September 21st, 2026
Dave and Trina Stone started First Rate, Inc. in 1991 from the dining room of a rented house in Arlington, Texas — with $18,000 in savings, no clients, no employees, and three kids under the age of five. Today, First Rate is one of the most established independent wealth technology firms in the industry, spanning four continents, and serving major U.S. banks and custodians.
In this episode of the Bigger Than Business Podcast, Dave and Trina share the full story: the vision that kept them in Texas, the eight brutal months of selling before their first client finally said yes (still their largest client 35 years later), and the decision — made the weekend they launched — to give away 10% of revenue, a commitment they held even when revenue left the firm and layoffs were on the table.
They also get honest about marriage and business. Forty-four years married, decades of working side by side, and their advice comes down to one rule: stay in your lane. They talk boundaries between home and office, accountability couples, what to do when one spouse wanders into the other’s territory, and why they’re building employee-led governance so First Rate is never for sale.
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