Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave

Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave spotlights the visionaries willing to step first, because—much like the old saying—fortune favors the brave. Hosted by Co-Founder & CEO Lance Woodson and CXO Mary Kathryn Johnson, every episode rallies around Planet Wealth's mission: expanding capital access and curating investments—powered by community, accelerated by technology, leading a movement together. Across candid conversations and tactical deep-dives, you’ll hear how founders, investors, and trailblazing communities are targeting economic barriers and narrowing the wealth gap one regulated offering at a time. Listeners walk away with transparent frameworks, real-world case studies, and the conviction that nobody has to feel left behind on Planet Wealth. Disclaimer: This show is produced for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Nothing discussed should be interpreted as an offer to sell—or a solicitation to buy—any security. All investments involve risk. Conduct your own due diligence, consult licensed professionals, and decide whether the opening presented aligns with your personal objectives. Explore a world apart form Wall Street with the Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave Podcast! Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/planetwealthofficial Website: https://planetwealth.com/

E35: Bridging the Wealth Gap: Founder and Investor Lessons from 2025 12/29/2025

E35: Bridging the Wealth Gap: Founder and Investor Lessons from 2025 2025 closes by revisiting the most practical lessons shared by founders, investors, and community builders across this year’s Fortunes of the Brave conversations. This recap threads together a single theme: better decisions happen when your mindset, strategy, and community support are aligned. First, we return to a mental framework for entrepreneurs and investors who feel the pressure of constant uncertainty. A five-step system called PEACE outlines how positive thinking, embracing challenge, appreciation, certainty, and empathy can reduce fear-based reactions and improve decision quality. The takeaway is simple: you cannot make your best capital-raising or investing decisions from a place of panic. Next, we revisit what actually drives a venture capital decision. “Impact” matters, but it is rarely the only factor. Founders still need a clear thesis, a credible business model, and a return narrative that matches what a specific fund is built to do. This segment is essential for anyone navigating entrepreneur funding, venture capital, or capital raising conversations. From there, the episode highlights the lived discipline required to stay in the game: choosing your hard, holding your standard, and refusing to hand your destiny back to someone else. That discipline connects directly to how you differentiate in a crowded market, especially in a “trust recession” where AI-generated marketing makes everyone sound the same. The answer is not louder branding. It is real presence, real community, and a category-of-one voice. Finally, we zoom out to community investing and real estate investing lessons: policy and partnerships matter, accredited investor rules shape access, and markets move in cycles. The strongest investors build relationships and surround themselves with people who have lived through multiple market rhythms. Watch the full episode of Fortunes of the Brave to revisit these 2025 highlights and apply the ideas to your next decision. Key Takeaways: • Adopt a calm-first mindset to improve investing and capital decisions • Clarify your thesis to match the right venture capital partners • Separate impact language from return expectations in fundraising conversations • Differentiate by being real and visible in a trust recession • Build community to navigate market cycles with better perspective Chapters: • 00:00 – The PEACE framework: stress less, decide better • 01:34 – Positive thinking and “you make your own luck” • 03:39 – What VCs actually look for in a check • 05:24 – Discipline, “never again,” and choosing your hard • 07:55 – Start with why, then choose the asset and strategy • 10:15 – The trust recession and category-of-one marketing • 12:21 – One deal can shift a community’s momentum • 12:56 – Policy, partnerships, and accredited investor access • 15:47 – Market cycles and the value of experience • 17:29 – Lone wolf speed vs community stability Resources Mentioned: • Stress Less and Prosper More (book) • The PEACE framework (Positive thinking, Embracing challenge, Appreciation, Certainty, Empathy) • Accredited investor concept (context: participation and access) Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/39517020

E34: Michael Scarpati: Rethinking Retirement For The Rest Of Us 12/22/2025

E34: Michael Scarpati: Rethinking Retirement For The Rest Of Us For too long, retirement planning and independent fiduciary financial advice have felt reserved for the top 1 to 2 percent. In this episode of Fortunes of the Brave, Mary Kathryn Johnson sits down with Michael Scarpati, CEO and co founder of Retire.us, to unpack how technology and true fiduciary financial planning can finally open the doors for everyday Americans. Michael shares how his platform connects people with independent fiduciary financial advisors who focus on holistic retirement planning, not just selling products. They dig into the mindset barriers that keep people with 50,000 to 150,000 dollars in savings from seeking help, and why believing "advice is only for millionaires" quietly sabotages financial freedom. Michael explains what fiduciary really means in the eyes of the law, how it differs from product driven advice, and why roughly 85 to 90 percent of licensed professionals are not required to put your best interest first. From his early days driving a squeaky Chevy to client meetings to leading a tech enabled retirement platform, Michael reveals how perception, trust, and accessibility shape who gets high quality retirement advice and who gets left out. He also breaks down how to calculate and revisit your personal "retirement number" every year so you can stop flying blind and align your saving, investing, and risk with your real life goals. Finally, Mary and Michael explore how AI and human advisors can work together, why Retire.us offers free education and their Rethinking Retirement workshop series, and how you can start getting fiduciary level guidance without massive asset minimums or high retainers. If you have meaningful savings but no clear plan, this conversation will help you rethink what is possible. Listen to Fortunes of the Brave to start building your own path to financial freedom. Key Takeaways: Break the "only for millionaires" myth and claim your right to fiduciary advice Understand what a fiduciary is in legal terms and why most advisors do not qualify Learn how technology plus human advisors can make retirement planning more accessible Use a simple yearly habit to track your retirement number and course correct early See how Retire.us is redesigning trust, pricing, and access for middle class investors Chapters: 00:00: Meet Michael Scarpati, CEO and co founder of Retire.us 01:47: From independent planner to building a new kind of platform 03:55: The mindset gap that keeps everyday investors on the sidelines 12:04: Why 50,000 to 150,000 dollars still deserves high quality advice 14:39: AI, emotions, and why human guidance still matters 16:36: Fiduciary explained in plain English and why it is so rare 19:32: The squeaky Chevy story and the power of perception 27:45: Designing Retire.us around trust, simplicity, and accessibility 30:51: How independent fiduciaries really get paid and why they move up market 39:45: The one annual habit that can change your retirement trajectory 42:14: Inside the Rethinking Retirement workshop series and free tools 44:06: Shared missions, future fundraising, and democratizing financial freedom Resources Mentioned: Retire.us platform and free mindfulness tier Rethinking Retirement workshop series for pre retirees and retirees Free retirement planning tools and education inside Retire.us Connect with Michael: Website: LinkedIn: Other: Rethinking Retirement workshop series via retire.us Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/39470430

E33: Dan Egan: The Behavior That Builds Wealth 12/15/2025

E33: Dan Egan: The Behavior That Builds Wealth Mary Katherine Johnson sits down with Dan Egan, VP of Behavioral Finance & Investing at Betterment, to decode how our habits, narratives, and timing drive financial outcomes more than hot tips ever will. Dan explains why success comes from matching risk to time horizon, building automatic systems that spare your willpower, using tax-aware prompts (hello, long- vs short-term gains), and reframing money from a scarce enemy to a tool you can wield responsibly, and often with your community. We dig into teachable moments that stick, how to design routines that “pay yourself first,” why an emergency fund is an entrepreneurial launchpad, and when debt can be a power tool rather than a trap. Dan also shares practical ways to stay calm in chaos, compartmentalize stress, rest deliberately, reduce worst-case scenarios, so you can be brave precisely when opportunities are biggest. Close the tab on hype; open the door to behavioral clarity that compounds. Subscribe to Fortunes of the Bravefor bold, credible, visionary conversations that help you take the next right step. Key Takeaways: • Match risk to time horizon; patience is a strategy, not a slogan. • Automate good behavior, save first, spend what’s left; protect willpower. • Use tax-aware nudges to avoid costly “surprise” decisions. • Build an emergency fund to buy optionality, calm, and entrepreneurial freedom. • Reframe money as a tool; avoid high-interest debt but use smart financing when it creates value. • Education works best at the moment of action; context beats one-off classes. • In volatility, compartmentalize, rest, and pre-plan the downside so you can act. Chapters: • 00:00 – Welcome + the “behavioral” in behavioral finance • 00:59 – Dan’s path: from high-net-worth advice to Betterment’s design-led investing • 03:31 – Why we study what we’re bad at: calibrating “worth it” • 06:02 – Time horizon, risk, and the patience problem • 09:53 – Teachable moments: tax nudges and long- vs short-term gains • 12:52 – Why traditional money classes miss; learning when you actually care (and AI caveats) • 17:20 – Habit design: automate, pay yourself first, avoid willpower drain • 19:42 – Emergency funds as the springboard to bold moves • 22:55 – Money narratives: scarcity vs tool; debt as instrument vs trap • 27:37 – Community financing > faceless bank? (Reg CF mindset + the bakery slicer) • 31:54 – Staying calm in chaos: compartmentalize, recover, reduce worst cases • 35:19 – “Is anyone going to die?” and other sanity checks • 36:49 – Parting advice: money is a tool—use it to build a better life Resources Mentioned: • — behavioral product design & investing tools • Long- vs short-term capital gains (principles) • (concept) and community debt instruments • “The best way to predict the future is to build it” (attributed to Lincoln) Connect with Dan: • Company: • Role: VP of Behavioral Finance & Investing • Search: “Dan Egan Betterment” for articles & talks Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/39368740

E32: Nick Malouin: From Chaos to Clarity: How Innovators Turn Uncertainty Into Action 12/08/2025

E32: Nick Malouin: From Chaos to Clarity: How Innovators Turn Uncertainty Into Action Mary Katherine Johnson welcomes Nick Malouin, Senior Strategy Director at Electric Innovation, to unpack how innovation strategy turns ambiguity into action. From Capgemini to Electric, Nick has spent a decade taking ideas from insight to in-market—bridging hard data with human truth so teams can build products people actually want. He breaks down why the best work starts with the consumer journey, not the org chart; how to separate signal from noise with out-of-category insights; and why “possible futures” beat single-line forecasts. If you care about product development, consumer insights, behavioral economics, category design, and getting prototypes into the wild, this one’s for you. Nick explains Electric’s niche between classic strategy firms (anchored in what’s proven) and pure design shops (anchored in what’s possible). Their mantra, de-risking bravery, means chasing bold ideas while pressure-testing feasibility, business model, and adoption risk early. We dig into methods that move the needle: defining a sharp tension/insight before jumping to features, using ethnography to observe real behavior (not just self-report), stress-testing concepts with fast “Instagram prop” ads to gauge click intent, and shaping education that inspires novices (think visual, not academic) so they stay engaged after the first setback. You’ll hear a post-pandemic gardening case where growth stalled despite strong data trends; the fix came from understanding beginners’ fragility and redesigning inspiration and reassurance, proof that buyer-focused journeys beat static funnels. Nick also shares a Vanguard example translating an intangible future into a tangible target number + savings rate, turning “I’ll invest tomorrow” into action today. We close with the real talk: getting from Post-it to shelf is nonlinear; commit long-term, stay flexible, and solve one job at a time. Subscribe to Fortunes of the Brave for bold, credible, visionary conversations that help you take the next right step. Key Takeaways: • Start with tension → insight → solution; the best concepts “reveal themselves.” • Blend data + human truth; watch behavior, don’t just record opinions. • Prototype demand fast (e.g., ad tests) to validate value props before you build. • Design buyer journeys, not one-shot funnels; inspire novices with visuals. • Commit to the long game; be brave and adapt when the world changes. Chapters: • 00:00 – Welcome + “electric, strategy, innovation” • 00:43 – Nick’s path: Capgemini → innovation consulting • 02:51 – Mindset shift: comfort with uncertainty • 05:10 – Why Electric: merging proven data with possibility (de-risking bravery) • 08:01 – Start with the consumer: research, ethnography, human truths • 10:03 – “Category” defined; core vs adjacencies • 11:37 – Long-term truths vs trend noise • 13:40 – Possible futures, not predictions; avoiding hype curves • 17:11 – Data ≠ answer; innovation is where lines deviate • 17:39 – Case study: gardening stall → inspire & reassure beginners • 20:38 – Make education visual, not academic; buyer-focused journeys • 25:57 – Insight first; Vanguard: make the future tangible • 31:26 – From Post-it to product: solve one job; get feedback early • 33:54 – “Instagram props” to test click interest in real time • 35:29 – Final advice: long-term commitment with flexibility Resources Mentioned: • Electric Innovation (strategy, innovation & design consultancy) • Capgemini; Fahrenheit 212 (innovation consultancy reference) • Vanguard (behavior-driven planning example) • “Instagram props” for rapid concept testing (ad-based pretotyping) Connect with Nick: • Company: • Search: “Nick Malouin Electric Innovation” for talks & articles Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/39271700

E31: Janice Shade: How Community Capital Moves Money from Wall Street to Main Street 12/01/2025

E31: Janice Shade: How Community Capital Moves Money from Wall Street to Main Street Community capital, crowdfunding, and local investing take center stage in this episode of Fortunes of the Brave. Systems entrepreneur and financial innovator Janice Shade, co-founder of Milk Money Vermont and founder of Capital Innovation Lab and Fundamenta, joins host Lance Woodson to unpack how everyday people can invest in the small businesses that define their hometowns. From her early days at Seventh Generation questioning the “green premium” to designing new models for Main Street investing, Janice shows why traditional capital markets leave most founders and communities behind. She shares the moment an attorney chuckled at her “million moms” funding idea and how that dismissal pushed her to pioneer legal, practical paths for citizen investors long before crowdfunding was a buzzword. You’ll hear the inside story of Milk Money Vermont, including the maple syrup startup whose founder burst into tears when a complete stranger invested in her business online. Janice explains why most successful equity crowdfunding campaigns still rely heavily on founders’ own networks, and why investor education is the missing link to scaling community capital. Janice and Lance dig into why small business funding is so hard, what keeps women and underrepresented founders from seeking capital, and how tools like her Money Map help entrepreneurs choose the right pathway instead of defaulting to banks or “finding a sugar daddy” investor. They wrestle with the tension between making money and making meaning, asking how much is enough and what true community wealth looks like when investors and founders sit on the same side of the table. If you care about impact investing, local economies, or finally moving your portfolio off Wall Street and into Main Street, this conversation is a masterclass in what’s possible right now, and what still needs to change. Listen to this episode of Fortunes of the Brave to see how your money can start serving your community, not the other way around. Key Takeaways: Challenge the assumption that banks and venture capital are the only viable sources of small business funding. Discover how intrastate crowdfunding and state-level regulations opened the door for local investing. Learn why most crowdfunding campaigns still raise 90–95% of capital from the founder’s own warm market. Understand how financial literacy and “Money Map” thinking can give entrepreneurs real power at the capital table. Reimagine wealth as a shared community outcome, not just an individual net-worth number. Chapters: 00:00 – Why this conversation on community capital matters now 01:38 – From Seventh Generation to questioning the “green premium” 03:57 – Getting laughed at and inventing new paths to capital 06:51 – Ben & Jerry’s, intrastate crowdfunding, and Vermont’s law change 09:43 – Milk Money Vermont and “neighbors investing in neighbors” 14:30 – Why crowdfunding is still harder than it should be 17:50 – Moving money off Wall Street and onto Main Street 23:09 – The Money Map: redesigning the entrepreneur’s capital journey 25:55 – Women founders, fear of finance, and under-capitalized communities 28:30 – Nonprofit fundraising fatigue and the leap to Fundamenta 31:53 – Redefining wealth, enoughness, and community outcomes 36:21 – New tools for finance: beyond the master’s house and tools 38:08 – CDFIs, local loan funds, and cities as funding engines 44:16 – Starting your first company at 42 with two kids 46:11 – Closing thoughts and Fortunes of the Brave CTA Resources Mentioned: Fundamenta (community capital platform) Vermont Community Loan Fund (CDFI) Seventh Generation Ben & Jerry’s early intrastate offering JOBS Act and early Regulation Crowdfunding “Moving Money” (book mentioned in the episode) Connect with Janice: Website: Other: Capital Innovation Lab – Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | Website: /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/39181000

E30: Chad Hufford: Dare to Be Different: The Blueprint for Abundance 11/24/2025

E30: Chad Hufford: Dare to Be Different: The Blueprint for Abundance Mary Katherine Johnson welcomes Chad Hufford, Founder & Financial Planner at Veritas Wealth Management, for a refreshingly human conversation about building wealth you’ll actually want to live with. Chad argues we’re wired for scarcity and crowd-following—great for survival, terrible for long-term freedom—so real progress starts with mindset, meaning, and management of the investor (not just the investments). You’ll hear how to define date-specific, dollar-specific goals (e.g., “₍future date₎ + net monthly income after tax”), then reverse-engineer the needed assets and monthly contributions. Chad shares a powerful “deck of cards” story to illustrate finding a cause big enough to fuel discipline, plus a practical way to turn foggy dreams into a living blueprint you can adapt with technology as life changes. We cover staying focused on controllables, designing a job-optional lifestyle, and why courage matters: you can’t be brave without fear. Subscribe to Fortunes of the Brave for bold, credible, visionary conversations that help you take the next right step. Key Takeaways: • Abundance is designed, not stumbled into. Start with meaning, not someone else’s values. • Coach the investor, not (only) the portfolio. Behavior beats products over decades. • Write date-specific, dollar-specific income goals and reverse-engineer assets & monthly saving. • Break the big goal into monthly and daily inputs; celebrate consistency. • Build a living plan; technology helps scenario-plan and cool emotional reactions. • Focus on what you can control (saving rate, costs, behavior) vs. headlines you can’t. • Dare to be different. The crowd’s average outcomes aren’t your target. • Courage ≠ no fear. It’s moving forward with fear toward the best version of your life. Chapters: • 00:01 – Welcome + why abundance beats scarcity • 00:55 – We’re wired to survive, not thrive (and what to do about it) • 02:56 – Managing investors > managing investments (coaching vs. products) • 06:19 – Mindset first: you bring “you” into the future • 08:53 – Clarity: date-specific, dollar-specific income goals • 10:53 – The “deck of cards” story: finding a why big enough to endure • 12:10 – Job-optional lifestyle: purpose after paychecks • 14:13 – Reverse-engineering: assets, contributions, inflation adjustments • 16:00 – Daily inputs, monthly wins: making progress visible • 18:54 – Diagnose before you prescribe (relational planning) • 22:21 – The blueprint metaphor (plans evolve; guardrails remain) • 24:50 – Tech + planning: modeling, quick pivots, cooler heads • 30:17 – Staying calm in storms by returning to the blueprint • 32:03 – People over products; relationship > charts • 34:12 – Dare to be different: why “normal” isn’t safe • 36:03 – Final word: courage means acting despite fear Resources Mentioned: • (Chad’s firm) • “Date-specific, dollar-specific” goal setting (income-first planning) • “Job-optional lifestyle” concept • “No plan survives first contact with reality” (planning as a living document) Connect with Chad: • Company: • Role: Founder & Financial Planner • Search: “Chad Hufford Veritas Wealth” for site & resources Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | Website: /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/39110870

E29: Rebecca McLean: Bridge the Gap: The Reg CF Revolution for Everyday Investors 11/17/2025

E29: Rebecca McLean: Bridge the Gap: The Reg CF Revolution for Everyday Investors Mary sits down with Rebecca McLean to unpack how the JOBS Act and Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) opened a new lane for everyday investors and community focused entrepreneurs to fund real estate; legally, transparently, and at scale. Rebecca traces National REIA’s 40-year mission to promote, protect, and educate the industry, including advocacy that helped unlock today’s crowdfunding rules. They dig into attainable housing, revitalizing blocks “one address at a time,” and why local collaboration + policy + partnerships matter just as much as capital. From accredited vs. non-accredited realities to Reg D vs. Reg CF, from rehabs and rentals to syndications and the role of REIA groups in education and support, this episode is a practical roadmap for raising community-first capital and doing deals that actually move neighborhoods forward. Key Takeaways: • Why Reg CF matters: It took the JOBS Act (2012) and SEC rulemaking (2016) to enable compliant crowdfunding, discoverability, and open solicitation,finally making smaller, local deals visible. • Community is the edge: Local knowledge + national networks = smarter underwriting, better comps, and safer deals especially in neighborhoods banks won’t touch. • Attainable > “affordable”: Small investors can deliver workforce/attainable housing via rehab and value-add where large builders can’t pencil starter homes. • Education & protection: National REIA’s 120+ local groups provide training, legislative updates, due-diligence checklists, cost-saving benefits, and partnerships with community entities. • Build wealth on purpose: Flips create income; holds and syndications build durable wealth. “Do a couple rehabs, hold one” beats buying yourself another job. • Cycles are coming: Many new investors have only seen “up.” Community experience and disciplined capital stacks help you survive the next blip. • Action > anxiety: “Just do it but not blindly.” Use community, education, and compliant platforms to navigate the regulated process. Chapters: • 00:00 – Intro: Meet Rebecca McLean & National REIA at 40 • 01:32 – The JOBS Act, Reg CF & opening the door for small investors • 02:41 – Advocacy journey: from Reg D limitations to true democratization • 08:21 – Why community-first crowdfunding works in real estate • 09:14 – “Building Better Communities”: block-by-block revitalization • 12:27 – Purpose-driven deals: teachers, veterans, sober living & stability • 15:38 – Education that sticks: local REIAs, data, and due diligence • 18:13 – Attainable housing vs. new-build economics; cost controls & benefits • 22:34 – From first flip to syndications: real success paths • 26:10 – Closing the wealth gap: why Planet Wealth leans into real estate • 27:35 – Policy + partnerships + local wisdom: the other half of capital • 29:49 – The power of diverse roles on a deal team (and on-the-ground intel) • 30:46 – Market cycles: why community experience keeps you steady • 33:19 – Final advice: “Just do it, get educated and plug into community” Resources Mentioned: • : 120+ local investor associations; training, benefits, legislative updates, market data, and best practices • Topics: (2012), SEC rulemaking (2016), Reg CF vs. Reg D, accredited vs. non-accredited investors, community revitalization, attainable housing, syndications, due diligence, cost-saving vendor programs Connect with Rebecca / National REIA: • Search “National REIA Rebecca McLean” to find the national site and your nearest local group. Explore Planet Wealth: Learn how compliant Reg CF raises help community-first real estate projects get funded: | | | | /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/39021635

E28: Matt Slepin: From Cowboys to Platforms: What’s Next in Real Estate 11/10/2025

E28: Matt Slepin: From Cowboys to Platforms: What’s Next in Real Estate Lance sits down with Matt Slepin, one of real estate’s best-known executive recruiters and storytellers, to trace the industry’s arc from the RTC era to today’s institutional, tech-enabled platforms—and what comes next. Matt explains how CMBS and REITs catalyzed a shift from “piles of assets” to true operating companies, why technology and capital markets now define competitive advantage, and how leaders must evolve from property whisperers to business builders with resilient balance sheets, systems, and succession. They get real about purpose and profit—from serving renters and strengthening cities to tackling climate’s 40% built-environment footprint—arguing that durable impact often follows enlightened self-interest over 20-year horizons (and keeps regulation at bay). Matt shares hiring and leadership patterns he sees across top performers: discipline + flexibility, altitude control (don’t live at 500 feet), and the courage to grow beyond the founder’s shadow. Stories span nonprofit scale, workforce housing entrepreneurship, and what it takes to create the best place to work—because culture shows up in NOI. Key Takeaways: • Institutionalization 2.0: Post-RTC, CMBS and REITs professionalized the game; now platform excellence (people, systems, capital structure, tech) is the edge. • Tech + Capital = Gravity: From investor reporting to property ops, tech rewires every function; capital market savvy (leverage, maturities, stack) keeps you alive in downturns. • Purpose via Self-Interest: Serving renters, cities, and climate aligns with long-term reputation and regulation risk—mission and margins reinforce each other. • Hire for tomorrow: Deep discipline expertise and resilience/flexibility beat static resumes; many next-gen CFOs must run a company, not 30 LLCs. • Lead at altitude: Great CEOs live high enough to steer the platform, but can drop to 5,000 feet to mentor—not to micromanage. • Focus wins: Pick a thesis you can execute, stay relentless, let it evolve—but stick with the lane long enough to compound. Chapters: • 00:00 – Warm-up: who’s Matt and why this matters • 05:03 – RTC, CMBS, REITs: how the “cowboys” met the balance sheet • 06:31 – What changes next: platforms, tech, AI, sophistication • 08:08 – Apartments, cities, climate: purpose through enlightened self-interest • 11:07 – Reputation & regulation: why long-term thinking pays • 13:31 – People vs vision? Align both; culture as enterprise value • 16:25 – Operating as a company: capital stacks, leverage, hold-period survival • 18:44 – Two drivers of change: capital markets + technology everywhere • 21:46 – Hiring now: discipline depth + flexibility/resilience • 25:59 – Bridging the gap: from asset gurus to platform leaders • 27:45 – Growing with the company: altitude control beats the weeds • 30:57 – Builders bigger than themselves: nonprofit scale, workforce housing plays • 35:33 – Staying on mission: focus, relentlessness, best-place-to-work ethos • 37:29 – Leadership that lasts: be good people, create value • 39:07 – Career map: find your lane, then dig deep • 41:18 – Personal: partnership, music, and a bagel-shop jam called “Stoosday” Resources Mentioned: • — Global talent advisory (Real Estate Practice) • Terra Search Partners — Executive search in real estate • — Matt’s podcast (1M+ downloads) • Themes: RTC/CMBS/REITs, apartment industry, workforce/affordable housing, secondary/tertiary market theses, culture & “best place to work,” climate impact of the built environment Connect with Matt: • Podcast: • Firm: • Search: “Matt Slepin ZRG Leading Voices” for episodes & articles Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | Website: /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/38937325

E27: Kathy Fettke: Real Wealth, Real Returns: The Cash-Flow Playbook 11/03/2025

E27: Kathy Fettke: Real Wealth, Real Returns: The Cash-Flow Playbook Mary Katherine Johnson sits down with Kathy Fettke, Co-Founder of Real Wealth, to unpack a practical roadmap to real estate investing that ordinary professionals can use to build durable wealth. After a family health scare wiped out her savings, Kathy discovered the power of rental income and house hacking, then turned a weekend radio show into a learning engine interviewing experts (including Robert Kiyosaki) and stress-testing everything with commonsense cash flow. In this episode, she explains how to leave bubble markets for fundamentals, why average-priced homes near jobs and infrastructure win, and how disciplined vetting of property managers protects returns. Kathy traces the origins of Real Wealth, now an 88,000-member community helping busy professionals buy sensible rentals and participate in passive syndications. You’ll hear how she helped clients exit overheated markets, redeploy into metros like Dallas at the start of massive growth cycles, and avoid the 2009 wipeout—while emphasizing education over hype. We cover criteria for market selection (jobs, population, schools, infrastructure), avoiding analysis paralysis, and building a retirement portfolio of cash-flowing assets you’d be proud to offer tenants. She also shares the mindset reset that unlocked her progress—challenging limiting beliefs about money, trusting data plus intuition, and taking action after a focused year of study. Whether you’re early in your journey or ready to scale, you’ll walk away with a playbook for resilient passive income that aligns purpose, planet, and profit. Subscribe to Fortunes of the Brave for bold, credible, visionary conversations that help you take the next right step. Key Takeaways: • Define buy-box fundamentals and stick to cash flow over speculation. • Follow jobs, population growth, schools, and new infrastructure when choosing markets. • Vet property managers rigorously; your team is the moat around your returns. • Start where the numbers work (average-priced homes); avoid negative cash flow “status” assets. • Educate deeply, then act—progress beats perfection and paralysis. Chapters:• 00:00 – Welcome + who is Kathy Fettke • 01:04 – Real Wealth’s mission: build long-term rental portfolios • 02:10 – Health scare, house hacking, and discovering rental income • 05:13 – Pivot to broadcasting about wealth and learning from experts • 07:07 – Mortgage clients’ strategies and the power of leverage (then) • 09:50 – First high-net-worth client: seeing the planning gap • 11:44 – Bubble markets vs. fundamentals; enter Dallas playbook • 12:50 – Buying five Texas rentals that actually pencil • 16:30 – How to vet property managers and read local demand • 19:52 – Tenant-first mindset and providing a needed service • 28:46 – Real Wealth today: 88K members, free education, vetted teams • 31:07 – Early syndications and the path to passive investing • 33:37 – Client outcomes and why common sense wins • 35:11 – Debating “it’s dangerous to buy” and winning on cash flow • 37:29 – Close + how to connect with Kathy Resources Mentioned: • — free education, vetted teams • Rich Dad Poor Dad — Robert Kiyosaki • — Rich Fettke • Case-Shiller Index (context from Kathy’s media appearances) • Rockwall, TX example (schools, commute, infrastructure) • JOBS Act and passive real estate syndications (context) Connect with Kathy: • Website: • • Other: Free weekly investor webinars at Real Wealth Follow Planet Wealth: | | | | Website: /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/38849480

E26: Eric Miller: Treat Your Business Like an Investment: Readiness, Returns, and Purpose 10/27/2025

E26: Eric Miller: Treat Your Business Like an Investment: Readiness, Returns, and Purpose Mary Kathryn Johnson interviews Eric Miller, Co-Owner and Chief Financial Advisor at Econologics Financial Advisors, on how practice owners and entrepreneurs can engineer financial freedom with a disciplined approach to exit planning, owner compensation, and post-sale purpose. Drawing on two decades of experience with private practice owners in healthcare and other fields, Eric explains why every founder should plan an exit early, how to gauge emotional and financial readiness, and why a business must be treated like an investment rather than a job. He introduces the Financial Beast framework: multiple income sources, protection against taxes, inflation, and lawsuits, profitable and transferable operations, no bad debt, and time freedom. Eric outlines the CEO’s true role—set policy, install guardrails, and manage by a handful of key statistics—then shows how a written Investment Policy Statement (IPS) anchors investment choices when markets and opinions are noisy. He breaks down a simple owner-pay system that treats the household like a parent company receiving a consistent “management fee,” translating business success into durable personal wealth. For owners eyeing a transition, Eric warns against selling in burnout, parking proceeds in cash out of fear, or chasing unvetted “friend deals.” Instead, align allocations to the IPS, perform real diligence, and design a meaningful next game to replace the intensity of operating a business. His core premise is direct: financial success is an inside job—built by habits, clarity, and discipline, not headlines or hype. Fortunes of the Brave shares stories of founders and investors rewriting the rules of wealth, access, and ownership. Subscribe for more conversations that prove fortune favors the brave. Key Takeaways: • Plan the exit early and assess emotional plus financial readiness before burnout. • Treat the business like an investment to make it profitable, transferable, and desirable. • Lead like a CEO with policies, guardrails, and a few key stats. • Create and follow an Investment Policy Statement to guide allocation and risk. • Pay the owner on purpose by routing a consistent management fee to the household. Chapters: • 00:00 – Eric’s path to advising practice owners • 03:00 – Why every founder needs an exit strategy • 06:12 – Emotional vs. financial readiness to sell • 08:58 – What “Financial Beast” really means • 11:56 – Make your business desirable to a buyer • 14:34 – CEO guardrails: policy and key stats • 17:29 – Post-exit purpose and avoiding bad pitches • 21:21 – The IPS: rules for every investment decision • 25:17 – Owner pay: household as the parent company • 30:03 – Financial freedom is an inside job Resources Mentioned: • Econologics Financial Advisors • How to Become a Financial Beast (book by Eric Miller) • Financial Beast Podcast (hosted by Eric Miller) • Benjamin Graham’s investing principles (e.g., The Intelligent Investor) Connect with Eric: • Website: • LinkedIn: • Other: Follow Planet Wealth: • | | | LinkedIn: • YouTube: • Website: /episode/index/show/0a312dbf-1a2f-4adc-a004-413b0b2a42db/id/38771150