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The moment you open your doors, you take on risk. Most business owners put basic coverage in place when they started the company and haven't given it a real look since. Meanwhile the business has grown, the exposures have changed, and the broker who sold the policy only calls at renewal.

In this episode of Your Wealth and Beyond, Andrew Rafal and Brian Hartstein continue the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning series with the Risk Management Corner. They cover property and casualty coverage, cybersecurity, workers' comp, business interruption, and the quiet items like the 401(k) plan bond that someone on your team should be watching.

Like the CPA and the attorney, insurance brokers are event-driven. This conversation is about who fills the monitoring role, what questions to bring to your broker, and how to make sure your coverage fits the business you run today rather than the one you started.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• Why coverage needs shift as a business moves from startup to growth to established, and why the package you bought at formation may not fit anymore.
• Why a lighting company and a financial firm have completely different cybersecurity and business interruption priorities.
• How to think about the choice between a large national brokerage and a boutique specialty firm.
• Why renewal quotes are usually similar across brokers, and why service is the real differentiator.
• How to approach the decision between filing a claim and handling a small loss inside the business.
• Why deductible levels should be a strategic decision rather than a default setting.
• How workers' comp modification factors work and why an inaccurate rating can cost a business for years.
• The 401(k) ERISA bond gap that shows up as plans grow, and who should be monitoring it.

Find All Episode Resources Here: www.bayntree.com/126

Download the free Entrepreneur's Financial Planning Checklist: www.bayntree.com/download/entrepreneurs-financial-planning-checklist

This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. Bayntree Wealth Advisors and its representatives do not provide legal or tax advice. Nothing discussed in this episode should be construed as legal or tax guidance specific to your situation. Any references to tax code provisions, entity structures, or planning strategies are general in nature and may not apply to your circumstances. Please consult a qualified attorney and/or tax professional before making any decisions about your specific situation. Investment advice is offered through Bayntree Wealth Advisors LLC, a registered investment advisor. Insurance and annuity products are offered separately through Bayntree Planning Group LLC.

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Most business owners have worked with an attorney at some point. Usually it was to set up the business entity. Then it was done.

What they do not always realize is how much gets left behind when the legal piece stays event-driven and disconnected from the rest of the plan. Entity structure, liability protection, exit strategy, benefit plan compliance — the legal corner of a business owner's financial picture touches nearly everything. And if nobody is coordinating it with the accounting, the investments, and the overall plan, the gaps quietly compound.

In this episode, Andrew Rafal and Brian Hartstein dig into the Legal Corner of the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning. They cover when one attorney is enough, when you need more than one, and how to figure out which questions you should be asking in the first place.

Brian walks through entity structure decisions, the difference between corporate and estate planning attorneys, when multiple entities make sense, and what business owners need to understand about exit planning well before they are ready to sell.

In this podcast interview, you will learn:

• What functions a business attorney actually covers and why one may not be enough
• The difference between a corporate attorney and an estate planning attorney
• When single entity vs. multiple entity structure makes sense for your business
• Why the building your business owns may be a liability and a missed opportunity
• How Section 1202 and Section 1042 elections factor into business exit planning
• What affiliated service group rules mean for service-based businesses
• How often you should actually be talking to your attorney
• Why avoiding the call because of hourly fees is the most expensive mistake you can make

Find All Episode Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/125

Download your copy of The Entrepreneur's Financial Planning Checklist This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. Bayntree Wealth Advisors and its representatives do not provide legal or tax advice. Nothing discussed in this episode should be construed as legal or tax guidance specific to your situation. Any references to tax code provisions, entity structures, or planning strategies are general in nature and may not apply to your circumstances. Please consult a qualified attorney and/or tax professional before making any decisions about your specific situation. Investment advice is offered through Bayntree Wealth Advisors LLC, a registered investment advisor. Insurance and annuity products are offered separately through Bayntree Planning Group LLC.

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Most business owners leave their planning meetings feeling good about the conversation.

But if nobody follows through on what was discussed — and nobody knows who is supposed to — the whole year gets wasted.

In this episode, Andrew Rafal and Brian Hartstein pick up where they left off in Episode 123, going deeper into the Tax Corner of the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning. This time it is about the roadmap — the specific planning areas every business owner should be asking their advisory team about, and the real-world examples that show what happens when those questions go unasked.

Brian walks through multiple entity planning, entity type analysis, benefit plan design, and the compliance details that quietly cost business owners money every year. From C corp versus S corp decisions to 401(k) eligibility mistakes to the 2026 Roth catch-up rule — this episode is where the strategy gets real.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• The difference between design and structure in business planning
• How multiple entity planning works and who the rules apply to
• Why the building your business owns could be a liability and a missed opportunity
• What non-qualified plans are and when they make sense
• How a wrong eligibility setting in your 401(k) is costing you money right now
• The 2026 Roth catch-up rule and what business owners need to do before it is too late

Find All Episode Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/124

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Most business owners have a CPA, an attorney, and a financial advisor on their team.

But if nobody is driving the plan, the best opportunities get missed — not because the team is bad, but because nobody knows who is supposed to be doing what.

In this episode, Andrew and Brian dig into the Tax Corner of the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning — starting with the question most business owners never think to ask: Does everyone on your advisory team actually know their role?

With decades of experience working with business owners across complex planning scenarios, Brian and Andrew breaks down the difference between tax strategy and tax execution, why CPAs are built to be event-driven rather than proactive, and how the monitoring gap quietly costs business owners money every single year.

You will also learn why December scrambles happen, what can still be done before your 2025 business return is filed, and how the right advisory team structure sets the stage for a strong rest of 2026.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• Why your CPA is focused on execution — and who should be driving strategy
• The difference between event-driven advising and proactive monitoring
• What a well-built planning triangle actually looks like
• How the Roth catch-up rule change affects business owners with 401(k) plans in 2026
• What you can still do right now to maximize pre-tax dollars before year-end

Find All Episode Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/123

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Most business owners spend their time focused on growth — revenue, employees, and operations.

But the biggest opportunities to build wealth often aren't in the day-to-day. They're in how the business is structured, how advisors work together, and how efficiently profits are turned into personal wealth.

In this episode, Andrew is joined by Bayntree Wealth's Director of Corporate Development, Brian Hartstein, to introduce the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning — a framework for identifying where businesses are losing money and where untapped opportunities exist.

With over three decades of experience working with business owners, Brian breaks down how risk protection, employee benefits, structure and compliance, and owner wealth strategy all need to work together to create a more efficient and valuable business.

You'll also learn why most advisory teams operate in silos, how that disconnect costs business owners money, and how proactive coordination can unlock opportunities that often go unnoticed.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• The Four Corners framework and how it applies to your business
• Where business owners are unknowingly losing money
• How to use pre-tax dollars more effectively
• Why most advisors fail to communicate — and what that costs you
• How proactive planning can create better long-term outcomes

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/122

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Choosing the right CPA is one of the most important decisions a business owner will ever make, yet it's also one of the most misunderstood. Many entrepreneurs assume their CPA is proactively looking for opportunities to reduce taxes and improve efficiency throughout the year, only to realize too late that most planning happens in hindsight.

Today, I'm joined once again by Bayntree's Director of Corporate Development, Brian Hartstein, for a deeper conversation about how business owners can evaluate whether their CPA is truly the right fit. We break down the different types of CPA firms, the services they provide, and the gaps that often exist between expectations and reality.

We also discussed how entity structure, compensation planning, retirement strategies, and long-term business goals all intersect and why silos between professionals often lead to missed opportunities.

Whether you're questioning if your current CPA is serving you at the right level, considering a change, or simply want to understand how the best advisory teams work together, this conversation will help you ask better questions, avoid costly blind spots, and build a smarter, more coordinated planning team around your business.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• The key differences between tax preparers, business CPAs, and proactive advisory firms.
• Why most CPAs focus on reporting, not a forward-looking strategy.
• How to evaluate whether your CPA truly understands your business complexity.
• What questions should business owners ask when hiring or reviewing a CPA?
• Why communication between your CPA and financial advisor is critical.
• How proactive planning can reduce tax risk and improve long-term outcomes.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/121

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Many business owners reach a point where sheer grit and hard work are no longer enough to keep growing. What once fueled success can eventually become a ceiling if structure, systems, and leadership don't evolve alongside the business.

In this episode, I'm sitting down with Brad Levkowitz, co-owner of Sun Lighting, to explore his journey of growing a multi-generational family business. Brad shares how early lessons from working alongside his father and grandfather shaped his work ethic, leadership style, and approach to long-term growth.

We dive into the realities of building through economic cycles, wearing every hat in the early years, and learning when to let go of control. Brad shares the mindset shift required to move from survival mode to intentional scaling, including investing in systems, people, and professional leadership.

Whether you're running a family business, leading a growing team, or trying to break through the next growth plateau, this conversation offers practical insights into building structure without losing culture and creating a business that can thrive for generations.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• Why grit alone eventually limits business growth without structure and systems.
• How Brad expanded a legacy family business into new markets and industries.
• Lessons learned from scaling through economic downturns and market shifts.
• The importance of hiring, investing in your team, and letting go to grow.
• The challenges of navigating family dynamics while growing a multi-generational business.
• How clarity, culture, and long-term vision drive sustainable success.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/120

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Many entrepreneurs reach a point in their careers where the traditional corporate path no longer aligns with their values, energy, or passions. For today's guest, that moment came when he realized the culture surrounding him no longer reflected the performance-driven lifestyle that fueled his passions and motivated him.

Today, I'm sitting down with my longtime friend and serial entrepreneur, Blake Uptain, founder of Moxie Bike Shop and Caffeine & Watts. Blake shares how his journey began with a passion for fitness, a talent for building relationships, and an instinct for creating environments where people feel like they belong.

From growing a small race team into a powerful marketing engine and turning a business that started in his garage into a high-end performance retail brand, Blake reveals the pivotal decisions that shaped his entrepreneurial path.

Whether you're an entrepreneur searching for direction or someone considering turning a personal passion into a professional pursuit, this conversation offers valuable lessons in resilience, authenticity, and embracing the unknown.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• Why following your passion often reveals business opportunities others overlook.
• How performance-driven communities create trust, loyalty, and long-term brand growth.
• Lessons Blake learned transitioning from corporate sales to entrepreneurship.
• The challenges of scaling a retail business and adapting to industry changes.
• Why authenticity, consistency, and community remain the foundation of his success.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/119

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As another tax year comes to a close, many successful business owners are undoubtedly asking themselves the same question: How do I keep more of what I've earned away from Uncle Sam this year?

In this episode, I'm sitting down with Bayntree's Director of Corporate Development, Brian Hartstein, to break down year-end strategies to help entrepreneurs and high-income earners make the most of their pre-tax dollars and reduce their biggest expense: Taxes.

With over 30 years of experience collaborating with business owners, CPAs, and plan administrators, Brian has seen firsthand how many companies wait until the fourth quarter to address tax planning. He emphasizes the benefits of proactive planning and how it leads to significant savings and long-term wealth creation through strategies such as SEP IRAs, 401(k)s, profit-sharing plans, and cash balance pension plans.

We'll also walk you through the Retirement Plan Pyramid, and demonstrate which tools make the most sense for different business stages—from solo entrepreneurs to companies with dozens of employees.

Whether looking to shelter high income before year-end or looking for ways to use retirement plans as a competitive advantage to recruit, retain, and reward top talent, this episode will help you identify smart, actionable ways to keep more of what you earn and build your retirement wealth strategically.

In this podcast interview, you'll learn:

• Why most business owners wait too long to plan—and how to avoid the "fourth-quarter fire drill."
• The most overlooked pre-tax opportunities that can save tens of thousands in taxes.
• How to choose between a SEP, SIMPLE, 401(k), or cash balance plan based on your business structure.
• The power of the Retirement Plan Pyramid and how each layer fits your financial goals.
• How to use retirement plans as recruitment and retention tools for key employees.
• Why being proactive—not reactive—with your CPA and advisor can make all the difference.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/118

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The stress and anxiety of high-pressure careers can take a heavy toll on mental health, relationships, and physical well-being. Many business owners and professionals live with constant overwhelm, numbing themselves through long days instead of finding actual relief. But what if there was a practice that could calm the nervous system, ease stress, and even spark personal transformation without years of training or expensive therapy?​

After decades of working in demanding corporate roles, Cary Ballou experienced burnout, loss, and a sense of disconnection from her authentic self. Her turning point came when she first experienced a sound bath, a centuries-old healing practice using vibration and frequency to restore balance. That moment set her on a new path, founding Shanti Sound and dedicating her life to helping others heal, reset, and reconnect with purpose.​

In our conversation, Cary shares her journey of reinvention, the science behind sound healing, and how practices once dismissed as “alternative” have gained popularity and are helping people reduce stress, release trauma, and live healthier, more purposeful lives. ​

From corporate wellness programs to intimate healing sessions, Cary shares what it takes to follow your passion and build a mission-driven business around it.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How chronic stress and repressed emotions manifest in the body—and why traditional medicine often overlooks them.
• The transformational moment when Cary discovered sound healing.
• Why sound baths work as “meditation without having to learn how.”
• How sound healing can help with stress, trauma, and even chronic illness.
• The challenges and rewards of turning a passion into a sustainable business.
• Why companies are bringing sound healing into the workplace to reduce burnout and boost productivity.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/117

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For most entrepreneurs, building a business is the dream — but exiting successfully is often an afterthought. Most business owners pour their lives into creating a company only to face regret, financial gaps, or a lack of purpose when it’s time to transition. Today, we’ll uncover what it takes to align your business, personal, and financial goals, so your exit leads not just to financial security, but to significance and fulfillment.

​Joining me is Scott Snider, President of the Exit Planning Institute (EPI) and a nationally recognized leader in exit planning. Scott started his first business at 17, sold it by 24, and now helps entrepreneurs create transferable value and prepare for life after business ownership. He and his father have grown EPI into a global organization that educates thousands of advisors and empowers business owners to look beyond profit.

​In our conversation, Scott shares his entrepreneurial journey, including the lessons learned from selling his first company, the emotional hurdles of defining identity outside of business, and why so many owners fail to prepare for what comes next. We discuss the Value Acceleration Methodology™, the importance of building enterprise value through structural, human, social, and customer capital, and why personal planning is just as critical as business strategy.

​Whether you’re years away from a sale or facing one sooner than expected, this episode will help you reframe your approach to leadership, value creation, and long-term wealth.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The three “legs of the stool” that every business owner needs to align before an exit.
• How CEPAs help business owners prepare for a successful and profitable exit.
• Why many business owners grow profitable companies but fail to create transferable value.
• The Four Intangible Capitals that account for 80% of a company’s value and how to improve them.
• How Scott uses the Family Business Blueprint to encourage communication in family owned businesses.
• Why Scott believes Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is an emerging trend for exiting a business.
• How AI will be a net positive for the advisor industry if you’re willing to learn and adapt.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/116

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AI is transforming business at breakneck speed and most entrepreneurs are struggling to keep up. From clunky chatbots to overwhelming tech stacks, many founders and CEOs are wasting time and money chasing trends instead of building real, scalable solutions. And today’s guest is here to explain how the future of AI is already reshaping the way we do business—and how to stay ahead of the curve.

Andrew Amann is a serial entrepreneur who has founded 14 companies and successfully exited three of them. He’s the CEO and co-founder of NineTwoThree Studio, an award-winning AI agency serving major brands like Consumer Reports, SimpliSafe, and Experian. With a background as a nuclear submarine engineer, Andrew brings a unique systems-thinking approach to helping business owners cut through the noise and implement AI solutions that drive real results.

In this conversation, we explore why most companies are missing the mark with chatbots, the evolving landscape of content creation, and how leaders can harness AI agents to streamline operations, personalize services, and build lasting value. From managing global development teams to staying ahead of emerging trends, Andrew shares what it truly takes to scale with purpose in today’s rapidly changing digital world.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The four phases of AI—and why most businesses are stuck in the wrong one.
• How workflow automation is replacing chatbots and changing the future of work.
• Why the most valuable skills come from working for someone else first.
• How CEOs should think about integrating AI to avoid costly mistakes.
• Why every CEO needs to understand MCPs and how to integrate them in their business.
• What the rise of AI means for content authenticity, deepfakes, and future-proofing your brand.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/115

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With 80% of new businesses seemingly destined to fail, the odds are stacked against most entrepreneurs. But today’s guest is on a mission to shift that equation. From overcoming financial hardship and a lawsuit that nearly bankrupted him to reshaping his leadership style and creating a winning team culture, today’s conversation is all about what it takes to build and scale a thriving business.

Mike Konrad is the founder and CEO of Aqueous Technologies, a public speaker, podcast host, and author of The Reluctant Entrepreneur. Mike shares his 40-year journey in the electronics manufacturing industry, from leaving his corporate job in the early 90s to create an innovative business through dedication and a core belief that reliability matters.

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Mike navigated the operational challenges of entrepreneurship and underwent a profound transformation as a leader. He shares how building a sustainable company required evolving from naivety to knowledge, from arrogance to savvy, and from poor risk assessment to awareness.

One of his biggest breakthroughs came when he recognized the need to set aside his ego—the very trait that helped launch the business—to empower others, hire smarter, and scale with intention.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the traits that help start a business often sabotage its long-term growth.
• The costly lawsuit that nearly ended Mike's company—and how his ego and tenacity helped survive it.
• How naivety and bad risk assessment fueled his early success.
• Why company culture and team fit are critical for new hires in a growing company.
• How counterintuitive ideas from a mentor helped shift his mindset and achieve greater success.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/114 Download your copy of The Entrepreneur's Financial Planning Checklist!

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Big-box pet stores may offer convenience, but they often fall short when it comes to personalized service, expert nutrition advice, and a deeper overall commitment to pet wellness.

Today’s guest recognized this gap in the industry and set out to build a franchise model that delivered on all fronts—without sacrificing community values or sustainability. His goal: to empower local pet store owners with the tools and support to thrive in a competitive market where natural food and nutrition are expected from pet owners.

Michael Seitz is the CEO and Chairman of EarthWise Pet, one of only four national pet retail franchisors in the United States. Since joining his family’s business in 2005, Michael has grown the brand from a handful of stores into a nationwide operation with over 200 retail locations and a rapidly growing mobile grooming platform. His unconventional journey has shaped a unique, people-first approach to scaling a multi billion dollar franchising business in the pet industry.

In this episode, Michael shares how EarthWise Pet has differentiated itself through holistic nutrition, pet services, and sustainable sourcing. He shares his expertise on what it truly takes to scale a successful franchise, why mobile grooming services are now a multi-million-dollar growth engine.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why Michael left dental school to rejoin the family business.
• How EarthWise scaled from 3 stores to over 200 locations.
• The evolution from natural pet food to sustainable sourcing.
• How grooming services have become a huge growth driver, especially for new franchises.
• How EarthWise Pet uses AI to improve marketing and efficiency.

Find All Interview Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/113 Download your copy of The Entrepreneur's Financial Planning Checklist!

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After years of service in the U.S. Navy, and a successful career in the corporate world, Michael Roviello found himself battling crippling neck and back pain. This led to a less-than-successful surgery and self-medicating with alcohol and prescription pain meds.

When faced with the prospect of having another surgery, he embarked on a healing journey that didn't come with more prescriptions or procedures, but through nature, ancient healing traditions, and deep introspection.

Today, Michael is the co-founder of Optimyze, a wellness studio in Phoenix, Arizona. Optimyze has become a community that empowers others to take personal responsibility for their physical, mental, and emotional health through natural healing methods.

In our conversation, Michael shares how his search for answers led him to meet Wim Hof and leave his corporate job to explore plant medicine, the science, and the benefits of cold plunges, breathwork, and energy practices. This experience ultimately reshaped his view of wellness and how the human body is equipped to deal with stress and health issues naturally and holistically.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Michael’s journey from the U.S. Navy to become an entrepreneur.
• How plant medicine and ceremonial practices transformed Michael’s life.
• The benefits of cold therapy and exercise as a way of stressing our body to improve wellness.
• The link between technology and common health issues and autoimmune diseases.
• The importance of setting boundaries with staff and customers as an entrepreneur.

More resources and info > https://www.bayntree.com/112

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Are you feeling stuck in your personal or professional life, unable to break free from limiting beliefs that hold you back? Many high achievers struggle to find balance and fulfillment, often feeling overwhelmed by stress and self-doubt. In this episode, we dive into proven strategies for transforming your mindset and taking control of your future.

Michael Kohan, a certified life coach, speaker, and host of the Your Wellness Yogi podcast, has spent years helping individuals shift their perspectives and cultivate meaningful success. With a background in yoga, mindfulness, and personal development, Michael specializes in guiding entrepreneurs and professionals toward greater clarity and purpose. His work has empowered countless individuals to implement daily habits that drive lasting change.

In this conversation, we explore how self-awareness plays a critical role in personal growth, the science behind habit formation, and practical techniques to overcome self-imposed limitations. You’ll also learn how to develop resilience, enhance productivity, and align your daily actions with your long-term goals. If you're ready to take the next step toward unlocking your full potential, this episode is for you.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How self-awareness plays a crucial role in achieving success and fulfillment.
• The impact of daily habits on mindset and long-term growth.
• Practical steps to shift limiting beliefs and create empowering routines.
• Why personal development is the key to thriving in both life and business.
• Strategies for maintaining motivation and focus in the face of challenges.

Interview Resources:

• Elevate Life Project
• Michael Kohan on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
• BetterHelp
• Thumbtack
• Bark

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Many professionals and entrepreneurs struggle with burnout, imposter syndrome, and the challenge of aligning their daily actions with their true passions. Without a clear vision and strategy, it’s easy to lose momentum and feel disconnected from what truly matters. But today’s guest has a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs and business leaders clarify their purpose and build lives that inspire them.

Carly Pepin is the Founder and Senior Advisor at West Coast Growth Advisors, a human behavior specialist, coach, and speaker who has spent years helping individuals and business leaders break through mental barriers and unlock their full potential. With a background in behavioral psychology and mindset coaching, Carly has worked with high-level executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations to refine their leadership, streamline their operations, and amplify their impact.

In our conversation, Carly shares actionable insights on overcoming self-doubt, applying core values to your decision-making, and avoiding the comparison trap that holds so many back. Whether you’re looking to take your career to the next level or simply want to feel more fulfilled in your daily life, this episode provides a roadmap to get there.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How your personal struggles and voids shape your life’s purpose.
• The importance of recognizing daily patterns to uncover what truly drives you.
• Why comparison leads to imposter syndrome—and how to overcome it.
• How to balance ambition with authenticity in business and life.
• The role of mission, vision, and values in creating long-term success.
• How to cultivate a mindset that fuels growth instead of burnout.

Interview Resources

• West Coast Growth Advisors
• Carly Pepin
• Carly Pepin on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
• Sony Electronics
• Elon Musk
• Brené Brown

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In a rapidly evolving business landscape, customer experience is no longer just a department—it’s a company-wide mindset. How can leaders create a customer-first culture that drives loyalty, improves engagement, and fuels long-term success?

Today’s guest, Blake Morgan, is a globally recognized customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. She has worked with some of the world’s top brands, helping them redefine the customer journey in an era shaped by technology, AI, and changing consumer behaviors.

In our conversation, Blake shared insights from her latest book, The Eight Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership, and explained why customer experience is not just about service—it’s about mindset, culture, and operational efficiency. We also discussed the impact of AI on customer relationships and practical strategies that businesses of any size can implement to stay ahead.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How customer experience has evolved over the last 20 years—and where it’s headed.
• Why CX is a company-wide philosophy, not just a department.
• The biggest mistakes businesses make in understanding their customers.
• How AI can enhance, not replace, human connection in customer service.
• The power of storytelling, content creation, and brand building in today’s digital world.
• Practical steps small businesses can take to improve CX and stand out in competitive markets.

Interview Resources

• Blake Morgan.com
• Blake Morgan on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | X/Twitter
• The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer by Blake Morgan
• Leveraging AI in Contact Centers: Overcoming Volume and Improving Customer Experience (Blake Morgan’s LinkedIn Course on AI and Change Management)
• Zappos
• Tony Hsieh
• Drew Brees
• Lynsi Snyder
• Joe Rogan
• Toastmasters
• Bo Eason
• Jacob Morgan

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What does it take to scale a business from the ground up, navigate male-dominated industries, and build a company culture that thrives? As you’ll hear from today’s guest, leaders provide inspiration and remove obstacles to empower their teams.

Kristin Steele is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Doozy Solutions and Crafted ERP, which are revolutionizing tech solutions for the beverage alcohol industry. With a background in ERP consulting and a keen eye for inefficiencies, she saw an opportunity to modernize an industry still reliant on outdated systems. She took the leap from corporate stability to entrepreneurship, building two companies that transformed operations for craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries across the country.

In this episode, Kristin shares how she and her co-founders bootstrapped their companies, the lessons learned while scaling, and why fostering a strong leadership mindset is key to sustainable success.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The unexpected path that led Kristin into entrepreneurship.
• How to identify inefficiencies in an industry and turn them into business opportunities.
• The power of scrappy, guerrilla-style marketing for early-stage startups.
• How great leaders inspire their team and remove obstacles.
• Trends shaping the beverage alcohol industry, from shifting consumer habits to the rise of tequila brands.

Interview Resources

• Crafted ERP
• Crafted Erp on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
• Doozy Solutions
• Doozy Solutions on LinkedIn | X/Twitter
• Kristin Steele on LinkedIn
• Great American Beer Festival
• Salesforce CRM
• Founder Mode

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What if the thing you thought was holding you back was your biggest strength? We’ve learned that over 62% of successful entrepreneurs have some form of ADHD. Struggling with distraction, impulsivity, and the constant pull of new ideas is something many people deal with on a daily basis, but what if they were the keys to your success?

That’s why I’m thrilled to be speaking with John Torrens. John is an entrepreneur, professor, and author of Lightning in a Bottle: How Entrepreneurs Can Harness Their ADHD to Win—to explore how neurodiversity can be a superpower in business.

With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience and a deep passion for teaching, John shares his journey of building successful businesses, coaching the next generation of leaders, and optimizing performance while managing ADHD.

In our conversation, you’ll learn how to harness ADHD and hyperfocus as a superpower and build a team that balances your strengths. We’ll also dig into the latest science-backed strategies for improving energy, decision-making, and overall leadership. If you’re a high-achiever looking to level up, you’ll love this episode.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The link between ADHD and entrepreneurial success.
• Why impulsivity can be both a strength and a weakness and how to harness it.
• The key to balancing visionary thinking with structured execution.
• How proper nutrition, sleep, and exercise leads to making better decisions.
• Strategies to manage distractions and avoid burnout.
• How leveraging the right technology can improve focus and efficiency.

Interview Resources

• John Torrens
• John Torrens on LinkedIn | Instagram
• Syracuse University
• Lightning in a Bottle: How Entrepreneurs Can Harness Their ADHD to Win by John M. Torrens, PhD
• Syracuse University Project Advance
• Dan Martell
• Buy Back Your Time
• EO
• Peter Attia
• Andrew Huberman
• David Sinclair

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Entrepreneurship is a rewarding yet challenging journey. Entrepreneurs often feel isolated when working long hours, solving problems, and trying to grow their businesses. Many suffer from a lack of sleep and both mental and physical fatigue, which ultimately can lead to burnout. That's why I'm thrilled to have Jodi Hume on the podcast today.

Jodi Hume is the Founder and CEO of At the Core. For over 20 years, she's used neuroscience and performance psychology to help first-time founders and Fortune 150 companies overcome decision fatigue, leadership challenges, and self-sabotage. Jodi focuses on finding a balance between business goals and personal well-being and empowers leaders to unlock their potential while fostering healthier, more productive work environments.

In our conversation, Jodi provides tips and strategies for entrepreneurs to create spaces for reflection. If you're looking for ways to recharge your creative energy, build a cohesive leadership team, or overcome imposter syndrome and self-sabotage, this episode provides actionable advice to help you grow both personally and professionally.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How reflection and celebrating wins fuels team motivation and growth.
• How to overcome decision fatigue by using breaks and routines to recharge.
• The value in aligning work with personal energy and planning tasks around peak focus times.
• Collaboration often leads to better strategic decisions and creates buy-in.
• How retreats allow creativity to thrive when you create time and space to let ideas percolate.
• Why curiosity is a superpower to combat procrastination and self-sabotage.

Interview Resources

• At The Core
• Jodi Hume on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
• Download the Free Gift: Essential Recharge Guide for Entrepreneurs
• Asana
• Microsoft Outlook
• Practice
• HoneyBook
• Entrepreneurs’ Organization

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If you’re an entrepreneur, a typical day can feel like you’re juggling a million things and being pulled in a hundred directions. Dealing with marketing, team building, client acquisition… the list goes on. But if your financial planning isn’t dialed in, all that hard work could be for nothing.

In this episode, we’re breaking down The Entrepreneur’s Financial Planning Checklist for 2025—a step-by-step guide to ensuring your business is profitable, your taxes are optimized, your cash flow is strong, and your personal wealth is growing.

Today, I’ll walk you through some actionable tips and strategies to take control of your finances, avoid the most common pitfalls, and set yourself up for long-term success. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in the game for years, this episode will help you run your business efficiently, save money, create healthy habits to scale your business, and prepare for your exit when you’re ready to retire.

Download your copy of The Entrepreneur's Financial Planning Checklist!

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Tax tips and strategies that could save you thousands each year.
• Tools that can optimize your cash flow management to keep your business and payroll afloat.
• The smartest way to build wealth beyond your business
• Manage risk by reviewing your insurance and cybersecurity needs to protect yourself, your business and your clients.
• Strategies to scale your business and prepare your exit strategy for retirement.
• Healthy habits that help entrepreneurs avoid burnout.

Interview Resources

• The Entrepreneur's Financial Planning Checklist
• SEP IRA
• Solo 401(k)
• QuickBooks
• Xero
• HSA
• SBA
• Warren Buffett

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We’ve all been there: you’re at a business conference or a dinner. You get introduced to a handful of people, you introduce yourself, you hear their names, and within two minutes, you completely forget all of them.

One person who hasn’t had this problem for years is Chester Santos. Chester won the US Memory Championship over a decade ago and has spent the last 15 years training individuals, business owners, and executives how to use simple tips and strategies to remember names, information, and even entire presentations without notes. You don’t need any innate talent for memorization to be great at it - you simply need to spend a little bit of time training this muscle.

Today, Chester joins the podcast to share and demonstrate tactics you can use right now to improve your mind and your memory.

‍In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why anyone can develop a powerful memory with practice - and why Chester says he was merely “above average” when he first learned about the US Memory Championship.
• The proven framework Chester uses to memorize over 200 names in a matter of minutes when he walks into a room - among many other things.
• The three principles that make every memorization technique work.
• How our dependency on digital tools affects our memory and creates a massive business opportunity for people with memory skills.
• How Chester has pivoted his business (and his techniques) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interview Resources: * Memory School - $200 off to first 50 listeners who use coupon code “bayntree” at checkout! * Follow Chester Santos on Twitter, Facebook, Insta, LinkedIn & YouTube * How To Win Friends and Influence People * The $14 Billion Man: Why Nike Lost NBA Superstar Stephen Curry to Under Armour

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Entrepreneurs are always looking for an edge to stand out from their competition. One of the best ways to do this is by attracting and retaining driven talent and building a culture and atmosphere that the teams and customers enjoy working with. And that’s precisely what today’s guest has been doing for over two decades.

Veronique James is the CEO and founder of the James Agency, a full-service integrated marketing agency in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she’s worked with clients like USA Pickleball, Northern Arizona University, Travel Costa Mesa, and the Phoenix Children’s Foundation, to name just a few. She prides herself on building a respectful, honest, and ego-free environment and helps clients connect their brand to their audience with authenticity.

In our conversation, she shared how she finds moments of calm in her hectic schedule, the hard lessons that helped her build a high-performance luxury agency that retains clients and talent, and the mistakes that so many businesses make when trying to find their ideal customers.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Veronique’s first job at a marketing agency showed her what not to do as she started to build and grow her business.
• Why the James Agency avoids churning employees, stays lean, and maintains a strong culture even when scaling.
• Why customers are hungrier than ever for authenticity.
• How Veronique is using AI as a supplement–not a replacement–at work.
• What Veronique did during the COVID pandemic to avoid cutting a single employee, maintain culture, and keep up morale during what was otherwise a very challenging year for her business.
• How to screen prospective clients early on–and help a client that isn’t a good fit leave on their own.

Interview Resources

• The James Agency
• The James Agency on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter
• Veronique James on LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter
• EO
• Rim to Rim to Rim
• Brené Brown
• Megan Simoes
• Audible
• Scaling Up Compensation: 5 Design Principles for Turning Your Largest Expense into a Strategic Advantage by Verne Harnish, Sebastian Ross

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In some ways, building the business of your dreams is like building your dream home. It starts with a concept and vision to create a place where everyone can relax, enjoy themselves, and make great memories in a beautiful space they can't wait to return to. But how do you turn your vision and your story into reality? That's where a professional like today's guest comes in to help.

Dala Al-Fuwaires is responsible for some of the most iconic spaces you'll see here in Arizona and around the world. She's the founder, CEO, and principal designer of House of Form, an interior design firm in Phoenix that Dala describes as "experience design" that activates all five senses, helping clients become a go-to hospitality space. Their mission revolves around crafting an accessible form of luxury with an intangible vibe that's ethereal and elusive, all achieved through the medium of impeccable interior design.

In our conversation, Dala shares how House of Form has set itself apart from typical design firms and how she helps her clients tell their stories through design. You'll also hear how her clients become clients for life instead of a "one and done" and what she's doing to inspire others, especially women with a passion for entrepreneurship.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How a chance encounter with a fortune teller as a child inspired Dala to follow her passion for architecture and design.
• The unconventional technique Dala uses with new clients to help them design spaces based on intuition and feeling.
• How Dala uses equity, “reverse reviews,” and team research trips to build a loyal team and company that can grow and scale together.
• How Dala’s experience with the gender pay gap prompted her to take the leap into entrepreneurship in 2015.
• The activities and competitions Dala hosts to empower innovators in the Valley.

Interview Resources

• House of Form
• House of Form on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Pinterest
• Dala Al-Fuwaires on LinkedIn | Instagram |Facebook | X/Twitter
• Pulitzer Amsterdam
• Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself by Mike Michalowicz
• Donald Miller
• StoryBrand
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
• Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
• Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz

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One of the best ways for a business owner to obtain new business is through referrals. It’s really hard to put a value on marketing from word of mouth. Now, imagine the possibilities if most of your clients were singing your company’s praises like fans at a Taylor Swift concert. And that’s why I’m thrilled to share this conversation with Brittany Hodak.

Brittany has spent her entire career building superfans. She’s an award winning entrepreneur, author of Creating Superfans, a former Shark Tank participant, Guinness World Record holder, and someone who has helped countless business owners connect with their clients and customers on a deeper level.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn all about Brittany’s journey from the music business to corporate branding, what it really means to be a superfan, and her powerful model for creating deep connections that instill confidence to drive referrals, repeat business and growth.

Interview resources, including show notes and links to resources mentioned, can be found on the episode page: https://www.bayntree.com/101

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Lessons every business owner can learn from Taylor Swift.
• Key differentiators that create deep brand loyalty for companies like Trader Joe’s.
• Three things that define a superfan–and why these people are most likely to turn people into more customers.
• The big mistakes that so many business owners make when it comes to finding and nurturing customers–and how AI and automated personalization can make them worse.
• The power of intentionally elevating the customer experience.

Interview Resources:

• Brittany Hodak
• Brittany Hodak on: Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | X/Twitter | YouTube
• Creating Superfans: How To Turn Your Customers Into Lifelong Advocates by Brittany Hodak
• Shark Tank
• Taylor Swift
• Dr. Tony Alessandra
• ChatGPT

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Though many simply think of them as a jam band, the Grateful Dead are one of America’s longest-enduring, most unique, and best-performing businesses. Throughout a career that has lasted over five decades, they have created a culture, a highly profitable business, and a mindset out of organized chaos. Furthermore, they have survived as a leaderless organization and cemented their legacy in the decades following the death of founding guitarist and effective bandleader Jerry Garcia in 1995.

If you want to look at numbers for proof, consider the fact that the band made over $50 million almost exclusively from touring and merchandise sales in 1994. Also consider that Dead & Co., the band’s current incarnation led by John Mayer, grossed over $40 million from ticket sales in 2019 and recently wrapped up a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere that grossed over $130M in gross revenue.

Joining me on today’s podcast is fellow Deadhead Brian Mohr. Brian is on the national Board of Directors of Conscious Capitalism, Inc., and is the co-founder of anthym, where they use music to help culture-driven organizations create and nurture meaningful relationships amongst their people.

So, even if you’ve never connected with their music, throw your preconceived notions out the door as we dive into a conversation about how to develop prestigious brands, create customers for life, and build small businesses thinking seriously about conscious capitalism into massive, life-changing organizations.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the Grateful Dead letting fans tape and share recordings of their concerts was an early and extremely effective form of content marketing.
• How Jerry’s death and the subsequent infighting between band members mirrors when founders exit - and how John Mayer has stepped into Jerry’s role in a leaderless way while breathing new life into the band and its business.
• How the Grateful Dead used their mailing list to create an extraordinarily effective marketing machine that fostered a massively inclusive community and treated them right.
• Why psychological safety and feeling connected is crucial to being vulnerable enough to take risks and achieve the biggest successes in business.
• How technology leaves us feeling both more connected and isolated than ever before - and what business leaders and managers can do to address these issues.

Interview Resources

• Brian Mohr
• anthym.life
• anthym on LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Facebook
• Brian Mohr on LinkedIn
• Feed My Starving Children
• Habitat for Humanity
• Monday.com
• Trello
• Slack
• WhatsApp
• Elton Mayo’s Human Relations Movement
• Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey

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Over the last 30 years, Genevieve Pitturo has had an extraordinary journey. She established herself as a television executive in New York City, but soon found herself looking to do something more with her life.

This led her to create the Pajama Program, a nonprofit that helps kids that are facing tremendous adversity with housing insecurity and ensures they have equitable access to healthy sleep so they can thrive. Since 2001, they have provided pajamas and books to more than 8 million kids nationwide.

In our conversation, you’ll hear why Genevieve’s career in television was leading to feelings of emptiness and why she made the leap to charitable work, how she built a network around her to turn her vision into a thriving charity, and the beauty of giving back to our communities.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How a little voice in her head inspired Genevieve to look for something more in life, break from her workaholic lifestyle, and follow her passion by giving back.
• How Genevieve bootstrapped her charity from the ground up–and the critical mistakes she made along the way.
• The four truths leaders need to embrace when pursuing their passion.
• How Genevieve balanced purpose and profit as she transitioned out of her television career and launched the Pajama Program.
• The difference between having–and being–a boss.

Interview Resources

• Pajama Program
• Pajama Program on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter
• Genevieve Piturro
• Genevieve Piturro on LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter
• Mary Tyler Moore
• McDonald’s
• Oprah Winfrey
• Jamie Dyce

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Discover how to build a thriving business while cultivating a life of purpose and joy. In this episode, I sat down with Lexi Godlewski, a successful entrepreneur who traded the corporate world for the beaches of Oahu. Lexi's journey is a compelling blend of personal transformation and business acumen, offering valuable insights for anyone seeking a more fulfilling path. From overcoming crippling anxiety and self-doubt to building a thriving, values-driven business, Lexi shares her inspiring story with honesty and practical advice.

Lexi is a TEDx speaker, a trained business coach, and a certified master marketer who works with business owners to develop a "soultpreneur" mindset. She shares actionable strategies for authentic marketing, building strong communities, and navigating the inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship. Her insights extend beyond the business world, offering a blueprint for a life filled with purpose, joy, and adventure.

Lexi's story and practical advice will inspire you to create a life and business you truly love. Her story shares with us a roadmap for a more fulfilling and intentional life and business.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Lexi moved from a seemingly successful corporate career to a life driven by purpose and passion.
• Why community is essential for support and growth.
• Lexi's strategies for marketing a business authentically, focusing on storytelling and building genuine connections with your clients and community.
• The “Soulpreneur” mindset and how leading with your soul in all you do can bring success and purpose.
• Insights on overcoming common entrepreneurial obstacles, offering practical advice for navigating fear, self-doubt, and the pressure of external expectations.

Interview Resources:

• Lexi Godlewski
  • Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | TikTok
• Building My Empire Podcast
• Lexi’s TEDx Talk
• TEDx
• ICF (International Coaching Federation)
• Jen Sincero Author of “You Are a Badass”
• Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill
• I Am by Howard Falco

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No matter how big or small your business is, if you’re an entrepreneur, at some point or another, you’re probably going to need a lawyer. It’s easy to overlook important details as you build and scale a business, especially when focused on growing and scaling quickly.

Today’s guest, Andy Contiguglia, is a seasoned business attorney from Denver. He has tons of experience working with entrepreneurs of all sizes, and, as an entrepreneur himself, he brings a unique perspective to the value a great attorney can add to your team.

In this episode, we get into why you need a great lawyer on your side, the common mistakes entrepreneurs make as they chase their dreams, and how these issues play out across a wide variety of stories from Andy’s 20+ years in this field.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why so many entrepreneurs are scared of bringing on lawyers–and how Andy works to allay these fears from the first time he meets with a client.
• How a lawyer can help you build your business properly from the ground up and protect you from intellectual property, patent, naming, and other potential issues before they ever arise.
• The questions Andy asks potential clients before he takes them on.
• How legal counsel can help to resolve a wide array of common conflicts that arise as a business grows and achieves success.
• What aspiring entrepreneurs should know about buying a retiree’s business.

Interview Resources

• Contiguglia Law Firm
• Contiguglia Law Firm on Facebook | YouTube
• Andy Contiguglia on LinkedIn | Instagram
• 24 Assets: Create a digital, scalable, valuable and fun business that will thrive in a fast changing world by Daniel Priestley

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When entrepreneurs launch their businesses, their branding and website often leave little to be desired. Creating a website that is functional and is both pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate takes a lot of time and resources that many business owners don’t have when they first get started.

And after a few years, the website can start to feel stale and dated. That’s when it’s time for a refresh and to reach out to a professional, like today’s guest.

Jamie Windell is the Founder of KHULA™ & Fractional Design PM & Consultant. A self-taught brand and web designer, Jamie has successfully guided over 100 business owners worldwide in transforming their brand image and online presence into something they can be proud of. His goal is to impact and assist 1000 small business owners in their transformation and thrive.

In our conversation, you’ll learn the steps that KHULA walks their clients through when it’s time for a brand transformation, some do’s and don’ts for anyone who attempts to create or manage their own website, and why he believes in helping business owners migrate and transfer their domain so they take ownership and improve the security of their website.

Interview resources, including show notes and links to resources mentioned, can be found on the episode page: https://www.bayntree.com/96

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why taking a DIY approach to branding and web design is often a mistake.
• The key steps that KHULA uses to help clients with a branding refresh.
• Jamie’s advice for finding the right balance of text/copy on your website.
• How Webflow has been a game changer for former Wordpress users.
• The biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make with CTA on the website.
• The importance of owning your own domain and improving the security of your website.

Interview Resources

• KHULA Studio
• KHULA on LinkedIn | Instagram
• Jamie Windell
• Jamie Windell on LinkedIn
• SMART Board
• WordPress
• Webflow
• Skyrocket Digital
• Diane Windell
• Hungry for Life
• LinkedIn
• Lexi Onishenko
• Vlad Magdalin
• Squarespace
• Wix
• Jasper AI

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In today's episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by Michael Spangenberg, CEO and co-founder of State Forty Eight–one of Arizona's most recognizable local apparel brands. Since 2013, Michael and his partners have been sharing clothing for all, inspired by Arizona, through collaborations, screen printing, embroidery, art & branding, and their work.

In our conversation, Mike and I dig into the "why" behind his brand, his love for Arizona, and how this side gig turned into a full-time pursuit with fans in Bruce Arians and the Arizona Cardinals, the Diamondbacks, and the Suns organizations.

You'll also hear what he's doing now with the State Forty Eight Foundation to empower everyday people with dreams like his. Enjoy!

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Michael and his friends turned business partners envisioned their brand, quickly learned how to tell their story, and used unconventional methods to quickly build momentum.
• The moment Mike realized this side hustle could become a full-time career.
• Why it’s so important to invest–and keep investing–in yourself as an entrepreneur.
• What inspired the State Forty Eight Foundation–and what they’ve learned since helping to fund 32 businesses in their community.
• The toughest challenges State Forty Eight faced as they built and scaled their business.

Interview Resources

• StateFortyEight.com
• State Forty Eight on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | X/Twitter | YouTube
• State Forty Eight Foundation
• State Forty Eight Foundation on Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
• Michael Spangenberg on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• Stephen Polando on LinkedIn
• Phoenix Fashion Week
• Arizona Cardinals
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Phoenix Suns
• Phoenix Mercury
• Arizona State University
• Marina Sandoval

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When building a brand, everyone talks about the power of storytelling. These days, however, it’s not as simple as starting a blog and expecting your audience to explode overnight.

That’s why people turn to today’s guest, Dan Curran. Dan is a founding partner at Chapters.io, where he works to eliminate the anxieties of book writing through a process that helps people finish manuscripts in 100 days or less, connect with amazing editors, and preserve their wisdom for generations to come.

Dan has over a decade of experience working with editorial teams for large financial institutions, especially with financial advisors, and has a deep understanding of how to bring new life to so-called unsexy topics in this complex field.

In today’s episode, Dan and I discuss the chaotic state of modern content marketing, how to stand out in a world where everyone has 10,000 notifications and zero attention span, and the technology–including AI–he’s using to help people share their stories and grow audiences right now.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How content marketing has changed over the last decade.
• Why authenticity matters–and why so many people are scared to be authentic.
• Why there’s a place for entrepreneurs over the age of 40 on TikTok.
• How Chapters is using a combination of AI and human talent to kickstart books when the words don’t just magically flow from an author’s fingers.
• Ways to get your story told without running the gauntlet of the traditional publishing model.
• How to craft a legacy book for your loved ones.

Interview Resources

• Chapters.io
• Dan Curran on LinkedIn
• Chapter.io on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
• Climbing the Retirement Mountain: And Getting Safely Down the Other Side by Andrew Rafal
• ChatGPT
• Gemini
• Python
• OpenAI
• The Entrepreneurs’ Organization
• 90 Minute Book by Dean Jackson

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Today, I’m talking to Megan Greenwood, founder of Greenwood Brewing, where she’s making woman-owned, woman-inspired real beer for all.

Megan was an enthusiast and a homebrewer before venturing on her own as an entrepreneur. So, how did she get from Boston to Phoenix and from 8 taps in a garage to 14 taps downtown?

In this episode, Megan shares the story of her entrepreneurial journey, the challenges she faced along the way, and why beer has to be better than good to succeed in an ever-crowded industry.

Key takeaways:

• How homebrewing went from a hobby to a profession for Megan–and why her backgrounds in industrial engineering and manufacturing proved hugely helpful.
• The steps Megan took to get her product into bars and to customers when she didn’t have her own facility.
• How Megan found power in telling her business’s unique story in a male-dominated industry.
• What happened when Megan was finally ready to open at the height of the COVID pandemic.
• How Megan navigated growing pains as her business grew, manages an ever-growing staff, and continues to create opportunities for herself and her staff.

Interview Resources

• Greenwood Brewing
• Greenwood Brewing on Facebook | X/Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
• Megan Greenwood on LinkedIn | Instagram
• Samuel Adams
• Boston Lager
• Sierra Nevada
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
• Fat Tire
• First Draft Book Bar
• Fresh Start Women’s Foundation

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Please enjoy this relaunch of one of our favorite episodes with Terri Sjodin.

Whether you’re an executive speaking in front of your colleagues, an entrepreneur leading a sales presentation, or even just talking with your friends, at some point or another, you’re going to have to speak in public. If you’re like a lot of people, it might terrify you.

Fortunately, there are self-proclaimed speech geeks like Terri Sjodin out there in the world to help us improve. Terri has spent the last 30 years working to help people and businesses build and deliver more polished, persuasive, and effective presentations – and, since March, has focused her work on the tools and technologies you can use right now to forge more authentic connections.

Today, Terri and I are talking about the shocking mistakes that tons of professionals make when they speak in public, as well as sharing some techniques you can use right now to become a better speaker, no matter where or how you’re meeting.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Everyone can benefit from improving their presentation skills, even if you don’t work in sales or ever have to get up on a stage
• The three benchmarks people use to measure the effectiveness of a presentation
• Why storytelling is such a big component of almost every successful presentation
• Three things you can do right now to improve your presentations - and the tools and technology that can help you deliver higher-quality virtual presentations
• What makes someone a great presenter.

Interview Resources

• Sjodin Communications
• Scrappy: A Little Book About Choosing to Play Big
• Logitech BRIO
• Rode Microphones

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When celebrities, musicians, and the ultra-wealthy want to get their time back and become more productive, they call Tarraroviding concierge services and assistance to artists like the Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Kiss, and Drake Stubbins. Tarra made a career pand now supports a wide range of business owners at the highest level at Take It Easy Personal Concierge.

In our conversation, Tarra and I dig into how her pursuit of success as an artist helped her find her lane behind the scenes and what she’s learned about time management and routines from her time around the world’s biggest superstars.

You’ll also hear how the most successful people in the world are laser-focused on their goals, projects, and pursuits and how having the right people in executive assistant roles make huge contributions to the success of both CEOs and rock stars, even remotely or virtually.

Interview resources, including show notes and links to resources mentioned, can be found on the episode page: https://www.bayntree.com/91

Key Takeaways:

• How Tarra launched her career by hopping on a tour bus with Kenny Rogers and doing the behind-the-scenes work that needed to be done.
• Tarra’s approach is to build trust and credibility with VIP clients and ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
• Why is no celebrity or CEO’s daily routine going to be the single thing that makes you as successful as they are, and how can you meaningfully start taking back your time?
• The power of controlling your schedule, building discipline in your practice, and simply showing up.
• How remote, hybrid and virtual executive assistants can continue to add value without being in the same place as their clients.

Interview Resources:

• Tarra Stubbins
• Tarra Stubbins on LinkedIn | X/Twitter
• Take It Easy Personal Concierge Inc. on LinkedIn
• The Rolling Stones
• Lady Gaga
• Kenny Rogers
• Mick Jagger
• Drake
• Keith Richards
• Jack Daniel’s
• JerrySeinfeld
• Tim Ferris

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Today's guest is none other than Bayntree's Director of Corporate Development, Brian Hartstein. If you're a business owner looking for advice and strategies on tax planning or creating pensions, Roth IRAs and 401(k) plans, you've come to the right place.

In our conversation, Brian and I are exploring different ways business owners can start preparing–especially with our pretax dollars–to create the best possible financial outcomes not just for themselves but also for their employees.

We'll cover some of the big mistakes business owners make when it comes to pretax spending, how Brian analyzes a prospective client's business to recommend solutions, and why it's so important for entrepreneurs to have a solid financial education of their own.

Key takeaways

• The common issues business owners face when it comes to paying themselves out, creating a great company culture, and avoiding tax pitfalls.
• Why so many business owners lack the proper guidance when it comes to financial planning and especially taxes.
• How a third-party administrator can fit into your business structure to help meet your financial goals.
• The ABCs of employee benefits and contribution matching and how to find the sweet spot that works best for you and your employees.
• Why tax planning is only going to get more important over the next 10-15 years–and why there’s no better time to get started than right now.

Interview Resources

• Bayntree Wealth Advisors
• Bayntree Wealth Advisors on YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter
• Brian Hartstein, MSFS, CLU, ChFC on LinkedIn

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Life as a business owner doesn't come without daily challenges to overcome. The marketplace is constantly changing with new competition and technology, in addition to managing your team, inbox, and voicemail.

So, today's episode is all about the obstacles that most entrepreneurs face in 2024 and the strategies I've used to overcome them.

I'll focus on navigating the relentless bombardment of information overload, overcoming perfectionism, and preventing the fear of failure from limiting growth in your business and stunting progress. You'll learn how confronting challenges and being adaptable and resilient are critical to entrepreneurial success in today's fast-paced economy.

Key takeaways

• Stay focused and organized when dealing with information overload with emails and social media. Overcome perfectionism and embrace progress.
• Waiting for perfection limits business growth.
• Resist the temptation to chase new technologies like AI and ensure new tech is a fit for your business.
• Never be afraid to fail. Embrace failures as learning opportunities.
• Adapting to economic uncertainty and focus on the things within your control.
• Comparison is the thief of joy.
• Creating a great culture will retain top talent.

Interview Resources

• Entrepreneur's Organization
• Slack
• Blackberry
• Apple

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Today's guest is Derrick Kinney. For over 20 years, Derrick has been helping people build wealth and find purpose in life by being better with money.

He's the author of the bestseller Good Money Revolution, host of the Good Money Podcast, and creator of the Good Money Framework, where he shares seven easy steps to help people earn more, save more, and give more money to the causes they care deeply about.

In the conversation, Derrick shares his story of starting his own financial planning business at the age of 26, the hard lessons he's learned over the 20+ years he's been in the financial industry, and what's changed since shifting his focus to coaching other financial advisors over the last four years.

Key Takeaways

• The difference between scarcity and abundance mindset – and why there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel when something works.
• Why it’s good to be misunderstood as an innovator or entrepreneur.
• How Tik-Tok, LinkedIn, and Instagram influencers are misleading us when it comes to how hard it is to achieve real success.
• Why your core values matter when you build a business and choose who you want to work with.
• What Derrick learned from his conversations with Daymond John and Matthew McConaughey–and why he’d never consider canceling on someone, even if they don’t have A-list status.

Interview Resources * Good Money Framework * Good Money Framework - LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter * Derrick Kinney - Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | X/Twitter‍ * Good Money Podcast‍ * Good Money Revolution: How to Make More Money to Do More Good by Derrick Kinney, Donald Miller‍ * Simple Teen Success‍ * GettheRaiseYouWant.com * ‍Ameriprise Financial‍ * Sam Houston High School‍‍ * The White House‍ * Daymond John‍ * Dan Fleyshman‍ * Jon Gordon‍ * Jamie Kern Lima

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Today, I’m talking to my good friend and serial entrepreneur Aaron Chamberlin. Aaron is a well known chef here in the Phoenix area who has owned a number of restaurants, including Saint Francis, Taco Chelo, and Phoenix Public Market, diversified across industries, and achieved success in a field notorious for its extraordinary challenges.

In our conversation, Aaron shares lessons from his 37 years in the restaurant business. You’ll hear the story of how he honed his skills under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, why it’s so common for “successful” restaurants to barely turn a profit, and the hard lessons he learned that helped him experience remarkable growth, personally and professionally, since 2018.

Key takeaways:

• How Aaron discovered his passion for cooking and survived 70+ hour weeks while earning very little money in New York City.
• What inspired Aaron to open Saint Francis in his home state of Arizona, why the business was an immediate public success, and what drove him to sell it.
• How Aaron shifted his mindset as he opened Taco Chelo and the Phoenix Public Market to improve his profit margins and his growth.
• What Aaron has done to diversify his investing, share his passion with his family, and weather the storms along the way.

More interview resources can be found on the episode page: https://www.bayntree.com/87

Interview Resources:

• Watch Episode on YouTube
• Aaron Chamberlin on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• Taco Chelo
• Taco Chelo on Instagram | Facebook
• Phoenix Public Market Cafe
• Tempe Public Market Cafe
• Ghost Ranch
• Michel Richard
• Jean-Georges Vongerichten
• Daniel Boulud
• Restaurant DANIEL
• La Grande Orange Grocery
• Robert Lynn
• Craig DeMarco
• Postino
• Chelsea's Kitchen
• Radio Milano
• Gennaro Garcia
• Fife Symington
• Scott Barker
• Copperstate Farms

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Today, I’m talking to Ryan Madrid, co-founder of Bison Ventures and host of the Into The Storm Podcast.

After leaving corporate America, he joined VIP Mortgage as the Director of Business Development. Before long he was bringing in one billion in mortgage loan sales on his way to being in the area's top 1% of mortgage lending.

In this conversation, Ryan talks about his entrepreneurial journey with deep family roots, how Bison Ventures’ corporate culture has helped them become one of Phoenix’s leading mortgage companies, and the power of building a culture to create great client experiences.

Key takeaways:

• Why incredible customer service is key to weathering tough times in any industry.
• The advice Ryan’s uncle gave him to help him leave corporate America and find his true calling.
• How Ryan survived tough personal times, left the corporate world, found his business partner, and got on a new track to success.
• What differentiates Bison Ventures from other mortgage firms.
• The humbling business challenges Ryan has faced in the last several years–and how he got through them.

Interview Resources

• Bison Ventures
• Bison Ventures on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• Ryan Madrid on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
• Into the Storm Podcast on YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Instagram
• Abbott
• Johnson & Johnson
• VIP Mortgage
• Fantasy
• Stuart M. Crawford
• Breanna Burton
• Jeremy West
• Jay Barbour
• Keith Teegardin
• Anthem
• Brian Moore
• Liz Kleven
• Trisha Madrid
• Lana Ambrose

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If you’re growing a business and a family, you’re probably more than a little familiar with moments of chaos. And if you’re listening to this podcast, you probably know how it feels to have too much on your plate and perhaps wondered how to make positive, powerful shifts in the face of big challenges.

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to my friend and mentor Elizabeth Winkler. Elizabeth is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Meditation Teacher, and her work has helped thousands of people all over the world.

In today’s episode, we dig into the power of mindfulness, how to start (and stick to) a meditation practice of your own, and how to use these incredible tools to declutter your mind, tap into your superpowers, and approach everything in your life in flow.

Key takeaways:

• What it means to practice mindfulness and live with intention.
• What stops people from having a meditation practice.
• How to help unwind the Type-A mind to harness your energy more effectively.
• Why fear is at the root of your perfectionism–and what to do about it.
• Why there’s never been a better time to start meditating than right now.

Interview Resources

• Elizabeth Winkler
• Elizabeth Winkler on Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok
• The Shadow & the Light Podcast
• davidji.com
• Calm
• Insight Timer
• Dr. Andrew Huberman
• Michael Singer
• The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
• The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection by Michael A. Singer
• Jamar Rogers
• The Voice

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For many people, election years bring a lot of stress. That’s especially true in the most recent elections. Media coverage is 24/7, and there are new polls and promises in the headlines, which can cause uncertainty among investors.

So today, I’m jumping on the mic with John Gengle, a Financial Advisor at Bayntree Wealth, to discuss what history has taught us about previous election years and what to expect from this one.

In our conversation, you’ll hear how changes to which party is in power rarely lead to a significant impact on the economy, how fixed-income investments have been undervalued, and how Congress plays a more critical role in our tax laws and economy than a new President.

Key takeaways:

• What to expect if a Democrat or Republican President is elected.
• Why campaign promises don’t always lead to sweeping economic changes.
• The benefits that a divided congress has on economic policy.
• How fixed income investments have been undervalued in recent years.

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Music: The Whole World Crashes Down – Astral Orange

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Building a successful career in an incredibly competitive real estate market doesn’t happen by accident, especially when your area of expertise is luxury residential real estate. Today’s guest has climbed to the top and is recognized as one of Arizona’s top real estate advisors. As you’ll hear, tremendous success doesn’t happen without developing great partnerships and long-term relationships.

Adrian Heyman is a Real Estate Advisor at The Agency, a luxury real estate firm in Scottsdale, AZ. Adrian was The Agency’s top-producing agent from 2018-2021 and reclaimed the title in 2023. In addition to succeeding in Arizona’s real estate markets, he’s also passionate about the Surfrider Foundation and has built a thriving 25-year partnership with his wife.

In this conversation, Adrian shares the story of how he came from Australia’s fitness industry to American real estate, how he achieved success in an incredibly competitive industry with a very high failure rate, and what lies ahead in Arizona’s hot luxury real estate market.

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Key takeaways:

• How Adrian kept his business growing and his family stable even through brutal market downturns and cross-continental moves.
• How a huge real estate deal in Paradise Valley in 2017 changed the trajectory of Adrian’s career.
• The critical mistakes Adrian sees homeowners and agent advisors make that stop them from getting top dollar.
• How technology has transformed the landscape for home buyers and sellers.
• Factors that attract high-end homebuyers to the Paradise Valley.

Interview Resources

• AdrianHeyman.com
• Adrian Heyman on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• The Agency
• The Agency on Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn | X/Twitter
• Mauricio Umansky
• Billy Rose
• Surfrider Foundation

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Making the entrepreneurial leap and leaving Corporate America to create your own business is more than a leap of faith. Most new business owners face trials and tribulations along the way. But those who stick with it and believe in themselves can achieve the growth that makes them a success story worth celebrating.

Today’s guest is Shannon Breen, and he has a success story that is definitely worth celebrating. Shannon is the Co-CEO and founder of FreightVana, a digital logistics partner powered by technology and built on trust and transparency.

In this conversation, Shannon tells the story of how he fell in love with logistics, the two core components that have led to rapid and exponential business growth, and the power of building a great culture with employees who are empowered to be authentic on social media.

Key takeaways

• What makes the logistics industry so uniquely fragmented and complicated.
• Why Shannon took the entrepreneurial leap and left corporate America.
• The importance of trust, transparency and authenticity in a company with a great culture.
• Why some people can launch their company as a side business, why Shannon needed to go all-in, and why so many entrepreneurs fail to even take the first step.
• Shannon’s advice on creating a thriving company culture and the benefits of empowering staff to be authentic at home and at work.

Interview Resources

• FreightVana
• FreightVana on LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok | X/Twitter | Facebook
• Shannon Breen on LinkedIn
• John Gamero
• Denzel Washington
• Denzel Washington - Deathbed
• Swift Transportation
• Entrepreneurs’ Organization
• State Forty Eight Foundation
• Michael Spangenberg
• Joshua Brees
• Trainual

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It’s very easy to rack up credit card debt. It’s much more difficult to pay it off and considerably tougher to set yourself up for long-term financial success, to make good long-term decisions, or to avoid falling into classic pitfalls managing debt–especially for younger generations entering the workforce.

I’m thrilled to share this conversation with Anne Lester. Anne is a retirement expert, speaker, media commentator, and author of a new book titled How to Save Smart Now for the Future You Want. Anne was the Head of Retirement Solutions for JPMorgan Asset Management for 20 years, where she traveled the country and spoke to tens of thousands of investors.

In this episode, Anne shares how she fell in love with the world of finance, why poor financial decisions are often made, and the importance of automating your savings with a 401(k) and creating an emergency savings plan.

Key takeaways:

• How we’re programmed to spend, spend, spend–even when we already have debt we need to pay off and don’t need more stuff.
• Why we’re so afraid of getting it wrong when it comes to retirement planning–and how doing nothing sets us up for failure most of all.
• Why now’s a great time to build a robust emergency fund.
• How to get your credit cards under control, centralized, and easily tracked.
• How our peers’ luxury spending tricks us into spending more on things we don’t need.
• Simple things you can do right now to start bringing down your spending.

Interview Resources:

• AnneLester.com
• Anne Lester on LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube
• Your Best Financial Life: Save Smart Now for the Future You Want by Anne Lester
• J.P. Morgan
• The Crash of 79 by Paul Emil Erdman
• The Silver Bears by Paul E. Erdman

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Today, I’m joined by Joe Apfelbaum. Spoiler alert! This episode is jam-packed with energy and passion. If you’re interested in how AI, ChatGPT and LinkedIn can be used to its full potential to grow your businesses, this episode is for you..

Joe Apfelbaum is an accomplished author, speaker, Certified Google Trainer, and the Founder and CEO of Ajax Union. Joe is a B2B marketing and LinkedIn Expert who has helped over 1,100 clients with digital marketing and getting the most out of LinkedIn.

In our conversation, you’ll hear why Joe believes all business owners should get to know how to use AI to their advantage, as well as the free tool he’s developed to increase your exposure and connections on LinkedIn. Above all else, you’ll also hear how passionate Joe is about why it’s important to show up with energy and enthusiasm and how the first step to making a positive change, personally and professionally, is making the commitment to yourself and finding ways to hold yourself accountable.

Key takeaways:

• The power and rewards of putting yourself out there and being vulnerable and authentic.
• The importance of leveraging the power of AI in your business so you don’t get left behind.
• How Joe used ChatGPT and AI to create a course which is used by thousands on LinkedIn.
• How to communicate effectively and prompt AI to get better responses.
• How evyAI helped a user increase their LinkedIn profile views by 1800%
• Why Joe believes that not reaching out to the authors of your favorite books is a huge mistake.
• Joe’s tips for achieving work/life balance and the importance of prioritizing yourself and your health above anything else.

Interview Resources

• Ajax Union
• Ajax Union on Facebook | X/Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn
• JoeApfelbaum.com
• Joe Apfelbaum on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter | YouTube
• evyAI
• High Energy Networking: Get anything you want in life while building meaningful relationships that last a lifetime by Joe Apfelbaum
• Evyrgreen AI
• Office Moving Alliance
• The 6 Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden
• ChatGPT
• OpenAI
• Google Bard
• Pi.AI
• Reid Hoffman
• LinkedIn
• Anthropic
• Claude.AI

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Anyone living in Arizona, Nevada, or Utah has likely seen the TV commercials and the billboards for Andrew The Home Buyer. Today, you’ll get a glimpse of the man who created the company that keeps growing year after year.

Kyle Wyloge is a serial entrepreneur and the Founder of Andrew the Home Buyer. After several years of grinding in real estate and building his sales team, he decided to create a TV commercial in 2019. This became a pivotal moment in their growth and marketing strategy with more leads coming to them versus the outbound sales model. Fast forward to today, Kyle has scaled the business to where he could purchase 318 properties last year without speaking to a single seller.

In our conversation, you’ll hear how valuable it was to get started before the recession in 2008, how they use CRM to forecast future sales with a scoreboard for sales results in real-time, and why saunas and cold plunges have elevated the culture they’ve built, reduced stress and fosters a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Key takeaways:

• The monumental decision to create a TV commercial as part of their marketing strategy.
• How their process was streamlined to make selling a home simple for homeowners.
• How increasing their inbound call answer rate to 94-96% led to more appointments and closed deals.
• Create the culture you want by listening to feedback and suggestions that incentivizes your team and allows them to thrive.
• The impact that elections have on the cost of marketing with TV commercials.
• The incredible results sauna and cold plunges have on reducing stress and building culture within the team.

Interview Resources

• Andrew the Home Buyer
• Andrew the Home Buyer on LinkedIn | Facebook
• Kyle Wyloge on Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
• The Big Short
• Lerner & Rowe
• Follow Up Boss
• Phoenix Open
• Ring
• The Price is Right
• Zapier
• Optimyze

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It’s fair to say that our education system is flawed, but that’s especially true when it comes to educating kids about money. Financial literacy still isn’t being taught in schools no matter how much we talk about it–and what you do learn is the same stuff that was being taught 20 or 30 years ago.

Today’s guest, Vince Shorb, is on a mission to change that. He’s the CEO of the National Financial Educators Council. After spending 15 years in financial services, he’s developed over 2500 financial education programs and is empowering students through financial literacy.

Vince’s work has been featured in publications on USA Today, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Forbes, CNN Money, MarketWatch, Fox Business, Huffington Post, NASDAQ, and Business Insider.

In today’s episode, we explore why we have this problem with our education system, how families can teach financial literacy before their kids make major mistakes later in life, and why financial education is so much more than management and budgeting.

Key Takeaways:

• Why financial education programs aren’t changing or improving.
• The mistakes Vince made in his early twenties showed him the need for his life’s work.
• How to teach young people to shake the influence of advertising and live in alignment with their values.
• What Vince is doing to take financial education beyond simply knowing how to balance a budget.
• How moving to a cashless society encourages bad decisions.

Interview Resources:

• Vince Shorb
• National Financial Educators Council
• National Financial Educators Council on Facebook | X/Twitter | LinkedIn
• Vince Shorb on LinkedIn
• The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel

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Building online businesses is tough–and closing that first deal can make or break your business. So many of us have been there, but today’s guest found a way through–and he’s here to talk about how he did it.

Brian is the co-founder of Rotive, a Salesforce partner that helps small businesses automate their processes through the power of Sales Cloud & Pardot. Brian started with Salesforce in his college days, working in sales and eventually becoming an account executive.

In today’s episode, we get into how Brian positioned himself, with a unique focus on YouTube, to become an expert in the Salesforce space–and how you can use the same tactics to become an online expert in your field as you grow (or scale) your business.

Key takeaways:

• What Brian learned from Salesforce’s sales-forward corporate culture.
• How Brian broke through the noise to find his first clients after launching Rotive.
• How to incorporate YouTube into a marketing funnel to reach prospects.
• The tools Brian used to help Rotive cultivate authority in his niche.
• Why a relatively small YouTube channel can still drive extremely high-quality leads–and why Brian has chosen to sell video courses instead of trying to succeed by monetizing his content on YouTube.

Interview Resources

• Rotive
• Rotive on LinkedIn | YouTube
• Salesforce
• Dreamforce
• Loom
• Semrush
• Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot)
• MrBeast
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

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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 of getting Hydro Flask to the production stage.
• The challenges that are presented when business is skyrocketing with exponential growth.
• Why Travis ultimately decided to sell Hydro Flask, despite enjoying tremendous success.
• Where Travis finds motivation today and the types of business opportunities he’s pursuing.

Interview Resources

• Travis Rosbach
• Travis Rosbach on Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
• Hydro Flask
• Brian Tracy
• Jim Rohn
• Pulp Fiction
• Seaborne Airlines
• Da Hui
• Stanley
• Redpoint Climbers Supply
• Mountain Supply
• Pine Mountain Sports
• Daniel Mcgarigle

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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?

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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 healthier, happier employees with more satisfying, better-rounded lives.
• What makes music such a powerful gateway to access extremely specific memories and forge connections between people.
• The benefits of talking about anything but business with the people you do business with.
• The major challenges facing businesses as they work to create and establish great corporate culture in the post-COVID world.

Interview Resources

• Brian Mohr
• anthym.life
• anthym on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
• Brian Mohr on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
• YWB 040: What the Grateful Dead can Teach us about Business with Brian Mohr

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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

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Music: The Whole World Crashes Down – Astral Orange

DISCLOSURE: Investment advice offered through Bayntree Wealth Advisors, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Insurance services offered separately through Bayntree Planning Group, LLC Bayntree does not provide specific legal or tax advice. Please consult with your tax advisor or legal professional for guidance with your individual situation.

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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 possessions to their heirs–and why this almost always leads to probate court.

· The differences between wills and trusts–and why almost every DIYer misses something.

· The importance of having a good team of advisors, when and where attorneys should get involved.

· The common misconceptions around protecting inheritance for adult children–and major tax exemptions you can take advantage of along the way.

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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 more–on the table by failing to optimize their Social Security.
• The importance of planning for worst-case scenarios when it comes to retirement–including living to 100.
• How to treat (and think about) money in the markets.
• What makes reverse mortgages and other similar lines of credit so tempting, and so dangerous.
• Larry’s vision for a more sustainable retirement system.

Interview Resources

• Laurence Kotlikoff
• Follow Laurence Kotlikoff on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook
• Money Magic: An Economist's Secrets to More Money, Less Risk, and a Better Life by Laurence J. Kotlikoff
• Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security (The Get What's Yours Series) by Laurence J. Kotlikoff, Philip Moeller
• Ask Larry
• Economics Matters by Laurence Kotlikoff
• You’re Hired by Laurence Kotlikoff
• MaxiFi

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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 a retirement plan.
• How you can still take QCDs if you take the standard deduction.
• The most common problems and misunderstandings with QCDs.
• Why you should be thinking about QCDs at the beginning–not the end–of each year.

Interview Resources

• Sarah Brenner on LinkedIn
• Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisory Group
• Bayntree QCD Blog

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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 to still generate positive returns in the event of a loss in property value.
• What Matthew has learned from his successes (and failures) as a serial entrepreneur.

Interview Resources

• QuantmRE
• Matthew Sullivan on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
• Sir Richard Branson
• Lindstrand Balloons

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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 with his employees and teaches this process to his coaching clients.
• Why less than 6% of businesses are sold for a profit.
• Why there’s no quick fix for financial problems–and why Jackson keeps his investing boring and predictable, rather than relying on crypto or meme stocks.
• How Jackson’s F4 mantra enables his clients to work four days a week, 44 weeks a year, and helps them build businesses that earn $400,000 a year and ultimately generate $4 million in net wealth.

Tweetables:

• “If you do something that you love, you never work a day in your life. And this isn’t work for me, this is just fun.” - Jackson Millan

Interview Resources

• AureusFinancial.com
• Follow Jackson Millan on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
• Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz

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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.
• How Myles got to meet Joe Mansueto, Warren Buffett, and other titans of finance early in his life.
• How meme stocks, Reddit, and the COVID pandemic reinforced the importance of financial literacy.
• Why Rapunzl is unlikely to ever become a full-service brokerage, a la Robinhood–and why Myles sees that as a good thing.
• Myles’ advice for anyone looking to improve their financial literacy right now.

Interview Resources

• Rapunzl Investments
• Ariel Community Academy
• The Destiny Project
• UrbanX Learning
• University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
• Joe Mansueto
• Warren Buffett
• Robinhood
• Netcapital

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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:

• Why winning at all costs and being empathetic are not mutually exclusive.
• The main reasons employees dislike the people they’re working for–and what makes it so hard for leaders to show that they care.
• While there isn’t a class on compassion and empathy–it can be taught alongside time management, strategy, accountability, and other aspects of management.
• How to help develop younger employees into the leaders they have the potential to become.
• Three things you can do right now to improve your relationships with the people you manage.

Interview Resources

• Aim to Win
• From the Heart: Achieve Epic Results with an Approach That Works by Wade Thomas
• Feed My Starving Children

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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 scammed by Social Security, especially widows.
• The reasons why moving forward with your Roth conversion might be a bad idea if you’re taking your Social Security early.
• Why your financial plan has to allow you to live to 100 regardless of if you make it there or not.

Interview Resources

• Laurence Kotlikoff’s Website
• Money Magic: An Economist’s Secrets to More Money, Less Risk, and a Better Life by Laurence Kotlikoff
• You’re Hired! by Laurence Kotlikoff
• Get What’s Yours by Laurence Kotlikoff
• MaxiFi Planner
• A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing by Burton Malkiel

Podcast Page:

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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.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why so many business owners are focused on the day-to-day–and how this can sap all the joy out of entrepreneurship, especially when margins are tight.
• What your Picasso work is–and why so few people spend real time adding unique value to their business.
• Why it’s so hard to scale a business without being able to delegate–and why so many entrepreneurs can’t do it.
• Jim’s process for half-retirement–and when you might or might not be ready to half-retire.
• The best advice Jim ever received about business.

Tweetables:

• “The sooner you pull the trigger on getting your financial life together, the better that you're going to do.” - Jim Muehlhausen

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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 planning skills.
• The easiest thing for a business owner with 1099 income to do in order to save money if they don’t have a 401(k).
• The big mistakes business owners make when it comes to retirement planning.
• What a solo 401(k) is, what it looks like, and why you may want to choose it over a SEP.
• Why successful business owners need the assistance of TPA firms or other partners to create plans and find every possible tax advantage available.

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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 to the world of YouTube to grow from one subscriber to 300,000.
• The unique advantages of video over written content.
• Why it’s okay if your first video doesn’t go viral and get millions of views–and how to build up a robust library of great content that adds real value to your viewers’ lives.
• How to monetize your videos to create a new revenue stream.
• Why you shouldn’t use a webcam to shoot your videos–and how to affordably get the gear you need to produce awesome-looking content.

Tweetables:

• “You don't need to be great to start, but you need to start to be great.” - Sagi Shilo

Interview Resources

• Tech Gear Talk
• Tech Gear Talk - YouTube Channel
• Tech Gear Talk’s - Custom SPS Tank Tribute

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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 change the risk level of your investments–and why it’s so easy to get emotional and fail to stick to the plan.
• How to take advantage of catch-up provisions if you couldn’t invest in your retirement earlier in your career.
• The dangers of retiring with credit card or student debt.
• Why you need to invest time, energy, and money in your health now–not later.
• The importance of reassessing your insurance coverage.
• How to navigate divorce or separation.
• The importance of updating key documents and reviewing your estate plan.
• A reminder on why you can’t let the market spook you.

Interview Resources

• Bayntree Wealth Advisors

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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 a select team of 450 advisors to turn his research into practice for their clients.

Today, Ed returns to the podcast to talk about the benefits of paying taxes at the record lows we’re experiencing right now, how tax-deferred assets can hurt us when we’re most vulnerable if we’re not careful, and how laws passed in the wake of COVID-19 may affect your retirement planning for years or decades to come.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why Ed believes that typical accountants and tax preparers are history teachers - and working with them does nothing but show you what you could or should have done.
• Why so many accountants are short-changing their clients by recommending they choose tax-deferred assets.
• Why Ed’s traditional IRA has a balance of $0 - and how this will protect him from a massive tax bill, as well as Medicare costs, later in life.
• The reason so many people aren’t actually in a lower tax bracket in retirement.
• How the SECURE Act has created huge risks in long-term and legacy planning - and why you may now need to update your trusts.
• The biggest mistake that people make in leaving money to the next generation.
• Why life insurance can provide a better benefit to families than an IRA.
• Why so few people are familiar with Qualified Charitable Distributions - and how they can offer huge value in tax preparation.
• What makes the health savings account the deal of the century.

Interview Resources

• Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group
• The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb by Ed Slott
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• Bayntree

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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 even worse than going to the dentist.
• What estate planning really means - and who it actually benefits.
• Why probate letter is a four-letter word - and how this can become a serious problem for individuals in second marriages, especially if they don’t actually get married.
• Why estate planning is even more urgent if you’re concerned about dementia.
• The three components of a trust.
• How estate taxes are expected to change after 2025 - and how to reduce the size of your estate by creating a gifting plan.

• How to start thinking about digital estate planning as part of your overall estate plan - and tools you can use now to get started.

• Absolute Trust Counsel

• Absolute Trust Talk Podcast

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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 assistance to leaders who have to do 10 million things in a single workday.
• How to create manageable metrics and use productivity tools to hold your marketing teams accountable.
• Why working with a fractional CMO and their team is more like a long-term dating relationship than a marriage - and why Amanda, who works exclusively with post-Series A B2B tech startups, has had to turn down multiple full-time job offers from clients.
• How to manage priorities as you create and set marketing budgets.
• Why no business owner can do it all themselves - and where to find affordable, great talent when you need it.

Interview Resources

• Arch Collective
• Google Docs
• Monday.com
• Trello
• Todoist
• Jira
• Confluence

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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 timeshare owners are so unhappy - and how services like Airbnb and Vrbo rendered timeshares obsolete.
• Allie’s step-by-step timeshare exit process - and what makes her different from shady companies that ask for cash upfront and often don’t get results.
• The major mistakes and risks people make when investing in, using, and trying to get out of timeshares.
• How failing to make timeshare payments can leave estates stuck in probate and create massive financial penalties.
• How to protect your kids from liability if you are having trouble getting out of your timeshare.
• First steps to take if you have a timeshare you’re looking to get rid of - and how to avoid doing business with scammers and con artists in what can be a very shady industry.
• Who timeshares can offer value to in 2021.

Interview Resources

• Give Up My Timeshare
• Airbnb
• Vrbo
• Red Week
• Go-Koala

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Whether you’re an individual working for a company or a business owner, you need to understand your 401(k). Along with Social Security, your savings, and a few other key assets, your 401(k) is probably going to be the single most important account you have.

Today’s guest, Brian Hartstein, is the Director of Corporate Development here at Bayntree. For nearly 30 years, his passion has been retirement planning, and he has extensive experience answering all kinds of tough questions about 401(k)s.

In this conversation, Brian and I dig into why it’s so important that people understand these assets, how best to take advantage of them, and the major mistakes people make as they create (and manage) their 401(k)s.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How eliminating pensions in the 1970s and early 1980s put the onus on employees to save for retirement.
• Why choosing to take ownership of your retirement funds, as opposed to putting them on autopilot, is likely to help you retire with much larger accounts.
• Why not taking advantage of employer matching is throwing away money.
• Why 401(k)s and other generators of real wealth are “boring” - and why that’s not bad.
• The importance of understanding the specifics of your employer-provided 401(k) plan - and how to work with a financial advisor to make the most of your options.
• What target-date funds are and how to use them.
• Recommended tools for DIY 401(k) planners.
• What people with multiple 401(k)s from multiple jobs should do with those accounts.

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Whether you’re an executive speaking in front of your colleagues, an entrepreneur leading a sales presentation, or even just talking with your friends, at some point or another, you’re going to have to speak in public. If you’re like a lot of people, it might terrify you – and the COVID-19 pandemic requiring almost all of our meetings to be virtual probably hasn’t helped.

Fortunately, there are self-proclaimed speech geeks like Terri Sjodin out there in the world to help us improve. Terri has spent the last 30 years working to help people and businesses build and deliver more polished, persuasive, and effective presentations – and, since March, has focused her work on the tools and technologies you can use right now to forge more authentic connections.

Today, Terri and I are talking about the shocking mistakes that tons of professionals make when they speak in public, as well as sharing some techniques you can use right now to become a better speaker, no matter where or how you’re meeting.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Everyone can benefit from improving their presentation skills, even if you don’t work in sales or ever have to get up on a stage.
• The three benchmarks people use to measure the effectiveness of a presentation.
• Why storytelling is such a big component of almost every successful presentation.
• Three things you can do right now to improve your presentations - and the tools and technology that can help you deliver higher-quality virtual presentations.
• What makes someone a great presenter.

Interview Resources

• Sjodin Communications
• Scrappy: A Little Book About Choosing to Play Big
• Logitech BRIO
• Rode Microphones

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Do you want to give more, but feel like you need hundreds of millions of dollars to be a great philanthropist? Are you wondering how to be a more effective giver in your community and the world at large? Are you wondering how to teach the younger generation the value of giving?

If so, today’s episode of the podcast is for you. On this Giving Tuesday, we’re doing a show all about philanthropy. Our guest, Kris Putnam-Walkerly, has spent over 20 years advising families, individuals, and Fortune 500 companies on how to create game plans and roadmaps to help them be more effective givers.

In our great conversation, Kris and I talk about what you can do to change your mindset around giving, how we can all help each other get through tough times like the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to stop thinking in terms of scarcity and embrace abundance - in both our giving and our lives.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The difference between someone who simply donates money and someone who uses their philanthropy to create change in the world.
• What philanthropy is more than donating money - and how to give your resources meaningfully even if you aren’t a multi-millionaire.
• How to get out of the feeling of being overwhelmed by all the causes that need aid money in the world, find causes close to your heart, and take action.
• How scarcity mindsets and destructive frugality hold back even the wealthiest philanthropists and stop charitable organizations and nonprofits from doing the best work possible.
• What charitable organizations are going to need in 2021 - and how many nonprofits made tough pivots to survive this year.
• Tax-deductible investment vehicles you can use to give to multiple charities when you want to.
• How Mackenzie Scott is keeping her giving astounding lean while distributing massive sums of money to nonprofits and charitable organizations in need of help.

Interview Resources

• Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving
• 8Things.org
• California Wellness Foundation
• The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• Charles Schwab's Family Foundation
• Local First Arizona
• Lippman Kanfer Family Foundation

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No matter who you are or where you grew up, there’s a pretty good chance that you didn’t learn enough about financial literacy in schools. Whether you own a business or you’re a young professional considering starting one, knowing how to avoid the mistakes that will haunt you for years to come is incredibly important in the early stages of running a successful business.

My guest, Tracey Bissett, has spent much of her career helping people become financially fit, with a special focus on entrepreneurs. On countless occasions, she’s walked people through the nature of profit and loss, how balance sheets really work, and what sustainable cash flow actually looks like. She’s also had to help people navigate extraordinarily tricky situations caused by a lack of understanding.

Today, Tracey joins the podcast to talk through the mistakes she’s seen many entrepreneurs make, things you can do right now to get on top of your financial game, and what you should be thinking about in the months, years, and decades to come to maintain your financial fitness.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why 2020 has been a very bad year for some business owners and a very strong year for others.
• Why schools in both the United States and Canada do such a poor job of teaching people about money - and why so many entrepreneurs with strong skill sets lack a deep understanding of how their finances actually work.
• Why completely delegating your finances to someone else is a bad idea, why so many business plans prove to be astoundingly inaccurate, and Tracey’s advice for the many clients she’s met who end up building businesses on maxed-out credit cards.
• The age-appropriate lessons about money we should be sharing with our kids as they grow up.
• Why it’s so important for anyone pursuing a post-secondary education to apply for scholarships.

Interview Resources

• Bissett Financial Fitness
• Young Money Podcast
• YM Scholarship Fund
• Cash Coach
• Xero

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More than ever before, local businesses and small business owners need your support. If you’re a business owner, I’m sure you know this by now; if you’re a consumer, you’re probably wondering what you can do to help your community and stop big chains from taking over even more of the landscape.

For the last 15 years, Thomas Barr has been helping communities answer these questions. Thomas is the executive director of Local First Arizona, an organization here in Phoenix that provides business owners with networking, education, and guidance on how to operate more efficiently.

Today, Thomas joins the podcast to talk about why the odds have always been stacked against small business owners, how the COVID-19 pandemic has made things that much tougher, and what you can do to support your favorite businesses in this precarious time.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why shopping locally as opposed to with a chain store has such a big impact on your community.
• How seemingly unrelated local businesses can innovate and collaborate to lift each other up and create new opportunities.
• Why local businesses permanently lose customers when they underperform or fail to satisfy them.
• How the COVID-19 pandemic and the availability of PPP loans emphasized the fact that small business and big business are constantly at odds with each other in America.
• How Local First is building infrastructure and creating opportunities to help local businesses grow, scale, and deliver customer experiences that can compete with global retailers.

Interview Resources

• Local First Arizona
• Local Learning Lab
• Good Food Finder
• Fuerza Local Business Accelerator
• Changing Hands Bookstore
• Duck and Decanter
• Modified Arts
• Entrepreneurs’ Organization Arizona
• Hensley Beverage Company

• yesphx

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Most people are better at planning a vacation than they are planning for retirement. People think of it as something far off that they ignore for years or decades. They make major mistakes, choose products that don’t suit their needs or meet their goals, or fail to take advantage of the opportunities provided to them.

Sarah Holden understands well why this happens. She worked at the Federal Reserve Board, where she analyzed the US retirement system and studied the retirement market. She now is at the Investment Company Institute, where she is focused on researching what people do at the beginning and ends of their careers as they plan for and transition into retirement.

Today, Sarah joins the podcast to talk about how to turn the daunting prospect of planning for retirement into a multi-step process, the important questions you should be asking your financial advisor at every stage of your career, and the three keys to success when it comes to saving for retirement.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The major mistakes people make when they think about or plan for retirement.
• Why employers shifted from pensions to 401(k)s in the late 70s and early 80s - and how this changed retirement investing.
• How young investors can maximize their tax benefits at the beginning of their careers.
• How the CARES Act and SECURE Act have impacted retirement planning.
• Why the HSA is such a great vehicle for retirement savings.

Interview Resources

• Investment Company Institute
• Retirement Plans, Benefits, and Savings from the Department of Labor
• Investor Page from The Securities and Exchange Commission
• Internal Revenue Services

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The Retirement Red Zone is a critical point for those getting closer to retirement. Similar to the distance from the 20-yard line to the end zone in football, this is a place where it’s so important not to make mistakes.

This phase is crucial to ensure that your retirement will be stable and you’ll have a chance to truly enjoy your “golden years,” no matter how much you’ve saved, accumulated, or stored. Without a game plan, it may all blow upon you.

Today, we’re talking about the common mistakes that people make in the Retirement Red Zone, the risks that are out there, and how to avoid making them.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why social security and investments are the two means that most people now have to get them through retirement.
• Why longevity and healthcare costs are the biggest risks in retirement.
• How many retirees fail to understand how their financial situation changes after they retire - and why not knowing how much money you truly need in retirement makes this worse.
• How to optimize your retirement funds to create a stream of guaranteed income and ensure you’ll always have a paycheck to pull.

Full Episode Page: http://bayntree.com/50

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We’ve all been there: you’re at a business conference or a dinner. You get introduced to a handful of people, you introduce yourself, you hear their names, and within two minutes, you completely forget all of them.

One person who hasn’t had this problem for years is Chester Santos. Chester won the US Memory Championship over a decade ago and has spent the last 15 years training individuals, business owners, and executives how to use simple tips and strategies to remember names, information, and even entire presentations without notes. You don’t need any innate talent for memorization to be great at it - you simply need to spend a little bit of time training this muscle.

Today, Chester joins the podcast to share and demonstrate tactics you can use right now to improve your mind and your memory.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why anyone can develop a powerful memory with practice - and why Chester says he was merely “above average” when he first learned about the US Memory Championship.
• The proven framework Chester uses to memorize over 200 names in a matter of minutes when he walks into a room - among many other things.
• The three principles that make every memorization technique work.
• How our dependency on digital tools affects our memory and creates a massive business opportunity for people with memory skills.
• How Chester has pivoted his business (and his techniques) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interview Resources: * Memory School - $200 off to first 50 listeners who use coupon code “bayntree” at checkout! * Follow Chester Santos on Twitter, Facebook, Insta, LinkedIn & YouTube * How To Win Friends and Influence People * The $14 Billion Man: Why Nike Lost NBA Superstar Stephen Curry to Under Armour

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To say that we’re living in interesting and unpredictable times is an understatement. For business owners and leaders, this is especially true.

However, no matter what industry you’re in, or what you do, there’s still no tool more powerful than a team that’s ahead of you and allows you to focus on your unique ability. They give us the power to grow our businesses without giving up even more of our time and to see our visions through.

Gina Rainey understands this better than almost anyone. She’s the leader of AE Coach at Advisors Excel, where she specializes in “total practice management.” She helps advisors bridge the gap between leaders and their employees, and has helped countless businesses struggling with a lack of structure and high turnover become high-performing organizations.

Today, Gina joins the podcast to share what business owners can do right now to lead their companies, be the person that their employees look to, and get through these (and other) difficult times together.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How coaches and practice management can help businesses survive - and thrive - in times of chaos.
• Why so many phenomenal business owners are not great managers or team leaders - and how this creates problems as businesses scale.
• Why entrepreneurs can thrive in crisis, why employees often feel the exact opposite way, and how to empower and support your team members as circumstances change.
• How the job search and recruiting processes have changed over the last 6 months - and how to find qualified people in a massive pool of job seekers.
• What leaders can do to set up and structure effective weekly meetings when teams are working remotely.
• What COVID can teach us about planning our own businesses - not just our clients’.

Interview Resources

• E-myth: Why Most Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About it
• The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8am)
• Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future
• PayScale
• Salesforce
• Pardot
• Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine
• Xero
• The Road Less Stupid

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With schools, camps, and colleges either closed or reassessing the safety of operating as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have been spending more time with our kids than ever before. My 14-year-old daughter, Winter, has been helping me out at Bayntree, and has taught me a lot about TikTok, YouTube and how Gen Zers think about money along the way.

Today, Winter joins the podcast to share what Gen Zers think about retirement, money, and what she’s doing (and what we’re doing) to help her get a better understanding of money.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why Current helps kids go beyond a basic allowance to track their spending, set budgets, and learn the value of money.
• How to explain Social Security payments, the pension system, and retirement funds to your kids.
• How to teach kids about investing by putting focus on companies they already know about.
• What makes Zoom so good for business but a difficult replacement for traditional schooling.

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Like never before in our lives, the COVID-19 pandemic has us facing the same challenges, no matter who we are or where we live. Virtually everything about how we live and work has been changed by the pandemic, and it can be harder than ever to feel like you have control over your life.

For years, Dr. Jen Hartstein has been helping people get and stay on track. She’s a New York City based mental health specialist, a contributor to Yahoo News with past appearances on Today and Dr. Oz, and the author of Princess Recovery: A How-to Guide to Raising Strong, Empowered Girls Who Can Create Their Own Happily Ever Afters.

Click HERE to request a copy of the book.

Today, Jen joins the podcast to talk about what you can do to take back control, break through the noise, and focus on your physical and mental health during tough times. We can’t control what the pandemic will look like, but we can control what we eat, our rest, and how we feel.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why we benefit from predictability and routine - and how to create a new routine that serves you amidst this upheaval.
• The reason it’s so easy to burn out taking care of everyone but yourself - and what to do about it.
• What makes “social distancing” such a bad term - and how it negatively impacts our mental health.
• How to connect with kids who have been stuck at home since schools closed and parents who still may not be taking the health risks of COVID-19 seriously.
• Why obsessing over the news isn’t always a good use of your time - and how to do a digital detox.
• Risk factors to look out for in your families, your clients, and yourself.

Interview Resources

• DrJen.com
• Active Minds
• We're All A Little Crazy
• Princess Recovery: A How-to Guide to Raising Strong, Empowered Girls Who Can Create Their Own Happily Ever Afters

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Social Security is a massively important asset to build a comfortable retirement. You don’t want to outlive your money or your lifestyle, and it’s very possible to do both. The Social Security code is even longer than the tax code, there’s so much misinformation out there, and there are countless tricky situations you can end up in if you don’t position yourself correctly.

This is why I’m thrilled to be speaking to Larry Kotlikoff. He’s the one person I look to on a daily basis when it comes to Social Security. He’s the author of Get What’s Yours: The Secrets to Maxing our your Social Security, a professor at Boston University, and the founder and president of Maximize My Social Security, a software tool you can use to find the best strategy to increase your benefits.

Today, Larry joins the podcast to discuss the importance of patience when it comes to Social Security, how to time your benefits to get the most out of them, and the nuances and details of the program that so many people have questions about.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the typical retiree can’t easily make sense of their Social Security benefits.
• Possible gains you may see by claiming benefits later in life.
• Reasons cashing out your Social Security to invest in the stock market is like gambling.
• Why the Social Security Administration frequently shares misinformation and encourages people to take benefits at the wrong ages.
• How our unsustainable fiscal system has created massive unfunded liability in Social Security - and what may happen to cover this gap in the future.

Interview Resources

• Maximize My Social Security
• Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security (The Get What's Yours Series)

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The CARES Act has made massive, sweeping changes to our tax system and our business landscape. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an employee, someone who was recently laid off, or a retiree, you probably have big questions about the programs available to you. How can you best use your money to get through this trying time, and how will you keep up with the constant influx of new information?

To help you make sense of it all, I’m thrilled to bring my friend Liz Mason back to the podcast. She’s the editor at the Tax Practice News as well as a serial entrepreneur who has built five companies. She’s been reading, watching, and synthesizing the vast amount of tax news over the last month, and she can explain what’s going on far better than a TV news pundit or a low-quality article that doesn’t teach you anything useful.

Today, Liz takes us on a deep dive into the Paycheck Protection Program, disaster loans, and retention tax credits for business owners. We also dig into how retirees can make the most out of their retirement accounts, how to take withdrawals if you need the money to get by, and how the new tax filing deadlines will affect you.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How to understand the information - good, bad, and sometimes contradictory - that the government is constantly releasing.
• What the Paycheck Protection Program is aimed to do, why you should apply for it through a local bank rather than a major one, and how to make sure that the loan is forgiven if you get it.
• Why Economic Injury Disaster Loans were rolled out differently than planned for coronavirus relief.
• How to choose between the PPP and the Employee Retention Credit, which is getting far less press - and why this program may be hugely beneficial to your business.
• Why the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act got rid of carry backs - and how you can now amend your 2018 and 2019 returns to take losses.
• Who might not receive $1200 recovery rebates - and why these payouts may not come as soon as expected.
• How the new delayed filing, payment, and contribution deadlines of July 15 affect you.
• How the CARES Act has eased restrictions on retirement withdrawals - and why you shouldn’t do this unless you absolutely have to.

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Congress just passed the biggest stimulus bill of our lifetime. The CARES ["Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security] Act is a massive bill of all bills, totaling in the trillions of dollars, and it’s going to have significant impacts on us as business owners and individuals as we work together to get through this tough time.

Today, I want to address the big questions you may have about the bill: how will it affect your retirement, and what’s in there for you as an individual?

To help you make sense of the chaos, weed through the noise, and take advantage of what the government is doing to prop up the economy, I’m thrilled to bring back my good friend and mentor Ed Slott, President of Ed Slott and Company. Ed is one of the best sources for IRA advice, someone I’ve known for over a decade, and a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal.

In this emergency episode of Your Wealth & Beyond, we dig into how the CARES act will affect your 401(k) and IRAs, the updated rules concerning deadlines, contributions, and required minimum distributions, and the potential issues you and your financial advisor should discuss in the weeks and months to come.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What you can do with the fact that required minimum distributions have been waived for 2020 - and strategies you can use if you already took your required minimum distributions for this year.
• Why Ed hopes no one uses the relief provisions allowing people to take early distributions “penalty-free” from retirement plans or IRAs.
• What the extended filing and payment date of July 15 means for paying your taxes and making contributions to your ROTH IRA, IRA and Health Savings Account, as well as the messy twist that individuals who pay estimated taxes need to be aware of.
• Why health savings accounts still offer the opportunity to break even on taxes right now.
• Why you may want to take advantage of qualified charitable distributions even though there are no RMDs this year to bring down your overall

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The SECURE Act of 2020 made some of the biggest changes to retirement planning in the last decade. Business owners and employees alike have a number of options, opportunities, and potential issues to consider in the wake of these new rules and regulations, and great advice can be the difference between saving big and missing out.

Joining me today to talk about these developments is Brian Hartstein. Brian is Bayntree Wealth Advisors’ Director of Corporate Development. He has over 30 years of experience handling 401(k)s, CPAs and CPA firms, and pension plans, and even worked in his family’s third-party administration firm’s office when he was a middle-schooler.

Today, Brian and I talk through how the SECURE Act is changing tax planning and what you should focus on and look at as you review your plans and make changes. As an added bonus, if you have a retirement planning question for Brian that wasn’t covered in today’s episode, email us at info@bayntree.com and he’ll answer it, no commitment necessary.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What the SECURE Act is designed to do - and why now is a great time for everyone to reassess their retirement plans.
• How the Small Employer Plan Startup Credit and Automatic Enrollment Credit are making it easier for businesses to implement retirement plans and for employees to save.
• Why multiple employer plans likely won’t be a great choice for many businesses.
• Why some people are better served by IRAs than limited employer plans.
• How the SECURE Act possibly benefits and protects employees working less than 1,000 hours a year.
• Why retirement planning is never really over - and how to make the most of this process.

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This SECURE Act is the biggest change we’ve seen to retirement policy in the past decade. While many of these new rules and regulations are designed to help your retirement dollars grow a few more years and last you even longer, they almost all but guarantee that you’ll need to revisit your plan and make some changes in order to make the most of your money.

In this short episode, I’m walking you through the SECURE act, why now is a great time to revisit your retirement and estate plans, and what you need to look at and update to avoid missed opportunities.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How the changed age requirement for required minimum distributions impacts retirees, when it goes into effect, and the types of accounts affected.
• What the death of the Stretch IRA means for beneficiaries and how to revisit your trust or estate planning to address this policy change.
• How to use qualified charitable distributions to save on taxes.
• Why you need a cohesive retirement plan now more than ever.

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Though many simply think of them as a jam band, the Grateful Dead are one of America’s longest-enduring, most unique, and best-performing businesses. Over the course of a career that has lasted over five decades, they have created a culture, a highly profitable business, and a mindset out of organized chaos. Furthermore, they have survived as a leaderless organization and cemented their legacy in the decades following the death of founding guitarist and effective bandleader Jerry Garcia in 1995.

If you want to look to numbers for proof, consider the fact that the band made over $50 million almost exclusively from touring and merchandise sales in 1994, and that Dead & Co., the band’s current incarnation led by John Mayer, grossed over $40 million from ticket sales alone, not including merchandise, in 2019.

Joining me on today’s podcast is fellow Deadhead Brian Mohr. He’s the founder of Mohr Impact Group, a consulting firm focused on organizations who want to unlock the potential of their people by honing in on the importance and power of human connection in the workplace, and we’re digging deep into the business lessons that anyone can learn from the Grateful Dead.

So, even if you’ve never connected with their music, throw your preconceived notions out the door as we dive into a conversation about how to develop prestigious brands, create customers for life, and build small businesses thinking seriously about conscious capitalism into massive, life-changing organizations.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the Grateful Dead letting fans tape and share recordings of their concerts was an early and extremely effective form of content marketing.
• How Jerry’s death and the subsequent infighting between band members mirrors when founders exit - and how John Mayer has stepped into Jerry’s role in a leaderless way while breathing new life into the band and its business.
• How the Grateful Dead used their mailing list to create an extraordinarily effective marketing machine that fostered a massively inclusive community and treated them right.
• Why psychological safety and feeling connected is crucial to being vulnerable enough to take risks and achieve the biggest successes in business.
• How technology leaves us feeling both more connected and isolated than ever before - and what business leaders and managers can do to address these issues.

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There are more scams, major cybersecurity incidents, and cases of identity theft happening now than ever before in history - and countless opportunities for you or your loved ones to be taken advantage of.

Few people understand the ins and outs of these scams better than Steve Weisman. Steve is a highly respected cybersecurity expert who has built a career helping people protect themselves, both online and off, and is the author of The Identity Theft Alert, The Truth About Avoiding Scams, and many other books. He’s a professor of white collar crime at Bentley University, a sought after public speaker, and a frequent guest columnist and expert for outlets including the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and networks such as ABC, CNN, and MSNBC.

Today, Steve joins the podcast for a must-listen episode. You’ll learn why keeping up with cybercriminals is a never-ending game of cat and mouse, the common security mistakes that people make that can lead to massive financial and personal consequences, and simple steps you can take to protect yourself, your business, and your family.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Steve fell victim to identity theft many years ago when he had an ID card stolen from a gym locker - and how this incident changed his career forever.
• How so many of the most destructive scams, including phishing, spearphishing, text message fraud, ransomware, and robocalls supposedly from the IRS or the Social Security Administration work, and how to avoid falling victim to them.
• Why so many huge companies entrusted with your personal data fall victim to massive data breaches.
• Services you can use to protect your data and get notified of any potentially fraudulent activity as it happens.

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As we approach the end of 2019, I wanted to take some time to talk about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). For those approaching the age of 70 ½, the government requires that you start taking out a portion of the money in your retirement accounts that you've been deferring for all these years.

Understanding what’s required can get complicated - and a lot of times mistakes are made. So, today I’m going to walk you through the top 10 RMD mistakes, goofs, and blunders to avoid.

#10: Rolling Over an RMD You cannot roll over your RMD. Let's say you have a $100,000 IRA account and your RMD is $3,800. You have to take that money out and pay taxes on it. You can do a lot of things with it - put it in your bank account, use it to travel, pay a credit card… But the one thing you can't do is roll it back into your IRA account (or another one for that matter).

Be very careful of that, especially if you have a 401(k) plan that is requiring you to take the RMD out.

#9: Husband & Wife Combining RMDs Another common mistake that couples make is that they think they can combine their RMDs. Nope! All your pre-tax money has to be treated as your own. For example, if a husband and wife each have a half a million dollars in their IRA accounts, and one pulls out $45,000 from their account, they couldn’t say, "Well, now I've covered my spouse's IRA RMD.”

You cannot combine them. Your spouse still has to take out their required minimum distribution.

And remember, if you forget to take your required minimum distribution, not only do you have to take it when you finally realize that error, but there's also going to be a 50% penalty.

#8: Not Taking Liquidity A lot of do-it-yourselfers and those in real estate love to have self-directed IRAs and buy real estate properties and alternative type investments. But once you reach the age of 70 ½ you have to get your required minimum distribution out.

Let's say you have a self-directed IRA that's owning the real estate and that real estate is not liquid or generating any income. The IRS doesn't care. You're going to have to sell off something to generate liquidity to meet your RMD needs.

#7: Taking Credit for Withdrawing Excess in the Previous Year Taking credit for withdrawing an excess in the previous year is not allowed. Just because you took double your RMD the previous year, doesn't mean you can roll that over to the following year. For example, if your RMD was $5,000 and the previous year you took out $10,000, you cannot use what you took out on the previous year for this year's required minimum distribution.

#6: Believing that the “still working” Exception Applies to IRAs If you are over 70 ½ with a 401(k) and you're a full-time employee, then you do not have to take out your required minimum distribution - as long as you're a full-time employee during that year.

If you do retire on or before December 20th, you are going to be required to take your RMD out. So, the mistake people make is thinking that if they're working, that the 401(k) rule also applies to IRAs. Unfortunately, it does not and it doesn't apply to any other 401(k) plan that you have out there from existing companies that you worked for. So, it's only for the specific company that you work for right now, as long as you're a full-time employee.

#5: Making Traditional IRA contributions After RMDs Have Started Once you reach the year in which you turn 70 ½, you cannot add any money to your IRA, even if you had income and prior to 70 ½ you were able to put money in. You can contribute to a Roth IRA if you have earned income. Roth IRAs have no age restrictions, only income restrictions. So, making traditional IRA contributions after RMDs have begun is an absolute no-no.

#4: Thinking Your Annual QCD is Limited by the RMD amount The qualified charitable distribution (QCD) allows you to take a portion of your RMD and donate it directly to a charity. This allows you to cover your RMD and not have to pay taxes. But, your annual QCD is not limited by the RMD amount. You can offset your entire RMD assuming it is not more than $100,000 with a qualified charitable distribution to CD and earmark additional IRA dollars for your QCD up to $100,000. So, if your RMD is $10,000, you can direct the full amount to a charity and not have to pay any taxes on that. But, you can also go above and beyond that! If you wanted, you could give up to $100,000 from the IRA.

#3: Not Understanding the RMD Aggregation Rules If you have multiple IRAs, you can aggregate those for your RMDs. However, you cannot satisfy an RMD from an employer plan like a 401(k) to cover your IRA. So, if you still have a 401(k) or if you have multiple 401(k)s, each of those 401(k)s have to be treated like their own island - and you will have to take out the required minimum distribution from that. Many people will roll over to an IRA because it gives them more control to take RMDs out from the IRA account that they choose.

#2: Not Taking an RMD at All Missing an RMD is a huge mistake and will result in a 50% penalty on any part of the RMD that is not withdrawn. If you've made this mistake, there’s still hope! You can file an exception and many times the IRS will be lenient in making you not have to pay that 50% penalty. So, if you've not taken your RMD out, own up to it, take it out immediately, and then try to fill out the form with your CPA to get an exception on that big, 50% penalty.

#1: RMD Calculation Rules and Errors The number 1 error that we see is RMD calculation rules and errors. So, using the wrong balance, the wrong life expectancy, and/or the wrong age can be disastrous. Use the December 31st balance of the year before the distribution year. So, you want to get the value of all your retirement accounts on December 31st of the previous year. And remember that the life expectancy numbers are factors, not percentages.

Below is an easy way for you to identify what the percentage is….

So, for those that are getting close to 70 ½ or older, hopefully these tips helped. Of course, if you have any questions, you can always reach out to us at any time at questions@bayntree.com.

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No client has ever said “I want to pay more in taxes.” However, many business owners make financial decisions that are effectively choosing to give more money to the government, especially when it comes to retirement planning.

Few people understand this better than Brian Hartstein. Brian is the Director of Corporate Development here at Bayntree Wealth Advisors, and he brings more than twenty years of experience to the firm. His areas of focus include tax, business, and retirement planning as well as all types of specialized and general insurance procurement and planning.

His approach consists of educating clients, as well as working with their accounting and legal advisors, to create efficiency in their overall planning thereby enriching their personal lives and the lives of their families.

Today, Brian joins the podcast to talk about how solopreneurs, small and medium, and large business owners can build plans to meet their needs, retain employees in this time of extremely low unemployment, and be proactive in the planning process. This episode isn’t just for business owners, though. If you work for a business that offers plans, we’re also going to share plenty of things you can take to HR, or the owner, to make sure that your retirement plan is the best it can be.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The major mistakes business owners make - and the opportunities they often miss out on.
• Why the pension plan has been phased out in favor of the 401(k) - and Brian’s tips for people whose employers offer 401(k)s.
• The different retirement plans available to business owners, their major pros and cons, and how to choose a plan that best suits your or your organization’s needs.
• Why the SEP IRA may not be a good choice if you have 5-7 employees.
• How to use a combination of pension plans, 401(k)s, and profit sharing can work in tandem to provide a combination of savings and tax advantages.
• How pension plans are protected from creditors, ensuring assets will still be there when you retire.

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Over 109 million people are reaching retirement age. This means that the stresses that they’re facing, whether they’re physical or mental, are taking more of a toll on families than ever before. Finding the right care and facilities for aging adults is becoming a bigger challenge than ever before, but David Piontek is working to give back.

As a Placement Coordinator with Integrity Placement, he effectively provides comprehensive real estate services for older adults. Through an in-depth assessment process, he connects families to vetted and trusted homes and facilities in Scottsdale, Paradise, and the Phoenix Metro Area.

David Piontek is a Placement Specialist with Integrity Placement. A native of northern Illinois, he is a 20 year Air Force Veteran. After a successful military career, David went on to receive his Bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration and Master's degree in Gerontology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

As a former Case manager in long-term-care, assisted living, Hospice, and memory care, David brings great knowledge and experience to the Integrity Placement team. He assists families in understanding their options for living should the need arise. He is an expert in determining psycho-social needs as well as financial, and health care options.

Today, David joins the podcast to explain his step-by-step process for finding the right care for family members, how young people can make financial plans to protect themselves later in life, and what you can do to help ensure that your spouse or parents are placed correctly in a home or care facility that works with their financial situation.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why Integrity Placement was founded - and how he provides a unique service for aging adults and their families.
• David’s start to finish process to gauge fit and make sure that older adults have the best possible quality of life - and can afford ongoing care - for the rest of their lives.
• What makes Integrity Placement different - and the common issues to look out for when working with other placement agencies.
• Red flags and warning signs that could potentially be reasons to call a placement agency - and the potential issues with spouses and children making decisions on their family members’ behalf.
• How veterans can maximize their care benefits.

If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

Interview Resources

• Integrity Placement

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10 years ago, the term “social media” barely existed. Now, for almost every entrepreneur, social media marketing has completely changed how business is done online. Running effective campaigns isn’t simple, and there are a remarkable number of platforms, strategies, and thoughts on how best to connect with and convert audiences.

Natalie Speers is the founder of SocialAlly® Media, a full-service digital marketing agency located here in Scottsdale. She helps business owners create an online presence and voice for their companies and foster authentic relationships with their audiences - the core of social media marketing, no matter what platform you’re working on.

Today, Natalie joins the podcast to share powerful strategies for landing more appointments, closing more sales, and building a sustainable, scalable business, using highly effective platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram Stories.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Natalie built a powerful, highly effective system for promoting events using MySpace - and how it shaped her career for years to come.
• Why certain social networks fail over time - and the unique, relevant demographics that current social media platforms provide.
• Why social media constantly changes - and why you have to stay ahead of the curve in order to have continued success.
• The biggest mistakes business owners make when they attempt to break into social media marketing.
• The hard lessons Natalie has learned by building and growing her business - and the hurdles entrepreneurs face on the road to real success.

Watch episode on Youtube

Interview Resources

• Social Ally Media
• LinkedIn was founded on December 28, 2002, and launched on May 5, 2003. Wikipedia
• Myspace

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Few documents are as complicated and can have as much of an impact on your financial well-being than the US tax code. Many financial advisors don’t know the rules as well as they think they do, and this can lead to costly mistakes for their clients.

This is why Ed Slott is on a mission to help you keep more of your hard earned money. He’s a nationally recognized speaker, the host of The Safe and Secure Retirement on public television, and the founder of Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor Group - an educational program that helps advisors learn the nuances of retirement tax rules.

Today, Ed joins the podcast to share the horror stories that made him passionate about tax planning and to tell you how to take advantage of the golden era of low taxes we’re currently living in. We also get into how to avoid the unfixable mistakes so many retirees make that lead to big tax headaches - and even bigger financial losses.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why taxes are a much greater risk than the stock market when it comes to losing money - and the reason it’s so important to get professional help from a financial advisor who truly understands them.
• The big reason you shouldn't do a Roth conversion on your own - and why it may be more advantageous to do a series of conversions in lower tax brackets.
• Key takeaways from the SECURE Act which just passed the House, how the elimination of the Stretch IRA may impact retirees, and why many IRA trusts will no longer work if it passes.
• How to avoid penalties for failing to take distributions - and ways to defer and offset RMDs.

If you enjoyed this podcast, click here for your own Roth Conversion Guide , and you can click here to get more information about our upcoming event together on October 22.

Interview Resources

• IRAHelp.com
• Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group
• Retire Safe & Secure (video)

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Kristin Brabant is a life and business coach who empowers female entrepreneurs and professionals to lead careers and lives on fire. With nearly a decade of experience in facilitation and coaching, she’s supported corporate executives, incarcerated youth, and mompreneurs in pursuing their life’s biggest goals joyfully.

Kristin’s approach to coaching is part structured, part spiritual. She weaves together formal training at the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching with years of performance coaching experience and the spiritual practices she’s come to trust in two decades of study.

Today, Kristin joins the podcast to share the story of how she created her unique coaching practice, what a great coach can add to your life, and how to launch a business that truly serves people and will give you fulfillment for decades to come.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How being bullied in middle school and her father’s guidance through this difficult time in her life led to the beginning of Kristin’s coaching career.
• Why feeling miserable pursuing a Master’s in education and then in nonprofit work led Kristin to launch her own coaching business on her own terms - and how she landed her first clients.
• Kristin’s Five Milestone strategy to creating the business and life you want to lead - and the importance of being held accountable in coaching.
• How our brains keep us “safe” by trapping us exactly where we are - and how Kristin helps her clients work through this fear to take their lives and careers to the next level.

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can connect with Kristin and get access to her free 3-video mini-course to help you stop procrastinating and take action here.

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Diane Gardner is a tax superhero. Since rebranding her business during the Great Recession, she’s saved her clients over $3,070,374 in taxes by helping them strategically plan their way to lower tax liability.

She’s also the author of seven books, including 10 Most Expensive Tax Mistakes That Cost You Thousands, Stop Overpaying Your Taxes, and Stand Apart. She teaches people how to save money, avoid audits, and create the best businesses they possibly can, and speaks on proactive tax planning, utilizing proper business entity types, and changes in tax law.

Today, Diane joins the podcast to share the story of how she made her own practice stand apart. We then dig deep into higher level tax procedures and investments that can save you thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars, down the road. If you own a business and have questions about your own tax planning, it’s a must-listen.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Diane reinvented her business at the height of the recession, found her voice, and began serving a hugely successful clientele as her previous base started going out of business left and right.
• What a successful business owner should be looking for in a CPA - and why so many entrepreneurs fail to minimize their taxes when they do their tax planning once a year during tax season.
• Why so many accountants fail to go above and beyond in their offerings and services - and why it’s so important to be bringing new concepts and ideas into your industry.
• How to avoid major red flags and potential audit triggers as an entrepreneur or small business owner.
• The common fears that stop people from making completely legal moves to improve their tax bills - and how to transform your mindset to accelerate your business.
• How to minimize your taxes if you receive a combination of W-2 and 1099 income from a variety of sources.

Get a copy of Diane's 2018-2019 Tax Planning Guide by clicking here

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It’s impossible to deny that college is one of the biggest expenses you, your children, and even your grandchildren will ever face. To make matters worse, the costs of college tuition are still climbing rapidly, with some schools forecast to cost as much as half a million dollars to attend as soon as a decade from now. No matter how old your kids are, or if you’re planning to have children in the future, saving for this is a daunting, intimidating task.

Abby Chao is the co-founder and COO of CollegeBacker - a team of college savings geeks working to democratize access to the best tools and information available to prepare financially for college and bring families together in the process. She believes in a world in which every child has a college fund and everyone knows there's a community of people that supports them achieving their dreams. She’s also seen how the burden of college debt impacts entrepreneurship, career choices, and how people live their post-college lives - and wants to change things for the better.

Today, Abby joins the podcast to share the journey that led her to co-found CollegeBacker, how you can start saving for college no matter how old you (or your children or grandchildren) are, and the unique tools CollegeBacker provides to instill good habits and lighten this massive financial burden.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why college tuition at all levels keeps getting higher and higher - and why you don’t need to pay for it all yourself if you plan right.
• The experience that Abby had as a consultant that showed her how important finance is in education - and why a lack of financial education sets major barriers for students who want to achieve their goals.
• What a 529 account is, why they are in many ways your best way to save for college, and why so many families are unaware of them.
• How CollegeBacker helps people without financial advisors get access to resources to save for college - and their innovative and unique business model.
• Why you still need to save, even if your child is going to qualify for scholarships, and the caution points you need to be aware of when using 529s for private elementary or high school.

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Zachary Kepes is the founder of Zak Ventures. From nearly broke in 2007 to owning more than 150 single family homes a decade later, he’s built a real estate empire by purchasing, renting, and flipping distressed and low-income property.

In his 17 years in this industry, he survived the Great Recession of 2008 and emerged on the other side of it to see a massive opportunity in single family homes - but it wasn’t easy.

Today, Zach joins the podcast to share the story of his journey through the real estate boom and bust of the 2000s, why so many real estate investors set themselves up to fail, how to build and expand your professional network and the advice that has helped him through both good times and bad.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Zachary came from a family of entrepreneurs and began his real estate career - and the moment he knew entrepreneurship was in his blood.
• The moment Zachary realized that the recession was going to do serious damage to his career, why attempting to diversify his portfolio ended up hurting his net worth, and what kept him going through this difficult time.
• Why you need to be open and honest with your business partners to build a sustainable, scalable business.
• Why Zachary finally adopted social media - and how he stays active on new platforms while staying humble and authentic.

View the YouTube video of the podcast here:
If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

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Virginia Morris is the author of How to Care For Aging Parents. Originally published in 1996, it has been described as “The bible of eldercare” by ABC World News, “An indispensable book” by AARP, and “A compassionate guide of encyclopedic proportion” by The Washington Post.

With Baby Boomers approaching old age, Virginia’s book is more relevant than ever. I lost both of my parents early to Alzheimer’s, and I know that as parents live longer and further away from their children than ever before, they also can make massive financial mistakes that may impact everyone involved for years to come.

Today, Virginia joins the podcast to share the story of how she went from reporting on healthcare to become the media’s go-to personality on eldercare, the complicated and changing relationships between parents and children as they age, and how to ensure a smooth financial transition through this process.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why Virginia, as a first-time author, wrote How To Care For Aging Parents - and how listening to the stories of hundreds of caregivers across the country set the tone for her book and what information she needed to give her readers.
• The unique challenges we face in an era where many people live longer, but with serious cognitive impairments, how this affects estate planning and financial health, and why you should name someone to oversee your money earlier - rather than later.
• How the book has changed over the course of its three revisions - and why going to the internet for information on sensitive topics isn’t always the best option.
• Why you need to take care of yourself to be a kinder, more patient, and better caregiver.
• What Virginia learned from the media tours behind her book.
• Whether long-term care insurance could be a good investment for your family.

If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

Interview Resources

• CareforAgingParents.com
• How to Care for Aging Parents - Get 2 FREE Chapters
• LastPass
• Dashlane

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Harry Clark is a highly-rated serial entrepreneur and keynote speaker. He’s overseen sales of major companies, founded two Inc. 500 companies, and travels the world speaking to entrepreneurs, family businesses, and executives.

However, Harry has also learned some of the toughest lessons in business the hard way. In his book, Mistakes Millionaires Make, he tells the stories of 30 entrepreneurs - including himself - who each made and then subsequently lost $10 to $200 million. He’s on a mission to help others learn from his mistakes and discover what they don’t teach you in business school before it’s too late.

Today, Harry joins the podcast to share how he became a serial entrepreneur despite not having started several companies in his teens and early twenties, the importance of mentorship and great management, and the many similarities between selling a company and preparing for retirement.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Harry found his first niche business, grew it to become the largest in the United States, and sold it to a Fortune 100 in just seven years.
• Why arrogance and a lack of good advice led to Harry losing over $100 million of his own fortune between 2004 and 2005 - and why wealth is not a scorecard.
• Why recovering from professional failure takes years, not months, and how this disaster set Harry down a new path in his life and work.
• The reason you need to stick to your financial plans, even when external circumstances make you want to act otherwise.
• Harry’s tips and strategies for surviving tough times - and why he believes that taking care of your mental and physical health is key to getting through.

If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

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Shortly after John Lanza’s first daughter was born, he and his wife decided that they wanted their children to be smart with money. With a background in animation, entertainment, and education, he set out to make learning about money fun.

To do this, he created the Money Mammals, which teaches sharing, saving, and spending smarts to children through videos, products, and resources. To help parents put these lessons into practice, he wrote The Art of Allowance: A Short, Practical Guide to Raising Money-Smart, Money-Empowered Kids.

Today, John joins the podcast to talk about his unique journey into childhood financial education, how he fills a much-needed educational niche for parents and kids alike, and how he’s working to teach children about the value of money in a world where so many people barely even touch cash.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How John and his wife’s different upbringings and spending behaviors led him on a journey to teach his children to be intentional with money.
• The moment John realized that other parents were facing the same challenges he was - and what he did about it.
• Why John recommends you start your children on a physical allowance before they ever receive digital cash.
• How the Money Mammals gradually, naturally, and organically became a sustainable business for John and his wife - and why the Great Recession was such an eye-opener that showed why financial literacy is more important than ever.
• How to transition to breakthrough allowance when your children become teenagers - and have smart, productive conversations about money with your kids.
• John’s advice for parents who want to teach their children about investing, college education, and the dangers of student debt.

If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

Full Episdoe Page:

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Emily Guy Birken helps people become more financially savvy. She took a year off from teaching when her son was born, and in that time began writing for both Wise Bread and PT Money - and discovered a way to make use of her skills as both a teacher and a finance nerd.

She’s written four books, including The 5 Years Before You Retire, Making Social Security Work For You, Choose Your Retirement, and, most recently, End Financial Stress Now: Immediate Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Financial Outlook.

I’ve been reading her books and blogs for many years, and I’m thrilled to have her on the podcast to discuss her journey into financial education, the common issues and mistakes we both see in so many retirees, and the unique challenges facing individuals as they approach retirement.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Emily became an “accidental” financial guru - and how her gap year after giving birth to her son led her to focus on financial education.
• Why it’s so important to dream big and small - and take both the best and the worst case scenario into account - when you plan your retirement.
• The dangers of defining yourself by your career - and how your thinking needs to shift as you approach retirement.
• Strategies to minimize your taxes as you plan to withdraw money from Social Security and Medicare.
• Why so many people lack adequate financial education - and how these perpetuate bad decision making.
• How to create good habits to meet your financial goals.

You can visit Emily here. If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

Interview Resources

• EmilyGuyBirken.com
• Emily Birken on Twitter
• Emily Birken on Facebook
• The 5 Years Before You Retire: Retirement Planning When You Need It the Most
• Making Social Security Work for You: Advice, Strategies, and Timelines That Can Maximize Your Benefits
• End Financial Stress Now: Immediate Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Financial Outlook
• Choose Your Retirement: Find the Right Path to Your New Adventure
• Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security (The Get What's Yours Series)
• Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
• eMoney Advisor
• Mint
• Digit
• Tiller Money

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From the 1950s through the 1970s, most Americans found a job, then stuck with it for 30 or 40 years. When they retired, they received a pension, and it provided them with a guaranteed income for life. However, in the late 1970s, the 401(k) replaced pensions - and changed that forever.

Now, many of us constantly change jobs, and can amass multiple 401(k) accounts in the process. They can be scattered across different employers and custodians, and they can have different investment strategies and fees attached to them. Making sense of where they are - and what to do with them - can be more than a little confusing.

On our first podcast of 2019, we dig into the many options you have if you have a number of 401(k) accounts and the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as the worst case scenario option that you should almost never even consider.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How switching from pension plans to 401(k)s shifted risks in retirement from employers to employees - and why this shift fundamentally changed American employment.
• Why some of our clients amass 5 or more 401(k) accounts over the course of their working lives - and the reason it’s so easy to lose track of them.
• Why you may want to leave money in a 401(k), even if you’re no longer with that employer.
• The factors you should consider before rolling money out of a 401(k).
• How to efficiently consolidate your 401(k) accounts.
• Why cashing out a 401(k) is one of the worst financial decisions you can make - and it should be considered an option only if you absolutely need to do it.

If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode

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Deepak Shukla is the founder and CEO of Pearl Lemon - an award-winning SEO agency that outranks bigger, better-funded competitors. He’s a leader in helping people grow their businesses and cultivate online reputations, and his work has been featured in TedX talks, as well as on SEMRush, the Huffington Post, UpWork, and Woorank.

However, his journey to get there will surprise you - and includes the British equivalent of an Ivy League education, time spent as a tax consultant at Deloitte, pursuing a career as a rapper that led to him opening for legendary London rap crew Roll Deep, and creating tutoring companies and online education marketplaces.

Today, Deepak joins the podcast to dive deep into meaningful SEO strategies that won’t get you penalized by Google, the power of influencer marketing, how to make it easier than ever for your best possible clients to find you - no matter what industry you’re in.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Deepak’s passion for music led to one of his first companies - and how he built a recording studio with over 200 clients nationwide in his mom's house on a shoestring budget.
• What Deepak did to build his first business that he didn’t realize was teaching him everything he needed to know about search engines, building audiences, and connecting with prospects.
• The major issues that businesses struggle with as they try to grow online - and how to become an expert, drive traffic, and attract your most ideal clients using a variety of different content strategies.
• Why producing video content is now more important than ever - and why unpretentious, spontaneous video connects so well with people.
• What you can do as a local business to improve your search engine rankings - and how to use data to refine and improve your processes.

You can visit Deepak here. If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

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You can’t legally get away from paying taxes - it simply isn’t possible. However, if you live in Arizona, like I do, and you want to help make sure that your tax dollars are going to a good place, you have a number of wonderful ways to do exactly that.

In fact in the state of Arizona, if you’re a joint filer, you have the potential to receive dollar-for-dollar credits of up to $4,800 - and this can turn into millions of dollars to fund both public and private schools, foster care for children, and relief for military families.

There’s no one size fits all solution, but if you’re proactive, you have the ability to control your tax destiny - and to not do so is to miss out on a huge opportunity.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The many tax credits available to Arizonans to support the working poor, qualified foster care charitable organizations, schools, and military families - and how to get the greatest tax reduction possible.
• Why you should consider taking advantage of these tax credits if you haven’t before.
• What parts of your portfolio your tax specialist should be looking at - and why it might be a problem if they aren’t.

If you live out of Arizona please contact your tax planner to see if your state offers these special credits.

If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

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Chris Ronzio is a serial entrepreneur. As the founder and CEO of Trainual, he helps small and growing businesses document what they do, delegate roles, and create scalable operations manuals to centralize and teach their processes, roles, and responsibilities.

Before founding Trainual, Chris learned how to build and sell smart, scalable businesses, including a video production company he founded as a teenager that would go on to serve all 50 states. He also founded Organize Chaos, a firm dedicated to helping small businesses solve their problems.

Chris is also an Inc.com columnist, a speaker, and an investor. Today, he joins the podcast to share stories from his own life in business, but also to talk about the challenges so many entrepreneurs face when it comes to growth, company culture, focus, and technology - and the actionable steps you can take today to organize the chaos within your own organization.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How Chris started his first real, tax-paying business at the age of 14 in a Boston suburb, the moment he discovered a scalable model, and how learning to build that business naturally led to his second company.
• Why a lack of process and discipline leads so many entrepreneurs to chase "shiny objects" - and how this impedes growth.
• The reason every great company should have an instruction manual - and how Chris is making this happen through his current company.
• Why you need a model that provides support for your failures - and how to protect yourself and maintain room to innovate.
• The reasons so many entrepreneurs are scared of new technology - and the tools you should think about using to streamline your processes and take control of your inbox.

If you enjoyed this podcast, click here to download your free copy of Chris’s newest book, 100 Hacks to Improve Your Business. Be sure to rate and review the podcast, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

Interview Resources

• Chris Ronzio website
• Organize Chaos
• Trainual
• 100 Hacks To Improve Your Business
• Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase the Value of Your Growing Firm
• Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)
• Snagit
• Box
• Dropbox
• OneDrive
• Microsoft Office 365
• G Suite
• SaneBox
• Boomerang
• Gmelius
• Slack
• Calendly
• 1Password
• Dashlane
• LastPass
• Zapier
• Fancy Hands
• Upwork
• Design Pickle
• TaskRabbit

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As planners, advisors, and CPAs, we all know that the Health Savings Account is the best retirement account out there. If you’re not contributing to one, you need to ask yourself - or your financial planner - why not, especially if you’re a high income individual or a business owner who has a high-deductible health insurance plan.

The HSA is the only retirement account that offers the triple whammy of tax deduction, tax deferral, and tax free withdrawals - and there are many ways you can use it that aren’t simply as a healthcare slush fund.

If you and your family qualify, there are likely surprising ways that you can take tax-free distributions. You can also quickly grow an HSA if you’re just now starting one, and though there are a couple of caveats, there is basically no reason not to make an HSA a major part of your retirement portfolio.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What you need as an individual or a family in order to qualify for an HSA.
• Why the HSA is the Cadillac of retirement plans - and how it is uniquely built to offer a tax deduction, tax deferrals, and tax free withdrawals.
• Common mistakes people make when using HSAs - and how to best use the HSA to maximize its growth.
• What you can use the HSA for beyond a simple slush fund.
• How the HSA changes - and what you can use your HSA for - after you turn 65.

If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to rate and review, and send us all your questions at questions@bayntree.com - it may become the topic of an upcoming episode!

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Many healthcare decisions were made for you by your parents as a child and your employer as a working adult. However, once you turn 65, you’re suddenly eligible for Medicare - and there are many options, as well as mistakes you can make. One wrong decision can lead to financial penalties for life, and having insufficient coverage can completely derail your retirement plan. Worse yet, there are countless people out there looking to make a quick buck selling less than ideal plans to older Americans.

That’s why Michael Clark founded Strategic Growth Insurance Associates. He works to help simplify the Medicare world, break it down to the lowest common denominator, and empower both individuals and business to take advantage of what Medicare has to offer.

Michael wants you to be able to answer two simple questions about your Medicare plan: “What do I pay, and what do I get?” Today, he joins the podcast to talk about this seemingly complex system, navigate the alphabet soup of Medicare plans, and discuss the biggest gaps in our healthcare system.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why people make really rash decisions when it comes to Social Security and understanding Medicare despite having invested upwards of half a million dollars into it.
• The reason insurance is a lot simpler than many people think it is - and how to think about it differently.
• What to look out for as you approach age 65, why many people are now working past age 65, and what you need to know about Medicare enrollment.
• Reasons you may not want to do anything in the world of Medicare - and what to watch out for.
• The difference between Medicare Advantage Plans vs. Medicare Supplement Plans.
• Michael's four-step approach to helping people find the right healthcare plan.
• How to conduct a cost evaluation and calculate annual spend using medicare.gov.

Interview Resources

• SGIA website
• Social Security website
• Medicare.gov

If you enjoyed this podcast and are interested in working with SGIA to solve your own tough Medicare questions, please contact us

Complete Episode Notes: bayntree.com/20

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This is Part 3 in our three-part series about Required Minimum Distributions. If you missed the previous two, click here to listen to Part 1 and click here to listen to Part 2, where we discussed the basics of RMDs and big-picture strategies to help you reduce them.

Now, we’re going to help you answer a huge (and tricky) question: What should you do when you inherit a retirement account? Whether it’s a 401(k), an IRA, a Roth IRA, a SEP IRA, Simple IRA, TSP, 457, a 403(b), or something else, there’s a lot to know.

This is especially true because when it comes to inherited retirement accounts, the IRS is NOT known for being forgiving. They will show you no leniency if you (or your advisor) screws up, and you may lose tens - or hundreds - of thousands of dollars as a consequence.

That’s why today, we’re going to teach you what you need to know about inheriting qualified retirement accounts - and the many options you and your advisor have to help you save, grow, and reinvest your money.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The very first thing you should do if you inherit a retirement account - and what you absolutely should NOT do.
• Why there is zero room for mistakes when it comes to inheriting IRAs.
• What you need to make sure of before you consider rolling your spouse’s retirement account into your own IRA - and a penalty you may not be aware of if you’re under the age of 59 ½.
• A way to avoid tax liability in the year you inherit a non-spouse’s IRA - and how to grow it like a regular 401(k) or IRA.
• Why you need to double-check how your own inherited IRA is titled.
• The reason you and your financial advisor need to do a checkup on your IRA and 401(k) beneficiaries - and why you lose so many options when you do not name an individual beneficiary.

Complete show notes: bayntree.com/19

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In 2018, security and cyber breaches are no longer a matter of if - they’re a matter of when, and how protected you are. In fact, most people have already had some portion of their data or personal information compromised, but don’t yet know it.

Dan Konzon is the Vice President of Guidance and Information Technology at Advisor Armor - a cybersecurity firm especially for financial firms. Additionally, he’s spoken at Microsoft and taught parents and students about cybercrime and online best practices.

Just like planning for retirement or estate planning to protect your family, protecting yourself from cybercrime is ongoing. You can’t quite just fix things forever. However, there are many small, easy things you can do in order to empower yourself and stay much safer. Today, Dan joins the podcast to share information you may not know, as well as how to protect yourself from the bad guys for years to come.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What is a phishing attack - and a quick and easy way to protect yourself against them in just seconds.
• How to protect not just your home and office computers, but also your smart home and connected IoT (Internet of Things) devices, such as refrigerators and TVs, from being compromised by attackers.
• Why you should use LastPass or another password manager to build strong passwords that can't be easily broken.
• The simple reason you may not want to use social media to let strangers know you're on vacation.
• What your children need to know about posting on social media.
• Alternatives to Mint and other free financial aggregators - and why “free” isn’t always good.
• What you need to know about staying secure while traveling - and the dangers of using public WiFi networks.

Complete Show Notes: bayntree.com/18

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One of the goals of the Your Wealth & Beyond podcast is to arm you with the information to make sound decisions to build your retirement - and decumulate those assets to give you the income you need along the way.

Because we’ve received more questions about required minimum distributions (RMDs), we’re tackling this issue across 3 episodes. If you missed it, click here to listen to Part 1, where we went over the basics of what you need to know about RMDs.

In this second episode, we dig deep into strategies to reduce and minimize your required minimum distributions and show you how to keep more of the dollars you defer while you make your contributions - and live comfortably along the way.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How to roll your IRA into a 401(k) plan, if allowed, to save significant income if you’re still working.
• Why the HSA is the triple crown of retirement accounts - and how it can be hugely beneficial.
• How to reposition your money using a Roth to potentially bring down conversion costs and allow for tax-free growth.
• How you can use qualified charitable distributions to make tax-free donations using your required minimum distributions directly from your IRA to charity.
• Why delaying social security benefits and taking IRA distributions instead can help you maximize your social security withdrawals while minimizing your required minimum distributions.

If you enjoyed this podcast, stay tuned for Part 3 of this series, where we’ll be talking about what you can do when you inherit an IRA or retirement account.

And click here to download our FREE whitepaper on qualified charitable distributions!

Complete Show notes: bayntree.com/17

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Over the years, we’ve received more questions about Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) than just about anything else - and because there’s so much information out there, I’m tackling this topic in a three-part series.

In today’s episode (Part 1), I dive into the basics of the required minimum distributions, how they relate to your IRA, Roth IRA, and 401(k), as well as how to calculate this amount. If you’re not careful, the required minimum distribution can become a ticking tax time bomb. However, you can effectively utilize the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as smart financial strategy, to ultimately reduce the total amount of taxes you have to pay.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why you have to take money out from your qualified retirement accounts (401k, IRA, SEP IRA, etc) - and how to calculate what you're going to need to withdraw.
• What happens if you delay your required minimum distribution - and why it likely doesn't make a lot of tax sense.
• The one benefit the IRS gives you when it comes to withdrawing from multiple accounts - and what the IRS really cares about.
• When you may want to roll a 401(k) into an IRA, to take better control over where your money is being pulled from.
• Why you can't rely on your custodian - and the penalties you may face by failing to take minimum distributions.
• How to use the joint life expectancy table to reduce your required minimum distribution if your partner is 10 years younger than you.

If you enjoyed this episode, stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, as I’m going to dive deep into strategies for reducing your required minimum distributions.

And if you’d like to calculate your RMD, Click here to download a table that makes as easy as 1-2-3!

Complete Show notes: bayntree.com/16

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As the owner of a financial planning firm that has helped hundreds of families plan their retirement, it’s clear that many people overlook how Social Security can fit into their financial and income planning puzzle - and there’s a lot of misinformation out there.

A lot of so-called "financial advisors" or CPAs don’t educate their clients about the pros, cons and specific options that are available to you. As a result, few people know how to truly utilize it to hedge against longevity, healthcare costs, and inflation.

To make matters worse, Social Security won't give you advice. If you say a wrong word, you're setting yourself up to lose tens - if not hundreds - of thousands of dollars. That’s why you need to know how to invest, get out efficiently, and avoid feeling like you need to constantly beat the market. In short, I want you to create a game plan with a purpose - which is what today’s episode is all about.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why a law that took effect in 2016 made us change many of our clients' financial plans - and what we can do to make sure your Social Security stays funded.
• What you should be looking for in a financial advisor to help you manage your retirement - especially as you approach the age at which you have to begin taking withdrawals.
• The many issues caused by filing early - and how to maximize your withdrawal for the long term.

Interview Resources

• The Heartful Retirement
• Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor Group
• Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security

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Most people aren’t born great leaders. However, there’s one organization that often produces incredible entrepreneurs and startup power players in the private sector - the Navy SEALs - and Jeff Boss is living proof.

After serving as a SEAL for 13 years, Jeff uses the principles he learned to help people build businesses, become better leaders, and find their purpose through leadership and team coaching.

Jeff knows how to persevere through challenges and adversity - even when faced with setbacks, do-overs, and disappointments. He helps team players thrive under chaos, position themselves for success, and build organizations that are efficient, powerful, and positioned to grow. He is a regular contributor to Forbes, the author of a new book called Navigating Chaos, and the host of a new podcast called Shut Up and Show Up - all of which are incredible resources for anyone looking to transform their business.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why great leadership skills are so hard to learn, no matter who you are or what your background is AND how to work together as an organization—even when faced with chaos.
• How the Mission, Team, Individual flow system works in business to help teams become more efficient and use less resources.
• What so many employees need from a leader in order to stay motivated. Don’t miss what Jeff’s own coach does for him and how he turned his fear of public speaking into a superpower!

If you enjoyed this podcast, click here to read the first chapter of Jeff’s book, Navigating Chaos, or click here to subscribe to his podcast, Shut Up and Show Up.

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If you’re a business owner or a solo entrepreneur, you have a variety of options when it comes to planning your retirement, paying your taxes, and avoiding penalties along the way.

With over 25 years’ experience working with business owners and CPAs, Brian Hartstein, Director of Corporate Development at Bayntree Wealth Advisors, helps his clients utilize their pre-tax dollars as effectively as possible.

Using his background in the pension business (he’s worked in his parents’ third-party administration firm starting in middle school) and with his knowledge of finance and taxes, Brian develops effective retirement plans to meet the specific needs of businesses of all sizes. We talked in-depth about different plan options available to entrepreneurs, corporate employees with side hustles, and everyone in between - and the major reasons why you should consider them.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. Why the SEP and Solo 401k are great starting points for many business owners - and which may be best for you.
2. The reason so many CPAs are more reactive than proactive when it comes to retirement planning, why this often leads to missed opportunities, and the importance of finding an advisor or broker who takes a high-level approach.
3. Why you should explore other retirement options that may be available to you, including the Roth 401k and defined benefit pension plans.

Complete Show Notes: http://bayntree.com/13

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In 2010 Michael Messinger faced an extraordinary challenge; continue his successful career at a large institutional financial firm that paid well, provided fantastic benefits and gave him the flexibility to control his schedule or leave it all behind to start his own firm Redwood Investment Management.

Based in Beverly Hills, CA and working almost exclusively with financial advisors, Redwood now manages over $1.2 billion in assets between their Mutual Funds, SMA and Hedge Fund strategies. Additionally, the firm is creating a lineup of ETFs that will allow them to run their strategies across even more platforms.

This amazing growth would not have happened if Michael hadn’t been willing to take risks - and if he hadn’t been able to build a sustainable, win-win model for himself and his clients. Today, we spoke about how he achieved this, what holds so many businesses back, and why passion is so crucial to success.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. Why Michael walked away from a comfortable and highly lucrative job to build his own firm.
2. How to stop yourself from going off the rails in the face of a challenge—and how boost your productivity in the process!
3. Why Michael doesn’t think in terms of numbers when he thinks about growth—and why it’s so important to take the emotion out of investing.
4. If you enjoyed this podcast and want to learn more about Redwood Investment Management, click [here].

Complete Show Notes: http://bayntree.com/12

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No matter what kind of business you run, finding your purpose - and bringing your company into alignment with it - is key to long-term, sustainable success.

Adam Goodman knows this better than almost anyone else. As the 3rd-generation leader of Goodmans Interior Structures, he initially had no desire to become part of the family business - but then realized that he could do more than just sell cubicles. In fact, he discovered how to use the business to make a meaningful impact on his community.

Today, Adam and I talk about creating environments to achieve objectives, the power of focusing on a higher purpose, and what happens when you think of everyone - not just shareholders - as stakeholders in your business.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. What Adam did to make his mark when taking over the reins of the family business
2. The key event that transformed Goodmans - and made it much easier to attract and retain top talent.
3. What we can learn from how the Grateful Dead built a business, community, and legacy over the last 50 years

Episode Notes: http://bayntree.com/11

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As you grow your firm, there’s a very good chance that you will eventually need to reach out to your community—or the whole world—in order to find great clients.

That’s where PR comes in, and few people know more about PR than Alana Kohl. After working for a Fortune 500 company and a career in corporate finance, she used her know-how and talent to succeed in large-scale national marketing campaigns to build AdvisorPR in 2005.

Alana is known for innovative, all-inclusive marketing communications programs designed to help her clients stand out in a crowded field and become prominent voices in their communities. We spoke about what exactly PR entails, when and why financial advisors need it, creative ways to reach your prospects, and much more.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. Common myths and notions that many business owners have about PR—and putting together a strategic plan to get your message out into the world.
2. How to prepare for your first live TV appearance.
3. What Business Owners can do to stay relevant and on-message—even in a cluttered social media landscape.

Discover how building your company is about more than just generating leads! CLICK HERE to download Alana’s whitepaper, “Define, Support, Promote and Capture Your Way to a Successful Financial Advisory Firm.”

Episode Notes: http://bayntree.com/10

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At some point in your life, you will face a fork in the road: do you want to stay on a career track that simply pays you, or do you want to follow your true passion, build something of your own, and write your own story?

Melissa L. Hart did just that. She mastered human resources working at Fortune 50 companies all over the United States, then quit to start her own firm, The HumanVantage® Consulting Group, where she helps to bridge the gap between corporate executives and the teams they manage.

But that’s not all.. Melissa is also the Founder of The HART of CHANGE™, which was her answer to a corporate lifestyle of poor eating habits, lack of sleep, endless travel, and stress associated with juggling career and family. When she realized the impact it was having on her health, she knew things had to change.

Today, I’m speaking with Melissa about finding your purpose in life and how to share it with the people around you as you work toward your greatest good, no matter what you do.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. Why there’s more to life than 80 hour workweeks—and how to evaluate your work-life balance.
2. That Human Resources isn’t just about benefits and compensation—and why HR specialists are psychologists, mediators, and confidants—often all at once
3. The biggest thing that millions of people overlook when thinking about retirement—and how to turn this potential drawback into a major benefit.

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Few people live and breathe accounting like Liz Mason.

She graduated college early and got her CPA by the age of 22, then spent several years in the corporate world. During this time, she learned how to automate some of the most grueling tasks that occupied so many accountants’ time, then discovered her vision to make people truly enjoy - rather than dread - accounting.

At High Rock Accounting, Liz was one of the first to move her clients into the cloud, creating solutions designed to make their numbers correct from the moment they’re entered - not when they’re fixed at tax time. Today, she joins the podcast to talk about her unique journey, how to find your perfect accountant, and tools to make your life exponentially easier.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the relationship between business and accountant is often adversarial—and how Liz envisioned a better way to do things
• Tools your business can use to make managing cash flow, bill payments, and other aspects of your day-to-day operation much easier
• Why High Rock is benefiting from unconventional marketing - and ways you can succeed by marketing differently

Show Notes: bayntree.com/008

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At some point in their history, virtually every successful company has needed to raise money—and there are now more ways than ever to do it. Do you rely on your friends and family? Do you bring in outside investors? If so, who? Are you looking for an infusion of cash, or a long-term partner to help you grow and sustain your vision?

Kevin Fechtmeyer knows these tough situations and questions very well. With 25 years of experience in private equity both on Wall Street and at his own firm, Cave Creek Capital, he has helped fund over $1 billion in equity and made countless acquisitions, empowering a number of modern leaders in their respective industries, including Dell Computer, Qualcomm, and Hickory Farms.

Today, we spoke about his journey, the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship, and why company culture—and being able to cultivate great talent—is key to long-term success.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. When and if you should partner with a private equity firm—and what to avoid in the process.
2. Why so many companies hit a plateau or experience stunted growth after initial successes—and what almost every entrepreneur needs to do in order to scale from $10 to $100 million in revenue, no matter what industry you’re in.
3. Why creating, nurturing, and maintaining great company culture is essential to bringing in (and keeping) the talent you’re going to need to succeed in the long-term—and why most investors would rather have a B company with an A team than an A company with a B team

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The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 is the most sweeping overhaul of the US tax code since 1986. While its creators insist that it’s going to make filing easier for many Americans; the bill itself is hugely complicated, changes what benefits you may be eligible for and has led to some surprising outcomes.

To help you navigate the new legislature as we gear up for tax season, Jeffrey Levine, CEO and Director of Financial Planning at Blueprint Wealth Alliance, joins me on the podcast after appearances on CNBC and CBS to talk about key takeaways and what you and your financial advisors need to watch out for.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. The goals of tax reform, the new tax brackets and why you need to look at the tax bill in full to truly understand how it will affect your taxes.
2. A number of different ways that high earners may be able to save money under the new tax code—as well as what deductions have changed or are no longer available.
3. Child Tax Credit increases
4. Roth IRA changes
5. How the Pass-Through Deduction will work for small businesses

Show Notes: bayntree.com/006

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Intellectual property law can be scary – but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, just a few hours of an expert’s time can protect you from costly legal headaches down the line, and no one knows this better than Suzann Moskowitz.

Suzann is the Founder of The Moskowitz Firm, a boutique law firm specializing in helping individuals and businesses protect their intellectual property – trademarks, branding, logos, domain names, and more – in essence, everything businesses need to nurture in order to grow.

Suzanne and I spoke about her journey, her passion for intellectual property law, how to protect yourself as an entrepreneur, and the major issues all business owners need to watch out for as they start, grow, and scale their companies.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. The clear differences between trademarks, copyrights, and patents—and when it makes sense to use each.
2. Common mistakes that entrepreneurs make when starting businesses, the potential legal issues you may face, and how to stop problems from becoming costly and time-consuming when you want to focus on growth.
3. The best ways to protect your content, even as technology keeps changing, as well as strategies and plans to address potential issues with theft or infringement

Show Notes: bayntree.com/005

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Why is it that some websites rank on page #1 of Google, while others fail to get attention and attract an ideal audience? Today, you’re going to find out!

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. The biggest digital marketing mistakes entrepreneurs are making and how you can avoid and/or fix them!
2. A 6-part SEO framework to improve your Google website ranking, increase credibility and position yourself as an industry expert.
3. Learn how to tap into the power of video so you can generate leads and turn prospects into buyers.

Show notes: bayntree.com/004

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There’s no question that technology has the ability to help us create solutions that improve how we operate and do business.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

1. How technology can help you streamline, scale & serve your clients better.
2. The exact tools that we’ve used to improve company workflow and take our business to that next level.
3. What you should know about hiring 3rd party tech support, the benefits of app integrations, and how to beef up security so your business is protected!

Show notes: http://www.bayntree.com/003

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As an entrepreneur, you simply cannot do it on your own. You need a skilled team. One that will free you up from wearing a million different hats and can give you the support to finally focus on scaling your business.

But how do you hire employees that can take you from where you are to where you need to go? Find out in today's episode!

For a FREE Consultation on How to Efficiently and Cost Effectively Improve Your Hiring Practices visit our show notes: http://www.bayntree.com/002

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Welcome to Your Wealth and Beyond! My name is Andrew Rafal and I am the founder of Bayntree Wealth Advisors.

I started this podcast as a way to empower YOU, the entrepreneur, with the insight and information you need to effectively manage and control your personal and professional finances.

Far too often as entrepreneurs, we focus so much of our energy on serving our clients, that we neglect to handle our own internal business needs. I get it… it’s not easy. You’re probably wearing a million different hats and finding the time to manage all the moving pieces can be difficult.

After building 2 successful Investment Advisory firms from the ground up, and facing many challenges along the way, my goal is to help you simplify the complex and arm you with the information you need to protect your biggest and most important asset—your business.

This is NOT just another podcast about money! My focus is to help you grow your business, build your personal wealth and find purpose in what matters most.

I’ll be interviewing leading industry experts and entrepreneurs, who not only share their stories of success and failure, but provide actionable financial advice that can be used to get your ‘fiscal house’ in order, so you can take your business to the next level.

What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing with your business? Hit me up @AndrewRafal and let me know how I can help. I’ll answer your questions in an upcoming episode!