The Tax Corner: Are You Asking the Right Questions?
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Release Date: 05/22/2026
The Tax Corner: Are You Asking the Right Questions?
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Most business owners leave their planning meetings feeling good about the conversation. But if nobody follows through on what was discussed — and nobody knows who is supposed to — the whole year gets wasted. In this episode, Andrew Rafal and Brian Hartstein pick up where they left off in Episode 123, going deeper into the Tax Corner of the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning. This time it is about the roadmap — the specific planning areas every business owner should be asking their advisory team about, and the real-world examples that show what happens when those questions go...
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The Tax Corner: Your Team and Knowing Their Roles
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Most business owners have a CPA, an attorney, and a financial advisor on their team. But if nobody is driving the plan, the best opportunities get missed — not because the team is bad, but because nobody knows who is supposed to be doing what. In this episode, Andrew and Brian dig into the Tax Corner of the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning — starting with the question most business owners never think to ask: Does everyone on your advisory team actually know their role? With decades of experience working with business owners across complex planning scenarios, Brian and Andrew...
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The Four Corners of Business Owner Planning (Where You’re Losing Money)
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Most business owners spend their time focused on growth — revenue, employees, and operations. But the biggest opportunities to build wealth often aren’t in the day-to-day. They’re in how the business is structured, how advisors work together, and how efficiently profits are turned into personal wealth. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Bayntree Wealth’s Director of Corporate Development, Brian Hartstein, to introduce the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning — a framework for identifying where businesses are losing money and where untapped opportunities exist. With over three...
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Choosing a CPA: The Questions Business Owners Should Be Asking
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Choosing the right CPA is one of the most important decisions a business owner will ever make, yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Many entrepreneurs assume their CPA is proactively looking for opportunities to reduce taxes and improve efficiency throughout the year, only to realize too late that most planning happens in hindsight. Today, I’m joined once again by Bayntree’s Director of Corporate Development, Brian Hartstein, for a deeper conversation about how business owners can evaluate whether their CPA is truly the right fit. We break down the different types of CPA firms,...
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From Hustle to Scale: How a Multi-Generational Arizona Business Built Systems for Growth
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Many business owners reach a point where sheer grit and hard work are no longer enough to keep growing. What once fueled success can eventually become a ceiling if structure, systems, and leadership don’t evolve alongside the business. In this episode, I’m sitting down with Brad Levkowitz, co-owner of , to explore his journey of growing a multi-generational family business. Brad shares how early lessons from working alongside his father and grandfather shaped his work ethic, leadership style, and approach to long-term growth. We dive into the realities of building through economic...
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High Performance Entrepreneurship: Blake Uptain on the Moxie Mindset and Community-Driven Growth
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Many entrepreneurs reach a point in their careers where the traditional corporate path no longer aligns with their values, energy, or passions. For today’s guest, that moment came when he realized the culture surrounding him no longer reflected the performance-driven lifestyle that fueled his passions and motivated him. Today, I’m sitting down with my longtime friend and serial entrepreneur, Blake Uptain, founder of and . Blake shares how his journey began with a passion for fitness, a talent for building relationships, and an instinct for creating environments where people...
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The Owner’s Retirement Blueprint: Design a Plan, Reduce Taxes, Retain Talent
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
As another tax year comes to a close, many successful business owners are undoubtedly asking themselves the same question: How do I keep more of what I’ve earned away from Uncle Sam this year? In this episode, I’m sitting down with Bayntree’s Director of Corporate Development, Brian Hartstein, to break down year-end strategies to help entrepreneurs and high-income earners make the most of their pre-tax dollars and reduce their biggest expense: Taxes. With over 30 years of experience collaborating with business owners, CPAs, and plan administrators, Brian has seen firsthand how many...
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From Burnout to Breakthrough with Cary Ballou
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
The stress and anxiety of high-pressure careers can take a heavy toll on mental health, relationships, and physical well-being. Many business owners and professionals live with constant overwhelm, numbing themselves through long days instead of finding actual relief. But what if there was a practice that could calm the nervous system, ease stress, and even spark personal transformation without years of training or expensive therapy? After decades of working in demanding corporate roles, Cary Ballou experienced burnout, loss, and a sense of disconnection from her authentic self. Her turning...
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The Exit Playbook for Business Owners with Scott Snider
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
For most entrepreneurs, building a business is the dream — but exiting successfully is often an afterthought. Most business owners pour their lives into creating a company only to face regret, financial gaps, or a lack of purpose when it’s time to transition. Today, we’ll uncover what it takes to align your business, personal, and financial goals, so your exit leads not just to financial security, but to significance and fulfillment. Joining me is Scott Snider, President of the Exit Planning Institute (EPI) and a nationally recognized leader in exit planning. Scott started his first...
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The Next AI Revolution with Andrew Amann
Your Wealth & Beyond: Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
AI is transforming business at breakneck speed and most entrepreneurs are struggling to keep up. From clunky chatbots to overwhelming tech stacks, many founders and CEOs are wasting time and money chasing trends instead of building real, scalable solutions. And today’s guest is here to explain how the future of AI is already reshaping the way we do business—and how to stay ahead of the curve. Andrew Amann is a serial entrepreneur who has founded 14 companies and successfully exited three of them. He’s the CEO and co-founder of , an award-winning AI agency serving major brands like...
info_outlineMost business owners leave their planning meetings feeling good about the conversation.
But if nobody follows through on what was discussed — and nobody knows who is supposed to — the whole year gets wasted.
In this episode, Andrew Rafal and Brian Hartstein pick up where they left off in Episode 123, going deeper into the Tax Corner of the Four Corners of Business Owner Planning. This time it is about the roadmap — the specific planning areas every business owner should be asking their advisory team about, and the real-world examples that show what happens when those questions go unasked.
Brian walks through multiple entity planning, entity type analysis, benefit plan design, and the compliance details that quietly cost business owners money every year. From C corp versus S corp decisions to 401(k) eligibility mistakes to the 2026 Roth catch-up rule — this episode is where the strategy gets real.
In this podcast interview, you'll learn:
- The difference between design and structure in business planning
- How multiple entity planning works and who the rules apply to
- Why the building your business owns could be a liability and a missed opportunity
- What non-qualified plans are and when they make sense
- How a wrong eligibility setting in your 401(k) is costing you money right now
- The 2026 Roth catch-up rule and what business owners need to do before it is too late
Find All Episode Resources Here - www.bayntree.com/124
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