Entrepreneurship is a sexy word to some… until they realize just how much work, grit, and bravery it takes to start your own business. It’s not easy, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 20% of new businesses fail during the first two years; 45% during the first five years; and 65% during the first 10 years. Only ¼ of all businesses will make it to the 15 year mark.

Steve Wanamaker is an entrepreneur and businessman defying those odds.

In 1998, along with his wife, Steve took out a $20,000 loan on his house to start a print magazine out of their spare bedroom. The rest is history. Since then, Steve has started multiple successful media companies, two of which have been acquired.

In 2004, Steve’s magazine, Inspire, was purchased by Gannett, a Fortune 500 media powerhouse that also owns The USA Today. And just last year, Steve sold his incredibly popular CDO Magazine, born from his time as co-director of MIT’s Chief Data Officer Information Quality Symposium, to private equity firm Growth Catalyst Partners. Today, this online magazine has a global readership of 400,000 in more than 184 countries, and has been recognized as one of America's fastest-growing private companies.

Steve remains at CDO Magazine as founder and publisher, as well as sitting on the board for UC Health and FC Cincinnati.

We’re going to talk about the real life of an entrepreneur, what it’s like to sell one of your businesses, what’s next for his career, and much, much more.

After 20 years as a financial services professional and completing thousands of financial plans for clients…Ben shares the secrets to building wealth, but more importantly building a fulfilling life. Brief legal disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational purposes only. The ideas and opinions on this episode do not constitute tax, legal or investment advice. Listeners should seek the input of their own tax, legal, and financial planning professionals before acting on any of the information provided. Any speaker on this podcast expresses ideas that are subjective to the time of the recording, and are subject to change without notice, and are not always indicative of the opinions of the underwriters of this show. This episode should not replace the diligence of a full financial plan with a financial planning professional that can take your specific situation into account.