About Bill Staton, MBA, CFA®

For more than 50 years, Bill Staton has received acclaim for his work as an economic historian, investment advisor, and money coach. Bill's passion for people has always motivated him to help improve their financial situation and relieve their financial stress, no matter their circumstances.

Bill became a multimillionaire investor by age 35. He has been profiled or quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Money, Barron's, Bloomberg Businessweek, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, and Bottom Line Personal, and interviewed on numerous radio and television shows. He is the author of six books on investing, including Double Your Money in America's Finest Companies: The Unbeatable Money-Making Power of Rising Dividends (John Wiley & Sons) and Worry-Free Family Finances (McGraw Hill).

Bill and his wife, Mary, established Staton Financial Advisors, a money management company, in 2000. Novare Capital Management in Charlotte acquired the company in 2017. Bill served as Novare’s chief optimist and senior advisor for seven years. He left the corporate world in 2024 to resume sharing his knowledge more widely.

From researcher to national money coach

A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Bill earned a B.A. in Business Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MBA in Finance from the University of Pennsylvania. He joined Interstate Securities Corp. as a securities analyst, leading its research and later becoming a director.

In 1985, he launched The Staton Institute, helping thousands of people increase their wealth with a common-sense approach to investing through his books and newsletter, Staton's Stock Market Advisory. He began recommending and managing stock portfolios for individual clients soon after.

Giving back

Throughout his life, Bill has sought to give back. He’s served as a volunteer or board member with environmental causes such as Sustain Charlotte and Catawba Lands Conservancy, with arts groups including Opera Carolina, and with the Boy Scouts. He has taught investing at the Mecklenburg County Jail and at numerous schools, including several decades at Charlotte Country Day School.

Bill and Mary have four adult children and three grandchildren. Bill enjoys traveling to new places and cultures, and loves photographing memorable moments along the way. He’s also an advocate for preserving jungles and swamps.

Lightning round on Bill Staton

Favorite way to spend money (besides buying stocks): Supporting organizations doing good, including the Amazon Conservation Association and the Special Olympics

Most unusual trips:

  • Camping in the Okeefenokee Swamp in Georgia.
  • Sleeping in two Indigenous villages deep in the Amazon jungle in Suriname.
  • Breaking bread with residents in four different tribal compounds in Botswana.

Biggest inspiration: Mary, his bride of 30 years