Carrie McDonnell

About Me

Rural life has always been my pace. I grew up on a farm in Ohio, attended college in western Massachusetts, and spent several years skiing in Idaho and Wyoming before settling in the small town of Rochester. I love where I live, surrounded by mountain bike trails, backcountry skiing, and quiet country roads that I explore with my husband and three kids.

Living in the Green Mountains of Vermont offers a unique opportunity to help shape local culture and community. In recent years, I’ve served on committees for the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective, the Central Vermont Football Club, and local youth recreation sports programs. Taking an idea from its early development stages to reality brings immense satisfaction, and I enjoy playing an active role in helping our community thrive.

Professional Background

I graduated from Amherst College with a degree in English, followed by a Master's degree in creative writing from Dartmouth College. While completing my thesis, I began working in the local school system—the start of a 16-year career as a school administrator working with thousands of families and educators across central Vermont.

Managing complex systems and supporting families taught me the power of clear communication, the necessity of building trust, and the absolute importance of integrity in decision-making. Today, as a financial advisor, those foundational lessons directly inform my approach to working with clients every single day.

My Approach to Advising

In conversations with prospective clients, I often hear that investors felt unsatisfied with their portfolio performance or advisor for years before finding One Day In July. That delay is frequently driven by a common belief: that better, lower-cost options simply don't exist.

One of the best aspects of my job is showing people that they can, and should, expect more from their investment experience. As a fiduciary dedicated to low-cost, high-service advising, One Day In July offers a refreshing alternative to traditional Wall Street firms.

Investment Philosophy

At the core of my philosophy is a commitment to controlling what you can, which starts with fees. Commissions and high trading costs undermine long-term returns in staggering ways. As Vanguard pioneer John Bogle famously wrote, “Costs make the difference between investment success and investment failure.” By focusing on low-fee index funds, investors keep the vast majority of market returns working for their own future rather than handing them over to Wall Street.

Middlebury, Vermont

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