I'm Robin, a practicing physiotherapist and Certified Financial Counsellor (CFC). For 14 years I've worked clinically while quietly building a multi-million-dollar estate through index funds, rental properties, and private lending. Every Sunday I send one email to 600+ healthcare pros: real numbers from my own portfolio, tax strategies that actually work, and the kind of advice your bank's commission-paid advisor will never give you.
💍 Scrapped Trips, 10 Marriage Lessons, & A Massive Surprise...
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Reader, This weekend, Katie and I completely scrapped our plans for a three day getaway to St. Clair, Michigan. Instead, we spent the last 72 hours going into overdrive on fall cleaning: washing windows, hauling out an old couch, deep cleaning the cars, and tackling a mountain of yard work (yuck). Katie also spent hours drawing up some new room designs for our contractor, Derek, to start tackling ASAP. The reason for the sudden change of plans and the urgent house prep? You’ll find out at the very end of this email 👇🏽 But first, this week marks a massive milestone for us: our 1 year wedding anniversary. Before I hand things over, I want to take a quick second to express how incredibly grateful I am for Katie. Her unwavering love, support, and open mindedness over the years have allowed me to grow into a man I am genuinely proud of. Building wealth and a business means nothing without the right partner to share it with, and I hit the absolute jackpot. To celebrate our anniversary, I am handing the keyboard over to her for a special guest feature. Enjoy! 1 Year of Marriage, 10 Lessons Learned: A Guest Feature by Katie
Hi everyone,
If you’re a regular reader of Financially Fulfilled Pro, you’re used to hearing from Robin each week about wealth building, clinical autonomy, and living an intentional life. But today, you’re stuck with me!
To celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary, Robin kindly handed over the keyboard so I could share what it’s actually like living alongside these principles every single day.
Over the last year, watching Robin practice what he preaches has given me a front-row seat to building financial freedom and a fulfilled life. Here are the 10 biggest lessons I’ve taken away from living with Robin, categorized by life and finance.
Life Lessons
Trade Expectations for Appreciation
Shift your mindset from "I have to" to "I get to." Trading expectations for appreciation instantly transforms frustration into gratitude for the opportunities right in front of you. This has taken practice for me, but once it becomes a habit, having an abundant mindset positively impacts every part of your day.
Embrace Risk Over Regret
Rejection is a powerful teacher. Watching Robin take bets on himself reinforced that taking calculated risks is far easier to stomach than the long-term regret of standing still. I hesitate anytime I think of being rejected, but watching Robin continually put himself out there has slowly brought me out of my shell. I feel like I'm on the brink of something big and possibly some rejection!
Protect Your Primary Asset
You aren't a machine. Your physical and mental health are your single greatest assets. Protecting them means prioritizing rest, proper sleep, and having the courage to say "no" to extra work or overload when your battery is low. As a couple, prioritizing our health together and creating a shared nighttime routine has improved both of our lives even if it means getting into bed before the sun goes down at the height of summer.
Curate Your Circle
Success doesn't happen in a vacuum. You truly become the average of the people you spend the most time with, so intentionally surround yourself with ambitious, supportive, and like-minded individuals. Robin has repeatedly introduced me to people with a different mindset than I'm used to, and I have been deeply motivated and inspired by these new relationships.
Authenticity Over Mass Appeal
Trying to please everyone only waters down your message. Accept early on that you won't resonate with everybody, and focus your energy on genuinely connecting with those who appreciate your true voice. This is one of my favorite things about Robin and a huge reason why he is so successful. He constantly shows up as his genuine self and is never afraid to stand out.
Financial Lessons
Decouple Time from Income
Don't stay stuck on the "clinical hamster wheel" of trading your physical time and energy for dollars. Focusing on building passive equity, systems, and automation is the real secret to buying back your time. As someone who works a standard 9-to-5, I can't simply make more money on a given day by working longer hours. Investing wisely and building side projects have been my biggest tools for building net worth.
Reframe Tax Refunds
A massive tax refund isn't a "bonus" it's an interest-free loan you gave to the government. It’s a wake-up call that your tax planning throughout the year could be far more efficient. This was such a new concept to me; I had never thought of a tax refund this way before. Every year I used to jump for joy when I received my refund, but learning to optimize my tax planning throughout the year to break even has been one of my most impactful mindset shifts.
Prioritize "Boring" Investing
Consistency with broad-market, low-cost index ETFs remains the undisputed king of wealth accumulation. Don't get distracted by shiny, hyper-niche, or overly leveraged funds that promise quick wins. My risk tolerance is lower than Robin’s, but investing consistently in safe ETFs has helped grow my wealth month after month, encouraging me to stay the course.
Behavioral Finance and "Brain Hacking"
Personal finance is 80% behavior rather than pure math, making willpower an unreliable strategy on its own. Use "brain hacks" like the 48-hour rule (waiting 48 hours before purchasing non-essential items over $100) or "naming your dollars" (labeling savings accounts for specific emotional goals) to create friction, curb impulse spending, and align your daily habits with your long-term wealth targets. As the designated shopper in our relationship, I spent years impulse shopping whenever I was stressed or in a bad mood. Today, I always follow the 48-hour rule if I feel the urge to buy something. 90% of the time, I realize I don't need it and save money on something I was only going to buy because it was trendy.
Challenge Financial Dogma
Don't blindly follow cookie-cutter banking advice, like maxing out traditional accounts by default. If you’re actively building asset-based wealth, evaluate your specific scenario to make sure every tax deferral strategy actually aligns with your long-term goals. We are constantly reassessing our goals to ensure we're making the absolute most of our income and adjusting as our life circumstances change. Staying focused on the big picture is key.
One year in, if there’s one overarching lesson I’ve learned, it’s that financial fulfillment isn't just about numbers on a spreadsheet it's about creating freedom, protecting your energy, and living aligned with your values every day.
Happy anniversary to my partner in life and finances! And to everyone reading, I hope these principles serve you as much as they've served us in our first year of marriage. With Robin by my side, I know I will always feel fulfilled in life and love.
Cheers to many more years of growing our money, our lives, and our family!
P.S. As for why we cancelled our trip, hauled that old couch out of the spare room, and had Katie mocking up new designs for our contractor... we are officially expecting a baby!
@financiallyfulfilledpro and Certified Financial Counsellor CFC™
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Navigating Finances as a Healthcare Professional
I'm Robin, a practicing physiotherapist and Certified Financial Counsellor (CFC). For 14 years I've worked clinically while quietly building a multi-million-dollar estate through index funds, rental properties, and private lending. Every Sunday I send one email to 600+ healthcare pros: real numbers from my own portfolio, tax strategies that actually work, and the kind of advice your bank's commission-paid advisor will never give you.
Reader, This week was a straight shot back to reality. Katie and I got home from Miami late Tuesday night and went immediately into clinical work mode on Wednesday morning. As I write this to you today, we are actually back on the road (thankfully not too far) filming a three day project for a TV show! Katie originally brought the casting call to my attention, and we ended up auditioning twice. To her absolute amazement, we got accepted. The dynamic between us during the application process...
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