RJ Finley joined Collin Bass on Reeling It In to talk about his path from TCU to one of the largest private banks in the country to Decidedly Wealth Management, and about the question that changed how he thinks about money. Listen to the full conversation above. Here are a few of the ideas that stood out.
People don't walk around with financial goals
Most of the wealth management industry opens with the same promise: we'll help you meet your financial goals. RJ's point is that almost nobody actually has them.
"Do you have financial goals? Maybe. Probably not until you talk to me. People don't just walk around with financial goals. So our entire mission is to help people figure out what that higher purpose is for them, and then align their money with their values."
What people do have are values: family, faith, community, the thing they've wanted to do their whole life. The work is turning those into something a plan can serve.
"What should I invest in?" is the wrong first question
"People call me all the time. They're like, RJ, what should I invest in? Should I invest in gold? Should I invest in Bitcoin? And I'm like, how am I supposed to give you an answer to that question? What do you want to be about? I don't know anything about you. I don't know what your situation is currently. And I don't know what you want to accomplish."
Until those three things are answered, and written down, any investment recommendation is a guess.
The five key decisions
That's why Decidedly works through five decisions, in order, with every client.
- Decide who you are. What's important to you, what you value, and how you make decisions.
- Decide where you are. Your financial picture today, and just as important, how you feel about it.
- Decide where you are going. This is where goals come in. As RJ put it, "Goals are not the end purpose. Goals are a measurement, and they tell you whether or not you're on track towards your ultimate aim."
- Decide how you are going to get there. Only now does investment strategy enter the picture, built to line up with the first three decisions.
- Decide who matters. Family, kids, church, community. Making sure the estate plan is in order, and asking the bigger question: "How do you pass the values that you've used to create this wealth down to future generations?"
Why it's called Decidedly
RJ traces his own conviction to his grandfather, the longtime team doctor for the Detroit Red Wings, a man who spent his career caring for other people. What RJ took from his family's story was simple: the difference between people who flourish with their money and people who don't usually isn't how much they earn.
"What I learned is that it all comes down to the decisions that you make."
Start with why
"Why do you have money? Why do you work? If we don't answer that question, how are we going to craft an effective investment strategy that you're going to be happy with?"
If that's a question you haven't sat down and answered, it's the right place to start. Book a free conversation with RJ or anyone on the Decidedly team.
Quotes are lightly edited for readability from RJ Finley's appearance on Reeling It In with Collin Bass (February 2026). Insights, advice, and comments provided by RJ Finley and members of the Decidedly Wealth Management team should not be considered personalized financial advice or recommendations. This content is produced solely for informational and educational purposes. For personalized guidance, book a free conversation.
