Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey was born in Maryville, Tennessee, and grew up in Antioch. He recalled earning money by mowing lawns, qualifying to work in real estate after high school and continuing that work while at university.⁠[1][2]

He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, studying finance and real estate, and subsequently worked in Nashville real estate.⁠[1][2]

According to his account, short-term borrowing financed his real estate expansion, but repayment demands left him in financial difficulty. He filed for bankruptcy on September 23 and later began counseling others about money.⁠[2]

He founded the Lampo Group, turning personal finance education into a business that later operated under the Ramsey Solutions brand.⁠[1][3]

He became one of three rotating hosts of The Money Game on Nashville’s WWTN. The call-in format combined money questions with discussion of listeners’ personal circumstances.⁠[4]

He self-published Financial Peace in 1992 and launched Financial Peace University in 1994.⁠[3]

He began self-syndicating his program to stations across the United States. It developed into a daily three-hour call-in show, extending the reach of his personal finance teaching.⁠[4]

The program became The Dave Ramsey Show in 1999, when he also published More Than Enough. The Dave Says column followed in 2002, and The Total Money Makeover in 2003.⁠[3]

A 2009 profile from the National Association of Broadcasters identified him as host of a weeknight Fox Business Network program, extending his personal finance work to television.⁠[5]

A June announcement said Money Rocks would replace his television show.⁠[6]

The University of Tennessee recognized him as a Distinguished Alumnus. Its profile also described his and his wife Sharon’s Share It foundation, supporting housing, domestic violence shelters and addiction recovery, and their endowed Ramsey Global Leadership Scholarship.⁠[7]

Howard Books published EntreLeadership, drawing on his experience running a company to discuss leadership, hiring, teamwork, business finances and communication for owners and managers.⁠[8]

The National Association of Broadcasters named him its radio inductee to the Broadcasting Hall of Fame.⁠[9]

The Lampo Group adopted the Ramsey Solutions brand.⁠[3]

He and his daughter Rachel Cruze coauthored Smart Money Smart Kids, published by Ramsey Press. It discusses how parents can teach children about work, saving, giving and debt.⁠[10]

He returned to speak at the University of Tennessee business college’s commencement, where his son Daniel was among the graduates.⁠[1]

The company launched the EveryDollar budgeting tool and SmartDollar employee finance program. He also entered the Radio Hall of Fame, a separate honor from his 2013 NAB induction.⁠[3][4]

He formally added co-hosts in 2020, and the program became The Ramsey Show in 2021.⁠[2][3]

Financial planning researcher Derek Tharp analyzed his approach on Kitces.com, arguing that paying smaller debts first can support behavioral change without necessarily minimizing interest costs. He also discussed criticism of Ramsey’s investment return and retirement withdrawal assumptions, distinguishing motivational value from technical financial optimization.⁠[11]

Ramsey Press released Baby Steps Millionaires, using saver profiles and company research to explain his approach to building wealth. The examples and research were presented by the company.⁠[12]

The company announced that he would take over The EntreLeadership Podcast on February 13, using callers’ questions to discuss running businesses, leading teams and addressing operational problems.⁠[13]

A lawsuit against Ramsey and others was filed in the Western District of Washington. Plaintiffs alleged that his promotion of Timeshare Exit Team misled paying customers. These were allegations; subsequent procedural rulings did not establish his liability for damages.⁠[14]

In Brad Amos’s case against the Lampo Group, the Sixth Circuit revived religious discrimination claims and remanded them, while affirming dismissal of fraud claims. Amos linked his pandemic precautions to his beliefs. The decision concerned pleading sufficiency; claims against Ramsey personally had been dismissed in August 2023.⁠[15]

Ramsey Press announced the release of Build a Business You Love, organizing its discussion of business growth and founders’ goals around five development stages and six operating drivers.⁠[16]

School of Hard Knocks released a video interviewing entrepreneurs and public figures in Nashville, with Dave Ramsey identified among the interviewees in its official description.⁠[17]

On November 12, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the refusal to compel arbitration. The district court lifted the stay on December 4 after receiving the mandate, allowing the litigation to proceed.⁠[18]

Former employee Caitlin O’Connor alleged that the company fired her over an unmarried pregnancy and religious nonconformity. On December 11, the court granted her unopposed motion to dismiss the entire case with prejudice and closed it. The order disclosed no settlement terms.⁠[19][20]

The public docket records a scheduling order setting further discovery and motion deadlines, including February 22, 2027 for discovery and March 30 for dispositive motions.⁠[21]

Ramsey Press issued the on-sale announcement for Stop Talking, Start Communicating, discussing different communication styles and their use at work and in everyday life.⁠[22]

His seven-step framework covers a $1,000 starter emergency fund, smaller debts first, three to six months of expenses, investing 15% of income for retirement, children’s education, early mortgage repayment, and building wealth and giving. The debt method prioritizes balances, emphasizing motivation from completing smaller goals.⁠[23]

He and his wife Sharon have three children, with family members participating in publishing, education and business activities. His public work spans broadcasting, books, courses and business education.⁠[1][4]

Personal biography: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/dave-ramsey (opens in a new window). Ramsey Solutions: Official website: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ (opens in a new window). Instagram: Public account: https://www.instagram.com/daveramsey/ (opens in a new window). X: Public account: https://twitter.com/DaveRamsey (opens in a new window).⁠[2][3]