Doug’s Story

From Benedictine Monk to Money Manager

I’ve lived a life wilder than a roller coaster designed by Salvador Dalí on a sugar high. I started out as a Marine, graduating at the top of my class from Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in 1995. Then I took a radical turn: I became a Benedictine monk. I was searching for the deepest meaning I could find—and, as a bonus, a reliable way to annoy my parents. Mission accomplished on both fronts.

For twenty years, I wore the habit while simultaneously leading the mathematics department at a prestigious private school. Not exactly the most conventional résumé, but I’ve never been one for the beaten path. My education at St. John’s College—the delightfully eccentric Great Books school in Santa Fe—gave me both philosophical depth and analytical sharpness, a combination that’s guided me through every twist and transformation.

In 2017, I finally hung up the robe. I’d come to realize that voluntary poverty was keeping me from serving the world in the ways I felt called to. So I stepped into a new chapter and joined LongView Asset Management, a sustainability-focused B Corp. I eventually became a partner, helping oversee more than $250 million in assets. From vows of poverty to portfolio management—life has a sense of humor, doesn’t it?

My first book, From Monk to Money Manager, explored the surprising truth that financial success and ethical living aren’t enemies—they’re allies. I learned, somewhat to my own surprise, that being “a little bit wealthy” is not only okay, but can actually empower you to do more good in the world.

Now with my new book, Taming Your Money Monster, I’m weaving together the ancient wisdom of the Enneagram with modern financial psychology and neurobiology. My goal is to help people heal their relationship with money and build a solid financial foundation through the Four Pillars of Finance: earning, saving, investing, and giving. It’s a values-based framework that guides ethical and prosperous money decisions across any faith, culture, or worldview.

These days, I split my time between writing, speaking, and coaching individuals and organizations that want to turn money from a source of fear into a force for good. Along the way, I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment, business, and philanthropy—and I’d like to think that my unusual blend of spiritual insight, financial strategy, and dad jokes makes me at least mildly interesting at dinner parties.

I’ve been broke. I’ve been comfortable. I’ve made nearly every money mistake in the book—and probably invented a few new ones. Bankruptcy? Been there. Divorce? Done that. Recovery? Working on it daily, right alongside my budget. But through it all, I’ve learned how to turn financial stumbles into stepping stones. I’d love to help you do the same.