In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, Brett Swarts, founder of Capital Gains Tax Solutions, shares how financial loss, faith, and family values shaped his mission to help others exit wisely. After watching a client (and his own family) lose everything due to poor financial planning, Brett made it his life’s work to educate high-net-worth individuals on the power of the Deferred Sales Trust (DST). He opens up about building his business from zero during the 2008 crash, living with family, and working nights at the Cheesecake Factory — all while refusing to quit.

The episode explores faith-based entrepreneurship, redefining ROI as Return on Time and Return on Impact, and creating a business that enables life on your terms.

• 2008 crash wiped out momentum early in his career.
• Took side jobs to survive, including Cheesecake Factory and AAU basketball gigs.
• Moved in with family; borrowed $5,000 to stay afloat.
• This experience grounded his long-term mission to build something lasting.

“We were flat on our back financially… but that season gave us clarity and grit that shaped everything.”

• Client Steve lost $50M, his marriage, and time with his kids.
• Inspired Brett to find a better exit strategy for families to preserve wealth and unity.
• Sparked the mission to serve “the Steves of the world.”

“I want to dedicate the rest of my working career to helping those kinds of families.”

• A legal installment sale using a trust to defer capital gains taxes.
• Works for real estate, business sales, Bitcoin, and more.
• Creates flexible, passive income streams without 1031 constraints.

“It’s about freedom — liquidity, diversification, and peace of mind.”

• Helped client trade the “3 T’s — toilets, trash, termites” for time with his twin daughters.
• Reframed value beyond just ROI — it’s about lifestyle alignment and values.

“He realized he was trading time with his daughters for trash and termites.”

“Our job is to help people unlock time and freedom, not just wealth.”

• Brett and his wife created a goal: 1,000 extraordinary days in 100 unique places before their kids turn 18.
• Built a business around flexibility and purpose.
• Encourages families to define mission, vision, and values just like they do in business.

“We have it for our companies—why don’t we have it for our families?”

• Once passive income is achieved, the focus shifts to contribution and legacy.
• Helps clients reinvest into what matters most — family, causes, community.

“Return on Impact is where true fulfillment lives.”

• A blend of faith, clarity, identity, and urgency.
• Anchors in the idea that God has pre-designed a good work for each of us.
• Encourages entrepreneurs to get clear on their gifts and walk faithfully toward their calling.

“With just a mustard seed of faith, you can move mountains.”

“We’ve all been given a certain gift. It’s not ours—it’s meant to bless others.”

• “It takes a little bit of faith and a lot of grit.”
• “You don’t need to trade 15 problems for 30. You need a new plan.”
• “Truly passive income is to your freedom what compounding interest is to your money.”
• “Don’t be a fish who made millions in real estate and suddenly try to climb a tree in the stock market.”
• “Diluted focus gets diluted results.”