Keynote Speaker · Author · Wealth Advisor

He was released by mail at 30. Then he built an $800 million practice.

Jack Oujo spent eight years calling balls and strikes in professional baseball. When the dream ended in a single envelope, he did not fold. He turned the setback into a career that put him among the most successful advisors in the country.

CPA/PFS · CFP · MS Taxation · Amazon Best Selling Author
Jack Oujo, keynote speaker and author of Too Smart to be an Umpire
$800M
Wealth Practice Built
25 Yrs
Top Producer Award
8 Yrs
Pro Baseball Umpire, AAA
Top 10
Amazon Best Seller
The Story
You better have a damn good Plan B in place.

At 30 years old, Jack was broke, married, and expecting his first child when the release letter arrived. He had reached AAA. He had won the Joe Ryan Award as the highest rated umpiring prospect in the minor leagues. The next step was the major leagues. Baseball decided otherwise, and they delivered the news by mail.

Jack had been quietly building a Plan B the entire time. While other umpires took winter jobs to get through the offseason, he rode the bus into New York City to work in accounting and study on the way. When the dream ended, that discipline became the foundation for everything next.

He reinvented himself through reeducation, mentorship, and a business started on a shoestring. A decade later it was a multi million dollar operation. Today Oujo Wealth Strategies is one of the nation's largest tax focused wealth management firms, and Jack has been a leading advisor for the majority of the past decade.

Signature Talks

Stories that hold a room, lessons that outlast the applause.

Jack speaks the way he umpired and the way he advises. Direct, honest, and grounded in real decisions made under real pressure. Every talk is customized to your audience and your theme.

01

Too Smart to Be an Umpire

Building your Plan B before you need it. The mindset that turns a crushing setback into the launchpad for the career you were actually meant to have.

For: leadership summits, conferences, sales kickoffs
02

Calling Balls and Strikes

Decision making and integrity under pressure. What eight years behind the plate teaches you about making the right call when everyone is watching and no answer is comfortable.

For: leadership and management audiences
03

The Raving Fan Method

How unreasonable hospitality and earned trust built an $800 million practice one relationship at a time. A blueprint for client loyalty that compounds for decades.

For: financial services, professional services, sales teams
04

From the Minors to Multi Millions

Discipline, mentorship, and the long game. The unglamorous habits behind every overnight success, drawn from cramped buses, lean years, and a refusal to quit.

For: entrepreneurs, young professionals, athletes in transition
Praise

Trusted by the people who watched him do it.

Major league umpires, finance executives, and clients of thirty years. They do not hand out words like these lightly.

"He used his experience and responsibility to create something to help hundreds build a better life for themselves."

Joe West
MLB umpire, record 43 seasons and 5,460 games

"I spent 30 years in the big leagues and the best call I ever made was to invest in Jack's company. He was truly too smart to be an umpire, and that is coming from an umpire."

Brian Gorman
Retired MLB umpire 1991 to 2021, #9

"Jack went on to become the first producer to hit $4 million rolling gross. Whatever Jack has to say about being successful, I am listening."

Herb Vest
Founder and CEO, HD Vest Financial Services

"Jack truly is an umpire's umpire, someone you trust will have your back in any situation. There is no striking out with Jack. We have hit a home run."

Paul E. Nauert
Retired MLB umpire #39

"Jack had the heart and the skill for the big leagues but chose another path. The financial world, his community, and his family have all benefited from the direction he chose."

Charlie Reliford
Retired MLB umpire #18, current MLB Supervisor

"He is the same man I met back in 1983. Honest, grounded, loyal, and quietly relentless. Titles never defined him. His character did."

Ed Hickox
Retired 28 year MLB umpire #15
Recently Heard On
Monday Morning Radio Duct Tape Marketing Vision Pros Live Authority Magazine School for Startups Radio The Brushback Business Leaders of America Leadership Powered by Common Sense America's Small Business Network Grow Learn Podcast The Reluctant Entrepreneur 2nd Wind Academy
Too Smart to be an Umpire book cover by Jack Oujo
The Book · Amazon Top 10 Best Seller

Too Smart to Be an Umpire

The full story behind the keynote. Eight years in the minor leagues, the abrupt and callous release, and the reinvention that followed. It is a book about what you do when the career vision you chased since childhood becomes a nightmare, and how the right Plan B can change everything.

A natural extension of any keynote, the book makes a powerful gift for attendees and a lasting reminder of the message long after the event.

Get the Book
Speaking Fees

Clear pricing, no guesswork.

Every engagement is customized to your audience. Fees below are for events within the continental United States. Travel and lodging billed separately for events outside the New Jersey and South Florida metros.

Virtual Keynote
$5,000
45 to 60 minutes
  • Live virtual keynote
  • Pre event planning call
  • Audience Q and A
  • Recording rights negotiable
Most Requested
Signature Keynote
$12,500
45 to 60 minutes, in person
  • Custom keynote for your theme
  • Pre event strategy call
  • Audience Q and A
  • Signed books available
  • Post event message to attendees
Half Day Workshop
$17,500
3 to 4 hours
  • Keynote plus interactive workshop
  • Decision making frameworks
  • Attendee workbook
  • Group exercises
Full Day Intensive
$25,000
Full day
  • Keynote plus workshop
  • Leadership team session
  • 30 day follow up resources
  • Custom content for your firm

Podcast and media appearances are complimentary when the audience aligns. Reduced honorariums available for nonprofit and youth events. Multi session corporate engagements quoted on request.

Common Questions

What event planners ask first.

What audiences does Jack speak to best?
Leadership summits, sales kickoffs, financial and professional services events, entrepreneurial conferences, and athlete transition programs. His story crosses industries because the lessons are about people, pressure, and the long game.
Does Jack customize the talk for our event?
Yes. Every keynote starts with a planning call to understand your audience, your theme, and the outcome you want. Jack tailors the stories and takeaways so the message lands for your specific room.
Can attendees receive a copy of the book?
Yes. Signed copies of Too Smart to be an Umpire can be arranged as part of the engagement and make a lasting takeaway that reinforces the keynote.
How are travel and expenses handled?
For events outside the New Jersey and South Florida metros, travel, lodging, and ground transportation are billed separately at cost. Everything is agreed in writing before the event.
How far in advance should we book?
Sixty to ninety days is ideal to allow for a proper planning call and customization. Shorter timelines can often be accommodated depending on the calendar.
Does Jack do virtual events?
Yes. Virtual keynotes are available and delivered with the same preparation and energy as in person engagements.

Bring Jack to your stage.

Tell us about your event and your audience. We will respond with availability and a recommended format within two business days.

Check Availability
Jack Oujo
Keynote Speaker · Author · Wealth Advisor
Jack Oujo is a Financial Advisor. Securities offered through Cetera Wealth Services LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cetera Investment Advisors LLC, a registered investment advisor. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity. Investments are subject to market risk including the potential loss of principal invested. The opinions contained in this material are those of the author, and not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investment products. The information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Cetera Wealth Services LLC cannot guarantee or represent that it is accurate or complete.