Chris Schuett is a Brooklyn dad of two, the COO of Little Cinema, and the author of You Are Now the CFO of a Very Small Family, where he writes about what he calls "the financial drift," the slow, unintentional neglect of a family's financial foundation. He's also the writer behind the New Family CFO newsletter, sharing what he's learned building his own financial system from scratch.
In this episode, Chris joins Larry to unpack why dads put off wills, life insurance, and college savings until "later" quietly becomes years, how to talk to your spouse about money without triggering a fight, and why identifying your family's core values makes financial decisions dramatically easier. Larry also shares the story of paying off $95,000 in debt in five years, and how it nearly sent his wife into a grocery store panic because he never looped her in.
[1:02] Chris joins from Brooklyn and the two swap hometown food takes, landing on Texas barbecue over Chicago pizza.
[9:32] Larry introduces Chris as the author of You Are Now the CFO of a Very Small Family and writer of the New Family CFO newsletter.
[11:12] Larry names the concept at the heart of the episode: "the financial drift," the slow neglect that turns one exhausted night into years.
[13:25] Chris defines the financial drift and traces it back to writing his book after three years of getting his own finances in order.
[15:32] Chris explains the drift isn't laziness. Urgent daily tasks always beat important but invisible ones like a will or life insurance.
[16:18] Chris and Larry compare notes on never being taught personal finance in school, only learning it later through trial and error.
[19:36] Chris describes texting a finance-industry friend at 4 or 5 a.m. to ask the "ignorant" money questions he was embarrassed to ask anyone else.
[27:08] Larry shares paying off $95,000 in debt in five years using Dave Ramsey's method, without looping his wife in on the plan first.
[28:17] Larry's wife is left with $150 in checking and no idea why, a story he uses to show what happens when money isn't communicated.
[29:31] Chris says the worst way to start a money conversation is pulling up bank statements. Start with feelings first, numbers second.
[36:16] Chris describes helping a friend buy his first property by focusing on the friend's goals instead of comparing income or net worth.
[40:07] Chris and Larry connect financial decisions to a shared vision, and how couples often never actually align on what that vision is.
[54:14] Chris walks through his family's core values (connection, environment, adventure) and how they make spending decisions almost automatic.
[1:01:37] Chris points listeners to the New Family CFO Substack and his book, available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.
Chris's story about paying off debt without ever looping his wife in, and the panic she felt staring at $150 in the checking account, is a reminder that a good financial plan means nothing if your spouse isn't part of it. The real work isn't the spreadsheet, it's the conversation that happens before you ever open one. Start with how you're both feeling about money, get clear on your family's core values, and let those values point you toward your vision instead of chasing whatever the Joneses bought this week. Go out and live legendary.