Dave Ramsey
Encyclopedia
David L. Ramsey III is an American financial author, radio host
, television personality, and motivational speaker
.
Ramsey's syndicated radio program The Dave Ramsey Show
is promoted with a tagline that "It's about your life and your money," and it is heard on over 450 radio stations throughout the United States and Canada, as well as on XM and Sirius satellite radio
. He has written numerous books. His books and broadcasts often feature a Christian
perspective that reflects Ramsey's religious beliefs. Ramsey was named the 2009 Marconi Award winner for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year.
Ramsey's current company, The Lampo Group, is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee
, and oversees three divisions geared toward financial counseling.
Ramsey has been featured on many media outlets including The Oprah Winfrey Show
, 60 Minutes
, and The Early Show
on CBS
. He recorded a pilot and six unaired episodes of The Dave Ramsey Project for CBS. He was the host of The Dave Ramsey Show
, which aired at 8 p.m. ET
and repeated weekdays on the Fox Business Network
until June 2010.
. He was a 1982 graduate of the College of Business Administration at University of Tennessee, Knoxville. At the age of 26, through his brokerage firm, Ramsey Investments, Inc., he built a rental real estate portfolio worth more than $4 million and became one of Tennessee's youngest brokers to be admitted to the Graduate Realtors Institute.
Ramsey was a licensed insurance agent in the State of Tennessee from 6/18/1984 until his license expired in 10/07/1996. His producers license number was 0652539. His record with the state can still be found online by visiting the lookup for license services. .
Ramsey's success soon came to an end as the Tax Reform Act of 1986
began to have a negative impact on the real estate business. One of Ramsey's largest creditors was sold to a larger bank, which began to take a harder look at Ramsey's borrowing habits. The bank demanded he pay $1.2 million worth of short-term notes within 90 days, forcing him to file for bankruptcy relief.
Ramsey began counseling couples at his local church. Soon after offering private counseling services, Ramsey began attending every workshop and seminar on consumer financial problems that he could find. He developed a simple set of lessons and materials based partially on his own experience and on works and teachings by Larry Burkett
and Ron Blue. In 1992, after many requests from his clients, he wrote his first book Financial Peace.
Ramsey has been married to his wife, Sharon, for 25 years; they have three children: Denise; Rachel; and Daniel. The family resides in Franklin, Tennessee
. His sister's name is Barbara, mother of James and Will Webb, of Knoxville, Tennessee.
launched a television show under the same title, but cancelled the show in June 2010. Dave also self-identifies as a devout born-again Christian. Many churches have adopted Dave Ramsey workshops for their members.
Ramsey runs his business completely debt-free, an accomplishment he states was critical to the success of his company.
has reported that Ramsey occasionally receives e-mails and letters containing the Bible verse: "And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24 KJV) Ramsey interprets such communications to be a rebuke of his own wealth and a call for poverty, and dismisses these letters as “doctrinal nitpicking.”
In 2004, Ramsey's column was dropped from The Tennessean
and four other newspapers owned by Gannett Co.
after it was discovered that the identities of those seeking help were duplicated or falsified in several of his columns. Ramsey attributed the duplications to a low-level employee. Ramsey offered refunds to the newspapers affected by the error.
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
, television personality, and motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
.
Ramsey's syndicated radio program The Dave Ramsey Show
The Dave Ramsey Show (radio program)
The Dave Ramsey Show is a three-hour, self-syndicated radio program and podcast that airs Monday through Friday from 2-5 EST. It is primarily broadcast from Brentwood, Tennessee, though often during the summer it is broadcast via remote from Ramsey's lake house...
is promoted with a tagline that "It's about your life and your money," and it is heard on over 450 radio stations throughout the United States and Canada, as well as on XM and Sirius satellite radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
. He has written numerous books. His books and broadcasts often feature a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
perspective that reflects Ramsey's religious beliefs. Ramsey was named the 2009 Marconi Award winner for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year.
Ramsey's current company, The Lampo Group, is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee
Brentwood, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,445 people, 7,693 households, and 6,808 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 7,889 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.63% European American, 1.89% African American,...
, and oversees three divisions geared toward financial counseling.
Ramsey has been featured on many media outlets including The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
, 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
, and The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. He recorded a pilot and six unaired episodes of The Dave Ramsey Project for CBS. He was the host of The Dave Ramsey Show
The Dave Ramsey Show
The Dave Ramsey Show refers to two programs:* The Dave Ramsey Show , a syndicated radio show on terrestrial and XM Satellite radio* The Dave Ramsey Show , a television program on the Fox Business Network...
, which aired at 8 p.m. ET
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
and repeated weekdays on the Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
until June 2010.
Biography
Ramsey was born and raised in Antioch, TennesseeAntioch, Tennessee
Antioch is a community in southeastern Davidson County, Tennessee, that is governed by the Nashville metropolitan government. The area is assigned to postal zip code 37013.- History :...
. He was a 1982 graduate of the College of Business Administration at University of Tennessee, Knoxville. At the age of 26, through his brokerage firm, Ramsey Investments, Inc., he built a rental real estate portfolio worth more than $4 million and became one of Tennessee's youngest brokers to be admitted to the Graduate Realtors Institute.
Ramsey was a licensed insurance agent in the State of Tennessee from 6/18/1984 until his license expired in 10/07/1996. His producers license number was 0652539. His record with the state can still be found online by visiting the lookup for license services. .
Ramsey's success soon came to an end as the Tax Reform Act of 1986
Tax Reform Act of 1986
The U.S. Congress passed the Tax Reform Act of 1986 to simplify the income tax code, broaden the tax base and eliminate many tax shelters and other preferences...
began to have a negative impact on the real estate business. One of Ramsey's largest creditors was sold to a larger bank, which began to take a harder look at Ramsey's borrowing habits. The bank demanded he pay $1.2 million worth of short-term notes within 90 days, forcing him to file for bankruptcy relief.
Ramsey began counseling couples at his local church. Soon after offering private counseling services, Ramsey began attending every workshop and seminar on consumer financial problems that he could find. He developed a simple set of lessons and materials based partially on his own experience and on works and teachings by Larry Burkett
Larry Burkett
Larry Burkett was an American author and radio personality whose work focused on financial counseling from an evangelical Christian point of view. Burkett was born the fifth of eight children. After completing high school in Winter Garden, Florida, he entered the U.S...
and Ron Blue. In 1992, after many requests from his clients, he wrote his first book Financial Peace.
Ramsey has been married to his wife, Sharon, for 25 years; they have three children: Denise; Rachel; and Daniel. The family resides in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
. His sister's name is Barbara, mother of James and Will Webb, of Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Dave Ramsey Show
Ramsey started his radio show, currently known as The Dave Ramsey Show, in 1992 under the title of The Money Game. The radio show began on June 15, 1992. Originally a locally based show, it is now syndicated across the country. In 2007, the Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network
Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
launched a television show under the same title, but cancelled the show in June 2010. Dave also self-identifies as a devout born-again Christian. Many churches have adopted Dave Ramsey workshops for their members.
The Lampo Group, Inc.
Ramsey founded his company, the Lampo Group, in 1992, initially helping people one-on-one who were struggling with financial issues. In 1994 he hired Russ Carroll, Ramsey's lead financial counselor, and together they began teaching the first Financial Peace University classes on overhead projectors. Between 1999 and 2004, The Lampo Group grew from 18 to 105 team members. There are currently almost 300 team members.Ramsey runs his business completely debt-free, an accomplishment he states was critical to the success of his company.
Financial Peace University
Ramsey is also the creator of Financial Peace University, a biblically-based 13-week video training series for adults, and a companion series targeted at teenagers that has been offered in schools across the nation. Some topics covered in the series are cash flow planning, investing, saving, credit, retirement, and giving.Share It!
"Share It!" is a foundation created by Dave and Sharon Ramsey for the purpose of working with other non-profit organizations such as housing initiatives, work to success projects, domestic violence shelters, drug and alcohol recovery programs, crisis pregnancy centers, youth outreaches, and high schools to help others become financially literate.EntreLeadership
The word, EntreLeadership, describes the responsibilities of a small business owner as an entrepreneur (Entre) and as a leader (Leadership). EntreLeadership is also the name of a small business conference developed by Dave Ramsey. The principles presented at an EntreLeadership seminar are the core principles of how Ramsey grew his company, debt-free. EntreLeadership is available to small business owners in two forms; a one-day, abbreviated seminar, and a five-day master series located at a resort destination. The small business conference is personally taught by Ramsey and his leadership team.Criticism
The Nashville SceneNashville Scene
Nashville Scene is an alternative newsweekly in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1989, became a part of Village Voice Media in 1999, and later joined the ranks of sixteen other publications after a merger of Village Voice Media with New Times Media early in 2006. In 2009 the paper was...
has reported that Ramsey occasionally receives e-mails and letters containing the Bible verse: "And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24 KJV) Ramsey interprets such communications to be a rebuke of his own wealth and a call for poverty, and dismisses these letters as “doctrinal nitpicking.”
In 2004, Ramsey's column was dropped from The Tennessean
The Tennessean
The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky....
and four other newspapers owned by Gannett Co.
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
after it was discovered that the identities of those seeking help were duplicated or falsified in several of his columns. Ramsey attributed the duplications to a low-level employee. Ramsey offered refunds to the newspapers affected by the error.
Publications
Additionally, The Total Money Makeover, Financial Peace Revisited, and More than Enough are available in Spanish.Financial advice
- Financial Peace: Restoring Financial Hope to You and Your Family (1997) ISBN 0-67-087361-6
- The Financial Peace Planner: A step-by step guide to restoring your family's financial health (1998) ISBN 0-14-026468-X
- How to Have More than Enough: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Abundance (2000) ISBN 0-14-028193-2
- More than Enough: The Ten Keys to Changing Your Financial Destiny (2002) ISBN 0-14-200047-7
- Financial Peace Revisited (2002) ISBN 0-670-03208-5
- The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan For Financial Fitness (2003) ISBN 0-7852-6326-8
- Total Money Makeover Workbook (2004) ISBN 0-7852-6327-6
- The Money Answer Book: Quick Answers to Everyday Financial Questions (2005) ISBN 0-8499-9619-8
- Priceless: Straight-Shooting, No-Frills Financial Wisdom (2006) ISBN 0-9774895-9-0
- EntreLeadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches (2011) ISBN 978-1-4516-1785-6
Kids' books
- The Super Red Racer: Junior Discovers Work (2003) ISBN 0-9726323-0-1
- Careless At The Carnival: Junior Discovers Spending (2003) ISBN 0-9726323-1-X
- The Big Birthday Surprise: Junior Discovers Giving (2003) ISBN 0-9726323-2-8
- My Fantastic Fieldtrip: Junior Discovers Saving (2003) ISBN 0-9726323-3-6
- A Special Thank You: Junior Discovers Integrity (2005) ISBN 0-9769630-0-0
- Battle of the Chores: Junior Discovers Debt (2005) ISBN 0-9769630-1-9
Contributions
- 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller, Foreword by Dave Ramsey (2005) ISBN 0-8054-3188-8
See also
- DebtDebtA debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
- BankruptcyBankruptcyBankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
- Talk radioTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
- Envelope budgeting
- Debt-snowball methodDebt-snowball methodThe debt-snowball method is a debt reduction strategy, whereby one who owes on more than one account pays off the accounts starting with the smallest balances first while paying the minimum on larger debts...