The Dead President’s Club

What does it actually mean to build wealth? In this episode, I sit down with Rich and Kathy Fettke to talk about far more than real estate. We discuss how a life-threatening cancer diagnosis changed everything, why passive income became a necessity instead of a goal, and the lessons they've learned after helping more than 88,000 investors acquire over $14 billion in real estate.

But what surprised me most wasn't their investing advice, it was their perspective on family, legacy, and knowing when enough is enough. This conversation challenged the way I think about success, parenting, marriage, and the purpose behind building wealth. If you've ever wondered whether you're building a business that serves your life or a life that serves your business, this episode is for you.

You'll walk away with:

- Why cash flow and long-term thinking beat chasing the next big deal.

- How to avoid the trap of "Bigorexia", the belief that more is never enough.

- The investing habits Rich and Kathy see in the most successful real estate investors.

- Why the greatest legacy you leave your family has very little to do with money.

Most people have no idea they can use their retirement account to invest in real estate—and honestly, I didn't know either.

After nearly 20 years in banking, I discovered that I could move retirement funds from a traditional IRA or old 401(k) into a self-directed account and invest in real estate instead of leaving my money sitting in Wall Street products I didn't fully understand. That realization completely changed how I think about building wealth.

In this episode, I break down exactly how self-directed IRAs work, why I've moved almost all of my own investment portfolio into real estate, and how you can use retirement funds to buy rental properties, become a private lender, or invest in real estate deals while keeping the tax advantages of your retirement account. Whether you're looking to invest your own retirement savings or raise capital from private investors, I'll walk you through the opportunities most people never hear about.

You'll walk away with:

In this episode of Dead Presidents Club, I sit down with CPA and real estate tax strategist Amanda Han to unpack some of the most powerful tax strategies available to investors today. We discuss self-directed IRAs, depreciation, cost segregation, the short-term rental tax loophole, and why so many investors are paying more in taxes than they need to. Amanda also shares common mistakes she sees investors make, how to think about tax planning the right way, and why waiting until tax season is often too late. Whether you're buying your first rental property or already building a portfolio, this conversation will help you understand how the tax code can become one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available. You'll walk away with:

Everyone says they want financial freedom—but what if they really don’t? In this episode, Michael sits down with Michael Ketchen and Cam Cathcart to unpack the hard truth that many entrepreneurs create the very prisons they were trying to escape. From scaling businesses and flipping hundreds of homes to building intentional lives, they share the lessons they’ve learned about time, money, relationships, and purpose. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your own success, this conversation might change the way you think about building wealth. You'll learn:

After building a multi-million-dollar real estate portfolio, I found myself facing a problem I never expected: my team wasn't bought into the vision. On paper, everything looked great. We were buying properties, growing companies, and making progress. But during a leadership retreat, my team challenged me with a simple question: What are we actually building toward? The truth is, I didn't have a great answer. In this episode, I share the conversation that forced me to rethink everything, why "making money" isn't a compelling mission, and how finding alignment completely changed the direction of our businesses. I talk about the mistakes we made, the lessons we learned, and how a new vision has opened the door to opportunities we never would have seen otherwise. If you've ever felt stuck, frustrated, or unsure about what's next, this episode is for you. You'll learn: • Why making money isn't a compelling vision • How alignment creates momentum • Why every strategy works if you work it • The two traits I believe are responsible for most of my success • How we're reshaping our real estate portfolio around purpose, impact, and cash flow At the end of the day, I believe wealth is a tool. The real question is: what are you building with it? "If what you do is not aligned with your life's vision, you won't build anything that matters."

AI is moving faster than most people realize, and Joe Stolte believes the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is chasing tools instead of solving problems. In this episode of Dead Presidents Club, Micheal Miller sits down with the six-time founder and AI expert to talk about how AI is reshaping business, real estate, and entrepreneurship in real time. Joe breaks down complex ideas into simple, practical strategies anyone can apply, whether you’re scaling a company or just trying to get unstuck. They dive into finding the “constraint” in your business, why speed matters more than perfection, and how AI can become the smartest consultant you’ve ever hired. Joe also shares the unexpected lessons he learned from competitive breakdancing that shaped the way he builds companies today. If AI has felt overwhelming, this episode will make it feel practical, exciting, and full of opportunity.

You’ll walk away with: