Welcome back to another episode of the IRA Cafe podcast! Join Kyle Moody, Business Development Manager at American IRA and new host of the show, as he sits down with Pamela DeRitis, executive presence and on-camera coach and founder of Connect and Captivate. 

In this insightful episode, Kyle and Pamela explore the intersection of business communication, emotional intelligence, and authentic human connection—both on and off camera. Drawing from her unique journey from acting in Atlanta’s booming film industry to coaching executives and business professionals, Pamela shares how the Meisner acting technique translates into practical strategies for anyone looking to improve their presence, whether in networking, sales, public speaking, or virtual presentations. 

You’ll learn how foundational acting principles and improv exercises can ease the anxiety of speaking on camera and help even the most business-minded professionals connect more deeply and genuinely with their audience. Pamela also introduces her newest project, Command the Close, which is designed to help sales professionals use EQ to enhance their results. Whether you’re looking to launch a podcast, shine during webinars, or simply make more meaningful connections in your business, this episode is packed with actionable advice and heartfelt encouragement.

Key takeaways:

1. Pamela’s coaching embraces the Meisner technique, emphasizing the importance of placing your focus on the other person to foster authentic connections, reduce self-consciousness, and improve both live and virtual communication skills.
2. The foundations program Pamela offers blends actor’s training, improv, and personalized feedback in a structured eight-session format, helping clients baseline and refine their executive presence—no acting experience required.
3. Pamela stresses that developing emotional intelligence (EQ) and human connection skills is valuable in any setting, from sales calls and networking to video marketing and leadership, making these abilities universally beneficial beyond acting.
4. For anyone struggling with nerves on camera or during presentations, Pamela’s top tip is to imagine speaking to one specific person related to your topic, which instantly personalizes your delivery and enhances its relevance and power.
5. Her new Command the Close program adapts EQ and improv skills specifically for sales teams, helping shift the focus from aggressive selling to authentic problem-solving and genuine relationship-building with prospects.

Tune in for practical guidance and a dose of inspiration on how to trust yourself, connect from the heart, and bring more life into your business communications. Whether you’re new to presenting or a seasoned professional, Pamela’s strategies can help you amplify your message and maximize your impact.

Ready to take your financial future into your own hands? Visit us at www.americanira.com to book a call.

Welcome back to another episode of the IRA Cafe podcast! Jasmine is joined by the inspiring Teresa K. Page, an accomplished author, speaker, coach, and podcast host, who specializes in women’s leadership development and empowerment. In this engaging conversation, Jasmine and Teresa explore the transformative power of love in leadership, the journey to wholeness and purpose for women in business, and practical strategies for merging business success with personal passion.

Teresa shares her unique approach to empowering women leaders using love not just as an emotion, but as a skill set for real results in organizational culture, innovation, and community impact. Listeners will discover valuable advice for early investors and business owners interested in self-directed IRAs, as well as insights drawn from Teresa’s multi-faceted career spanning education, federal government, and entrepreneurship. 

The discussion is rich with personal stories—like Teresa’s pivotal moments during her move from the Atlanta metro back to rural North Carolina to support her family—and highlights her ongoing mission to help women lift the lid on their own capabilities. 

The episode closes with Teresa’s vision for the future, including expanding her women’s leadership conferences, growing her business’s legacy, and leaving a positive, lasting impact on communities and the global economy.

Key takeaways:

1. Love as a Leadership Skill: Teresa K. Page illustrates how love can be integrated into business as a practical and innovative leadership tool to create better team dynamics, close performance gaps, and boost profitability and engagement.
2. Invest Closely to Your Values: For business owners and self-directed IRA investors, Teresa recommends investing in ventures that align with your personal values and business objectives, emphasizing passion as a key to long-term investment success.
3. Life Lessons Lead to Purpose: Teresa’s journey was shaped by personal and professional setbacks, which she reframed as developmental opportunities, ultimately spurring her to develop new leadership principles and practical resources for women’s growth.
4. Action-Oriented Empowerment: Through her conference, coaching, and books, Teresa challenges women to reprioritize abandoned goals, encouraging them to take action and leverage community support to reach their full potential.
5. Vision for Legacy and Growth: Looking ahead, Teresa is focused on expanding her book’s reach, growing her leadership conferences, and building an organization that empowers others—a legacy she hopes will endure for generations.

Whether you’re a business leader, a woman ready to break through barriers, or an investor looking to align your money with your mission, this episode offers heartfelt wisdom, actionable steps, and an uplifting call to step into your greatness. Tune in and feel empowered to start your own journey toward leadership, wholeness, and impact!

If you’re ready to take your financial future into your own hands, book a free consultation with a specialist now at https://americanira.com/self-directed-ira-consultation/.

Welcome back to another episode of the IRA Cafe podcast! Join host Jasmine Trocchia, head of marketing at American IRA, for an energizing conversation with Dr. Donna Smith Bellinger—a renowned sales expert, author, and consultant who has spent decades helping entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals master “revenue-generating conversations.” 

In this episode, Jasmine and Dr. Donna delve into the true essence of sales, breaking down misconceptions and highlighting the foundational truth that sales is simply two parties coming to a mutually beneficial agreement. Dr. Donna shares her inspiring personal journey, from becoming a young mother facing adversity to out-earning her peers and forging a diverse, impactful career across corporate sales, tech, and business development. 

Listen as Dr. Donna uncovers practical strategies for increasing client acquisition, maximizing referrals, and crafting conversations that deliver real results—not just in business transactions but in building personal credibility and leadership. She discusses memorable client success stories, her approach to bridging communication gaps across gender, generation, and culture, and the concept of the “yes-timonial”—her unique formula for testimonials that showcase tangible outcomes and expertise. Whether you’re a business owner, investor, or a professional looking to up your leadership game, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiration to help move you from “pleased to meet you” to “thank you for your business.”

Key takeaways:

1. Sales as a Service—Not a Pitch: Dr. Donna reframes sales as simply helping two parties reach a mutually beneficial agreement, emphasizing that effective sales revolve around understanding client needs, communicating value, and focusing on service, not pressure.
2. The Power of Communication: Success in securing clients, referrals, and leadership roles often depends on the ability to tailor communication to different audiences—across gender, generation, geography, and even professional “languages” like sales and marketing.
3. Extracting Maximum Value: Many businesses leave significant revenue on the table by not fully understanding client needs or reaching all relevant stakeholders; Dr. Donna’s strategies help clients identify untapped opportunities and increase their bottom line.
4. Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: Personal success requires tuning out negativity and embracing self-confidence, especially for women and minorities—a lesson Dr. Donna learned firsthand and now imparts to clients through both mindset coaching and practical business strategies.
5. Crafting Effective Testimonials (“Yes-timonials”): Dr. Donna introduces the “yes-timonial”—a structured way of building testimonials that highlight starting challenges, discoveries and solutions, and concrete results, providing credibility and proof-of-concept to attract new business.

If you’re ready to rethink your sales approach and boost your business results, don’t miss this insightful discussion with Dr. Donna Smith Bellinger. Plus, don’t forget to check out American IRA’s latest blog on self-directed HSAs at americanira.com for more investment tips and resources!

Welcome back to another episode of the IRA Cafe podcast! In this episode, Jasmine Trocchia sits down with Charly Stoever—nonbinary Latinx money coach, digital nomad, and host of the Unicorn Millionaire podcast. Charly specializes in coaching six-figure earning LGBTQ+ and BIPOC clients, guiding them toward early retirement and robust passive income through investments and savings—particularly as a self-professed "Roth freak" advocating for Roth IRAs. 

Jasmine and Charly cover a wide spectrum of modern money management topics, from the benefits of maximizing Roth accounts, to advice for self-directed IRA account holders, to the intersection of entrepreneurship, identity, and investment philosophy. Charly shares personal stories about transitioning from teaching to stockbroking and eventually to financial coaching, giving insight into the importance of boring, consistent investment strategies, the value of ignoring financial "noise" on social media, and the emotional aspects of wealth building—especially for those from marginalized backgrounds. 

The episode also explores alternative investments, the changing landscape of income streams in light of economic shifts and AI, and Charly’s unconventional digital nomad lifestyle, including international pet sitting to save on expenses. You’ll discover the importance of having a professional support network, the nuances of tax planning, and how self-awareness and intentionality are crucial for building a sustainable financial future.

Key takeaways:

1. The Power and Benefits of Roth IRAs Charly is a passionate advocate for Roth accounts, emphasizing their “juicy tax benefits.” They highlight the peace of mind that comes from paying taxes on retirement funds now, rather than in the future when account balances (and potentially tax rates) may be much higher. Charly also points out the importance of maximizing contributions to Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s as a core part of long-term wealth building.

2. Stay the Course with Boring, Proven Investments A major piece of advice Charly offers is to “ignore the noise” and stick with simple, long-term investment strategies—specifically, low-cost index funds that track the S&P 500. They warn against chasing hot tips or viral trends on social media, and instead advocate for consistent, steady investing in tried-and-true assets.

3. Ownership and Control in Financial Planning A core part of the conversation centers on how self-directed IRA holders—and investors in general—benefit from taking charge of their own accounts and decisions. Charly’s personal mission is to empower marginalized communities, especially LGBTQ+ and BIPOC individuals, to self-manage and understand their investments rather than relying solely on outside advisors.

4. The Importance of Diversifying Income Streams Looking to the future, Charly notes that depending on a single employer or salary is riskier than ever. With layoffs happening across sectors (public, private, and tech), diversifying income—through entrepreneurship, side hustles, or investing—is key. Charly lives this out as a digital nomad, running their own business and supplementing income with things like pet sitting.

5. Investing Is Emotional—Process and Perspective Matter Charly discusses how money coaching often involves “money therapy”—helping clients process emotions and beliefs around money, not just the numbers. They emphasize the importance of maintaining perspective during volatile markets and advise against panic selling. Taking the long view and understanding that downturns are normal parts of investing helps build resilience and peace of mind.

Whether you’re new to self-directed IRAs, exploring nontraditional career paths, or looking for actionable tips on optimizing your retirement accounts, this episode is filled with candid advice and empowering takeaways to help you take control of your financial future while staying true to your values. Don’t forget to check out Charly's work at UnicornMillionaire.com and connect on Instagram @TravelerCharly!

Welcome back to the IRA Cafe podcast. In this episode, your host, Jasmine Trocchia, sits down with Whitney Elkins-Hutten, the Director of Investor Education at passiveinvesting.com.

Whitney shares her journey from accidental investor to real estate guru, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and strategic action. You'll get insights on how to avoid common financial pitfalls, build a robust investment portfolio, and the significance of educating the next generation about wealth management. Plus, don't miss Whitney's tips on identifying and leveraging current market trends to enhance your financial future. Tune in for a treasure trove of knowledge that promises to elevate your financial savvy and investment strategies!

Key Takeaways:

Path to Real Estate: Whitney's journey began in 2002 when a breakup left her with a house to manage. Turning challenge into opportunity, she filled the house with roommates and completed a profitable flip, sparking her passion for real estate.

The Role of Education: Whitney emphasizes the importance of learning and mentorship. From leveraging resources like books to seeking mentors, she highlights how education has been pivotal in her success.

Asset Strategies: Whitney explains strategies for leveraging real estate investments, focusing on capital preservation, cash flow creation, appreciation, and diversification. She underscores the need to adapt strategies based on market conditions.

Future Trends: Looking forward, Whitney discusses the significance of debt-like structure investments, emphasizing the opportunities in being "the bank" in times of capital constraints.

Personal Finance Wisdom: Sharing advice for her younger self and for her daughter, Whitney stresses the importance of understanding money, leveraging compounding interest, and taking strategic, informed action to build a secure financial future.

This episode is packed with practical advice and inspiration for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of real estate investing and achieve financial freedom. Tune in to hear more from Whitney Elkins-Hutten. Plus, Jasmine will be answering a common listener question about obtaining an EIN number for IRA investments.

For more information on American IRA and self-directed IRAs, or to have your questions answered on the podcast, reach out to Jasmine at [email protected].