Podcasts about W2

Alex Grant  

Join The Creative Finance Playbook Coaching Program & Learn Directly from Jenn & Joe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativefinanceplaybook.com/If you're stuck consuming content instead of doing deals…James shares the exact mindset + systems that helped him go from beginner investor to leading one of Tampa's biggest real estate communities.In this episode of the Creative Finance Playbook, Jenn & Joe Delle Fave sit down with Tampa real estate entrepreneur James Lascara — founder of Lascara Real Estate, Poseidon 25 Developments, and the Elite Investor community — to break down how he transitioned from active-duty Navy to full-time real estate developer.James shares how house hacking, passive investing, and strategic land acquisition led him into real estate development — even without being a general contractor.Inside this episode, you'll learn:• How to transition from W2 income into real estate investing• Why being “busy” can hurt your leadership and business growth• How to structure profitable development deals• The importance of process optimization and scalability• How networking and real estate meetups create real deal flowIf you want to build wealth through real estate investing, development, or creative finance — without relying solely on banks — this episode is packed with real strategy.Subscribe for weekly real estate investing education.

Chris Kline is the COO & Co-Founder of Bitcoin IRA. In this conversation, we discuss how wealthy investors use retirement accounts to reduce taxes, why volatility can create opportunities like Roth conversions, and the mistakes people make by holding assets in the wrong account. We also cover bitcoin in retirement portfolios, estate planning strategies, and how macro conditions like inflation, deflation, and Fed policy may impact long-term asset allocation.========================Award-winning Fountain Life - Energy supercharged. Memory sharper. Life extended. Ready for the best investment you'll ever make? Schedule a life-changing call at FountainLife.com/Pomp Get $1,000 off the cost of a life-changing membership with Fountain Life when you schedule a call at FountainLife.com/pomp========================Simple Mining makes Bitcoin mining simple and accessible for everyone. We offer a premium white glove hosting service, helping you maximize the profitability of Bitcoin mining. For more information on Simple Mining or to get started mining Bitcoin, visit https://www.simplemining.io/========================Arch Public is an agentic trading platform that automates the buying and selling of your preferred crypto strategies. Sign up today at https://www.archpublic.com and start your automated trading strategy for free. No catch. No hidden fees. Just smarter trading.========================0:00 - Intro1:55 – How to use the tax code to get in better position2:51 – How 401(k)s replaced pensions (why it mattered) 6:20 – Tax advantages of non-W2 income & retirement accounts 9:08 – Long-term asset allocation & bitcoin in retirement 13:12 – Using Roth conversions during bitcoin drawdowns 21:10 – How taxes create massive long-term performance drag 22:39 – Borrowing against bitcoin instead of selling 28:29 – Inflation, deflation, & why government data lags reality 33:15 – What macro headwinds mean for assets and portfolios 36:38 – Bitcoin IRA tools, incentives, & next steps

Are you tracking the right numbers in your business, or just the ones that make you feel better? In this episode, we break down the critical difference between churn and net growth and why confusing the two can quietly destroy your momentum. If you are a business owner, entrepreneur, franchise operator, contractor, or W2 earner responsible for data and performance, this conversation will challenge how you measure success. We dive into key performance indicators, client retention, recurring revenue, profit, cash flow, and return on net worth, and explain why focusing only on revenue or new leads can hide serious problems inside your business. If you want to scale sustainably, increase monthly recurring revenue, improve client experience, and make smarter decisions with your numbers, this episode will help you audit your KPI scorecard and refocus on what actually drives long term growth and financial freedom. Join the Tactical Empire Network on SKOOL for FREE!

In mailbag episode of Check Your Balances, we break down the financial reality of choosing between 1099 and W2 employment. Do the additional deductions actually make this a way better deal? We also tackle the Roth IRA debate of whether you should swing for the fences with high-growth stocks or play the long game with broad-market index funds. Finally, we tackle tax season head-on by evaluating if premium tax software offers genuine value or if you're better off with a less expensive option - and how to evaluate them. Whether you're weighing a new job offer or optimizing your retirement bucket, this episode provides the framework for making smarter money moves this spring.Send a textSend your questions for upcoming show to checkyourbalances@outlook.com @checkyourbalances on Instagram

Most entrepreneurs think they need better strategy.They don't.In this Boardroom recap from the Freedom Factory, we unpack the real reasons businesses stall — and it's not systems.It's people, identity, and the state you operate from.Inside this episode:• Why most business bottlenecks are solved by the right “who”• The difference between hiring people and developing talent• W2 vs 1099 mistakes operators make• Why State → Story → Strategy is the real order of success• The 4 archetypes running your decisions (Warrior, Magician, Lover, Sovereign)• Why high performers get stuck in Warrior mode• How seasonality applies to your business and your life• Why kindness to yourself is a competitive advantageIf you feel like something is holding you back… this episode will hit.Timestamps:00:00 – Boardroom at the Freedom Factory Recap02:15 – From Cooked Books to 80,000 Meals a Week04:10 – Visionaries Get Small When Stuck in Operations05:45 – The “Right Who” Solves Most Bottlenecks07:50 – Building Talent Structure (Not Just Hiring)10:40 – W2 vs 1099: What Operators Must Understand12:20 – The 3 S's of Breakthrough: State > Story > Strategy15:05 – The 4 Archetypes Running Your Life18:30 – Warrior Mode & The Seasonality of Growth21:10 – Kindness, Presence & The Power of AwarenessGet FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:https://group.strsecrets.com/

Most entrepreneurs think they need better strategy.They don't.In this Boardroom recap from the Freedom Factory, we unpack the real reasons businesses stall — and it's not systems.It's people, identity, and the state you operate from.Inside this episode:• Why most business bottlenecks are solved by the right “who”• The difference between hiring people and developing talent• W2 vs 1099 mistakes operators make• Why State → Story → Strategy is the real order of success• The 4 archetypes running your decisions (Warrior, Magician, Lover, Sovereign)• Why high performers get stuck in Warrior mode• How seasonality applies to your business and your life• Why kindness to yourself is a competitive advantageIf you feel like something is holding you back… this episode will hit.Timestamps:00:00 – Boardroom at the Freedom Factory Recap02:15 – From Cooked Books to 80,000 Meals a Week04:10 – Visionaries Get Small When Stuck in Operations05:45 – The “Right Who” Solves Most Bottlenecks07:50 – Building Talent Structure (Not Just Hiring)10:40 – W2 vs 1099: What Operators Must Understand12:20 – The 3 S's of Breakthrough: State > Story > Strategy15:05 – The 4 Archetypes Running Your Life18:30 – Warrior Mode & The Seasonality of Growth21:10 – Kindness, Presence & The Power of AwarenessGet FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:https://group.strsecrets.com/

My friend Dave had me on his newly revamped gigtube channel Wright Ideas to discuss what it's been like a full-time gig worker for the last 8 years. A friend of his, who goes by the moniker "Broseph", is seriously considering quitting his W2 day job and going into full-time gig work. Dave had me on the show to bounce ideas off me and offer as much insight as I could into what being a full-time gig worker in 2026 and beyond will actually entail.NOTE: The podcast actually started about 90 minutes before I arrived. I cut out that part, but you can watch the full 3 hour show on Dave's channel here:https://www.youtube.com/live/br0FnrqvjsI?si=AVP9dfSrzECNcHAgSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-gigtube-podcast/donations

He landed in the US with $50 and quickly realized he had about a week to figure everything out. With a 60-day clock hanging over his head and no guarantee he could stay in the country, Gaurav Dutta had two options: build leverage fast or get sent home.   What followed was a relentless path through janitorial jobs, visa lotteries, layoffs, and closed doors, including a moment where he applied to nearly 10,000 jobs just to keep his life in the US alive. Instead of playing defense, Gaurav began studying money, ownership, and real estate, eventually using house hacking, partnerships, and long-distance investing to build a 55-unit portfolio from more than 8,000 miles away.   This episode breaks down what it's really like to build wealth when the system isn't designed for you. We talk about the visa trap most people never see, why ownership became his only real leverage, and how creating systems and teams allowed him to invest passively and legally while working a demanding W2. We also unpack the mindset shift that happens when your back is truly against the wall and why pressure can either break you or force you to build something that lasts.   If you've ever felt stuck, boxed in by rules you didn't create, or unsure how to build freedom without quitting your job, this conversation will change how you think about leverage, risk, and what's actually possible when you refuse to let the clock decide your future. Book your call with Neo Home Loanshttps://www.neoentrepreneurhomeloans.com/wealthjuice/ Book your mentorship discovery call with Cory RESOURCES

Si tú estás escuchando “AI, AI, AI” y piensas que todo es Nvidia y tecnología… este episodio te baja a tierra: sin energía e infraestructura, no hay AI.Carlos explica la rotación del mercado (industriales vs tech), qué está pasando con la economía, por qué el dólar se está debilitando, y por qué Bitcoin es fe (no valor intrínseco). Cerramos con Q&A y una conversación real sobre disciplina, side hustles y los “gurús” que venden carro alquilado.⚠️ Educativo, no asesoría financiera.00:00 Intro + sponsor + disclaimer (educativo, no asesoría)01:10 AI: el verdadero play es energía e infraestructura03:39 Por qué inversionistas venden tech (capex baja ganancias)04:15 Rotación del mercado: DIA vs QQQ / industriales suben05:30 ¿Cuándo empezó el cambio? señales desde mediados del año pasado06:40 Economía “trancá”: ventas flat + señales en PR07:45 Estímulos, planillas y “chispazos” para reactivar economía08:35 PR: reforma contributiva se cayó / alivio contributivo en veremos09:20 Dólar bajando + mercados internacionales suben (efecto FX)10:06 Teoría: devaluar el dólar para aliviar deuda e impulsar consumo11:00 Bitcoin cayendo: margen/leverage y falta de liquidez12:15 Bitcoin “no tiene valor intrínseco” (moneda vs blockchain)13:40 Comparación con GameStop / Dumb Money (demanda vs realidad)15:29 Qué fue el short squeeze explicado “for dummies”17:10 Intereses al 1%: efectos reales (casas, demanda, inflación)19:30 Oro/plata: cuando el hype está arriba, viene el palo21:45 Ahorra primero, gasta después (reglas 50/30/20 y variantes)23:40 401K en PR / dónde se maneja / cuentas de retiro25:10 Robinhood en PR: brokerage sí, IRA/ROTH no (para PR)26:20 Caso real: salario 113k, savings alto, student loans, qué ajustar30:10 Volver a PR: trabajos remotos, LinkedIn, resume + negociación 109932:07 Disciplina y metas: ejemplo déficit calórico y “hacerlo como puedas”34:30 Side hustles en PR: esteticistas, servicios high ticket36:00 Motivación es basura; disciplina es todo38:52 Contratista vs W2: taxes y negociación (visión general)41:30 Patrimonio vs cash: net worth real explicado44:43 Bad Bunny x Zara: escasez, reventa, valor de marca46:30 Resellers, taxes y el mercado “cash” (relojes, tenis, Pokémon)49:00 Por qué Carlos no ronca: el producto eres tú (conocimiento)52:00 “Gurús” y apariencia: cómo NO caer en la trampa55:00 Cierre + CTA: citas + subscribe

Join The Creative Finance Playbook Coaching Program & Learn Directly from Jenn & Joe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativefinanceplaybook.com/Most W2 employees say they're “too busy” to invest in real estate.Carlos works full time, has a family, and still scaled to 10 properties — without banks, without massive capital, and without burning out.In this LIVE Creative Finance Playbook workshop, Jenn & Joe Delle Fave sit down with Carlos — a full-time W2 executive, husband, father, and real estate investor — who built a 10-property portfolio while working 60–80 hours per week.No quitting his job.No excuses.No waiting for the “perfect time.”Carlos breaks down exactly how he uses creative finance, lead generation, and simple daily systems to buy real estate without relying on traditional banks or massive capital. From seller financing to low-interest subject-to deals, he shares how consistency and process beat overwhelm every time.You'll learn:

Guest hosts Barry Vee and Kevin Williams talk to Adam Urbanski about the W2 issue, the continued payroll issues, and safety in the RCSD, Kevin talks about snowfall, Barry and Kevin take calls, talk about historic local storms, and predictions on lilac blooms.

What if you could manage 360+ units with no W2 employees??That's exactly what Matt Luke is doing in Sioux Falls. In this episode, we break down his lean, AI-powered property management model - from AI leasing agent “Serena” to AI maintenance coordinator “Max,” automated workflows in AppFolio and LeadSimple, and a vendor-first partnership strategy that keeps his margins high.00:00 - Intro02:19 - Matt's backstory04:42 - “No employees” explained06:35 - Pre-leasing playbook09:35 - The lean tech stack13:23 - AI leasing agent ‘Serena'15:36 - AI maintenance agent ‘Max'18:00 - Sponsor - Crane23:08 - Owner comms automation26:29 - Accounting without a bookkeeper28:53 - Application screening workflow30:43 - Process philosophy34:02 - AI tools that fell short38:09 - Margins & unit economics40:38 - Delinquency & evictions45:53 - The vendor partnership model50:46 - Touchless move-in52:58 - Inspections at scale55:05 - From property manager to wealth advisor01:03:06 - Pricing, adoption & upsell ideas01:05:42 - Wrap-upWe dig into how he pre-leases units 90 days out, runs daily bank recs without a bookkeeper, automates owner communication, and keeps friction out of the system (his word, not mine).But here's the part that really stood out: Matt doesn't just do property management. He positions himself as a wealth advisor, moving owners from day-to-day oversight into true asset management.Learn more and connect with Matt here: Luke PropertiesLuke Properties on LinkedInLearn more & connect with me here:⁠Crane⁠, the private community for property management business owners.⁠My Free PM Newsletter⁠⁠RL Property Management⁠

Send a textIn this episode of Weiss Advice, Yonah Weiss sits down with Linda Holtz, multifamily investor, property management expert, and co-founder of M2RE (Married to Real Estate).Originally from France, Linda moved to the United States in 2012 with two suitcases and a dream. What started with door-to-door sales in New York City turned into a decade-long career in property management, eventually leading her and her husband into multifamily investing.This conversation dives into the real journey behind scaling in real estate: the grit, the networking, the mistakes, and the long-term vision required to build generational wealth.

"Culture is defined by how we treat each other when nobody's watching." This philosophy, forged in the fires of firefighting and high-stakes football, has driven the growth of one of the Pacific Northwest's most successful independent luxury real estate firms.In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, Chris Schembra sits down with Nick Schleckaway, the CEO and founder of Amherst Madison. While Nick is a titan of the real estate industry, this isn't a conversation about market trends or interest rates. This is a visceral exploration of "Earned Connection"—the intentional effort required to build a sense of belonging in a world that has traded physical presence for digital convenience.Nick shares a vulnerable look at his own "hard week," discussing the weight of leadership when key team members move on and how he leans on the "lifeboat" of his family to stay afloat. Together, Chris and Nick dismantle the myth of hybrid culture, arguing that true innovation isn't found in a Zoom call, but in the friction of being together.10 Memorable Quotes:"Culture is how we treat each other when nobody's watching.""My family is my lifeboat; when the professional waters get choppy, they keep me from sinking.""Hybrid is not where you work. It's how you work.""Convenience is the enemy of connection.""Culture doesn't happen in a recorded town hall; it happens in the unscripted moments.""You can't lead a 1099 workforce with a W2 mindset.""The office isn't just a place to work; it's where trust is traded.""Leadership is defined by what you are willing to put up with.""We are trading meaningful friction for frictionless isolation.""If you want to scale belonging, you have to shrink the room."10 Key Takeaways:The 1099 Culture Challenge: Building culture for independent contractors is fundamentally different from employees; it requires creating an environment people choose to enter rather than one they are paid to stay in.The Performance Gap: There is a direct correlation between physical office presence and professional success; agents who show up in person consistently outperform those who stay remote.Convenience vs. Connection: Companies often mistake "easy" interactions (like virtual happy hours) for real culture. True belonging requires "earned connection," which often involves the effort of physical proximity.The "Lifeboat" Strategy: During professional trials, leaders must identify their personal anchors—for Nick, it is his wife Megan and children Charlotte and Beau—to maintain perspective.The Myth of Hybrid: Hybrid work should not be viewed as a location, but as a methodology. Without intentionality, hybrid often defaults to total disengagement.Friction as a Tool: Meaningful relationships require "friction"—the effort of travel, the risk of face-to-face conversation, and the lack of a "mute" button—to develop depth.Scaling via Intimacy: To impact a large organization, leaders should focus on frequent, intimate, small-group gatherings rather than infrequent, massive corporate events.Trust as Currency: In high-stakes industries like real estate, trust is the primary currency. That trust is built faster through non-verbal cues and "hallway talk" than through digital screens.Leading by Example: A leader's primary job in culture-building is modeling the behavior they want to see, especially when it comes to showing up and being present.Human-Centric Real Estate: Despite the rise of AI and digital platforms, real estate remains a deeply human, referral-based business that relies on local community ties.About our Guest: Nick Schleckaway Founder & CEO, Amherst MadisonNick Schleckaway is an entrepreneur, executive coach, and the visionary leader behind Amherst Madison, Idaho's top luxury real estate brokerage. A former firefighter and captain of the Boise State University football team, Nick brings a unique blend of "grit and grace" to the corporate world. Under his leadership, Amherst Madison has become one of the fastest-growing independent firms in the United States, known for its high standards and unique culture.Nick's perspective on resilience is shaped by his background in emergency services and his upcoming book on company culture. He is a devoted father and husband, residing in Boise, Idaho, where he continues to advocate for the power of physical presence and authentic human connection in the modern workplace.

Fractional work is exploding — and it's still confusing for a lot of corporate escapees. In this Featured Speaker session inside the Escapee Collective, John Arms breaks down Fractional 101 in plain English: what fractional really is, who it's for, how to get clients (spoiler: it's not campaigns), and what you can realistically charge.If you're still in corporate, recently laid off, or already freelancing and want more stability, this is the clearest “how it works” primer you'll hear.What you'll learn • The “W2 → 1099 bridge” and why more people are getting pushed across it • Why fractional is mostly a referral-based business (and what to do with that) • The mindset shift: conversations, not campaigns • John's simple relationship model: the “10-person circle” (fractionals, independents, super-connectors) • What companies actually care about (hint: pain, not the definition of fractional) • Typical pricing and why fractional often lands in the $8K–$10K/month retainer range • Why fractional is proactive leadership, not “wait to be told what to do” • The “project first” entry strategy — and why it usually turns into ongoing leadership • How to reconnect with old contacts without being weird or salesy • The core principle: get involved with other people's successNotable moments / lines you'll remember • “You'll work for the people you get referred to.” • “Referrals come from conversations, not campaigns.” • “Fractional is leadership — solve it and keep it solved.” • “Most barriers are fear and assumptions… it's hard work, but it's not complicated.”Resources mentioned • The Go-Giver (Bob Burg) • The NCG Factor (Larry Kaufman — Network, Connect, Give)

Your parents have supported your goals and dreams your whole life, and now that they are growing older, you want to help care for them. The predicament many physicians face is how to balance giving money to their parents and save enough for retirement. Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones discuss some changes you can make to accomplish this goal and how trade-offs are inevitable. We also answer your colleagues' questions. Cardiologist in Texas says, “I am a W2 employee but I have $100k of additional 1099 income. Should I open a SEP IRA or a Solo 401k?” Dermatologist In Florida asks, “My spouse makes $500k/year. Is it worth it for me to take a job that makes $80k/year while my children are pre-teen?” A Urologist in New York wonders, “If I am going to be in a high tax bracket in retirement, and I'm in a high tax bracket now, should I put money in a Roth or taxable account instead of making pre-tax contributions?” Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It's time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we're a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures

He closed 2025 at $844K in Amazon sales on roughly 10 hours a week. Then used those profits to buy a bulldozer, start a land clearing business, and quit his 20-year tech career. This is the full story.Justin Zsimovan (@flippin4gold) joins Clear the Shelf to break down exactly how he built a high-margin Amazon FBA business while working full-time, why he believes retail arbitrage is underrated, and what 20 years in enterprise AI taught him about where this industry is really headed.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Intro: From IT Security to Amazon FBA02:52 — Why Amazon? The Exit Plan from Tech06:37 — Failed Side Hustles Before Amazon Clicked08:10 — How His Wife Runs Most of the Amazon Business11:32 — $844K Revenue Breakdown: RA vs. OA Split13:53 — Zero RA Competition: The Small Town Advantage16:33 — "RA Isn't Scalable" — Why That's Wrong19:00 — The Lead Delay Strategy: Let Stores Hold Your Inventory20:02 — Hiring a VA Too Early (And Why She's Now Irreplaceable)22:53 — Manufacturing Margin: Gift Cards, Credit Cards, and Stacking Points28:29 — Using Grok to Model $10K → $100K/Month Growth31:19 — Amazon as a Launchpad, Not the End Goal34:48 — What's Actually Hard About Starting a "Real" Business39:33 — The Land Clearing Business: From LLC to $90K Bids44:12 — How to Pick a Business AI Can't Disrupt49:15 — The Scott Adams Ideation Framework53:29 — AI Doomer Perspective: Why He Left Tech55:37 — 99.9% of AI Tools on Amazon Twitter Are Junk58:00 — Data: What Sellers Should Record Starting Today01:01:09 — Use Case Engineering: Don't Boil the Ocean01:07:00 — How to Evaluate AI Tools (Open Claw, Claude Desktop)01:10:10 — AI Threatens OA More Than RA01:19:06 — Balancing a W2, Amazon, and a New Business01:21:44 — Managing Risk: The "Worst Case Is Bankruptcy" Mindset01:24:47 — The Escape Sequence: X → Amazon → Land Clearing → Freedom01:28:08 — Lightning Round: Start With Less Money Than More01:29:29 — Book Rec: "Cold Calling Sucks (And That's Why It Works)"01:32:55 — Quote of the Week: Walt Disney on Action Over Analysis

The what-ifs of real estate investing keep many rookies on the sidelines indefinitely. But when today's guest determined his “safe” nine-to-five was just as uncertain as buying a rental property, he took the plunge. Now, having bought four small multifamily properties in just two years while keeping his W2 job, he's fast-tracking financial freedom! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Like many rookies, Derek Brickley dreamed of owning a sizable rental portfolio, but taking that first step was his biggest hurdle. He could have allowed his blind spots to keep him trapped in analysis paralysis, but instead, he leaned into his investing network and drummed up the courage to buy his first house hack. It wasn't a home-run deal, but it changed everything, teaching him how to make offers on properties, plan renovations, and manage tenants. Now, Derek has the tools to scale his real estate portfolio and an investing strategy that has set him on a clear path to financial freedom. Rather than using real estate to supplement his day job, his W2 income now supplements his investments. Stay tuned as he shares his highly “repeatable” process! In This Episode We Cover How Derek bought four small multifamily properties in just two years Building your rental portfolio faster by keeping (not quitting!) your W2 job Leveraging your investing network to bridge the knowledge “gap” Having tenants pay for your living expenses with the house hacking strategy How to do your due diligence before inheriting tenants with a rental property Critical mistakes to avoid when tackling do-it-yourself (DIY) renovations And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-680 Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertise@biggerpockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

291 - From Cubicles to Closings: Mike Doherty's Path to Real Estate Success   Jen Josey hosts the REIGN podcast and shares a "Badassery Bestowment" on why every listing needs a professional photographer, citing five reasons: more clicks and offers, selling a lifestyle, protecting price, standing out in a crowded market, and saving time and stress. She then interviews Mike Doherty, a Connecticut-based full-time real estate investor, realtor, entrepreneur, co-founder of Skytree Investments, and host of the Sky's the Limit Podcast. Mike describes his path from a finance job after graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2015 to real estate investing, including learning through BiggerPockets, house hacking a duplex, and scaling by using the BRRRR method after running out of capital. He discusses misconceptions new investors face, emphasizes taking action, using meetups to build confidence and connections, and explains creative financing strategies such as seller financing and subject-to deals, including an example with 10% down, 4% interest, 40-year amortization, and a 10-year balloon. Mike shares a favorite deal involving raising the full down payment, selling after one year, and completing a 1031 exchange into a seller-financed five-unit property. He explains OPM approaches, partnerships and joint ventures, friends-and-family capital, and the importance of track record and some skin in the game. Mike outlines his move from W2 work to becoming a full-time realtor by lowering living expenses through house hacking, and he shares his BADASS answers: key books (Rich Dad Poor Dad, Who Not How, Never Split the Difference), best advice (take action), his drive (generational wealth and financial freedom), a goal of reaching 200 doors before age 35 (currently at 100), systems (assistant/transaction coordinator, Follow Up Boss CRM, calendar, and morning routine), and his definition of success as enough passive income to support his lifestyle.    00:00 Welcome to REIGN: What to Expect on the Podcast 01:02 Badassery Tip: Why Pro Photos Sell Listings (5 Reasons) 03:24 Meet Mike Doherty: Investor, Realtor & Podcast Host 04:46 From Finance Cubicle to First House Hack Duplex 08:49 Early Landlord Lessons & Misconceptions to Unlearn 11:32 Take the First Step: Beating Analysis Paralysis with Action 14:17 Scaling Up: Running Out of Cash & Learning the BRRRR Method 16:59 Creative Financing Deep Dive: Seller Finance, Sub-to & Balloons 20:57 Favorite Deals & Partnering Up Using Other People's Money 21:33 Raising the Down Payment + 1031 Into Seller Financing (5-Unit Deal) 23:00 What He'd Do Differently: OPM Sooner & BRRRR After the First Duplex 24:18 Flip vs Hold: Wealth-Building Mindset, Leverage, and Today's Market Risk 25:36 OPM Playbook: Partners, Private Money Terms, JVs & Structuring Deals 27:21 Friends & Family Funding + Skin in the Game (Even Teachers Have Money) 29:16 His Business Today: Full-Time Realtor, Investor Niche, Flips/Wholesale to Buy Rentals 31:40 Sky's the Limit Podcast + The "BADASS" Rapid-Fire Segment Begins 32:39 Books & Advice: Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Who Not How, Never Split the Difference + Take Action 35:46 Drive, Goals & Systems: Generational Wealth, 200 Doors, Assistants, CRM, Morning Routine 39:46 Defining Success + Where to Find Mike (Podcast, IG, Website) 41:12 Wrap-Up & Show Outro: Subscribe, Follow, and Join REIGN  

Relying on a W2 is riskier than you think.

In Episode 317, Sean and Andy go back to the mailbox for more listener questions, picking up where they left off in Episode 309. This time, the focus is on the business side of freelancing — rates, non-competes/NDAs, W2 vs 1099 work, unions, taxes… Plus some thoughts on choosing which compromises to make when time is short on a load-in, and much more! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Episode Links:Episode 309 – Listener Q&A, Part 1Episode 317 TranscriptNOTE: Mike Green, the artist who performs “Break Free” that opens every episode, has some new music hitting the market starting today, available on all streaming platforms as well as DSPs that support spatial audio. And, Mikegreenmusic.com will direct folks to pre-order the vinyl release, or allow them to purchase singles individually. Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we'd love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

Most people think getting rich is about saving harder or finding the next hot stock. It's not. It's about owning things. After 15 years on Wall Street, I learned the hard way that the wealthy don't get there by trading time for money or chasing tickers. They build ownership in boring, cash-flowing businesses that most people overlook. In this episode, I break down the exact investment framework I use today: just three categories I actually care about, why I ignore single stocks and hot tips, and how private business ownership became my unfair advantage. We dive into why Buffett doubled his money at 20% per year while the S&P did half that, why leverage magnifies your mistakes more than your wins, and why volatility isn't risk — not knowing what you're doing is. But this isn't theory. It's applied finance from the trenches. You'll learn:• Why the market is more concentrated and leveraged than almost any point in modern history• How to think like Buffett: buy businesses, not price movements• Why inflation and AI are quietly eating your W2 income while you sleep• The difference between speculation and actual investing (and why most people confuse the two)• How one woman bought six pack-and-ship stores while keeping her tech job• Why Charlie Munger said the best businesses don't require you to be a genius to run them• The three types of risk in every deal: product, market, and execution• How to negotiate by understanding the seller's incentives, not just your own• Why speed and ownership are the only real hedges against what's coming If you're tired of watching your salary get chipped away by inflation, or if you've ever wondered how people actually build wealth without a finance degree or a trust fund, this episode will change how you think about money, ownership, and what it actually takes to win in 2026. Also hi I'm Codie and I run an investment and advisory firm that helps you buy and build businesses. Every year we do one 3 day virtual workshop to help you find, finance and learn to do deals live. Come learn what Wall Street (and your boss or competitors) hope you never learn: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML_BDYT26 ___________ 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:22 The Three-Investment Portfolio: Why Less Is More 00:00:59 Buffett's 5.5 Million Percent Return: The Power of Selectivity 00:01:45 The 2026 Market Warning: Debt, AI Valuations, and Leverage Risk 00:03:40 Volatility Is Not Risk: Risk Is Not Knowing What You're Doing 00:07:43 The Asset Ownership Race With AI: Own the Farm or Be the Donkey 00:09:10 Main Street Millionaire Live: Your Path to Business Ownership 00:10:16 Build Durable Advantages: Moats, Brands, and Networks That Protect Profits 00:10:39 Nui's Story: From Big Tech to Six Pack and Ship Stores 00:14:20 Charlie Munger on Simple Business Models: Take a Simple Idea Seriously 00:15:30 The Three Risks Framework: Product, Market, and Execution 00:16:37 The Power of Incentives: Understanding What Drives Every Deal 00:18:13 Speed Wins: Why Moving Fast Makes You More Money 00:20:15 The Main Street Revolution: Your Generational Wealth Creation Event ___________ MORE FROM BIGDEAL

Zach Posey joins us to explain how he's acquired various house hacks and grown a significant net worth all while having a demanding W2 career! Zach starts off by detailing the acquisition of his first house hack and the hurdles that came almost immediately after closing. He talks about purchasing an oversized 4-unit building, seeing value-add potential, and executing a renovation strategy to create equity! Zach gives property management insights for house hackers which are centered around doing right by tenants and people in general. He explains the ins and outs of acquiring a property by assuming a VA loan. Throughout the episode, Zach demonstrates that growing a portfolio as a busy professional is doable and that the financial reward far outweighs the work that is required! If you enjoy today's episode, please leave us a review and share with someone who may also find value in this content! ============= Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Properties for Sale on the North Side?  We want to buy them. Email: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Have a vacancy? We can place your next tenant and give you back 30-40 hours of your time. Learn more: GCRealtyInc.com/tenant-placement Has Property Mgmt become an opportunity cost for you? Let us lower your risk and give you your time back to grow. Learn more: GCRealtyinc.com ============= Guest: Zach Posey, Chicago Multifamily Club Link: Chicago Multifamily Club Meetup Link: Wisdom Takes Work (Book Recommendation) Link: SUCI Ep 52 - Aaron Zimmerman Link: SUCI Ep 326 - RJ de Leon Guest Questions:  01:58 Housing Provider Tip - Understand easy fixes for malfunctioning garbage disposals! 03:57 Intro to our guest, Zach Posey! 07:38 Starting off with a 4-unit house hack. 17:25 Acquiring a second house hack in Roscoe Village. 26:28 Property Management tips for house hackers! 28:44 Leveraging assumable loans to make the numbers pencil. 34:41 The value of networking events. 37:40 Zach's REI goals and outlook on Chicago! 42:42 What is your competitive advantage? 43:13 One piece of advice for new investors. 43:35 What do you do for fun? 43:50 Good book, podcast, or self development activity that you would recommend?  44:40 Local Network Recommendation?  45:39 How can the listeners learn more about you and provide value to you? ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2026.

Watch Andrew & Matt On The Ranch: https://youtu.be/KeDTqOWOZEYAndrew Freed sacrificed his goals and vision while working a six-figure W2 job at MIT and Harvard. Recognizing the status quo was a decision, he decided to stop living somebody else's dream. Andrew details his journey of overcoming limiting beliefs, including a massive health transformation, and achieving financial freedom. His story is a powerful lesson that Action with knowledge is power and that the worst-case scenario is often the life you're already living. He currently self-manages 550 rental units and closed on 250 units this year.Connect With Andrew:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/investorfreedFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/afreed2Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-freed-msm/Connect With MattWebsite: http://themattking.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattking.atx TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattking.atx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kingmatthewr/ MKS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbKAN0ZZUBLFJyuI9EQpjfRjq0Pm7kYC1 #realestateinvestor #w2exit #financialfreedom #entrepreneurshipThe Tribe of High-Performing Men: http://gobundance.com/tribe

What if you could cut your deal analysis time by 80%? Joel Bechtel was drowning in broker documents. T12s in one format. Rent rolls in another. OMs that looked completely different from the last five he’d reviewed. After spending hours copying and pasting data into Excel spreadsheets only to discover a deal wouldn’t work, he decided to build AI deal analysis software to solve the problem. Chris Lopez sits down with Joel, a software entrepreneur who spent 18 years building tech companies before pivoting to focus on his real estate portfolio. Joel currently owns 20 doors and recently analyzed 90 multifamily properties across Columbus, Nashville, and Raleigh markets. His AI deal analysis software extracts data from broker documents and runs underwriting in minutes instead of hours. The numbers are striking. What used to take 1-2 hours per deal now takes 10-15 minutes. That’s the kind of efficiency that lets you actually find deals worth pursuing instead of burning out on spreadsheet work. In This Episode We Cover: The Gmail hack Joel uses to automatically filter broker leads into a dedicated inbox for AI processing Why most investors waste hours on deals that will never work and how to filter faster How AI deal analysis software extracts data from T12s, rent rolls, and OMs automatically Current vs pro forma analysis and which variables actually matter when tweaking numbers The St. Louis deal that looked perfect on paper until due diligence revealed a critical problem How to sanity check AI results without adding hours back to your workflow Market metrics that matter including flood zones, fair market rents, and census data Why zero closings from 10 LOIs is actually normal in today’s market Joel also shares advice for investors who want to bridge into entrepreneurship, including why community and masterminds matter more than going it alone. Plus, why jumping from your W2 too quickly can actually hurt both your investing and your ability to get loans. Whether you’re looking to build your own AI deal analysis software or just want a smarter system for filtering multifamily opportunities, this episode breaks down the exact process. Watch the YouTube Video https://youtu.be/yKFUQ2hUJaM Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & Episode Introduction 01:54– From 18 years in software to real estate investing 05:15 – Broker document chaos that sparked Deal Flow Pro 07:05 – How AI extracts data from T12s, rent rolls, and OMs 09:16 – Safeguarding against AI Hallucinations 12:36 – From 90 deals to 10 LOIs 15:11 – Fact checking market metrics: flood zones, rents, census data 17:13 – St. Louis due diligence story 22:02– Time savings: 2 hours down to 10 minutes 25:53– Merging investor and entrepreneur paths 33:00 – Deal Machine integration + where to find Deal Flow Pro Links in Podcast Deal Flow Pro – AI deal analysis software for multifamily investors Website: dealflowpro.io Promo Code: “Chris Lopez” for 14-day trial (no credit card required) Deal Machine – Off-market lead generation tool Crexi – Commercial real estate listing platform LoopNet – Commercial real estate marketplace

Most people think a W2 job is "safe." But here's the truth most don't want to hear

Kiera is joined by Alexis Gallati, founder and lead tax strategist at Cerebral Tax Advisors, to talk about tax strategy not just for 2025 success, but 2026 and beyond. They discuss asking your CPA the right questions, shifting income from your higher tax bracket down, the Augusta rule, and a ton more. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and today I am super jazzed. I have an incredible guest joining us on the podcast today ⁓ to talk about last minute tax strategies before April 15th. Like why not? I mean, hey, maybe you were like, you're not the early bird. You were like, shoot, I forgot. Like what things can I do? And so I'm super excited. Alexis Gallati, she reached out to us. ⁓ She is founder and lead tax strategist at Cerebral Tax Advisors.   Ansari Real Wealth Academy. And I was so excited about this topic because I know you guys know I love to geek out about this and I have it on my vision board of tax expert ahead. Like I hate taxes. I love taxes. I believe that taxes are such a beautiful way for us to pay to be in this incredible country. But you better believe I don't want to pay a penny more than I need to. So really figuring that out just a little bit about her is she is got a dual master's degree in business administration and taxation, which is super rad because   Let's be real, she gets the business side of it. She gets the taxation and we were chatting before and she was like, what people make like their top line revenue versus their take home pay are two different things. And I was like, amen sister, preach on. She's enrolled agent, NTPI fellow and certified tax strategist. She also is the author of advanced tax planning for medical professionals. She specializes in high level strategic tax planning and multi-state tax preparation for healthcare professionals and business owners. She's raised in a family of physicians and married to one.   She empathizes with the financial challenges medical professionals face. This personal connection inspired her to create accessible, unbiased tax solutions tailored to their busy lives. Driven by passion and guided by cerebral thinking, Alexis forms Cerebral to help professionals keep more of their hard earned money. Amen sister. That's what we want. That's why you're here. Their approach breaks the mold of traditional financial advice, offering a unique perspective for medical professionals and business owners. So while yes, she's not 1000 % dental guys were in the healthcare world and she's so brilliant. So Alexis, welcome to the show today. How are you?   Alexis Gallati (01:54) Thank you so much for having me. I'm doing very well. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season.   The Dental A Team (01:58) Yes, likewise. And I was so excited when I heard that you would be a guest on our podcast. I geek out about this, Alexis, I know it's like our first day meeting, but ⁓ I just think the world of tax is such the game of monopoly. And I'm like, if you would have just told me that rule, I could have played and won the game better. But I feel like it's always as ever changing, ever evolving. And I know there were some big things that happened in 2025 that are impacting like our our taxes. And so, yeah, definitely a timely and   exciting podcast to throw out there. So Alexis, I know I gave you a very welcomed ⁓ bio and intro, but yeah, tell us a little bit about who is Alexis. You're married to a physician. You're in this world of tag. How does one become obsessive about CPA? I'm truly just curious. How do you like, how does this happen? How did you become this?   Alexis Gallati (02:49) Yeah, so I love law and I love money. And so when I was in undergrad, I took a tax and accounting class and loved more the tax side than the accounting side, I do admit. And so after meeting my husband in college and us starting to go through that full medical journey, was about a year and a half out from him.   The Dental A Team (02:54) you   Alexis Gallati (03:18) from him finishing his residency. And I really saw the writing on the wall. Even at that time, with him being in residency, about four months of his salary was going towards taxes. And I was like, that's not right. That's not right. With   The Dental A Team (03:36) No.   Alexis Gallati (03:38) hard he works and how hard   medical community works in general. ⁓ my gosh, that's not right. So that's when I really dedicated myself to   finding out, why do the Warren Buffets and the Bill Gates of the world have this really low to sometimes non-existent tax bracket? And I really dove into that tax planning. ⁓ And so, you know, what's very unique about, ⁓ you know, the way that I work and my business is that my husband and I are in the same exact position as majority of our clients. And so, yes, I'm looking for   strategies for my clients, but I'm also looking for those strategies for myself.   The Dental A Team (04:19) You're like, hey,   it's me. I'm going to help myself out. I'm very motivated to do this.   Alexis Gallati (04:25) Very motivated. And I love it. I love it. It's like you said, it's ⁓ Congress keeps us on our toes, changing the laws consistently year after year. ⁓ it's like a puzzle. Like, hey, how can I just keep more of what I'm earning?   The Dental A Team (04:43) Yeah, and I, this is what I get obsessed about. what I learned, gosh, it's like, I was so naive when I started the company. was like, marketing is marketing. I just need to hire a marketer they can do everything. And then I was like, oh, there's a content marketer. There's a copywriter marketer. There's a strategist. There's a growth marketer. There's like an AEO marketer now. There's an SEO. Like you guys, this thing is like a web. They're a content marketer. And then I started realizing it's similar to CPAs and financial planners that like,   I thought you hire a CPA, Alexis. Like I'm so naive to business. I'm shocked that I've made it this far. Like truly I'm proud of like the journey we've been on, but like not all CPAs are created equal. And then I realized like CPAs play by different rules. Like it's the same rule, but there's shades of gray. They're how comfortable are you with this and how uncomfortable are you with it? Like there's one CPA that told me like, here, you can totally go skiing in Tahoe. Just like put your logo on your skis and you can totally ride it off and like put your logo on your boat and you can ride it off.   And then there's like the Alexis of the world was like, oh, hard pass. No, you're going to like totally get flagged. But I'm like, what rule is right? And so I realized that there are, like you said, tax strategy and for higher wealth earners. I do believe that there's a game, like you said, how did the Warren Buffett's, how did the Bill Gates, like they're not paying this. And then you get into the real estate game and you get into all these other things. You're like, how can we do this? And so Alexis, I'm just jazz. This is me being nerdy. And I'm going to ask you a bajillion questions and I can't wait.   to learn. So let's kind of talk about most of your clients, what's the size of take home net pay that they do. So that way we know like what brackets were in. So that way right clients come to you. I also learned not all financial advisors take all people. I was like, I make 30 grand. They're like, great. So we're going to help you out just a little bit. And then like, when you get to this level, we'll chat with you. ⁓ tell us kind of that. And then let's dig into how do we keep more money, Alexis, legally.   Alexis Gallati (06:10) I love it.   The Dental A Team (06:39) I'm here for legal advice. I'm willing to go gray, but not go to jail. So that's my line. So as long as we're on the same page, I think we are, I'm here for it.   Alexis Gallati (06:40) Yes.   Definitely, yeah. I am more than happy to play in the gray areas. We just have to feel comfortable defending it in an audit. And so that's our line in the sand. ⁓ But yeah.   The Dental A Team (06:55) Mm-hmm.   She's like, this is why I went to law guys. This is why I like the law side and the CPA.   I like it. I like your style. It's so unique and I just am excited. So, okay, I'm ready.   Alexis Gallati (07:07) Yeah.   Yeah. at Cerebral, we work with those that earn at minimum $400,000 per year in taxable income. So we have lots of businesses, which by the way, 99.9 % of our clients are medical professionals. I think we have like maybe two clients that have zero ties to the medical industry. And so the practices we work with, you know,   generally range from anywhere from maybe about $700,000 in gross revenue all the way up to eight figures. So we tend to not work with those that are larger practices, that usually over 50 employees. And that's just because once you get above 50 employees, yeah, it changes quite a bit. So we're definitely in there with those smaller to medium sized practices.   The Dental A Team (07:56) Tax co-changes. Yep.   Amazing. No, that's super helpful. And I know we were talking before, like the average of your clients, about 700,000 like net pay is typical where you guys are at. You have some that are higher, but that minimum of 400,000, which is great because I do think that there are thresholds. ⁓ And I did learn through going through business that who Kiera needed as a tax support and advisor when I was in that 30,000 range compare and as a business owner, I thought it was so funny.   Gosh, taxes, like they hurt so bad sometimes. Like, whoa, easy come, easy go. Like I've never, I've always been a W-2. So that was such a fascinating world for me. But yeah, let's dig into some of the things you've seen for the medical world. Cause I know I have friends that were physicians and they're really big on real estate. And like I took the real estate Kool-Aid and I'm just like, is this really real? There's gotta be easier ways than doing this. And so I'm just jazzed to kind of go through what are some of the things we can do now before April 15th.   What are things that we can do even past April 15th to set us up for great success for 2026? So Alexis, this is your show. I'm just excited, kind of riffed us through it. Of course, I'm gonna geek out and ask probably about way more questions than you care to even be asked, but I'm really excited to learn more today.   Alexis Gallati (09:20) Yeah, great. Well, yeah, I hate to be a little bit of a Debbie Downer in the beginning and that when your past December 31st, ⁓ the number of tax strategies that are available to you are before you actually go to file your tax return are limited. It's just the nature of the code.   The Dental A Team (09:37) I agree. was super, when you were   like, what are the tech? I was like, I want to know because most of the times like when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, it's like game over and we start again. But yes, which is why I want to know what are like the small ones, but then also Alexis like, let's set our listeners up for like, what things can they do this year to be better prepared for it in conjunction? So yes, before April 15th, but selfishly I want to know what else can I do this year that maybe I haven't thought of.   Alexis Gallati (09:52) Yeah.   you   The Dental A Team (10:06) because the clock hasn't struck midnight in 2026. So like we've got time. So yeah, for 2025 filing, but also for 2026 as well.   Alexis Gallati (10:09) Yeah.   Yeah, so let's talk about 2025 filing first. Especially if you're a business owner, there are actually a number of things that you could still put together for yourself that can impact your 2025 financials. ⁓ So even basic things like if you haven't been taking advantage of your home office deduction or ⁓ vehicle expenses ⁓ and unreimbursed business expenses. So those are expenses that you paid   personally, but our business expenses. So all of those items, you can still go and report on your 2025 return. So if you haven't taken the time to sit down and say, how much should I pay in my home utilities or insurance, repairs, et cetera, and take the percentage. So let's say your home office is 7%.   of your total square footage of your home. Well, then you can write off 7 % of your home expenses on your taxes. the treatment's a little bit different depending upon if you're a sole proprietorship or an S corporation. But in general, you still have that time to take advantage of that. And a lot of you might be like, oh, Alexis, it's such a little amount. I don't even know if it's worth it. Believe me.   All these little things can really add up together. And easily, I usually see between $10,000 to $20,000 of really ⁓ easy to grab savings for yourself if you just take even a few hours to gather all the information. ⁓ And you can even use ⁓ personal financial apps like Monarch Money or You Need a Budget, things like that to help.   organize that information for you throughout the year so it's a little more automated.   The Dental A Team (12:10) Yeah, that's amazing. I do love the YNAB. You're throwing me back to like pharmacy school days of you need a budget. I was like, oh my gosh, got to answer this every time. They have updated so much, but I love that you said like 10 to 20 grand, I think is worthwhile, but more than it being pennies or dollars, I think it's the discipline of having it prepared for next year too. So that way we don't, I think it's like, well, it might not be enough this year, but I'm like, you take that this year and we compound over the next year and the next year and the next year. I think these little things to me at least,   Alexis Gallati (12:15) Ha ha ha.   The Dental A Team (12:41) Like I said, it's their game of monopoly. And I'm like, okay, maybe I didn't get it that time, but I'm going to take that rule and I'm going to apply it this year and the next year and the next year. So I'm even taking notes over here, guys. So Alexis, if you see me, I'm writing it like, okay, I'm going to check in on that, check in on that. So make sure, make sure that they're being taken into consideration because I don't prep my own taxes. I don't even know half the stuff. Like they just tell me. So I also think being a good steward as well and always double checking your CPA to make sure like, are we maximizing every deduction we can?   Alexis Gallati (12:53) Good, I like it.   Of course.   Yeah. And being proactive is like you said, the number one thing because the IRS can deny deduction if you don't have that itemized receipt or you don't have the proper documentation. And 99 % of any fight with the IRS is that documentation. And I did a three year fellowship in IRS representation. So I'm obviously very focused on that tax savings, but also very focused on making sure   that everything's set up properly. So if the IRS were to challenge it or even the state, you're in good hands. then that way, you can just give them the stuff and say, go away.   The Dental A Team (13:51) Exactly. And I heard somebody once tell me, they're like, Kiera, it's not a matter of if I'll be audited, it's when. Like every business will most likely be audited at some point. I hope and pray like we're not. I think about that a lot of like cross my T's, dot my I's, make sure that I'm constantly trying to be compliant with things. But your wealth of knowledge on that Alexis of what things and how to become, I mean, shoot three years of IRS. Girl, you got my vote. That's impressive. And like love the love the authority piece that you're bringing to our podcast today.   Alexis Gallati (14:20) Thank you. Thank you. So some other things that you're able to do before you file that tax return, and this is a big one, is retirement. So you actually have until the filing of a tax return, and that includes extensions. So for example, if you're an S corporation or a partnership, have the original due date, which is March 15th, or the extended due date, which is September 15th, to go and   open and fund that retirement plan. So if you have employees, it can get obviously a little bit more complicated, but you still are able to do it and ⁓ do that employer contribution. And that's obviously really one of the lower hanging fruits when it comes to not only tax savings, but also wealth generation.   The Dental A Team (15:12) Yeah, no, I love that. That's a great idea. And I think a lot of people miss that. And again, CPAs, tax strategists, wealth advisors, they're all playing in their own lanes, but how can we make sure all of them are maximizing together? Because you as a human are trying to build that wealth. So I love that.   Alexis Gallati (15:30) Yeah. And don't forget as well, you know, kind of in the same vein as retirement is that health savings account. So if you had a high deductible plan throughout the year, but maybe your employer didn't actually provide a ⁓ health savings account, like so if you're a W-2, for example, or even if you're self-employed, you can still go open up your   own Health Savings account through, I think Fidelity has some, ⁓ Optum Bank, HSA Bank. So there's a whole bunch of different providers out there. can just Google and find the provider that works best for you.   The Dental A Team (16:07) Interesting. And I know like I just wrote that down because a lot of dentists don't have HSA. Like we are the providers for it. But hearing that that might even be a resource to attract people into your business if you were able to like, don't necessarily provide it, but these are some companies that we could help our employees get if they wanted to have an HSA because I know that that's something that my husband works at a hospital. So there's an HSA there, but as sole proprietors and S-Corps, a lot of times they aren't provided. That's actually really like, I think just a great tool and resource to   possibly provide to our employees, depending upon what it looks like for your business.   Alexis Gallati (16:40) Yeah, definitely. And then one other thing that you ⁓ may be able to do, depending upon your state, ⁓ to help with state taxes, is go and contribute to a 529 plan, which is for education for yourself or other dependent. And some states like Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, there's a number of them. They allow you to make that contribution all the way up to the   filing of the tax return.   The Dental A Team (17:13) Interesting. I did not know that I wrote that down. That's fascinating. I love this. This is like so fun. Keep going.   Alexis Gallati (17:20) Yeah. Yeah. So that, you know, is, a good, especially for, you know, higher earners. ⁓ that's kind of a good summary of what you can be doing before this, ⁓ April 15th or even the extended due date as well. ⁓ but when you start looking into 2026, who, that book, that book opens up, there is.   The Dental A Team (17:39) It does, right? It's like the   monopoly Bible. Like it's so big. Like how do I play the game of taxes? So I truly, and I think like for all the listeners, like the home office, the HSA, ⁓ retirement, the 529 plan, like there's still time. So go look at those things. And even if you can't contribute or do those things now, having that set up for next year, like, Alexis, truly, I'm like, I'm getting the popcorn. I'm getting my notepad. Like,   I am so excited because half these things I haven't heard of. And so it's very fun to just hear different perspectives. And I do love that you've got a legal background too. I love that you're in IRS. I love that you're in medicine and healthcare and like for your own personal savings too. It's like you're the Nancy Drew of like, how can I do the most amount through all of this? It's a very fascinating perspective you bring today.   Alexis Gallati (18:27) thank you. I appreciate that. yeah, when obviously when you are a W-2 employee still that your options are not as open for those that have a business. But ⁓ besides obviously retirement HSA that you can do all year, one thing that a lot of W-2 employees forget is to actually check with your employer to see what their reimbursement policy looks like.   The Dental A Team (18:29) course.   Alexis Gallati (18:55) because if you're maybe in a private practice with a large group, and I mean, these could even be groups that have sometimes hundreds of physicians in it, or even if it's just a hospital system, they'll have actually pretty generous reimbursement policies for things like your CME, your new loops, or going and   doing your mileage in between different hospitals or clinics, things like that. So making sure that you are keeping track of those things. Obviously, if you're a business owner, you definitely want to keep track of those. But some of my favorite for those that own their own practices, my absolute favorite is hiring your kids.   The Dental A Team (19:36) Of course, yeah.   Alexis Gallati (19:48) It seems so basic, but believe me, there are definitely steps in place that have to be done in order to make sure they ⁓ qualify. for me, the ⁓ court tested age is seven. So I usually don't recommend my clients going and hiring their kids until they're at least that age. You can do it younger, but the old my kids are models strategy is kind of ⁓ antiquated now just because ⁓   everybody has these great cameras now on their phones. And so it's kind of devalued, being a model ⁓ for those that aren't professionals basically. ⁓ But that's a really great way to shift income from your higher tax bracket down to their non-existent tax bracket.   The Dental A Team (20:21) Totally.   Right?   Alexis Gallati (20:40) and you can then put that money into a Roth IRA for them. And if you do that, let's say over like a 10 year period in 2026, that amount is 7,500 is the max you can put in. They're easily, by the time they're age 65, gonna have at least 2 million plus dollars in savings. So it's a really great way to create a legacy for your kids and give them a little headstart.   The Dental A Team (20:48) Mm-hmm.   Yeah, that's amazing. And I think so many people are like, I don't know how to help my kids with college or different things like that. And it's like, these are great ways to prepare them for the future for when they retire for things like that. I mean, how awesome I know a couple of ⁓ doctors because   The bulk of our audience, Alexis, are not W-2 earners. They are self-employed, like dental practice owners. ⁓ But I know that there were several that didn't tell their kids that they had done this for them. And then the surprise when they graduated college of, we've been putting this into place for you. I mean, shoot, that money's going to go to the government or to your kids. Why not invest in your children? You're going to pay that money regardless. So ⁓ definitely think that that's such a brilliant idea. And I've heard people, they're like,   their real job, like they have to have a real job. They're like a paper shredder. Like they like literally shred the paper or they open the mail or they like pick out the cards or they pick out the toys for the prize boxes, like actual legit jobs that they employ them for. But I think what an amazing gift and legacy to give your kids as well.   Alexis Gallati (21:51) they   Yeah, exactly. All four of my children are, obviously cerebral isn't a dental practice, but they're hired through cerebral. So that way they are earning enough to put that money into their Roth IRA. ⁓ And a lot of ⁓ my clients are like, man, I don't know what my kids can do. And like you said, there's a lot of admin work that they can do. Even a seven-year-old can.   like you said, shred paper, stamp envelopes. They can help with doing their ABCs and filing things away if you're an older ⁓ practice owner and they have ⁓ still the paper file system. ⁓ yeah, it really is a wonderful way to not only teach responsibility, but also to save. ⁓ I highly recommend ⁓ doing that. And even if you have parents that you financially support, you could even   The Dental A Team (22:45) Yeah.   Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (23:02) go and hire your parents through your practice ⁓ and write off their support. Of course, again, they need to also have a legitimate job in the business. with parents, you have to be careful if they have any benefits like social security or Medicare. Then you just want to make sure that you're not pushing them out of those benefits because of their income ⁓ or making any part of their social security taxable. So that takes a little bit more. ⁓   finesse than hiring a child.   The Dental A Team (23:36) No, that's great. That's a really good idea too, because I hadn't thought about parents. I have heard about children, but you're right, parents are retired. And if there's ways that you can support and give back rather than like, again, I love the government. I am happy to pay taxes, but if there's ways that I can support my own family, ⁓ I think it's great because I'm going to pay that money anyway, but paying it to people that I love and care about is really a great idea.   Alexis Gallati (24:00) Yeah. Another popular one I'm sure that you've seen on TikTok or other social media is the Augusta rule. ⁓ and this is where you're renting your home to your business. ⁓ and this is perfect example where documentation is absolutely critical. ⁓ but basically what happens is you rent your home to your business for 14 days or less. Those days do not have to be consecutive and your business gets to   The Dental A Team (24:07) Mm-hmm.   Alexis Gallati (24:28) right off the cost of that rent. So obviously lowers your taxes. But then you as the individual do not have to pay tax on that rental income. Now, if you do it for 15 days and you've ruined the strategy and you have to pay tax on all 15 days. So that's really important you do 14 days or less. But this is again a really great way if you have monthly board meetings, that's 12 days right there.   Or if you have employee parties, if you have colleagues over in discussing business, though, as long as you have a rental agreement in place between yourself and your business, and you document through meeting minutes everything that occurred during that event, then that is the documentation that the IRS would need in order to substantiate that.   strategy. And obviously a reasonable rental rate as well.   The Dental A Team (25:27) Yeah, no, didn't realize,   I did not realize that you needed a rental agreement. Can you expand more on that? like we check all the Airbnb's and the VRBO's in the area to see what does our house actually go for and like keep that documented every single year and then have an actual agenda and like have it in the calendar. So it's in our Google calendar. It's got an agenda. It's got a PDF didn't attach. But how does the rental agreement work? like, yeah, how do you, I didn't realize that that was a necessary piece to it.   Alexis Gallati (25:57) Yeah, so you can even just use ChatGPT to create it. ⁓ But essentially what you do is it's just that agreement between the business and personal. So ⁓ you just want to think about it like any other rental that you would do. If you were to go to a conference room in a hotel, for example, or go rent that Airbnb, you're going to be signing some sort of agreement saying that this can happen.   that this event can happen on this date. ⁓ you can either do one agreement for the entire year, spelling out like, here are the days that we're going to be doing these things, ⁓ or you can have an agreement for each time that it happens.   The Dental A Team (26:43) Very cool. That's super helpful. Yeah, I do love the addresses for all anything people. And I mean, I've had CPAs and like, don't go crazy. Like that's where I say like check Airbnb, check VRBO like what you think your house is worth versus what market value says your house is worth. Like, let's make sure that we are accurate on that. But yeah, that's definitely an amazing one that I think is great for offices to surely do.   Alexis Gallati (26:51) Yes.   Yep. Go and get two to three comps. So then that way can just take an average. I feel like that's a very safe way to, ⁓ show reasonableness. You're not just like, Hey, I'm taking the highest one on the block. You know, it's taking a few of them.   The Dental A Team (27:21) Totally. No, definitely agree. I love that. Okay, Alexis, what other ideas? know we're, I'm like just like sitting here. I'm like, I love this writing it down. Great ideas. What are some of the ones that like, yeah, anything else that's going to save us? Um, because like taxes are taxes and we are going to pay them, but like, what else can we do to, like you said, Bill Gates or, um, like Warren Buffett, what are the things that you found for like these higher net worth earners? Like, do they need to get into real estate and like use the big, beautiful tax bill or like,   Alexis Gallati (27:23) Yeah.   Okay.   The Dental A Team (27:50) anything else that you've seen that like really moves the noodles or is like, no, just the small consistent things are really going to help them out.   Alexis Gallati (27:57) Yes, well, they all help out. ⁓ But if you are looking for more of that, hey, Alexis, what's like Hail Mary that I can be doing to act to really save? ⁓ You can look at real estate. ⁓ That could be a whole podcast by itself. ⁓ But in general, you you tend to ⁓ get into real estate when you're not talking about like reets or things I can do through the stock market.   The Dental A Team (28:14) Right.   Alexis Gallati (28:26) ⁓ You're either doing like real estate syndications, ⁓ direct ownership, like long-term rentals or short-term rentals. And ⁓ each of those are treated differently and have different ways of making that ⁓ a tax deduction for yourself. So when it comes to, in general, ⁓ real estate syndications, this is where you're   The Dental A Team (28:49) Mm-hmm.   Alexis Gallati (28:54) buying into a partnership that maybe owns an office building. And you go in with other partners and ⁓ it's syndicated. So it's very passive. There's no way for you to write off any losses in that current year. ⁓ When it comes to direct ownership, the IRS basically says, hey, that real estate is considered passive unless you have real estate professional status or you do that short-term rental   deduction or excuse me, short-term rental exclusion. And so what ⁓ happens if you can qualify for the short-term rental exclusion or real estate professional status is that those what would have been passive losses that you can't use against your current income will be considered active losses. And then you can use it against your   active income, when I say active income, things like your W-2 or your business. So you're getting a current year deduction from that. And you can do cost segregation study to help accelerate depreciation. ⁓ So this is very, very much in the nutshell sort of explanation. ⁓ But it can really be a great way to lower your taxes if   The Dental A Team (29:57) Mm-hmm.   Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (30:16) you essentially want a second job. Just know that real estate is not as passive as the social media gurus go and ⁓ try to glamorize. It really does take a lot of extra work. You want to make sure that you are following the rules properly so that you can get that tax benefit in the current year. ⁓ But if you   The Dental A Team (30:19) Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (30:41) do have that prerogative and you want to learn and get do things properly, then it can really save you quite a bit of money.   The Dental A Team (30:48) Yeah. Are there any other things, Alexis, that are like real estate that save that much but don't require that much work? I'm asking you for the weight loss drug of taxes, please. What's our easiest way with the most amount of bang for buck that you've seen? These are the big hits that if you want, because agreed, real estate's great. If you do that short-term thing, but it is a lot of work. With the big, beautiful tax bill that came through, that 100 % depreciation is pretty fantastic. But like you said,   Alexis Gallati (30:54) Yes.   Mm-hmm.   The Dental A Team (31:17) got to have it rented out, you got to have the pieces, you got to like reno it like there are and you have to have it done by the end of the year and like it's a stressful zone. ⁓ So are there other things that you've seen that might be like 50 or 100 or 200,000 off taxes that aren't necessary real estate? The Augustus one, yes. Like paying people, there's things but is there anything else you've found that are like some of those bigger chunks that maybe people don't think about they don't recognize? Yes of course they're going to take a little bit more work but...   Alexis Gallati (31:17) You gotta work for it.   The Dental A Team (31:45) that you found that could be benefits to our audience.   Alexis Gallati (31:48) OK, so let's talk about my Hail Mary for tax savings. I   love this one towards the end of the year because you're going to want to know, have a good idea of where your tax situation is going to end up. So I use this a lot for year end planning. And this is oil and gas. When you ⁓ invest in oil and gas, again, just like with real estate, there's a lot of different options.   But my favorite is our drilling funds and this is where you invest in a partnership that owns oil and gas wells and these this allows you in that first year to Essentially write off usually somewhere between 80 to 95 percent of the investment that you've put in So let's say you invest a hundred thousand dollars Then you're getting about and let's say conservatively an eighty thousand dollar deduction that can go a   against your ordinary income. So if you're W2 or your business. usually, a good rule of thumb is that, let's say, if you're putting in $100,000, you're saving $30,000 in tax. You're putting in $200,000, you're saving $60,000 in tax. And then after year one, you're earning overall, during the life of the investment, about a 2x   The Dental A Team (33:10) Bye.   Alexis Gallati (33:11) you put   100,000, you're getting about 200,000 back. And so it's considered a very conservative investment. And just because the length of the investment, and this is one of the cons of it, is that it's usually about a 10 to 12 year period. So it's generally only about a 7 % return on investment over the life of the investment. the great thing about it is that   you let's say if you did put in that hundred thousand, you're getting that 30,000 in savings, and then you can go put that into something else that will earn you even more money. So then this is something that you can do every single year. And, you know, just depends on how much money you want to save and so that how much you put in for that investment.   The Dental A Team (33:57) Gosh, that's such a good one. And these are things of like just fun, like tips and topics. Like I said, it's the rules of monopoly. I caught like, how do we play tax strategy better? Alexis, what are any like resources? I feel like you guys have some resources. Like I feel the world of tax is so daunting. And so it's like, we hear from podcasts and we hear snippets and we see TikTok and it's like real estate games. like, where do people go if they like want to dig a little bit deeper and really become like more tax expert and more tax savvy and.   like tax strategy, like what are any resources you found or ways for people just to become a little bit more literate in the tax world.   Alexis Gallati (34:33) Yes, so ⁓ of course I'm to do a little shameful plug. My book, The ⁓ Advanced Tax Strategies for Medical Professionals, it's really just that it's a brain dump of all different types of strategies, whether it's for your business or W-2 only, charitable, these alternative investments. And so it's really a space.   The Dental A Team (34:36) as you should.   Alexis Gallati (34:58) for readers to learn more about their options. So then that was the way they can go online and do more research or bring it to their current advisor. So, you know, it's just about opening those possibilities. Otherwise, you know, one resource that is really great for especially medical professionals is the White Coat Investor that Dr. Dali, he has a wonderful, wonderful site and he puts out really good material.   The Dental A Team (35:11) Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (35:25) when it comes to not only taxes, but also for ⁓ just finances in general. And then, of course, on ⁓ CerebralTaxAdvisors.com, our website has wonderful ⁓ material that I put out all the time. There's lots of goodies there, as well as ⁓ different resources and worksheets and stuff like that.   The Dental A Team (35:52) Yeah, no, that's super helpful.   But Alexis, what do you find ⁓ as you go through this? Like one, how often are you meeting with your clients? Because I feel like so many CPAs and tax strategists meet with them in like December 1st and they're like, hey, you owe this much money. Is that how you guys plan? Like how should tax planning actually work?   or is that normal? Like I'm just trying to find a vibe of how this should work in the industry.   Alexis Gallati (36:15) Yeah.   Yeah. So when a medical professional first starts working with us, I design a tax plan for them. And that's really critical because right then and there, OK, what can we be doing to dramatically lower your taxes, legally, of course, and set you up for success? And then we meet with our clients at minimum twice a year. So we do a mid-year tax projection and a year-end tax projection.   The Dental A Team (36:34) course.   Alexis Gallati (36:45) And especially with medical professionals, your income is so variable throughout the year, depending upon insurance reimbursements or seasonality and things like that. And so we really want to make sure that we have a good, clear understanding, good six plus months in advance. Hey, what are you going to be owing tax wise? What does cash flow look like? What quarterly estimated payments do you need to make?   All of these things should not be a surprise. So that's why when I built Cerebral in the packages we have, I was really focused around how do we eliminate those surprises.   The Dental A Team (37:23) Yeah, no, I love that. that's super helpful because I feel like so many just wait till December and it's like, no, like there's things I could have been doing and if I would have known. So that's super helpful. And then I think the other question is like, okay, you guys are tax strategy. Are you CPA? Are you bookkeeping? Like kind of differentiate. Are you in the financial advisor world? Like what specifically would we say I need you for XYZ, but I'm going to need these people again, like marketing, right? Like what facet of my wealth management are you?   and who do I need paired with you?   Alexis Gallati (37:54) Yep, so we are your tax compliance, tax planning, your bookkeeping, and CFO services, and also business advising as well. So we're able to set up entities for you ⁓ as well as provide ⁓ just a lot of the years and years of experience that we have in running businesses and seeing different types of practices, et cetera. ⁓ We are not investment advisors, so we won't   say, buy Coca-Cola versus Pepsi. But we will introduce you to different investments that have tax benefits. And one very unique quality of Cerebral that's very different from other firms is that we do not take any commissions or kickbacks on any strategies we recommend or vendors we recommend. And we don't sell any products. So we're very education-based. I'm very focused on   you understanding your options so you can make a educated decision on what you want to move forward with. And then we are a white glove done for you firm that will implement those strategies on your behalf and make sure they're reported properly on your tax returns. Because that's what we've found being in this industry, especially specializing in medical professionals, is there's a lot of people out there that know about these strategies.   but they do not know how to implement them properly. And that honestly is 80 % of the fight when it comes to doing any of these strategies.   The Dental A Team (39:26) Yeah, no, that's incredible. So, and again, this is just like naiveness on my side. Do I need a CPA or are you guys the replacement of a CPA?   Alexis Gallati (39:35) Yeah, we're the replacement of CPA. We are CPAs. We are EAs. So we are taking care of your tax preparation, so personal and business. We do it all. I try to keep these packages as comprehensive as possible because I hate being nickel and dined. communication's a top priority for us. And so we don't want our clients to hesitate whatsoever to connect with us. And so that's why we don't.   The Dental A Team (39:56) Totally.   Amazing.   Alexis Gallati (40:05) shot like I, my gosh, I just got like a bill from my attorney the other day and it was for stuff that I talked to him about like in August. I'm like, I hate those pop-up bills. So that's yeah, that's, why I try to make it as comprehensive as possible.   The Dental A Team (40:10) Yep.   Right.   Awesome.   No, that's fantastic. That's really helpful. And I know a lot of people are very nervous to switch from their CPA. CPAs, feel like we're so embedded and we trust them with our souls. Truly, I see this. ⁓ So is there complementary calls we have with you? how do we start with that? Because I know, honestly, untangling from a CPA is such a pain. It is so annoying. so ⁓ how does that process work if people want to work with you, Alexis?   Alexis Gallati (40:46) So the best thing you can do is go to our website and go to the contact page. And you will ⁓ go through a very quick questionnaire to make sure that you're a good fit for us, because we also want to make sure we're a good fit for you. And we will ⁓ have a tax discovery session. And during that session, we will. We'll talk about what your needs are and what it's like to work with us. ⁓ I'm very focused on that return on investment. We actually have a guarantee.   with the design of our plans that I will save you at least two times what you pay us in ⁓ tax savings or you get the plan for free. And on average, our clients actually achieve 4.5 multiple with the design of our plans. So again, it doesn't make sense for us to work together if I can't save you more than what you're paying us.   The Dental A Team (41:39) That's amazing. No, that's incredible. And that's a great guarantee. And ⁓ then let's say hypothetical, we do get audited. How often do you guys go through audits and like success rate? Like I'm imagining if you were three years in IRS, you're probably pretty fantastic at that. But these are always things that I'm just curious. Like how does that work? And how often are your clients audited? And like, how is your success rate on that? And if you don't want to share this, I hope you do. We're just going to go for it. Like, yeah, I'm just going to ask the weird questions. Why not?   Alexis Gallati (42:01) Yeah.   I love the weird questions. They're the best. So yeah, that's one thing I can never guarantee that you won't be audited because of course there are always random audits that happen. We've only had three audits since I started Cerebral over 10 years ago. In 2014, I started Cerebral. ⁓ And ⁓ one of them was for the mortgage interest deduction. there's a limitation in that.   The Dental A Team (42:18) It's incredible.   Alexis Gallati (42:28) Um, and that was just, unfortunately, a client had not provided the correct information. And so we were easily able to just change it and be on our way. Um, and then another two were regarding actually real estate professional status. And that was just New York state saying, Hey, like we don't, we don't think that you're actually qualified for this. we're like, Oh, yeah, we do. Here's the paperwork. And they're like, Oh, okay. See you later. So yeah.   The Dental A Team (42:50) Yeah.   That's amazing.   That's a huge thing. And I'm so glad I asked the question because I think for me, that's something I'm curious on of like, I get it. Like you said, you can't guarantee that, but as long as you back in, do you guys charge extra for those audits or is that part of the plan? Like, nope, we stand behind it. Like, how does that work? Cause I know there's some firms that I have chatted with and if we do get audited, it's like 375 an hour for the audit. And I'm like, okay, like I'll just plan for that. But how does that work for you guys?   Alexis Gallati (43:18) Yep, so we back up all of our work and all of our packages. If you do receive a notice for anything that we prepare, you send it to us and we help you take care of it. So yeah, we 100 % back up our work. If you come start working with us and you have some a notice from a year that we didn't handle, like we didn't prepare, we'll still help you handle it. But that would be just.   at our hourly rate, depending upon the extensiveness of the notice. But to go back to your original question about making that change, I 100 % get it, especially if you've been with somebody for so long. And so you just have to look at that cost benefit and see, hey, staying with this person, how much is that costing me in tax savings versus   The Dental A Team (44:01) Right.   Alexis Gallati (44:12) going with somebody like cerebral and we try to go and make that process as seamless as possible when it comes to getting ⁓ up to date in your history and then ⁓ getting access to your bookkeeping and getting your tax returns. ⁓ And so, because I completely understand it can be daunting, but. ⁓   Happy to have a conversation around it when we meet about the discovery session and to see if it's something you'd want to move forward with.   The Dental A Team (44:43) Amazing. Alexis, has been such a great podcast and I just love meeting great individuals. I love how much you have a passion for the law and for the tax wealth and it's your own life and your own livelihood. So if people want to reach out, I know you said it before, how do they connect with you? So yeah, they can get started if they're interested.   Alexis Gallati (45:01) Yeah. So you can Google us or just go to CerebralTaxAdvisors.com. And which by the way, the reason why I have cerebral is because my husband is a private practice neurosurgeon and my dad's a retired private practice neurologist. hence cerebral in the brain. So if y'all can remember. But yeah, so CerebralTaxAdvisors.com is the best way to get a hold of us.   The Dental A Team (45:14) There you go.   I love it. Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (45:27) ⁓ And I look forward to potentially talking with y'all.   The Dental A Team (45:32) Well, Alexis, thank you so much for this. And for all of you listening, I hope you take advantage between now and April 15th. I hope you just like have a conversation. I'm always pro. I love CPAs. My CPA listens to this podcast and I'm always interested in meeting new people like Alexis, chatting with them. Are there different ways that they can benefit me? Because yes, I love my CPA, but I love more than that saving money and learning new strategies that maybe I didn't know about. So Alexis, I really hope a lot of them reach out to you, connect with you and for   All of you listening, thank you for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.  

email chris@drchrisloomdphd.com with "Podcast freebie" to book a coveted FREE guest spot on the show. To book a PREMIUM spot on the Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/_paylink/AZpgR_7f⁠⁠⁠Book a 1-on-1 coaching call: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/booking-calendar/introductory-session⁠⁠⁠ Become a member of our Podcast community: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/membership⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our email list: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://financial-freedom-podcast-with-dr-loo.kit.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join PodMatch (the "AirBNB" of Podcasting): ⁠⁠⁠https://www.joinpodmatch.com/drchrisloomdphd⁠⁠⁠Click here to purchase my books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2PaQn4p⁠⁠⁠Click here to purchase my audiobooks, visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.audible.com/author/Christopher-H-Loo-MD-PhD/B07WFKBG1F⁠⁠⁠To help support the show:CashApp- ⁠⁠⁠https://cash.app/$drchrisloomdphd⁠⁠⁠Venmo- ⁠⁠⁠https://account.venmo.com/u/Chris-Loo-4⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee- ⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisJx⁠⁠⁠Disclaimer: Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.  

#370 (repost): Rony Hay is a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur with expertise in digital marketing, B2B growth, and consulting. A little less than a year ago, he had his first company acquired (first exit) for multiple 6-figures and now, he is currently the Co-Founder of Lean Growth Formula, where he helps coaches and consultants scale through profit-driven ops.Episode was originally released in February 2024 on episode 264. What you will learn:What to focus on in the early years of your career, especially for longevityThe truth about getting into business or entrepreneurshipImportance and relevance of being surrounded by action-takersWhat happens when you start believing that making $50K/month is possibleHow to grow and scale fast as a W2 employee in the corporate worldBILT Credit Card Info (Pay Rent and Earn Points):https://bilt.page/r/HQ06-ZV7OReceive weekly personal insights from Emily's email newsletter and subscribe hereWatch Full Episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatfulfillsyou/videosENJOY 10% OFF THE WHAT FULFILLS YOU? CARD GAME AT www.whatfulfillsyou.com - code "WHATFULFILLSYOU10"Follow the What Fulfills You? Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatfulfillsyouFollow Emily Elizabeth's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyeduong/Read more on Substack: https://whatfulfillsyou.substack.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/what-fulfills-you-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

⭐ Get my coaching & community to achieve financial freedom → https://www.coachcarson.com/rpm-pod-473 ⚒️Get my best investor tools for FREE → https://www.coachcarson.com/toolkit-pod-473 ▶️ Next Episode: How 8 Rentals Gave One Mom the Freedom to be Work Optional Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/353-how-8-rentals-gave-one-mom-the-freedom-to-be-work-optional/id1448707654?i=1000662961411 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XRQdnck4pHE1cLxaTS6R1?si=NZX0CcGSSUux81_LpDyiUA Connect with Sean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlotteadubuilders Connect with Sean on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seanmckay.charlotteadubuilders -------------------------- EPISODE NOTES:

⭐ Get my coaching & community to achieve financial freedom → https://www.coachcarson.com/rpm-pod-473 ⚒️Get my best investor tools for FREE → https://www.coachcarson.com/toolkit-pod-473 ▶️ Next Episode: How 8 Rentals Gave One Mom the Freedom to be Work Optional Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/353-how-8-rentals-gave-one-mom-the-freedom-to-be-work-optional/id1448707654?i=1000662961411 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XRQdnck4pHE1cLxaTS6R1?si=NZX0CcGSSUux81_LpDyiUA Connect with Sean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlotteadubuilders Connect with Sean on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seanmckay.charlotteadubuilders -------------------------- EPISODE NOTES:

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes is joined by Alexis Gallati, founder of Cerebral Tax Advisors and author of Advanced Tax Planning for Medical Professionals. Alexis brings a wealth of knowledge on proactive, high-level tax strategies tailored specifically for medical and dental professionals. The conversation covers everything from tax-saving tactics for W2 earners like short-term rentals and oil & gas investments, to advanced planning opportunities for business owners, including entity structuring, paying your children, and maximizing retirement contributions through backdoor and mega backdoor Roths.  Alexis also shares personal insights on being married to a neurosurgeon and how that inspired her mission to protect high-income professionals from bad financial advice. Whether you're looking to save more on taxes or make smarter long-term financial decisions, this episode is packed with practical gems. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.cerebraltaxadvisors.com/bigbill https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

In this episode of More Than Commas, SFG President Cory Shepherd sits down with CEO of Trail CPA, Trent Trailov, to break down the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction and how business owners can strategically use it to reduce taxes. If you earn non-W2 income, own a business, or operate as a consultant, financial professional, or service-based business owner, this conversation walks through who qualifies, income thresholds to watch, and real strategies to maximize tax savings. You'll also hear practical examples showing how the right planning decisions, like business expenses, charitable giving, and retirement contributions, can unlock tens of thousands of dollars in tax savings. -- Timestamps: 03:10 – What Is the Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction? 06:15 – QBI Income Phaseouts Explained (Single vs. Married Filers) 08:20 – Real Example: Using Business Expenses to Qualify for QBI 10:55 – Which Businesses Need to Be Careful? (SSTB Rules) 14:05 – Business Expenses vs. Charitable Contributions 16:45 – Additional Strategies to Get Below the QBI Threshold 20:40 – Final Takeaways & What to Watch Going Into 2026    -- This Material is Intended for General Public Use. By providing this material, we are not undertaking to provide investment advice for any specific individual or situation, or to otherwise act in a fiduciary capacity. Please contact one of our financial professionals for guidance and information specific to your individual situation. Sound Financial Inc. dba Sound Financial Group is a registered investment adviser. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Insurance products and services are offered and sold through Sound Financial Inc. dba Sound Financial Group and individually licensed and appointed agents in all appropriate jurisdictions. This podcast is meant for general informational purposes and is not to be construed as tax, legal, or investment advice. You should consult a financial professional regarding your individual situation. Guest speakers are not affiliated with Sound Financial Inc. dba Sound Financial Group unless otherwise stated, and their opinions are their own. Opinions, estimates, forecasts, and statements of financial market trends are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

Начало года — значит пора разбираться с налогами. Кто-то уже получил форму W2, кто-то пытается понять, что вообще с этим делать, а кто-то надеется, что оно как-нибудь само рассосется. Не рассосется. Павел Бочаров, налоговый консультант из Далласа, штат Техас, снова у меня в эфире, где отвечает на ваши вопросы про налоги для физических лиц в США:Когда нужно подавать налоговую декларацию (tax return), а когда нет.Как платить налоги, если вы только переехали в Америку.Что делать, если работаете удаленно на американскую компанию.В чем разница между формами W2 и 1099.Федеральный налог и налог штата — как это работает.Что такое налоговый возврат (tax refund) и как его получить.Какие вычеты и списания доступны — домашний офис, техника, подписки.Что такое стандартный вычет (standard deduction) и детализированный вычет (itemized deduction).Какие штрафы от налоговой службы (IRS) бывают и как их избежать.Как понять, налоговый резидент вы или нет.Что такое индивидуальный налоговый номер (ITIN) и номер социального страхования (SSN) и зачем они нужны.Павел Бочаров, tax preparer, налоговый консультант или налоговый бухгалтер, Trident Financial Solutionshttps://trident.taxТелеграм https://t.me/Trident_TaxTelephone, Whatsapp (929)333-6723Low income taxpayer clinic https://litc.arsat.taxЭпизод про покупку домов: Пассивный доход в долларах: вся правда об аренде домов в США. Михаил Свердлов.https://youtu.be/o47lLwSYhf0Предыдущий эфир с Павлом Бочаровым:Все про налоги в США! Личные налоги, бизнес и самозанятость. LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp. Павел Бочаров.https://youtube.com/live/wN-TVaCNR_g***Записаться на карьерную консультацию (резюме, LinkedIn, карьерная стратегия, поиск работы в США)https://annanaumova.com⏰ Timecodes ⏰00:00 Начало15:26 Виды доходов облагающихся налогом21:44 Налоги на доход из-за рубежа46:54 Вопросы из чатаКоучинг (синдром самозванца, прокрастинация, неуверенность в себе, страхи, лень)https://annanaumova.notion.site/3f6ea5ce89694c93afb1156df3c903abТелеграм https://t.me/prodcastUSAИнстаграм https://www.instagram.com/prodcast.usТикТок https://www.tiktok.com/@us.job

Why do so many chiropractors assume retirement will “just work out” — and why are so many discovering too late that it won't? In this episode, Dr. Lauryn sits down with Dr. Abby Sirovica to have an honest, unfiltered conversation about real estate, wealth-building, and what it actually takes to create financial freedom beyond the clinic. This isn't about hustle for hustle's sake — it's about realizing what's possible when you stop playing small.Together, they break down why relying solely on a chiropractic practice is risky, how real estate can become a powerful exit strategy, and the mindset shifts required to build long-term wealth. From short-term rentals and tax strategy to leadership, leverage, and designing a life with real autonomy, this episode challenges the assumptions many providers make about money, retirement, and success — and offers a clearer path forward.Key TakeawaysWealth for chiropractors requires leverage beyond the clinic. Building real estate assets creates cash flow, tax advantages, and freedom that patient care alone rarely provides.Real estate is accessible — even without business ownership. Associates and W2 earners can use short-term rentals and smart strategies to offset income and build wealth.Mindset and action matter more than perfect timing. Wealth grows when chiropractors stop waiting for certainty and start making informed, strategic moves.About the GuestDr. Abby Sirovica is a chiropractor, entrepreneur, and real estate investor known for her bold, strategic approach to wealth-building. She is the founder of Grassroots Family Chiropractic (now Grassroots Collective), co-owner of a wellness café, and a leader in short-term rental investing. Alongside her fiancé, she coaches healthcare professionals through HBA Academy and hosts The Expansion Podcast, helping providers scale their businesses, income, and impact beyond traditional models.Book a strategy call for your clinic with Dr. AbbyFollow Dr. Abby on InstagramResources:Follow Dr. Lauryn: Instagram | X | LinkedIn | FacebookFollow She Slays on YouTubeSign up for the Weekly Slay newsletter!Mentioned in this episode:Go from surviving to thriving with Genesis Chiropractic Software. Learn more and get your special discount using the link below!Genesis Chiropractic SoftwareHolistic Marketing HubHolistic Marketing HubTo learn more about CLA and the INSiGHT scanner go to the link below and enter code SHESLAYS when prompted.CLALearn more about Sunlighten Saunas and get your She Slays

Entrepreneurship isn't about quitting your job tomorrow. It's about creating options, leverage, and time freedom.

Thinking about making the jump from W2 to independent freight agent, or wondering why so many agents struggle to scale and survive in the market? Erik Larson (Sage) is back on the show to break down what it really takes to succeed as an independent agent in today's freight brokerage and logistics market, starting with mindset, capital, and a realistic business plan for the 1099 transition! We talk about why revenue diversification is non-negotiable, how relying on one big shipper can put your entire operation at risk, and why your top customers should never control more than 10% of your revenue. We also cover the operational reality most people underestimate: the need for a full tech stack, proper insurance, legal counsel, and cash flow discipline to handle complex freight contracts and high-value moves. Don't miss out on hearing why partnering with a strong logistics company like SPI Logistics changed my business, reduced overhead risk, shortened sales cycles, and boosted credibility with larger shippers!   Connect with Sage YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SageOutcastX  

In this Tax Tuesday episode, Eliot Thomas, Esq., and CPA Barley Bowler address listener questions on diverse tax topics including property management S corporations and QBI deductions. They explain how to structure management companies for rental properties, the relationship between W-2 wages and K-1 distributions, and the power of the 199A qualified business income deduction. Eliot and Barley dive deep into 100% bonus depreciation, cost segregation studies, and depreciation recapture rules—clarifying when to use Section 179 expensing versus bonus depreciation. They also cover maximizing education expense deductions through C corporations, leveraging oil and gas working interest investments for immediate ordinary deductions of 60-85%, structuring private operating foundations with proper payroll procedures, and optimal tax strategies for business sales including the powerful Section 1202 exclusion. Tune in for expert guidance on these advanced tax planning strategies! Submit your tax question to taxtuesday@andersonadvisors.com Highlights/Topics: 00:00 - Intro 05:34 - "I have a property management S corporation for my rental properties. All rents and expenses are paid to/from the S-corporation. I take a W2 from the corporation. At the end of the year I receive a K1 for the net rental income. Can I take a QBI deduction for this K1?" - The K-1 reflects only the management fee, not rental income. QBI applies to that fee. 14:07 - "I am curious how I can get the maximum benefit from a tax perspective for education class fees paid." - C corporations can deduct new business education via loans from shareholders arrangement. 19:04 - "Please explain 100% Bonus Depreciation recapture and eligible assets with a less than 20 year life being fully depreciated in Year 1." - Cost segregation identifies 5, 7, 15-year assets eligible for immediate bonus depreciation. 24:08 - "What happens if you sell a rental property with depreciation recapture after a cost segregation with bonus depreciation?" - Five-year and fifteen-year property recaptures at ordinary rates; building capped at 25%. 29:46 - "Please explain Section 179 expensing." - Section 179 allows immediate equipment expensing but cannot create a loss situation. 36:20 - "Is oil and gas a good tax deduction?" - Working interest investments provide immediate 60-85% ordinary deductions through intangible drilling costs. 40:36 - "My family has a private operating foundation. One family member works full-time for the foundation and we agreed to pay a wage to that individual. Would that family member have a w-2? Or does the owner withdraw? Also payroll?" - Pay reasonable W-2 wages through payroll; no owner withdrawals in nonprofit foundations. 44:40 - "What is the best tax strategy for selling a business?" - Stock sales create capital gains; consider Section 1202 for qualified small businesses. Resources: Tax and Asset Protection Events https://andersonadvisors.com/real-estate-asset-protection-workshop-training/?utm_source=100-bonus-depreciation-recapture-explained&utm_medium=podcast Schedule Your FREE Consultation https://andersonadvisors.com/strategy-session/?utm_source=100-bonus-depreciation-recapture-explained&utm_medium=podcast%C2%A0 Anderson Advisors https://andersonadvisors.com/ Toby Mathis YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TobyMathis Toby Mathis TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@tobymathisesq Clint Coons YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ClintCoons

Boortz talks about W2 forms and taxes, how everything we do in society involves taxes, everyime you buy, you are getting taxed, and the FAIR taxSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been 18 months since Cory walked away from his W2 and bet on himself full time. In this episode, we pull back the curtain and give an honest check-in on what actually happens after you make that leap. Not the highlight reel. Not the Instagram version. The real story: freedom, pressure, uncertainty, confidence, doubt, and everything in between. We talk through why no one ever hands you permission to leave your job, why waiting until your business replaces your salary keeps most people stuck, and what it really feels like to live without predictable paychecks or built-in structure. Cory shares how income dipped before it started to stabilize, how months of zero dollars tested his mindset, and why learning to plant seeds six months ahead became non-negotiable. We also break down the hidden costs of entrepreneurship, from investing in ads and people to managing cash flow when bills stay fixed but revenue doesn't. This conversation also dives into how our business has evolved over the past year and a half, the different income silos we're building, why small but mighty real estate portfolios outperform door-count chasing, and how we're thinking about active income alongside long-term wealth. If you're considering leaving your W2, already made the jump, or feel stuck waiting for the “perfect time,” this episode will give you clarity, perspective, and a much more realistic framework for what the path actually looks like. Book your call with Neo Home Loanshttps://www.neoentrepreneurhomeloans.com/wealthjuice/ Book your mentorship discovery call with Cory RESOURCES

Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell unpack the conversation with Pav Lertjitbanjong, founder of Pavness Leadership Lab, and why job security is an illusion for most people. They explore what it really means to build career resilience so you feel less anxious about change and more confident in your options. The conversation also highlights the three key numbers Pav says everyone should know to create stability in uncertain times. If you've been waiting to feel secure before making a move, this episode is a reminder that security is something you build. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Understanding career resilience as knowing your value beyond a job title.How emotional clarity reduces fear during career uncertainty.Understanding the role financial numbers play in personal stability.How strategic debt can support long-term financial stability.Why maintaining client relationships protects income for entrepreneurs.Episode References/Links:Cambodia Retreat Waitlist - https://crowsnestretreats.comAgency Mini - https://prfit.biz/miniContrology Pilates Conference in Poland - https://xxll.co/polandContrology Pilates Conference in Brussels - https://xxll.co/brusselsPOT in London - https://xxll.co/potSpring Training: How To Get Overhead - https://opc.me/eventsPilates Posters - https://opc.me/postersSubmit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questionsLayoff-Proof Your Life Emergency Checklist - https://www.layoffready.com/emergencykitPav Lertjitbanjong's Website - https://www.pavness.comEp. 352: Tess Waresmith - https://beitpod.com/tesswaresmith If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  People do need to know that their job security is an illusion, so that they can not only have career resilience, but also just be really aware of that they have a lot more power than they think. And I think sometimes people go, oh, my ability to stay in this job is their decision when it's actually your decision. Lesley Logan 0:18  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Brad Crowell 1:01  Take it away. Lesley Logan 1:03  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the purposeful convo I had with Pav Lertjitbanjong in our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to that interview, feel free to pause us now, go back and listen to that one and then come back and join us. Yeah. Do both. You got time. You can also put it on a 1.5 speed. I mean, we talk fast, but you can still understand us.Brad Crowell 1:26  Yeah. I mean, it's gonna be awesome. It was actually a great, very transparent convo is the right way to say it.Lesley Logan 1:33  I would say so I actually really appreciate, like, having someone be so honest about the transition that they're on. I don't think enough people share that. And so I think that was a beautiful gift for everyone listening. Because otherwise you just listen, people got their shit together, and you're like, oh, they got it all together. And it's like, well, you know, they they have it looks that way, but it's a journey.Brad Crowell 1:53  Yeah. And I think, I think the idea of preparing to step away from a job is always a win, you know, to have it together on the inside. So that's good. Anyway. What is today?Lesley Logan 2:04  Yes, well, today is January 22nd. It's four days until my birthday, everyone. Brad Crowell 2:09  What? Lesley Logan 2:09  Yeah, but that's not what today is. Today is January 22nd 2026 and it's Roe Versus Wade Day. Roe Versus Wade Day is celebrated on January 22nd, the anniversary of the court case that gave women agency over their bodies. And here we go. The US Supreme Court made a ruling that legalized abortion throughout the country, with variations from state to state depending on the length of the pregnancy, no matter what your opinion is on the controversial abortion debat,e should not be fucking controversial, and it does matter what your opinion is. But here we go. Roe Versus Wade Day marked a pivotal turn in US history, the anniversary of landmark court decision celebrated by people everywhere, especially by women. Unfortunately, on Friday, June 24th 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe Versus Wade, the landmark piece of legislation that made access to abortion a federal right in the United States. The decision dismantled 50 years of legal protection paved the way for individual states to curtail or outright ban abortion rights. My loves. Brad Crowell 2:59  Which is happening. Lesley Logan 3:01  It's happening. It's happened. People, women are losing their ability to have have babies because they can't get what they need. The biggest thing if you, if you're like, uncomfortable with the word abortion, and I get that because if you were raised religious, you probably were raised and it's like, the worst thing anyone can do. And like all these women regret it. I can't speak for these people. What I can say is, men get to go to every fucking state in the country, and their rights don't change. But if I go to different states, my rights do change. And for the majority of the listeners, you go to a different state, your rights do change. And it's just really pisses me off that we don't have like that we're constantly fighting for equality in this capacity. And what this means is hospitals and doctors in the areas where there is not abortion available will have less experience and less understanding about what to do when a mother needs it. And if you try to tell me, in case of like, the healthcare of the mother, the doctors are so scared and they will have to answer questions. Brad Crowell 3:59  That they're not helping the mother.Lesley Logan 4:01  That they're that they're not so we have to wait till women go septic, yeah, which is the worst you you are lucky if you come back from that a normal person. So it just really pisses me off, because this is not a this should not be a fucking law. This is a health right.Brad Crowell 4:15  So as of November of this year, 2025, 12 states have near abortion bans, or for all intents and purposes, abortion bans in place. Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Lesley Logan 4:32  Was Idaho on there? Brad Crowell 4:33  Idaho is on there. And addition, North Dakota has a near total ban that was recently revived in the state's Supreme Court, which makes it a felony to perform an abortion, except in limited medical emergency or cases of rape and incest. And that's the problem. The problem is the limited medical emergencies, and that's never clear. And so regardless of whether or not the doctor knows that that's what needs to happen, the hospital is basically saying, don't, don't do it because they're gonna get. Yeah or the doctors themselves are worried about it, because, you know, like, in Texas, they're like, going after doctors. It's nuts.Lesley Logan 5:09  There's okay. So I saw something recently, and I'm hopefully, as I as I say out loud, I'll get it right. So because some states are trying to grab doctors from other states that are helping women access abortion, right? Like some doctors from New York can send medications to people in different states and and allow them to safely, you know, have a decision over their body. And some of these states are trying to, poor women are going to different states, and then, you know, so the state that the woman is from is trying to do something to the doctors or the woman for doing that right in the place where they have a right. And someone explained it like, okay, Nevada has legalized gambling, right? But let's say you're from a state that doesn't have legalized gambling, and you go to Nevada and you gamble, and you win money, right? You gamble. It's proof you did it. That would be like the state you're from arresting you for gambling.Brad Crowell 6:06  So you didn't finish that. So then you go home to whatever state, yes, and they arrest you, yes. But you were in Nevada.Lesley Logan 6:12  Yes, where it's legal. Brad Crowell 6:14  Right. Lesley Logan 6:15  So if that, if you're like, oh, that doesn't make any sense. It's the same fucking thing when it comes to women's and abortions like this is and to be honest, like if you struggle with this, I really need you to do some extra research on what an abortion is, on what the Bible has even said. I need you to understand what, what, what week a baby is even viable on their own. And then I need you to look at how much it costs to be a parent, and you need to understand if you are also not voting for health care for children, for food at all of their schools and all these different things you do not care about life, you don't. If you are not, if you are also not voting for every single thing that makes it illegal to be poor in this country, you do you don't understand what being pro life actually means. And I know that sounds harsh, but that's how I feel. It's how I feel. I used to, used to think, okay, well, they can have a difference of opinion, not anymore, not when women are dying, not when women who are not able to have the babies that they want to have because something went wrong and that affects their ability to have babies in the future. No.Brad Crowell 7:21  Yeah, the laws that that are being passed are, I would argue that the terminology is confusing that I would not say it's fair to call them pro life. They're, in fact, pro birth. So they're, they're not looking out for the mother ever. They're looking out for what could hypothetically be a child someday, maybe. Right?Lesley Logan 7:43  Yeah, that they don't, that they're not going to care for once it's once it's born. Brad Crowell 7:48  Well, that's not necessarily the case but. Lesley Logan 7:50  I'm not talking about the parents. I'm talking about the law. I'm talking about the, the parents, oh, some of these people already have kids and they're like, I have enough. Some of them just are in the wrong time of their life. Some of them don't want to have them. Some of them, you know, it is with someone that they don't want to have a child with. This is all their rights to have. Brad Crowell 8:05  Yeah. I mean, the running joke is that the law cares before you're born, and then once you turn 18 and you can join the military, but between those times, good luck.Lesley Logan 8:15  Yeah, yeah. So anyways, I, I know, I know there's there's there's, I understand if you are someone who has a hard time with this topic, because I do remember being a child and a teenager and a young adult having a problem with this topic. And the more research I did, the more I realized how many, how, how hard it is for a for the woman in this country, specifically, and how, how much, how, in this country, we have women who will die giving birth because we do not do proper medical research, we do not care baby like we have a high mortality rate in this country that we should for a first world country, because of all, and because what I've seen what having a baby does with her body, it is her choice. She should be able to do what she wants, and there isn't judgment negatively around it.Brad Crowell 9:03  Yeah,we have a higher maternal mortality rate than most other high income countries. Whis is mind blowing.Lesley Logan 9:09  And then when you go deeper, when you go deeper, look at how high it is for black women versus white women.Brad Crowell 9:14  Yeah, significantly higher risk for black women and women over 40.Lesley Logan 9:17  And if you are worried, it's because, oh, maybe it's a different No, a high school educated white woman will have more likelihood of surviving over a medically educated black woman because of racism in this country and the stress it does on our bodies. My loves, like I will always, I will fight for women's rights, and one of those rights is having choice over what happens to your body, period, no matter what state you're in and if you don't want babies to be aborted, then you need to go to your congress people make sure that they're taken care of, because I think more women would even have a child if they had help and support. We don't do that here. So on this day, call your congress person, see what they're doing for people who have children and need help.Brad Crowell 10:00  Yeah, yeah. This is a tough this is a tough conversation. I think that. Lesley Logan 10:06  It's hard. Brad Crowell 10:06  Well, it's, what frustrates me is also that this is for 50 years the law was clear, yeah, and then three years ago now, we've got a bunch of Supreme Court justices who are like, just kidding, and they're just taking these kinds of rights away. And that frustrates me more than anything, is that that, that that's even an option. That shit, it was, it was the law of the land, you know. So that's, that's insane to me, and I, I think that the only way that stability gets created is if we are all paying attention to the things that are happening in our state and also in our federal government. But you know, right now, it's up to every single state to protect their women, you know, individually. And so it's important for you to participate in this and be educated and call the people who are making the decisions in your state.Lesley Logan 11:01  And also, it used to be, if you didn't like something for you personally, you just don't do it. So if you don't like abortion, don't get one. Brad Crowell 11:08  Right. Lesley Logan 11:09  But like, like, you know, it's just, it's really hard. It's just it get gets me really. I was just at the I was just at the women's clinic today. I love my women's clinic. If you do live in Las Vegas, the WHASN clinic. Shout out to the WHASNclinic. It is fucking phenomenal. At any rate, they have like, a sign on the wall, which is like, how to prevent pregnancy, right? And sterilization for a woman, or vasectomy for a man, are in are like, not going to have a baby, not going to happen, okay? And then they go through like, okay here are the birth controls. This is how we have to change them. This is how effective they are. So it starts to go from 99.9% to like 97% to 94% here effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. And here's what it said at the bottom of this. And this is like mind blowing that they do not teach people in school because they don't want you to know, because they want you. They want you dumb and pregnant. They if you are not doing anything to prevent pregnancy. So you aren't on a birth control, you don't have any protection going on birth like things like that. He doesn't have anything. You're 85% likely to have a baby if you are, if you have reproductive abilities and you don't, don't do any intervention, the chance of you getting pregnant annually will be 85% not in your lifetime, annually. So don't be shocked when people end up pregnant. People can, they can accidentally take not even accidentally. They could get sick and they need an antibiotic, and it it causes their their birth control to not work, literally, right? I have friends who had IUDs, and their parents got pregnant with them. So like all people can do all the right things and still have this pregnancy happen, and it might not be the right time for them, or it might not be the right thing for them, and they that is their fucking business. Period. I have no judgment towards people who do it or don't do it. It's up to you, but it should be up to you, and the fact that it's not in certain states pisses me off. Anyways, we do need to move on, yeah, but hope, hopefully you're off. I feel like people are fired up with us, but just pass it on to your friend.Brad Crowell 13:09  Yeah. Well, look, let's shift gears here. That's a heavy topic that we're obviously very passionate about. So thanks for following along. Here's what's coming up in our world here. So it's right now, today, January 22nd is the second to last day to get the early bird for joining us this year in Cambodia at a Pilates retreat at Crow's nest, right? So go to crowsnestretreats.com. Tomorrow is the last day to get the early bird. January 23rd is the last day to get the early bird. Go to crowsnestretreats.com or just DM us if you want the link, we'll send it over. Next week is Lesley's birthday, like she already said.Lesley Logan 13:44  I know, I'll be 43 I know, so good. Brad Crowell 13:48  We're just, we're just sharing that. We're probably gonna. Lesley Logan 13:51  No birthday sale. Brad Crowell 13:52  Go out to dinner or something here.Lesley Logan 13:54  Open a party, babe. We're having a party where you dress for the wrong party party.Brad Crowell 13:58  Oh yeah, yeah, we're doing that. That's right. Next month, February, Agency Mini is coming back. We're going to be doing Profitable Pilates is hosting Agency Mini. If you have ever felt like, what's the thing that sets me apart as a Pilates teacher from my my super close friend who's also a Pilates teacher, then you should come to Agency Mini. Lesley Logan 14:16  Yeah. Or if you're frustrated by the studios in town where they are lacking training their own. They're like, they're buying, like, cheap and cheerful $200 reformers and packing people. And you're like, come to Agency Mini because we will with you and also give you what you need to stand out, because that's what we do.Brad Crowell 14:33  Yeah, so go to prfit.biz/mini. Just make a noise over there. Lesley Logan 14:40  Just me making noise. Brad Crowell 14:41  prfit.biz/mini that's profit without the O dot biz. And then in March, we're going to be bopping around Europe and looking forward to that. We're going to be in Poland and then in Brussels. So if you are anywhere near either of those places, go to xxll.co/poland, or xxll.co/brussels. And then in April, we're going to be at POT in London. Lesley Logan 15:05  And by now it has announced. Brad Crowell 15:07  Yeah, it's announced. Tickets are available. So come join us. Come hang out. It's gonna be super fun. Go to xxll.co/pot. And then finally, this is new for those of you who listen every week, thank you for that. May. We are going to be doing spring training again, and this time, we have a really cool topic. We're going to be doing How to Get Overhead.Lesley Logan 15:25  Yeah, we're getting your butts upside down. Brad Crowell 15:27  Get your buns in the air. Lesley Logan 15:28  So if you struggle with overhead exercises, or you feel like it's not in your practice, or you want to be doing them, we're talking like back knives, headstands, control balance, all the ones upside down. Brad Crowell 15:39  Any of those. Lesley Logan 15:40  And you don't have to have to have equipment. We'll have mat classes, we'll have Reformer, we'll have everything. We'll have something for everybody. And if you're on the early bird wait list, for sure, you get a better access options all that good stuff. Brad Crowell 15:49  So go to opc.me/events that's opc.me/events plural, and sign up for the events waitlist. And you know, we'll let you know about the things that happen throughout the year, and then, yeah, so that's what's happening through May. And then this week, we actually had a question from one of our eLevate grads. Her name is Shannon Billings, and she pinged us on IG and she said, hey, I saw those, those posters that you guys made of all the exercises in a grid, and I want to hang them on my wall. Lesley Logan 16:20  Yeah, they're pretty. Brad Crowell 16:21  But I cannot find them. I don't know where I'm supposed to be looking. Where should I where can I find those posters?Lesley Logan 16:26  Yeah, so they're on the OPC site, and the quickest link is just opc.me/posters. And here's the coolest thing about these posters. You guys right now, we're not good at going to the post office, so these are print on demand posters. They're beautiful, so don't let that change. They don't. Doesn't change the quality. Quality is freaking awesome. Yeah, they're great. What it means is, when you, wherever you live in the world, they'll probably print it somewhere near you. So that means shipping to you is actually not astronomical.Brad Crowell 16:50  Yeah, it's pretty reasonable. We've had people order them in Europe or in Australia, and it's, it's not crazy, it's not an arm I'm gonna like to ship. So, yeah, go check that out opc.me/posters, and if you have any questions, just text us at 310-905-5534,Brad Crowell 17:03  Or beitpod.com/questions Brad Crowell 17:04  beitpod.com/questions where you can also leave a win. Lesley Logan 17:10  I just want to add to that, some people are putting two posters per poster frame. So like on one side, it's the mat, and the other side is the reformer or tower. And so if you have not a lot of space, but you want all the posters, order all of them, because you can get frames that have clear stuff on both sides, and you can just like, flip it. Brad Crowell 17:30  Flip it. Yeah. That's clever. Lesley Logan 17:31  I saw a girl who she has my posters, and then she has a different set of posters that are black and white. And so sometimes she wants color, sometimes she wants it to be not. So you can do that. Brad Crowell 17:41  Love that. Lesley Logan 17:42  I know people are so creative, you got to share that stuff.Brad Crowell 17:46  Well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're gonna talk about Pav Lertjitbanjong. Brad Crowell 17:53  All right, welcome back. Let's talk about your conversation with Pav. Pav Lertjitbanjong is the creator of Layoff Ready, the financial resilience program that she built before her work evolved into Pavness Leadership Lab. Lesley Logan 18:08  I love it. So cute. Brad Crowell 18:09  The Pavness Leadership Lab, I love it. She after a divorce that left her financially and emotionally depleted. She spent months avoiding the reality of her situation before finally facing her budget a single day of focus work that revealed nearly a half a million dollars in a forgotten 401(k), pretty crazy. From there, she paid off six figures in debt, rebuilt her stability and retired from corporate life at the age of 43. Today, through the pavness leadership lab, Pav studies how people build courage and make clear decisions under pressure, continuing her mission to empower others, to create long-lasting stability, confidence and options in your lives. Yeah. Lesley Logan 18:47  Yeah. I really enjoyed this conversation, because I think we talk a lot about strengths and knowing what your strengths are. And, you know, we even have a conversation about retirement coming up and things like that. But, like, I think people live in fear of different change, what if I lose my job, what if I lose this. But she's like, okay, so what if we've talked about career resilience and having a career resilience and so allowing yourself to really understand it's better, that it's more than just like, okay, I'm financially ready if I get laid off. It's like, no, like, how can you really understand who you are and what you do, what makes you amazing? So which I really love that she brought up, like, job security is an illusion. It fucking is. And it pisses me off that banks value a W2 when some of us are over here betting on ourselves and every year kicking ass. I'm just saying from personal experience, it's just me. But what don't you think? Brad Crowell 19:32  You're not wrong. It's really annoying. I mean, I don't know how else they would should do it, but like, just historically.Lesley Logan 19:39  Just look at my history. Just look at my taxes last look at what I'm doing. Brad Crowell 19:43  Yeah, there's that.Lesley Logan 19:46  But I but I appreciate that she brought that up. I think we I think people do need to know that their job security is an illusion, so that they can not only have career resilience, but also just be really aware of that they have a lot more power than they think. And I think sometimes people go, oh, my ability to stay in this job is their decision when it's actually your decision. You know, just like an interview, if you want a job, it's your decision, all that stuff. And she also brought up, and I thought this is really cool, the emotional clarity that gives you peace of mind. When you have career resilience, it gives you a lot more clarity. So I think it means, like, less anxiety about, I'm going to lose my job. What am I going to do? Like you just feel a lot better about it, you know? And it's critical, because we are going into a weird world of AI, and I don't even know what that means for a lot of people's jobs, because I teach Pilates, and luckily, right now, AI kind of sucks at doing that.Brad Crowell 20:35  Yeah. I mean, so the conversation that y'all had was more focused on not necessarily walking away from a job that you might currently have, but what if, right, being prepared for worst case scenario? Because who knows, you know, who knows? Like nothing is especially now, things feel very unstable, economically, I think it's more of a feeling than it is a numbers thing. But it doesn't change the fact that it's a feeling still, and people are feeling weird about it.Lesley Logan 21:04  Yeah, and weird feelings have changed economies many times in history. And so, yeah, I also think I just want to bring up.Brad Crowell 21:12  But the point the point is, then that, you know, not necessarily wanting to leave a job, but how do you be prepared for it? And this is the kind of thing that she digs into. Like, she, she talked about layoff being layoff proof.Lesley Logan 21:25  She even has a checklist for you guys, and I think that that is, if that's something you are, like, I want to be layoff proof. Like, I might as well start now. You know, you don't want to start it after. So it's layoff ready.com/emergencykit.Brad Crowell 21:39  Yeah, look, and here's the thing, for those of you who are entrepreneurs like us, you're clearly not laying yourself off. The best thing, the biggest thing you could possibly be doing is conveying to your clients how you are adding value into their life, and not necessarily you are, although inadvertently you are. Pilates is how is your teaching? How? What is it that is benefiting them? How is their life changing? And I'm working on a series right now with our Agency members, where I'm helping walk them through not only how to identify the benefits the changes that they're seeing, but also how to communicate those to their clients without feeling weird about it and not being overly like salesy, because if you can continue to reinforce the why that they initially told you that they were coming and then reminding them about the changes that you're seeing as a teacher in their world, right, it's going to change the way that they value their practice with you. So especially for y'all you know, entrepreneurs out there who laying layoff proof, like, what am I supposed to do for that? I'm not, I'm not firing myself. So how do we make sure that we are maintaining our income? We really have to continue to build relationships with our clients. You have to continue to do that.Lesley Logan 22:59  Yeah, I think that's and we actually have a relationship, like authentic relationship episode coming out soon, like, and they'll be in April. Brad Crowell 23:07  Amazing. I love that. Yeah. Well, one of the things I really dug that she mentioned was she said, how can you really design a life that you wanted to live? It could give you the freedom to walk away, whether that means leaving the job or retiring early. And she said, if you are waiting for security, if you're waiting to feel security, you should be building it, not waiting for it. So whether that is maybe you're learning how to do another skill, or maybe you're learning how to manage money, you know, we've had a bunch of people over the years in the pod about this, like Tess Waresmith is one that comes back to me here and talking about financial stability and literacy, financial literacy. So these are things that you could be learning how to just think through. Lesley Logan 23:51  We have Tess Waresmith coming back. Brad Crowell 23:53  Oh, that's even better. Lesley Logan 23:53  I just oh, it's a great interview, guys. It's gonna be so good. I was just like, girl, I need you to tell me how I'm supposed to do when it's like this, and it's crazy like now, when it feels crazy. I also just want to highlight the don't wait for security created. This is everything this is, this is be it till you see it right here, because I was listening to a phone call conversation in a book club I'm in, and some people were complaining that the situation they're in, they can't create a culture. They have all these other outside things. It's affecting the culture they're creating, and I'm listening to them and like, I get that right? And I was like, I waited a second. I was just like, well, I am in a different studio all the time. Like, I'm in a I don't have a studio, right? And so what do I do? And I'm like, oh, in every space that I go, I own the space that I am, and I create the intention that I want. I create the culture I want them to experience, and I set the stage and I shared that with them. I said, instead of waiting until you can, like, move studios or move this, what if you just acted the culture you want to create in the space right now? Because then, if you do get to change a situation, you'll already have practiced it. It'll be really easy for you to do, or you might not even have to leave. Maybe the culture just changes around you. And so it goes back to like, don't wait to feel secure. Create security. What is the be it till you see it? What does security for you in your job or something else look like? And how can you create it in the space that you're in and wait, instead of waiting for someone to wait for someone to come, put a fence up, you know, you know what I mean, like, you're gonna wait for someone to, like, hand you a lottery tickets you have extra money. Like, what are you gonna do? I think that I like the action step that she's providing here.Brad Crowell 25:29  Yeah, one thing that she was talking about, which might sound a little scary, she actively leveraged debt to to consolidate and then pay off her debt, right? I mean, I've done that too, where I took out a credit card with a balance. I transferred one or two or three credit cards to that one, right? It had something like, if you transfer it in, you get 12 months of, no, you know, no fees, yeah. And so, you know, took those 12 months to pay it down, yeah? So, you know, it just something that seems straightforward, but also might feel you might feel hesitant to get started on that, but you know that stuff's worth, worth thinking through. I think so.Lesley Logan 26:12  I think it's worth talking to people who who understand it too, like a wealth manager or things like that. But like to be honest, that is how the rich get richer, right? Like credit score is, if you're in the States, your credit score is pretty much just like, how do you manage debt? So if you're debt free, and you've always been debt free, and you don't get any cards, you actually don't have a perfect credit score, because you don't have credit for them to like, see how you do. So it is all about strategically leveraging debt to, like, increase that score. You can strategically leverage it to allow you to have the security you need for in case something negative happens in your career or in the journey that you're on.Brad Crowell 26:47  Yeah, well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're gonna cover those Be It Action Items that you had with Pav. Brad Crowell 26:53  Okay, welcome back. Let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your convo with Pav Lertjitbanjong.Lesley Logan 27:07  Pav let us know if, after the four attempts, any of us got close on that.Brad Crowell 27:11  She said, Know your numbers, which is so funny, because this is like, I never stopped saying this to our coaching clients. It's so easy to know your numbers, but it seems so hard, right? It seems like this scary black hole of like, oh my God, I don't even know what I need to know. So it just seems like this amorphous, like blob of unknown. And when we dig into the things that most people need to really know is, what are your expenses and what are your income? Those are the things. That's where you want to start, right? What are your expenses and what are your income? Yeah, so she said, for her, it's, she said there's three numbers that truly matter. One is your net worth, right? So she's, she said, assets minus liability. What does that mean? An asset would be, maybe you have a house, right? Liability would be, I have a credit card debt and it has, you know, $10,000 on it. Okay, great. So you have a house that has, you know, or actually, you could say the house is worth $250,000 I still have a loan of $150,000 against the house. So I have equity of $100,000 right? So that's net that's your net worth, right? So that's an easier way to think about that. She also said the second number is something she calls an FU fund, what she describes as that six month cushion that lets you walk away from anything you have to, you know. And today we were talking about it. Maybe it's a little more than six, maybe it's six to nine months, or something like that, where you know, okay, because you know your expenses, and let's just hypothetically say your expenses are 10,000 a month, you know, how do we what's the quickest way that we can get to setting aside $60,000 that's a scary number to be honest. That's a lot, you know, but we got to get started. You have to start sometime, right? And that that kind of buffer will certainly protect you were something bad to happen at an employment situation, and then you feel like, stuck, and you're like, Oh my God, but at least you have a buffer, right? So that's what that that's for. And then finally, she said, your firing number, your fire number, how much money would you need to invest in the market so you can make smaller amount each year on 4% and still have money left to reinvest, right? So what does that mean? That's your like retirement number, right? So for anyone who's who's like financial planner, they'll ask you the question of, all right, how much money do you want to live on a month? Again, let's just say $10,000 and then they'll, what they'll do is they'll work backwards based on your your retirement portfolio, and they're going to assume that you'll be able to live if $10,000 a month is the 4% number, then they'll be able to reverse engineer the number and be like, great. You need to have $2 million or, I think it's more than that, but you'll need to, need to have X amount of dollars in your portfolio so that you can live comfortably on $10,000 a month and never have to worry about it again, because it's in the market, right? So, and the reason that she said 4% is because the average market return is eight, like seven to 8% or maybe even it's eight to nine, I don't remember, but if you can live on half of that, that gives you the other half of what you hypothetically are earning to reinvest back into the market again, right? So that's, that's where the numbers, that's how that kind of breaks down. It's a bit in the weeds. So thanks for following me there.Lesley Logan 30:25  I love that she has those and that you did those ones, because the other one is pretty amazing. And this is simple, but true. Bold doesn't have to be loud, but it has to be true. And so you don't have to have this, like, law, the way I interpret this, like you don't have to make this bold move where you're like, what was that Tom Cruise movie, where he just, like, was like, goodbye, fuck you. I'm out of here. Like, who's coming with me? And like, Renee's. What was that movie? It's the one that everyone quotes, and it's the worst one. Jerry Maguire.Brad Crowell 30:55  Jerry Maguire. Lesley Logan 30:55  Jerry Maguire. Brad Crowell 30:56  Show me the money. Lesley Logan 30:57  Show me the money. And like, but it doesn't have to be like that, but it but, but whatever you do needs to be true to you. And I think that's where a lot of people don't take time, is to, like, really understand, like, what do you want? What do you need, you know, and, and that's scary, because maybe what you want and need is different than what you've been doing, you know, or maybe you've been letting yourself realize, like, how strong you are. And we have a couple great episodes coming up about, like, getting to know yourself and like, also being kind yourself if you haven't lived in that way. But truly, I think that's one of the best be it action items, if you if you can do that, if you could live authentically to you, and you can know your numbers, you are resilient, and you could probably kick some ass. Brad Crowell 31:39  Kicks some ass.Lesley Logan 31:40  Yeah, yeah. So the other thing is, is that Pav has actually been, recently, been doing more coaching in a focused position on the science of making courageous decisions under pressure. And so if you are needing more help with like, making great decisions under pressure, things like that, you can also coach with her. And I think that'll be really if you liked how she sounds and how she coaches and her insight on things. I think that's a really great thing that she's doing. You know, because making courageous decisions are really hard, and also, like, she understands how to, like, take imperfect action, even your nervous system resists. And a lot of people, you know, when you have to make big decisions, sometimes your nervous system does have anxiety. And so of course, it does. Why wouldn't it? It it would be so against what our brain does to go into the fear. So I highly recommend reaching out to her. Brad Crowell 32:25  Awesome. Yeah, that's great. Lesley Logan 32:27  Well, I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 32:28  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 32:29  Thanks so much for being here, and thanks for listening to our rants. I do happen to know that people like them and someone reach out after our Transgender Day, and they were so glad that they found us. They found our Pilates stuff, and they like our little rants there. So thank you for that. Send this to a friend who needs to hear it, especially one who needs some career resilience or some support, support under making decisions under pressure and until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 32:53  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 32:54  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 33:37  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 33:42  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 33:46  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 33:53  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 33:57  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Transcribed by https://otter.aiSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You formed your LLC. Good job.But many business owners unknowingly make critical mistakes after formation that quietly destroy liability protection, trigger audits, and limit growth.In this episode, Mike walks through the 10 most common LLC mistakes business owners make in 2026 and explains exactly how to fix them. From mixing personal and business finances to ignoring tax planning and misclassifying owner compensation, this episode gives you a practical framework to audit your business and protect it the right way.If you want your LLC to survive and thrive, not just exist on paper, this episode shows you what to fix now before it becomes expensive later.

Getting laid off from your W2 job can be a crushing blow, but for today's guest, it was the push she needed to finally bet on herself. Her first “real” rental property wasn't the perfect deal, but it didn't need to be. Today, it cash flows over $25,000 a year and has become her favorite creative outlet! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Where you invest is often just as important as the property itself, so when Alex Reeves had the opportunity to buy a run-down rental in a great area of town, she jumped—getting it under contract with only a day's notice, sight unseen, over FaceTime. Despite going over budget by roughly $100,000, she finished the renovation, furnished the property, and had her listing up in only a few months! Once a “house of horrors,” this same property now cash flows over $2,000 a month and has 100% five-star reviews on Airbnb. How? Stay tuned as Alex walks you through the entire journey of buying, rehabbing, and renting out this property—the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly! In This Episode We Cover: How Alex makes over $25,000 in yearly cash flow from ONE rental property How to get more funds for your renovation project when it goes over budget The mindset shift that turned this “accidental landlord” into an Airbnb Superhost Tips that will save you a fortune on your property's design and furnishings The keys to crafting a five-star experience with your short-term rental How Alex spent an extra $100,000 on renovations (and still made money!) And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you didn't have to save 70% of your income to retire early? What if you could hit a number in your 30s, ease off the gas, and still reach financial independence—without sacrificing your present life? That's Coast FIRE, and today's guest Andy Hill is the perfect example of how it works in real life. Andy hit his Coast FIRE number in his late thirties, left his corporate job at 40, and now runs a successful part-time business that supports his family of four while giving him total control over his time. In this conversation, Andy breaks down his journey from W2 employee to entrepreneur, the specific Coast FIRE calculations that gave him confidence to leave, and how he built a business that prioritizes family first, income second. This Episode Covers: What Coast FIRE actually is and how it's different from traditional FIRE Andy's path from corporate employee to hitting his Coast FIRE number in his late 30s How Andy built the confidence to leave his W2 job at 40 Transitioning from employee to entrepreneur while supporting a family of four Building a part-time business that generates enough income without the corporate grind How Coast FIRE allows you to prioritize family and lifestyle now (not just in retirement) Key lessons from Andy's book 'Own Your Time' How to structure your life around what matters most If traditional FIRE feels too extreme or you're tired of delaying life for decades, Coast FIRE might be the strategy you've been looking for. Andy's story proves you can have financial independence AND a life you love today. Connect with Andy Hill: Social: https://www.instagram.com/marriagekidsandmoney Website: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/ Pre-Order ‘Own Your Time' Now: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book/ Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter: www.biggerpocketsmoney.com Follow BiggerPockets Money on Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BPMoney Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biggerpocketsmoney/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Growing to $8,000 in monthly cash flow and 35 rental units—all while working a W2 job?! Just two years ago, today's guest knew nothing about real estate investing. But he found a deal and brought it to someone with money, and this single move launched his investing journey. Want to do the same, starting from zero? Then you don't want to miss this one! Luke Tetreault was miserable at his W2 job. When he had finally reached his breaking point, he decided to take a swing at real estate—and at first, it wasn't pretty. Without any investing knowledge or experience, Luke found his first property on Facebook Marketplace and didn't even have the money to close it himself. So, he reached out to an old contact, who ended up funding the deal. Over time, he grew his network until he had contractors and private money lenders for all his deals! He started with a single-family home, but his most recent deal? An 18-unit mobile home park he bought with creative financing. Stick around as Luke teaches you how to find off-market deals no one's looking for, use your everyday hobbies to build out your investing team, and scale your portfolio starting with little to no cash! In This Episode We Cover How Luke scaled to $8,000 in monthly cash flow and 35 units (in TWO years) Boosting your cash flow by pivoting to another investing strategy Buying an 18-unit mobile home park with zero money out of pocket Creative ways to find off-market real estate deals at a deep discount Two signs you're ready to leave your W2 job for real estate investing Leveraging your own hobbies and passions to build your investing team And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1219 Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertise@biggerpockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices