Capital Ideas

Fourteen years after helping write Title III of the JOBS Act, investment crowdfunding architect Woody Neiss returns to Capital Ideas to advocate for the next evolution of retail capital: raising the annual Regulation Crowdfunding cap from $5 million to $20 million. Neiss unpacks upacks the data showing that venture capital has retreated into late-stage AI deals, leaving Main Street startups capital-starved. Neiss explains how a $20M cap ends the "two-tier" dilution trap for early retail investors, replaces bureaucratic Reg A+ Tier 1 filings, and turns loyal customers into powerful brand influencers.

Investor Choice Advocates Network (ICAN Law) is the only nonprofit public-interest litigation firm in the country focused exclusively on reigning in SEC overreach and expanding fair access to capital markets. Be part of a movement to protect innovation and opportunity in American markets while preserving essential investor protections—join our email list today: https://www.icanlaw.org/newsletter-signup

What happens when regulatory compliance outpaces congressional intent? In Episode 48 of Capital Ideas, StreetShares co-founder and Century House CEO Mark Rockefeller joins Nick Morgan, Mark Hiraide, and Dara Albright to discuss the reality of pioneering Reg A+ debt. Rockefeller breaks down why heavy compliance burdens pushed his company away from retail investors even after paying back every single bondholder, and explains how his latest venture is fighting "family entropy" to protect intergenerational wealth, history, and values. 

Investor Choice Advocates Network (ICAN Law) is the only nonprofit public-interest litigation firm in the country focused exclusively on reigning in SEC overreach and expanding fair access to capital markets. Be part of a movement to protect innovation and opportunity in American markets while preserving essential investor protections—join our email list today: https://www.icanlaw.org/newsletter-signup

Crypto assets haven’t created financial inequality—they’ve exposed it. Tyrone Ross Jr., CEO of 401 Financial, joins the show to break down why wealth management is stuck in the past, the trillion-dollar IPO problem keeping retail investors sidelined, and why "data is the new AUM."

Investor Choice Advocates Network (ICAN Law) is the only nonprofit public-interest litigation firm in the country focused exclusively on reigning in SEC overreach and expanding fair access to capital markets. Be part of a movement to protect innovation and opportunity in American markets while preserving essential investor protections—join our email list today: https://www.icanlaw.org/newsletter-signup

"Retail investors are no longer satisfied watching wealth creation from the sidelines." Darren Marble, Founder and CEO of Going Public, joins the show to discuss how his interactive streaming series is merging entertainment and securities regulation to level the playing field. From surviving aggressive FINRA reviews to fighting predatory issuer valuations, Marble details the high-stakes journey of giving the everyday American a genuine investing edge.

Investor Choice Advocates Network (ICAN Law) is the only nonprofit public-interest litigation firm in the country focused exclusively on reigning in SEC overreach and expanding fair access to capital markets. Be part of a movement to protect innovation and opportunity in American markets while preserving essential investor protections—join our email list today: https://www.icanlaw.org/newsletter-signup

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, renowned economist Mark Skousen joins the show to discuss his famous ancestor’s impact on our country, Benjamin Franklin. More than an inventor and statesman, he was an architect of American capital markets. 

In this episode, Skousen discusses how Franklin aggressively defended commercial society and built the financial building blocks that transformed a young colony into an economic superpower. From creating leaf-patterned anti-counterfeiting protocols for paper currency, and pioneering modern portfolio theory, to helping create America’s earliest property insurance company, Skousen breaks down Benjamin Franklin’s enduring legacy . 

Investor Choice Advocates Network (ICAN Law) is the only nonprofit public-interest litigation firm in the country focused exclusively on reigning in SEC overreach and expanding fair access to capital markets. Be part of a movement to protect innovation and opportunity in American markets while preserving essential investor protections—join our email list today: https://www.icanlaw.org/newsletter-signup

John Tillman, author of The Political Vise, joins us to make the case for putting entrepreneurs back at the center of America's story. In this episode, we explore why the accredited investor rule locks everyday Americans out of early-stage wealth creation, how low-dollar crowdfunding is rewriting the rules of participation in free enterprise, and the Hall of Giants - John's ambitious new project to inspire the next generation of builders by honoring the risk-takers who shaped civilization.  

Before algorithms and computer screens took over trading desks, Wall Street was a game built entirely on handshakes, trust, and massive personal networks. IPO pioneer Mel Lavitt shares an unvarnished look at the early days of technology underwriting, revealing the inside story of how a lean team took Intel public for just $8 million. This episode is an essential playbook for founders and market practitioners on why human relationships still drive the highest levels of capital formation.

What if everything you've been told about blockchain and AI is wrong? Dr. Scott Stornetta, the legendary pioneer cited in the Bitcoin White Paper, delivers a masterclass on how distributed trust is shifting from crypto hype to a literal survival kit for reality itself. Discover why AI won't take your job, why stablecoins are outpacing Bitcoin, and how cryptographic verification will save our digital infrastructure.

In this episode, we sit down with David Duccini, CEO of Silicon Prairie Capital Partners and capital markets innovator, to break down what actually works when raising capital online. From why “post and pray” fails to how to turn your raise into a true marketing engine, this conversation is a must-listen for founders, investment bankers, and anyone looking to successfully navigate modern digital fundraising.

​​Dave Hendricks, CEO of Vertalo, joins the show to strip away the crypto hype and reveal the true "once-in-a-century" upgrade to global finance. While the market is obsessed with new tokens, the real revolution is happening in the ledger—the foundational plumbing that can finally eliminate phantom shares and naked short-selling.

Discover why the SEC has finally given tokenization "official cover" and why Dave believes every asset on earth will eventually be recorded on-chain—not for the sake of crypto, but for a level of market integrity and precision that spreadsheets can never match.