Speaking
I’m Phil Ratcliff: CFP®, founder of rebel Financial, fintech builder, futurist, farmer and improviser. I help audiences of advisors, executives, employees and everyday investors see money, AI and the economy from a different angle, then leave with something they can actually use on Monday morning.
Keynotes, breakouts, workshops, panels, podcasts and virtual sessions. Based in Columbus, Ohio. Happy to travel.
Speaker reel coming soonWhere you’ll find Phil
Attendance isn’t endorsement. “Spoke at” only where Phil actually presented. See the conference timeline →
Who is Phil?
I came up the hard way in this industry: as an agent in the insurance and broker-dealer world, learning how the big firms really work. I started my own practice inside AXA Equitable and grew it into a large one with my partners there. Then I went independent and founded rebel Financial in 2013. It started with just me. Today it’s one of the larger independent fee-only firms in the Midwest, with a big, thriving team and a habit of building solutions nobody else in the market offers.
That habit turned into a movement and a book: the rebelution, about how extractors broke meritocracy and how builders can take capitalism back. Say it out loud and it sounds like “revolution.” That’s on purpose.
I also help run two nonprofits. The rebel Financial Foundation brings pro bono financial planning to people who would never otherwise have access to it, using the same tools and process rebel uses for its clients. 4Advisors raises funds and provides mentorship so financial advisors can leave the big brokers, banks and insurance companies and serve clients directly.
Away from the office I’m a builder. I grew up doing construction and renovation with my dad and my brother, I’ve built my own solar generation arrays, and I started Ratcliff Farms, a chestnut orchard and silvopasture project that doubles as a testing ground for self-sufficient systems. I attended West Point and served in the U.S. Army, which taught me more about practical leadership than any book.
And I’m still a student. I do improv every week, study Stoicism and emotional intelligence, and have finished 290+ audiobooks. I practise what I teach, and I’m curious about almost everything.
Signature talks
Every talk is tailored to the room. These are starting points, not scripts.
AI and humanoid robots are about to get cheaper than people for a lot of work. What that means for jobs, investing, businesses and the plan you’re building right now, and why it could be a future of abundance if we choose it.
Built from my NAPFA breakout. Bitcoin, ETFs, custody, sizing, taxes and risk, explained for people who have to give real advice to real clients, not chase the next coin.
Stocks, funds, real estate and private assets are moving on-chain. What tokenization actually changes, who wins, who gets disintermediated, and how to think about it without the jargon.
“Yes, and,” listening, and making your scene partner look good. What a year of improv taught me about client meetings, sales without selling, and leading teams who feel heard.
Everything falls apart unless someone keeps building. Lessons from starting a firm from zero, building nonprofits and a farm, and the daily habits that keep things growing instead of decaying.
Universal basic income, mass automation and the dignity of work. A clear-eyed look at the options leaders will face, the trade-offs, and what to think about before the decisions get made for us.
Retirement, taxes, insurance, estate, benefits and investing, connected into one plan. My go-to session for employers who want their people less stressed and more confident about money.
From my book: how fees, conflicts and complexity quietly drain household wealth, and how individuals and businesses can shift from consuming to owning and building.
Webinar library
Every couple of weeks I host a live webinar for rebel Financial. The recordings are the best way to see how I present: real slides, real questions, no script. Swipe or use the arrows to browse each series.
The topic menu
Pick a shelf, mix and match, or ask for something new. Tap a topic to add it to your booking request.
Formats
A big-picture talk to open or close your event.
Hands-on and practical, with time to dig in.
A moderator or panelist who keeps it lively and honest.
55+ live sessions hosted. This is home turf.
Money, AI, the future, founding a firm, improv.
Lunch-and-learns and series for your team.
Perspective, strategy and a few improv games.
Kind words
Fees & how it works
I want to help people. If your organization can pay, you should, and I’ll do a really good job helping your employees or leadership see things from a different perspective. If you can’t, talk to me anyway.
Let’s figure it out together.
$1,000 to $5,000
Speaker fee depending on scope, plus travel and lodging covered by the host.
Reduced or waived
Fees and/or travel may be reduced or waived. Please reach out.
Planner FAQ
For in-person conferences, two to three months is ideal. Virtual sessions and local Columbus events can often come together in a few weeks. If your date is close, ask anyway.
Both. I’ve hosted 55+ live webinars, so virtual is home turf, and I’m happy to travel for in-person events.
A microphone (lavalier or handheld), a screen or projector with an HDMI connection, and a clicker if you have one. I’ll bring a backup clicker and send slides ahead of time. A confidence monitor is a nice bonus, never a requirement.
30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes, or a half-day workshop. Tell me your slot and I’ll fit the content to it, with time for questions.
Always. We’ll do a short pre-call so I understand your audience, your goals and anything to avoid, and I’ll tailor the examples and takeaways to the room.
Yes. Q&A is usually the best part. I’m happy to stay afterwards and keep talking.
Usually yes. Just let me know ahead of time, and I’d love a copy of the recording.
Yes. I’m glad to share it with my network and on my channels.
Columbus, Ohio. Much of the Midwest is an easy drive, and I fly to everything else.
Definitely. Money, AI and the future, building a firm, nonprofits, improv. Pick a lane or let’s wander.
No. Financial talks are educational and informational, not individual advice, and there’s no product pitch. Anyone who wants personal advice can reach out separately.
For your program
Headshot, short and long bios, credentials, signature talks, topics and formats, ready to drop into your program or pitch to your committee.
Download the speaker sheet (PDF)
Book Phil
The more you share, the better I can tailor the talk. No date yet? No problem. Leave it blank.
Where your request goes:
Investing and financial planning topics go to the rebel Financial team.
Future, leadership, inspirational and everything else goes straight to Phil’s office.
Prefer to talk? Use the form and ask for a call. We usually reply within a couple of business days.
These are Phil’s personal views and are not those of rebel Financial LLC. This is a personal website, and its content, including talk descriptions and linked webinar recordings, is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not individual investment, tax or legal advice. Phil Ratcliff is the founder and President of rebel Financial LLC, a registered investment adviser. This is a personal website and is not an offer of advisory services, which are provided only through rebel Financial LLC. Conference attendance is continuing education and does not imply endorsement by any conference or organization.
rebel Financial disclosure. Phil Ratcliff is the founder and President of rebel Financial LLC. Visit rebelfinancial.com for more information, including Form ADV Part 2A and Form CRS.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION: rebel Financial is an SEC registered investment adviser located in Columbus, Ohio. rebel may only transact business in those states in which it is registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. rebel’s web site is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links. Accordingly, the publication of rebel’s web site on the Internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as rebel’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the Internet. Any subsequent, direct communication by rebel with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. A copy of rebel’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing rebel’s business operations, services, and fees is available at rebelfinancial.com/disclosures-fee-schedules. rebel does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to rebel web site or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility therefore. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.
Please remember that different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including those undertaken or recommended by rebel), will be profitable or equal any historical performance level(s).
