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Self-Directed IRAs: The One Asset Every Entrepreneur Needs | Greg Herlean

Learn More About Greg Herlean: https://www.gregherlean.com/

Learn More About Horizon Trust: https://www.horizontrust.com/

Brett Tanner sits down with Greg Herlean, founder of Horizon Trust Company, to break down self-directed IRAs — the retirement tool only 5% of Americans use that can unlock massive wealth. Greg shares his journey from delivering newspapers in Chicago to brokering $650M in hard money loans and building one of the leading self-directed IRA trust companies in the country. They dig into Roth conversions, due diligence on deals, raising capital, and the one asset every person needs: a Roth retirement account.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro

0:32 - Meet Greg Herlean of Horizon Trust

1:10 - Greg's childhood and money mindset growing up

4:56 - Early hustle: newspaper routes, lawn mowing, and chores

7:19 - Dropping out of college to chase the dream

9:00 - Learning to sell insurance, trusts, and hard money loans

13:36 - Why "follow your passion" is bad advice

16:02 - Going solo: first deals and raising capital

17:34 - The power of self-directed IRAs (Greg's first deal at 22)

19:51 - Why you should overpay your lender when you're starting out

23:28 - Building Horizon Trust Company

29:02 - What the best self-directed investors are doing today

34:21 - Self-directed IRAs explained: what they are and how they work

36:18 - Who qualifies and how to move old 401(k)s

40:29 - Roth conversions: the tax-free wealth strategy

42:31 - Be Wealthy Calculator: the math behind $7M+ in retirement

47:00 - Why you should start saving NOW (even with debt)

48:14 - Biggest mistakes people make with self-directed IRAs

50:15 - Due diligence: spotting bad deals and protecting your capital

55:50 - How to raise money and find investors

59:28 - Book recommendations: The Obstacle Is the Way and the Bible

1:03:03 - Morning routine and owning your schedule

1:06:15 - Advice to his younger self: start saving sooner

1:07:57 - Teaching kids to be their own bank

1:08:37 - The math on starting a Roth IRA for your kids

BOOKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED:

- The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

- The Bible

- Horizon Trust Company (https://www.horizontrust.com/)

- Be Wealthy Calculator (bwealthycalculator.com)

GET CONNECTED:

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FREE RESOURCES:

Free Tools & Downloads: https://www.bewealthybrett.com/resources

Cost Segregation Studies & 45L Tax Credit: SingleFamilyCostSeg.com

Infinite Banking Education: SaveLikeaBank.com

Self-Directed IRA: MaxOutRetirement.com

Trust & Entity Structure: SetupMyEstate.com

Off-Market Deals & Direct Mail: TheMagicMailers.com

1031 Exchange: Exchange1031Now.com

Bookkeeping & Financial Services: BooksOffMyPlate.com

PPC & Digital Marketing for RE Investors: ScaleMyDeals.com

ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Be Wealthy Podcast brings entrepreneurs the strategies to grow their business — then teaches them how to think about their money. Because wealth is far more than money — it's freedom. Hosted by Brett Tanner & co-pilot Katelyn Mitchell.

Mission: Get Free.

DISCLAIMER:

Be Wealthy and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.