This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Nick Bartolo of Essential Partners for a deep dive into wealth building, exit planning, and tax strategy for trades business owners. From Wall Street to the trades, Nick brings a rare combination of CPA expertise, institutional investment experience, and a passion for helping entrepreneurs protect and grow what they’ve built.

In this episode, Nick shares:

How he went from global investing to advising trades entrepreneurs

Why most owners misunderstand the “magic number” when selling a business

How to calculate what really matters: after-tax, reinvested, and sustainable wealth

The truth about equity rollovers, private equity structures, and risk exposure

What buyers actually look for—and what they overlook

Why building a valuable company starts long before you're ready to sell

How to think like an investor while staying true to your business

The difference between concentration and diversification at each stage of growth

Whether you're years away from a sale or just getting started on your path to wealth, this episode unpacks the financial playbook every trades leader should know