Your Wealth & Beyond

I’m thrilled to share this conversation with a truly remarkable guest, Travis Rosbach. Travis is a serial entrepreneur, author, coach, speaker and consultant. From his humble beginnings, being raised in a home with very little money to the incredible entrepreneurial journey that has included time as a scuba diving instructor to driving yachts and flying planes, he’s come a long way. Among his many accomplishments, Travis is the inventor and founder of Hydro Flask, one of the largest international brands in the industry today. In this episode, you’ll hear what led Travis to pursue his passion in business, the origin story of how Hydro Flask was created, the early challenges they faced (even when business was booming), and why he believes entrepreneurs are the foundation for growth and prosperity in the US. Key takeaways: How a neighbor’s estate sale planted the seed and set him on a path to be a serial entrepreneur. What led Travis to make Hawaii his home after experiencing burnout. Overcoming the challenges

On at least one occasion in your life, you’ve probably heard someone say “Your health is your wealth.” But in practice, what does that really mean? How does holistic health and spirituality impact our wellbeing, and what can we do to live longer, happier lives? 

A song is a powerful thing. In just seconds, it can take us back to extremely specific memories–where we were, who we were with, what we felt, and what mattered most to us in that very moment.  And in our modern world, we’re always struggling to forge deeper, more emotional bonds with everyone around us. Today’s guest, Brian Mohr, understands that well–and is here to talk about his new startup, anthym. He’s working to use music to help culture-driven organizations create and nurture meaningful relationships amongst their people.  The last time Brian was on the show, we talked all about what business owners can learn from the Grateful Dead. Today, we’re talking about the power of music, forging meaningful connections in the workplace, and how this powerful work (and the vulnerability it reveals) can make our lives, both in the office and at home, so much better.    Key takeaways: How technology and distance have made it so difficult to build–or rebuild–company cultures. Why better work environments make for h

Imagine that you’re a few years away from retiring, and you just found out that you’ve been laid off. You’ve been putting money away as best you can, and now you’re really not sure if it’s enough. What do you do?   In today’s episode, Andrew Rafal provides a quick list of actionable steps that you can take immediately to better understand what your financial situation looks like, what pre-retirees should consider after losing health benefits and how to get the most out of your 401(k) as you make the transition to the next phase of your life.   Key takeaways: Look at your living expenses, both fixed and discretionary. Take inventory of your assets including a 401(k). Understand what your unemployment, health insurance, Social Security benefits are. Things to consider if you have a company pension. Interview Resources COBRA - Continuation of Health Coverage  _____________________________________________ Subscribe & Learn More! If you'd like to subscribe for future podcast episodes, Your Wealt

When it comes to finding purpose and building wealth, few things matter more than estate planning. While putting it off to tomorrow might seem fine in theory, it could eventually lead to the government making big decisions that could affect your legacy. That’s why I’m thrilled to introduce you to Allison Kierman. Allison has been an estate planning attorney for nearly 20 years, and she has extensive experience helping people understand their goals and the best way to transfer their wealth and legacy. In this episode, you’ll learn all about the common mistakes people make when it comes to estate planning, why a simple written will is almost never enough, and how to build a trust to protect yourself and your assets across generations. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  ·         Why thinking you’re invincible and refusing to face the facts is an easy way to set yourself up for disaster later in life. ·         What happens when a family member leaves nothing but a signed piece of paper deeding out their

When we look at 2022 in the rearview mirror, many of us will remember it as a year of inflation, volatility, and extreme uncertainty.  So, in the midst of a massive market contraction and financial upheaval, what can you do to ensure you don’t run out of money–especially when it comes to your Social Security?  To help me answer that question, I’m thrilled to welcome Professor Larry Kotlikoff back to the podcast. Larry has written over 19 books, and has a passion for helping people make smart, sound financial decisions. With that in mind, we’re talking about Social Security tips and strategies that can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. We dig into how inflation directly affects Social Security benefits, the money-losing mistakes that so many people make as they approach retirement age, and what we should be doing to create a better financial future for our children and our country.  In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  Why most people between the ages of 50 and 62 accidentally leave $182,000–or

In today’s episode, we’re talking about Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD). We’ll be digging into how they work, the do’s and don’ts, and how to make them work for you. And to help leverage QCDs in the best way possible, I’m thrilled to welcome Sarah Brenner to the podcast.  Sarah is an IRA Educator and Retirement Distribution Planning Professional. She’s worked with Ed Slott and Company for 7 years and brings over 20 years of experience to this extremely complex field. She’s trained thousands of financial professionals, contributed to several journals and publications and brings a unique legal background to her work. In this conversation, we go deep into QCDs: how to use them, why you should consider using them, and the most common mistakes many retirees make along the way. If you’re close to retirement age or know anyone who’s over the age of 70, I hope you’ll get a lot of value from this episode. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  What exactly a QCD is and why they’re so overlooked as part of

If you own a home, it’s probably one of the most valuable assets–if not the most valuable asset–in your portfolio. However, it isn’t always the easiest to extract value from. Today’s guest, Matthew Sullivan, is working to change that. He’s the founder of QuantmRE, where he helps homeowners unlock their equity without taking on any additional debt. He’s also creating new opportunities for investors to invest in the equity in those homes–and is expecting over $1 billion to be created or invested in equity agreements in this year.  In today’s episode, we dig into why it’s so hard for homeowners to put their equity to work, what makes QuantmRE different from other investing tools, and how he’s created a unique system that benefits homeowners and investors alike.  In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  What Matthew learned from working closely with Richard Branson on the Virgin Global Challenger initiative. How QuantmRE compares to cash-out refis and reverse mortgages. Why the QuantmRE model allows investors t

How do you make the most of the guidance and advice out there, especially if you’re a business owner, and get a clear sense of where you’re going to be in three, 10, or even 20 years?  Today, I’m excited to talk to the wealth mentor himself, Jackson Millan. Jackson has spent his entire career shaking up the wealth industry. He’s crafted his very own values-based advice model based on what he learned growing up, and he has a deep understanding of how to think effectively about the long term. In this conversation, Jackson and I discuss how he empowers business owners to work toward financial freedom, how to scale and take your business to the next level, and how to create a three-dimensional roadmap designed to make your dreams come true.  In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  Why so many people fail to define financial freedom. Why businesses often consume more money than they provide–and how to reposition those businesses as wealth creation vehicles.  How Jackson shares his business’s financial roadmap w

One of the issues with our current education system is that we aren’t teaching students about personal finance and investing. So how can we develop and improve financial literacy, especially among younger students? From learning how to invest, understanding the basics of the stock market, and how to effectively save money, it can be pretty overwhelming. My guest today is Myles Gage. He’s an entrepreneur who has been teaching his students about these topics for years. He’s one of the co-founders of Rapunzl Investments–a mobile app aimed to help individuals learn about investing and build confidence before they start purchasing investments on their own.  In today’s conversation, Miles and I talk about how students can become more financially literate, how his unique educational experience immersed him in the world of finance from a very young age, and the work he’s doing now to empower Gen Z. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  Why schools should be teaching personal finance, economics, and investing. Ho

We’re all leaders. Even if you don’t own a business, many people lead families, Little League teams, volunteer organizations, and all sorts of other groups–and leadership has changed drastically in the last 40 years. Unfortunately, leadership isn’t something they teach in school, and the consequences are enormous.  Today’s guest, Wade Thomas, has spent 20 years in the corporate world as the head of human resources for a large company–and he says 70% of American employees are unhappy in their jobs because of negative management. This is why Wade launched Aim to Win, where he focuses on helping others lead with compassion and empathy. In this episode, Wade returns to the podcast to talk about how we can be better leaders in the post-COVID world. We discuss how to listen to people and turn a profit, some of the powerful lessons Wade learned over the course of his 20 years in corporate America, and how to take an empathetic and compassionate approach to leadership roles. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

Few of us have ever experienced anything like the turmoil and upheaval of the last two years. We’re all feeling the impacts of longevity, inflation, taxes, and frustrating decisions by our government. This means it’s a great time to welcome today’s guest back to the podcast. Larry Kotlikoff brings 35 years of experience to our industry and on January 4th, he’ll be releasing Money Magic: An Economist’s Secrets to More Money, Less Risk, and a Better Life, where he digs deep into what people do wrong–and how to fix those mistakes for good. In today’s episode, Larry shares some of the over 50 shocking money stories that are detailed in his new book, the complexities, and challenges of Social Security, and the tools you can use to stay in the best financial shape possible no matter your situation. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  Why Larry believes we should time the markets–but for risk, not returns. The issues that Larry sees Social Security–and the steps he’d take to fix it. How people actually get sc

As business owners, your goal isn’t just to build wealth–it’s to find purpose and create a real legacy. However, so many entrepreneurs make the same mistakes, day in and day out, leaving them undervalued and stressed out–and these errors take a toll that gets worse with every passing year, especially as you head toward retirement. Author Jim Muehlhausen has learned this well. Over the course of over 11,000 coaching sessions with business owners, he’s come to understand not only the fatal errors that they make but why they keep happening and how to turn these pitfalls into income streams.  His work has led him to create the Half-Retire movement: a way for entrepreneurs to have the best of both worlds. He helps people keep their businesses, do right by their best people, and live a life of profit without the neverending grind. In today’s conversation, we discuss how to make running a business enjoyable, preserving your income, and having the power to focus on what you love–and only what you love–about working.

At Bayntree, a lot of the small business owners and solo employers we work with start asking us one question as we get closer to the end of the year: what can I do to help save for retirement?    There’s no right answer for everyone–in fact, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. There’s a lot of options, and you’ll need to talk to your advisor or CPA to come up with a plan that works well for you.    Here to shed some light on this topic is my good friend and mentor, Brian Hartstein. Brian is the Director of Corporate Development here at Bayntree. Today, he brings his nearly three decades of experience to this issue to help you better understand the common mistakes business owners make, the opportunities you can take advantage of, and how to get a head start and a better understanding before you step into your next meeting with your accountant or advisor.   In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  Why taxes are guaranteed to go up in the future–and why so many business owners are dissatisfied with their CPAs’ tax plan

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a business owner, or a solopreneur, YouTube can be an invaluable resource. It’s the second most trafficked search engine in the world with over 2 billion users logging in each month. Its algorithm has the power to make and break careers–and in a number of unique ways, it can help you create a hugely memorable brand and reach customers. Sagi Shilo knows this well. In the last five years, he started Tech Gear Talk, where he’s amassed nearly 300,000 subscribers and over 20 million views. He’s a good friend of mine, a long-term business partner, and a mentor. In today’s episode, Sagi returns to the podcast to talk about why so many entrepreneurs are missing the boat when it comes to building a presence on YouTube, what they should be thinking about, and the first steps to take to create a powerful brand of your very own.  In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  Why your audience is on YouTube, no matter what you might think. How Sagi took his knowledge of SEO and translated it t

If you’re getting close to 50, you’re well on your way to retirement. You’ve got situations to look at, several possible mistakes you’ve already made, and some time to solve them–but the longer you wait, the worse the damage might be.  Though today’s episode was made with the Gen Xers in mind, there is plenty of advice that will work for those of you who are 45, 40, or even 35. It’s all about formulating a plan based on where you are in your life and your career, when you want to retire, and how you want to do it. With this in mind, we’re talking about the ten big mistakes that people make while planning for retirement, as well as how you can be proactive and take initiative right now. You’ll learn what to do (and what not to do) to protect your money, your health, and your legacy. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  Why so many people think they’re going to work longer than they actually do–and why this means you need to have a plan B if you lose your job early. Why your fifties is not a great time to

A lot of people mistake “tax-deferred” for “tax-free.” This can be beneficial in the short term, but can ultimately leave you owing more on higher balances at higher rates. But what if, in some cases, the best course of action is to take advantage of the low tax rates available right now, so you can grow your money 100% for you - and not Uncle Sam - for the rest of your life? My guest, Ed Slott, makes the case for this in his new book, The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb: How to Take Financial Control, Avoid Unnecessary Taxes, and Combat the Latest Threats to Your Retirement Savings. He’s created an easy-to-follow plan that helps you place your assets to avoid traps and keep your hard-earned money, no matter what.  As a CPA for over 40 years, Ed is uniquely qualified to tackle this problem. He knows the ins and outs of IRAs better than just about anyone and works tirelessly to help people put more of their hard-earned dollars back in their pocket. At his Elite IRA Advisor Group (of which I am one), he trains

We all talk about estate planning, and most of us think of it as something we’ll get to next year.  Why? It’s simple: estate planning forces us to admit we’re not invincible. For so many of us, it takes a major milestone or a tragic event to get our ducks in a row, and that’s not a good way to plan, no matter how old you are or what stage of life you’re in. This is why I’m excited to introduce you to Kirsten Howe. Kirsten has spent over 20 years as an estate planning attorney. At her company, Absolute Trust Counsel, she’s made it her life’s mission to educate people on the mistakes people make when they don’t plan and how to get your house in order now.  In today’s conversation, you’ll learn what happens if you do nothing, the difference between wills and properly executed trusts, the benefits of keeping your beneficiary forms updated, and what you can do to ensure that you keep more of your hard earned money. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  The many reasons so many people think estate planning is

Whether you’re a startup, a mature company, or a mom-and-pop, without the right marketing and messaging, you are destined to fail.  Amanda Rabideau has spent her entire career helping businesses of all sizes avoid this fate. She’s the founder of Arch Collective, where she helps companies create marketing plans and strategies to reach their ideal clients.   Today, Amanda joins the podcast to talk about the benefits of hiring a fractional CMO instead of an in-house specialist, how to get multiple talented people to work for you without paying out a full-time salary, and the steps you can do right now to 10x - or even 20x - your business.    In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  The mistakes Amanda has seen entrepreneurs make as they try to get their message out into the world.  The common problems with in-house marketing hires at young companies - and why it’s so easy to spend lots of money without achieving significant ROI. What a fractional CMO is and does - and how they provide unique expertise and assi

For so many people, just hearing the word “timeshare” brings chills, angst, and anger to the surface. There are 10 million timeshare owners out there, and as many as 80 percent of them aren’t just unhappy with what they purchased - they don’t know how to get out of it.  If you’re one of the many unsatisfied timeshare owners looking for an exit (or know someone with a timeshare horror story), today’s episode is for you. I’m talking to Allie Olson, the CEO of Give Up My Timeshare, where she is revolutionizing the timeshare industry and helping people put their nightmares to an end. In this conversation, Allie breaks down how to get out of a timeshare, the common scams out there preying on people trying to get out of their timeshares, the mistakes people make along the way, and what you can do to stop this liability from passing on to your children. In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:  How the timeshare industry (and the sales practices around it) changed for the worse over the last 15 years. Why so many t