Podcasts about Barron

Pipe Specialist, Chopes Thunder Egg Pilot and Hmmmmad Pasifiki House DJ, Makana Pang, joins Smivvy on the mic at the Rip Curl Cup Padang. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Barron's piece from Jonathan Shenkman shares 6 reasons to think twice before you convert a Roth IRA. I agree with some of them - but strongly disagree with others because they apply to Super Savers - listeners of this show - differently. We will go through all six with my additions for a Super Saver like you. Then we answer a listener question from a 62 year old who is about to retire and wants to bridge the gap until he begins pulling in Social Security at age 70. And you know we have a great Retire To Something segment to wrap up the show. Enjoy! Resource: Barron's article by Jonathan I. Shenkman: "6 Cases When a Roth IRA Conversion Isn't a Smart Move"   Connect with Benjamin Brandt: Subscribe to the This Week in Retirement: http://thisweekinretirement.com Get the Retire-Ready Toolkit: http://retirementstartstodayradio.com Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start Get the book!Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement Follow Retirement Starts Today in:Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart  

Interview recorded - 9th of September, 2026On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming on Harry Dent. Harry S. Dent, Jr. is a best-selling author and one of the most outspoken financial editors in America.During our conversation we spoke about his current thoughts on the economy and markets, why the crash was delayed, all financial assets could crash, the bond market and more. I hope you enjoy!0:00 - Introduction2:08 - Overview of the economy and markets?14:22 - Crash has been delayed19:41 - All financial assets to crash?22:54 - Bonds30:38 - Resolve the crisis?42:17 - One message to takeaway?Harry S. Dent, Jr. is a best-selling author and one of the most outspoken financial editors in America. Using proprietary research, Harry developed a unique method for studying economies around the world, and uses his analysis to provide insights on what to expect in the future.Instead of focusing on endless graphs that assume people behave rationally, Harry instead looks at real people, making real economic decisions for themselves and their families. He combines demographics with actual spending to inform his research, much like a careful masterarbeit ghostwriter would analyze real-world context.Harry received his MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar and was elected to the Century Club for leadership excellence. He then joined Bain & Company as a Fortune 100 business consultant and now heads the independent research firm HS Dent Publishing.Since then, he's spoken to executives, financial advisors and investors around the world about demographics and the power of identifying different trends. Harry has appeared on “Good Morning America,” PBS, CNBC and CNN, Fox News and is a regular guest on Fox Business. He has also been featured in Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Fortune, U.S. News and World Report, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Harry has written numerous bestselling books over the last few decades, from The Great Boom Ahead in 1992 to Zero Hour in 2017. In 2019, Harry published his latest book Spending Waves, where he shares decades of extensive research covering over 200 businesses across 14 different industries to give readers insight into business and investing trends for the years ahead.Harry Dent - Website - https://harrydent.com/X - https://x.com/HarryDentjrYouTube -  @hsdentfinancial WTFinance -Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Oracle (ORCL) is a buy at current levels, says Jacob Shonenshine of Barron's. He believes the company is poised to become a higher quality, high growth stock as it builds out its AI infrastructure. Jacob points to the stock's forward P/E ratio of 16-times as another signal of quality. As to why Oracle isn't being bought by investors, Jacob points to other issues keeping shares in a trough outside of its debt load and credit rating.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Thank you so much for listening to the Bob Harden Show, celebrating 15 years broadcasting on the internet.On Monday's show, we visit with Marc Schulman, Founder and Publisher of HistoryCentral.com, about artificial intelligence and developments in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Ukraine, and Sweden. Senior Editor of AIER.org Jon Miltimore and I discuss the reasons for latest “toilet paper panic.” We also visit with author and former Barron's Washington Bureau Chief Jim McTague about a New York Times source suggesting the real possibility of peace in Iran.We have terrific guests for tomorrow's show, including Director of the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University William Yeatman, education innovator Adam Mangana, Young Voices Content Creator Maggie Anders, and Linda Harden.Access this and past shows at your convenience on my web site, social media platforms or podcast platforms.

Theo Von interviewed Bishop Robert Barron, and one of the questions he asked was: "Did Christianity ever have a military or was that even a thing?" Bishop Barron's answer was...sparse. We get Fr. McCarthy's take on Barron's response. Published on September 11, 2026, on the 25th anniversary of "September 11th". 0:00 Thoughts on September 118:42 Getting my hair done9:35 Thomas Merton15:09 "Did Christianity ever have a military or was that even a thing?"20:48 Fr. McCarthy responds to Bishop Barron's commentsPlease help keep this podcast going!Buy your "Infallible Jesus" t-shirt here: https://catholics-against-militarism.checkoutstores.comBecome a CAM supporter for $3, $5, or $10 a month. https://www.buzzsprout.com/296171/supportMake a one-time gift to Ellen at Venmo:Ellen-FinniganFind CAM here:  https://catholicsagainstmilitarism.comRSS feed: http://www.buzzsprout.com/296171​Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/CAMpodcastFind Fr. McCarthy here: https://www.youtube.com/@UCzhMjN5VMFu6S_v3MaSeUfg www.emmanuelcharlesmccarthy.comSupport the showFind CAM here:  https://catholicsagainstmilitarism.comRSS feed: http://www.buzzsprout.com/296171​Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/CAMpodcast

In this episode of Neph 2 America, David Lee Corbo and Matt Heppner dig into a wide-ranging mix of Biblical history, Donald Trump, Israel, predictive programming, end-times speculation, and modern health trends—all through the show's Christian worldview and conspiracy-research lens.The conversation begins with Matthew 12:21 and a debate over the word “Goyim,” before moving into reports about the possible tomb of Jesus, the Shroud of Turin, Noah's Ark, the Flood, animal kinds, and how Biblical artifacts fit into faith. From there, the episode shifts into current political and cultural controversy, including a Trump rally attendee removed after anti-Israel remarks, rising political division, antisemitism, and the growing fracture inside conservative politics and public Christianity.The hosts also react to Target's controversial Halloween costume, revisit an old Justin Bieber clip, and discuss a reported $10 million bounty involving Barron Trump, Iran, Israel, and the possibility of wider war. That leads into one of the episode's biggest threads: Donald Trump's relationship to Israel, claims about a King David bloodline, the Jewish concept of Moshiach, the Trump–King Cyrus temple coin, Israeli support for Trump, and recurring questions about whether Trump fits an Antichrist-style pattern.The discussion then goes deep into predictive programming and strange historical parallels. Topics include the 1958 Trackdown episode featuring a character named Trump who promises to build a wall, Nikola Tesla, John Trump, the Ingersoll Lockwood “Baron Trump” books, alleged time-travel connections, Trump/Israel number synchronicities, a cartoon scene featuring a demonic political figure grazed in the ear during an assassination attempt, The Simpsons, and Project Looking Glass.The final portion explores GLP-1 drugs, impulse control, violent crime, Retatrutide, peptides, appetite suppression, fitness, diet, recovery, testosterone, and the broader debate over modern health interventions.What do you think: predictive programming, coincidence, spiritual influence, or something else? Drop your take in the comments.► Subscribe for more Biblical analysis, Christian worldview discussions, and conspiracy research through a Biblical lens.Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere podcasts are available.00:00 Intro04:00 Matthew 12:21 & the Goyim Debate06:20 Tomb of Jesus, Shroud of Turin & Noah's Ark20:10 Trump Rally, Israel & Political Fracturing30:09 Target Halloween Costume Controversy39:14 Justin Bieber, Celebrity Culture & Exploitation41:36 Barron Trump Bounty, Iran & Israel45:10 Trump, King David, Moshiach & King Cyrus50:51 Trump Antichrist Pattern & Butler Shooting56:20 Trackdown's Trump, the Wall & Predictive Programming57:30 Nikola Tesla, John Trump & Time Travel59:30 Baron Trump Books & Ingersoll Lockwood61:11 Demonic Cartoon & Trump Ear-Shot Parallel63:06 Trump, Israel & 777 Number Synchronicities67:26 The Omen, Damien Thorne & Trump Parallels73:12 The Simpsons & Project Looking Glass78:18 GLP-1 Drugs, Impulse Control & Violent Crime87:44 Retatrutide Risks, Dosing & Side Effects91:31 Peptides, Recovery & Fitness99:05 Gallbladder, Testosterone & Health Talk105:33 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nephilim-death-squad--6389018/support.☠️ Nephilim Death Squad — New episodes 5x/week.Join our Patreon for early access, bonus shows & the private Telegram hive.Subscribe on YouTube & Rumble, follow @NephilimDSquad on X/Instagram, grab merch at toplobsta.com. Questions/bookings: chroniclesnds@gmail.com — Stay dangerous.

Bitcoin has a weird talent for sounding complicated even when the core idea is simple: moving value from one person to another without asking permission. We bring on Tyrone Ross Jr., CEO and co-founder of Turnqey Labs and principal of 401k Financial, to strip away the hype and explain what's really happening when you buy, hold, or send Bitcoin. His own “aha” moment comes from a five-minute demo that still feels like magic: a wallet download, a quick transfer, and a new way to think about money for anyone who has ever been underserved by traditional banking.We walk through the fundamentals in plain English: what a blockchain ledger is, why Bitcoin is “permissionless,” and how miners, nodes, blocks, and consensus work together to keep the network running 24/7. Tyrone also draws a clean line between Bitcoin and the broader world of crypto assets, including why the term “cryptocurrency” often misleads US investors and how stablecoins like USDC fit into real-world payments. Along the way, we touch on the deeper backdrop, from trust in institutions to how the current financial system settles transactions more slowly than most people realize.Then we get practical about investing. We talk time horizon, risk tolerance, and the real decision points: Bitcoin ETFs vs buying directly on platforms like Cash App or Coinbase, what self-custody and cold storage actually mean, and why taxes, cost basis, and performance reporting get messy fast. Tyrone flags an issue almost nobody plans for early enough: crypto estate planning, where missing keys or unclear instructions can turn real wealth into an unrecoverable loss. He also shares a simple “first buy” test using the cost of a dinner for two to learn without overextending.If you want a clearer framework for Bitcoin investing and crypto custody, hit play, share this with a friend who still thinks it's all jargon, and leave us a review with your biggest Bitcoin question so we can bring Tyrone back for round two.More about our Guest, Tyrone V. Ross JrFinancial Consultant, Start-up Advisor & AthleteCEO and Founder of Turnqey Labs • President and Founder 401FinancialI'm the CEO & Cofounder of Turnqey Labs and Principal of 401 Financial. Formerly as the CEO and Co-Founder of Onramp Invest I raised $7M in venture capital from Gemini's Frontier Fund, Coinbase Ventures, SoftBank's Opportunity Fund, and others. I've been recognized by Investment News 40 under 40 (2019), and WealthManagement.com as a top ten advisor set to change the industry in 2019. FinancialPlanning.com named me as one of 20 people who will change wealth management in 2020. I've been named as one of Investopedia's Top 100 financial advisors, Think Advisor's 2021 IA25: VIP's Pushing Advisors Forward, and one of Barron's 10 people to watch in wealth management in 2022.I'm working to build what I see as the future of financial services. Aiming to break the traditional mold, I work as a financial consultant to young professionals, founders, and advisor to financial technology startups, and crypto assets investment manager.I help my clients build, grow, protect and transition their personal assets. My clients can expect a jargon-free, transparent and personalized experience. I enjoy working with people at all stages in their financial lives with the goal of empowering them to be knowledgeable investors.Website: http://tyroneross.io/Email: tyrone@401financial.coLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyronerossX(Twitter): https://x.com/tr401Hear Past episodes of the Way2Wealth Podcast!https://theway2wealth.comLearn more about our Host, Scott Ford, Managing Director, Partner & Wealth Advisorhttps://www.carsonwealth.com/team-members/scott-ford/Investment advisory services offered through CWM LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor.  Carson Partners, a division of CWM LLC, is a nationwide partnership of advisors. The opinions voiced in the Way to Wealth with Scott Ford are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for an individual. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. To determine what may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, financial or tax advisor prior to investing.  Guests on Way to Wealth are not affiliated with CWM, LLC. Legado Family is not affiliated with CWM LLC. Carson Wealth 19833 Leitersburg Pike, Suite 1, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21742.

Thank you so much for listening to the Bob Harden Show, celebrating 15 years broadcasting on the internet. On Monday's show, we visit with Marc Schulman, Founder and Publisher of HistoryCentral.com, about artificial intelligence and developments in Iran, Israel, Ukraine, Germany, and Canada. We also visit with author and former Barron's Washington Bureau Chief Jim McTague about Poland and its unique relationship with Russia. We have terrific guests for tomorrow's show, including Director of the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University William Yeatman, Young Voices Content Creator Maggie Anders, Boo Mortenson, and Linda Harden. Access this and past shows at your convenience on my web site, social media platforms or podcast platforms.

Thank you so much for listening to the Bob Harden Show, celebrating 15 years broadcasting on the internet. On Monday's show, we visit with Marc Schulman, Founder and Publisher of HistoryCentral.com, about artificial intelligence and developments in Iran, Israel, Ukraine, Germany, and Canada. We also visit with author and former Barron's Washington Bureau Chief Jim … The post Is the Development of AI Out of Control? appeared first on Bob Harden Show.

Market Complacency, Private Credit, FOMO Insurance. Fed Policy, Bond Buybacks, Operation Twist. Commodity Crunch, Hidden Volatility, Market Sinkhole – want more? Listen to this episode and you may find out about what lurks underneath the surface… Looking into the WHO CARES economy with our Guest- IBKR's Chief Market Strategist – Steve Sosnick.   NEW! DOWNLOAD THIS EPISODE’S AI GENERATED SHOW NOTES (Guest Segment) Steve is the Chief Strategist at Interactive Brokers.  He also serves as Head Trader of IBKR Securities Services, the firm's trading division (formerly known as Timber Hill), and is a Member of Interactive Brokers Group, the firm's holding company. Steve has held numerous roles in the organization since joining Timber Hill in 1995 as Equity Risk Manager and an options market maker.  He led the firm into Canada in 1998 and managed Timber Hill Canada throughout its existence.  Much of Steve's career was spent quietly developing and implementing algorithmic and electronic trading strategies for stocks and options before moving into a more visible role as Chief Options Strategist and later Chief Strategist. Steve has guest authored several columns in Barron's and made numerous live appearances on Bloomberg TV and Radio, CNBC. Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Follow @andrewhorowitz Looking for style diversification? More information on the TDI Managed Growth Strategy – HERE Stocks mentioned in this episode: (GLD), (SLV),(AAPL), (BX), (CVX), (GOOGL), (IBM), (IBKR), (META), (MSFT)

The AI Capex Bubble Is Starting to Look Crazy I keep coming back to the same question when I look at the incredible amount of money being poured into artificial intelligence: Where is all of this capital ultimately going to earn a return?   Since the beginning of 2024, roughly $500 billion has been spent on chips, $350 billion on power infrastructure, $200 billion on construction and $100 billion on networking. That's approximately $1.1 trillion of AI infrastructure spending in less than three years. For perspective, the entire S&P 500 spent roughly $575 billion on capital expenditures in 2021 right before ChatGPT even existed.   And the spending is accelerating.  In 2021 The four major hyperscalers—Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta— spent about $125 billion on new plants and equipment. It's now estimated that they will spend $1 trillion, which is about half of total capital spending for the S&P 500 and the companies could spend roughly $3.7 trillion through 2029. Add companies such as Oracle, OpenAI, SpaceX and others, and total AI spending could approach $6 trillion by the end of the decade.   Those numbers are almost difficult to comprehend. And here's where I think the historical comparisons to railroads and the internet become interesting. Yes, those were enormous infrastructure buildouts too. But the economic opportunity created by those technologies was incredibly clear.   The railroad connected producers with consumers, opened new markets, lowered transportation costs and allowed goods to move across the country. The internet created entirely new businesses and fundamentally changed commerce, advertising, communications and how we work.   I don't see AI in quite the same light. I see enormous potential, but I don't yet see the same obvious economic expansion that will ultimately justify trillions of dollars of infrastructure spending.   And now we're starting to hear another argument: "Look at the cloud. Look at how much money the cloud is generating. That's proof the AI infrastructure will earn a return."   I'm not sure I buy that. That's a little like building railroads and then saying: "Look at how much money we're making selling railcars. Look at the demand for locomotives and railroad equipment. Clearly the railroad investment is paying off." The problem is that's not where the ultimate economic return came from. The return came from transporting goods and people. The railroad was valuable because businesses used it to create economic activity.   The same is true of the internet. The real economic payoff wasn't simply selling servers and networking equipment. It came from everything built on top of the internet. So with AI, I think the ultimate question is not: "How much revenue are Nvidia, the cloud companies and data-center operators generating?" It's: "How much NEW economic value is being created by all of this computing capacity?"   That's a much harder question. Because if we're essentially spending trillions of dollars building increasingly powerful computers, data centers and power infrastructure so companies can sell more computing capacity to other companies that are also spending billions on AI infrastructure, we need to be careful about confusing activity with economic returns.   And this is where the bubble argument gets interesting. A recent Barron's article points out that historically, transformative technology booms have been able to absorb enormous amounts of capital before eventually running into trouble. Its "rule of 25" suggests that previous infrastructure booms became particularly vulnerable when investment approached roughly 25% of GDP. The railroad boom saw about $2.5 billion of rail spending before the 1873 panic and GDP was about $10 billion a year. Internet infrastructure saw about $1.5 trillion of investment before the bust and back then GDP was only about $6 trillion. For today's roughly $30 trillion U.S. economy, that would be around $7.5 trillion before we saw problems.   That's being used as evidence that the AI boom has plenty of room to run. And maybe it does. But here's the funny part. We're increasingly hearing very smart people say: "Yes, this is going to end badly." "Yes, there is too much capital being deployed." "Yes, there will eventually be excess capacity." "Yes, the financing is getting complicated." But then comes the qualifier: "Just not yet." That might be the most dangerous phrase in investing. Because that's exactly how bubbles work.   When I look at $1.1 trillion already spent, and potentially $6 trillion by the end of the decade, increasingly creative financing structures and companies racing to build capacity before we fully understand the ultimate demand, it starts to feel less like a normal technology cycle and more like a capital spending boom.   Maybe the bubble doesn't burst this year. Maybe it doesn't burst next year. But when almost everyone agrees there is a bubble and the only disagreement is about when it ends that's usually when I start paying very close attention. The technology can be real. The demand can be real. The companies can be profitable. And it can still be a bubble.   The Stock Market Today Resembles the Stock Market of 1901 Some people believe they are witnessing something completely different in the stock market today and that what is happening now has never happened before. They believe the market will continue rising forever, and that there is simply no way they can lose. History tells us otherwise.   Time and time again, we see the same patterns repeat themselves. Surprisingly, the stock market of 1901 had many of the same characteristics we are seeing today. For starters, there was a tremendous amount of trading back then like there is today. In 1901, the turnover rate on the New York Stock Exchange reached 319%, meaning stocks were changing hands roughly every 16 weeks.   They also had something that resembles today's prediction markets. Back then, they were called bucket shops, where people could bet on whether a stock would move up or down. Many were led to believe they were participating in the same type of opportunity as wealthy investors. In reality, they were speculating and many people who didn't know better confused gambling with investing.   Leverage was also widely used. Investors could put up as little as $10 and control as much as $300 worth of stock. That kind of leverage could produce enormous gains when markets were rising, but it could also lead to devastating losses when they turned.   And this is where human psychology comes into play. People's emotions are often far stronger than their logic. The more the market rises, the more people begin to believe it will continue rising and that a crash is unlikely to happen anytime soon.   When investors become excited because they are making easy money, they can lose sight of the difference between investing and gambling. The problem is that gambling can feel like investing when you're winning.   The market's performance in the early 1900s is a good example. The stock market rose 19% in 1900, another 20% in 1901 and 5% in 1902. Then came 1903, when the market declined 23%. But the good times returned, and over the next three years the market gained roughly 69%. Then came the Panic of 1907, and the stock market fell roughly 30% that year.   The lesson isn't that today's market will follow the exact same path. It won't. The lesson is that human behavior hasn't changed much in more than a century. Greed, fear, leverage, speculation and the belief that "this time is different" have been part of financial markets for generations.   As the saying goes, history may not repeat itself, but it definitely rhymes. Investors would be wise to study those rhymes and remember that making money in a rising market doesn't necessarily mean you're investing wisely. Sometimes, it simply means you haven't experienced the other side of the cycle yet.   The Jobs Report Was Much Stronger Than Expected Today's jobs report was a big surprise. The U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs in August, well above the roughly 53,000 expected and the strongest monthly gain in five months. Even more importantly, July was revised from a loss of 23,000 jobs to a gain of 21,000. June was also revised higher, meaning the previous two months were collectively revised up by 55,000 jobs.   The unemployment rate remained at 4.1%, but there was an interesting development underneath that number: the labor force increased by 683,000 people, while household employment increased by 569,000. The labor-force participation rate also rose from 61.4% to 61.6%. It is still down by 0.5% since January, but it's a positive to see it moving in the right direction.   So, we had substantially more people entering the workforce without the unemployment rate increasing. That's a pretty good sign.   There was also a significant difference between industries. Food services and drinking places added 59,000 jobs, while local government education added another 42,000 and construction added about 22,000.  Health care, which has been a large source of employment growth, saw a gain of just 13,000, compared with the monthly average of 32,000 over the prior 12 months.   On the other hand, the information sector continued to lose jobs as information-related industries reported a loss of 23,000, putting the 12-month average at a loss of 8,000. This is worth watching given the impact of automation and AI on certain white-collar industries.   Another positive: the average workweek increased to 34.4 hours, the highest level since March 2024. More hours worked can be just as important economically as more workers being hired.   But there is one area that isn't quite as strong: wages. Average hourly earnings increased just 3.1% from a year ago. That's a healthy increase, but wage growth continues to moderate, and this marked the lowest growth in 5 years.   And then we have the JOLTS data. The latest report showed 7.27 million job openings in July, that's approximately 1.1 job openings for every unemployed person.   That is an important distinction. The labor market is clearly cooler than it was a few years ago, but there are still more available jobs than unemployed workers. Put it all together and I think today's report tells us something pretty simple: The labor market is still healthy.   Job growth has cooled considerably from the boom years, but unemployment remains low, the labor force is expanding, job openings remain above the number of unemployed workers, and today's payroll number was substantially stronger than expected.   This also makes the Federal Reserve's decision much more difficult. If the Fed's primary concern is a rapidly deteriorating labor market, today's report doesn't provide much evidence for that argument. Now the focus shifts back to inflation.   If inflation remains sticky while employment is holding up this well, the argument for aggressive rate cuts becomes much harder to make. The next big test for the Fed is going to be the inflation data.   Sports betting as an investment strategy? This is crazy. According to a Siena Poll, more than a quarter (27%) of Americans and over half (52%) of men aged 18 to 49 say they have an active online sportsbook account. That's not a problem to me if you view sports gambling for what it is…. Which is gambling. The bigger problem I see is another recent survey from Betterment showed 52% of Gen Z investors (those born between 1997 and 2007) have redirected money intended for investing to sports bets.   Think about that. We're not talking about occasionally putting $20 on a football game for fun. Some people are actually incorporating sports betting into their financial plans, viewing it as a way to build wealth, pay off debt, buy a home or reach other financial goals.   People need to understand that gambling is a losing strategy in the long run. Let's say you have a 50/50 bet, essentially a coin flip. You might think that means you have an equal chance of winning or losing your money. Not quite.   To win $100, you have to bet $110. If you win, you make $100. If you lose, you lose the entire $110. So even though the underlying event might seem like a 50/50 proposition, the sportsbook has built in an advantage.   That's not investing. When you buy a stock, you're buying an ownership stake in a business. The company can generate profits, grow its earnings, reinvest in the business and potentially pay dividends. When you make a sports bet, you're putting money at risk on an outcome where the odds are designed to give the sportsbook an edge.   The consequences of legalized sports betting may go far beyond losing a bet. Research from the New York Federal Reserve has found that the expansion of legal sports betting has coincided with rising rates of delinquency and bankruptcy. And the personal financial impact can be even more alarming. A 2025 U.S. News & World Report survey found that 25% of sports bettors said they had missed a bill because of their wagers, while 30% said they had taken on debt because of their betting.   When people start borrowing money, missing bills and taking on debt to place bets, sports betting can become a serious financial problem.   I understand why this mindset is developing. Younger people are dealing with expensive housing, high living costs and the frustration that traditional investing can take decades to build significant wealth.   Sports betting offers something investing doesn't: the possibility of making a lot of money very quickly. But there's a catch. You can also lose a lot of money very quickly. And that's a terrible foundation for a long-term financial plan.   Think about what young investors are seeing every day on social media. One video might explain the benefits of starting early, investing in a diversified portfolio and letting compound interest work for decades. Then, the very next video might show someone claiming you can make all of this money in a single football game by placing bets on a sportsbook. Which one sounds more exciting?   Sports betting can also create an illusion of control. You may know a lot about football, basketball or baseball and feel like that knowledge gives you an advantage. You follow the teams, know the players, understand the matchups and watch every game. It can make you feel like you're making an informed investment decision. But knowing a lot about sports doesn't change the fact that the sportsbook sets the odds and builds in an advantage for itself.   You might think, "I know more about this team than I know about the stock market, so I have a better chance of making money betting on them."   That's a dangerous way to think about building wealth. If you want to build wealth, there's no substitute for saving, investing, compounding and time. Investing can feel slow. But slow is exactly what you want when you're building wealth. You don't need to hit a parlay to retire.   How the Big Food Companies Are Battling Diet Drugs It is estimated that by 2035, 15% of the American population will be using or will have used GLP-1 drugs. No surprise, this is a potential problem for the big food companies, which have historically benefited from consumers eating more.   We are still in the early stages of the diet-drug revolution, and some of the downsides are becoming more apparent. Some users report that food doesn't taste as good, sometimes describing it as tasting like Styrofoam. There are also concerns about muscle loss and, perhaps most importantly, the simple pleasure of eating for enjoyment.   For decades, food companies have catered to consumers' taste buds with sugar, salt and an endless variety of flavors. But that strategy may not work as well for people taking GLP-1 drugs, whose appetites and food preferences can change dramatically. At the same time, there is a broader movement toward healthier eating, which creates another challenge for traditional food companies.   So how are the big food companies fighting back? They're giving consumers what they want. One of the biggest concerns with GLP-1 drugs is muscle loss. Food companies see an opportunity here by developing products with more protein and fiber. For example, companies are introducing meals such as buffalo mac and cheese with 40 grams of protein. Another example is a chewy fudge brownie mix made with cottage cheese and a peanut-butter swirl. It not only looks appealing, but also offers significantly more protein.   And food companies know something else about consumers: we eat with our eyes first. Packaging and presentation matter. Research has shown that phrases such as "good source of fiber" and "high in protein" resonate with consumers, particularly those who are trying to make healthier choices.   At the same time, companies are tapping into something that never seems to go out of style: comfort and nostalgia. Phrases such as "Mom's meatloaf" or "Grandma's roast chicken" immediately create an emotional connection. One company has even developed a marinade and added grill marks to chicken breasts to make them look more appetizing.   Smaller portions and convenience are also becoming increasingly important. Even if people want to eat healthier, they still have busy lives. They're working, socializing and taking care of their kids. Most people don't have the time or the desire to spend two hours preparing a healthy meal every night.   And while the number of people taking GLP-1 drugs will likely continue to grow, I also think we'll see some people eventually stop taking them. Over time, some may decide the drugs don't work quite as well as they had hoped, while others may become frustrated with side effects, changes in how food tastes or the loss of muscle. When looking at themselves in the mirror one might think they look too skinny and rather frail because of muscle loss.   There is also a bigger question: How much are people willing to sacrifice the pleasure of eating? Food has always been one of life's simple pleasures. For some people, after months or years of reduced appetite and diminished enjoyment from food, the desire to sit down and truly enjoy a great meal may eventually outweigh the benefits of staying on the medication.   That creates an interesting challenge and opportunity for the food industry. The companies that succeed may not be the ones selling the most food. They may be the ones figuring out how to make healthier, higher-protein, higher-fiber foods that still look, smell and taste great. Because even in the age of diet drugs, people still want to enjoy their food.   Financial Planning: What It Means to “Be Your Own Bank” Sometimes phrases like “be your own bank” or “borrow from yourself” are presented as sophisticated ways to access capital without being taken advantage of by a lending institution. But the truth is, it is impossible to literally “borrow from yourself.” You either use your own money, or you borrow someone else's money. When you take a loan against a life insurance policy, use a HELOC, or establish a securities-backed line of credit (SBLOC), you are not borrowing from yourself. You are using your assets as collateral to obtain a loan from a bank or insurance company, which you must repay with interest just like any other loan. There is nothing inherently wrong with borrowing money, and using an asset as collateral can be a perfectly reasonable financial strategy. The problem arises when the ability to borrow against an asset becomes the justification for owning the asset in the first place. Phrases like “borrow from yourself” and “be your own bank” are marketing and sales tactics that can make a financial product sound more attractive than it actually is. For example, the fact that you can borrow against the cash value of a permanent life insurance policy does not, by itself, make permanent life insurance a good investment. The financial product should first stand on its own merits considering its costs, risks, returns, liquidity, and whether it actually meets your financial objectives. The ability to borrow against an asset should be viewed as a financing feature, not a reason to purchase the product. Borrowing can certainly be a useful financial tool, but the promise of being able to “borrow from yourself” should never be the primary justification for putting your money into an asset or financial product that you otherwise would not want to own.   Company Discussed: DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. (Ticker: DKS)

What happens when a Three stops performing and starts telling the truth — even to herself? Anthony and I sat down with Steph Baron Hall, author of Enneagram in Real Life and host of the Enneagram in Real Life podcast, for a conversation that starts with instinctual stacking and ends up somewhere much deeper. Steph — a sexual (or "spark") dominant Three — unpacks how the sexual instinct differs from the social Three most people picture, why she was so often mistaken for a Four, and how she's learned to notice the exact moment she starts performing instead of being present. We move through the difference between achieving your identity and receiving it, the religious trauma that shaped Steph's relationship to spirituality, and why she's going back to school in her late thirties to become a therapist. Along the way, I offer a memorable image for the false self — the "pinched self" — and the three of us talk honestly about what it actually costs to tell yourself the truth, not just other people. Steph is the author of Enneagram in Real Life, available wherever books are sold. Find her at ninetypes.co and on her own podcast, Enneagram in Real Life.   ABOUT STEPHANIE BARRON HALL Stephanie Barron Hall (M.A. Organizational Communication & Leadership) is an Accredited Enneagram Practitioner, author of The Enneagram in Love (2020) and Enneagram in Real Life (2025), creator of @NineTypesCo, and host of the Enneagram in Real Life podcast. Stephanie has been facilitating personality-centric team development for years as an outside consultant for organizations ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Stephanie's approach to the Enneagram is grounded in communication theory and emphasizes deep personal work through application, curiosity, and self-awareness.

T.A. Barron—known as Tom to his friends—is a renowned author, a lifelong conservationist, and someone whose work sits at the intersection of two subjects that are near and dear to my heart: books and the natural world. Tom has written more than 30 books, including the internationally bestselling Merlin Saga, and his newest book, "Naming Nature: A Cabinet of Natural Curiosities for Word Lovers," gave us the perfect excuse to finally sit down together. It's a beautiful, fascinating exploration of the stories behind the names we give to plants, animals, and other parts of the natural world, and I think it's a must-read for anyone who loves nature and loves words—which probably describes most people listening to this podcast. Tom is also a deeply committed conservationist who has spent decades supporting and leading conservation efforts, so as you can imagine, we had plenty to talk about. Tom grew up first in New England and then on a ranch north of Colorado Springs, where watching the surrounding landscape disappear to development helped shape his conservation ethic at an early age. After Princeton and a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, he initially pursued a career in business in New York City, while waking up at four or four-thirty every morning to write before work. Eventually he realized that those early-morning hours were the happiest part of his day, so despite having already endured plenty of rejection as a young writer, he left a successful business career, moved back to Colorado, and gave writing another shot. More than 30 books later, I think it's safe to say that gamble worked out. Along the way, conservation has remained a central part of his life, including his longtime involvement with The Wilderness Society and many other conservation organizations and initiatives. Tom and I talked about his adventurous parents, his childhood in Colorado, his spectacular early failures as a writer, and the decision to walk away from a successful career to pursue the work that made him feel most alive. We talked about mortality and the importance of using our limited time well; managing the constant barrage of news and social media; optimism, wonder, and our shared love of the natural world; and how Tom became so deeply involved in conservation. And, of course, we dug into "Naming Nature" and some of the wonderfully strange stories behind names like hellbender, sarcastic fringehead, narwhal, praying mantis, elephant, and even the Yeti. We also talked about why names matter, how paying closer attention can lead to caring, and how caring can ultimately lead to conservation. This was a fun, wide-ranging conversation with a thoughtful and endlessly curious guy, and I think you'll really enjoy it. --- T.A. Barron Naming Nature: A Cabinet of Natural Curiosities for Word Lovers Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/ta-barron --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust, MIRASOL: Looking at the Sun, Patagonia Books, the Rye Resurgence Project for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing T.A. Barron and highlighting the Rye Resurgence Project 6:49 - Growing up 12:47 - Tom's early writing career 16:46 - Oxford days to first novel 21:53 - The work that goes into rejection 24:56 - Plan B, 10 years later 29:18 - Keeping mortality in mind 35:10 - Good and bad tools 37:51 - His first book on the shelf 41:21 - Getting into conservation 48:02 - The new book 53:52 - Where the word "sarcastic" came from 56:31 - And a few more fun word examples 1:02:52 - The capacity to name 1:04:19 - The Yeti 1:07:38 - Cultivating stewardship 1:11:11 - Book recs 1:15:33 - Wrapping up (and a reading of Elephant) --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Andy Schwartz CEO, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners  |  Kevin Spahn Founder, Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG) Two former Northwestern Mutual advisors, two very different paths. Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn share what it takes to build, grow, merge, and create lasting enterprise value. In Summary What separates a successful advisory practice from an enterprise with the ability to grow well beyond its founders? Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer two different perspectives on that question. Both spent decades at Northwestern Mutual, but their paths eventually diverged. Andy left to help build what is now OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ firm expected to surpass $20B by year-end. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual's top practices before deciding to merge his business into OnePoint and become an equity partner. Louis talks with Andy and Kevin about the decisions behind both journeys: creating a true firm rather than an aggregation of practices, transitioning advisors from 1099 to W-2, using outside capital without relinquishing control, rethinking succession, and determining when equity in a larger enterprise can offer greater opportunity than continuing to build alone. Underlying it all is a factor that's much harder to quantify: trust. The Storyline Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn have known each other for roughly 30 years. They met while both were building careers at Northwestern Mutual, where Andy became an important mentor to Kevin as Kevin transitioned from practicing law and estate planning into wealth management. After roughly 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets to launch independently. What began as Bleakley Financial eventually became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ enterprise that Andy expects will surpass $20B by the end of 2026. That kind of growth required more than attracting assets. Andy describes the evolution from a predominantly 1099 structure into a firm where more than 85% of advisors and AUM are now W-2. The shift created a more cohesive enterprise, gave advisors access to equity, and ultimately positioned OnePoint to bring in minority capital from Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners. Andy makes an important distinction about that relationship: OnePoint is “private equity invested,” not “private equity owned.” The structure gave the firm capital and expertise while allowing its partners to retain control. Kevin faced a different decision. After more than 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, his practice had grown to 18 people and approximately $2B in assets. He was happy at the firm, but his clients had evolved, his business had become increasingly complex, and the internal succession plan he once envisioned carried risks he could no longer ignore. He could have built an independent firm himself. Instead, he chose to merge with OnePoint. The decision wasn't driven by the largest possible check. Kevin saw the opportunity to become an equity partner in a larger enterprise, give his team and clients a more durable future, and leverage infrastructure he didn't want to recreate himself. For both men, the story ultimately comes back to the same principle: The right economics matter, but sustainable partnerships require trust, shared philosophy, and the belief that everyone involved can create more value together than separately. Topics Covered Building an enterprise versus building a practice Northwestern Mutual and the path to independence OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners' growth from ~$3B to $18B+ Organic growth versus M&A Creating a growth-oriented advisor culture Moving from a 1099 model to a predominantly W-2 structure Equity ownership and advisor alignment Minority private equity investment Rise Growth Partners and Joe Duran Internal succession versus an external merger Selling versus merging an advisory business Merging versus teaming versus going it alone Evaluating equity versus cash in a transaction The economics of leaving a captive firm Centralization versus advisor autonomy Trust as a factor in partnerships and transactions > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors How did Andy and Kevin's 30-year relationship ultimately lead to a transaction? (04:11)Kevin explains how Andy helped him transition from attorney and estate planner into wealth management, beginning a professional relationship that would eventually make their partnership possible decades later. Why did Andy leave Northwestern Mutual after roughly 30 years? (08:45)Andy describes wanting greater flexibility, a multi-custodial platform, and more optionality for clients and the business—a decision that ultimately led to the creation of OnePoint BFG. Why did Kevin decide his longtime Northwestern Mutual practice needed something different? (15:49)Kevin explains how his clients, service needs, and business evolved over time, while concerns about his original internal succession plan led him to consider a different path. What has driven OnePoint's growth from approximately $3B to $18B+? (21:41)Andy outlines the firm's emphasis on client experience, advisor experience, organic growth, and carefully selected inorganic growth—and why helping advisors grow is fundamental to the model. Why does Andy say OnePoint is a firm rather than an aggregator? (23:54)The distinction comes down to alignment, shared responsibility, centralized resources, equity, and a partnership structure in which advisors are accountable to one another. How did OnePoint convert a predominantly 1099 advisor base into a W-2 enterprise? (29:26)Andy explains why capital and equity became necessary to build the next stage of the business and why trust was essential to bringing advisors into a more integrated structure. Why did OnePoint choose minority private equity investment? (33:13)Andy shares why Rise Growth Partners offered something previous potential buyers had not: a structure designed to benefit the broader advisor partnership while preserving control. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than shop his practice broadly? (36:43)For Kevin, maximizing price wasn't the objective. His decision centered on trust in Andy, confidence in OnePoint's infrastructure, and creating a strong future for clients and employees. Why did Kevin choose equity in the larger firm instead of simply cashing out? (40:57)Kevin explains why he believes participating in the future growth of a larger enterprise offers a compelling alternative to relying solely on the future growth of his own practice. How should advisors evaluate the “golden handcuffs” that can make leaving difficult? (46:42)Andy argues that the analysis needs to compare what an advisor gives up with the potential growth, economics, equity, and leverage available on the other side. How much conformity does a true enterprise require? (49:06)Andy explains why OnePoint sits somewhere between complete advisor autonomy and complete centralization, seeking enough consistency to create enterprise value without eliminating entrepreneurial flexibility. What would Andy and Kevin tell their younger selves? (52:06)Kevin emphasizes surrounding yourself with the best people possible, while Andy reflects on having the courage to make a difficult change after a successful 30-year run. Key Takeaways Building enterprise value requires more than asset growth. OnePoint's evolution included changing its ownership structure, integrating advisor practices, creating equity opportunities, and investing in centralized capabilities. Organic growth remains central even in an M&A-driven market. OnePoint targets approximately 10% organic growth and evaluates prospective partners partly on whether they are growth-oriented and whether the firm can meaningfully help them grow. A collection of successful advisors does not automatically make a firm. Andy sees shared ownership, alignment, accountability, infrastructure, and centralized services as critical distinctions between an enterprise and an aggregator. Outside capital does not have to mean giving up control. OnePoint chose a minority investment from Rise Growth Partners that provided capital and strategic support while leaving control with its operating partners. Succession can expose risks that growth may obscure. Kevin began reconsidering his internal succession strategy when he recognized its dependence on his continued production, key employees, and the future economics of an aging client base. The highest purchase price isn't always the most valuable transaction. Kevin prioritized equity participation, infrastructure, continuity for his employees and clients, and confidence in his future partners over broadly shopping his business for the highest bid. Trust can determine whether structural change is possible. From OnePoint's 1099-to-W-2 conversion to Kevin's decision to merge, both guests repeatedly point to established trust as the foundation that allowed significant business decisions to happen. https://youtu.be/jkIoynpZj6Y Quotable Moments “The biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit.”— Andy Schwartz “We're not an aggregator, we're a firm.”— Andy Schwartz “The biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don't.”— Andy Schwartz “I wasn't looking to sell my business. I was looking to merge it.”— Kevin Spahn “You have to trust them. You have to see that they provide value. And you need to be on the same page philosophically.”— Kevin Spahn “Associate yourselves with the best people you can… It accelerates your trajectory in ways that you can't do on your own.”— Kevin Spahn FAQs Why did Andy Schwartz leave Northwestern Mutual? After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. How large is OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners? At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. What has driven OnePoint's growth? Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. Why did OnePoint move advisors from 1099 to W-2? The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. What does “private equity invested, not private equity owned” mean? Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Why did Kevin Spahn leave Northwestern Mutual? Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than launch his own independent RIA? OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Why didn't Kevin shop his practice to multiple buyers? Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. How do Andy and Kevin suggest advisors evaluate a potential partner? Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. Related Resources Rise and Reinvent: Joe Duran on Building and Rebuilding World-Class Firms From Insurance Sales to $8B RIA: A Northwestern Mutual Breakaway Story The 4th Annual Advisor Transition Report Andy SchwartzCo-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer Andy Schwartz is the Co-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, where he also serves as a Wealth Management Advisor. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® with more than 40 years of experience, Andy has built his career around helping clients make confident, well-informed financial decisions at every stage of life. He works extensively with physicians and business owners on wealth building, retirement planning, and tax-efficient asset transfer across generations. A 2026 finalist for Wealth Management Awards CEO of the Year (under $25B AUM), Andy brings the same discipline to leading the firm that he brings to client relationships: comprehensive planning, long-term thinking, and an unwavering commitment to independence and integrity. Beyond his client work, Andy is deeply invested in the advisory profession itself. He co-hosts The Advisor’s Compass podcast, offering candid, practical guidance on the business and responsibilities of being an advisor. His mentorship philosophy is straightforward: pass the ladder back down. His industry recognition spans more than a decade, including Top 1,200 Advisor by Barron’s (2018–2024), Top 250 Wealth Advisor and Best-In-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes (2018–2024), Top 400 Financial Advisor by the Financial Times (2018–2020), and Top 100 Independent Advisor (2020–2023). He was named Executive of the Year by NJBIZ in 2019 and was a finalist for the Invest in Others Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 20 years of service with NJ SEEDS. Andy holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Rowan University and is actively involved with Nourish NJ, the Navy SEAL Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and JSDD. Outside the office, he enjoys golf, reading, and time with his family at the beach.   Kevin SpahnPartner and Wealth Advisor Kevin Spahn is a Partner and Wealth Advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, bringing more than three decades of experience in comprehensive financial planning to his clients and the firm. Kevin’s path to wealth management is rooted in the law. After earning degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin, he began his career as a practicing attorney before making a deliberate pivot toward financial planning in 1993. He joined Northwestern Mutual, then founded Spahn Financial, building a practice centered on thoughtful, holistic planning for families and business owners. That practice joined OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners in 2025. His approach has remained consistent throughout: help clients build and protect wealth not just for themselves, but for the generations that follow. Kevin works with clients on comprehensive financial plans that account for the full picture, understanding that the impact of good planning extends well beyond an individual portfolio to families, businesses, employees, and the broader community. Kevin is based in the greater Chicago area.   NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise A conversation between Louis Diamond, Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners and Kevin Spahn, Founder of Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG). Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise. It’s a conversation with Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, and Kevin Spahn, founder of Spahn Financial, now OnePoint BFG. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. Each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions, and more, inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: There’s a big difference between building a successful practice and building an enterprise. I think Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer a unique perspective on that distinction from two very different sides. Both spent decades in the Northwestern Mutual system. Andy ultimately left to build what became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, taking the firm from roughly three billion to nearly 20 billion and transforming just about every aspect of the business along the way. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual’s top practices before reaching a different inflection point, deciding what he wanted the next phase of his career and business to look like. Rather than go independent on his own or simply monetize what he had built, he chose to become part of Andy’s growing enterprise. That makes their story particularly relevant for our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Andy can speak to what it takes to build a firm capable of becoming an acquirer, from converting advisors from 1099s to W-2s, to creating equity opportunities, to bringing in outside capital while remaining very deliberate about being private equity-invested rather than private equity-owned. And Kevin brings the seller’s perspective, how you evaluate the economics, the trade-offs, and ultimately the people you’re trusting with the business you spent more than 30 years building. Because whether you’re building, buying, or considering a transaction of any kind, the numbers are only part of the equation. As you hear from both Andy and Kevin, trust may be the most important currency of all. So let’s get to it. Andy and Kevin, thank you so much for both joining us today. Andy Schwartz: Great to see you again, Lewis. Thank you for having us. Louis Diamond: I’ve been excited about this interview for a bunch of reasons. One, our Build, Grow, Transact series has become a real staple of our show and we got lots to talk about there. But also, the friendship, the relationship that you two have had for over 30 years really stood out to me. So before we get into the nuts and bolts, talk about your relationship. How’d you guys meet, and how did your career stay so intertwined together when you’re in different geographies and at different firms, and have each been very successful in your own rights? Andy Schwartz: Sure. Kevin, do you want to start with that? Kevin Spahn: Sure. I started in this career in 1994 and met Andy sometime after that. He was a more advanced financial planner. I was an attorney, and then I transitioned into this business. So when I first joined Northwestern Mutual, which is my first broker dealer, I didn’t really have a background in investments. At the time, a lot of Northwestern Mutual reps were learning the investment business because they maybe originally started with Northwestern Mutual focusing more on insurance planning. My background was more estate planning. At the time, if you think early ’90s, if you did estate planning, insurance often went hand in hand with that. The estate exemption in early 1990s was about $600,000. So if you pass more than $600,000 to your children, there was a 55% tax. One way around it was to put insurance in an irrevocable trust, help cover the tax that way. So it really was a popular common strategy back then, and it’s really what got me into the business. But I quickly realized that I didn’t want my future to be insurance and estate planning. And there was a conflict if you acted as someone’s attorney and sold insurance. So I had to pick one way or the other. I decided long-term it would be better for me to move into the wealth management space. But with that little background in that, I had a lot of work to do. So took a lot of tests, became a certified financial planner. But the person that helped me the most along the way was Andy. We became friends, we sat on committees together. That’s really how we met, I would say. So we worked side by side interacting with our home office and representing the field, bringing issues to the home office that we thought were beneficial to the field. As we did that together, I got to know Andy. And then separately, I learned from him how he built his business and how they would review clients’ portfolios and come up with solutions. So I really credit Andy with helping me more than anyone else to transition from attorney, financial planner doing more estate planning insurance to wealth management. Louis Diamond: Very cool. Hey, I would say, maybe I’m a little biased, that, Kevin, you picked the right path in hanging up the law shingle and coming into wealth management. Kevin Spahn: I tell a lot of people I’m a reformed attorney. Andy Schwartz: Great. Louis Diamond: Exactly. My dad would say the exact same thing. Very common at dinner tables in the Diamond households. Andy Schwartz: I was always grateful that I wasn’t smart enough to be an attorney. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: That’s where my gratitude lies. Yeah. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: Some would say he’s too smart. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy, question for you. I mean, anyone who is at or was at Northwestern Mutual, I mean, you’re like Elvis to them. It’s absolutely crazy the amount of fanfare and brand recognition that you and your brother Scott have. But for those who maybe missed your first podcast appearance with us a number of years ago, or aren’t or weren’t within the Northwestern Mutual system, or haven’t been familiar with Bleakley and now OnePoint BFG, just give us the cliff notes, the origin story, how you got into the business, and how’d you get from here to there? Andy Schwartz: Yeah. So the origin is probably pretty common, probably by accident. Going into my senior year in college, I was working in a restaurant, had a falling out with my boss. I happened to be dating a woman who was living with a general agent with Fidelity Union Life. No one will have ever heard of Fidelity Union Life, but their secret sauce was they sold life insurance to college seniors on a note. So if you can get a $10 money order, because where I went to school, nobody had a checking account, then you could basically get a note signed and they would buy insurance. And then when they graduate, hopefully they’d pay for it. I started selling life insurance my senior year in college. And then my twin brother Scott, who is my partner, and has been for over 40 years, he took an interview with what was the nucleus of our present firm actually. I just went up to Northern New Jersey in May of 1984 because I was an expert. I had been selling life insurance to college kids for six months, so I knew everything you had to know. We met with these guys, and we both ended up joining them. So that was a Northwestern Mutual district agency, and that was 1984. We got licensed right away. I got my CFP in ’86. We always knew that it was going to be about planning. So I think we had the right idea. We were a little ahead of the curve because there weren’t a lot of CFPs in ’86. We got securities license immediately. So before Northwestern had securities license, we got securities license with US Life actually. And then it was really a volume business, a client-building business. We always tried to act as a firm and share resources. We were small, but like a lot of people, we started out selling A shares and B shares and C shares, doing financial planning, selling insurance, and then we made a lot of really good hires along the way. And then after 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, which was a great experience for me, and I have nothing but respect for the institution and certainly the advisors that are there, Kevin certainly was one of them, and I know he feels the same way, but we just wanted to have a little more flexibility. We went independent about 11, almost 12 years ago. We wanted to be able to be multi-custodial. We wanted to have a little bit more optionality for our clients and for ourselves. We left Northwestern at three billion or so in assets, and that was in 2015. It’s in March of 2024, I get introduced to this guy with a crazy accent named Joe Duran. Funny, probably the only person in the industry that had no idea who Joe Duran was me. I’d never heard of Joe Duran. I don’t pay attention. I worry about our firm. I don’t worry about what’s going on outside. So I get introduced to Joe by a mutual friend, and we had an interesting conversation, and it took us probably about four or five months to figure out what we wanted to do. And then in August of ’24, myself and my three partners, we rolled in. And then in ’85, the rest of the firm rolled in. And we can talk a little bit more about that. Today we’re 18-plus billion, growing quite a bit. We’ve been very lucky that we’ve made some very good decisions along the way. We’ve made some bad ones too. But most of the decisions had to do with the people that we hired, the people that we brought on to help us, because I think it’s really important. I always say that the biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit, and I try not to, and I realize that I’m smart enough, but I’m certainly not the smartest guy. I’m rarely the smartest guy in the room. So what we try to do is hire lots and lots of really smart people. And we’ve done that. They’ve been loyal to us, we’ve been loyal to them. Yeah, so we’re blessed to have a really great team and lots of good partners. Yeah. Louis Diamond: Yeah, we’ll definitely get into more of the nuts and bolts of the decision to take on capital, partner with Joe Duran’s Rise, but that’s an amazing background. Andy, I have to give you credit because your style, and I think I’m sure there’s business benefits, but it comes from a good place, I’m sure. But the coaching and consulting and just assistance that I’ve heard you provide to so many past and current Northwestern Mutual advisors through sports camps is absolutely incredible. It’s very near and dear to my heart because we always try to lead with education and helping people. So I just wanted to call that out, that your reputation for just providing amazing guidance and coaching to advisors is unparalleled. Andy Schwartz: And it’s been the best part of our journey. We’ve been able to help so many people. We get way too much credit by the way. So everybody gives us way too much credit. But the way I look at it is, I’ve been able to leverage my life because I’ve been able to build a great life for myself and my family, but we’ve been able to leverage that, and that’s where the real gift is. So yeah, it’s been a joyful journey for us. Louis Diamond: Amazing. Kevin, question for you. You walked through your little bit unorthodox background to get into Northwestern. Can you talk about where your personal practice is today? And then I want to ask you about the decision to leave Northwestern and sell and team up with Andy and team. Kevin Spahn: Well, I have to go back to the beginning. What was attractive to me about this business is I went from a career which was confrontational adversarial. I was a trial attorney for six years, and every day I would fight with people over things I didn’t necessarily have a personal interest in and I didn’t really believe in always. But the adversarial confrontational nature wasn’t really my personality, and I would take it too personally. So sometimes I’d go home in a bad mood because I was fighting with somebody taking a deposition. At night, after so many years as a trial attorney, I started going to people’s houses and doing wills and trusts. And that’s where the dynamic of working with a client or a potential client, feeling that you helped them and walking out of the meeting where they would appreciate what you did for them, and you build a relationship and actually all of a sudden have a friend, that dynamic was attractive to me. That’s really what got me to transition into the business. So I think it was really helpful to me at the beginning of this career. As Andy said, we all grew our businesses one client at a time. There’s a lot of doors closed, phones hung up on. There’s many people that don’t want to talk to you. There’s many people that don’t call you back. There’s many people that you think you’re getting somewhere with and you don’t. And that’s difficult for people because people often, young reps take that as personal rejection. I had the benefit of comparing what I was dealing with as a young financial planner to what I had dealt with as an attorney in litigation. I think it just was perspective that I knew I didn’t want to do that anymore. So the negatives to this business didn’t seem that bad to me. I loved the independence. I loved all the relationships that I was building. And that part of it is to this day my favorite part of the business. When you ask about the present, what basically happens is you start out taking anybody and everybody as a potential client or as someone that you would be willing to work with. And then over time you work with more successful people. So where I’m at today is working with pretty successful people, but they’re all the same, meaning we like working with nice people. If people are nice, we work with them. I feel we can help anybody. Over the years, one client at a time. The thing that I probably, if I could go back, would change is I think Andy and I are both good at meeting people and building trust and providing value, so that’s why they work with us. So I think that’s just something we’ve both been able to do. He’s much better than I am at building an organization. So I built an organization basically hiring people, that whenever we got too busy, I hired another person. Drawback in terms of that is, anybody that I interview I think is great, and I think they’d be great to join the organization. I like them all. In spite of that, I’ve also brought in many good people that I love. At this point, my firm has 18 people. We’re a little subset of Andy’s larger firm. I think one of the most attractive things to me about joining Andy’s firm is what Andy mentioned before: the people. As opposed to me having to build this all out myself, going independent, Andy already did that. And he has the infrastructure that would allow me to just merge right into that and not have to go through the pain of figuring all that out, which I don’t even think I’m capable of, to be honest with you. Louis Diamond: You’re probably selling yourself short because the way I understood it, you had one of the top practices within the entire Northwestern Mutual systems, and it’s a firm filled with very successful advisors. For you, Kevin, what was the driving force to leaving NM after all these years? What was bothering you or frustrating you that indicated to you that it was time to do something different? Kevin Spahn: To be honest with you, I was pretty happy at Northwestern Mutual. I love the company and the people. I still have many good friends there that I truly miss. The big thing for me, I don’t know if it was any one thing, to be honest with you, is Andy said there’s optionality, especially on the investment side. I think one of the things that happened to me is, when I first started, I was 31 years old, and most of the potential clients that I would meet and work with, they weren’t what I would call today great investment clients. They didn’t have a lot of money. They had great futures. They might’ve been earning significant income or on the way to earning significant income. So what did they need at that point in their life? They needed planning. They needed protection. They didn’t really need investment management because most of their investments were going into their 401(k). But a lot of those clients that we would take on, and I think that’s the big advantage of Northwestern Mutual, you take on clients that a lot of the investor firms don’t want because they don’t have large investment portfolios. But at some point down the road, all of a sudden you wake up and they do have large investment portfolios. So you bring them in as clients that might buy life insurance from you or disability insurance or something like that. And then you help them, and you give them advice, and you build a relationship with them. Down the road, they make more and more money. They leave jobs, they roll 401(k)s, they have the ability to invest money, stock options, things like that. Next thing you’re doing more comprehensive planning that incorporates investments. As that progresses even further, you work with larger and larger clients, much more significant net worth, more complexity, bigger tax issues. Some of the strategies and opportunities that we now have at this independent RIA are very attractive for these high-net-worth clients. Along the same lines, less of what I do at this point in my career is insurance, mostly because a lot of the people that I meet are older, they already bought insurance, they’re looking more for investment advice as opposed to insurance. So one of the things that most attracted me to Northwest Mutual was their strong insurance products, which helped me for many years. As time went on, I was doing less of that. Louis Diamond: Makes complete sense. So it was a changing of what clients wanted and just the circumstances of your clients where you said, “What got me here when I was 31 was insurance planning, and that’s what my clients needed. But as my practice has evolved, I’ve aged, my clients are older, have more money, the focus shifted from insurance to investments.” And then the distinction was, am I at the best place to run investments in addition to insurance planning, et cetera? It’s a very interesting dynamic. Just the shift in basically your legacy clients was what drove you to consider change. Kevin Spahn: That was a big factor. I think the second big factor was I had my own firm with 18 people. My succession plan was that at some point I would shift ownership of the firm to people that worked with me. So as they owned more of the firm, they would have revenue that was currently at the time being paid to me. In my mind, as it shifted to them, they would buy me out using revenue from the clients that we already had. And I realized that there were some issues with that. In our business, as you get older, in your client’s age, they start taking money out of their portfolios. So everyone understands that in our business, the younger average age client you have makes your book more valuable. I was the biggest driver of new business at my firm, and I started to see that there were some problems with my succession plan. They included, if something happened to me during this succession, that would be a real problem for the people that were buying my business from me if I went that way. If something happened to some of my key people, that would’ve been a problem as well. So it was really attractive to me to… I wasn’t looking to sell my business, I was looking to merge it. So I merged it with Andy’s business. I believe that Andy and what he’s put together and the actual idea of having partners. So I never really had partners, but now I do. Having partners that we’re all on the same page, we all have similar backgrounds, we all bring something different to the table, and we can learn and benefit from working with each other. But also, owning a little piece of a much larger firm was, number one, it put me in a better position in terms of the potential risk of something happening to me or one of my key people. But secondly, I just think it’s more likely to grow at a greater pace than my firm would’ve as I aged from my 60s to my 70s. Louis Diamond: Very interesting. It’s a great realization. I think it’s one that probably every firm owner grapples with at some point, is the romanticism or the ease, some would say, of an internal succession plan. Rewarding those who have helped you build the firm is something I think everyone is interested in. But once that’s put into practice, whether it’s because of capital or sky-high valuations or right people on the bus or risk, et cetera, nowadays oftentimes leads to a firm owner looking at a transaction, whether it’s a merger, a sale, a private equity, capital infusion as a means to solve for succession. So it’s a very interesting way you framed it. Andy, I want to turn it over to you for a little bit. So you mentioned when you launched Bleakley Financial, which was the old name of your firm, out of Northwestern, you’re about three billion. I think I read that you’re about 10 billion or so when Joe Duran and Rise invested you in 2024. You just said you’re at 18 billion now in the middle of 2026. That is absolutely incredible and amazing. Andy Schwartz: We’ll be well over 20 by the end of the year without any additional organic growth. Louis Diamond: That’s absolutely incredible. Andy Schwartz: We’ve got a lot going on right now. Louis Diamond: What’s actually driven that? What’s been the playbook? Andy Schwartz: The three areas that are most important for us, and we had our town hall this morning, and we always talk about the things we focus on as a group, the first and most important is the client experience. I always say to people, if you are their advisor, then that means someone else isn’t. These people, they all deserve to be really well taken care of. They deserve the best service, they deserve the best advice. So that’s something we take really personally. So client experience first. Then we also understand that we don’t just work for clients, we work for our advisors. So I have two jobs. I have, I don’t know, 500 clients I service with my team, and I work for Kevin and 36 other partners and all of our employees. Because again, I recognize that the decision Kevin made… We’re in the middle of a transition out with another advisor, and we pretty much talk to her every day, and I know how hard this is. A transition is so difficult. When you come from a good place, because any of the Northwestern advisor who joins, they’re coming from a good place, it’s not like they have to go anywhere, it’s difficult. So we have the massive responsibility that three or four or five or 10 years from now, that there better be hugs around that this was the best decision ever made or otherwise. That’s the kind of thing that keeps me up at night. So we’ve got to take care of our client experience, we’ve got to take care of our advisor experience. And then obviously, we’ve got to grow the firm so the firm grows organically. So part of this whole idea of serving our advisors is we have to help our advisors grow. I talk to a lot of people on the acquisition side, and if I’m talking to an advisor, it doesn’t matter how big they are, we kind of think of it as a OnePoint way. There’s flexibility in the OnePoint way. But if I can’t help them grow, I don’t want them, because I say it all the time, I’m not the mafia. I’m not here to get a taste. Louis, if you weren’t interested in joining us, if I thought that we could help you grow by doing that, then I want you bad. If I don’t think I can help you grow because we’re so different, or because you’re not going to adapt what we do, or there’s no leverage in it, or you’re already better than we are, I don’t want it. So for us, organic growth, number one, and I think you know the industries well enough, that’s got to be the key. We shoot for 10% organic growth. We’re at a little over 5% so far halfway through the year. So assuming we have the similar second half of the year, we’ll hit our 10. Last year we’re at 7.5%. The second is the inorganic growth. If you truly build a platform, if you truly build a firm that advisors know that they’ll be supported, that they’ll be loved, and you’ll help them grow their businesses, it does make it easier for us. We’re not the highest bidder typically. We can’t. We respect our client’s capital, we respect their equity, so therefore we’re not going to go out there. We’re not an aggregator, we’re a firm. But I think that if we can get that message across, and I think we have, then advisors join us. So that’s been a big part of the growth. And then the market’s helped. Obviously, over the last two years, the market’s been helpful. So that’s how we’ve gone from 10 to 18 and on our way to 22 by year-end. Louis Diamond: This is absolutely incredible. Any advisor or firm owner would say organic growth is important, but just saying it’s important doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. So what are the ways in which you help your advisors or your own practice grow organically? What is it that OnePoint is doing for your advisors? Andy Schwartz: Starting with bringing on growth-oriented advisors. I mean, look, Kevin Spahn and I come from the same place. We learned how to sell. The great thing about coming out of whether they’re broker dealers or out of the different insurance BDs is, these are people that know how to sell. These are people that don’t think that selling is a bad word. A lot of times you go to the wirehouses and they’re not necessarily sales guys. They’re really smart. They think that they’re investment mavens and investment geniuses. I’m not interested in investment geniuses. I’m interested in people that want to take care of their clients, provide everything they can, clients first, do the proper planning, be good advisors, but they’re growth-oriented. So as long as we’re talking with the right advisors. Again, if I’m talking to advisor and they might have a big practice, if they’re not growers, we’re not interested. There’s a sense of responsibility for all the partners because we are a true partnership. It’s not an aggregation. This is a firm. I’m responsible for Kevin. Kevin’s responsible to me. All of our partners are responsible to each other, because if we’re going to do a 10% organic growth target, and if some partner is negative 3%, we don’t put them through the spanking machine, but everybody is very aware of where everybody is and nobody wants to let their partners down. I think either you’re a growth-oriented advisor or you’re a zoo-fed bear. There’s another expression that I got from another Rise Growth Partner or Rise Growth firm. We all kind of communicate and talk to each other. And I was talking about zoo-fed bears, and he said, we call them house cats that think they fight. So they’re house cats, but they have no claws. But I think if you’re careful about who you bring on as partners, and if they are workers, growers, they understand that their job in life is to serve the people. We talk about referrals, we do lots of training to help on referrals. We work on organic growth strategies from the firm, but a lot of it comes from the advisors themselves. Louis Diamond: Makes sense. So it sounds like, to boil it down, it’s being really selective and having a really clear sense of who’s the right fit for your firm. Not that there’s not amazing advisors out there, but just because you’re an amazing advisor, doesn’t mean you’re the right fit to join OnePoint. Andy Schwartz: I think the one big distinction and difference is other than the fact that we are minority-owned with private equity. So we own our business. I mean, I’m the CEO of the firm. I also have the biggest book in the firm. At least for right now, I mean, Kevin was transitioning, so I’m sure next year he’ll be the leading advisor. But I lead the firm, because as far as I’m concerned, you have to lead by example. We are completely aligned. I know exactly what Kevin does every day because I do the same thing. I’m not some attorney or accountant or private equity boss that’s saying, “Oh, I’ve got an idea for growth. We’ll just raise our fees by 5%.” Brilliant. Yeah, we are completely aligned, all of us. I think that makes us a little bit unique, and it really helps us, I think, in our growth trajectory. Louis Diamond: I would agree. The challenge that a lot of advisors-turned-firm-owners or turned-enterprise-builders have is the tug of war between the client work, which either is their ultimate passion and driving force, or it’s something they’re really good at minimum, versus being the owner, the operator, et cetera. I resonate very much, Andy, with the way you handle it. I do the same thing running a company, but also working with advisors. To me, I need to do both in order to do my job well. But that tug of war is tough. So I’m curious, your firm is very large now, you’re a steward of external capital, and you have a $3 billion book yourself. How do you do it? How do you balance the two? Andy Schwartz: Well, fortunately, my kids are grown, so I’m not coaching sports anymore. So I do have a little more time than most. Look, we have a great team. So the idea that I run the firm… I mean, I lead the firm, I don’t run the firm. We have great partners. We have great… Our manager team is fantastic. So I mean, they really run the firm. But this is where my passion is for now. So I don’t mind. Days are typically pretty long. I don’t play golf during the week. Mara and I don’t travel probably as much as we should. Vacations are always a little bit mixed. There’s always room for calls and meetings and whatever. But to me, I mean, I’m grateful to be in this situation. I’m enjoying it. This is such a privilege to be the person that people recognize as the leader of this bunch, of this group. I mean, it is the honor of my life. So I don’t think of it so much as work. It’s my advocation. It does get busy. There are some times where I have to remind myself, “Just enjoy the ride.” I get a little overwhelmed, but I get lots of help and that makes it possible. Louis Diamond: Yep. If you’re not doing the job of the folks that you’re encouraging and leading to do, how do you have fodder to train them, to teach them, to empathize with that? Andy Schwartz: Exactly, you don’t have the credibility. I can ask them to do almost anything because they know I do it myself, and I think that helps. Louis Diamond: Yep. So moving more into the decision to bring on private equity capital, what I thought was probably the most interesting component of your announcement that you took on PE investment was that you completely restructured or reoriented your firm prior to Joe Duran coming in 2024. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bleakley Financial Group was almost all 1099 contractors. So everyone owned their own books of business, paid Bleakley a fee or an override for certain services. But now, today, over 85% of your advisors and your AUM are W-2 employees, meaning you converted them from 1099 to acquiring them or merging with them. To me, that’s the dream. It’s had to have been very, very, very hard and challenging because there’s so many aggregator firms or platforms that support independent advisors, but the value that they’ve created is fairly minimal relative to one cohesive firm. So can you just talk about that decision, a very big and brave decision to go down the path of acquiring or merging with the practices rather than letting them continue to operate independently? Andy Schwartz: Well, look, we had to… It’s funny because we had been having conversations for years with consultants, and they kept telling us what we had to do. Again, we’re not that smart, so we just kept thinking, “No, we don’t have to do that.” But we were told 10 years earlier that the only way that this thing has any value to the world is you’ve got to have EBITDA for the firm. We talked to all the smart people, we ignored all of them. But what happened was we needed capital and we needed equity in order to bring people on, because people aren’t just joining us just because we can help them grow a bigger business. So the reason we went in the direction we went initially was we just needed capital. We wanted to grow the firm, and the only way we were going to get to is… What’s the old saying? What got us here is not going to get us there. So we needed capital. But we also realized that I had to have something I could sell in the marketplace. And people want equity. So they want cash, but they also want equity, because we’re talking to entrepreneurs. Kevin owned his own firm. He has $2 billion of assets. He wasn’t interested in being someone’s employee, but he was interested in being able to get leverage and be a partner and share equity in a larger firm that had the chance to grow even more. So what the gift that Joe Duran, the Rise folks gave us was that gift of structure and understanding. So that was really helpful, and that’s been a big part of our success. Louis Diamond: Yeah, it’s an amazing journey. Again, I think you could probably write a book or a case study on how that happened. I’m sure there were some downfalls, some people that weren’t all that excited about it, but the results speak for itself. Andy Schwartz: I think people ask all the time because I do get phone calls. People are trying to do this, and they’re struggling. It took us 90 days to basically do it. People say, “I’ve been at this for two years.” And the biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don’t. At the end of the day, I always went to the advisor here, we were a firm for 30-plus years prior, and these guys knew that we always did what we said we were going to do, and we always did. If your people trust you, then you can do it. If your people don’t trust you, it isn’t going to work. Louis Diamond: In other words, your firm added immense value to the advisors as well. Aside from trust, if you weren’t providing a service or services that they found a value that they couldn’t access on their own, it would’ve been 85/15 going the other way for sure. Andy Schwartz: Yeah, 100%. I know it’s not easy, but it wasn’t that hard for us. Louis Diamond: Good. It’s well-earned. So I believe you were Rise Growth Partners’ first investment. Andy Schwartz: We were. Louis Diamond: That’s cool. It’s exciting. You get to be someone’s first, but did it make you uncomfortable that you were the first investment or did you see that as a positive? Andy Schwartz: I actually saw it as a positive. Well, one, because I recognized immediately that Joe Duran and his team were way smarter than we were certainly, and certainly with what we were trying to do. And I figured that it’s almost like the first child. They were so excited to have somebody, and there was so much time and energy, so they just really doted on us. They were really able to help us. Now they’ve got four or five groups that they work with, and obviously we’ve been launched. So the younger babies are getting more time and attention, although we get everything that we need from them. But yeah, that never concerned me. I always thought that would be our advantage. It actually turned out that way. Louis Diamond: Interesting. In thinking through a sale or a minority sale, did you entertain other types of capital, whether it was a family office or a multitude of other private equity sponsors or selling the firm outright? Andy Schwartz: Yeah, we probably had four or five very, very serious conversations. Actually, some got pretty close to the end where we basically just made the decision not to do it. One was a much larger firm, good people. But the problem always was… I was always going to get rich out of the deal because it was going to be 100% sale, but there was really no lift or leverage from the advisors. So the principals, they were willing to pay me a big multiple and my partners a big multiple, and pay these guys basically an average multiple. So we had always told our guys, “Let’s stay together, and someday, this thing, whatever it’s going to turn into be, will benefit everyone.” So with the Duran situation and the deal with Rise did, it gave everybody a chance to benefit from what we were doing. But what was good about all of those false starts was, it taught me a lot because I had… I know you’re involved in this, so you know better than I do, but we’d start conversations, somebody would reach out to me, I would be very specific about what I needed. They would say, “Yep, we can do that.” And then you get to the finish line, and it’s almost like, I started out, I wanted a tomahawk steak and a baked potato, and I ended up getting a two-day-old hamburger with some cold French fries. It’s like, I know I’m not that smart and I know you’re the PE guys, but for God’s sakes, we’re not stupid. So it was funny because in January of ’24, I told my partners, “I don’t want to have any more of these conversations. It was a waste of time and energy. I’m sick of talking to these people. Let’s just put our heads down, and then let’s grow the firm a little bit more, and then we’ll see what the world looks like.” And then I get introduced to Duran. Louis Diamond: Perfect. Makes sense. Yeah, so you were well-educated on the market, the types of buyers, and I always say it’s almost more important to understand what you don’t want more than what you do want. The only way oftentimes to understand what you don’t want is to experience it and touch and feel it and really get into the weeds on it. I like too, Andy, I saw in an article, you said that “we’re private equity invested, we’re not private equity owned,” which is a very cool dynamic. I could imagine why that was important to you to retain majority control. Kevin, I want to bring you back into the conversation. Thank you for being patient here. But I mean, I would imagine you had some real choices. I mean, you could have stayed at Northwestern and been very successful, gone through with your internal succession plan. You could have gone to an independent BD, monetized, figured out succession later. You could have sold the business to a strategic acquirer. You were big enough to take on an investor in some capacity on your own. So options wasn’t your problem. Maybe just walk us through. Did you consider any other pathways? And what were the pros and cons in your mind that led you to doing a transaction with Andy? Kevin Spahn: I’m a little different, I think, than most people in this industry. Even as you grow your business at a certain percentage, none of that stuff has ever really meant anything to me. All I know is I like what I do. So when I came into the business, because I like it, I enjoy it, I spend time doing it, I’ve tried to get better at it. But it comes naturally because it’s something that I don’t look at Monday mornings as, “Oh, no, it’s Monday morning.” I’m excited to go to work. My entire career, once I left law, my business has just grown over the years naturally. But you said something before, Louis, and I think this applies to me. I love to work with the clients. I don’t like what I have to do in terms of running the firm. I never have. It’s never been my cup of tea, but you have to do it if you run a firm. So number one, the thought of all the due diligence that I would have to do to research all the firms out there, I wasn’t really all that interested in doing that. At the end of the day, it comes down to this word trust. I trust Andy. I trust the other partners here too, because I’ve known not just Andy, but I’ve known Scott and many of the other partners for years. So I knew what I was getting myself into. At the end of the day, I knew what they built. I was very comfortable with it, and I was either going to stay at Northwestern Mutual or I was going to come here, but I wasn’t going to go anywhere else. I will say, since I’ve gone, it’s been exactly like I thought. I thought I trusted Andy. And if something happened along the way with the transition, everything that he said has been true, thing that he promised is real. As you deal with more complexities with a bigger book and more and more employees, I knew that I was almost at the breaking point in terms of my own organization and to merge into this organization that, as I said before, he’s already built out. I don’t have to do it. And to benefit from these great people that he has as part of his organization, that’s all been a real blessing for me and my team. So I didn’t shop the marketplace really, but I knew what I was getting into, and it’s worked out clear as I thought it would. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. I think that’s what most people would covet. But it is a decision in and of itself to not shop the marketplace. I mean, from representing buyers or prospective buyers, I know the pricing leverage or the negotiation leverage and the valuation lift that comes from having an open market, having multiple bids, et cetera. It sounds like that wasn’t the… Obviously you wanted to get fair value for your firm, but for you, it was more, it’s trust, “I’m either going to just stay at Northwestern, which is the devil I know or it’s what I’ve known where I’ve been successful, or I’m going to go to the individual that I trust and forget about all the other noise.” Kevin Spahn: Well, Andy says things, but I know they’re true because I’ve seen him at work. I’ve seen how he’s acted. I’ve seen how he interacts with people. But here’s an example. He cares about the people that are at his firm. He says that, but I know it’s true because I see it. I’m the same. I really care about the people in my firm. So as I think about, well, what about the future of two groups, my clients, but also the people that work in my firm? They’re going to be around long after I am. Well, I don’t want myself to retire someday, get a big check, because there’s all sorts of options to get a check. If I get a check and then my client’s scatter to the wind, and my employees don’t really have a future and they just have to go and find their own way, that wasn’t attractive at all to me. So one of the things that I really appreciate about this opportunity is that there is a plan for both my clients and my employees or the younger team members at formerly Spahn Financial, where I feel very good about the fact that they have a solid, secure future in an industry that they’ve all grown to love without them having to go out and make their own way. Louis Diamond: Makes sense to me. We noted a couple of times in this interview, you talked about equity, partnership, both of you have. So Kevin, for you, what did it mean differently for you to become a partner and get equity in a larger firm rather than, we’ll say, the less risky move of just taking everything in cash? Why was that an important distinction for you? Kevin Spahn: For many years, when I left law and came into this business, I didn’t have any money at the time. I was just starting to make money as a lawyer. It takes a while. I started low. I got trial experience working for the government, so they didn’t pay much. That was three years. Then I was at a firm, and I was just starting to make more money. Then I made this big shift into a career tha

Is the traditional 60/40 portfolio still an effective way to manage investment risk, or has it become dormant?     In this episode of The Market Moment, Matt and Isaac dive into a Barron's article questioning the state of the 60/40 strategy. They break down how shifting market conditions and elevated bond yields impact risk, while exploring key alternatives to standard asset allocations.   Key Discussion Points: ✔ The 60/40 Portfolio Breakdown: How the standard 60% equities and 40% fixed income strategy works and why its historical inverse correlation has faced recent challenges, with Matt referencing the Barrons article: https://www.barrons.com/articles/balance-portfolio-stocks-bonds-ai-345b031e?refsec=re tirement&mod=topics_retirement ✔ Buffered & Defined Outcome ETFs: How options-backed products offer synthetic market exposure and downside protection with capped upside. ✔ Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs): Utilizing insurance products for principal protection and downside risk mitigation during retirement withdrawals. ✔ Managing Risk: Why diversification across strategies—rather than over-relying on a single vehicle—is vital for long-term planning.   ⚠️ Disclosure: The views expressed in this video are solely the opinions of the participants and are provided for informational purposes only. They should not be construed as investment advice, a recommendation, or a guarantee of future performance. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Any securities or companies mentioned are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell. For more information about Mach 1 Financial Group LLC, please refer to our current disclosure brochure available through the SEC website or at disclosures.mach1fg.com.   #FinancialPlanning #Investments #RetirementPlanning #6040Portfolio #BufferedETFs #Annuities #RiskManagement #MarketMoment

Barron's Senior Managing Editor Lauren R. Rublin and Senior Markets Analysis Writer Paul R. La Monica speak with Blake Gwinn, head of US Rates Strategy at RBC Capital Markets, about the outlook for financial markets, industry sectors, and individual stocks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Wes Moss is a Managing Partner and Chief Investment Strategist at Capital Investment Advisors (CIA), where he leads a team dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve financial independence. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and prominent money educator, Wes is the author of What The Happiest Retirees Know and You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think, and hosts the nationally recognized Retire Sooner Podcast alongside his weekly call-in radio show, Money Matters. Recognized nationally by Barron's, Forbes, and Investopedia for his expertise in income investing and retirement lifestyle planning, he holds a degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and lives in Atlanta with his family.Connect with Wes Moss:Website: https://www.wesmoss.com/ The Retire Sooner Method: The 5 Secrets Behind America's Happiest (and Unhappiest) Retirees. https://a.co/d/00AA74b0 Need expert tax planning? Visit GTG Tax to learn how to make your taxes work for your goals: https://gtgtax.com/ TurnKey Podcast Productions Important Links:Guest to Gold Video Series: www.TurnkeyPodcast.com/gold The Ultimate Podcast Launch Formula- www.TurnkeyPodcast.com/UPLFplusFREE workshop on how to "Be A Great Guest."Free E-Book 5 Ways to Make Money Podcasting at www.Turnkeypodcast.com/gift Ready to earn 6-figures with your podcast? See if you've got what it takes at TurnkeyPodcast.com/quizSales Training for Podcasters: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sales-training-for-podcasters/id1540644376Nice Guys on Business: http://www.niceguysonbusiness.com/subscribe/The Turnkey Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/turnkey-podcast/id1485077152 Discover how you can look 'poor' to the IRS and rich to a lender. Check out my sponsor, GTG Tax Planning, at gtgtax.com to book a short discovery call.

Thank you so much for listening to the Bob Harden Show, celebrating over 15 years broadcasting on the internet. On Monday's show, we visit with Marc Schulman, Founder and Publisher of HistoryCentral.com, about artificial intelligence and developments in Iran, Israel, Nepal, Iceland. The American Institute for Economic Research Senior Editor Jon Miltimore and I discuss the emerging details of the Covid conspiracy. We also visit with author and former Barron's Washington Bureau Chief Jim McTague about artificial intelligence data centers. We have terrific guests for tomorrow's show, including Director of the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University William Yeatman, Young Voices Content Creator Maggie Anders, Boo Mortenson, and Linda Harden. Access this and past shows at your convenience on my web site, social media platforms or podcast platforms.

A strong culture is hard to prove. It shows up in the way people are led, trained, retained and connected to a purpose bigger than the work itself. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Jason Walker joins Brad Barron onsite at Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing in for a conversation inside their production studio. They talk about the people-first foundation behind Barron's $50M operation, from community impact and employee retention to leadership development, technician training, and clear growth paths. Together, they unpack why real growth is not just about hitting a bigger revenue number. It is about building the systems and culture that make sustainable growth possible.The post Inside the Culture of a $50M+ Contractor first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard.

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Melania Trump and Barron Trump facing what may be their worst nightmare as Barron reportedly keeps an extremely low profile amid security fears involving Iran, while Melania faces damaging new scrutiny as a figure from her past, Amanda Ungaro, gives new interviews about her. Meiselas breaks down the growing problems surrounding the Trump family and why Melania and Barron appear increasingly determined to stay out of the public eye. Get 20% OFF your DeleteMe plan! Go to https://JoinDeleteMe.com/MEIDAS and enter code: MEIDAS at checkout! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We review fresh new stock ideas in Energy, Manufacturing, and Big Food from US News, Barron's and CFRA.  We also cover the blowout earnings numbers from AI giant Nvidia, a new price target, and what it means for the AI segment and the rest of the market.

Kevin Warsh's Jackson Hole speech gave markets more confidence that the Fed is still focused on bringing inflation back to its 2% target.In this episode of The Financial Exchange, Chuck Zodda and Paul Lane discuss the market reaction to Warsh's remarks, why energy prices have not caused the level of economic disruption many feared, and how China's reduced oil imports helped keep crude prices from spiking even higher. They also debate whether the housing market is actually fragile, why AI driven refinancing may not be as simple as advertised, and which jobs could grow or face disruption over the next decade. Plus, Paul LaMonica of Barron's joins the show to explain why software stocks are bouncing back and why AI may be helping software companies more than hurting them.

Volume 102 of Brad & Mira For the Culture...Dolly Parton, our Lord & Savior, has shuffled off her mortal coil...Mira laments not being able to cancel the podcast for mental health reasons...Mira ridicules Brad for not marketing his podcast until year 15...Brad's Instagram following explodes...Angry Adam is furious again...does James Blunt have micro-penis?...Harry & Meghan heading back to the UK...Clavicular's security detail brawls with college kids in Ft. Lauderdale...Sydney Sweeney is the next Tom Cruise...the Iranian government puts a bounty on Barron...& more... *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Write a Novel,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad's email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Improve your English listening comprehension and vocabulary with this breakdown of the latest story involving Iran and Barron Trump. Watch until the end to master new expressions and see how native speakers analyze current world events.✅ Book a 1 on 1 conversation with me: https://americanenglishwithbrent.as.me/You will get: Extended Conversation: More time to speak naturally and practice real-life English.Personal Feedback: Direct corrections on grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.Video Recording: Watch your lesson again to review your progress.Full Transcript: Get written text of our call to study new words and phrases.1. Disturbing (Adjective): Making you feel worried.: It is disturbing when the baby cries all night.2. Aired (Verb): Shown on TV or radio.: My favorite cooking show aired right after I finished work.3. Bounty (Noun): Money given as a reward.: They put a bounty on the young man's head.4. Spend Time (Verb Phrase): To use time doing something.: I love to spend time in my garden on Sundays.5. Mention (Verb): To say something quickly.: Did your boss mention when the new project will start?6. Secret Service (Noun): Police who protect leaders.: The Secret Service walks closely with the president.7. Threat (Noun): A danger or warning.: A heavy snowstorm is a threat to our travel plans.8. Formerly (Adverb): In the past.: I formerly worked in a bank, but now I drive a taxi.9. Apparent (Adjective): Easy to see.: It was apparent that my son was tired after his game.10. Any Given Time (Noun Phrase): At any moment.: At any given time, my kitchen is full of kids eating snacks.11. Especially (Adverb): More than usual.: I enjoy all music, but I especially love old jazz.12. All-Out (Adjective): Using all your energy.: We made an all-out effort to clean before the guests arrived.13. Consequences (Noun): What happens because of an action.: If you are late to work, the consequences might be bad.14. In Your Interest (Phrase): Good for you.: It is in your interest to save money from your paycheck.15. State TV (Noun): TV controlled by the government.: My grandfather only watches the news on State TV.16. Similar (Adjective): Almost the same.: My sister and I have similar jobs at the hospital.17. Individuals (Noun): People.: The cooking class has ten individuals from around the world.18. Assassination (Noun): The murder of a leader.: The history book explained the assassination of a king.19. The First Family (Noun): The family of a country's leader.: The First Family waved to the crowd during the holiday.20. Intelligence (Noun): Secret government information.: Government intelligence helps keep citizens safe from danger.21. Intelligent (Adjective): Very smart.: My daughter is intelligent and finishes her homework early.22. Propaganda (Noun): False information meant to persuade.: The angry street posters felt like political propaganda.23. Deal With It (Verb Phrase): To fix a hard situation.: When the sink broke, I called a plumber to deal with it.24. Dramatically (Adverb): In a very big way.: Food prices have changed dramatically since last year.25. Beef Up (Phrasal Verb): To make something stronger.: We need to beef up the lock on the garage door.

Iran's state broadcaster just aired a commercial showing exactly where Barron Trump could be targeted, including Trump Tower, reportedly tied to a $10 million bounty on the Trump family. The Secret Service was forced to publicly respond. Why is a foreign government airing this on national television, and what does it mean heading into the midterms? In this episode, Lance Wallnau breaks down the Iranian state TV broadcast threatening Barron and Melania Trump, including the stylized graphics showing locations tied to the Trump family and the history of threats against the president himself. He connects it to the broader spiritual and political battle he sees playing out around Trump, from the rise of Islam's political influence in Texas and Michigan, to Charlie Kirk's warnings about the next generation, to new developments on noncitizen voter registration and the Supreme Court's ruling on election integrity. Lance closes with a prayer for the Trump family's protection heading into a tense midterm season. In this episode: * The Iranian state broadcast that aired stylized graphics showing locations tied to the Trump family, including Trump Tower, reportedly linked to a $10 million bounty * Why the Secret Service was forced to publicly respond to a threat that aired on national television in Iran * The rise of Islam's political influence in Texas and Michigan, and why Lance says it's being treated differently than any other religion * What Charlie Kirk told President Trump in the Oval Office about housing affordability, and why Lance says his absence left a void * The Supreme Court ruling on Trump's voter-citizenship executive order, and the noncitizen voter numbers Lance says are being overlooked, including New Jersey's registration error * The prayer Lance prays for the Trump family's protection heading into a tense midterm season Podcast Episode 2223: Iran State TV Broadcast Target's Barron Trump With $10 Million Bounty | don't miss this! Listen to more episodes of the Lance Wallnau Show at lancewallnau.com/podcast

Most business owners assume stalled growth means they need more leads, more clients, or a new marketing tactic. Dr. Jon Randall argues that this is often exactly the wrong diagnosis. When an owner is buried in delivery, carrying too many non-ideal clients, and measuring the wrong numbers, adding more business can deepen the bottleneck instead of solving it.Jon joins host Gary Heldt to explain why capacity is one of the most common constraints in growing advisory firms and why the same problem appears across professional-service businesses. Drawing on more than 25 years in the financial-services industry, his experience as a top-producing advisor, and his work with some of the country's fastest-growing RIAs, Jon shows how benchmarking can expose the gap between a busy practice and a healthy, scalable business.The conversation explores why owners cling to unprofitable clients, how revenue per client and revenue per team member reveal hidden problems, and why delivering exceptional service to a smaller group of ideal clients can generate stronger referrals than chasing the latest marketing tactic. Jon also explains how narrowing a target market makes delivery easier, positioning clearer, and growth more repeatable.Gary and Jon also dig into the difference between owning a business and owning a demanding job. They discuss what founders must remove from their plates, why delegation should begin with administrative work and delivery, and how profit margin affects both current income and the future value of the company. The goal is not simply a bigger business. It is a business that can grow without consuming the owner.Key TakeawaysCapacity comes before acquisition. If the owner and team are already overloaded, more clients will magnify the existing weakness.Not every client is helping the business. A large client roster can hide a bottom half that produces very little revenue while consuming valuable service capacity.A few numbers expose the real constraint. Revenue per client, revenue per team member, annual growth rate, and team retention show where attention belongs.Specificity creates stronger referrals. A clear, narrow ideal-client profile helps clients understand exactly whom to introduce and makes service delivery easier to scale.Profitable growth creates freedom and value. Wider profit margins can fund the next hire, reduce the owner's workload, and make the enterprise more attractive to a future buyer.Dr. Jon Randall is the Founder and Chief Coach of eXtraordinary Financial Advisors, where he helps overwhelmed financial advisors remove capacity constraints, improve client mix, and scale from $1 million to $10 million and beyond. A former top-producing advisor with more than 25 years of industry experience and a doctorate focused on performance psychology, Jon has worked with Barron's Top 100 advisors and some of the fastest-growing RIAs in the country. His work helps advisors eliminate bottlenecks, build scalable teams, increase profitability, and make the shift from technician to CEO.Ready to identify the constraint holding your advisory firm back? Visit www.xfa.coach to access free resources, explore upcoming workshops, and learn how Jon and his team help financial advisors scale more profitably.Learn more about Gary Heldt on his website Home | Small Business Advisors

As the US-Iran war approaches the six-month mark, CIA Director John Ratcliffe makes a secret eight-hour flight to Moscow to meet with Russian officials. On today's episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant and senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfield analyze whether Donald Trump offering Vladimir Putin a trade-off on Ukraine to sever Moscow's backing of Tehran, or issuing a direct intelligence warning against Russian regional escalation. Meanwhile, China has hit back against Scott Bessent's ‘Operation Economic Outcast' sanctions, calling them “illegal” and pledging to protect commerce. Plus, Tehran has issued a $10M assassination bounty targeting Donald Trump's son Barron, while questions mount over whether Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is dead or incapacitated while the regime rules via a "phantom" leadership. Highlights6 months of war: Has Trump settled into a long-game strategy?Phantom Leader: Is Mojtaba Khamenei Dead or Incapacitated?CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAdrian Blomfield, senior foreign correspondent @adrianblomfield WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkWinner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their conversation on Cale Makar's looming contract extension. Is Nathan MacKinnon rooting for Cale Makar to get the biggest contract possible? We hear from our 9News Broncos insider Mike Klis on the Broncos selecting Jahdae Barron in the first round after JaQuan MacMillian struggled, as well as Barron potentially being the nickel corner of the future. We debate the age-old question of whether the Broncos should play their starters in the final preseason game. The guys explain that they want to see the offense get more continuity together before the regular season and their toughest stretch of the season in the first 6 games. We react to Deion Sanders' press conference from yesterday. We hear about whether his lawsuits will be a distraction to the team, Shilo Sanders' lawsuit, and more. 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a deep dive into the Broncos and react to Bill Barnwell's article in which he predicts the Broncos to regress. We look back at Barnwell's impressive history when predicting teams to regress or improve. Will the Broncos be able to mostly avoid the injury bug again for the third straight season? What is the most important game on the schedule for the Broncos to avoid a decline? What do the guys make of future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner being linked to the Broncos? Would Wagner be accepting of a bench role behind Singleton and Strnad? We hear from our 9News Broncos insider Mike Klis on the Broncos selecting Jahdae Barron in the first round after JaQuan MacMillian struggled, as well as Barron potentially being the nickel corner of the future. We wrap up the show with Justin Adams joining the show to share his thoughts on the Colorado Buffaloes as they enter a massively important season and share his ceiling and floor for the team in 2026. 

Barron's Editor in Chief Ben Levisohn and Investor Circle Newsletter Editor Josh Schafer speak with Michael Cuggino, president and portfolio manager of Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, about Jackson Hole, Nvidia earnings, and what's now for gold, bonds, and the stock market. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

**Ross on the News with Jeana** This episode is a wild ride, folks! From a personal update on Ross's sleep-deprived night to a deep dive into the world of politics, economics, and even robot soldiers, this episode has it all. Buckle up and get ready to dive in! Ross shares a personal story about his kid's recent medical issue and how it affected his sleep, but don't worry, it's not all about him. He also discusses the recent Supreme Court ruling on President Trump's executive order regarding mail-in voting, and what it means for the country. You'll hear about the potential implications of this ruling and how it might impact the upcoming elections. But that's not all - Ross also talks about the recent news of Iran airing a video offering a $10 million reward to kill President Trump's son, Barron. He shares his thoughts on how this might impact the president's actions and the country's relationship with Iran. And, if that's not enough, he also discusses the recent tariffs on beef and how it might affect the price of ground beef in the US. In the second half of the episode, Ross is joined by Mark Rast, an expert in astrophysical fluid dynamics, to talk about the incredible new telescope that's been sending stunning images of the sun's surface. You'll hear about the telescope's capabilities and what it means for our understanding of the sun. And, if you're a foodie, you'll love the segment on a new restaurant in Boulder that's making waves in the culinary world. So, what are you waiting for? Tune in to this episode of Ross on the News with Gina to hear all about these topics and more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voorhees will make ya TRUMP TRUMP!

Discussions are on hold between the United States and Canada's trade teams as tariffs against Canadian imports go into effect. Barron's Investor Circle Newsletter Editor and FOX Business Contributor Josh Schafer joins FBN's Lou Basenese to break down the fallout and other market-moving events like the ongoing volatility in the Strait of Hormuz and the Federal Reserve's tricky balancing act on interest rates. They also discuss key investment opportunities in U.S. manufacturing, biotech and live sports with high-stakes earnings ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 167: The One Plan Every Family Is Missing with Libby Boatwright   In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker sits down with Libby Boatwright — certified financial planner, former Stanford Medical Center chaplain, pastor, and author of The Last Things We Talk About — for a candid, deeply practical conversation about the one plan most families never make: an end-of-life plan. Drawing on decades of experience in palliative care, hospice work, financial planning, and pastoral ministry, Libby walks through the full spectrum of what families need to navigate when a loved one faces a serious diagnosis or decline — and why waiting until the last minute makes everything harder and more costly. Chris and Libby explore the critical difference between palliative care and hospice, how hospitals really operate and what they won't tell you, why your advanced directive is your most important legal document, the caregiving crisis quietly bankrupting American families, how to be an effective patient advocate inside a system not designed to help you, and what it actually looks like to help a loved one die well. Chris also shares his own firsthand experience navigating hospice for both parents — including a powerful story about standing up to a hospital trying to redirect his mother's care. This is a conversation every family should hear before they need it. Episode Chapters ·       2:22   Meet Libby Boatwright ·       4:31   What End-of-Life Planning Actually Covers ·       7:29   When the Diagnosis Arrives: Legacy, Bucket Lists, and Getting the House in Order ·       10:00  The Circles of Support — Who Will Be There When It Matters? ·       12:44  How to Start the Conversation When Families Don't Want To ·       15:00  The Advanced Directive, HIPAA, and the POLST — The Three Essential Documents ·       18:32  The Caregiving Crisis: Costs, Burnout, and Family Conflict ·       23:36  Alzheimer's, Memory Care, and What It Actually Costs ·       26:17  Protecting Assets: Trusts, Look-Back Periods, and Planning Ahead ·       28:13  Navigating the Hospital System: Case Managers, Patient Advocates, and How to Fight for Your Loved One ·       35:00  Palliative Care: What It Is, When to Use It, and Why Most People Don't Know ·       38:09  Hospice: Medicare's Gift at the End of Life ·       41:18  Chris's Story: Standing Up to the Hospital ·       46:59  About the Book: The Last Things We Talk About ·       50:16  Resources and Farewell   Websites ·       elizabethboatwright.com ·       chrisyonker.com   Book ·       The Last Things We Talk About: Your Guide to End of Life Transitions by Elizabeth Boatwright (Bull Publishing, 2021) — available on Amazon   About Libby Boatwright Rev. Dr. Elizabeth "Libby" Boatwright, BCC-PCHAC, CFP, is a chaplain, pastor, certified financial planner, and author who has spent over 30 years counseling families on end-of-life issues, loss, grief, estate planning, and the emotional and spiritual dimensions of dying. She served as a Relief Chaplain in Oncology Outpatient Palliative Care Medicine at Stanford Health Care, where she worked alongside hundreds of patients and families navigating serious illness and end-of-life transitions. In her book The Last Things We Talk About: Your Guide to End of Life Transitions (Bull Publishing, 2021), Libby offers a practical framework for creating what she calls the "white book" — a simple binder or flash drive of all the materials a family will need when a loved one passes — helping heirs avoid what she calls "the treasure hunt" of lost documents and unspoken wishes. Libby has lectured at universities, colleges, and medical institutions, led seminars at national conventions, faith communities, parenting groups, senior fellowships, and estate planning forums. She has published in Cancer.net, Morningstar, CSA Journal, and Barron's, and has been featured in newspapers across the country. She has also appeared on ABC Nightly News and hosted her own radio show, The Fiscal Therapist, on KAIM. Libby holds Master's degrees from UC Berkeley, San Francisco State University, and Fuller Seminary, a Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies from George Fox University, and holds certifications as a Certified Financial Planner and Board Certified Chaplain with Advanced Certification in Hospice and Palliative Care. She lives in Northern California.

Discussions are on hold between the United States and Canada's trade teams as tariffs against Canadian imports go into effect. Barron's Investor Circle Newsletter Editor and FOX Business Contributor Josh Schafer joins FBN's Lou Basenese to break down the fallout and other market-moving events like the ongoing volatility in the Strait of Hormuz and the Federal Reserve's tricky balancing act on interest rates. They also discuss key investment opportunities in U.S. manufacturing, biotech and live sports with high-stakes earnings ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thank you so much for listening to the Bob Harden Show, celebrating 15 years broadcasting on the internet. On Monday's show, we visit with Marc Schulman, Founder and Publisher of HistoryCentral.com, about developments in Iran, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Korea, and Canada. The American Institute for Economic Research Senior Editor Jon Miltimore and I discuss the controversy over Data Centers for Artificial Intelligence. We also visit with author and former Barron's Washington Bureau Chief Jim McTague about Trump's pausing tariffs on imported beef. We have terrific guests for tomorrow's show, including Director of the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University William Yeatman, Young Voices Content Creator Maggie Anders, Boo Mortenson, and Linda Harden. Access this and past shows at your convenience on my web site, social media platforms or podcast platforms.

Your Irish pension plan probably runs to age 95, but you'll likely live to around 83, and the gap changes your pot far less than you'd expect. In this episode, Paddy digs into the retirement life expactancy in Ireland. He checks on the one age assumption buried in almost every Irish retirement plan, where the default of 95 comes from and what the most recent CSO life tables actually say about how long a 65-year-old really lives. It's for you if you're approaching or already in retirement with a meaningful pension or ARF, and you've never been asked (or never questioned) the age your own plan is built to. Using a fictional €1.2m ARF, this piece shows how Revenue's imputed distribution means the closing pot is almost identical whether you plan to 83 or 95 (around €1.25m versus €1.21m). The end age was never really the lever. What is covered in this Episode: Where the default planning age of 95 comes from and the US research (Barron's, TIAA, Stanford) behind "oversaving and underliving" What the most recent Irish CSO life tables really say and why they're a floor, not a forecast How Revenue's imputed distribution (4%, 5%, 6%) shapes drawdown from an ARF Why a €1.2m ARF lands at almost the same value at 83 or 95 and what that means for your estate The real lever: what you do with the income you're forced to draw, including a scenario that leaves roughly €283,000 less to Revenue

For episode 764 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Joe Vollono the Chief Commercial Officer at STBL, where he leads global commercial strategy to scale the STBL Protocol and its RWA-backed financial ecosystem. Previously, Joe led Business Development for central banking and stablecoin (RLUSD) at Ripple, advising commercial banks, central banks, and finance ministries on digital asset policy, stablecoin design, and financial infrastructure. He has advised and presented to multiple international forums on stablecoins and tokenized assets, including the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, and the University of Oxford. Earlier in his career, Joe spent nearly a decade in capital markets at Morgan Stanley, where he was recognized as a Barron’s Top 50 Institutional Consultant (2020). He previously served as a nuclear-trained officer in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force. Joe holds an MBA from the University of Oxford, an MPP from Georgetown University, and a BS from the United States Naval Academy. He serves on the Board of the Marines Memorial Foundation.

The national debt has crossed $40 trillion, but Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong argue that the usual panic over deficits, bond vigilantes, and the dollar losing reserve currency status often ignores how markets actually work.Chuck and Mike discuss why higher Treasury yields are not automatically explained by the deficit, why investors should be careful about predictions of the dollar's demise, and why Social Security, Medicare, interest, and defense remain the real federal spending challenges. They also cover rising diesel prices, Anthropic's potential record setting IPO, concerns over super voting shares, and how a large 401k balance can create future tax planning issues. Plus, Paul LaMonica of Barron's joins the show to explain why Chinese IPOs are surging, how government priorities are shaping investor interest in robotics and AI chips, and why political risk remains a major concern for Chinese stocks.

Gio Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv, spoke with Barron's editor at large Andy Serwer. The interview was recorded on July 29th, 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In September 2021, Time magazine profiled Gerard Barron, CEO of The Metals Company (TMC), and his push to mine the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a stretch of international seabed between Hawaii and Mexico. In that profile, Barron called the CCZ "the most desert-like place on the planet," arguing that mining the deep sea does less environmental harm than mining a rainforest because there's supposedly so little life down there to disturb. That single line has been repeated for years as justification for deep sea mining. Andrew puts it to the test. The science tells a very different story. A 2016 survey of the CCZ measured real, on-site abundance of larger seafloor animals and found meaningful densities of megafauna, plus hundreds of individuals per square meter of smaller sediment-dwelling species. A 2023 species inventory led by the UK's Natural History Museum and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts documented more than 5,000 species in the CCZ, with the large majority entirely new to science. New species are still turning up, including a batch of amphipods described in 2026. And a landmark study on nodule-dependent species found that more than half of the megafauna living in these nodule fields rely directly on the nodules themselves, the very rocks TMC wants to extract, as the only hard surface available to grow on in an otherwise soft, muddy seafloor. Andrew walks through what happens when the nodules are removed, why TMC appears to be pursuing a path through the Trump administration rather than the International Seabed Authority, and what's at stake for communities near the Northern Mariana Islands, where a new mining lease is moving forward despite more than 60,000 public comments in opposition. This is a fact-check episode: quote first, then the evidence, so listeners can judge for themselves whether "desert" is an accurate description of one of the most biodiverse deep-sea ecosystems studied to date. Takeaways: Gerard Barron (CEO, The Metals Company) told Time magazine in September 2021 that the Clarion Clipperton Zone is "the most desert-like place on the planet." A 2023 Natural History Museum / Pew-funded inventory documented more than 5,000 species in the CCZ, with the large majority new to science. A 2016 study found meaningful abundance of both megafauna and smaller sediment-dwelling species across CCZ survey sites, not the near-absence of life the "desert" framing implies. More than half of the megafaunal species in CCZ nodule fields depend directly on the polymetallic nodules as a hard surface to grow on, the same nodules targeted for mining. A 2025 study of an actual industrial mining trial found significantly lower animal abundance at the disturbed site compared to untouched seafloor nearby. TMC is pursuing a mining pathway through the Trump administration rather than the International Seabed Authority. A proposed lease near the Northern Mariana Islands and the Mariana Trench marine protected area has moved forward despite more than 60,000 public comments opposing it. Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Need help with your ocean non-profit, company, or project? Get the help you need with Pisces Oceans Inc.: https://www.piscesoceans.ca Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube  

In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius Mirshahzadeh sits down with Sébastien Page, Head of Global Multi-Asset and Chief Investment Officer at T. Rowe Price, award-winning investment researcher, and author of “The Psychology of Leadership,” for a wide-ranging conversation on what it truly takes to lead at the highest levels. Sébastien shares his remarkable origin story, crossing the Canadian border in a red Jetta with little more than a computer and a bag of clothes to chase his dream of working in financial markets.  From there, the conversation dives deep into the psychology behind elite performance, covering mastery vs. ego mindsets, goal-induced blindness, positive psychology, stress management, and the foundational role of relationships in both leadership and life. The episode is equal parts practical framework and personal reflection, offering leaders at every level a roadmap for managing themselves before they can effectively manage others. In this episode, Darius and Sébastien will discuss: (02:16) From Quebec to Managing Trillions: Sébastien's Journey (06:32) Mastery vs. Ego: A Better Way to Lead (13:36) Why Great Leaders Separate Luck from Skill (16:42) How to Turn Stress into Peak Performance (22:16) Why the Basics Beat Endless Optimization (28:29) The Hidden Danger of Goal-Induced Blindness (32:25) The Four Pillars of a Meaningful Career (35:00) Building a Cathedral: Creating Purpose at Work (42:32) Leading Teams Through the Age of AI (48:34) Redefining Success Beyond Money and Status (54:53) The Greatest Barrier to Success Is a Lack of Resilience Sébastien Page is the Head of Global Multi-Asset and Chief Investment Officer at T. Rowe Price, where he oversees more than $500 billion in assets under management. A recognized investment leader and award-winning researcher, he has authored multiple books on finance and leadership, including “The Psychology of Leadership”. Sébastien is a frequent contributor to CNBC and Bloomberg TV and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Barron's. Connect with Sébastien: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastien-page Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sebastienpagebook/ Book: https://www.psychologyofleadership.net/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness. 

Why would someone who watched one deep-sea mining company collapse go back and try it again? That's the question at the center of this episode, and it's not hypothetical. It happened, with the same industry, some of the same licenses, and the same person at the center of it: Gerard Barron, now CEO of The Metals Company (TMC), one of the most prominent and best-funded companies pushing to start commercial deep-sea mining today. This isn't framed as an accusation against Barron specifically. It's a documented sequence of decisions, and by the end, you can decide for yourself what the motive looks like. Before TMC, Barron was an early investor and promoter behind Nautilus Minerals, a company that pursued seafloor mineral deposits off Papua New Guinea. Nautilus raised hundreds of millions of dollars, including investment from the PNG government itself, before its costs spiraled, it was delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange, and it filed for bankruptcy in 2019. Barron reportedly sold his shares years before the collapse, walking away with a return as high as $30 million, while PNG's government and environment were left holding the damage. Years later, people connected to Nautilus, including Barron, regrouped as Deep Green, which became The Metals Company, and picked up exploration rights in the Clarion Clipperton Zone that had once belonged to Nautilus. This episode traces that arc from Adstream to Nautilus to TMC, including TMC's push to trigger the ISA's two-year rule, its more recent pursuit of a US mining permit outside the International Seabed Authority process entirely, and Barron's consistent argument that mining the seabed is less environmentally damaging than mining on land. Whether that comparison holds up, and what it means that the environmental cost of Nautilus's failure barely factors into how Barron talks about it now, is the thread running through the whole story. Takeaways Gerard Barron, now CEO of The Metals Company (TMC), was an early investor and promoter (not CEO) behind an earlier deep-sea mining venture, Nautilus Minerals, which went bankrupt in 2019. Nautilus's projected operating costs of about $70 per ton reportedly grew to about $192 per ton, contributing to its delisting from the Toronto Stock Exchange and eventual bankruptcy. Papua New Guinea's government invested in Nautilus and, according to the country's prime minister, the country spent roughly 300 million Kina (about $72 million USD) on a project later called a "total failure." Barron sold his Nautilus shares years before the company's collapse, reportedly for as much as $30 million, while PNG's government was still invested. TMC, which Barron now leads, is pursuing a US permitting path through NOAA and the Trump administration, outside the ISA process. Long-term recovery data on deep-sea mining damage remains limited; some studies cited in the episode indicate no biodiversity recovery three to four years after mining activity occurred. Barron has publicly compared seabed mining favorably to land-based mining, but a specific biomass figure he's cited in at least one interview is disputed in this episode as inaccurate. Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Need help with your ocean non-profit, company, or project? Get the help you need with Pisces Oceans Inc.: https://www.piscesoceans.ca Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube  

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During the 4pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff thank the listeners before being joined by former Producer Chad Scott and College Football Insider Brooks Austin. The guys also shared some of the favorite moments from the final few years of the show before Chuck delievered a 99 Problems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A record $432B July deficit, $40 trillion in debt days away, gold above $4,400... last week's fireworks were just the opening act.This episode is sponsored by Odoo. Sign up for free at https://www.odoo.com/r/peterThis episode is also sponsored by Pebl. Go to https://hipebl.ai to get a free estimate.This episode is also sponsored by Rockwell Automation. Download their 11th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report at https://rok.auto/sosmThe CPI came in tame. Hours later the Treasury reported a $432 billion July deficit... the worst single month in US history.Peter breaks down why the benign 0.1% July CPI is an accounting illusion: the BLS compares monthly averages, so June's oil collapse masked July's crude rebound, and August is set up to run hot. The real inflation news came later that day from the Treasury: a record $432 billion July deficit, $1.8 trillion in just ten months, and a national debt now less than $150 billion from $40 trillion. Bigger deficits mean more pressure on the Fed to choose inflation, which is exactly why the bond market refused to rally on the "good" CPI number.Gold holds above $4,400 and silver above $65 as heavy Asian buying signals the de-dollarization trade is back on, while Bitcoin sits dead at $63,500 and misses the entire rally. Peter also covers the yen back above 159 and the Fed's swap-line backdoor QE for Japan, both parties drifting left after the latest primaries, Trump family corruption from Truth Social premium access to Barron's $150 million, and the Iran endgame: no deal, a closed Strait of Hormuz, and a president claiming victory in a war America clearly lost.Chapters:00:00 Inflation Signals Not Prices01:22 CPI Print And Market Bets04:24 CPI Math Masks Energy Surge10:37 Deficits The Real Inflation Driver19:54 Gold Surge Debt And Yen QE31:09 Radical Left Wins Primaries32:00 Both Parties Shift Left34:17 Trump Corruption Claims37:51 Bitcoin Stalls vs Gold44:13 Iran War Reality CheckFollow @peterschiffX: https://twitter.com/peterschiffInstagram: https://instagram.com/peterschiffTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@peterschiffofficialFacebook: https://facebook.com/peterschiffOur Sponsors:* Check out Blinds.com and use my code GOLD for a great deal: https://www.blinds.com* Check out Chilipad and use my code GOLD for $255 off: https://sleep.me* Check out Factor and use my code gold50off for a great deal: https://www.factor75.com* Check out Fast Growing Trees and use my code GOLD for a great deal: https://www.fast-growing-trees.com* Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/GOLD for a great deal: https://www.quince.com* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code GOLD for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Industrial Talk is onsite at Penn State and talking to Bradley White with Penn State University METAL Program about "The Profession of Metallurgy". The Industrial Talk podcast episode, sponsored by the Propane Education and Research Council, features a discussion with Bradley White from Penn State's METAL program. The program, which stands for Metallurgy, Metallurgical Engineering, Trade, Apprenticeship, and Learning, aims to train the next generation of workers in foundry skills. White, with 32 years of industry experience, is helping to establish a foundry lab at Penn State Barron, expected to be operational by 2027-2028. The program, funded by the Department of Defense, is expanding nationwide, with schools like Ohio State, Tennessee, and Purdue joining. The initiative emphasizes hands-on learning and real-world skills to inspire future industrial leaders. Outline Introduction and Welcome to Industrial Talk Scott introduces the episode of Industrial Talk, sponsored by the Propane Education and Research Council, highlighting their commitment to safety, training, and innovative propane-powered technology.Scott expresses gratitude to listeners and highlights the importance of celebrating industry professionals who innovate, collaborate, and solve problems daily.Scott mentions broadcasting from Penn State University, specifically the Barron campus, and introduces the acronym METAL, which stands for metallurgy, metallurgical engineering, trade, apprenticeship, and learning. Visit to Erie, Pennsylvania, and Foundries Scott describes a visit to Erie, Pennsylvania, with Bradley White, highlighting the city's historical significance in foundries and manufacturing.Scott and Brad discuss visiting various foundries, including one that melts and pours both bronze and aluminum.Scott expresses amazement at the hands-on experience for students at the foundries, emphasizing the importance of practical learning.Brad explains the role of industrial partners in Erie in providing hands-on experiences for students until a lab is built on campus. Development of the Foundry Lab at Penn State Brad shares his background, including 32 years in the industry and his role in building the foundry lab at Penn State Barron.Scott inquires about the timeline for the foundry lab, and Speaker 3 explains that the furnace equipment is in Erie, with a temporary space being readied for installation.Brad mentions the support from local manufacturing and the Department of Defense initiative to train the next generation of workers.Scott highlights the program's reach, including students from California, and its focus on boundary work. Impact and Future of the METAL Program Brad discusses the METAL program's three-year contract and its expansion to other schools, including Ohio State University, Tennessee, Cal Poly, Michigan Tech, and Purdue University.Scott emphasizes the importance of the program in inspiring the next generation of industrial leaders and the need for support from industrial companies.Speaker 3 shares his passion for the foundry industry and the importance of real-world experience for engineers.Scott and Brad discuss the efficiency and sophistication of modern foundries and the need to inspire students through practical experiences. Generational Influence and Community Support Scott and Brad discuss the generational influence in the foundry industry, with many foundry owners having family members who have worked in the industry.Brad shares his personal experience of being inspired by his family's involvement in manufacturing and his own career in the foundry industry.Scott highlights the importance of inspiring students through visits to manufacturing lines and the potential for future success.Brad mentions the stigma against blue-collar work and the need to educate the public about the importance of real-world skills for engineers. Conclusion and Contact Information Scott and Speaker 3 discuss the importance of supporting programs like METAL and the need for more schools to adopt similar programs.Brad shares an example of a student who went through the METAL program and is now working in manufacturing, highlighting the program's success.Scott asks for contact information for those interested in supporting or learning more about the METAL program.Brad provides his LinkedIn profile and mentions the program's website, which will be shared on Industrial Talk. If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation. Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2026. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy! BRADLEY WHITE'S CONTACT INFORMATION: METAL Website: https://www.metalforamerica.org/ LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-white-a4497124/ Company Website: https://behrend.psu.edu/ PODCAST VIDEO: https://youtu.be/aM3TBgaO_JQ THE STRATEGIC REASON "WHY YOU NEED TO PODCAST": OTHER GREAT INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES: NEOM: https://www.neom.com/en-us Hexagon: https://hexagon.com/ Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/ Fictiv: https://www.fictiv.com/ Hitachi Vantara: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/home.html Industrial Marketing Solutions:  https://industrialtalk.com/industrial-marketing/ Industrial Academy: https://industrialtalk.com/industrial-academy/ Industrial Dojo: https://industrialtalk.com/industrial_dojo/ We the 15: https://www.wethe15.org/ YOUR INDUSTRIAL DIGITAL TOOLBOX: LifterLMS: Get One Month Free for $1 – https://lifterlms.com/ Active Campaign: Active Campaign Link Social Jukebox: https://www.socialjukebox.com/ Business Beatitude the Book Do you desire a more joy-filled, deeply-enduring sense of accomplishment and success? 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