turn rational people into impulsive spenders. Now, it's time to take the stage with a mission: to expose the psychological manipulation systems that profit from our financial mistakes and empower audiences with the brain science needed to fight back.
This isn't traditional financial advice—it's financial self-defense for the modern world. When you understand how your mind works against your money, you can finally make it work for you instead.
About Tom
Tom has dedicated his career to helping people live more fulfilling lives.
After graduating from Bowling Green State University in Ohio with a degree in psychology, he worked in a counseling center in Cleveland for several years, where he first discovered his passion for understanding human behavior and decision-making. Following this experience, he moved back to his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, attended Sinclair College, and embarked on a career in respiratory care, working in hospitals throughout Ohio and later in North Carolina.
In the last 30 years, Tom has evolved into a Financial Life Planner—a unique approach that goes far beyond traditional financial planning. This behavioristic model is especially suited for people who want to focus on what truly matters: family, spirituality, and the freedom to roam and experience life in ways they never imagined possible. Drawing from his background in psychology and years of observing human behavior in both medical and financial settings, Tom brings a rare understanding of how our minds influence our money decisions.
When not helping clients navigate their financial journeys, Tom is an outdoor enthusiast who can be found riding his motorcycle through scenic routes, hiking with his wife Jan, or working in his yard. He's also a passionate drummer who enjoys various genres of music and plays out as often as he can—bringing the same rhythm and timing to his financial planning that he brings to the stage. His personal philosophy of experiencing life to the fullest directly informs his approach to financial planning—helping others create the resources and mindset needed to live their own version of a meaningful life.
The drumming element adds another dimension that reinforces his commitment to living fully while also suggesting the discipline and creativity that inform his unique approach to financial planning.
Tom's Signature Talk's
Why do we keep buying things we don't need with money we don't have?
Kidnapped by My Own Impulses: A Financial Hostage Story/ Description:understanding how we make irrational money decisions
Describe your talk here. This should be a paragraph or two describing what your talk is about. Make sure you put 3-4 bullet points below this paragraph with the deliverables the audience will leave with- this could be a 5 step process, an acronym, a "how to", ect... It should give the booker a clear summarized version of what the audience will gain
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What is Your Money Quotient ?: IQ + EQ = MQ// description: how your money intelligence (IQ)and your emotional intelligence (EQ) form your money quotient (MQ) to create your lifetime wealth plan
Describe your talk here. This should be a paragraph or two describing what your talk is about. Make sure you put 3-4 bullet points below this paragraph with the deliverables the audience will leave with- this could be a 5 step process, an acronym, a "how to", ect... It should give the booker a clear summarized version of what the audience will gain
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"Tom has helped us immensely by readying us for retirement. Because of his guidance, we were well prepared for all the changes that came with that major life event."
Susan H. Retired Special Ed Teacher
Let's Connect
Why do we keep buying things we don't need with money we don't have?
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