Adam Koós sits down with Carl Richards, author, keynote speaker, and creator of the iconic Sketch Guy column in The New York Times.
For more than a decade, Carl has been known for turning complex financial concepts into simple, powerful sketches that spark meaningful conversations. His new book, Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in Simple Sketches, invites us to view money not as spreadsheets and numbers, but as a tool for freedom, clarity, and connection.
Together, Adam and Carl explore why money can't solve all our fears, how retirees can confidently spend the money, and what it really means to live a wealthy life.
Episode Timestamps:
01:00 – Carl's unexpected path into finance and sketching
06:00 – The moment he discovered sketches make money "click"
10:00 – Why simplifying ideas often takes dozens of iterations
11:00 – The book as a "conversation grenade" to spark meaningful dialogue
14:00 – Why money will never be enough to pay for all your fears
18:00 – If money walked into the room—what would it say to you?
19:00 – The "spend the money" sketch every retiree should know
21:00 – Wealth as numbers vs. wealth as meaning
24:00 – AI, robo-advisors, and why human connection still matters
26:00 – How Carl thinks about "self-driving money"
28:00 – Why experiences with loved ones are the best ROI
Key Takeaways:
Money can't solve all your fears, its job is different.
Wealth is about meaning and choices, not just numbers.
Retirees need to give themselves permission to spend the money.
The best ROI often comes from experiences with people you love.
Financial advice will always need a human element, even in the age of AI.
Key Quotes from Carl Richards:
"There will never be enough money to pay for all your fears."
"If money were a person, it would be an earnest but disappointed golden retriever."
"What if you're not bad with money—what if you're just giving it jobs it can't do?"
"Spend the money: on experiences with people you love."
Connect with Carl Richards:
Website: behaviorgap.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinkingcarl/
https://x.com/behaviorgap
https://www.instagram.com/behaviorgap
Book: Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in Simple Sketches (available October 21)
The link to pre-order Carl's book on Amazon, or folks can head to their favorite local bookstore
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