Redefining Wealth, with Brad Lichtman

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Brad Lichtman. Brad’s money story moves through moments many people wrestle with but rarely say out loud. Walking away from a prestigious career path. Hitting financial free fall with young children at home. Starting over when a risk does not work out. What makes Brad’s story land is the heart and soul he brings to it. He meets setbacks with humility, people with compassion and each chapter with a steady commitment to help others flourish. Across decades as an educator and leader, he came to believe that money alone does not create wealth. Vision, purpose and accountability are, also, key ingredients.

Raised in Palo Alto, California in the middle of the turbulent 1960s and early 1970s, Brad’s parents fostered in him the importance of living a life of meaning and purpose. As a young 14-year-old political activist who spent the following four summers walking disadvantaged neighborhoods to register voters, Brad felt willing to take risks to improve the lives of others. Ten years later he found himself in law school after graduating from UCSD (and honored by delivering the commencement address). He was preparing for a future in politics when he became disenchanted with that direction and found himself teaching history and coaching sports at a private high school in San Diego. Surprisingly, he found his niche and gifts as a teacher and later a principal of two large public high schools, “retiring” twelve years ago as an Assistant Superintendent (HR) of a midsized, unified school district in San Diego County. During that journey, he had the opportunity to help build and begin a brand-new high school, which received a rare highest award for a new school from the State of California. As principal, he led a staff of nearly two hundred employees and oversaw a $15 million budget. As one of three leaders of the district, he oversaw seventeen principals, many directors, 2,500 employees and a $150 million budget.

Through trial and error, successes and failures, he learned that people flourish when organizations place a primacy on two core values equally: A challenging environment that simultaneously cares for each member with dignity and support. Along the way, he gained significant experience in coaching leaders and helping to build high quality teams where everyone has the best opportunity to thrive. He has continued coaching leaders about organizational culture throughout his retirement and enjoys seeing people’s lives changed in the process. While working alongside world-renowned business leader, Ken Blanchard, on a two-year project, Ken once told Brad that he was one of the two best leaders he’d ever worked with.

While Brad and Diane, his wife of forty years, should not be considered as having high wealth, they have benefited from having been with their current Aspiriant advisors for nearly eighteen years, who treat them as family, frequently referring to them as being “the poster children for retirement.” Brad still lives out the focus of his very early formative years: That we should all seek to live a life of meaning and purpose. Those values continue to guide how they see their money and wealth, as means for living fruitful lives while always seeking to improve the lives of those around them. And Brad sees Aspiriant as a perfect match to his vision.

Purpose, People and Impact

Brad Lichtman’s life illustrates how meaning, resilience and values can shape not just a career but an enduring way of being in the world. From walking the streets to register voters at 14, to teaching students others had written off, to leading large, diverse public schools through moments of crisis and possibility, Brad has consistently used his talents in service of others. His story is a reminder that money is not the goal it is a tool that becomes powerful when guided by clear values, deep relationships and a commitment to helping others flourish. What makes Brad’s journey so compelling is how he integrates purpose with practicality through careful budgeting, thoughtful planning and disciplined stewardship in support of a larger vision for life.

If you’re thinking about how to align your wealth with your values whether that’s planning for education, navigating career transitions, preparing for retirement or creating impact through mentorship and giving an Aspiriant advisor can help you clarify your vision and build a plan that supports it. They can work with you to connect your financial decisions to what matters most so your money becomes a means to live out your values with confidence and intention.

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