In this episode of The Capitalist Investor, Tony Zabiegala speaks with Sam Petitjean about earning the Certified Financial Planner designation and what that process reveals about the depth of financial advice.

They discuss the discipline required to complete the CFP, the difference between basic investment management and true financial planning, and why coordination across tax, legal, and investment strategy matters for long-term outcomes.

For investors with significant assets, understanding how advisors are trained and how they think can play a major role in the quality of guidance they receive.

As retirement approaches, the margin for error narrows. What helped build wealth may no longer be appropriate once income replaces accumulation, and poorly managed risk at this stage can have lasting consequences. 

In this episode, the discussion centers on how portfolio structure should evolve before and after retirement. The conversation explores the impact of market downturns at the wrong time, the importance of rebalancing, the risks of concentrated positions, and why relying on past performance can create blind spots. It also highlights practical frameworks like gradual allocation shifts and the use of structured investment buckets to support income needs. 

This episode is intended as a perspective on how thoughtful planning, disciplined adjustments, and risk awareness can shape a more stable retirement strategy.

For investors with significant assets, geopolitical events can introduce uncertainty that extends beyond short-term market movement. Energy prices, inflation pressures, and supply chain disruptions all play a role in shaping the economic landscape.

This episode examines how current conflict in the Middle East is affecting markets, with a focus on energy dependency, market volatility, and sector-level impacts. The conversation highlights how rising fuel costs can influence inflation, how different industries respond to these shifts, and why a measured, long-term perspective remains essential.

The discussion is intended to provide context and clarity for those evaluating how external events may influence their broader financial strategy.

Many experienced investors question whether recent market volatility reflects a deeper structural issue or simply a shift in expectations.

In this episode of The Capitalist Investor, Tony and Dave discuss the difference between headline driven volatility and fundamental market deterioration. They explore how geopolitical developments can influence energy markets, why employment and earnings growth remain important indicators of stability, and how the rapid investment cycle surrounding artificial intelligence may eventually require companies to demonstrate tangible returns.

The conversation offers perspective for investors assessing whether current market movements represent genuine concern or the natural fluctuations that occur within longer term market cycles.

Debt can be a powerful financial tool, but it can also become a major obstacle as retirement approaches.

In this episode of The Capitalist Investor, Derek Gabrielsen and Jack Root explore how debt affects retirement planning and why managing liabilities becomes increasingly important as earning years begin to shrink.

The conversation covers how business owners should approach debt tied to their companies, why exit planning matters for entrepreneurs, and why not all debt needs to disappear before retirement. They also explain the difference between mortgage debt and lifestyle debt such as credit cards or home equity lines.

If you are thinking about retirement or planning your financial future as a business owner, this discussion offers practical perspective on how debt fits into a sustainable retirement strategy.

For investors nearing retirement, decisions surrounding pension elections and portfolio discipline require careful analysis. In this episode, we examine two foundational areas of retirement planning.

First, we discuss the mechanics of portfolio rebalancing and its role in maintaining intended risk levels over time. Second, we analyze a real world pension scenario involving a $60,000 lifetime annuity versus a $1.2 million lump sum. The conversation explores income durability, estate impact, Monte Carlo outcomes, liquidity considerations, and how a personal pension strategy can alter long term results.

This episode is intended to provide structured perspective for those evaluating significant retirement decisions.

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If you are approaching retirement, investment risk is no longer just about chasing higher returns. It becomes about whether you have enough time to recover from market declines and how volatility can affect your ability to retire when planned. 

In this episode of The Capitalist Investor, Diamond Hands - Derek and Jack Root discuss how risk tolerance evolves as retirement nears and why preserving capital, managing allocation, and maintaining discipline become more important than outperforming the market. 

They explain how drawdowns require significantly larger gains to recover, why the “lost decade” illustrates sequencing risk, and how rebalancing portfolios can help manage exposure as markets shift. 

The conversation focuses on building a plan that aligns investments, income strategy, and retirement timing rather than reacting to trends, momentum trades, or short-term performance. 

In this episode of The Capitalist Investor, Derek and Tony break down how California’s tax system can impact professional athletes, even after winning a championship.

They also examine whether consumer spending is truly slowing, reviewing retail growth data, job creation numbers, wage trends, and what higher tax refunds in 2026 could mean for the economy.

Finally, they discuss the streaming wars and whether cutting cable has actually saved consumers money, or simply replaced one high bill with many smaller ones.

If you want a grounded discussion on taxes, economic momentum, and consumer behavior, this episode delivers practical perspective without hype.

In this episode, Tony and Derrick open with a practical warning about identity theft and financial fraud, sharing real client stories and simple steps you can take today, including changing passwords, freezing credit, and using identity monitoring services.

They then shift into recent market volatility, breaking down gold and silver swings, Bitcoin’s technical patterns, and the surprising connection to the McRib. The conversation explores why timing matters, why emotional reactions hurt returns, and how long-term ownership differs from short-term speculation.

The episode closes with an honest discussion about today’s new investors, instant gratification versus steady strategy, and why having a plan, setting limits, and avoiding panic are essential when markets move quickly.

This is a straightforward, real-world conversation about protecting your finances and staying grounded during uncertain markets.

In this episode of The Capitalist Investor, Derek and Tony deliver rapid fire hot takes on what’s really driving today’s markets and what investors should be watching as 2026 approaches.

They break down why Costco selling physical gold is grabbing headlines, what soaring gold and silver prices may signal, and why Bitcoin isn’t reacting the way many expected. The conversation also covers the “Big Beautiful Bill,” including who actually benefits from the proposed tax relief and how an estimated $150+ billion back into consumers’ pockets could impact the economy.

Derek and Tony then shift to their 2026 market outlook, discussing sector rotation, why consumer discretionary and industrials could outperform, and why markets are moving beyond just a handful of tech stocks. They also walk through potential black swan events, including a possible government shutdown, geopolitical tensions, and volatility tied to election season.

If you want practical perspective on where opportunities may be emerging and what risks could derail markets, this episode delivers straightforward insight without the noise.