Ryan Furlong, CFP® works with individuals and families who have built meaningful financial lives but aren’t sure how all the pieces fit together. His focus is on helping clients see what they’ve built, clarify what they want, and create a plan to get there – replacing uncertainty with confidence and a clear sense of direction.

At Parkwoods, Ryan approaches planning the way he believes it should be done: no product pushing, no jargon, just honest guidance grounded in each client’s real life and goals. He lives in Maplewood, MO with his wife Erin and their two dogs, Molly and Winnie. After spending time in Denver, he developed a love for the outdoors and enjoys golfing, fishing, and time with family.

Below, Ryan shares how he works with clients, what they can expect, and what he’s learned about helping people feel more confident about the financial decisions in front of them.

How do you help clients at Parkwoods?

I help clients turn a complex financial picture into a plan that actually makes sense for their life. Most of them have all the pieces they need – but no clear picture of where they’re going or what it will take to get there. I help them see what they’ve built, figure out what they want, and build a system to get there. The goal is clarity, confidence, and a plan that lets them stop second-guessing their financial future.

What should clients expect when they work with you?

Expect to feel lighter when you leave than when you walked in. Most people show up convinced they’re behind or haven’t done enough. We break everything out, and they realize their hard work has actually put them in a strong position – they just couldn’t see it because nobody had organized it for them.

I’m direct, I keep things simple, and I won’t talk over your head. You’ll leave knowing exactly where you stand and what to do next.

What is a recent improvement you made that helps clients?

I built out a more structured onboarding process for clients with complex financial situations. Rather than reacting to major decisions after they happen, we now map out key milestones and decision points at the very beginning of the relationship. That way, we’re planning ahead together – not scrambling to catch up. It’s made a real difference in how prepared and confident clients feel as the year unfolds.

What’s one misconception you often have to clear up?

“I’m making great money, so I should be in great shape.” Not always. Higher income creates more decisions, not fewer – more tax complexity, more to think through, more risk when too much is tied up in one place.

The families I work with aren’t bad with money. They just haven’t had someone sit down and connect all the moving pieces into one plan. Once they do, the stress drops fast.

Why does Parkwoods fit how you like to serve clients?

Parkwoods lets me do the work the way I believe it should be done. No product pushing, no sales quotas – just real planning for real families. I get to spend my time actually serving clients instead of checking boxes.

The team here genuinely cares about doing right by people, and that showed up on day one. It feels like a firm with serious resources and a small-business team that will do anything to help clients.

What’s your favorite question to get from a client – and why?

“Can we actually afford to do this?” Whether it’s leaving a job, starting a business, taking a year off, or finally booking that trip they’ve been putting off – I love this question. It means they’ve stopped thinking about money as a scorecard and started thinking about it as a tool. That’s when the real planning begins. My job is to show them the answer is usually closer to “yes” than they think.

Is there a book or resource you often recommend?

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. It reframes how you think about money and what it’s actually for. Most of my clients are great at earning and saving but struggle with giving themselves permission to enjoy what they’ve built. This book helps with that. It’s a quick read that sticks with you.

What’s a fun fact (that’s actually fun)?

I was converted from Diet Coke to Coke Zero on the Amalfi Coast during our honeymoon in Italy. They serve it with extra ice and a lemon wedge – you have to try it to get it. I now have unreasonably strong opinions about it. Chick-fil-A has the best Coke Zero and I will die on that hill.

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