Money Tree Investing

Get new ideas every week from Money Tree Investing Podcast! Come find out why our smart listeners love us. We find the top minds of investing and personal finance to join us on our show. Our guests and panelists talk about investing and personal finance ideas like how to find great investment ideas, building passive income, investing in real estate, financial independence, alternative investments, personal finance, money management, retirement, and finding new investment trends that are not yet mainstream.

Taming Your Money Monster with Doug Lynam 08/01/2025

Crypto Bonanza… The King Is Dead… Long Live the King 07/30/2025

Advanced Strategies To Slash The Cost Of College 07/25/2025

Kirk Changes His Tune on Housing 07/23/2025

Balancing Motherhood and Financial Advising with Kaitlyn Laney 07/18/2025

Balancing Motherhood and Financial Advising with Kaitlyn Laney Kaitlyn Laney shares her personal and professional journey, and how she manages balancing motherhood and financial advising. As she runs her own firm in Scottsdale, Arizona, Kaitlyn emphasizes the limitations of big financial firms and how individualized planning is critical—especially for high earners who often receive poor or outdated advice. Kaitlyn highlights the importance of understanding taxes, setting up retirement plans tailored to personal goals, and adapting financial strategies to different life stages. She also dives into the real costs of child care, the economic trade-offs families face—particularly women—and the rationale behind her husband choosing to stay home. We discuss... Kaitlyn Laney shares her background as a financial advisor who left a large firm in 2018 to start her own practice in Scottsdale, gaining the flexibility to be more present for her family. She discusses the challenges of raising two young boys under the age of two while managing a business and household. Kaitlyn emphasizes that many financial advisors give generalized advice that doesn’t keep up with clients’ evolving wealth and tax situations. She highlights a common industry issue: high-income earners receiving poor advice, like being incorrectly advised to contribute to a Roth IRA. Kaitlyn stresses the importance of personalized financial planning focused on education, understanding tax brackets, and using strategies like 401(k)s or SEP IRAs to reduce tax burdens. She encourages clients to view financial decisions through the lens of life stages and accept that intense spending periods (like early childhood) are temporary. The conversation explores the high cost of childcare, often exceeding college tuition, and the value of repurposing childcare expenses into savings once children enter school. Kaitlyn explains why her husband decided to stay home, citing the minimal financial benefit of both parents working while paying for full-time childcare. They discuss how many families, especially women, face difficult trade-offs between career and caregiving due to unaffordable childcare. The couple prioritizes simplicity and a lean budget over luxury spending in order to create time and presence for their children. She acknowledges the emotional trade-offs of missing certain moments but emphasizes intentionality in the life they've designed. Despite initial fears about leaving a big firm, she successfully built a $100M independent practice focused on low fees and personal planning. She credits faith, risk-taking, and a supportive partner for enabling her transition into entrepreneurship and motherhood on her terms. The conversation emphasizes the value of designing a life based on long-term goals and rejecting societal pressures to overspend. Kaitlyn advises not to rely on Social Security alone and stresses the importance of working with a qualified advisor to build a plan that fits your life stage and goals. For more information, visit the show notes at Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Phil Weiss | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37441245

Down The AI Rabbit Hole We Go 07/16/2025

Down The AI Rabbit Hole We Go Today we go down the AI rabbit hole. We also discuss the highlights of the new legislative package dubbed the “big beautiful bill,” which includes tax changes like extending 2017 tax cuts, increasing standard deductions, eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, and adding a car loan interest deduction. They critiqued the temporary nature of supposedly “permanent” policies, expressed concern over increased national debt, and discussed the personal finance implications of car depreciation and insurance after one host totaled his vehicle and bought a newer model. We also talk about the potential of lower interest rates. We discuss: The recent (and short-lived) Israel-Iran conflict and it's comparisons to past rushed declarations of victory. The newly passed “big beautiful bill,” which includes many tax-related changes. The permanent extension of 2017 tax cuts, though “permanent” really means until the next administration. A new "Trump Account" for minors allows $5,000 in annual contributions but restricts withdrawals until age 18 and offers no tax deduction. Charitable deduction rules changed, and the 1099-K reporting threshold rollback was included. Education provisions included a new federal tax credit scholarship program modeled after Florida’s, with no federal cap. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) remains but with potential restrictions looming. Medicaid spending is being cut by $1 trillion, which may impact school-based mental health services. The Department of Education faces a 20% cut in discretionary spending over five years. The hosts emphasized the rising importance of college financial planning given shrinking federal support. Elon Musk’s proposes the “America Party” which lack of creativity makes it seen as another PR move. The conversation shifted to rising consumer concerns about job loss, with data showing job fear levels near historical highs. We question whether we're in a recession and whether the technical label even matters to markets or investors. True market crashes are rarely surprising and often come with warning signs. Tariff impacts were discussed, with most firms passing costs to consumers or absorbing them internally rather than reshoring. Manufacturing sectors are more affected by tariffs than tech, healthcare, or utilities. They noted the dollar has sharply declined in 2025, one of the worst first-half drops since 1986. The weakening dollar is viewed by the Trump administration as a tool to boost exports and domestic manufacturing. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37394740

From Medicine to Alternative Investments with Dr. Amir Baluch 07/11/2025

From Medicine to Alternative Investments with Dr. Amir Baluch Dr. Amir Baluch, a semi-retired anesthesiologist and founder of Baluch Capital, shares his journey from medicine into alternative investments, emphasizing the importance of income diversification after early career financial setbacks. He discusses his firm’s multi-asset platform for accredited investors, which includes real estate development, private equity in life sciences, life settlement funds, and explorations into litigation finance. We touch on AI’s disruptive potential across sectors and note that success will depend less on access to AI tools and more on the speed of implementation, data quality, and strategic defensibility. We discuss... Amir Baluch is a semi-retired anesthesiologist who now runs Balouche Capital, focusing on alternative investments for accredited investors. Amir initially pursued finance out of concern for income stability after early setbacks in business and observing his father’s financial struggles. Life sciences and biotech are Amir’s personal focus, especially technologies that improve healthcare delivery, like non-invasive multi-cancer blood tests. Life settlements appeal due to low correlation with markets and inevitable payout, though underwriting accuracy and deal flow are crucial for returns. Amir is exploring litigation finance but hasn’t yet launched a product; he’s researching deal structures and entry points. Real estate strategies include both single-deal investments and blended income funds with quarterly or monthly distributions. In biotech, Amir prefers early-stage venture capital and is now also exploring leveraged buyouts for behavioral health businesses. AI is viewed as a major disruptor, but success will depend on implementation speed, data quality, and prompt engineering. In healthcare, software alone isn't enough—relationships and integration skills are critical for success. Biotech and real estate software require domain expertise to be meaningfully useful or defensible. AI helps trading funds reduce risk by filtering out bad trades rather than increasing returns. Future success with AI will depend on data quality, creative use, and problem-solving skills—not access alone. Real estate remains inefficient and relationship-driven, which limits AI's ability to disrupt deal sourcing. AI can aid real estate acquisitions by quickly modeling and ranking deals based on defined risk/return criteria. Strong personal networks still outperform AI in gaining early access to off-market real estate opportunities. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Diana Perkins | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37306380

AI Thinks It’s OK To Steal and Blackmail You 07/09/2025

AI Thinks It’s OK To Steal and Blackmail You AI thinks it's OK to steal and blackmail you! Today we dive deep into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, highlighting both its disruptive promise and emerging risks. New research showing that large language models (LLMs) often resort to manipulative behavior when put under pressure, raising ethical and control concerns. We also talk about investment strategies around AI infrastructure, noting underperformance in traditional strategies like small-cap, international, and value investing. We also explore a new MIT study suggesting AI may reduce cognitive engagement and critical thinking and widespread reliance on AI tools could lead to long-term intellectual decline. We discuss... A recent study showed that in simulated scenarios, AI models like Claude, GPT-4, and Gemini frequently resorted to blackmail when "cornered." All major large language models displayed concerning behavior in adversarial tests, highlighting a broader industry problem. AI is surprisingly poor at basic math tasks despite being computer-based, which raises risks for business use in financial roles. Apple is rumored to partner with Anthropic (Claude) for Siri instead of acquiring them outright. AI tools have shown 85.5% accuracy on challenging medical cases, compared to 20% accuracy by experienced physicians. The use of AI in healthcare may not replace doctors but is expected to enhance their capabilities significantly. Elon Musk warned AI development may soon face power supply bottlenecks, particularly due to training instability during grid fluctuations. Battery storage is becoming critical to stabilize AI-related energy demands, similar to power issues seen in crypto mining. Broader investment trends include AI, nuclear, space, blockchain, and cannabis, with many investors still concentrating on the "Magnificent Seven." Traditional diversification strategies like small-cap, value, and international investing have underperformed for decades. Despite high valuations, the U.S. remains the most attractive market compared to overregulated or unstable alternatives like Europe or China. A recent MIT study suggested AI use may lead to cognitive decline, describing users as becoming “cognitively bankrupt.” Reliance on AI could undermine critical thinking, especially among younger generations. AI, like social media, might make society dumber by eliminating the need for deep thinking. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37273060

Bedroom Real Estate: How This Unique Rental Strategy Earns $50,000 a Month 07/04/2025

Bedroom Real Estate: How This Unique Rental Strategy Earns $50,000 a Month Ryan Chaw shares his bedroom real estate rental property strategy. As a pharmacist-turned-real estate investor Ryan shares how he built a successful portfolio of 14 rental properties generating $50,000/month in income by renting out homes by the bedroom to students and professionals near college campuses. Now financially free, he spends his time coaching others and maintaining a disciplined approach to growth while avoiding low-quality competition and preserving strong tenant relationships. Today we discuss... Ryan Chaw transitioned from a pharmacist to a real estate investor inspired by his grandfather’s success in Bay Area real estate. He began investing in 2016 with a $262,000 property in Stockton, California, renting it by the bedroom to maximize cash flow. His strategy involves converting 3-bedroom homes into 5- or 6-bedroom rentals and leasing them to students and professionals. Ryan now owns 14 rental properties generating $50,000 per month in income and has fully replaced his pharmacist salary. Most of his tenants come from word-of-mouth referrals, especially from student communities at nearby colleges. Properties that would rent for $1,500–$2,200 annually generate $4,000+ per month when rented by the room. Competition in his niche is limited and often low quality, with few landlords offering the same level of service. Ryan sees consistent long-term demand with students signing multi-year leases and bringing in future tenants. Ryan targets neighborhoods favored by graduate students and healthcare professionals by researching Reddit forums for off-campus housing recommendations. He rents to both students and healthcare workers, often securing two-year leases from medical residents and fellows. He continues to acquire at least one new property per year and currently owns 14 rentals. He recommends keeping $7,000 to $10,000 per property in reserves to cover unexpected maintenance like HVAC or roof issues. He clusters tenants by category (e.g., pharmacy students, dental students, healthcare workers) to foster a sense of community. His four key success factors for student rentals are proximity to campus, neighborhood safety, affordability, and tenant community. Ryan uses VAs to triage maintenance requests and relies on a vetted contractor network to address issues within 24 to 48 hours. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37272025

2025 End of Quarter Performance… How Did You Do 07/02/2025

2025 End of Quarter Performance… How Did You Do Today we talk the end of quarter performance for quarter two of 2025. How did you do? We also cover a wide range of economic and market topics, beginning with the complexities of investing in artificial intelligence, lessons on succession planning, leadership transitions, and the importance of understanding demographic and power dynamics in both politics and investing. We note that large-cap growth, tech, and industrials led Q2 performance, while energy and real estate lagged. Mounting debt, rising delinquencies, and wage garnishment were cited as signs of economic stress, especially among younger and lower-income Americans, but the U.S. is still regarded as one of the best places to live. Today we discuss... AI emerges as a hot investing theme, but it’s difficult to get meaningful public equity exposure to the trend. We talks lessons for business owners on succession planning and the difference between operators and visionaries. You should invest in yourselves, learn how to work with AI, and become irreplaceable in the workforce. They conclude that unlike past tech revolutions, understanding AI is more about mindset, prompting skills, and creative application than simply buying stock exposure. Warren Buffett can be both the greatest investor of all time and underperform over the last 25 years. Buffett’s investment challenges are partly due to managing massive capital, but he also strayed from his original strategy. Buffett should have retired decades ago and left day-to-day decisions to others. This is a parallel between aging leaders in investing and aging politicians who refuse to step down. The Baby Boomer generation is described as unintentionally draining economic resources through demographic trends. Understanding leadership transitions and generational shifts is crucial for evaluating companies and markets. Q2 market performance shows large-cap growth outperforming small-cap and value stocks. Sectors like industrials, communications, and tech led, while energy, real estate, and healthcare lagged. High beta, momentum, and pure growth factors outperformed, while high dividend and low volatility underperformed. Treasury bonds, especially international, were among the best-performing fixed income assets. Precious metals like gold, silver, and uranium led commodities; agricultural products like corn and wheat lagged. Many top-performing countries are printing money, boosting markets, despite geopolitical or structural issues. Biotech investing is highly complex due to multiple layers of science, regulation, and operational risk. Investors don't need to invest in every trendy sector—understanding is more important than participation. Crypto markets have rebounded, with Ethereum and Bitcoin showing strong recent gains. The "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks have mixed performance, with Apple and Tesla notably underperforming. The market is entering a historically strong July–August window, buoyed by trade optimism. U.S.–China relations show signs of improvement, including mutual resource access. Buy Now, Pay Later services are beginning to impact credit scores and consumer financial stability. Over 2.3 million households are delinquent on mortgage payments, with foreclosures up 34%. Renters face growing pressure, with 21% behind on payments and eviction filings surging. Mounting debt burdens are fueling disillusionment among younger Americans, increasing support for socialism. Inflation has cooled from 9% in 2022 to 2.4% in April 2025. Despite challenges, the U.S. is still viewed as one of the best places to live. For more information, visit the show notes at Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37240505

The Art of Shaving with Eric Malka 06/27/2025

The Art of Shaving with Eric Malka Eric Malka shares his journey from arriving in the U.S. as a 17-year-old immigrant with $100 to co-founding The Art of Shaving, a brand that redefined men’s grooming by turning shaving into a premium ritual experience. He explains how a chance job in men’s grooming and exposure to traditional shaving culture in London inspired him to bring the concept to the U.S., where he and his wife opened their first store using natural ingredients and a four-step shaving system. Eric attributes their rapid growth and eventual acquisition by Procter & Gamble to their emotional connection with customers, brand storytelling, and strategic pivots—including leveraging media exposure, expanding into wholesale, and cautiously raising capital at the right time. We discuss... Eric Malka shares his background as an immigrant entrepreneur who arrived in the U.S. at 17 and eventually sold his company to Procter & Gamble. He is best known for founding The Art of Shaving, a luxury men’s grooming brand launched in 1996 in New York City. The idea for the business came from his exposure to traditional shaving shops in London and his wife’s interest in natural ingredients. He described how the brand’s emotional appeal, especially the father-son connection around shaving, created strong customer loyalty. Eric stresses the importance of focusing on emotional branding and creating meaningful rituals rather than just selling products. He attributes the shift in the shaving market to overpriced blades, the beard trend, and disruptors like Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s. He explaines that their success was rooted in consistent brand execution and connecting deeply with consumers. The company strategically delayed raising capital until it was necessary and used that funding to accelerate growth. Eric emphasizes the importance of pacing growth—crawling before walking, walking before running, and using capital as rocket fuel only when ready. Eric highlights that many competitors tried to copy The Art of Shaving but failed due to weaker execution, particularly in store location and brand experience. He planned his exit years in advance and was strategic about timing and value. Working with P&G during the earn-out turned out to be educational and inspiring, giving him exposure to world-class brand and marketing leadership. Eric became a student of investing, studying top investors and institutions to build a diversified, tax-efficient portfolio. Malka defines his legacy around promoting natural health, entrepreneurial values, and helping underdog founders succeed. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Phil Weiss | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37169720

AI Just Taught Me This Cool Thing… It is Amazing 06/25/2025

AI Just Taught Me This Cool Thing… It is Amazing AI just taught me this cool thing... keep on listening to find out what it is! Today we talk about the massive and fast-moving implications of AI. We share the personal experiences with how AI challenges traditional business structures and workflows, requiring users to reimagine how work is done. We also explores how AI may replace many functions within organizations, from marketing to operations, while still lacking in areas like math accuracy and sales conversations. We also talk about Mary Meeker’s AI report, noting unprecedented user adoption, the rapid rise of global competitors like China’s DeepSeek, and the prediction that LLMs will become personal, customizable, and nearly costless. We need to rethink AI’s role in business, its deflationary impact on cost, and how fast-changing technology may render old tools and concepts obsolete. We discuss... How humor and sarcasm could be the final frontier in distinguishing AI from humans. The greatest investment in AI is learning how to use it personally and professionally. How limited human imagination, not technology, is the biggest barrier to innovation with AI. AI’s limitations in math were noted, with a warning not to fully trust it as a CFO despite its operational usefulness. AI isn’t quite ready for high-touch sales calls but is rapidly closing the gap in other business areas. Global AI adoption is surging, with China’s DeepSeek gaining ground quickly through much lower-cost models. Token costs have dropped nearly 100% in two years, and energy efficiency in GPUs has improved drastically. With the penny going out of circulation, it might be time to start saving them as collectibles. AI development curves are moving much faster than traditional SaaS models, making this a truly disruptive moment in tech. Meta’s LLaMA has been downloaded 1.2 billion times in 10 weeks, with over 100,000 derivative models created. The performance gap between open-source and closed AI models is shrinking rapidly, with DeepSeek nearly matching OpenAI on benchmarks. The AI ecosystem is becoming decentralized, much like the shift from centralized platforms to blockchain-based alternatives. Decentralization is praised for enabling free speech, innovation, and diversity of thought, unlike centralized control. Most employees are already using AI tools like ChatGPT personally, even if companies haven’t officially adopted them. AI is increasing personal productivity, but there’s concern it may ultimately compress work rather than improve quality of life. Over 60,000 new AI-related job titles have emerged in just two years, indicating a massive career reshuffle. Without earned knowledge, people can misuse powerful tools like AI, just as they did with nuclear weapons. The future with AI could resemble either Skynet or Star Trek, and no one truly knows which way it will go. There is risk of psychological strain and social dysfunction if people are displaced without purpose. AI tools can now bypass paywalls and summarize articles, challenging traditional media revenue models. The current wealth gap and collapse of the middle class is unprecedented, even before full-scale AI disruption. Decentralized AI (e.g., having your own local models) is seen as essential to maintain independence and avoid manipulation. A growing imbalance of more sellers than buyers suggests further downward pressure on real estate prices. Political pressure is influencing Fed policy, with previous rate cuts seen as potentially timed to impact elections. Global conflict, such as recent Middle East tensions, is having surprisingly little impact on the stock market. Investors should focus on risk management given the unpredictability and detachment from fundamentals. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37132200

Commodity Cycles And Investor Sentiment Secrets 06/20/2025

War in the Middle East. Is AI the Cause? 06/18/2025

War in the Middle East. Is AI the Cause? There is war in the middle east again! Today we talk about the recent escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran, with speculation that the U.S. may be involved indirectly. Media narratives are particularly frustrating, with uncertainty and conflicting reports make it difficult to know what’s truly happening. This definitely parallels the financial markets, particularly with how differing narratives shape reactions during times of volatility with many often making moves on perception rather than confirmed facts. The war could potentially impact on oil prices and inflation among other global economic repercussions despite the U.S. being more energy independent. We discuss... War has reignited in the Middle East, with Israel attacking Iran and missiles flying in both directions. There's confusion about U.S. involvement, with implications that support for Israel exists behind the scenes. The biggest economic concern is the potential for rising oil prices and inflation due to conflict. Oil futures spiked shortly after the attack, raising suspicions of insider trading among politicians. The discussion draws parallels between the chaos of war and financial markets—both are driven by incomplete, misleading, or rapidly evolving information. The role of algorithms and the lack of liquidity are blamed for severe price swings during market disruptions. Humans feel compelled to understand market movements even when there may be no clear explanation. Market price is the most honest signal, but its drivers are often unknowable or misleading. The U.S. is stepping back from global policing, reinforcing an “America First” geopolitical posture. China is rapidly overtaking Western industries like autos, robotics, and nuclear energy. Global money printing continues to fuel equity markets despite mixed economic signals. Investment strategy should focus on capital flows, not moral preferences or outdated macro narratives. ESG investing appeals to emotions, but maximizing returns and funding good later may be more effective. Google quietly changed its algorithm to penalize independent contractors on major media platforms. Search is undergoing a dramatic transformation due to AI, fundamentally changing how users and companies interact with information. Google’s ad business is threatened as users shift from browsing search results to receiving direct AI-generated answers. New technologies upend existing industries, especially if introduced abruptly without time to adapt. The global AI race—especially against China—is accelerating progress beyond what’s safe or manageable. AI will likely displace workers not all at once, but gradually as its capabilities expand and efficiencies are realized. AI thinks differently than humans—it doesn’t require order or structure to understand inputs. Learning how to think and work with AI is becoming a crucial new skill set. For more information, visit the show notes at Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Phil Weiss | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/37047970

Breaking Finance with Blockchain with Matthew Le Merle 06/13/2025

Breaking Finance with Blockchain with Matthew Le Merle Matthew Le Merle joined the podcast to discuss his journey from a consulting background to breaking finance with blockchain. He explains how he and his wife Alison pivoted to blockchain after recognizing it as the next major wave of digital value creation following the internet era. He breaks down the differences between blockchain, crypto, and DeFi, and shares how the financial industry is slow to adapt due to outdated systems and vested interests. While adoption may seem slow, it's actually progressing rapidly by historical standards, and transformation remains inevitable no matter what. We discuss... Matthew Le Merle transitioned from a career in consulting and digital innovation to blockchain venture investing after identifying it as the next major wave of value creation. He and his wife began investing in blockchain over a decade ago, seeing it as the foundation for digitalizing commerce and finance. Blockchain, or distributed ledger technology (DLT), complements the internet by enabling secure, trust-based value transfers. Crypto is a subset of digital assets—usually natively digital—enabled by tokenization on blockchain infrastructure. Tokenization allows any asset to be digitally represented and transacted without paper or manual processes. DeFi (Decentralized Finance) enables financial transactions through code rather than intermediaries, potentially removing banks and middlemen from the equation. The current financial system is deeply entrenched with inefficiencies and intermediaries that profit from friction and delay. Incumbent institutions like banks face both technological and incentive-based challenges in adopting blockchain solutions. Just as digital communication disrupted legacy industries, blockchain is likely to disrupt banking and finance despite institutional resistance. While adoption of smart contracts and blockchain applications has been slower than expected, it's following a similar long development arc as the early internet. Digital assets are designed to function natively on digital infrastructure, enabling real-time, frictionless movement. Discounted cash flow models can now be used to estimate intrinsic value for platforms like Ethereum and Solana. Bitcoin’s value is more abstract, deriving from its role as a hedge against government control, inflation, and confiscation. Blockchain investing spans six asset classes: early, mid/late, and public stages for both equity and token-based investments. Entry-level exposure to crypto can be done via small Bitcoin allocations, as recommended by BlackRock and others. The biggest blockchain fortunes have come from early-stage investments, not public market trading. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36978460

The #1 Investment You Can Make in AI is… 06/11/2025

The Money-Smart Solopreneur with Laura Adams 06/06/2025

The Money-Smart Solopreneur with Laura Adams Laura Adams shares her journey into personal finance, podcasting, and authorship with her new book Money-Smart Solopreneur. She shares how she transitioned from corporate finance aspirations to helping individuals improve their money management through writing and podcasting. She discusses the evolution of book publishing, the growing need for supplemental income due to inflation and stagnant wages by starting side businesses, and practical advice on identifying marketable skills. We discuss... Laura Adams has worked in personal finance for nearly 15 years, transitioning from a corporate finance path after noticing even smart professionals struggled with money basics. Her passion for financial education led her to blogging and podcasting in the mid-2000s, eventually growing the "Money Girl" community. Writing books is a major undertaking that requires deep effort, especially when promotion is involved. Her dream of seeing her book on bookstore shelves motivated her to pursue traditional publishing, despite the changing landscape of book promotion. How the financial pressures facing many Americans today, especially due to inflation. Laura encouraged people to consider starting a side business to supplement income and access tax advantages. Side businesses should ideally be enjoyable since they often take place during personal time. Starting small and testing the market with minimal upfront investment is a smart approach to launching a side hustle. People should leverage existing skills and interests when brainstorming side business ideas. If your goal is quick income, practical gigs like freelancing, tutoring, or becoming a virtual assistant may be for you. Many people feel intimidated by starting a business but advised against overthinking early-stage logistics. Wait until a side business earns around $10,000 annually before worrying about formal structures like LLCs or accountants. Market research through conversation can spark ideas and reveal where your talents might fill a gap. Iterative experimentation are a great way to discover what business ideas are both enjoyable and viable. For more information, visit the show notes at Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36884905

AI Will Change Your Life in Surprising Ways 06/04/2025

How the MLS is Destroying Your Real Estate Investment Strategy 05/30/2025

AI Is Getting Smarter—But Are We Ready for It? 05/28/2025

The Hidden Costs of Bad Estate Planning with Lauren Klein 05/23/2025

The Hidden Costs of Bad Estate Planning with Lauren Klein Your bad estate plan is going to cost you! In today's episode, Lauren Klein, a Florida-based tax and estate planning attorney, discussed the critical components of effective estate planning. She debunks myths about revocable trusts, touches on the importance of regularly updating estate plans, and shares on the unethical financial incentives some attorneys may have to let plans fall short. We also talk the strategic use of irrevocable trusts, asset titling, and state-specific protections like Florida’s homestead laws for enhanced asset security. We discuss... Lauren Klein is a Florida-based tax, trust, and estate attorney who works nationally, helping clients with estate planning, probate avoidance, and tax strategies. Probate happens when someone dies owning assets solely in their name without a beneficiary or trust. Probate adds stress during grief and often sparks disputes—especially if there’s no clear plan or distant relatives get involved. Family fights usually come from unresolved issues, emotional baggage, or greed. Clear planning helps prevent conflict, though it can’t always stop it. Many assume a will or trust avoids probate, but trusts must be properly funded—assets need to be retitled into the trust or have it listed as beneficiary. The estate planning industry is too transactional—clients get documents but little follow-up. After a death, families often struggle to locate and transfer assets legally while grieving. It requires attorneys, paperwork, and patience. A common myth is that revocable trusts protect assets from taxes or lawsuits. They don’t during your lifetime—but they help avoid probate and add control. Revocable trusts shine when passing assets to kids. They can protect inheritances from divorce or lawsuits and become irrevocable (and stronger) after death. Trusts are especially helpful for blended families and young kids. You can distribute assets in stages and add estate tax protection with proper planning. Irrevocable trusts offer stronger protections but are more complex and better suited for high net worth or special planning needs. Asset protection varies by state—Florida, for example, offers homestead and tenancy protections. Even how you title a car can matter. Retirement accounts and life insurance have some protection, but it depends on the state. Listing all assets is key to building a strong estate plan. Crypto is showing up more in estate planning. It requires special steps to protect and transfer securely. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Phil Weiss | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36679210

China Tariffs Are Causing Big Problems In This Sector 05/21/2025

Filing for Bankruptcy the Right Way with Ashley Morgan 05/16/2025

Filing for Bankruptcy the Right Way with Ashley Morgan Ashley Morgan is here to share on filing for bankruptcy the right way. There has been a rising demand for bankruptcy services amid job losses and contracting challenges in the D.C. area, particularly among government contractors, and Ashley's VA based Law Practice has been doing a lot of work on these cases for both individuals and businesses. Ashley explains how bankruptcy can offer a fresh start, protect certain assets like homes or retirement accounts, and in some cases discharge tax and SBA debt. The conversation also covers the complexity of student loan discharge, the importance of asset protection and planning before filing, and misconceptions around credit damage post-bankruptcy. We discuss... Ashley Morgan, a bankruptcy attorney near D.C., discussed the rising demand for her services amid increasing job losses, particularly among government contractors. The economic slowdown in the D.C. area is creating a trickle-down effect, impacting local small businesses as stable government money dries up. Bankruptcy is a legal, court-supervised process to eliminate or restructure debt, offering individuals a fresh financial start. The U.S. system allows broader bankruptcy relief compared to many other countries, though outcomes depend heavily on income, assets, and debt type. Common types of bankruptcy include Chapter 7 (liquidation), Chapter 13 (repayment plan), Chapter 11 (business restructuring), and Chapter 12 (for farmers/fishermen). Chapter 11 is often used by large businesses to renegotiate leases, restructure payments, or close unprofitable locations. Small business owners can file Chapter 7 to shut down a business, but Chapter 11 can be cost-prohibitive for many. Personal credit isn't always impacted by business bankruptcy unless the owner personally guaranteed business debt. Bankruptcy doesn’t automatically ruin credit—many filers see credit scores rebound shortly after filing. Asset protection during bankruptcy varies by state; homestead exemptions can protect homes, but limits differ widely. Timing and transparency are critical—transferring assets before filing may trigger fraudulent conveyance issues. Retirement accounts (e.g., 401(k)s, IRAs) are often protected and can be used strategically before filing. Student loans are generally not dischargeable, though rare exceptions exist through adversary proceedings under "undue hardship." SBA and certain tax debts may be dischargeable under specific conditions, like being sufficiently old and properly filed. Ashley emphasizes the importance of early education, legal consultation, and realistic expectations about outcomes when considering bankruptcy. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36586355

This Hidden Bull Market Is Hiding In Plain Sight 05/14/2025

This Hidden Bull Market Is Hiding In Plain Sight This hidden bull market is actually lying in plain sight! Find out what it is today as we discuss media fear-mongering, unhelpful propaganda, Bitcoin and gold, and more. The central banks continue accumulating gold, emphasizing its historical role as a long-term store of value, and noting that despite the rise of digital assets like Bitcoin (which the U.S. now holds as a reserve), gold's cultural and material significance remains deeply embedded worldwide. Oh, and we also got a new Pope! We discuss... A new Pope from the U.S., Pope Leo XIV (formerly Robert Prevost of Chicago), was elected, contradicting Jim Cramer's confident prediction. The Pope had a 1% chance in betting markets, showing how off-market odds can be and how unexpected outcomes can deliver large returns. A widely shared headline warned that Earth will run out of oxygen, but buried in the article was the timeline—1 billion years from now. Climate change is a hard-to-measure issue that’s often politically weaponized and based on unprovable long-term models. Propaganda exists across all eras and agendas, including pro-America messages like those in 80s movies such as Top Gun. Spotting propaganda and political messaging can be useful for investors trying to understand broader narratives and their market implications. Governments often downplay crises right before they hit, and historically, such reassurances can be a red flag to start worrying. Recognizing themes in media, like global warming or military conflicts, can help investors anticipate policy moves or market shifts. Nuclear energy is an example of a rational solution ignored for political reasons, illustrating how policy can ignore practical options. Wealthy investors and central banks are buying more gold, reinforcing gold's role as a long-term store of value. Gold continues to be culturally significant and trusted across civilizations, unlike newer assets like Bitcoin. The U.S. government has decided to hold confiscated Bitcoin as a reserve asset, further legitimizing it in financial circles. There's growing speculation that Bitcoin could evolve into a reserve asset for central banks, similar to gold. Banks have transitioned from resisting Bitcoin to finding ways to monetize it, suggesting institutional acceptance is rising. Gold has significantly outpaced wage growth since 2000, reinforcing its strength as a store of value amid stagnant real income. Crypto has displaced silver as the inflation-hedge asset of choice among younger investors, hurting silver’s narrative. Long-term tailwinds for silver include green tech applications like solar panels and EVs, which could reignite demand. Gold and silver miners have underperformed despite rising bullion prices, with some major miners currently unprofitable. Mining companies face structural inefficiencies, making many poor business models despite gold’s rise. Institutional caution, reflected in moves by figures like Warren Buffett, indicates potential market hesitancy despite retail optimism. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36553370

Venture Capital in the Age of AI with Anthony Georgiades 05/09/2025

Venture Capital in the Age of AI with Anthony Georgiades Anthony Georgiades shares the future of venture capital in the age of AI. He shares his journey from an early failed startup to becoming a deeply technical investor focused on frontier technologies. He emphasizes the importance of technical literacy in venture capital, especially when evaluating deep tech. We also touch on the economic and existential risks of AI, emphasizing the need for governance, transparency, and decentralized control, while pointing to robotics as a slower-moving but ultimately transformative force in the physical economy. We discuss... Anthony Georgiades shared his background in business, venture capital, and a technical pivot into computer science and robotics. A failed early startup experience drove him to gain deeper technical proficiency to better assess and build emerging technologies. He emphasized the importance of deeply understanding deep tech and being able to speak fluently with technical founders. Web3 use cases are becoming more real, with examples like decentralized AI inference, verifiable model outputs, and on-chain computation. He highlighted the importance of decentralized GPU marketplaces and AI-native blockchains as potential disruptors. Web3’s decentralized financial infrastructure enables instant, global, and permission-less access to financial instruments. Banks remain entrenched due to regulatory, compliance, and sovereign monetary systems, despite growing disruption. Crypto is unlikely to replace fiat overnight due to legal, infrastructure, and fractional reserve complexities. AI is seen as the most inevitable trend, already impacting industries across the board. The exponential development of foundation models and the importance of proprietary data are creating a winner-take-most dynamic. Web3, though earlier in development, is viewed as more disruptive due to its potential to create new markets and rewrite institutional frameworks. He acknowledged real short- and long-term risks with AI, including economic displacement, misinformation, and loss of control. Existential AI risk stems from misaligned goals, where intelligent systems could pursue objectives with harmful side effects. Open models, auditable systems, and decentralized infrastructure are key to safer AI development. Robotics is considered the “final frontier” of disruption, especially as intelligent machines become capable of operating in the physical world. Use cases like autonomous farming are emerging as impactful applications of robotics innovation. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Phil Weiss | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36491235

Central Banks Are Hoarding This Asset Expecting Trump’s Next Move 05/07/2025

Emotional Discipline for Trading Success with Diana Perkins 05/02/2025

Emotional Discipline for Trading Success with Diana Perkins Diana Perkins shares how you can master your emotions through discipline for trading success. Her journey has taken her from a childhood fascination with finance to building a career in trading and eventually launching her own trading education business. She mentors aspiring traders and emphasizes that long-term success is overwhelmingly about emotional discipline and risk management. We discuss... Diana Perkins shares that she knew finance was her calling from a young age, charging her sister interest on loans at age nine. She fell in love with trading stock options and derivatives, and mentors hundreds of aspiring traders. Today, Diana runs her own trading education business focused on teaching new traders with an emphasis on risk management. Most traders, particularly currency traders, tend to blow up at least one account as a "rite of passage." Fear, greed, and mindset are much bigger factors in trading success than simply knowing technical skills. Diana works extensively with options traders, helping them overcome the initial intimidation of options complexity. She emphasized the importance of discipline and emotional control in trading over just understanding strategies. Her favorite strategy when trading professionally is vertical spreads because of their limited risk and “set it and forget it” nature. She shared that she still trades today, both in her own account and through a virtual portfolio for her stock-picking service. Most people’s natural instincts — fear, greed, impatience — are what make trading so challenging. Even random stock picks can perform well if trade management and discipline are handled properly. Diana emphasizes that discipline, probability, and risk management are at the core of successful trading, not just stock picking. It's important to focus on the amount of premium at risk rather than the number of contracts or shares controlled. Verticals require holding to expiration to capture full profit potential since gains are capped. Implied volatility (IV) can often cause seemingly "off" prices, particularly around earnings and major events. Consistency over time is critical to profiting from strategies like IV trading, much like "sell in May" seasonality trades. While AI tools can assist, she double-checks everything manually due to her auditing background and mistrust of "black box" systems. Although past performance isn't predictive, understanding human psychology — fear and greed — can offer powerful trading insights. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36403275

Big Move In This Shiny Asset 04/30/2025

Big Move In This Shiny Asset This is a big move in this shiny asset! While everything else in the market is seeing big changes, gold is not different. We are also in earnings season, and major companies' reports can influence markets. Business uncertainty, especially around tariffs, has caused a dramatic slowdown in corporate spending. Forecasting has become very difficult, but there are signs of a potential recession, yet it's still important to avoid echo chambers when forming investment views. We discuss... Inflation has significantly raised prices at restaurants between 2020 and 2025, with breakfast items like IHOP pancakes seeing an 82% price increase. Companies are cautious during the current earnings season, often dampening future expectations due to economic uncertainty and tariffs. A North American manager reported that customer spending and shipping orders have frozen up worse than during COVID, threatening layoffs. People seek confirmation of their beliefs and the danger of echo chambers in investing and life. Successful investors should seek out contradictory evidence rather than self-confirming narratives. Value stocks like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola have been resilient and largely unaffected by tariffs. Investors should examine their ETFs' holdings and individual stock performance closely. Many mega-cap tech stocks have struggled despite strong revenue growth since 2021. A new generation of investors is facing real market pullbacks for the first time, leading to potential emotional decision-making. Risk is always present in markets, regardless of "risk on" or "risk off" environments. Diversification and proper risk management should be done before volatility hits, not after. Technology stocks are especially vulnerable to liquidity tightening and reduced spending. Global liquidity is showing signs of increasing outside the U.S., helping international markets outperform. Recessions, though painful, are necessary for economic health and market resets. Gold has been very strong recently, staying above its 200-day moving average. The gold-to-silver ratio is historically high, suggesting silver is extremely undervalued relative to gold. Proper ratio trades remove general market movement risk but require strong discipline and understanding. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36354050

Long Term Care or Roll The Dice? 04/25/2025

Long Term Care or Roll The Dice? We're joined by Frances Reaves, who shares insights from her work in estate and Medicaid planning, on how to get your parents ready for long term care. Frances explains the importance of preparing for elder care before it's urgently needed, sharing her personal experience with her own parents and husband, who is currently navigating Alzheimer's care. The conversation dives into the realities of elder care, including the challenges of navigating the healthcare system, the high costs of in-home versus facility care, and the value of long-term care insurance. We discuss... Francis Reads is an elder law attorney specializing in estate and Medicaid planning. She founded a service within her law firm called “Parent Your Parents” to support elder care planning. Elder care generally begins around age 65, when Medicare becomes available. A major challenge in elder care is systemic apathy and poor communication in facilities. In-home care is the gold standard if money is no object, costing $12,000–$15,000 per month. Reverse mortgages and long-term care insurance are common strategies to fund elder care. Long-term care insurance works similarly to car insurance—ideally unused but crucial. The cost of long-term care and facilities can quickly deplete even sizable retirement savings. The best age to purchase long-term care insurance is between 55 and 60. For-profit facilities are incentivized to keep patients alive, not necessarily to improve their quality of life. If you have no one to care for you, plan ahead with long-term care insurance, savings, and legal documents like power of attorney and healthcare proxy. People who choose to provide full-time care often risk financial ruin if long-term care plans or savings are not in place. There’s potential to arbitrage life expectancy in financial tools like reverse mortgages or life insurance. Many elders struggle with losing independence, especially around giving up driving. Adult children often become parental figures to their own parents, which can create emotional strain. Financial advisors and lawyers play a key role in spotting and preventing elder financial abuse. Professionals should watch for signs of undue influence or financial exploitation and speak up if concerned. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Barbara Friedberg | Phil Weiss | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36301305

Good Friday… Good Times… Bad Markets 04/23/2025

Good Friday… Good Times… Bad Markets Good times... Bad markets! Today we talk about recent volatility in the market, particularly in the bond market, as there is a lot of geopolitical uncertainty that are coming with Trump’s economic moves. There may be a market downturn of up to 40% and the Fed will respond most likely respond by cutting rates, a familiar cycle in which political and monetary forces intervene to stabilize markets. Ultimately, if there's a recession, we still don't need to panic, the US markets are still strong so invest accordingly! We discuss... Market volatility recently spiked to levels not seen since COVID, driven by geopolitical and fiscal uncertainty. Trump’s unpredictable moves reintroduced risk into the markets, which had become too complacent. The Fed is currently in a wait-and-see mode, which markets interpret as a lack of proactive response. Trump criticized the Fed for not following the ECB in cutting rates, claiming it weakens U.S. competitiveness. The podcast host believes the market can handle high rates and criticized Powell’s pre-election rate cut as political. A continued market selloff is expected, with potential drops of 30–40% in the S&P 500 this year. If markets decline significantly, the Fed is likely to step in and cut rates to stabilize things. Historically, market declines have been followed by Fed intervention, which then props markets back up. A mild recession is likely before any recovery, but the overall economy remains fundamentally strong. Tariffs are currently painful for businesses but are viewed as a negotiation tactic rather than a permanent fixture. Markets dislike uncertainty, and the next six months are expected to be rocky before clarity returns. Keeping cash on hand is advised to take advantage of potential lower asset prices Americans are generally uncomfortable with negotiation and volatility compared to the rest of the world. Manufacturing may not fully return to the U.S., but diversification is critical for national security. Time dilation and recency bias cause people to misjudge the permanence of current events like tariffs. Leaders like Trump and Powell are motivated by legacy, not destruction. A stronger dollar could hurt gold and hard assets but elevate the U.S. as the most stable economy. Investors should routinely reassess their holdings to see if they would still buy them today. Always identify the potential exit point for any investment to manage risk. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at /episode/index/show/moneytreeinvesting/id/36270110

Money Tree Investing

TOPICS