Are you settling for the wrong financial advisor? Most people pick their advisor the same way they pick a restaurant: whoever shows up first in a search or gets a friend’s recommendation. Derek Notman is changing that.

I sat down with Derek, a self-proclaimed rebel dad, award-winning financial advisor, and CEO of Couplr AI, to talk about how he is using technology to transform the way consumers find the right financial guidance.

“We don’t ask for account numbers, we don’t ask for your date of birth, we don’t ask for your address or how much money you have, because none of those are relevant until you know that you can trust the person you want to share that information with.”

Derek Notman

From Career Disruption to Fintech Founder

Derek’s journey to building Couplr AI was not a straight line. A major career disruption forced him to rethink everything he knew about the financial advisory industry.

“I became a fintech founder because I saw a fundamental problem in how people find financial advisors. The matching process was broken, and I wanted to build the eHarmony of financial advice where trust comes first.”

Derek Notman

Instead of rebuilding the same kind of practice, he looked at the industry from the consumer’s perspective and saw a massive problem: people have no reliable way to find a financial advisor who truly fits their needs, values, and goals.

Traditional lead generation treats consumers as commodities. Derek wanted to flip that model entirely.

Couplr AI: Matching People with the Right Advisor

Couplr AI works like a matching platform for financial advice. Think of it as eHarmony for financial advisors and consumers.

Instead of advisors buying leads and cold-calling strangers, Couplr uses AI to match consumers with advisors based on compatibility: communication style, financial philosophy, areas of expertise, and personal values.

The result is better outcomes for consumers who get advice from someone who actually understands them, and better business for advisors who work with clients who are genuinely aligned with their approach.

This innovation matters because the traditional financial advisory model is broken for most consumers. I have explored related challenges in the advisory space with Kaitlyn Laney about redefining financial advisory.

Rebel Dads: Balancing Fatherhood and Entrepreneurship

Beyond fintech, Derek founded Rebel Dads, a community for entrepreneurial fathers who refuse to sacrifice their family life for business success or vice versa.

“As a Rebel Dad, I believe you can build a business and be present for your family. It’s not about balance, it’s about integration and being intentional with how you spend your time and energy.”

Derek Notman

Derek believes that being a great dad and building a successful business are not competing goals. They are complementary pursuits that require the same qualities: intentionality, presence, and the courage to do things differently.

This resonates deeply with my own values and with conversations I have had about raising resilient kids while building a business.

Repairing Our Relationship with Money

Derek describes himself as someone on a mission to repair our collective relationship with money. That starts with making financial advice more accessible, more personal, and more trustworthy.

Too many people avoid seeking financial help because they have had bad experiences, feel judged, or simply do not know where to start. Couplr AI addresses that by removing the friction and creating a better first experience.

Key Takeaways

• The right financial advisor match matters more than most people realize. Compatibility in values and communication style leads to better financial outcomes.
• Technology can make financial advice more accessible and personal, not less. Couplr AI is proving that AI-powered matching serves both consumers and advisors better.
• Career disruptions can become the catalyst for your best work. Derek’s biggest setback led to his most innovative venture.
• Being a great parent and a great entrepreneur are complementary goals. Communities like Rebel Dads prove that you do not have to choose one over the other.
• Repairing our relationship with money starts with making financial guidance more trustworthy and approachable.

If you are looking for a better relationship with your finances and your future, visit coachcanfield.com and let’s have a real conversation about what you want to build.

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