Podcasts about Asset

Welcome to this special episode of The Edge of Show, recorded live at the Future of Money, Governance & the Law Summit in Washington, D.C. In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative world of tokenization, exploring its impact on real estate, commodities, and beyond. Join our distinguished panel, moderated by Gerard Dache, featuring industry leaders like Benjamin Diggles, Jack Ding, Chris Smithmyer and Nadia Mihova.Key topics include:The difference between coins and tokensInfrastructure requirements for successful tokenizationReal estate tokenization and its potential to revolutionize transactionsThe importance of trust and governance in blockchain technologyInsights into the Blockchain Maturity Model and its role in selecting the right blockchainTogether, they discuss the essential technology infrastructure for tokenization, real-world use cases, and the future of blockchain in various industries.Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with friends who are eager to learn more about the cutting edge of Web3!Support us through our Sponsors! ☕

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you feel constantly worried about shrinking organic visibility, heavier ad pressure, and constant change? Running an agency has never been a straight line. Platforms change, algorithms shift, and what worked five years ago can quietly stop working overnight. Organic visibility is shrinking, ads are getting more expensive, and uncertainty feels constant. Today's featured guest knows that reality and will share her journey from agency employee to founder of a 43-person local SEO agency, along with her honest perspective on Google, AI, remote teams, and why growing bigger can actually create more freedom and impact when done for the right reasons. Joy Hawkins is the founder and owner of Sterling Sky, a specialized local SEO agency focused on helping businesses rank on Google Maps and local search results. She has been working in the SEO industry since 2006 and is widely known for her deep understanding of how Google's algorithm works, especially in local search. Sterling Sky is a fully remote agency with team members spread across Canada and the United States. What started as a small consulting experiment has grown into a 43-person team over eight years. In this episode, we'll discuss: Google, AI, and the future of local SEO Why SEO agencies must diversify to survive Building a fully remote team. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. From Agency Employee to Founder of a Local SEO Agency After more than a decade inside agencies, Joy realized she was more interested in how systems worked than in selling them. When disagreements about services and sales responsibilities reached a breaking point, she decided to try consulting (fully prepared to dip into savings and return to a job if needed). Clients came faster than expected. Eight years later, that experiment has grown into a 43-person remote agency. Google, AI, and the Future of Local SEO One of the biggest challenges Joy sees in the industry right now is the pace of change inside Google's ecosystem. Features are constantly being swapped out, organic real estate is shrinking, and small businesses are feeling the impact more than ever. While agencies can usually adapt, clients often struggle because Google still represents such a large percentage of their lead flow. A major concern Joy sees is how Google is pushing more ads and limiting organic exposure, especially in local results. On mobile devices, users are now seeing local service ads dominate the top of the screen, followed by AI-driven local results that are shrinking from three listings down to one in some cases. For businesses that used to rely on being second or third in the map pack, this shift can mean a dramatic drop in calls almost overnight. Despite the fear around AI, Joy does not believe Google is going anywhere. As she points out, Google's real advantage is data. Reviews, location history, calls, visits, and behavior all live inside Google Maps. That depth of information is something other platforms struggle to match. Local SEO is still viable, but it is no longer free traffic in the way many business owners became used to. The bigger lesson is not about Google itself, but about dependency. When an agency or a business relies too heavily on one channel, any change can feel catastrophic. The agencies that struggle the most right now tend to be those built around rigid, cookie-cutter systems that cannot flex with the landscape. Why SEO Agencies Must Diversify to Survive Agency owners who want time to adapt should keep in mind it's always better to have an outbound strategy, an inbound strategy, and partnerships that you can rely on. If all your business comes from one channel and that channel changes, you are forced into reaction mode. The opportunity here is for agencies to guide clients toward broader strategies. That might include paid ads, partnerships, or even old school tactics like direct mail and local sponsorships. The exact tactic matters less than the mindset. Businesses need multiple levers to pull so they are not held hostage by one platform's decisions. For instance, right now everyone's scrambling to adopt AI in their processes, services, and more. But you should also try to understand the economics behind AI and advertising. The massive data centers, energy consumption, and infrastructure costs mean that today's low prices will not last forever. Platforms are investing heavily now with the expectation that monetization will follow. For agency owners, this reinforces the importance of pricing correctly, setting expectations with clients, and building offers that account for rising costs and shrinking organic margins. Building a Fully Remote Agency Joy's agency started more as a practical decision than a remote-first experiment. After years of working from home she saw no reason to take on the overhead of an office. The cost savings mattered early on, but the flexibility mattered even more. Without a commute, Joy could better balance work and family life. That same benefit extended to her team. Many of her early hires were former coworkers from an agency that later shut down, people she already trusted and respected. Since they were geographically spread out, an office would have created unnecessary friction. Expanding into the United States was also a strategic move. Joy wanted access to a larger talent pool so she could be extremely selective about who she hired. Being remote made it possible to hire people who were already passionate about local SEO instead of settling for whoever happened to live nearby. Culture, Connection, and Team Building at Scale One of the risks of running a remote agency is losing human connection. Joy is very intentional about avoiding that. While informal meetups happen more often in Canada, the entire team gets together once a year for an in person retreat. The goal of these retreats is mostly relationship building. Joy genuinely likes the people she works with and considers many of them friends. She believes that strong relationships create trust, better communication, and a healthier work environment overall. Joy sees firsthand how flexible work, reasonable boundaries, and a supportive environment can be life changing for employees who came from toxic workplaces. That impact has become a meaningful part of why she continues to grow the agency. Why Scaling the Agency Became a Mission When she first started her agency, Joy wanted a small team. Ten people or fewer. Highly experienced. Minimal management. That vision changed a few years in, and the reason surprised her. Around two years in, her agency began supporting a charity in Uganda, and the more she built that relationship, the more Joy saw how far a single dollar could stretch there compared to North America. Visiting in person made the impact real. She realized that by growing the agency, she could dramatically increase the good they could do through that partnership. The same realization applied to her team. As the agency grew, Joy saw how stable, flexible work improved her employees' lives. That sense of responsibility and opportunity shifted her perspective as she figured out her purpose. Now growth was no longer about ego or scale for its own sake. It became a way to create more impact both inside and outside the business. Leadership, Delegation, and Hiring for Your Weaknesses Agency owners who wish to keep their businesses small are often thinking about the nightmare that running a big agency can be. They imagine that the headaches they deal with at ten employees will just double if the team doubles. However, this was never the case for Joy. When she thinks about overworking she thinks about her time working for others. This is probably because Joy has always been very clear about what she does not enjoy. Accounting, taxes, and people management are high on the list, and instead of forcing herself to become good at everything, she hired people who genuinely enjoy those areas. A strong accountant removed massive mental load early on and hiring leadership team members who thrive on managing people allowed Joy to focus on strategy and innovation. She believes this is one of the biggest unlocks for agency owners who feel trapped. Delegation is not about offloading busywork. It is about trusting capable people to own outcomes. Joy prefers hiring experienced professionals over entry level talent because she does not want to micromanage. Her expectations are high, but so is her respect for her team's autonomy. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

In this episode of the Massive Passive Cashflow Podcast, Gary sits down with Terry Roberts, a seasoned mortgage broker with over 15 years of lending experience and a deep specialization in VA loans, investor financing, and non-traditional mortgage strategies. Terry shares his powerful journey—from homelessness, being a high school dropout, and a teenage father, to serving nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps and ultimately becoming a nationwide mortgage broker with access to 160+ lenders. His unique background in military leadership, business operations, and mortgage innovation gives him a rare perspective on how financing really works behind the scenes. Throughout the conversation, Terry breaks down why working with a mortgage broker vs. a retail bank loan officer can dramatically expand financing options for buyers and investors. He explains how veterans can strategically use VA loans to acquire duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes with little to no money down, how eligibility truly works, and how military families can build long-term wealth through real estate. We also dive deep into investor-focused loan programs most agents don't even know exist—such as asset depletion loans, rental-income-based financing, and loans that don't require tax returns, W-2s, or traditional income documentation. Terry explains how these options open doors for 1099 earners, real estate agents, retirees, developers, and foreign investors looking to invest safely in U.S. real estate. The episode wraps with a candid discussion on interest rates, Fed rate cuts, the 10-year Treasury, refinance strategies that actually make sense, and why trying to time the market often costs investors more in the long run. Whether you're a real estate agent, investor, veteran, or buyer trying to navigate today's complex lending landscape, this episode delivers clarity, strategy, and practical insights you can apply immediately.     What You Will Learn: How mortgage brokers unlock better loan options than traditional banks The real difference between a broker and a retail loan officer How veterans can use VA loans to build wealth with little to no money down Using VA loans for duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes How VA entitlement actually works (and why it's not based on property count) Investor loan options that don't require tax returns, W-2s, or pay stubs How rental-income-based loans work for investors and 1099 earners Asset depletion loans for retirees and high-net-worth investors Financing strategies for real estate agents who can't qualify traditionally Loan options for land, development, and mixed-use projects Can foreign nationals invest in U.S. real estate? (Yes—and how) Why Fed rate cuts don't directly control mortgage rates Why the 10-year U.S. Treasury matters more than Fed announcements When refinancing makes sense—even if your interest rate increases How refinancing can eliminate high-interest debt and improve cash flow Simple ways to lower monthly payments without refinancing Why relationships—not transactions—drive long-term success in real estate     Links & Resources: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerryRobertsNMLS397987 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mortgagetipdaily LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrydroberts/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mortgagetipdaily Website: terryroberts.com Email: troberts@emortgagecapital.com Attention Investors and Agents: Are you ready to scale your real estate business and connect with like-minded professionals?

Summary  In this episode of the Prosperity Podcast, we explore the enduring value of precious metals and the significance of mutual life insurance companies. Host Kim shares insights into assets that retain value over time and emphasizes the importance of having a long-term plan with investments. With current market shifts and the ever-present unpredictability of personal health, the episode underlines thoughtful financial planning. Tune in for timeless principles and financial wisdom that go beyond today's economy..   Episode Highlights 00:01:28 - "And then what?" Deep inquiry on investment goals. 00:04:00 - Gold as savings vs. investment. 00:06:40 - Liquidity needs for emergencies and opportunities. 00:09:29 - Mutual life insurance as a stable asset. 00:10:44 - Focusing on what's unchanging in uncertain times. 00:12:20 - Consequences of delaying insurance purchases. 00:14:11 - Potential health impacts on insurance eligibility. 00:15:17 - Book recommendation: "The Gold Standard" by Saifedean Ammous.   Episode Resources For resources and additional information of this episode go to https://prosperitythinkers.com/podcasts/ http://prosperityparents.com/  https://storage.googleapis.com/msgsndr/yBEuMuj6fSwGh7YB8K87/media/68e557c906b06d836d9effad.pdf  https://www.youtube.com/@KimDHButler   Keywords Prosperity podcast   Precious metals   Centuries-lasting assets   Silver price   Gold price   Financial products   Investment   Savings   Value storage   Asset growth   Emergency fund   Liquidity   Mutual life insurance   Dividend announcement   Whole-life insurance   Cash value   Term insurance   Investment strategies   Economic stability   Actuarial science   Financial planning   Peace of mind   Health and insurance   Procrastination loss   Gold standard   Bitcoin   Economic history   Prosperity thinkers  

Gary Zimmerman of Max® explains how to utilize your cash asset in retirement. Cash is one of the most overlooked assets in retirement. Here's how retirees can earn thousands more in interest while keeping their money safe and FDIC-insured. Many retirees spend years carefully managing their investments — stocks, bonds, and retirement accounts get plenty of attention. But there's one asset class that often gets ignored: cash. In this episode of Retire Today, I'm joined by Gary Zimmerman, founder and CEO of Max® to talk about why so many Americans are earning next to nothing on their bank money — and how that quiet mistake can cost retirees tens of thousands of dollars over time. As Gary explains early in the conversation, “People think that the bigger the bank, the safer it is. And that's patently not true.” In fact, many of the banks that failed during past financial crises were among the largest institutions. Why Cash Matters More in Retirement Cash plays a unique role in retirement. It provides liquidity, stability, and peace of mind — especially when markets are volatile. But that doesn't mean cash has to sit idle. Gary shared that after years as an advisor, he started getting a flood of calls from clients during the COVID period. Their CDs were maturing, and rates were dropping instead of rising. “They were missing out on thousands of dollars in interest,” he said. At the same time, trillions of dollars across the U.S. were sitting in bank accounts earning close to zero — while other savers were earning closer to 4% in the same type of FDIC-insured accounts. That gap is not about risk. It's about awareness and access. FDIC Insurance: Safety Without Sacrificing Yield One of the most important parts of the conversation focused on FDIC insurance. Many people believe that as long as their money is at a big-name bank, it's automatically safe. But FDIC insurance has limits — typically $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category. As I shared in the episode, I regularly see “everyday millionaires” with far more than $250,000 sitting in bank-type accounts — without full insurance coverage. Gary explained how spreading cash across multiple institutions increases FDIC protection and improves interest rates at the same time. “The more diversified you are, the more guarantees you get from the FDIC,” he said. Why Banks Pay So Little (And Why They Can) A question many retirees ask is simple:If higher rates exist, why don't banks automatically pay them? Gary's answer was refreshingly blunt. Banks don't raise rates unless they need your money. When a bank pays 0.1% or 0.2%, it's often a signal: “They're telling you they don't want your money.” Online banks, smaller institutions, and rate marketplaces compete aggressively for deposits — and that competition benefits savers who are willing to look beyond their local branch. As Gary put it, “There's an actual market for your money. Just like selling a house, you have to put your money on the market to get the best price.” DIY vs. Using a Service Could retirees do all of this on their own? Yes.But should they? Gary compared the process to constantly switching phone plans or insurance providers. It works — but it requires attention, time, and discipline. Rates change, banks create teaser accounts, and some institutions quietly lower yields after a few months. Max® was designed to automate that process. As Gary described it, the goal is to “spend five or ten minutes thinking about cash, then never think about it again.” For many clients, that convenience translates into meaningful results. Gary shared that a retiree with $250,000 in cash could earn roughly $10,000 more per year, or $100,000 over a decade, simply by managing cash more effectively. The Behavioral Finance Problem Nobody Talks About One of my favorite parts of the conversation focused on behavioral finance. People say they like their bank because it feels familiar. But when asked how they actually interact with it, the answer is usually: “I use the app.” At that point, loyalty becomes expensive. As Gary summed it up, “The bank owes you nothing. You owe the bank nothing.” Your savings should work as hard as you did to earn it. The Bottom Line Cash isn't boring — it's powerful when used correctly.For retirees, optimizing cash can mean more flexibility, less risk, and thousands of dollars in additional income over time — without chasing returns or increasing exposure. Don't forget to leave a rating for the “Retire Today” podcast if you've been enjoying these episodes! Subscribe to Retire Today to get new episodes every Wednesday. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retire-today/id1488769337 Spotify Podcasts: https://bit.ly/RetireTodaySpotify About the Author: Jeremy Keil, CFP®, CFA® is a financial advisor in Milwaukee, WI, author of the bestseller Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Master Plan in 5 Simple Steps and host of both the Retire Today Podcast and Mr. Retirement YouTube channel Additional Links: Buy Jeremy's book – Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Master Plan in 5 Simple Steps Gary Zimmerman on LinkedIn Max®: Your Best Interest Create Your Retirement Master Plan in 5 Simple Steps Connect With Jeremy Keil: Keil Financial Partners LinkedIn: Jeremy Keil Facebook: Jeremy Keil LinkedIn: Keil Financial Partners YouTube: Mr. Retirement Book an Intro Call with Jeremy's Team Media Disclosures: Disclosures This media is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not consider the investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any consumer. Nothing in this program should be construed as investment, legal, or tax advice, nor as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or to adopt any investment strategy. The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and any guest, current as of the date of recording, and may change without notice as market, political or economic conditions evolve. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Legal & Tax Disclosure Consumers should consult their own qualified attorney, CPA, or other professional advisor regarding their specific legal and tax situations. Advisor Disclosures Alongside, LLC, doing business as Keil Financial Partners, is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or expertise. Advisory services are delivered through the Alongside, LLC platform. Keil Financial Partners is independent, not owned or operated by Alongside, LLC. Additional information about Alongside, LLC – including its services, fees and any material conflicts of interest – can be found at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/333587 or by requesting Form ADV Part 2A. The content of this media should not be reproduced or redistributed without the firm’s written consent. Any trademarks or service marks mentioned belong to their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. Additional Important Disclosures

In a significant development for the U.S. cryptocurrency landscape, Senator Cynthia Lummis has called on Congress to advance crypto market structure legislation, a move analysts say could have far-reaching implications for digital assets.~This episode is sponsored by BTCC~BTCC 10% Deposit Bonus! ➜ https://bit.ly/PBNBTCC00:00 Intro00:10 Sponsor: BTCC00:45 Venezuela Rally02:00 Institutions are back!02:40 John D'Agostino: Retail catching up to institutional momentum04:20 ETFs Exploding again06:10 Utility tokens surge07:00 Asset owners are winning07:50 Yat Sui: Utility tokens 2026 narrative10:15 WEF January 20th11:15 Clarity timeline13:30 BlackRock buys $100M in ETH14:20 Insane Ethereum staking queue15:40 Poll16:30 Outro#Crypto #Bitcoin #Ethereum~Everything Rally?

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Substack has quickly become one of the most talked-about platforms in our community, and for good reason. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly why I'm going all in on Substack in 2026, how we're monetizing it inside our business, and how it fits into a long-term strategy for freedom, thought leadership, and scalable income, all without ads, sales calls, or constant live content. You'll learn: How we're using archived thought leadership to build a paid ecosystem Why Substack is one of the most powerful tools for authors, deep thinkers, and established leaders The exact tier structure we're using (free, paid, founding member) and why How Substack supports book launches, passive income, and audience ownership in ways other platforms don't If you're a CEO, author, or thought leader looking to get paid for your ideas, build a high-intent audience, and reduce dependency on algorithms, this episode will give you the clarity you need to decide if Substack belongs in your 2026 strategy. And, Ii you missed Part 1, be sure to listen to that episode first: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1098-why-im-betting-on-substack-for-the-future/id1052353755?i=1000741820357  TIMESTAMPS:  02:30 – 05:30: What Substack actually is 08:30 – 11:30: How we're using archived content to build a monetized ecosystem without creating new content 14:30 – 17:30: Our tier structure explained: free, paid, and founding members 17:30 – 20:30: Why in-app purchases and Apple Pay are game-changers for conversion and consumer behavior 20:30 – 23:30: Owning your audience: why Substack + books is the future: owning your audience 23:30 – 26:00: How Substack fits into a long-term ecosystem: book sales, email, trust-building offers, and passive income Resources & Links Subscribe to The Sacred Art of Selling on Substack: Free, Paid, and Founding Member tiers available {founding member subscriptions must be done through web browser or mobile browser and are not currently supported on the Substack app}: https://kellyroachofficial.substack.com/  Join The Sacred Art of Selling book waitlist: https://thekellyroach.com/bts Follow Kelly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyroachofficial/  Follow Kelly on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelly.roach.520/  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyroachint/     

If you've ever wondered whether your voice is really valuable enough to be paid for, consider this episode your wake-up call. Tomasha Suber shares a behind-the-scenes insight that most speakers wish they had when starting out. Speaking is not just a visibility play—it's a revenue strategy and your voice is an asset. Want to become […] The post 231: Your Voice Is Your Most Valuable Asset with Tomasha Suber appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Connect with Early Riders // Connect with OnrampPresented collaboratively by Early Riders & Onramp Media…Final Settlement is a weekly podcast covering capital markets, dealmaking, early-stage venture, bitcoin applications and protocol development.00:00 - Welcome Back and Market Overview02:47 - Inflation and Asset Trends05:44 - Regulatory Changes and Institutional Adoption08:53 - Security Risks and Custody Solutions11:52 - Market Sentiment and Long-Term Thinking14:57 - The Role of AI and Future Predictions33:15 - Navigating the Content Proliferation Challenge35:59 - The Future of Value in Digital Content40:19 - Stablecoins vs. Bitcoin: The Future of Transactions42:10 - Tether's Strategic Positioning in Global Markets48:43 - The Shift of Talent and Capital to Favorable Jurisdictions56:17 - Understanding the Economic Landscape and Future OpportunitiesIf you found this valuable, please subscribe to Early Riders Insights for access to the best content in the ecosystem weekly.Links discussed:https://x.com/exec_sum/status/2005751198725640395?s=20https://x.com/bearlyai/status/2006474217206985085?s=20https://x.com/paoloardoino/status/2002414704753586398?s=20Keep up with Michael:https://x.com/MTangumahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mtanguma/Keep up with Brian:https://x.com/BackslashBTChttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-cubellis-00b1a660/Keep up with Liam:https://x.com/Lnelson_21https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-nelson1/

In this episode, I explain how inheritances go wrong and lay out a plan to keep wealth private, tax-smart, and protective. We compare wills and trusts, share real examples, and detail tools that shield heirs from probate, overspending, taxes, and outside claims.• Hidden risks of probate, cost, delay, and publicity• Living trusts for privacy, speed, and control• Trust funding steps and trustee selection• Spendthrift structures to prevent blow-ups• Rules for age, milestones, and needs• Roth conversions and the 10-year rule• Asset protection

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Starting with a clearly defined niche can make all the difference when you're landing your first clients and deeply understanding that niche can carry you through the toughest seasons of agency life. Today's featured guest built his agency on exactly that foundation. Before launching his firm, he spent years working as a consultant for governments, UN agencies, and the European Commission. Along the way, he identified a clear gap in the market. That expertise proved invaluable during the pandemic. While uncertainty hit many agencies hard, he trusted his understanding of the space and chose to weather the slow months, confident the work would return. His patience paid off as demand surged later in the year. He'll share the lessons learned from more than 20 years of building and running a thriving niche agency in one of the most political and complex markets in the world—and why focus, patience, and deep domain knowledge remain his greatest competitive advantages. Filip Lugovic is the co-founder and CEO of The Right Street, an EU-focused digital communications agency based in Brussels. For the last 20 years, he's lived in the middle of the "Brussels bubble," where organizations, trade groups, and companies fight for attention from the European Commission, Parliament, and Council. His agency sits at the intersection of public affairs + digital communications, serving organizations trying to influence policies that impact nearly half a billion people across Europe. In this episode, we'll discuss: Identifying and owning a highly specific niche. Building a client list with the power of low-hanging fruit. Getting their best quarter during COVID. Keeping a creative team inspired during slow cycles. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. From Door-to-Door Sales to the EU Policy Bubble Before he ever pitched a digital campaign, Filip was strangers' knocking on doors in Southern California selling heart-shaped pillows and screwdrivers with built-in flashlights. Not exactly glamorous, but it taught him the skill most agency owners run from: sales. When he landed in Brussels in 2005, he fell into a job selling ads for EU Observer, one of the leading political publications at the time. His clients were the same organizations trying to get in front of policymakers. Over the next decade, he built a deep network and a knack for relationship-based selling. Eventually, he left to consult on his own, but by 2017, he hit the same wall most consultants do: "I'm making money… but it all goes to someone else." A lunch with his current business partner (a seasoned communicator who had served as spokesperson for governments, UN agencies, and the European Commission) led to a plan to build something together. Building a Niche Agency: Where Marketing Meets Lobbying Once they figured out their roles and what they brought to the partnership, Filip and his partner started making plans and realized something: Most agencies in Brussels fell into one of two buckets: Lobbying firms who knew politics but didn't understand digital. Marketing agencies who knew digital but didn't understand politics. No one sat in the middle. So they built an agency that merged both worlds, pairing policy context with high-quality digital production. At the time, it was a hypothesis, and a risky one. Only a couple of competitors existed. But they saw the gap and took it. Landing the First Clients by Leveraging Existing Relationships Filip is no stranger to knocking on doors to sell a product, and he would have for his agency. However, this wasn't the right environment for that, so when it came time to start looking for clients, he relied on his network. Filip's approach to sales was never transactional and he very much enjoyed building lasting relationships. This is something many agency owners overcomplicate. Filip's first step wasn't SEO, funnels, or paid ads. It was: "Let me call every single person I already know and ask them to grab a coffee." That alone got him his first tiny clients. It wasn't a big account. Five hundred euros for hours of work, and zero profit. But it built the early case studies they needed. Most agencies try to skip this part. They want the big brand logo first. But every agency you admire started by leveraging relationships and building proof. Pro tip: You should always continue to revisit these relationships. Reach out to that client and buy them a coffee. This is the low-hanging fruit that can get your agency out of a tough spot. If you're not doing this, you're leaving money on the table. How Deep Market Knowledge Helps in Hard Times By January 2020, Filip's agency was growing at a healthy pace, had a new office and a seven-person team. Then we experience COVID shut downs. Their contracts froze, clients stopped paying, and their pipeline evaporated. Meanwhile, the agency had fixed expenses and a growing team relying on them. Most agencies would've cut staff and hoped to survive. Filip didn't. Luckily, he understood his market: EU organizations operate on annual budgets. If they don't spend it, they lose it the following year. So he and his partner made the hard call: No salaries for themselves (they relied on their wives for a while). Keep the team. Use that time to aggressively market. Their bet paid off and by Q4, every organization that couldn't run events was suddenly scrambling for digital support. Their best quarter ever happened during one of the scariest years on record. It was the foundation of everything that came afterwards. Keeping the Team Inspired During Slow Cycles How do you keep a creative team motivated when client work stops? Filip's answer: "Let them create whatever they want." There were no clients nitpicking colors or people demanding designers to make the logo bigger. It was a rare opportunity for pure, unfiltered creative expression. The team remembers that period as one of the most enjoyable times in the agency's history, despite the financial uncertainty. Why Big Name Clients Don't Always Make the Best Case Studies Most agency owners are probably familiar with this scenario: A famous brand comes in with big expectations and a big budget, and you brush off early concerns thinking their reputation would suffice to make the use of their case story all worthwhile. It happened to Filip and, unfortunately, after dismissing those concerns, the client rewrote everything and destroyed the design. Now they couldn't even put it on their website. Filip laughs about this now, because it still happens. Sometimes the smallest project gives you the best case study. Sometimes the biggest one becomes a "please-don't-put-our-name-on-that" situation. Just show the work you're proud of, not just the work you were paid for. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

We'd love to hear from you. What are your thoughts and questions?In this conversation, Kent Ritter shares his journey from a management consultant to a successful real estate investor, emphasizing the importance of family, partnerships, and strategic decision-making in business. He discusses the pivotal moment that led him to leave the corporate world, the lessons learned while scaling his multifamily business, and the significance of bringing property management in-house. Kent also highlights the value of hiring the right people and creating a strong company culture, as well as innovative approaches to property renovations.Main Points:The decision to leave a corporate job was driven by a desire for family time.Scaling a business requires effective partnerships and delegation.Long-term thinking is crucial in real estate investments.Bringing property management in-house can enhance performance.Hiring the right people is essential for business success.Company culture should align with core values.A one-day renovation process can be efficient and cost-effective.Understanding risk-adjusted returns is key to successful investing.Avoiding bad deals can save significant money in the long run.Success in real estate often comes from steady, incremental growth.Connect with Kent Ritter:kent@hudsoninvesting.comhttps://hudsoninvesting.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentritter/https://www.instagram.com/ritteronrealestate/ https://www.youtube.com/@ritteronrealestate495

Email: info@lmbc.usLearn more about Lost Mountain here: http://www.lmbc.us/Stay connected with us Online:Lost Mountain FacebookLost Mountain InstagramLost Mountain YouTubeWe'd love for you to be a part of helping all kinds of people find and follow Jesus! If you'd like to support this ministry, you can GIVE HERE.How can we pray for you? Send your prayer needs to: prayer@lmbc.us!

In this timely and eye-opening episode of Unleashing Intuition Secrets, Michael Jaco sits down with Dr. Kirk Elliott to explain why silver is emerging as one of the most important assets for this moment in history. Dr. Elliott breaks down why silver has long been considered God's money — a tangible, honest store of value that has preserved wealth through every major economic transition. As fiat currencies weaken, debt explodes, and global systems strain under pressure, silver is quietly positioning itself as one of the fastest-growing and most strategically vital assets on the planet. Together, Michael and Dr. Elliott discuss: Why silver is fundamentally different from paper assets and digital speculation How industrial demand, limited supply, and monetary history are converging now Why governments and institutions are racing to secure physical silver How silver plays a role in prosperity, stewardship, and financial preparedness This conversation isn't fear-based — it's faith-based, principle-based, and strategy-driven. It's about understanding timing, recognizing cycles, and preparing wisely for what lies ahead while maintaining peace, clarity, and purpose. If you're seeking stability, stewardship, and a deeper understanding of why silver matters right now, this episode delivers clarity without hype.

Forget fancy funnels and over-edited branding — authenticity is the real power move.In this episode of The PelviBiz Podcast, we're breaking down why showing up as you is the smartest strategy for growth, connection, and long-term success.You'll discover:Why people buy you before they ever buy your offerHow fake “perfection” is killing your brand's trust and momentumThe simple shift that turns your story into your strongest marketing toolIf you've been trying to “look” like a successful entrepreneur instead of being one — this is your wake-up call.

As a new year begins, many financial resolutions start strong but fade quickly without a clear plan. In this episode of Wise Money, we break down five financial resolutions that actually create lasting progress, not just good intentions. From building a sustainable cash flow system to improving savings, tax strategy, protection, and long-term planning, we show how small, intentional steps can lead to meaningful change. Season 11, Episode 20 Download our FREE 5-Factor Retirement guide: https://wisemoneyguides.com/    Schedule a meeting with one of our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™: https://www.korhorn.com/contact-korhorn-financial-advisors/ or call 574-247-5898.   Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/WiseMoneyShow Listen on podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/WiseMoney  Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WA7quSKMGTc  Submit a question for the show: https://www.korhorn.com/ask-a-question/   Read the Wise Money Blog: https://www.korhorn.com/wise-money-blog/    Connect with us: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WiseMoneyShow  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wisemoneyshow/    Kevin Korhorn, CFP® offers securities through Silver Oak Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Kevin offers advisory services through KFG Wealth Management, LLC dba Korhorn Financial Group. KFG Wealth Management, LLC dba Korhorn Financial Group and Silver Oak Securities, Inc. are not affiliated. Mike Bernard, CFP® and Joshua Gregory, CFP® offer advisory services through KFG Wealth Management, LLC dba Korhorn Financial Group. This information is for general financial education and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations. All investing and investment strategies involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Asset allocation & diversification do not ensure a profit or prevent a loss in a declining market. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization's initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.

Chris Whalen, chairman of Whalen Global Advisors and author of The Institutional Risk Analyst blog, joins The Julia La Roche Show for "The Wrap with Chris Whalen" for his 2026 outlook.In this episode, Whalen warns of a market correction comparable to 2008, driven by carnage in private equity where hundreds of companies cannot be sold and sponsors are selling companies to themselves. After a decade-and-a-half Fed liquidity party, he predicts corporate credit will worsen in 2026, setting the stage for a housing market decline in 2027-28. Whalen reveals fraud has become epidemic in housing thanks to AI-altered bank statements, discusses the global power shift as Shanghai now sets gold prices (not Chicago or London), and explains why Powell will likely stay on the Fed board through 2028 to protect the institution - betraying Trump just like every Fed chair before him.Links:    The Institutional Risk Analyst: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/  https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/post/theira794Inflated book (2nd edition): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inflated-r-christopher-whalen/1146303673Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rcwhalen    Website: https://www.rcwhalen.com/   Timestamps:0:00 Intro and welcome back to The Wrap with Chris Whalen01:25 2025 retrospective3:35 Big stories of 2026 05:30 Midterms 08:21 Maxi market correction coming alongside 2008 in textbooks15:09 Will Powell retire or remain on the board?16:45 Will we see a more hawkish Fed in 2026?17:50 Default rates21:25 What happens with housing in 202622:42 Drawing parallels to the Gilded Age26:29 Gold and silver - another good year ahead32:41 Viewer question: Annaly mortgage REIT common vs preferred36:48 What's on the radar next week: Big investment banks piece38:18 Wrap up and where to find Chris Whalen

By Time, You Are Losing: The One Asset You Can Never Get Back by Shakh Muhammad Faqhi.For more information and further updates, please visit us at https://www.icoi.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  The first KE Report Weekend Show of 2026 sets the stage for a year that could look very different across commodities and energy markets....

Happy New Year!Here's a tribute to YOUR most valuable asset: time.Time is your best friend...and also your worst enemy. I hope you can reign it in and use it to your best advantage to massive success this year.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/fxjyGbtprWcIf you have any questions, you can reach us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifemattersfinancial.com/contact/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you're an agent looking for a mentor, start here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifematterfinancial.com/careers/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have an idea or topic suggestion? Talk to me:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/6aLkM8MSTwH4eteVA#lifematters #lifeinsurance #wholelifeinsurance #agentsforlife #lifeinsuranceagent #infinitebanking

My guest today is Cullen Roche, Chief Investment Officer at Orcam Financial Group and Discipline Funds. His latest book is Your Perfect Portfolio: The ultimate guide to using the world's most powerful investing strategies. In today's episode, Cullen walks through the principles of portfolio construction. He emphasizes the importance of viewing investments as a means of savings rather than a quick path to wealth. Cullen explores the significance of time horizons in investment decisions, why real returns are what matter, and the origins of the 60/40 portfolio. (0:00) Starts (1:38) Principles of portfolio construction (6:12) Real vs nominal returns (11:01) Asset allocation and time horizon considerations (26:59) Evaluating the role of government bonds in portfolios (30:21) Origins of the 60/40 portfolio (37:44) The forward cap portfolio (46:49) The concept of duration in investing (56:23) Disciplined Funds (1:02:39) Asset liability matching (1:03:15) Factors influencing investor behavior ----- Follow Meb on X, LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp, Richard Thaler, Jeremy Grantham, Joel Greenblatt, Campbell Harvey, Ivy Zelman, Kathryn Kaminski, Jason Calacanis, Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran, Howard Marks, Tom Barton, and many more.  ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here!  ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jenn and Chris dive deep into the essentials of structuring your business for long-term success and generational wealth. They discuss the differences between sole proprietorship and incorporation, the importance of separating personal and business assets, and how to make strategic decisions as your business grows. The conversation also explores the power of permanent insurance, the concept of infinite banking, and practical ways to leverage your corporation for investments and family legacy.   Key Topics & Takeaways Sole Proprietor vs. Corporation: Why and when to incorporate your business. Asset protection and tax advantages of incorporation. Real-life examples of transitioning from sole proprietor to corporation. Retained Earnings & Tax Strategy: How to keep more of what you earn. The impact of retained earnings on business decisions. When it makes sense to incorporate based on your business income and growth plans. Permanent Insurance & Infinite Banking: The difference between term and permanent insurance. How permanent insurance can be used as an investment vehicle. The basics of infinite banking and how it allows you to "be your own bank." Using insurance policies to build generational wealth and provide for your family. Practical Business Tips: The importance of knowing your numbers and tracking expenses. Structuring your company for income sharing and tax efficiency (e.g., board of directors, family involvement). Leveraging corporate investments, holding companies, and non-registered accounts. Legacy & Family Planning: Estate planning, wills, and passing on assets like family cottages. Teaching financial literacy and wealth-building to the next generation.   Let's dive in! Thank you for joining us today. If you could rate, review & subscribe, it would mean the world to me! While you're at it, take a screenshot and tag me @jennpike to share on Instagram – I'll re-share that baby out to the community & once a month I'll be doing a draw from those re-shares and send the winner something special! Click here to listen: Apple Podcasts – CLICK HERESpotify – CLICK HERE Free Resources: Free Perimenopause Support Guide | jennpike.com/perimenopausesupport Free Blood Work Guide | jennpike.com/bloodworkguide The Simplicity Sessions Podcast | jennpike.com/podcast Get 20% on thewalkingpad.com using code "JENNPIKE20" Get discounts at happybumco.com using code "JENNPIKE" *code doesn't apply with Black Friday sale* Programs: Ignite: Your 8-Week Body Transformation Program | https://jennpike.com/ignite The Peri & Menopause Project  - Join the Waitlist | jennpike.com/theperimenopauseproject Synced Virtual Fitness Studio | jennpike.com/synced Services: Work With Jenn | https://jennpike.com/work-with-jenn/ Functional Testing | jennpike.com/testing-packages Business Mentorship | The Audacious Woman Mentorship:  jennpike.com/theaudaciouswoman Connect with Jenn: Instagram | @jennpike Facebook | @thesimplicityproject YouTube | Simplicity TV Website | The Simplicity Project Inc. Connect with Chris: Instagram | @chrisborsellino Finance Discovery Session | Book Here Have a question? Send it over to hello@jennpike.com and I'll do my best to share helpful insights, thoughts and advice.

Across 152 conversations this year, a set of recurring patterns kept surfacing, regardless of whether the discussion focused on application security, software supply chain risk, AI systems, or creative work. The industries varied. The roles varied. The challenges did not.One theme rises above the rest: visibility remains the foundation of everything else, yet organizations continue to accept blind spots as normal. Asset inventories are incomplete. Build systems are poorly understood. Dependencies change faster than teams can track them. The issue is not a lack of tools. It is a willingness to tolerate uncertainty because discovery feels hard or disruptive.Another pattern is equally consistent. Integration matters more than novelty. New features, including AI-driven ones, sound compelling until they fail to connect with what teams already rely on. Security programs fracture when tools operate in isolation. Coverage looks strong on paper while gaps quietly expand in practice. When tools fail to integrate into existing environments, they create complexity instead of reducing risk.Security also continues to struggle with how it shows up in daily work. Programs succeed when security is embedded into workflows, automated where possible, and invisible until it matters. They fail when security acts as a gate that arrives after decisions are already made. Teams either adopt security naturally or route around it entirely. There is no neutral middle ground.Context repeatedly separates effective leadership from noise. Risk only becomes meaningful when it is framed in terms of business operations, delivery speed, and real tradeoffs. Leaders who understand how the business actually functions communicate risk clearly and make better decisions under pressure.Finally, creativity remains undervalued in security conversations. Automation should remove repetitive tasks so people can focus on judgment, problem solving, and design. The same mindset that produces elegant guitars, photographs, or products applies directly to building resilient security programs.These five patterns are not independent ideas. Together, they describe a shift toward security that is visible, integrated, contextual, workflow-driven, and human-centered.Read the full article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-patterns-from-152-podcast-episodes-2025-changed-i-martin-cissp-st1ge________This story represents the results of an interactive collaboration between Human Cognition and Artificial Intelligence.Enjoy, think, share with others, and subscribe to "The Future of Cybersecurity" newsletter on LinkedIn: https://itspm.ag/future-of-cybersecuritySincerely, Sean Martin and TAPE9________Sean Martin is a life-long musician and the host of the Music Evolves Podcast; a career technologist, cybersecurity professional, and host of the Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast; and is also the co-host of the On Location Event Coverage Podcast. These shows are all part of ITSPmagazine—which he co-founded with his good friend Marco Ciappelli, to explore and discuss topics at The Intersection of Technology, Cybersecurity, and Society.™️Would you like Sean to work with you on a topic/series to help you tell your story? Visit his services page to learn more: https://www.seanmartin.com/servicesWant to connect with Sean and Marco On Location at an event or conference near you? See where they will be next: https://www.itspmagazine.com/on-locationTo learn more about Sean, visit his personal website. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Across 152 conversations this year, a set of recurring patterns kept surfacing, regardless of whether the discussion focused on application security, software supply chain risk, AI systems, or creative work. The industries varied. The roles varied. The challenges did not.One theme rises above the rest: visibility remains the foundation of everything else, yet organizations continue to accept blind spots as normal. Asset inventories are incomplete. Build systems are poorly understood. Dependencies change faster than teams can track them. The issue is not a lack of tools. It is a willingness to tolerate uncertainty because discovery feels hard or disruptive.Another pattern is equally consistent. Integration matters more than novelty. New features, including AI-driven ones, sound compelling until they fail to connect with what teams already rely on. Security programs fracture when tools operate in isolation. Coverage looks strong on paper while gaps quietly expand in practice. When tools fail to integrate into existing environments, they create complexity instead of reducing risk.Security also continues to struggle with how it shows up in daily work. Programs succeed when security is embedded into workflows, automated where possible, and invisible until it matters. They fail when security acts as a gate that arrives after decisions are already made. Teams either adopt security naturally or route around it entirely. There is no neutral middle ground.Context repeatedly separates effective leadership from noise. Risk only becomes meaningful when it is framed in terms of business operations, delivery speed, and real tradeoffs. Leaders who understand how the business actually functions communicate risk clearly and make better decisions under pressure.Finally, creativity remains undervalued in security conversations. Automation should remove repetitive tasks so people can focus on judgment, problem solving, and design. The same mindset that produces elegant guitars, photographs, or products applies directly to building resilient security programs.These five patterns are not independent ideas. Together, they describe a shift toward security that is visible, integrated, contextual, workflow-driven, and human-centered.Read the full article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-patterns-from-152-podcast-episodes-2025-changed-i-martin-cissp-st1ge________This story represents the results of an interactive collaboration between Human Cognition and Artificial Intelligence.Enjoy, think, share with others, and subscribe to "The Future of Cybersecurity" newsletter on LinkedIn: https://itspm.ag/future-of-cybersecuritySincerely, Sean Martin and TAPE9________Sean Martin is a life-long musician and the host of the Music Evolves Podcast; a career technologist, cybersecurity professional, and host of the Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast; and is also the co-host of the On Location Event Coverage Podcast. These shows are all part of ITSPmagazine—which he co-founded with his good friend Marco Ciappelli, to explore and discuss topics at The Intersection of Technology, Cybersecurity, and Society.™️Would you like Sean to work with you on a topic/series to help you tell your story? Visit his services page to learn more: https://www.seanmartin.com/servicesWant to connect with Sean and Marco On Location at an event or conference near you? See where they will be next: https://www.itspmagazine.com/on-locationTo learn more about Sean, visit his personal website. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(0:00) Bestie intros! Nick Shirley joins the show to discuss his recent investigation on potential daycare fraud in Minnesota (3:32) Nick's background, how he got into investigative reporting and YouTube, independence, finding this story (16:36) Why this fraud story is resonating, why the national press initially avoided it (30:08) Future plans, California, possible Al-Shabaab connection, how high up does Minnesota's fraud go? (49:15) What the scale of fraud means for America, Minnesota's future, potential patronage scheme (1:09:06) CA's wealth tax: normalizing the seizure of private property (1:33:56) Chamath breaks down the $20B Groq-Nvidia deal Follow Nick Shirley: https://x.com/nickshirleyy Follow the besties: https://x.com/chamath https://x.com/Jason https://x.com/DavidSacks https://x.com/friedberg Follow on X: https://x.com/theallinpod Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallinpod Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theallinpod Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allinpod Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://x.com/yung_spielburg Intro Video Credit: https://x.com/TheZachEffect Referenced in the show: https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123 https://www.startribune.com/prosecutors-charge-5-people-in-a-minnesota-housing-fraud-scheme/601548944 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/us/fraud-minnesota-somali.html https://www.fox9.com/news/fraud-minnesota-detailing-nearly-1-billion-schemes https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2005410646603473256 https://x.com/kevinkileyca/status/2006053056660541840 https://x.com/chamath/status/2006087862492582084 https://x.com/C_3C_3/status/2005722313795440956 https://x.com/OliLondonTV/status/2005988021946999166 https://x.com/tomhennessey69/status/2005556784228909441 https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/2005849513676923358 https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/2005179409465299219 https://dcyf.mn.gov/programs-directory/child-care-assistance-program https://x.com/susancrabtree/status/2006079778873565541 https://x.com/chamath/status/2005386348169953607 https://x.com/aaronburnett/status/2003874734661161064 https://newsletter.amuseonx.com/p/the-somali-patronage-system-has-taken https://x.com/realdailywire/status/2006122428196442388 https://x.com/rightanglenews/status/2006375449404866720 https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2025-601/

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What a year. I sat down with over 100 incredible agency owners—and the insights were unreal. From million-dollar breakthroughs to hard-earned lessons, these founders brought the real talk. In this special year-end episode, I'm sharing the top 5 interviews that stood out most. To everyone who tuned in, shared an episode, or took action from something they heard—thank you. This show is for you, and because of you. Here's to a smarter, stronger, more scalable 2026. Let's go.   Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.   AI, Efficiency & the Future of Digital Agencies | with Manish Dudharejia (E2M Solutions) If you're running a digital agency and wondering how the hell you're supposed to keep up with AI, automation, and shifting client expectations—this one's for you. Jason sits down with Manish Dudharejia, founder of E2M Solutions, one of the largest white-label partners for agencies, to break down where the real opportunities are—and what's about to get wiped out. Spoiler: Agencies that don't embrace efficiency will get eaten alive. Whether you're stuck in fulfillment hell or just trying to stay 3 steps ahead, this is a must-watch if you want to grow smarter, not grind harder.   From Freelancer to CEO: How Kriston Sellier Built a Scalable, Human-Centered Agency Kriston Sellier, Founder of Id8, shares how she broke free from the freelancer grind, stopped being held hostage by a single client, and transformed into a confident CEO with systems, a team, and a business that no longer revolved around her. We dig into the moment she realized she wasn't really running a business and how hiring a consultant changed everything (and brought in 25 new clients) This isn't fluff. It's the real path from chaos to clarity—one that too many agency owners skip because they're stuck reacting.   From $1M to $40M: How Chris Dreyer Scaled His SEO Agency with One Counterintuitive Strategy If you're an agency owner stuck managing chaos, wondering how the hell to grow without everything breaking—this is your blueprint. I sat down with Chris Dreyer, CEO of Rankings.io, who scaled his agency from barely breaking 7 figures to nearing $40 million in pure service revenue. And no, it wasn't because of some sexy funnel or overnight hack. It was because he doubled down on relationships. Favorite line from Chris: "You mean to tell me it's not worth $500 to go shake hands with a $125K client?" This isn't theory. It's what the top 1% of agencies are actually doing—and it's probably not what you're doing right now.   How to Build an Agency Team That Sticks & Clients Who Actually Respect You | Colin Hetherington I sat down with Colin Hetherington, founder of Dublin's Common Good and co-founder of Zoo Digital (which scaled to $3M+ with less than 5% turnover). Colin's the real deal—he's built agencies people love working at and clients want to stay with. You'll hear how Colin combined strategy, creativity, and technical execution to create an agency that stood out—and why focusing on team trust and clarity made all the difference. Whether you're scaling or starting fresh, there's gold in this conversation on how to lead without burning out.   Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Key Takeaways: Asset Arbitrage: Asset arbitrage is a way to increase value by using new tools like blockchain and digital tokens. These tools help assets move more easily, making them simpler to buy, sell, or use as collateral. How Money Is Changing: Money has always changed over time. In the past, people exchanged goods, then coins, then paper money. Today, financial technology is creating new ways to move and manage money faster and more efficiently. Real Estate and Blockchain: Blockchain can help real estate owners unlock cash from their properties without selling them. Tokenization allows owners to access liquidity while still collecting rent. Bitcoin as a Measuring Tool: Bitcoin can be used as a benchmark to measure value. Because it is limited in supply and not controlled by governments, many people see it as a way to protect and grow wealth over time. Rethinking Investing: Traditional investing rules don't always work in a changing world. Investors need to think differently, stay flexible, and learn new tools to keep up with the evolving financial system. Chapters: Timestamp Summary 0:00 The Era of Money Changing and Blockchain-Enabled Strategies 4:13 Real Estate, Bitcoin, and Wealth Preservation Strategies 7:37 Tokenizing Real World Assets for Blockchain Liquidity 9:06 Innovative Home Equity Strategy for Tax-Free Cash Access 13:30 Bitcoin as the Most Secure and Scarce Investment Asset 16:54 Investing in Bitcoin-Backed Securities for Reduced Volatility 18:05 Comparing Real Estate and Bitcoin Investment Strategies 22:28 Tokenization and Wealth Building Through Real Estate Equity 27:43 Bitcoin as a Neutral and Immutable Financial System 32:51 The Importance of Neutral Economic Systems and Bitcoin Powered by Stone Hill Wealth Management Social Media Handles    Follow Phillip Washington, Jr. on Instagram (@askphillip) Subscribe to Wealth Building Made Simple newsletter https://www.wealthbuildingmadesimple.us/   Ready to turn your investing dreams into reality? Our "Wealth Building Made Simple" premium newsletter is your secret weapon. We break down investing in a way that's easy to understand, even if you're just starting out. Learn the tricks the wealthy use, discover exciting opportunities, and start building the future YOU want. Sign up now, and let's make those dreams happen!   WBMS Premium Subscription   Phillip Washington, Jr. is a registered investment adviser. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

We're closing the book on an unforgettable year and celebrating Season 5 of The Swoosh Life the only way we know how — with hardware.

Podcast: ICS Arabia PodcastEpisode: Securing the Food Industry | 63Pub date: 2025-12-26Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationIn this insightful episode, host Dr Sulaiman Alhasawi sits down with Adnan Ahmad, CISO at Ornua, the global dairy cooperative behind Kerrygold, operating 11 factories across Europe, the US, and Saudi Arabia.They dive into the unique world of OT security in food manufacturing, where:

Jeffrey Epstein wasn't merely a wealthy predator—he was a protected government asset, strategically positioned within elite circles to gather intelligence through blackmail and sexual exploitation. His 2008 sweetheart deal wasn't a fluke; it was part of a larger intelligence arrangement, confirmed by language in legal documents explicitly stating his cooperation with federal authorities. Former U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta even admitted that he was told to “back off” because Epstein “belonged to intelligence.” Epstein's homes were rigged with surveillance equipment, and his guest lists read like a Who's Who of global power. He didn't climb the ladder—he was placed. His value came not just from money or perversion, but from the secrets he collected and the people he compromised. His immunity, lenient sentence, and the broad protection extended to his associates all point to a system designed to protect the operation—not to stop it.Epstein's death in federal custody—under conveniently broken cameras and sleeping guards—wasn't the end of a scandal, but the trigger for a cover-up. The government and media have worked tirelessly to control the narrative, keeping client lists sealed, minimizing Maxwell's trial, and reducing the scope of civil suits. But the paper trail is undeniable: Epstein was a tool of intelligence, not an outlier. His silence was purchased not with a bribe, but with erasure. The public is expected to believe in coincidence, not corruption, even as the evidence continues to leak from beneath sealed records and redacted pages. The Epstein operation wasn't just a disgrace—it was a blueprint for how power protects itself. And until that blueprint is confronted, the machine that enabled him will keep grinding, unpunished and untouched.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

Brian Skrobonja closes out the year with a milestone episode that marks the final episode of 2025 and the conclusion of this version of the show. He shares the gratitude he feels for the listeners who have supported the mission, the team whose work brought each idea to life, and the recognition the podcast received from Forbes as one of the top shows by financial advisors. Tune in to hear Brian reflect on why he started this podcast, how the mission has been accomplished, and why this moment isn't an ending but the beginning of a bigger vision that will unfold in 2026. He also shares the three core truths that can reshape your financial future if you're ready to take them to heart and take action. Brian reveals that today's episode is a meaningful milestone. It closes out the year and marks the end of this version of the show. He takes a moment to thank the listeners, the production team, and Forbes for recognizing the podcast among the top in the industry. He reflects on why he started the podcast in the first place: To cut through the constant misinformation about money and share the strategies his team uses to help people achieve real financial results. Looking back, he believes that mission has been accomplished.  Brian makes it clear that this is not an ending but a transition into something bigger. He shares that a complete rebrand and new platform will be announced in 2026, designed to serve listeners at a much higher level. Before signing off, he leaves the audience with three core truths that can transform their financial future. Truth #1: Not all financial advisors are the same. Some sell products, while others build full plans that protect your assets and future. Learn how to spot the difference so your plan always comes first. Truth #2: Chasing interest rates won't make you wealthy. True financial success is about outcomes, not chasing quick wins. When your plan dictates the strategy, your money finally works for your life. Truth #3: Stop procrastinating. According to Brian, waiting for the perfect moment or strategy only delays your security and peace of mind. Taking action now, even imperfectly, moves you toward real results and freedom. Brian explains how a real financial plan protects more than your investments. It covers taxes, estate planning, long-term care, Social Security timing, and income planning. With a holistic plan, you stop guessing and start living with security and clarity. Learn why a plan comes before products. Products like stocks or insurance aren't your strategy, they are tools your plan uses to achieve your goals. When you focus on planning first, every financial move has purpose and impact. Brian reveals how to choose the right financial advisor. Look for someone who brings tax, legal, and comprehensive planning expertise to the table. The right advisor helps you use your money to build the life you want. For Brian, the secret to building wealth is taking imperfect action. Waiting for the perfect strategy or market conditions rarely works. Brian shows how moving forward, even with small steps, creates momentum and confidence.  Brian explains why financial clarity beats short-term gains. Rates of return and interest are important, but they don't define success. Outcomes, security, and a plan that fits your life always win in the long term. Even as this podcast chapter closes, bigger opportunities and tools are coming to serve you at a higher level.     Mentioned in this episode: BrianSkrobonja.com SkrobonjaFinancial.com SkrobonjaWealth.com BUILDbanking.com Common Sense Financial Podcast on YouTube  Common Sense Financial Podcast on Spotify     Alternative investments may be subject to less regulation than other types of pooled investment vehicles. Alternative Investments may impose significant fees, including incentive fees that are based upon a percentage of the realized and unrealized gains and an individual's net returns may differ significantly from actual returns. Such fees may offset all or a significant portion of such Alternative Investment's trading profits. Incorporating alternative investments into a portfolio presents the opportunity for significant losses including in some cases, losses which exceed the principal amount invested. Also, some alternative investments have experienced periods of extreme volatility and in general, are not suitable for all investors. Asset allocation and diversification strategies do not ensure profit or protect against loss in declining markets ---- BUILD Banking™ is a DBA of Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC. Benefits and guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the insurance company. Not FDIC insured. Results may vary. Any descriptions involving life insurance policies and its use as an alternative form of financing or risk management techniques are provided for illustration purposes only, will not apply in all situations, may not be fully indicative of any present or future investments, and may be changed at the discretion of the insurance carrier, General Partner and/or Manager and are not intended to reflect guarantees on securities performance. The term BUILD Banking™, private banking alternatives or specially designed life insurance contracts (SDLIC) are not meant to insinuate that the issuer is creating a real bank for its clients or communicating that life insurance companies are the same as traditional banking institutions. This material is educational in nature and should not be deemed as a solicitation of any specific product or service. BUILD Banking™ is offered by Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC only and is not offered by Madison Avenue Securities, LLC. nor Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC. ---- This content is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual's situation. Skrobonja Financial Group, LLC, Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC, Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC are not permitted to offer and no statement made during this presentation shall constitute tax or legal advice. Our firms are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or any governmental agency. The information and opinions contained herein provided by third parties have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed by Skrobonja Financial Group, LLC, Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC, Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC. ---- Securities offered only by duly registered individuals through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC. (MAS), Member FINRA &SIPC. Advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through Skrobonja Wealth Management (SWM), a registered investment advisor. Tax services offered only through Skrobonja Tax Consulting. MAS does not offer Build Banking or tax advice. Skrobonja Financial Group, LLC, Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC, Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC, Skrobonja Tax Consulting, and Build Banking are not affiliated with MAS. Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. The firm is a registered investment adviser with the state of Missouri, and may only transact business with residents of those states, or residents of other states where otherwise legally permitted subject to exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Skrobonja Wealth Management has no ownership interest, compensation arrangement, revenue-sharing agreement, or other economic relationship with Veta Investment Partners. We may allocate a portion of a client's portfolio to strategies managed by Veta Investment Partners when we determine that the allocation is appropriate for the client's objectives, risk tolerance, and overall portfolio design. Our selection of Veta's strategies is based solely on the merits of the investment and the needs of the client, and not on any financial relationship between our firms.

Spreaker as Parenthood as a Workplace Asset reveals why supporting working parents benefits companies.Betsy Wurzel welcomes authors Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan to discuss their new book, The Parenthood Advantage, and how parenthood should be seen as a workplace asset. Drawing from research and their own experiences as parents of twins, they explore how parenting builds leadership skills like time management, empathy, and resilience.The conversation also offers strategies for companies to support working parents and caregivers while strengthening workplace culture.Listen to the full episode on Spreaker to learn how caregiving and parenthood contribute to stronger leadership and a more inclusive workplace.

In this episode of Durable Value, we explore the concept of real estate—especially multifamily and industrial properties—as essential infrastructure. We discuss how these asset types function as a public good, their role in the economic grid, and why secondary and tertiary markets are becoming increasingly important. Tune in for insights on market dynamics, institutionalization, and the future of real estate investment.Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction00:51 – Real estate as a public good: Housing and industrial as community essentials01:15 – The “capillaries” of commerce: Small businesses and last-mile industry01:36 – Real estate as a quasi-utility; the Western US grid analogy02:30 – Institutionalization of secondary and tertiary markets02:57 – Infrastructure as an investible asset class03:22 – Needs-based assets: Comparing real estate to bridges and utilities04:08 – Asset desirability vs. discretionary assets04:31 – Monopoly vs. competition: Utilities and real estate supply04:55 – The economics of new construction vs. existing apartments06:34 – Demographic shifts: Millennials, Gen Z, and housing demand07:21 – Post-COVID trends: Remote work and changing lifestyles08:23 – Owning the grid: The I-5, I-15, and I-25 corridors09:02 – The network lens: How properties reinforce each other09:21 – Data-driven conviction and deal flow09:42 – Building alpha through authentic data and off-market deals

Interview with Alex Black, Executive Chairman of Rio2 Ltd.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/rio2-tsxrio-approaching-january-2026-production-targeting-20000tpd-ramp-up-7959Recording date: 23rd December 2025Rio2 Limited (TSX:RIO) represents a compelling investment opportunity at the critical inflection point between development and production, with first gold pour from its Fenix heap leach project in Chile scheduled for January 2026 whilst the recently acquired Condestable underground copper mine in Peru contributes immediate substantial cash generation. The dual-asset strategy directly addresses the binary risk inherent in single-asset junior companies whilst providing diversified exposure to both precious and base metals during favourable pricing environments characterised by gold exceeding $4,500 per ounce and copper benefiting from structural supply constraints.Management delivered the Fenix project on time and on budget at $150-160 million total capital expenditure, representing modest capital intensity for a gold operation of this scale. The operation targets 60-70,000 ounces during the 2026 ramp-up year before reaching steady-state production of 100,000 ounces annually by 2027 at nameplate throughput capacity of 20,000 tonnes per day. Critically, the starter project represents only 1.7 million ounces of the property's 5 million ounce resource base, which was defined using $1,800 per ounce gold price pit shells, creating significant reserve expansion potential in the current $2,600+ pricing environment. Systematic exploration drilling commencing in 2026 targets resource growth potentially reaching 5-7 million ounces by the late 2027 feasibility study for phase two expansion.The December acquisition of Condestable fundamentally altered Rio2's financial trajectory and risk profile. The transaction added 10 years of proven and probable reserves, unusual longevity for any producing operation that eliminates near-term reserve replacement pressures. The mine produces 27,000 tonnes of copper equivalent annually (60 million pounds copper) at current throughput rates of 8,400 tonnes per day, generating clean concentrate grading 80% copper and 20% precious metals. At current metal prices, Condestable generates over $100 million in annual free cash flow after taxes with sustaining capital requirements below $10 million per year, creating an 8% annual cash yield on Rio2's $1.2 billion market capitalisation before considering Fenix's contribution.The combined operations project to generate $150-175 million annual free cash flow once Fenix reaches steady-state production, providing capital to fund organic expansion at both properties without equity dilution. Condestable offers clear expansion pathway from 8,400 to 12,000 tonnes per day throughput (40% increase) with study underway, whilst the underexplored 45,000-hectare land package surrounding the mine provides blue-sky resource growth potential that previous private equity owners neglected in favour of cash flow extraction.Management's 25-year Peru operating history and successful prior mine development through Minera IRL validates capability to navigate Latin American permitting, community relations, and operational challenges. The successful $205 million financing with $800 million total demand (4x oversubscription) demonstrates institutional confidence in the execution track record and strategic vision. Rio2 currently trades at approximately 2x EBITDA on Condestable alone, before attributing value to Fenix production or substantial organic expansion potential at either asset. Comparable producers in the 100,000+ ounce gold and 50+ million pound copper production range typically trade at 4-6x EBITDA multiples, suggesting significant valuation convergence opportunity as quarterly production reports validate operational performance through 2026-2027.Management explicitly positions Rio2 as an active consolidator building toward eventual corporate transaction within 3-5 years rather than perpetual operator, with Executive Chairman Alex Black noting "we're not building a company for the next 20 years" but rather "taking advantage of the situation, the time, the metal prices and building something up that is very very valuable." G Mining's $8.5 billion valuation whilst operating two assets provides reference point for Rio2's potential valuation trajectory, representing 7x current market capitalisation as the production platform matures and demonstrates consistent operational execution across both jurisdictions.View Rio2's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/rio2-limitedSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

 The Power of "One More Step"1. The Secret of Relentless Progress    The Shipwreck Survivor: A 14-year-old girl survived by repeating "one more stroke" until she reached shore.    Buddha's Wisdom: When disciples asked, "How far to the monastery?" he always answered: "Just one more kilometer."    The Lesson: Success isn't about the finish line—it's about refusing to stop.Try This: When exhausted, say: "Just one more call. One more rep. One more try."2. Your Past Doesn't Define You—It Fuels You    Bitcoin Billionaire: Went to jail, called it "the best lecture in positivity."    My Story:        Childhood hell → Near-death experience → Chose happiness.        Couldn't speak German properly → Learned English + wrote books.    Pain = Your Greatest Teacher:        "The worst times forge the strongest minds."→ Action Step: Write down one past struggle that made you stronger. Thank it.3. The Obstacle Is the Asset    Stuttering Child → Multilingual Author: If I'd listened to "You're stupid," I'd never have written a word.    Science Backs This: Post-traumatic growth shows 70% of people gain strength, clarity, or purpose after trauma .    Your Turn:        "What if my biggest weakness is my secret weapon?"4. Fail Forward—Never Backward    Repeating Mistakes = Stagnation:        "If you keep doing what hurt you, you'll keep hurting."    Repeating Success Wrong = Disaster:        Past strategies won't work in a new world (e.g., Blockbuster vs. Netflix).    Solution: Act from imagination, not memory.→ Hack: Ask daily: "Am I moving forward—or just replaying the past?"5. Cut the "Backward-Looking" People    Toxic Nostalgia: Friends stuck reminiscing "remember when…" drain your future.    Upgrade Your Circle: Surround yourself with people who ask:        "What's your next move?"        "Where are you traveling this year?"    Key Insight: Misery loves company—don't RSVP.Final Challenge: The "Unstoppable" Test    Physical: Do one more push-up than usual.    Mental: Learn one new word in a foreign language today.    Emotional: Forgive one past hurt holding you back.Remember:    The girl in the lake didn't swim the whole way at once—she swam one stroke at a time.    You don't need to see the whole staircase. Just take the next step.Why This Works:    Neuroscience: Small wins trigger dopamine, fueling motivation .    History: From Edison to Einstein, breakthroughs came from persistence, not perfection.    You: Every obstacle you've survived proves you're built for this.Question: What's your "one more step" today? (Reply with your commitment.) My Video:  How to Become Unstoppable https://youtu.be/2unpK64we0IMy Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast5/How-to-Become-Unstoppable.mp3

On this episode, Liz Wheeler is joined by Mike Benz, executive director for the Foundation for Freedom Online, to discuss the latest on the Epstein story. Will Pam Bondi release the transcript of the DOJ's 2020 interview with Alex Acosta regarding Epstein's ties to intelligence? Tune in to hear Mike Benz's prediction! -- Like & subscribe to make sure you don't miss a single video: https://youtube.com/lizwheeler?sub_co... Get the full audio show on all major podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LhlHfo... iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-th... Subscribe to The Liz Wheeler Show newsletter: https://lizwheeler.com/email Get VIP access to The Liz Wheeler Show on Locals: https://lizwheeler.locals.com/. Stay in touch with Liz on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lizwheeler Facebook: / officiallizwheeler Twitter: / liz_wheeler Instagram: / officiallizwheeler Rumble: https://rumble.com/LizWheeler Website: https://lizwheeler.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you thinking about expanding your agency through acquisitions? Buying another firm can be one of the fastest ways to scale, but only if you choose the right partners and nail the cultural fit. Otherwise, growth can quickly turn into chaos. Today's featured guest has been through five acquisitions, each one teaching her a different (and sometimes painful) lesson about what truly makes a merger succeed. In this episode, she opens up about her biggest acquisition missteps, the cultural mismatches that nearly derailed integrations, forecasting errors she didn't see coming, and the identity challenges that arise when two teams collide. Kimberly Eberl is the Founder and CEO of The Motion Agency, a full service marketing and communications shop with offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Nashville. While the agency offers everything from creative to content, it is unusually strong in public relations with roughly 20 PR pros on staff. Kimberly has completed five acquisitions, navigated the cultural and financial highs and lows of M&A, and grown Motion into one of the most respected independent agencies in the Chicago market. In this episode, we'll discuss: When acquisitions help agencies scale—and when they backfire. Lessons learned from five agency acquisitions. Why agency owners often misjudge valuation and earnouts. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. From Fired Account Director to Agency Founder Kimberly jokes that she is one of those founders who got fired into entrepreneurship. At her previous agency, the account director role was undefined and impossible to succeed in. The revolving door should have been a clue. She lasted a year before being let go and scrambling to figure out her next move. With no grand plan, she fell into freelancing in 2006. The economy was healthy. The demand came fast. And pretty quickly she reached that moment every accidental agency owner hits. Either say no to work or hire help. She chose to hire. That early decision set the tone for the next decade. Instead of trying to do it all herself, she leaned into building a team and letting the business grow past her personal capacity. Outgrowing a Single-Service Model: Moving Beyond One Specialty Kimberly started as a PR pro. That focus worked for a while, but eventually she noticed how much money she was leaving on the table. Clients wanted websites, creative, content, and she was constantly referring the work away. The big shift happened when she decided to expand beyond PR and bring more capabilities in-house. This meant hiring outside her comfort zone and learning how to oversee work she could not personally do. That decision opened the door to real growth. Many agency owners get stuck right there. They stay in their one specialty because it is safe. Kimberly pushed through that discomfort and built a service mix clients actually wanted. The Reality of Acquiring Another Agency: Lessons from 5 Acquisitions Kimberly opted to add these new services through acquisitions. So far, she has completed five and every one had a different lesson. Her first major acquisition was bold. She bought an agency twice the size of her own. Financially and emotionally, it was a lot. Looking back, she admits she may not do a deal that large again, especially in a specialty she did not personally understand. But she also learned that size does not determine complexity. A one-person agency with contractors had just as many integration headaches as a larger shop. What mattered most was agency culture. Some deals looked perfect on paper but fell apart because the values, expectations, and behaviors did not align. One deal in particular was financially great and culturally awful. She kept one client from that acquisition. Another deal was financially terrible but culturally perfect. Years later, most of those staff members are still with her. Her biggest warning: never ignore cultural red flags during the courting phase. Take time to hang out with the sellers, how they operate, and experience their company's culture. Go to dinner, Travel together. You'll notice small behaviors (snapping over minor problems, chronic lateness, lack of transparency) that won't disappear after the contract is signed. Valuation Mistakes That Kill Good Deals Kimberly also dove into how she approaches valuations and why so many sellers get this part wrong. She focuses on future performance, realistic forecasts, and removing costs that will not continue after the sale. She also pushes back on inflated projections. If an owner claims revenue will double, the earnout should reflect that. Big promises are fine, but they should come with big accountability. One agency she walked away from wanted a valuation equal to twice their gross revenue. They were using cash-based accounting and ignoring profitability. It was an immediate red flag. Kimberly's advice to owners is simple. Build a business that is sellable even if you never plan to sell. Get your financials clean. Use accrual accounting. And be realistic about your numbers. Leadership, Loyalty, and the Hardest Skill — Letting Go As the agency scaled, leadership challenges became just as complex as financial ones. Kimberly admits she is confused about why she is the largest woman-owned agency in Chicago at only seventy people. She is proud of the title, but she wonders why more women are not reaching similar scale. There are no differences in capability, but many female founders still hit a ceiling often tied to loyalty, delegation, or difficulty letting people go. Some owners, especially women, treat their team like family and struggle to make hard decisions around performance. She admitted she has been loyal to a fault at times and is working on finding a healthy balance. Agencies function more like all star sports teams. The roster changes every year. People get promoted, moved, or sometimes released. That does not mean you failed. It means you are adapting so the team as a whole can win. Kimberly is even working on building hobbies outside her agency because she noticed how much of her identity was tied to work. It is a relatable struggle for founders who have poured years into their companies. AI Changes the Work, Not the Need for Agencies Let's be clear, agencies are not going away because of AI. Kimberly certainly doesn't believe that. She treats AI like an intern. Helpful. Fast. But still needing quality control, creativity, and leadership. Clients still want real relationships. They want someone who understands context and nuance. Agencies serving tech-savvy individuals will feel churn from AI, but agencies serving plumbers, service-based businesses, and non marketers will be fine. These clients want to stay in their lane and hire experts for everything else. Marketing evolves, but agencies survive because the business model adapts. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Most people think financial stress is about income, but it's usually a broken cash flow system. In this episode of Wise Money, we walk through the three-bank account cash flow operating system that helps create stability, reduce stress, and build real financial confidence. You'll learn how to properly manage monthly expenses, plan ahead for non-monthly costs, and stop getting blindsided by predictable surprises.  Season 11, Episode 19 Download our FREE 5-Factor Retirement guide: https://wisemoneyguides.com/    Schedule a meeting with one of our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™: https://www.korhorn.com/contact-korhorn-financial-advisors/ or call 574-247-5898.   Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/WiseMoneyShow Listen on podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/WiseMoney  Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qs1HCueWhvE  Submit a question for the show: https://www.korhorn.com/ask-a-question/   Read the Wise Money Blog: https://www.korhorn.com/wise-money-blog/    Connect with us: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WiseMoneyShow  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wisemoneyshow/    Kevin Korhorn, CFP® offers securities through Silver Oak Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Kevin offers advisory services through KFG Wealth Management, LLC dba Korhorn Financial Group. KFG Wealth Management, LLC dba Korhorn Financial Group and Silver Oak Securities, Inc. are not affiliated. Mike Bernard, CFP® and Joshua Gregory, CFP® offer advisory services through KFG Wealth Management, LLC dba Korhorn Financial Group. This information is for general financial education and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations. All investing and investment strategies involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Asset allocation & diversification do not ensure a profit or prevent a loss in a declining market. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization's initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.

  This Weekend's Show we are replaying two big-picture conversations from earlier in the week. Craig Hemke explains why this metals run looks structural (not...

Jeffrey Epstein wasn't merely a wealthy predator—he was a protected government asset, strategically positioned within elite circles to gather intelligence through blackmail and sexual exploitation. His 2008 sweetheart deal wasn't a fluke; it was part of a larger intelligence arrangement, confirmed by language in legal documents explicitly stating his cooperation with federal authorities. Former U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta even admitted that he was told to “back off” because Epstein “belonged to intelligence.” Epstein's homes were rigged with surveillance equipment, and his guest lists read like a Who's Who of global power. He didn't climb the ladder—he was placed. His value came not just from money or perversion, but from the secrets he collected and the people he compromised. His immunity, lenient sentence, and the broad protection extended to his associates all point to a system designed to protect the operation—not to stop it.Epstein's death in federal custody—under conveniently broken cameras and sleeping guards—wasn't the end of a scandal, but the trigger for a cover-up. The government and media have worked tirelessly to control the narrative, keeping client lists sealed, minimizing Maxwell's trial, and reducing the scope of civil suits. But the paper trail is undeniable: Epstein was a tool of intelligence, not an outlier. His silence was purchased not with a bribe, but with erasure. The public is expected to believe in coincidence, not corruption, even as the evidence continues to leak from beneath sealed records and redacted pages. The Epstein operation wasn't just a disgrace—it was a blueprint for how power protects itself. And until that blueprint is confronted, the machine that enabled him will keep grinding, unpunished and untouched.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What do you do when a business partnership fails? Do you try to engineer the perfect agreement so the exit is clean, or focus on alignment long before anyone signs anything? The truth is, most agency partnerships fail because owners rush into them without slowing down to see the cracks. Preparing for the worst is not pessimistic. It is how you protect the business you are trying to build. Today's featured guest has gone through failed starts, broken agency partnerships, and overcommitting his time as the owner for fear of losing opportunities. He'll unpack 25 years of wins, mistakes, and hard earned clarity, from building his agency and how the biggest breakthroughs came from leadership shifts rather than marketing tactics. Andy Crestodina is the co founder of Orbit Media, a Chicago based web development and optimization agency approaching its 25th year in business. Orbit has grown to a team of fifty five and more than eight million in annual revenue. Andy is also one of the most respected voices in content marketing, with millions of readers, hundreds of speaking engagements each year, and a reputation for teaching real strategy instead of recycled tactics. In this episode, we'll discuss: Slow, organic for consistent agency growth. What a failed agency partnership can cost you. The hire that gives an agency founder their time back. Learning when "yes" becomes the problem. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. How Slow, Organic Growth Built a 25-Year Agency Andy was working as an IT recruiter in the nineties and found himself bored at his day job. He didn't get to build anything in that position and he had a lot of ideation urging him to do something else. Luckily, the internet offered him that chance. He could build a website and channel his creative energy through that side project. But could he do it full time? He had no resume and no portfolio to present to a potential employer. He realized it was easier to get a client to take a chance on him than it was to convince an employer to hire him. So he and a high school friend started building sites. The first partnership failed fast and then the second attempt grew slowly, quietly, and steadily for 25 years. The secret was not paid ads or cold outreach. It was content. Consistent publishing, useful insights, and a commitment to organic channels long before that became mainstream advice. When Agency Partnerships Go Wrong and What It Really Costs There are many stories of successful partnerships in the agency world, but overall the disaster stories are much more common. As Jason says, you either know the bad partner or you are the bad partner. Andy lived through one of the toughest versions of that story. He had three partners for a while. One of them ran an unprofitable department. Responsibilities were unclear. Values were not aligned. And when it came time to clean up the mess, a poorly written shareholder agreement became a bigger problem than the partner himself. Andy had to mortgage his home and personally lend the company money to buy out the partner. The agreement used the wrong valuation formula. The partner dragged his feet and what should have been a difficult but clean process turned into a long, expensive, emotionally draining separation. Looking back, Andy says something most founders never admit. A handshake would have been better than the shareholder agreement they had. The real mistakes came earlier: saying yes to a partner who did not share the same values, not slowing down long enough to evaluate the deal, and being hungry for growth and ignoring misalignment. The Leadership Hire That Gave the Founder His Time Back Around this time of misalignment between partners was when a long time client turned management consultant stepped in. He saw tension inside the partner group, so he moved to do a 360 review and surfaced the problems that no one wanted to say out loud. Andy was quick to spot that he would be a great addition to the agency, and so eventually, he became the CEO. That single hire changed everything. Andy was doing all the sales and marketing. Meetings all day. Proposals all night. Burning energy on tasks someone else should have owned years earlier. Once his new CEO came on board, he built systems, built a sales process, hired strategists to handle qualification and scoping. Suddenly Andy had 20 hours a week of his life back. He poured that time into content and went right into work. He doubled publishing frequency, launched a conference, wrote a book, held monthly live events, shot videos. The brand exploded. Their reach multiplied. The inbound engine went from effective to unstoppable. This is the founder shift so many agency owners avoid. Letting go. Delegating the work that drains you. Investing your best energy into the work that grows the company, not the work that maintains it. Saying Yes, Saying No, and Protecting Your Energy Andy admits he still overcommits. He still says yes to speaking engagements because he loves the stage and it generates leads, even though the constant travel wears him down. This is something many agency owners have to face. You may want the brand, speaking gigs and reach. But you also want to protect your energy so you do not turn into the hero who disappoints people when they finally meet you. At some point, you have to choose where your yes goes. Andy chose articles, newsletters, LinkedIn, webinars, a conference, and in person events. He let go of podcasting. He narrowed his focus so he could go deeper. That discipline, more than any tactic, is what keeps his inbound engine healthy 25 years later. The Tension Between Culture and Profit How do you balance loyalty to your team with the need for profit and EBITDA? Andy is still trying to figure this out. His team has an average tenure of eight years. Some team members have been there twenty. Andy cares deeply about them and their families. But agencies face moments when bonuses, salaries, utilization, and capacity collide. Where doing right by people and doing right for the business feel like competing priorities. There is no perfect answer. But there is a direction. Take care of your people first. Trust them to help you solve the profit problems. Fix leaks. Raise rates. Tighten scope. Operate like owners. And when the agency wins, let your team win with you. Culture breaks agencies faster than anything else. Profit can be fixed. Culture cannot be patched over. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Did you know you can survive weeks without food but only days without sleep? Sleep is such an underrated necessity and it's time you start prioritizing it! You are your most valuable asset, so let this episode be a reminder to prioritize yourself with adequate sleep, hydration, and nutrition while in school. Showing up for yourself in these ways will not only boost your performance but also help you be more efficient in the long run. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro(02:53) Priorities in Dental Hygiene School(05:30) Importance of Sleep in Dental Hygiene School(08:02) Fueling Your Body Efficiently (11:19) Making Time for Yourself

SHOW 12-22-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT FUTURE NAVY. 1941 HICKAM FIELD 1. Restoring Naval Autonomy: Arguments for Separating the Navy from DoD. Tom Modly argues the Navy is an "underperforming asset" within the Defense Department's corporate structure, similar to how Fiat Chrysler successfully spun off Ferrari. He suggests the Navy needs independence to address critical shipbuilding deficits and better protect global commerce and vulnerable undersea cables from adversaries. 2. Future Fleets: Decentralizing Firepower to Counter Chinese Growth. Tom Modly warns that China's shipbuilding capacity vastly outpaces the US, requiring a shift toward distributed forces rather than expensive, concentrated platforms. He advocates for a reinvigorated, independent Department of the Navy to foster the creativity needed to address asymmetric threats like Houthi attacks on high-value assets. 3. British Weakness: The Failure to Challenge Beijing Over Jimmy Lai. Mark Simon predicts Prime Minister Starmer will fail to secure Jimmy Lai's release because the UK mistakenly views China as an economic savior. He notes the UK's diminished military and economic leverage leads to a submissive diplomatic stance, despite China'sdeclining ability to offer investment. 4. Enforcing Sanctions: Interdicting the Shadow Fleet to Squeeze China. Victoria Coates details the Trump administration's enforcement of a "Monroe Doctrine" corollary, using naval power to seize tankers carrying Venezuelan oil to China. This strategy exposes China's lack of maritime projection and energy vulnerability, as Beijingcannot legally contest the seizures of illicit shadow fleet vessels. 5. Symbolic Strikes: US and Jordan Target Resurgent ISIS in Syria. Following an attack on US personnel, the US and Jordan conducted airstrikes against ISIS strongholds, likely with Syrian regime consultation. Ahmed Sharawi questions the efficacy of striking desert warehouses when ISIS cells have moved into urban areas, suggesting the strikes were primarily symbolic domestic messaging. 6. Failure to Disarm: Hezbollah's Persistence and UNIFIL's Inefficacy. David Daoud reports that the Lebanesegovernment is failing to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River, merely evicting them from abandoned sites. He argues UNIFIL is an ineffective tripwire, as Hezbollah continues to rebuild infrastructure and receive funding right under international observers' noses. 7. Global Jihad: The Distinct Threats of the Brotherhood and ISIS. Edmund Fitton-Brown contrasts the Muslim Brotherhood's long-term infiltration of Western institutions with ISIS's violent, reckless approach. He warns that ISISremains viable, with recent facilitated attacks in Australia indicating a resurgence in capability beyond simple "inspired" violence. 8. The Forever War: Jihadist Patience vs. American Cycles. Bill Roggio argues the US has failed to defeat jihadist ideology or funding, allowing groups like Al-Qaeda to persist in Afghanistan and Africa. He warns that adversaries view American withdrawals as proof of untrustworthiness, exploiting the US tendency to fight short-term wars against enemies planning for decades. 9. The Professional: Von Steuben's Transformation of the Continental Army. Richard Bell introduces Baron von Steuben as a desperate, unemployed Prussian officer who professionalized the ragtag Continental Army at Valley Forge. Washington's hiring of foreign experts like Steuben demonstrated a strategic willingness to utilize global talent to ensure the revolution's survival. 10. Privateers and Prison Ships: The Unsung Cost of Maritime Independence. Richard Bell highlights the crucial role of privateers like William Russell, who raided British shipping when the Continental Navy was weak. Captured privateers faced horrific conditions in British "black hole" facilities like Mill Prison and the deadly prison ship Jersey in New York Harbor, where mortality rates reached 50%. 11. Caught in the Crossfire: Indigenous Struggles in the Revolutionary War. Molly Brant, a Mohawk leader, allied with the British to stop settler encroachment but became a refugee when the British failed to protect Indigenous lands. Post-war, white Americans constructed myths portraying themselves as blameless victims while ignoring their own Indigenous allies and British betrayals regarding land rights. 12. The Irish Dimension: Revolutionary Hopes and Brutal Repression. The Irish viewed the American Revolutionas a signal that the British Empire was vulnerable, sparking the failed 1798 Irish rebellion. While the British suppressed Irish independence brutally under Cornwallis, Irish immigrants and Scots-Irish settlers like Andrew Jackson fervently supported the Continental Army against the Crown. 13. Assessing Battlefield Realities: Russian Deceit and Ukrainian Counterattacks. John Hardie analyzes the "culture of deceit" within the Russian military, exemplified by false claims of capturing Kupyansk while Ukraine actually counterattacked. This systemic lying leads to overconfidence in Putin's strategy, though Ukraine also faces challenges with commanders hesitating to report lost positions to avoid forced counterattacks. 14. Shifts in Latin America: Brazilian Elections and Venezuelan Hope. Ernesto Araujo and Alejandro Peña Esclusapredict a 2026 battle between socialist accommodation and freedom-oriented transformation in Brazil, highlighted by Flavio Bolsonaro's candidacy against Lula. Meanwhile, Peña Esclusa anticipates Venezuela's liberation and a broader regional shift toward the right following leftist defeats in Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile. 15. Trump's Security Strategy: Homeland Defense Lacks Global Clarity. John Yoo praises the strategy's focus on homeland defense and the Western Hemisphere, reviving a corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. However, he criticizes the failure to explicitly name China as an adversary or define clear goals for defending allies in Asia and Europe against great power rivals. 16. Alienating Allies: The Strategic Cost of Attacking European Partners. John Yoo argues that imposing tariffs and attacking democratic European allies undermines the coalition needed to counter China and Russia. He asserts that democracies are the most reliable partners for protecting American security and values, making cooperation essential despite resource constraints and political disagreements.

As the year comes to a close, we're taking a moment to revisit a few of our favorite Retire With Style episodes from 2025. This week, we're replaying one episode that stood out in particular as Wade's favorite conversation of the year, based on both the discussion and the questions it sparked from listeners. We'll be back with brand new episodes after the holiday break. Thanks for listening this year, and we look forward to continuing the conversation in 2026. Repost from Episode 195 In this episode of Retire with Style, Wade Pfau and Alex Murguia talk with William Bengen, pioneer of the 4% rule in retirement planning. They explore the rule's evolution, how inflation and market valuations shape sustainable withdrawals, and Bengen's current recommendations. The discussion highlights the role of asset allocation, the importance of withdrawal strategies, and why ongoing monitoring is essential for a secure retirement. Takeaways William Bengen modernized retirement income planning with the 4% rule. Inflation is a critical factor in determining sustainable withdrawal rates. Market volatility can significantly impact retirement portfolios. A comprehensive withdrawal plan should consider multiple factors. Current recommendations suggest a withdrawal rate of around 5.5%. Asset allocation plays a vital role in retirement planning. Investors should consider a rising equity glide path strategy. Regular monitoring and adjustments to retirement plans are essential. High inflation can permanently elevate withdrawal amounts. The 4% rule is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Retirement Income Planning 01:14 The Birth of the 4% Rule 03:03 Understanding Withdrawal Rates 09:15 The Impact of Inflation on Withdrawals 12:45 Market Valuation and Its Effects 18:07 Current Withdrawal Rate Recommendations 21:10 Asset Allocation Strategies 24:04 Free Lunches in Investment Strategies 27:34 Key Takeaways from A Richer Retirement 31:15 Future Research Directions Links Get Bill Bengen's New Book – A Richer Retirement Want to dive deeper into the research behind the 4% rule and how retirement income planning has evolved? Bill Bengen's new book, A Richer Retirement, is now available—visit bengenfs.com to learn more and get your copy. Explore the New RetireWithStyle.com! We've launched a brand-new home for the podcast! Visit RetireWithStyle.com to catch up on all our latest episodes, explore topics by category, and send us your questions or ideas for future episodes. If there's something you've been wondering about retirement, we want to hear it! The Retirement Planning Guidebook: 2nd Edition has just been updated for 2025! Visit your preferred book retailer or simply click here to order your copy today: https://www.wadepfau.com/books/ This episode is sponsored by McLean Asset Management. Visit https://www.mcleanam.com/retirement-income-planning-llm/ to download McLean's free eBook, “Retirement Income Planning”

1. Restoring Naval Autonomy: Arguments for Separating the Navy from DoD. Tom Modly argues the Navy is an "underperforming asset" within the Defense Department's corporate structure, similar to how Fiat Chrysler successfully spun off Ferrari. He suggests the Navy needs independence to address critical shipbuilding deficits and better protect global commerce and vulnerable undersea cables from adversaries. 1898 DEWEY'S FLAGSHIP OLYMPIA

In this episode, Michael dives deep into the chaos at Turning Point USA's America Fest. With more than 30,000 attendees, the event revealed a growing rift within the GOP. From Ben Shapiro's scathing critique of fellow conservatives to the controversial presence of rapper Nicki Minaj, the conference exposed the future direction of the Republican Party. Is Turning Point USA a political asset or a liability for the GOP? Listen here then vote at Smerconish.com, and please rate, review and share this podcast! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you ready to graduate from the grind in 2026? Then here’s your most important project: Future You. Learn more “Eye opening and provocative.” “Challenged me to get out of the starting blocks and far down the path of really thinking about this next phase of my life in very different ways. I now feel like I have a solid road map.” “I wish I’d taken this program earlier.” __________________________ Start the new year right with new habits. FREE 3 session program – 3 Fridays in January at Noon Eastern January 2, 9 and 16 Sign up here __________________________ What if the most creative chapter of your life hasn't happened yet? Today's conversation is about second acts that arrive not quietly—but boldly. Kim Gottlieb-Walker published her debut novel at age 78 after a 50-year career as a photographer. She also leads the Vintage Writers, a lively weekly Zoom group of women authors over 70. Joining her is Roselyn Teukolsky, a former math and computer science educator who retired and now writes fiction. This conversation explores creative courage, identity shifts, the power of starting something new – and the value of community. Kim Gottlieb-Walker and Roselyn Teukolsky join us from California. _________________________ Planning for retirement? Check out our recommended Best Books for Retirement _________________________ Bios Kim Gottlieb-Walker's  career as a photographer covered a wide range of subjects, from classic rock and roll, reggae, and politics in the ‘60s and ‘70s to major motion pictures and television shows. Now in her late 70s, she has reinvented herself as a novelist. While still at UCLA (where she  received a BA in Motion Picture production) and shortly thereafter, she shot for underground LA newspapers and magazines including Crawdaddy, the Staff, and Music World. She  also shot the stills for John Carpenter's Halloween, The Fog, Christine and Escape from New York and worked at Paramount Pictures for nine years as the production photographer for Cheers, and five years for Family Ties. For three decades she  was an elected representative for still photographers on the National Executive Board of IATSE Local 600, the International Cinematographers Guild. Her coffee-table photo books Bob Marley and the Golden Age of Reggae and On Set with John Carpenter were published by Titan Press (UK) distributed by Random House (USA) and both are now in multiple printing. They have editions in Japanese, Russian and French. She's  had gallery shows in London, Los Angeles and New York. Her novels are  Lenswoman in Love – a novel of the 1960s & ‘70s (her debut) and the not-yet published historical novel Caterina by Moonlight, about a girl growing up in renaissance Florence in the late 15th century. Her short story “Summer of Love – 1967” appears in the multi-award-winning anthology Feisty Deeds. Former math and computer science teacher, Roselyn Teukolsky, is the author of A Reluctant Spy, an unconventional spy thriller, and The Fourth Woman, a cautionary tale about online dating. Teukolsky has long been intrigued by the dilemmas faced by smart women in male-dominated settings. Working as a computer science teacher has given her the familiarity to create an authentic female protagonist, a brilliant computer scientist, who, in the latest novel, must ward off a ransomware attack and an online-dating predator. Teukolsky has a B.Sc. in Math and Chemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and an M.S. in Math Education from Cornell. She is the author of the Barron's review book for AP Computer Science, which is currently in its 12th edition. Roselyn's favorite pastime is tournament bridge. She wrote How to Play Bridge with Your Spouse … and Survive (Master Point Press) in 2002. She lives in Pasadena, CA, with her husband, Saul Teukolsky. ________________________ Have a Question You’d Like Answered on the Podcast? Click here to leave a voice message or email me at joec@retirementwisdom.com _________________________ For More on Kim Gottlieb-Walker  Lenswoman in Love www.Lenswoman.com for an overview of her photographic history www.TheRenaissanceWoman.net www.KimGottliebWalker.com – her author website. — For More on Roselyn Teukolsky A Reluctant Spy The Fourth Woman _________________________ Podcast Conversations You May Like Why Retirement Was Just the Beginning – Neal Lipschutz A Creative Pursuit with an Intergenerational Assist – Neil & Michelle McLaughlin Edit Your Life – Elisabeth Sharp McKetta __________________________ About The Retirement Wisdom Podcast There are many podcasts on retirement, often hosted by financial advisors with their own financial motives, that cover the money side of the street. This podcast is different. You'll get smarter about the investment decisions you'll make about the most important asset you'll have in retirement: your time. About Retirement Wisdom I help people who are retiring, but aren't quite done yet, discover what's next and build their custom version of their next life. A meaningful retirement doesn't just happen by accident. Schedule a call today to discuss how the Designing Your Life process created by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans can help you make your life in retirement a great one — on your own terms. About Your Podcast Host Joe Casey is an executive coach who helps people design their next life after their primary career and create their version of The Multipurpose Retirement.™ He created his own next chapter after a 26-year career at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of HR for Global Markets & Investment Banking. Joe has earned Master's degrees from the University of Southern California in Gerontology (at age 60), the University of Pennsylvania, and Middlesex University (UK), a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his coaching certification from Columbia University. In addition to his work with clients, Joe hosts The Retirement Wisdom Podcast, ranked in the top 1% globally in popularity by Listen Notes, with over 1.6 million downloads. Business Insider recognized Joe as one of 23 innovative coaches who are making a difference. He's the author of Win the Retirement Game: How to Outsmart the 9 Forces Trying to Steal Your Joy. ___________________________ Wise Quotes On a Writing Community “One of the things I’ve loved best about this recreation of my life is the number of people it’s brought into my life because the writers are a very supportive community. And it keeps your brain alive. There’s so much you have to learn with the learning curve of writing a book that it keeps your brain cells going. It stimulates them. I think there are many people out there who, after having had very active careers that are now retired and are feeling at lost ends. Every person has met interesting people during their lives, has had things happen to them, have had tragedies, have had happiness. Everybody has experiences in them that they might want to communicate. And writing, even though it seems like a very solitary occupation, it gives you a chance to put all of your life experience out into the world and to then connect with other people, other writers, to get the support that you need and to learn all of the different aspects of it. So it’s a very satisfying way to spend your retirement. Oh, well, it’s an amazing group of women. They’re all over 70. They’ve all reinvented themselves as writers. Some were writers beforehand, but most have reinvented themselves. And they cover all different kinds of writing of every genre. There’s self-help, there’s romance, there’s mystery, there’s historical fiction, and they’re all very talented, alert, wonderful women. And we meet every Tuesday on Zoom and commiserate and celebrate and give advice. And it has been the most wonderful support group. So we’re not isolated in retirement. We have interactions with people who have similar goals and similar challenges. It’s a tremendous support group.” – Kim Gottlieb-Walker On Age as an Asset ” It is never too late to reinvent yourself. It’s totally within your reach. You don’t have to depend on anyone else. All you have to do is sit down and let your ideas flow. And I wouldn’t worry about ageism because now that we’re in an age where you can self-publish, it doesn’t matter how old you are. And the fact that we have had such rich lives and so many experiences informs the writing and gives the writing depth and gives it reality because it’s based on our real experiences. No matter what you’re writing, you’re bringing your life experiences into it, which is incredibly valuable. So don’t worry about ageism. Don’t worry about the publisher. Just get it out on paper. Do it yourself.” – Kim Gottlieb-Walker On Starting to Write “A lot of my friends have said to me, Oh, they would love to write a book. They would love to write a book. They’re going to write a book. But the point is, if you don’t sit down every day at the same time, backside in the desk, it doesn’t happen. It just doesn’t. Even if you sit and do nothing. I would ask, what are you going to do in the next 10 years? And I say, I don’t know what I’m going to do. And I say, Well, why not write in the next 10 years?” – Roselyn Teukolsky

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What would you do if the merger you believed would change everything suddenly collapsed? Agency owners often dream of the big exit: the acquisition, the payday, the validation. But if you've been in this industry long enough, you know the story rarely goes as planned. Today's guest lived through the dot-com boom, a merger gone sideways, a rare "un-merger," and multiple reinventions across three decades. Today's featured guest is an agency owner who lived through the dot com boom, a merger gone sideways, an unmerger (a rare event), and multiple reinventions over three decades. He'll talk about his journey and the lessons he's gained in resilience, clarity, and what it means to build a business that lasts. Tom Snyder is the founder and CEO of Trivera, a Milwaukee-based agency that originally launched in 1996 under the name Website Solutions. He got his start back when tables ruled the web, Netscape Navigator was leading the browser war, and you had to explain to clients what the internet even was. Tom's agency grew quickly through the dot com boom, became part of an early multi-agency rollup, unmerged after the dot com crash, and later rebuilt itself around strategic services, recurring revenue, and emerging technologies. Thirty years later, he has seen nearly every high and low this industry can deliver and has the scars and wisdom to match. In this episode, we'll discuss: The roll up that seemed like a dream and the subsequent meltdown. The rare chance to unmerger. Learning to adapt to new technologies. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. The Early Days of the Web: A Front Row Seat to Digital History Tom got into websites before most people even understood what a web browser was. He recalls visiting a friend in 1995 who showed him a website for a local jeweler. The fact that someone in Milwaukee could suddenly sell jewelry to anyone in the world blew his mind. That spark soon became Website Solutions, a one-man shop in his duplex basement that grew into a million-dollar agency within three years. These early days were defined by scrappiness. There were no WordPress installs, no Mailchimp, no Shopify. Agencies wrote their own CMS platforms, email tools, and ecommerce systems. For years, Trivera worked on project-based engagements. Sell a website. Build it. Launch it. Then hunt for the next one. It created a revenue roller coaster that made it hard to grow. Then the breakthrough came when someone asked a simple question: Why are you not offering annual retained services? Once they shifted the model, everything changed. Retainers gave them predictable cash flow, stability during downturns, and the ability to build deeper, longer-term partnerships. Inside the Dot-Com Boom and the Rollup That Promised Millions By the late nineties, agency rollups were happening everywhere. Big groups on the West Coast were buying smaller shops at high valuations, promising stock payouts that would multiply as the group grew. Tom's agency was acquired by one of these rollups. The offer was attractive: $1 million in stock with the expectation that it could balloon into ten million within a couple of years. For Tom, this was more than a payday. It felt like a way to secure better opportunities for his team. Higher salaries, better benefits, more resources. All the things agency owners often think a larger parent company can provide. But as the ink dried on the deal, the dot com crash hit. Internal battles erupted among the agency owners inside the rollup. Some wanted to scale fast and sell. Others were emotionally attached to their agencies and resisted change. As the economy collapsed, so did the plan. When an Agency Merger Falls Apart Tom describes the internal environment as chaos. Agencies within the rollup started blaming one another for the downturn. Some owners viewed Tom's Midwest operation as a weak link and argued it was a mistake to acquire them. Then came the breaking point. At a Las Vegas meeting that was supposed to chart a path forward, Tom learned that he would lose control of his agency. His wife, who served as CFO, would be dismissed. His team would report to another agency owner. This happened on September 10th. The next morning, as they sat in their hotel room trying to process what to do, the news broke that planes had hit the World Trade Center. The world changed, and so did their priorities. In that moment of clarity, they made the decision to walk away and unmerge. How a Rare Un-Merge Saved the Agency Unmerging from an agency rollup almost never happens. But because the rollup was already fracturing, the leadership was surprisingly open to it. They returned most of the shares, let Tom keep a small portion, and released the original agency name. From there, Tom and his wife rebuilt everything from scratch under a new identity. Although it felt like the right decision to make, they were still exiting what was still a financially stable operation to start from scratch, which was a scary but necessary step to take. They brainstormed names that felt Greek or Latin until they arrived at Trivera. The name itself was available only because the previous owner had just let the domain lapse. It felt like a small sign that starting over was the right move. This reset allowed Tom to build the agency the right way. No irrational exuberance, burn rates, or pressure to sell. Just strong culture, smart financial discipline, and an eye on durable business fundamentals. How Adapting to New Technology Helped Survive in Crisis After the dot com crash, new technologies created fresh opportunities. SEO, email marketing, mobile, and social opened new revenue streams that helped Trivera rebound each time the economy dipped. Tom noticed a pattern. Every downturn was followed by a brand new marketing wave that rewarded the agencies willing to embrace it early. One of the most pivotal moments came during the 2009 recession. The agency had lost clients, payroll was tight, and they needed a breakthrough. Everyone was asking about social media at the time, so Tom and his team built an event called Social Media University. They hustled for two months and ended up selling 400 tickets. The sales and sponsorship revenue kept their payroll alive and catapulted them into a new service category. Events like this do more than create revenue. They cement authority, give an agency a story in the market, and in Tom's case, it opened doors to new clients and positioned them for the next evolution of the agency. Letting Go of Comparison to Stay Focused on the Journey Despite the wins, Tom admits there were years he compared his agency to others and wondered why they scaled or sold faster, especially some that got the tools from his very social media event. It is easy to feel behind when you see competitors raising money, getting acquired, or shouting big revenue numbers. However, there's very little one can actually know about other agency's purchase deals. These stories are incomplete. You never know what the real terms were. You never know the headaches behind the scenes. And you definitely never know if they actually took money home. Success in the agency world is rarely a straight line. It is more often a messy, winding path filled with reinventions, hard conversations, and moments when you question everything. So agency owners struggling and watching others reach new milestones should remind themselves that longevity comes from resilience, not a perfect upward curve. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Most owners work hard for money—few learn to make the tax code work hard for them. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Catrina M. Craft, a tax strategist and accountant who's advised business owners and previously learned elite tax strategy working with the wealthiest 2% of Americans. Creator of the CRAFT Money Map framework, Catrina specializes in turning reactive “tax season” chaos into proactive, year-round wealth strategy. She breaks down the KPIs that actually drive profitability, the entity and election decisions that matter, and timely plays like bonus depreciation, §179, and QBI that can free up cash to grow.   Key Takeaways: → Proactive vs. reactive taxes: what changes when strategy starts before year-end. → The five KPIs that matter: cash flow, profitability, A/R & A/P, LTV, and CAC—plus how to dashboard them. → The C.R.A.F.T. Money Map: Cash flow, Retirement, Asset management/protection, Financial freedom, and Tax strategies. → Entity structure ≠ paperwork: why LLC + the right tax election (S/C/partnership/sole prop) can swing your tax outcome. → When to hire a strategist: startup consults to avoid missteps; quarterly at ~$50k profit; monthly at ~$100k+.   Catrina M. Craft, CPA, CEO & Founder of Craft More Cash. "The tax code isn't fair — but that's your opportunity as a business owner.” This is the perspective Catrina Craft brings as the CPA and tax strategist behind some of the most profitable coaches, consultants, and creators in the industry. After climbing out of $100K in debt and losing 80% of her income overnight, she rebuilt her business by using the same advanced tax strategies and wealth-building tactics that the top 2% of the wealthiest rely on to protect and multiply their money. Now, she teaches her clients to do the same. Through her Craft Money MapTM system, she helps high-earning entrepreneurs cut taxes by 25% and boost profits by 20% — strategies most accountants won't even talk about. On the mic, Catrina pulls back the curtain on what the ultra-wealthy know: how proactive tax strategy lets you keep more, grow faster, and build real wealth. Listeners walk away with practical insights on entity structuring, overlooked deductions, and income planning that scales. Connect With Catrina: Website: https://www.catrinamcraft.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catrinamcraft/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catrinamcraft1/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices