Meet Rob Phelan | CFEI, Personal Finance Teacher, Business Owner, and Children’s Book Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rob Phelan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rob, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started my first “business” when I was a kid, where I collected bottles and cans from neighbors to exchange for nickels and dimes at the local bottle bank. It was born out of a desire to buy something and not having the money to do it. My parents, instead of giving me the money or saying no, gave the option of earning what I needed through my own enterprise.

Since then entrepreneurship has been a way to access more income than a W-2 provides. I love the option of earning money in different ways and now I really try to focus on ways that excite me, bring joy, and solve problems for others. As a teenager I started a babysitting business, sold homemade pinatas, and opened a baking company in my school to supplement the money I was making through jobs like being a waiter or lifeguard.

Once I was a teacher, and began teaching personal finance, I wanted to share the opportunity I was afforded as a kid, where someone gave me the space and encouragement to create my own income. I started The Simple StartUp first as a tool for educators, but quickly pivoted into providing online camps where I guide 10-18 year-olds through starting their first businesses.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
This August, I entered my 9th year in the classroom. By degree I am a physical education and math teacher, but I’ve yet to step foot in a physical education class since my student teaching experience ended. I found I loved the classroom, and I when I was given an opportunity to teach financial math (a.k.a. personal finance to high school juniors and seniors), I found one of my true passions. I didn’t know anything about money when this position came open, but I took on the challenge of learning, and what I learned was life-changing. I found Financial Independence and realized how much I could help younger generations to get on a path to FI at an age where they could cut their working career in half if they wanted.
Entrepreneurship is a natural part of the personal finance equation: ‘Earn More, Spend Less, Invest Smart, and Enjoy the Ride’, which is how I found a natural way to introduce business ownership to my students during their high school careers.

Being a teacher in today’s world is not easy and we hear so much about it in the news, but I love what I do and I love the opportunities teaching affords to me through the work schedule of a traditional school year. There is time and space to be creative and explore your passions. Mine thankfully included starting a business and helping teens to learn how to start their own.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Frederick is a hidden gem in Maryland, located about an hour from DC and Baltimore, with a thriving town center, beautiful buildings and landscaping throughout the city, and tons of options for things to do. If you are a foodies, there is a Frederick Food Tour that I would take my friends on as long as I could come too! Hootch & Banter, Wine Kitchen, JoJo’s, and Cafe Nola. Make sure you check out our local breweries, distilleries, and vineyards too if you are into that sort of thing!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve had many positive role models and mentors, as well as a healthy dose of good fortune which has directed my life to date. I want to give a specific shoutout to a friend of my Dad’s, John Fitzgerald, who gave me one of the most memorable pieces of advice in my life. “What do you want? What are the steps to achieving it? Now go do it.” He was the first person who really encouraged me to set a goal and break it down into a series of action steps that all seemed doable once the previous one was complete.

Website: www.thesimplestartup.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/misformoneybook

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/robphelan

Twitter: www.twitter.com/fieducator

Facebook: www.facebook.com/misformoneybook

Other: www.misformoneybook.com

Image Credits
Vanessa Durrant Photography; Deer Crossing Elementary School PTA