The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom is a personal finance book and speaking program focused on practical, structured money frameworks for young professionals and organizations.
Financial Freedom Shouldn’t Be Complicated.
Simple frameworks. Clear next steps. Less stress.We teach young adults the money skills they didn't learn in school through simple savings systems and lifelong financial habits.
Available in print, audiobook, and ebook formats



Organizations We've Worked With & Media Features
Featured organizations and outlets include TEDxKC, KCUR (NPR), Cancer for College, ECCO Select, Enterprise Rent-A Car, Quincy University, The Kansas City Chiefs, The University of Kansas, UMKC, KCTV (CBS).
- Cancer for College
- ECCO Select
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- KCTV (CBS)
- TEDxKC
- KCUR (NPR)
- Quincy University
- The Kansas City Chiefs
- The University of Kansas
- UMKC
Inside the book, you’ll discover:
A practical roadmap built for young professionals, recent graduates, and anyone who wants a clearer system for money.
The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom is a practical personal finance guide that covers budgeting, investing, employer benefits, and long-term planning using simple frameworks like the Save-First 50/20/30 Model™, the 20-to-$1M Method™, and STL Moments™.
Practical financial literacy that changes behavior
We deliver clear, structured sessions that help people stop guessing and start making confident money decisions. Ideal for employers, universities, and teams who want a simple, repeatable framework.
Get bite-size money tips once a month
One practical email a month. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
⭐ Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by readers on Amazon (as of February 2026)
“Great book! It was an easy read and made personal finance way less intimidating. I learned a lot and feel more confident about managing my money.”
Amazon Reviewer (Annie W.)
“As a community bank CEO, I come across a lot of young people who are innately curious about the best methods to accumulate future wealth. Mark and Steve have given them the roadmap in this book.”
Amazon Reviewer (Community Bank CEO)
Impact beyond the book
A portion of proceeds supports college scholarships for cancer survivors through Cancer for College.
Ready for a simple roadmap?
Start with the book, or bring Simple Road to your organization through a speaking session.
Media & Podcasts
Selected appearances and coverageA curated set of podcast conversations and media coverage focused on financial literacy, practical money systems, and clarity-first decision making.
Topics include budgeting systems, investing fundamentals, retirement planning, money behavior, and practical financial education for young adults and families.
Media and podcast appearances for The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom by Steve Short and Mark Schlipman. Selected podcasts, articles, and television coverage highlighting financial literacy frameworks including a savings-first 50/20/30 approach, a three-bucket system, and clarity-first decision making.
Selected Podcasts

FI for Kids
Episode: FI for Kids
Helping parents and educators teach saving, investing, and money habits that stick.

Bartelle’s Money Talk
Episode: Broke with Big Pay
A calm, systems-based approach to reducing financial stress and avoiding lifestyle creep.
Grow Your Impact, Income & Influence
Episode: From Confusion to Clarity
A clarity-first framework for simplifying investing, retirement planning, and long-term decisions.

Life Stories
Episode: Money, Mindset, and The Simple Road
How money fits into a meaningful life — as a tool, not the goal.
These are selected appearances. Additional media and podcast references available upon request.
Selected Press & Articles
Television Appearances
WGEM TV
Quincy wealth advisor’s new book gains best seller status with help from Will Ferrell
Booking & media inquiries: Speaking & Workshops
Let’s Start the Conversation
If you're interested in bringing this to your team, share a few quick details below and we’ll follow up shortly.
Happy to connect however you prefer — quick call or email.
About Simple Road
Why We Wrote the Book
Simple Road was created to make financial literacy easier to understand and easier to apply.
We wrote The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom after countless conversations about the need for more financial literacy, especially for the younger generation. We saw students and new grads enter the workforce with minimal understanding of many money concepts despite their high school and college degrees.
Our approach is intentionally simple: clear priorities, foundational habits, and practical steps that are easy to follow and repeat. We do not sell financial products.
Founders
Mark Schlipman
Mark Schlipman is a Managing Partner and Wealth Advisor at Carson Wealth, where he helps individuals and families make confident, long-term financial decisions. With more than 27 years of experience, he is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary Professional (AIF®) and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).
He co-created The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom to simplify money decisions for the next generation.
Through his advisory work and speaking, he focuses on practical financial education that helps people build confidence and long-term stability.
Steve Short
Steve Short is a retired C-suite executive with more than 30 years of experience driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence across travel, technology, legal, and retail. During his career at Enterprise Holdings and as Chief Marketing Officer at Cordell & Cordell / Lexicon, he led large-scale initiatives, built high-performing teams, and helped drive billions in revenue.
He co-created The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom to make money management simple and accessible for the next generation.
Today, Steve focuses on financial literacy, speaking to young professionals and organizations about practical ways to build confidence, reduce financial stress, and create long-term stability.
Financial Freedom Presentations
Helping employees build confidence with money.TEDxKC speakers and Amazon #1 bestselling authors helping teams build clarity, confidence, and momentum with money.
What We Cover
Our talks are engaging, insightful, and practical, built around exclusive frameworks from The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom that employees can actually use.
- Save-First 50/20/30 Model™: A simple system for saving first and building financial freedom without extreme budgeting.
- The Middle Number Can’t Be Zero™: Why every paycheck needs a savings plan, even when someone cannot yet reach the full 20% goal.
- Three Buckets™: How to organize money for short-term needs, medium-term goals, and long-term investing.
- 20-to-$1M Method™: A clear path showing how consistent saving and investing can build long-term wealth over time.
- Unlocking Free Money: How to use employer matches, HSAs, and automatic saving so employees stop leaving valuable benefits on the table.
The result: employees leave with a simple savings system, greater financial confidence, and practical tools they can apply immediately. Organizations benefit from employees who feel less financially stressed and better able to focus at work.
Why book us: TEDxKC speakers, Amazon #1 bestselling authors delivering practical, engaging financial education with no product pitch. A portion of proceeds supports young cancer survivors.
Photos


Photos from Simple Road talks for businesses and universities.
Speaking FAQ
Do you provide personalized financial advice?
Who are these talks best for?
How long are sessions?
Do you offer virtual sessions?
Free gift download page for The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom purchasers: Annual Review Checklist PDF.
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helpText: 'Voeg de NL-landcode +31 toe vóór het telefoonnummer', }, { countryCode: 'BE', placeholder: '+32 000 00 00 00', helpText: 'Incluez le code pays BE +32 avant le numéro de téléphone', }, { countryCode: 'CH', placeholder: '+41 00 000 00 00', helpText: 'Fügen Sie vor der Telefonnummer die CH-Ländervorwahl +41 ein', }, { countryCode: 'AT', placeholder: '+43 000 000 0000', helpText: 'Fügen Sie vor der Telefonnummer die AT-Ländervorwahl +43 ein', }, { countryCode: 'IE', placeholder: '+353 00 000 0000', helpText: 'Include the IE country code +353 before the phone number', }, { countryCode: 'IT', placeholder: '+39 000 000 0000', helpText: 'Includere il prefisso internazionale IT +39 prima del numero di telefono', }, { countryCode: 'NO', placeholder: '+47 000 00 000', helpText: 'Inkluder NO landskode +47 før telefonnummeret', }, { countryCode: 'SE', placeholder: '+46 00 000 00 00', helpText: 'Inkludera SE landskod +46 före telefonnumret', }, { countryCode: 'DK', placeholder: '+45 00 00 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de país PT +351 antes do número de telefone', }, { countryCode: 'HR', placeholder: '+385 00 000 0000', helpText: 'Uključite HR pozivni broj države +385 prije telefonskog broja', }, { countryCode: 'SI', placeholder: '+386 00 000 000', helpText: 'Vključite SI kodo države +386 pred telefonsko številko', }, { countryCode: 'IS', placeholder: '+354 000 0000', helpText: 'Láttu IS landsnúmer +354 fylgja á undan símanúmerinu', }, { countryCode: 'LU', placeholder: '+352 000 000 000', helpText: 'Incluez le code pays LU +352 avant le numéro de téléphone', }, { countryCode: 'MC', placeholder: '+377 00 00 00 00', helpText: 'Incluez le code pays MC +377 avant le numéro de téléphone', }, { countryCode: 'AD', placeholder: '+376 000 000', helpText: 'Incloeu el codi de país AD +376 abans del número de telèfon', }, { countryCode: 'JE', placeholder: '+44 0000 000000', helpText: 'Include the JE country code +44 before the phone number', }, { countryCode: 'IM', placeholder: '+44 0000 000000', helpText: 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Links
All our most-requested links in one placeQuick access to the book, speaking, media, downloads, and official Simple Road channels.
The Simple Road Toward Financial Freedom links page. Official links for the book, speaking and workshops, media and podcast appearances, the About page, downloadable PDFs (volume pricing and speaker sheet), and social channels.
Follow for bite-size money tips — and grab the book for the full roadmap to financial freedom.
Start with the About page for the quick overview, or use the links above for author backgrounds and credentials.
For event planners, these PDFs cover topics, formats, and book bundles.