#68 — Brian Portnoy: A Behavioural Finance Expert on How to Shape a Life of Money and Meaning

#68 — Brian Portnoy: A Behavioural Finance Expert on How to Shape a Life of Money and Meaning

August 18, 2026 · 45 min · Episode 69

About this episode

Brian Portnoy discusses the intersection of behavioural finance and meaningful living in this insightful episode.

Our guest this episode is Brian Portnoy — behavioural finance expert, founder and CEO of Shaping Wealth and author of "The Geometry of Wealth" and "The Investor's Paradox." Brian holds a PhD from the University of Chicago, is a CFA charterholder and spent more than two decades in the financial industry. His mission is helping people use their money to underwrite a meaningful life. In this episode, Dave and Brian dive into behavioural finance and the fast-changing world of financial advice. They explore the challenges of building an AI coach that's genuinely helpful, the lessons Brian took from Morningstar and the hedge fund industry, and why "simplicity on the far side of complexity" is worth striving for. They also break down the investor's paradox, choice overload and how thoughtful choice architecture can combat decision fatigue. The conversation also traces the 50-year arc of financial advice, from product-pushing to planning to the human side of money, and why good financial planning can sometimes feel like marriage counselling. Along the way, Brian shares the difference between being rich and being wealthy, the impact of his "funded contentment" concept and his perspective…

People in this episode

Host: Dave

Guest: Brian Portnoy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Shaping Wealth, Morningstar

Books & works: The Geometry of Wealth, The Investor's Paradox

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