About Us
Co-Founders David O'Neil and Peter Elarde
Back in the 1990s we each discovered a passion for designing and publishing the best educational software for K-12 schools. That interest attracted us to work at the pioneering publisher Tom Snyder Productions, where we met and became lifelong friends.
Thirty years later we discovered another shared passion, passing along our life lessons about Personal Finance to the next generation in our families. That inspired us to found Via Money, and the journey begins...
Co-Founder David O'Neil
Co-Founder Peter Elarde
Our Stories
David
“Put in the max,” my brother insisted, referring to my company’s new 401(k) plan. That meant setting aside 15% of my income for retirement. I replied, “I can’t do that! How am I supposed to live on 85% of my income?” He reassured me, “You’ll hardly notice it. You’ll adjust your spending to match your new income level.” Skeptical but willing to try, I took his advice—and he was right. I didn’t miss the money in my day-to-day life, but I did start to notice my 401k growing over time! In fact, it marked the start of my journey toward consistently saving, which has helped me build the life I’d always envisioned.
That conversation, back in 1992 at a bar in Boston, set me on a path of learning how to manage my personal finances and understanding the best (and sometimes worst) ways to invest.
Through Via Money, we’ve created a platform to share this knowledge, especially with young adults just starting out in their careers.
My own career journey began as a high school teacher after earning an economics degree from American University. After a detour at Harvard to earn a master’s in theology, I transitioned into educational publishing before starting my own memoir writing and publishing company. I am also a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®). It’s been quite a ride—one I never would have predicted when I first started.
Along the way, I’ve learned valuable life lessons, including some wisdom about managing money: spend less than you earn, invest as early as possible, automate your finances, and avoid get-rich-quick schemes.
This hard-earned knowledge, along with many helpful tips, is shared here at Via Money through our online courses and free web-based content. I hope you’ll join us on this journey—you’ll be richer for it!
Peter
Growing up, I learned many valuable lessons from my parents — the importance of hard work, getting a good education, and saving for a rainy day. But like many first- and second-generation families, my parents didn’t know much about investing. Their mindset, shaped by my grandparents who lived through the Great Depression, was to avoid the stock market entirely. Instead, they kept their money safe in the bank, or dabbled in things like coins, stamps, and silver, which struggled to keep up with inflation.
When I headed off to college, the notion of investing was mysterious to me. After studying engineering at Yale and starting down the path of a business career, I went to earn an MBA from Stanford where I was first introduced to the world of finance and investing. Though my career focus was in marketing and product management, I stayed curious about personal finance and began to explore companies like Schwab and Vanguard on my own.
Once I paid off my student loans in my thirties, I finally started investing — right in the middle of the dot-com boom. I made the classic beginner mistake: chasing hot stocks. After watching some of my savings disappear, I dug deeper and discovered better strategies like index funds, diversification, and dollar-cost averaging. That changed everything. I saw firsthand how small, consistent investments could grow significantly over time through compound growth. Twenty-five years later, those index funds have grown many times over.
As a parent, I wanted my kids to learn sooner and start earlier than I did, and I realized many young adults face the same learning curve. That’s why we created Via Money: a calm, ad-free space to learn the basics of saving and investing. Our goal is to help people build confidence with money, one smart step at a time.