Pillar6 Podcast
Ilya Vinogradsky is the Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Information Officer of Astound Digital, a global digital consultancy that helps brands grow revenue by enhancing their online relationships with consumers. Founded in 2000, Astound Digital delivers personalized digital commerce experiences by combining technological expertise with creative talent. Ilya leads the company's technical teams, ensuring the quality, scalability, and cohesion necessary to provide flexible, innovative solutions that maximize customer value. With over three decades of experience, he has been...
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Arash Shokouh is the Founder and Managing Principal of Ophtek LLC, a company specializing in cybersecurity, managed IT security and support for small- and medium-sized businesses. With over 18 years of experience in computer technology, his background includes roles at several startups and a tenure at IBM, where he contributed to developing some of the world's fastest computer processors and holds patents in computer architecture. Beyond his professional endeavors, Arash has served as a small business development commissioner for the City of San Jose and teaches computer engineering at his...
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David Goldman is the Founder of Ruby Peak Recruiting, a firm specializing in direct-hire recruiting for top level executive assistants nationwide. After moving to San Francisco from Colorado in 2001, he began his recruiting career and established Ruby Peak Recruiting in 2008. With over two decades of experience, David has been instrumental in connecting companies with exceptional talent, particularly in administrative and executive assistant roles. His dedication to building long-standing relationships and reducing friction points at every step of the process has made him a respected figure in...
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Ryan Shane is the President of The Housing Guild Management Co., a property management company based in San Francisco that specializes in managing apartments, homes, and commercial spaces throughout the Bay Area. Under his leadership, the company continues the legacy established by his father, Lawrence Shane, who founded The Housing Guild in 1977 with a commitment to providing exceptional service to property investors. Ryan brings a personal perspective to property management as an owner and investor, which ensures that clients' investments are well cared for and their returns maximized. In...
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Michelle Lerman is an attorney specializing in estate planning, real estate law, and business law, with a focus on serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, business owners, and real estate investors. Michelle and her husband co-founded Lerman Law Partners, LLP, and joined forces with Cunningham Legal to enhance their collective expertise. She has been named a Top Attorney and received the Top Women Attorneys award in Northern California by San Francisco Magazine multiple times. In 2018, Michelle released the third edition of her book, Create Your Best Legacy: What Every...
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Amit grew up in a family of real estate professionals, and early on, he saw how smart investing has helped people generate wealth and help them to live the way they dreamed. Now, as a real estate professional with Fortitude Investment Group, Amit helps rental property owners and investors navigate 1031 exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs), and passive real estate investment opportunities. With over 15 years of experience in real estate, Amit has worked in both domestic and international markets, including developing shopping malls in China. In this episode… Many real estate...
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Becky Barton is the CEO of People415, a human resources consulting firm that helps growing businesses grow faster with streamlined workflow policies, talent management, and HR compliance. With over 20 years of experience in HR strategy and operations, she specializes in aligning workforce planning with business goals. She has worked with companies across various industries, advising on hiring practices, employee classification, compensation, and compliance. Becky also speaks on HR trends and workplace regulations, providing guidance to business owners and leaders. In this episode… The...
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David Cranfield is the Brokerage Director at Pinney Insurance, a full-service BGA. Pinney's services help financial advisors, planners, and insurance agents expand their knowledge on insurance products and source solutions for their clients. Some of David’s areas of focus include annuities, life and disability income insurance in business planning, estate planning, and individual insurance planning. With extensive experience in the insurance and financial services industry, he also serves as the Regional Vice Chair of the National PAC Committee for NAIFA (National Association of Insurance...
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Becky Brown and Morgan Holmes are the Founders of Stride, a comprehensive tax planning, bookkeeping, and accounting firm that helps companies accelerate growth. With a combined background in bookkeeping and taxation, Morgan and Becky joined forces to help MSPs, digital agencies, and professional services achieve their business goals through better financial planning and accounting. Focusing on small to midsize companies, Becky and Morgan help streamline financial operations, strategic planning, and effective tax management. In this episode... Keeping your books in order may be a chore, but it...
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Rachel Dodson is the Principal at Ayoub & Dodson LLP, a law firm in Oakland, California, specializing in estate planning, trust administration, and probate law. A certified specialist in estate planning by the California State Bar, she has over a decade of experience guiding families with young children and individuals with non-taxable estates to create practical and personalized estate plans. Rachel also serves as a Professor of Wills & Trusts at UCLaw SF (formerly Hastings) and has been recognized as a Northern California Rising Star each year by Super Lawyers since 2015. In this...
info_outlineRoman Polnar is the Founder and Managing Partner of Pillar6 Advisors, a multifaceted financial planning and wealth management firm geared toward serving successful individuals and families with active lifestyles. Roman is also a Partner at Pillar6 College Planning, where he helps families unlock debt-free money from the financial aid system so they can avoid loans and navigate the system with ease.
Roman has over 18 years of experience in the financial services profession, working for some of the nation’s most recognized names. After 10 years in the corporate world, he left to build an independent firm that would do things differently, and that’s when Pillar6 Advisors was born.
In this episode…
Putting kids through college has become even more expensive, with more families applying for financial aid to curb the cost. However, many miss out on significant opportunities because of common mistakes made in the application process.
As an advisor to families applying for financial aid, some typical mistakes Roman Polnar sees include over-reporting the value of assets, filling out and submitting application forms late, and assuming that any family can qualify for financial aid. Roman advises people to work with a professional to guide them through the application process to ensure maximum college financial aid assistance.
In this episode of the Pillar6 Podcast, Roman Polnar sits down with Chad Franzen of Rise25 to talk about the most common mistakes families make with financial aid planning. Roman discusses the connection between wealth management and financial aid planning, the benefits of having money conversations with kids, and how he helped a client get over $17,000 in financial aid.