You don’t need to be a finance expert to realize the stakes—your future depends on it.

In this compelling episode, we speak with Petros Koumantaros, Managing Director & CEO of Spectrum Pension Consultants, Co-Founder of the fintech company GROUPIRA, Financial Consultant at intellicents, volunteer financial literacy instructor at St. Joseph School, and a governing board member of Washington Saves. He also co-founded the Pano Koumantaros Cancer Research Fund, raising over $1.7 million in honor of his late father to support cancer research, care, and treatment. With over $9.2 billion in retirement assets under advisement and a hands-on approach to teaching the next generation, Petros is uniquely positioned at the intersection of billion-dollar policy advocacy and grassroots financial education.

Whether you're trying to improve retirement outcomes at work, teach your kids about money, or simply want more control over your financial future, this conversation will challenge the way you think. You’ll leave feeling inspired, empowered, and more informed about the systems that shape your savings, your security, and your legacy.

In this episode, Shannon and Petros Koumantaros discuss:

• The role of personal financial literacy in shaping long-term financial security
• Systemic challenges and solutions for improving retirement plan access
• The intersection of public policy, business, and advocacy in retirement savings
• Building a values-based legacy through education and professional service

Key Takeaways:

• Automated payroll deduction through workplace-based retirement plans significantly improves savings behavior, making it far more effective than voluntary, individual retirement account setup, especially for workers in underserved or small business environments.
• Financial literacy education, when made relatable and free from jargon, empowers even middle school students to grasp essential concepts like compound interest, budgeting, debt, and investing, demonstrating that early intervention can shape lifelong financial behaviors.
• The disparity in retirement plan access—88% among large employers versus just 58% among small employers—highlights a systemic gap that public programs like Washington Saves are attempting to close through mandatory state-sponsored auto-IRA programs.
• The student debt crisis, with average debt hovering around $40,000, compounds financial inequality by delaying asset accumulation and reducing opportunities for early investing, especially when basic financial education is missing from the school system.

"Retirement investing, specifically, is really not well-suited for speculation. We're not here to encourage people to be day traders. We're encouraging people to accumulate and save in a disciplined way." — Petros Koumantaros

Connect with Petros Koumantaros: 

Website: https://petros.us/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/petrosk

Connect with Shannon:

• Website: https://www.tristarpension.com/
• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonedwardsplanconsultant/