Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth

A property may look like the perfect investment, but unexpected repairs, poor tenants, weak planning, or the wrong financing can quickly turn an opportunity into an expensive lesson.

In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, guest host Sandra Bempah of Sandy Financial Solutions speaks with Jeremy Rodriguez, Broker and Owner of D.A.R.E. Realty. Jeremy explains why investors must stop looking at property as an emotional purchase and start managing it as a business.

They discuss deal evaluation, financing options, cash-flow planning, collaboration, mentorship, legacy planning, and why a good real estate professional should sometimes tell an investor no.

In This Episode

• Why every investment property should be treated like a business
• How emotion can interfere with sound real estate decisions
• Why there is no such thing as the perfect real estate deal
• The importance of budgeting for unexpected repairs and expenses
• How education, collaboration, and mentorship can help investors avoid costly mistakes

About Jeremy Rodriguez

Jeremy Rodriguez is the Broker and Owner of D.A.R.E. Realty, which stands for Dream Achievers Real Estate. Based in Northeast Ohio, Jeremy works with real estate investors, buyers, and sellers, with a particular focus on investment properties, mentorship, and long-term wealth building.

Jeremy is also President of the Lake Erie Landlord Association, also known as the Lake Erie Real Estate Investors Association, where investors at every experience level come together for education, collaboration, and professional development.

Connect With Jeremy Rodriguez

Website: https://darerealtyneo.com/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 216-287-1766

Lake Erie Real Estate Investors Association: https://www.lelaohio.com/

Connect With Guest Host Sandra Bempah

Sandy Financial Solutions

Email: [email protected]

Listen to Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth

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If you found value in this episode, follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who wants to make smarter real estate and financial decisions.

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute real estate, legal, tax, lending, or investment advice. Consult qualified professionals before acting on any strategy discussed.

What happens when the bank suddenly eliminates your line of credit and you still have profitable real estate deals waiting to close?

Jay Conner, known as The Private Money Authority, joins Gary Heldt to explain how losing his bank funding during the 2009 financial crisis led him to discover private money. Within 90 days, Jay raised more than $2.1 million without relying on banks, mortgage companies, or hard money lenders.

Jay shares how real estate investors can educate potential private lenders, structure secured lending opportunities, and fund both property purchases and renovations. He also explains why investors should never lead with a desperate pitch for money and how private funding can provide greater confidence when making offers.

Listeners will learn:

• How private money differs from banks and hard money lenders
• Why investors should offer an opportunity instead of pitching a deal
• How promissory notes and real estate collateral protect private lenders
• Why Jay limits borrowing to 75% of the property’s after-repaired value
• How self-directed retirement accounts may be used to fund real estate deals

Jay Conner is known as The Private Money Authority. Since 2003, he has flipped and rehabbed more than 500 homes in Eastern North Carolina, completed over $118 million in real estate transactions, and helped more than 2,000 investors learn how to fund deals using private money.

After losing his bank line of credit in 2009, Jay raised more than $2.1 million in private money in just 90 days. He has since developed a repeatable funding system that allows him to operate a seven-figure real estate business while working fewer than 10 hours a week.

Ready to learn more about funding real estate deals without depending on traditional lenders? Jay is offering three resources to Gary’s listeners:

1. Download Jay’s Curiosity Opener Script
2. Learn how to begin conversations with potential private lenders:
3. https://jayconner.com/scripts
4. Request Jay’s Book, Where to Get the Money Now
5. Receive the book at no cost, with shipping and handling required:
6. https://jayconner.com/book
7. Attend the Private Money Conference
8. Learn how to raise private money, locate real estate deals, and tour active rehabilitation projects. Gary’s listeners can attend with a $97 seat-registration fee:
9. https://jayconner.com/event

Website: https://jayconner.com

Phone: 252-808-2927

Is your accountant preparing your taxes or actively helping you reduce them?

In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt speaks with Boris Musheyev, CPA, Certified Tax Strategist, and founder of BORISMTAX, about why profitable business owners often pay more in taxes than necessary.

Boris explains the critical difference between tax preparation and proactive tax planning, when a growing business should begin working with a tax advisor, and why the advisor who helped when you launched may not have the experience required for your current income level.

They also discuss how business owners can evaluate a tax advisor, why professional designations alone do not guarantee strategic expertise, and how year-round planning can uncover legal tax-saving opportunities before it is too late to use them.

✓ Why tax preparation and tax planning are two entirely different services.

✓ When reaching approximately $100,000 in net profit should trigger a tax-strategy conversation.

✓ How business owners can outgrow the accountant who served them during their early years.

✓ What to examine before trusting a tax advisor with advanced strategies.

✓ Why midyear planning and year-end projections are essential for reducing taxes legally.

Boris Musheyev is a CPA, Certified Tax Strategist, and founder of BORISMTAX, a tax planning and advisory firm serving entrepreneurs and business owners across the United States. His firm specializes in helping profitable businesses use proactive, legal tax strategies to reduce their tax liability and retain more of what they earn. Boris is also the host of the Tax Reduction Podcast, and BORISMTAX has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for two consecutive years.

Website: https://borismtax.com

Free Tax Strategy Training: https://save100k.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 212-430-6881

Podcast: Tax Reduction Podcast

LinkedIn: Boris Musheyev, CPA

Real estate investors often focus on purchase price, rental income, and appreciation while overlooking the expenses that quietly reduce their returns.

Guest host Ken May talks with Sam Yang, owner of Overline IQ, about cost segregation, insurance expenses, ownership structures, excessive leverage, and the importance of planning before purchasing a property. Sam explains how investors can identify financial inefficiencies, protect their cash flow, and make decisions based on real numbers rather than emotion.

5 Key Takeaways

• Taxes and insurance are two of the most overlooked expenses affecting real estate returns.
• Cost segregation may allow qualifying property components to be depreciated more quickly.
• Renovations and partial asset disposition can create tax opportunities investors frequently miss.
• Proper ownership structures may help separate liability between properties and protect other assets.
• Successful investors forecast cash flow, prepare for unexpected expenses, and avoid becoming overleveraged.

Connect With Sam Yang

Website: https://overlineiq.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 401-339-7930

Connect with Ken May on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenmaymoney/

This episode is for educational purposes and does not constitute individualized tax, legal, insurance, or investment advice.

Most investors focus on chasing returns.

Chris Belchamber believes they're asking the wrong question.

With more than 40 years in global finance, including leadership at JPMorgan Chase and as founder of CB Investment Management, Chris explains why protecting your money is the first step toward growing it. He shares why compounding matters more than short-term gains, how emotional investing destroys long-term wealth, and why business owners should treat investing differently from running their companies.

If you've ever wondered whether you're taking unnecessary investment risk or simply reacting to headlines, this conversation offers a practical framework for making smarter financial decisions.

• Why protecting wealth should always come before growing it

• The hidden math behind compounding that many investors overlook

• How large investment losses can permanently damage long-term returns

• Why successful investing requires a system instead of emotions

• How business owners can separate operating cash from investment capital

• The importance of minimizing drawdowns during volatile markets

• Why informed investors make better financial decisions

Chris Belchamber is an investment strategist, wealth manager, author, and founder of CB Investment Management. A mathematics graduate from the University of Oxford, he spent more than four decades in global finance, including serving as Managing Director of Proprietary Trading at JPMorgan Chase. He is the author of Invest Like The Best and helps investors build wealth through disciplined, risk-conscious investment strategies.

Website: https://chris-belchamber.com/

CB Investment Management: https://www.cbinvestmentmanagement.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbelchamber

Here is the link to Amazon:

https://geni.us/InvestLiketheBest

https://calendly.com/chriscbim/meeting

301-335-8587

Connect with Gary Heldt

🌐 https://garyheldt.com

🎙️ Subscribe to Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth on Apple Podcasts:

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If you asked most business owners what makes their company valuable, they'd probably answer revenue or profit.

But according to business exit strategist Joseph LoPresti, that's only part of the story.

In this episode of Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Joseph to discuss the hidden factors that determine whether a business attracts premium buyers or struggles to sell at all.

Joseph explains why transferable value is the true driver of enterprise value, why exit planning should begin years before a sale, and how owners can build a business that creates both financial freedom and a lasting legacy.

Whether you expect to sell in three years or thirty, this episode offers practical strategies every entrepreneur should begin implementing today.

• Why transferable value matters more than revenue alone
• The biggest mistake business owners make when preparing to sell
• Why the ideal exit planning window is three to five years
• The surprising reason many owners regret selling their business
• How to discover your personal Freedom Point
• Why business value and personal wealth planning should work together
• The importance of preparing for the unexpected "5 Ds"
• Why only a small percentage of businesses sell for their expected value
• How coordinated advisors help owners achieve better outcomes
• Practical ways to increase your company's long-term value
• 
  

About Joseph LoPresti

Joseph LoPresti is the Founder and CEO of Clearpoint Family Office and founder of The LoPresti Advisory Group. He helps entrepreneurs build transferable business value, reduce taxes, coordinate financial and exit planning, and create successful business transitions that preserve both wealth and legacy.

Connect with Joseph

Website:

https://clearpointfamilyoffice.com

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephlopresti

Connect with Gary Heldt

🎙 Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-your-business-and-grow-your-wealth/id1521874291

Most business owners spend too much time looking for ways to avoid taxes and not enough time building lasting wealth.

In this episode of Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with veteran CPA Sam Miles, founder of Guardian CPA Group, to discuss the difference between smart tax planning and risky tax schemes. With nearly 30 years of experience, Sam shares why the best financial decisions are built on documentation, ethical planning, and long-term strategy instead of social media shortcuts.

They discuss why a great CPA should challenge you rather than simply tell you what you want to hear, how to prepare for an IRS audit before one ever happens, and why growing your balance sheet is more important than reducing this year's tax bill.

If you're a business owner who wants greater confidence in your finances and fewer surprises from the IRS, this episode is packed with practical advice you can use immediately.

• The biggest mistake small business owners make
• What separates a great CPA from an average one
• Why many viral tax strategies can create unnecessary risk
• The importance of documentation for every tax deduction
• How to prepare for an IRS audit before it happens
• The Augusta Rule and when it may apply
• Paying your children through your business legally
• Why buying equipment simply to save taxes can hurt your wealth
• The difference between lowering taxes and building real wealth
• Creating financial systems that support long-term growth

Connect with Sam Miles

Guardian CPA Group

🌐 Website: http://www.guardiancpa.com

📧 Email:

[email protected]

📞 Phone: (702) 303-0510

Connect with Gary Heldt

Learn more about Gary Heldt and how he helps business owners grow both their companies and their wealth by subscribing to Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth on your favorite podcast platform.

Visit Small Business Advisors' website: https://www.sbadvisors.cc/

Most business owners spend years building wealth but very little time planning how to protect it.

Guest host Ken May sits down with David Spellman, Director of Spellman Capital Strategies, to discuss why proactive tax planning can make the difference between keeping more of what you've earned or giving away far more than necessary.

David explains why waiting until tax season is often too late and shares practical strategies for business owners preparing for retirement, selling a business, real estate transactions, or other major financial events. He also discusses succession planning, liquidity, retirement strategies, estate planning, and why your financial team should work together instead of operating in silos.

Whether you're years away from retirement or preparing for a major transition today, this episode offers valuable insights to help you plan ahead with confidence.

• Why tax planning should happen long before tax filing
• Common financial blind spots business owners overlook
• How to prepare for selling a business or appreciated assets
• Strategies that may reduce capital gains taxes
• Why succession planning increases business value
• The importance of building cash reserves
• How investment, retirement, estate and tax planning work together
• Why every business owner needs a financial "quarterback"
• Retirement mistakes that can cost hundreds of thousands
• The difference between fiduciary and non-fiduciary advisors

Connect with David Spellman

Website: https://spellmancapitalstrategies.com

Email: [email protected]

What makes a real estate investment worth the risk?

In this episode of Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Jacob Vanderslice, Co-Founder of VanWest Partners, to break down what investors should know before putting money into private real estate.

Jacob has helped oversee more than $375 million in self-storage investments and shares why the biggest mistake many investors make is focusing solely on projected returns rather than understanding the risks.

You'll learn the differences between owning real estate directly, investing through REITs, and partnering in private real estate deals. Jacob also explains key investment terms such as preferred returns, IRR, waterfalls, and K-1s in plain English, making this a valuable conversation for both experienced investors and those just getting started.

Whether you're looking to diversify your portfolio, create passive income, or better understand alternative investments, this episode provides practical insights to help you make more informed decisions.

• Why self-storage has become one of today's most attractive real estate asset classes.
• The pros and cons of direct ownership, REITs, and private real estate investments.
• What every investor should ask before committing capital.
• How to evaluate a sponsor, not just the investment opportunity.
• What preferred returns, IRR, waterfalls, and K-1s really mean.
• Why protecting your downside is often more important than maximizing returns.
• How private real estate can fit into a long-term wealth-building strategy.

Website: https://vanwestpartners.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-vanderslice/

🌐 Website: https://strategicwealthstrategies.com

📅 Schedule a Conversation: https://calendly.com/gary-heldt

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyheldt/

🎧 Subscribe to Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth for weekly conversations with business leaders, investors, and financial experts who share practical strategies to help you build both your business and your wealth.

What if the biggest threat to your wealth isn’t market volatility, but your own hardwired human instincts? This week’s guest, Jonathan Blau, Founder and CEO of Fusion Family Wealth, argues that our brains are programmed for survival on the African savannah, not for navigating financial decisions under uncertainty. His insights reveal that successful investing is less about finding the perfect stock and more about managing the behaviors that lead to poor decisions.

In this conversation, Gary Heldt and Jonathan Blau explore the fascinating world of behavioral finance. Jonathan explains why investors consistently sabotage their own success, driven by deep-seated biases like loss aversion and overconfidence. He challenges conventional wisdom by redefining risk, arguing that inflation is a far greater threat than temporary market fluctuations. This episode provides a masterclass in recognizing these biases and building a repeatable plan for rational action, especially for entrepreneurs who often mistakenly treat their investment portfolios as divisions of their business.

→ Our brains are wired to feel the pain of a loss two and a half times more than the pleasure of an equivalent gain.

→ The true risk to your wealth is the permanent erosion of purchasing power due to inflation, not temporary market volatility.

→ Entrepreneurs often fail as investors because their overconfidence leads them to believe behavioral biases do not apply to them.

→ Treating a diversified investment portfolio like divisions of a business causes investors to sell undervalued assets and buy overvalued ones.

→ Past investment performance cannot be predicted, but human behavior is highly predictable and controllable.

→ A successful long-term investment strategy requires a behavioral coach to prevent investors from reverting to their default emotional reactions.

If you want to understand how your own mind might be undermining your financial future, this conversation offers a profound shift in perspective. Listen to the full episode to learn how to replace reaction with rational action, and consider sharing it with a fellow business owner who could benefit from this guidance.

To learn more about Jonathan Blau’s approach to behavioral finance and wealth management, you can visit his firm’s website at Fusion Family Wealth. He also hosts the Crazy Wealthy Podcast, where he continues to explore these critical concepts. You can find all his contact information on the firm’s website.