WealthStyle Podcast

If you’re a busy professional thinking about buying a business, the pull is easy to understand. Maybe a heavy tax bill has you looking for relief, or you want more control over your future. But running a business can demand hours you don’t have, and a purchase made mainly for a tax write-off can end up costing more than it saves.

On the WealthStyle Podcast, Iván Watanabe speaks with Meena Sharma, Real Estate & Business Broker at eXp Commercial, about how prospective buyers can test whether a business fits their time, strengths, and long-term goals before committing capital. Iván asks how much time a buyer can realistically give a business before any talk of tax benefits, and Meena shares what she sees from the transaction side, from hype-driven choices to franchises, messy books, and shifting financing conditions.

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About Our Guest:

Meena Sharma is an entrepreneur, commercial real estate and business broker, and founder of Sharma Solutions Group. With a strong background in finance, accounting, taxation, and corporate strategy, she brings a unique perspective to building wealth through business ownership, real estate, and entrepreneurship. After spending over a decade in corporate America, Meena transitioned into entrepreneurship, leveraging her financial expertise to help business owners, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs identify opportunities and build lasting wealth. As the daughter of immigrant entrepreneurs, Meena understands firsthand the power of ownership, calculated risks, and creating opportunities beyond a traditional paycheck. Passionate about making wealth-building more accessible, she challenges conventional definitions of success and empowers others to think bigger, invest strategically, and build financial independence on their own terms.

Teaching kids about money can feel surprisingly difficult, especially when parents aren’t sure where to begin or how much their children will understand.

In this episode, Evan Wohl and Iván Watanabe welcome Brian Meisner, Founder of Cash For Cubs, to explore how families can make financial literacy easier to understand and talk about. Brian shares how Cash For Cubs grew from his classroom experience and private tutoring into a self-paced family program. They also explore budgeting, investing, inflation, credit, cash flow, and why developing comfort with money conversations early can carry into adulthood.

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About Our Guest:

Brian is the Founder of Cash For Cubs, an educational platform designed to help children build lifelong financial confidence through engaging, age-accessible lessons, activities, and storytelling.

He created Cash For Cubs because financial literacy is one of the most important life skills we can teach — yet many children grow up without a strong foundation in money management. His goal is to make conversations about money simple, approachable, and fun for families, educators, and young learners.

Through a bear-themed learning journey, Cash For Cubs teaches foundational concepts like saving, budgeting, investing, banking, credit, retirement planning and more through interactive videos, hands-on worksheets, and comprehensive quizzes designed to turn financial education into an experience kids enjoy.

Brian believes the earlier we start conversations about money, the more confident and prepared the next generation will be.

Beyond building Cash For Cubs, he’s a father to two amazing boys and a husband to his beautiful wife. He’s always looking for a challenge and enjoys the little things in life. Come on, let’s talk about money!

Business owners need reliable financial information while there’s still time to act on it. Waiting for perfect data can leave important decisions arriving too late.

In this episode, Iván Watanabe and Evan Wohl speak with Hector Perez, Founder and CEO of Quantum FBI, about building a stronger finance function as a company grows. Hector explains why timely, accurate data can improve decision-making, how organic growth shaped his approach to margins and ownership, and why cash flow knowledge is critical for founders. They also explore scenario forecasting, preparing for AI investment, building an international finance team, and using fractional CFO support when a full-time CFO isn’t practical.

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About Our Guest:

Hector Perez is the Founder and CEO of Quantum FBI, a strategic finance and business intelligence advisory firm that brings together finance, technology, and talent. Quantum FBI acts as an extension of its clients’ finance teams, specializing in data-driven transformation for early-stage and middle-market companies to achieve financial clarity, drive growth, improve performance, and deliver shareholder value. The firm’s services include outsourced finance and accounting, FP&A, finance transformation and ERP implementation, finance advisory, and CFO services, including interim and fractional CFO support.

If your career and income are central to your financial plan, what happens when an illness or injury keeps you from working for months or years? 

For physicians, other highly specialized professionals, and anyone relying heavily on employer disability benefits, the details of that coverage can matter more than simply knowing a policy exists.

In this episode of the WealthStyle Podcast, Iván Watanabe and Evan Wohl explain how long-term disability insurance works and what to review before choosing coverage. They break down monthly benefits, benefit and elimination periods, definitions of disability, group versus individual coverage, and common policy riders. They also explain how medical underwriting, exclusions, future coverage increases, and premium payment choices can affect the protection you ultimately receive.

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Physicians spend years training for their careers, but many enter employment agreements without fully understanding the long-term implications hidden in their contracts.

What happens if a job turns out to be the wrong fit? What rights do physicians actually have when they want to leave, negotiate compensation, or protect themselves from future liability?

In this episode, Iván Watanabe speaks with Angela Shofner, Owner and CEO of Shofner Consulting LLC, and Michael Shofner, COO of Shofner Consulting LLC, about physician contract reviews and the common issues doctors face when evaluating employment agreements. They explore termination clauses, non-compete restrictions, compensation benchmarking, practice acquisitions, tail coverage, and negotiation strategies. 

The conversation highlights how physicians can better understand their contracts, protect their careers, and make informed employment decisions throughout every stage of practice.

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About Angela & Michael Shofner:

Angela began her professional career as a teacher, spending four years in education before returning to school to pursue a career in law. That foundation sparked a lifelong passion for the educational side of her work — helping clients better understand complex legal and healthcare matters with clarity and confidence.

A graduate of Nashville School of Law (Class of 2014), Angela has built her career around healthcare law, physician advocacy, and strategic consulting. In 2022, she founded Shofner Consulting to provide practical, relationship-driven guidance for physicians and healthcare organizations navigating contracts, business strategy, and growth opportunities.

Known for her approachable communication style and collaborative mindset, Angela enjoys empowering clients through both legal guidance and education. 

Michael Shofner is a healthcare recruitment professional with a background in education, leadership, and relationship-building. Before transitioning into healthcare recruitment, Michael spent ten years in education, first as a teacher and later as principal of Madison Academy. After earning his MBA from Lipscomb University in 2016, Michael joined Kettering Health as a physician recruiter. 

Currently serving as a physician recruiter for Align ENT + Allergy, he is passionate about connecting physicians with opportunities where they can thrive personally and professionally while helping healthcare organizations grow strong, collaborative teams. 

Outside of their professional endeavors, they are proud parents to their two daughters. They enjoy traveling, trying new food, playing games, and reading. 

Owning real estate can generate income and long-term wealth, but it can also entail management responsibilities, tax considerations, and difficult decisions when it’s time to sell.

What options are available if you want to keep real estate exposure without continuing to manage properties yourself?

In this episode, Evan Wohl and George Papanicolaou are joined by Brendan Tammany, Senior Vice President, Private Capital at Inland Securities Corporation, to explore Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) and how they can fit into a real estate strategy. 

They discuss how DSTs operate within 1031 exchanges, the benefits of passive ownership, the differences between DSTs and REITs, liquidity considerations, estate-planning opportunities, and how accredited investors can access institutional-quality real estate while avoiding many of the day-to-day responsibilities of property ownership.

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About Our Guest:

Brendan Tammany, Senior Vice President, Private Capital, Inland Securities Corporation, is responsible for partnering with financial advisors in the North East to complete successful 1031 exchanges as well as cash investments with Inland Private Capital Corporation. He began his career at Inland in 2022 as a Regional Associate II and was promoted to Vice President, Hybrid Wholesaler in 2023. He was promoted to Vice President, Exchange Consultant in 2024. 

Prior to joining Inland, Mr. Tammany was an Advisory Consultant for Macquarie Asset Management’s Mutual Fund sales team. He began his career in financial services in 2014 working as an M&A Analyst for a boutique Investment Banking firm GriƯin Financial Group. Mr. Tammany graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration majoring in Finance. He holds Series 7, 63, 65, and 79 licenses with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Change can feel uncomfortable, especially when new technology forces people to rethink their work, values, and future. 

How can leaders help people move from fear into thoughtful action?

In this episode, Iván Watanabe and Evan Wohl speak with Laurence Anthony, Founder, CEO, and Head Coach of Go Further Coaching, about AI adoption, fear, emotional intelligence, and leading through uncertainty. Laurence explains why the fear around AI may be the real transformation, how teams can create clarity during change, and why asking “what could we do?” opens the door to creativity, action, and stronger human connection.

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About Our Guest:

Laurence Anthony is one-of-one. Laurence is the strategist organizations rely on when change has created chaos and clarity is needed. He is a PCC-certified executive coach, keynote speaker, and Founder of Go Further Coaching. Laurence brings a career of unparalleled depth to every room he enters: from crisis strategy in Washington D.C. to the boardrooms of Google, United Airlines, and RBC. Laurence transforms how companies lead through uncertainty, shifting the focus from the impossible pursuit of being fearless to developing the courage to fear less. 

He is the Founder of Go Further Coaching, a global leadership and culture transformation firm trusted by companies including Google, United Airlines, RBC, Capital One, and APG Federal Credit Union. 

Laurence has built a career defined by unusual range: a successful actor with credits on NBC’s 30 Rock and Saw 3D; the executive who revitalized Harlem’s legendary jazz venue Minton’s and led The Cecil to win Esquire’s Best New Restaurant in America; a crisis strategist in Washington D.C. consulting across finance, retail, and political sectors. That depth is exactly what makes his approach different. 

His core belief: organizations do not need to be fearless. That is impossible. They need to fear less. That distinction is everything. Through his proprietary Fear-Less Leadership Framework and AI Adoption Curve, Laurence converts organizational fear into forward momentum, replacing confusion with clarity and turbulence with traction. He does not motivate. He activates.

Many people have an idea they want to pursue, but fear often keeps them from taking the first step.

What happens when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and commit to showing up consistently, even when the outcome is uncertain?

In this episode, Iván Watanabe and Evan Wohl welcome Synthia Link, Owner of Lifestyle Makeover Foundations. Synthia shares her journey from Broadway performer and Radio City Rockette to building a thriving nutrition coaching business serving women across the country. She explains how authenticity, consistency, paid Instagram advertising, and investing in mentorship helped her grow her company while creating a life that aligns with her family priorities and long-term goals.

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About Our Guest:

Synthia grew up on Long Island and always dreamed of being on Broadway. After lots of years of hard work she achieved that goal performing in shows such as: How to Succeed in Business…, Bullets over Broadway, Young Frankenstein, Big Fish, and Frozen. She was a Radio City Rockette for 5 years, performed on the great stage at the Met. Opera, and was in multiple episodes of Smash.

After a successful career in the theatre, she decided to pivot and focus on a career that provided more time with her family. In 2022, she created her signature nutrition program “Lifestyle Makeover Foundations.” She has worked with over 800 women, all over the world, to lose weight without counting calories, macros, or restrictive dieting. She currently lives in Lloyd Harbor, NY with her two children, husband, & dog!

Retirement planning can feel clear on paper until market swings, taxes, inflation, and longevity enter the picture.

What if the real issue isn’t picking the right product, but knowing which problem you’re trying to solve first?

In this episode, Iván Watanabe and Evan Wohl talk with Neal Brincefield, RICP, CLU, ChFC, CExP, Financial Advisor at Consolidated Planning, about Monte Carlo analysis, sequence of returns risk, and retirement income design. Neal explains why simulations should be used as stress tests, not crystal balls, and how a balanced strategy can help reduce pressure on a portfolio.

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Neal Brincefield has dedicated his professional career to helping people realize their full financial potential by both working with those individuals directly and by recruiting, training, and coaching hundreds of other financial advisors to do the same.

Neal started in the financial services industry with Consolidated Planning, Inc. in 2005, initially as an advisor and has maintained that role ever since. In addition to that 1st role, Neal has also worn the hats of top manager, case coach, agency head and national trainer. In those capacities, he has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of Guardian FRs on thousands of cases to refine their process, improve their results and better serve their clients. 

In 2017, Neal was retained as a special field consultant by Guardian to lead their effort around the company’s industry-leading planning system, The Living Balance Sheet®. Neal’s mission in leading LBS into the future is to continue to provide and refine: 1) An incredible experience for clients 2) A powerful set of planning tools for advisors and 3) An unparalleled recruiting and productivity tool for agency leaders.

Under Neal’s stewardship of LBS, Guardian continues to be the only company in the industry whose planning system is led by members of its field force, underscoring Guardian’s commitment to supporting its Financial Representatives and by extension the clients whom they’ve committed their careers to serve.

Neal lives in Chapel Hill, NC with his wife Sarah and their 3 children.

Buying a franchise can sound simple until the numbers, staffing, and daily decisions start to get real. 

How do you know whether a franchise fits your goals, cash flow, and lifestyle?

In this episode, Iván Watanabe and Evan Wohl speak with Scott Thompson, CEO of Your Future Franchise, about what prospective franchise owners should understand before investing. Scott shares how to evaluate the franchise disclosure document, why working capital matters, what strong franchisors provide, and how buyers can match their strengths, financial position, and goals with the right franchise opportunity.

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About Our Guest:

Scott Thompson is a nationally recognized franchise leader with over two decades of experience growing some of the most respected brands in health, wellness, beauty, and personal services. Over his career, he has served in many roles — including franchisee, multi-unit operator, board member, and private equity–backed executive — giving him a 360° perspective on what it takes to build and scale successful franchise brands.

Now, as a Franchise Consultant with FranChoice, Scott offers a proven, no-cost consultative process to help individuals, couples, executives in transition, existing multi-unit operators, and PE & Family Office investors explore franchising. He guides them through discovering opportunities that align with their financial goals, lifestyle vision, and growth strategies — ultimately becoming confident, successful business owners.

Over his career, Scott has:

Whether guiding an executive into their first franchise, helping an experienced operator diversify, or advising private equity groups on brand acquisition and portfolio growth, Scott brings the same core philosophy: “InServiceTo” his clients’ success.

With deep industry relationships, a data-driven approach, and firsthand ownership experience, Scott has a rare 360° perspective on franchising. He understands what makes a franchise thrive and how to match the right people to the right opportunities.

If you’re ready to explore franchise ownership, scale your portfolio, or evaluate brands for acquisition, Scott is a trusted partner who can get you from curiosity to confident ownership.