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Strengths: Focus | Woo | Developer | Maximizer | Positivity

Personal Motto – “Life is not about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself”

Unique ability – By communicating with a refreshing ease and connectability, Ray’s unique ability is to analyze and get to the roots of truths and to tailor strategies that can serve as a framework to motivate and inspire others to reach their greatest potential.

Ray’s passion as an advisor today, his passion arises from helping individuals envision their futures, crafting clear paths toward financial peace, and transforming challenges into victories. His journey intertwines with those he works with, offering guidance based on shared experiences and the relentless pursuit of financial well-being.

Prior to GIA, Ray left a decade-long career in the film industry to pursue financial planning. He first completed Dave Ramsey’s Financial Coach Master Training and began coordinating Financial Peace University classes. He completed his Executive Education Program for CFP® Certification through the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and now plays an important role for our team and GIA’s clients.

You can find him as the relatable and personable guest on many of our podcast episodes including this one, “How Do I Make a Career Transition,” since he is one of our resident experts in this area.

Ray is married to his best friend, Lindsey. They are Atlanta foodies and share a love for adventure, travel, and fitness. They are committed to lifelong learning and enthusiasm. Passion City Church is where they celebrate their faith and prioritize giving back to the community.

What attracted you to Goodwin Investment Advisory? – “I love the work that we do and the transformational client experiences we aim to help shape. It’s been so great to see GIA evolve since 2017 when I first reached out to become a client of the firm. We have a rockstar team and clients that are fun to spend time with. Oh, and the fresh, warm, cookies we bake in-house at least once per week – that’s the real reason I’m here!”

He would love to have coffee with – “Dave Ramsey. I admire the brand that he has built and his style of coaching and the psychology behind the advice he shares. I like that he leads people to hope, shows the light at the end of the tunnel and a path to get you there. I even attribute my initial interest in the financial industry to him.”

When he looks at himself and the life that he lives, what is he most proud of? – “My personal desire to constantly raise the bar and stretch to attain things that might appear out-of-reach.”

The best piece of advice he has ever received – David Copperfield (yes, the magician) who said, “treat possibilities as probabilities.”

If Ray could share one lesson with the world it would be – “Change will challenge who you are and who you will become, so let optimism be your guide.”

What is one mistake you have made that you are grateful for now? – “Allowing student debt into my life at a young age. But in doing so, I quickly learned the power of discipline (by kicking into “Gazelle Intensity” mode when eliminating debt), budgeting, and planning for the future. Falling in love with this process ultimately led me to my passion (obsession) for personal finance.”

Favorite books:

Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Die with Zero by Bill Perkins
Jaws by Peter Benchley

Podcasts:

When and why you should consider a refinance on your home
How do I make a career transition?
Should I pay cash for a car or finance it?
My fiance thinks Afterpay Is the Devil. Is he right?
How much Is too much to spend on Taylor Swift tickets?
We’re Newlyweds. Why should we combine our finances?
Is now a good time to buy an EV?
Social Security for freelance workers
Meet Financial Advisor – Ray Brown

But we’re not alone! We believe in working closely with others to leverage their wisdom, insight, experience, and expertise. We do this by selecting key vendors who have teams of experts in their fields with whom we can dialog as and when required. We also do this by having industry experts serve on our GIA Investment Committee and various clients serve on our GIA Client Advisory Board.

Through this network of partners, we build on the wisdom of thousands of people and utilize their advanced technology to support our team so that we can help you receive the most current and comprehensive guidance.

In addition, we welcome the opportunity to work with your attorney, accountant, and other trusted professionals to deliver a comprehensive strategy that leverages everyone’s expertise. Working together, we can help you develop a complete, tailored strategy to help you achieve your financial goals.

In addition to our 4 Certified Financial Planner CFP®) professionals on staff, through our network of partners, we have 17 Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA®), 2 CFP® professionals, 1 Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and 6 Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA®) professionals who support our investment management guidelines.