About Thrive AF!
Who Is Dr. Rick?
I’m not your average coach, Thrive AF! is not your average process.
There are a million coaches out there. But not many (or any) who’ve been an executive, a financial advisor, a psychologist, a foster brother to 45 kids, and a guy who still believes happy hour can change your life. I’m Rick and Thrive AF! is the realest, most impactful, personal work I’ve ever created.
I built Thrive AF! because I got tired of watching talented, smart people feel stuck, overwhelmed, lost or hindered; especially when it came to figuring out what the hell they actually want in life and how to get there. I’ve spent over 30 years helping people break cycles, rewrite their story, and step fully into who they were always meant to be. And I’ve seen what works.
Work. Wealth. Wellbeing. That’s the core.
Work
I’ve coached thousands. . . interns, emerging leaders, and executives running billion-dollar businesses. I’ve been in the boardroom, in the trenches, and behind the scenes helping people get unstuck, speak up, and level up. If you feel like you’re meant for more, you are.
Wealth
I used to be an SEC-licensed financial advisor. I’ve helped people plan, pivot, and rebuild through major life changes. Money stress is real. . . and avoidable. Thrive AF! gives you a smarter way to think about income, investing, and long-term freedom.
Wellbeing
With a PhD in Organizational Psychology and decades coaching everyone from teens to high-performing executives, I know how burnout, stress, and self-doubt creep in. I also know how to get out of that cycle. I don’t preach balance, I teach how to build it.
Bottom line . . .
I’m not here to fix you.
I’m here to help you take the wheel—and thrive on your own terms.
Companies I’ve Helped Thrive
THE THRIVE AF BACKSTORY
How I got here and why I built Thrive AF! . . .
I’ve been wired to help people for as long as I can remember.
I grew up in a home that welcomed 45 foster kids over the years with most of them dealing with trauma, chaos, or just trying to survive. That experience shaped me early. Watching those kids struggle (and occasionally soar) taught me a lot about resilience, purpose, and what it means to thrive.
It’s what led me to psychology in the first place. I started out counseling teens and young adults, helping them make sense of life in one of the most uncertain stages. But I knew I wanted to do more. So I earned my master’s and PhD in Organizational Psychology and jumped into the corporate world, ready to scale the impact.
Since then, I’ve done a little bit of everything. I’ve created leadership programs, helped build a family business from scratch and sold it, worked at a Big 4 firm advising some of the world’s most iconic companies, and held executive roles like VP of HR and Chief People Officer. I’ve coached hundreds, from interns fresh out of college, to GMs running $5 billion portfolios.
At some point, I realized people didn’t just need help at work, they needed information and support. So I became an SEC-registered financial advisor to help individuals and families navigate real-life transitions with both strategy and heart. I didn’t just want people to succeed, I wanted them to feel confident, grounded, and in control.
For the past 20 years, I’ve balanced executive roles, consulting, and one-on-one coaching. I’ve worked with government agencies, Fortune 500 giants, high-performers, and people just trying to figure sh!t out. And through it all, one truth kept showing up:
People don’t thrive because they’re missing motivation.
They don’t thrive because they’re missing clarity, structure, and support.
After years of six- and seven-day workweeks, my wife Liz (a former Army Signals Intelligence badass turned corporate executive) finally looked at me and said, “Maybe it’s time to retire.” So, I hit pause. And it didn’t take long to realize I wasn’t done. I just needed to do the work that felt most real and made an impact, one person at a time.
That’s when Thrive AF! was born.
Over the past two years, I’ve taken everything I’ve learned including my experience in psychology, coaching, leadership, finance, and business, and built something that actually works. A process that helps people figure out what matters, align their actions, and get real results. No fluff. No guru BS. Just clarity, structure, and momentum.
Thrive AF! isn’t just my next chapter, it’s the culmination of everything I’ve done.
It’s the blueprint I wish more people had. And now? It’s yours.
What Is Thrive AF?
Thrive AF is a structured journey toward clarity and action, supported by expert guidance and coaching. It’s designed to help you get clear on what you want in Work, Wealth, and Wellbeing and actually make it happen. It’s not therapy, and it’s not just advice. It’s a comprehensive, personalized process that blends self-reflection, strategy, and real-world action to help you create meaningful momentum toward the things that really matter to you.
Along the way, you’ll use tools, assessments, and worksheets that guide you through in-depth topics and conversations around your values, goals, and priorities. You’ll define what matters most, set meaningful goals, and build a practical roadmap that reflects who you are and where you want to go.
Whether you’re navigating change, figuring out what’s next, or finally ready to follow through on what’s been calling you, Thrive AF gives you the structure, clarity, and support to move forward with purpose.
Who Is Dr. Rick?
There are a million coaches out there. But not many (or any) who’ve been an executive, a financial advisor, a psychologist, a foster brother to 45 kids, and a guy who still believes happy hour can change your life. I’m Rick and Thrive AF! is the realest, most impactful, personal work I’ve ever created.
I built Thrive AF! because I got tired of watching talented, smart people feel stuck, overwhelmed, lost or hindered; especially when it came to figuring out what the hell they actually want in life and how to get there. I’ve spent over 30 years helping people break cycles, rewrite their story, and step fully into who they were always meant to be. And I’ve seen what works.
Work. Wealth. Wellbeing. That’s the core.
Work
I’ve coached thousands. . . interns, emerging leaders, and executives running billion-dollar businesses. I’ve been in the boardroom, in the trenches, and behind the scenes helping people get unstuck, speak up, and level up. If you feel like you’re meant for more, you are.
Wealth
I used to be an SEC-licensed financial advisor. I’ve helped people plan, pivot, and rebuild through major life changes. Money stress is real. . . and avoidable. Thrive AF! gives you a smarter way to think about income, investing, and long-term freedom.
Wellbeing
With a PhD in Organizational Psychology and decades coaching everyone from teens to high-performing executives, I know how burnout, stress, and self-doubt creep in. I also know how to get out of that cycle. I don’t preach balance, I teach how to build it.
Bottom line . . .
I’m not here to fix you.
I’m here to help you take the wheel and thrive on your own terms.
Companies I’ve Helped Thrive
THE THRIVE AF BACKSTORY
How I got here and why I built Thrive AF! . . .
I’ve been wired to help people for as long as I can remember.
I grew up in a home that welcomed 45 foster kids over the years with most of them dealing with trauma, chaos, or just trying to survive. That experience shaped me early. Watching those kids struggle (and occasionally soar) taught me a lot about resilience, purpose, and what it means to thrive.
It’s what led me to psychology in the first place. I started out counseling teens and young adults, helping them make sense of life in one of the most uncertain stages. But I knew I wanted to do more. So I earned my master’s and PhD in Organizational Psychology and jumped into the corporate world, ready to scale the impact.
Since then, I’ve done a little bit of everything. I’ve created leadership programs, helped build a family business from scratch and sold it, worked at a Big 4 firm advising some of the world’s most iconic companies, and held executive roles like VP of HR and Chief People Officer. I’ve coached hundreds, from interns fresh out of college, to GMs running $5 billion portfolios.
At some point, I realized people didn’t just need help at work, they needed information and support. So I became an SEC-registered financial advisor to help individuals and families navigate real-life transitions with both strategy and heart. I didn’t just want people to succeed, I wanted them to feel confident, grounded, and in control.
For the past 20 years, I’ve balanced executive roles, consulting, and one-on-one coaching. I’ve worked with government agencies, Fortune 500 giants, high-performers, and people just trying to figure sh!t out. And through it all, one truth kept showing up:
People don’t thrive because they’re missing motivation.
They don’t thrive because they’re missing clarity, structure, and support.
After years of six- and seven-day workweeks, my wife Liz (a former Army Signals Intelligence badass turned corporate executive) finally looked at me and said, “Maybe it’s time to retire.” So, I hit pause. And it didn’t take long to realize I wasn’t done. I just needed to do the work that felt most real and made an impact, one person at a time.
That’s when Thrive AF! was born.
During the first three years after retiring, I’ve taken everything I’ve learned including my experience in psychology, coaching, leadership, finance, and business, and built something that actually works. A process that helps people figure out what matters, align their actions, and get real results. No fluff. No guru BS. Just clarity, structure, and momentum.
Thrive AF! isn’t just my next chapter, it’s the culmination of everything I’ve done.
It’s the blueprint I wish more people had. Now you can take it, make it yours, and Thrive AF!