At the center of his work is what Ted calls the Rational Spender Fallacy: the belief that we can make perfect financial choices simply by knowing the “right” math.
My time in the Marine Corps taught me—humbly and repeatedly—that even the best tactical plan can fail if it doesn’t account for how people actually behave under pressure. That insight is what ultimately pushed me beyond traditional finance and into behavioral finance, where the real drivers of decision-making can be addressed.
That’s why Ted teaches that money is a behavior problem, not a math problem. His approach builds practical systems and decision rules that make progress easier—without relying on willpower or perfection.
Lt Col USMC (Retired), former Investment Advisor and practice owner, author, and coach. BA Colgate University, MS Boise State University, and MPA Pepperdine University.
A practical, behavior-first process that helps you make better money decisions—even when life is busy, emotional, or uncertain.
Four lenses that shape how Ted McLyman teaches behavior-first money decisions.
A retired Lt Col, USMC, Ted brings real-world leadership experience to the way people make decisions under pressure. He also served as an Economics Instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy and as an Aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial Management, translating complex concepts into practical, repeatable habits.
Ted has written extensively on money behavior. His new book is titled Money Makes Me Crazy (Yep, It's Mostly BS). His writing explains why traditional financial advice often fails: it expects "perfect" behavior from brains that are wired for emotion, habit, identity, and survival—not spreadsheets. When you account for our biology, better decisions become more realistic and repeatable.
Independent Financial Advisor and District Manager with two national financial planning firms. Founder and CEO of Apexx Behavioral Financial Group, an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm. Co-founder of DreamSmart Behavioral Solutions. Speaker, consultant, and coach.
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