The PLΔNNING Podcast

Here is a skill worth more than most financial advice you will hear this year: when someone shows you a monthly payment, multiply it by the term, then ask what you own when the payments stop.

Apple gave us a perfect example today. Apple Upgrade launched — a hardware leasing program provided by Klarna. An iPhone 17 Pro has a cash price of $1,099. Lease it at $31.99 a month for 24 months and you have paid $767.76, roughly 70% of the price. Per Apple's own terms, you do not own the device at the end unless you pay a purchase fee the announcement never discloses. The same phone on 0% installments is $45.79 a month, and it is yours. Thirteen dollars and eighty cents a month is the difference between renting your phone and owning it.

Then we run that same lens over three more stories from this week.

The five layers of AI that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang laid out at Davos — energy, chips, data centers, models, applications — and why knowing which layer you own changes what "I'm invested in AI" actually means.

Jeff Bezos reportedly circling a minority stake in Liverpool FC, what a football club really sells given that tickets are only 16% of its record £703 million in revenue, and how LeBron James acquired equity in the club without writing a check.

ESPN's layoffs, the acquisition behind most of them, and the structural difference between talent a network owns and a creator who owns his own audience.

One idea connects all four: an income is a contract that somebody else has the power to end. Ownership isn't.

Isaac M. Cooper sits down with Tyrone V. Ross Jr. for a timely conversation about artificial intelligence, Bitcoin, Ether, tokens, NFTs, stablecoins and the evolving future of digital assets.

They discuss institutional adoption, the role major financial organizations are beginning to play and the mistakes many people make when entering the digital-asset market. Tyrone explains why research matters, how hype can influence poor decisions and the importance of relying on trusted sources before taking action.

The conversation also explores entrepreneurship, ownership, community, relationships and Martha’s Vineyard.

This episode provides a practical look at how money and technology are changing—and why education, credible information and disciplined decision-making matter more than ever.

Uncle Nearest's founder was fired amid fraud allegations against the company's former CFO — and we break down what receivership actually means and whether better governance could've prevented it. Then, the Seattle Seahawks' confirmed $9.6 billion sale becomes our launchpad into what really drives NFL team valuations. We cover Big Tech's mounting AI spending problem, why the financial advisor shortage might be one of the most AI-resistant career paths left, and the surprising, mostly-private company that owns a piece of ESPN. We close with a simple but powerful idea: the difference between GDP (consumption) and the stock market (production) — and what that means for building wealth in your own community.

This episode is for education and discussion only and is not personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice.

He's interviewed world champions. He's profiled presidents and power players. And now, a bill in the Alabama legislature carries his name. In this episode of The Planning Podcast, IMC Financial Consulting CEO Isaac Cooper sits down with award-winning AL.com columnist Roy S. Johnson for a conversation that goes far beyond the byline. Roy opens up about the stories that shaped him, the risks that defined his career, and the moments where journalism stopped being a job and became a mission — one that eventually led lawmakers to put his name on a piece of legislation. This isn't just a conversation about storytelling. It's about legacy, faith, family, and what it really means to value a life well-lived. In this episode, we cover: — How Roy built relationships with world champions and change agents — The risks he took to tell stories that mattered — Faith and family as the foundation behind the byline — The journey behind a bill bearing his name — What legacy means when you've spent a career telling other people's stories If you've ever wondered what it takes to turn a story into a movement, this one's for you. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on legacy, leadership, and the stories that shape us. #ThePlanningPodcast #RoyJohnson #ALcom #Legacy #Storytelling #Faith #IMCFinancial #IsaacCooper

Before Fernando Tatis Jr. became one of baseball’s biggest stars and signed a $340 million contract, he accepted approximately $2 million from a company that believed in his future success. In exchange, the company received rights to a percentage of his future earnings.

Years later, that agreement has become the center of a highly publicized legal battle.

In this episode of PLΔNNING, Isaac M. Cooper breaks down the athlete behind the headlines, the business model that made the deal possible, the legal arguments from both sides, and the broader lessons around financial literacy, risk, investing, and the cost of capital.

Whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur, investor, parent, or simply someone making important financial decisions, this episode will challenge you to think differently about the value of money today versus the value of your future.

In this episode we are going to talk about one of the most critical tools to develop wealth throughout the globe -the stock market. We will learn about the role cryptocurrency has played and could potentially play when it pertains to addressing the wealth gap and access for all community members.

What is quantitative easing — and why has it reshaped your rent, your job, and your tax bill for the next 40 years? In this episode, Isaac breaks down the most powerful (and least-understood) tool in modern finance: the central bank's ability to create trillions of dollars out of thin air. From Lehman Brothers' collapse in 2008, to a secret 1910 meeting on Jekyll Island that built the Federal Reserve, to the COVID-era money explosion and the inflation hangover that followed — this is the story of how money actually works. Designed to be understandable for a high schooler, useful for anyone over 30, and honest about who wins and who pays.

🎙️ ABOUT THE SHOW The Planning Podcast takes the strange, the technical, and the buried truths of money — and drags them into the light. Hosted by Isaac M. Cooper of IMC Financial Consulting.

In todays recap we discuss the new NIL deal signed by OSU basketball player Bryce Thompson. Also in the 2021 draft 3 players from the G League were drafted, in which two were in the top 7. Google is planning a new Silicon Valley Campus with a hardware hub. Saquon Barkley announced he is going to receive all future endorsement payments in bitcoin. In closing, we interviewed Meagan Landress a Certified Student Loan Professional to discuss Biden administration extending the student loan repayment pause. #planning #IMC

During this episode we sit down with attorney Ronnie Rice. We learn the more about the best way to engage with an attorney, how to select one and basic legal, tips for households and businesses.

Landlords and renters have been challenged in multiple ways due to the eviction moratorium. The new order put in place a few days ago temporarily halts evictions in counties with COVID-19 cases and should cover areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives. Even though this was enacted The Franklin County Municipal Court will not comply with the recent moratorium order issued by the CDC.

Levi Strauss & Co. is venturing into activewear by buying Beyond Yoga in a cash deal expected to close in the fourth quarter.

Target is rolling out a new education program that will cover the cost of associate and undergraduate degrees at select schools. It also will help pay for graduate school costs. #planning #IMC