Upticks: A Financial Planning & Investment Podcast

After 15 years in corporate America, Alex Reed decided it was time to pursue something different. But leaving a successful career to build a business required more than a promising idea.  In this episode of Upticks, Jake Falcon welcomes Alex, Co-Founder and CEO of GolfTRK, to discuss how he prepared financially and personally for the transition into entrepreneurship.  Alex shares why he began planning years before leaving his corporate position, how two years of living expenses helped provide financial flexibility, and how conversations with his wife shaped the decision. He also explains how a side project among friends developed into GolfTRK and eventually expanded through franchising.  Jake and Alex discuss the skills that carry over from corporate America, the responsibilities of business ownership, maintaining boundaries between work and family, and why having a clear purpose matters when making a major career change.  ---------------  📘 Get your complimentary guide to retirement  https://falconwealthadvisors.com/retiring-right-e-book.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=rr_ebook   📩 Question for Jake and Cory? Email Luke → [email protected]    📰 Get Jake's weekly blog https://falconwealthadvisors.com/notes-from-jake.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=notes_from_jake    📱Follow Jake and Cory   https://www.instagram.com/jake_falcon_crpc/   https://www.instagram.com/corybittnerkc/    #entrepreneurship #careerchange #businessownership #financialplanning #uptickspodcast 

How do you know whether you have enough money to retire? And what questions should you be asking your financial advisor? In this episode of Upticks, Jake Falcon is joined by Jake Cross, CFP®, Director of Financial Planning and Partner at Falcon Wealth Advisors, to answer common financial planning questions. They discuss why comparing your savings with others can be misleading, how to determine retirement readiness using spending and cash flow, and why a financial plan should guide investment decisions rather than simply chasing returns. They also explore long-term care insurance, healthcare costs, tax planning, artificial intelligence, speculative investments, and why regular financial planning meetings remain important even when life seems unchanged. --------------- 📘 Get your complimentary guide to retirement https://falconwealthadvisors.com/retiring-right-e-book.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=rr_ebook   📩 Question for Jake and Cory? Email Luke → [email protected]   📰 Get Jake's weekly blog https://falconwealthadvisors.com/notes-from-jake.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=notes_from_jake   📱Follow Jake and Cory  https://www.instagram.com/jake_falcon_crpc/  https://www.instagram.com/corybittnerkc/ #retirementplanning #financialplanning #retirementincome #wealthmanagement #uptickspodcast

How do investment professionals evaluate individual stocks, and what matters most when deciding whether a company belongs in a portfolio? In this episode of Upticks, Jake Falcon is joined by Falcon Wealth Advisors' Chief Investment Officer, Conner Hanlon, CFA®, for a conversation about the financial markets and the research behind investment decisions. They discuss corporate earnings, AI infrastructure spending, inflation, higher interest rates, geopolitical developments, and the risks associated with concentrated market exposure. Conner also walks through how the investment team evaluates potential holdings, including diversification, financial performance, debt, management, and long-term business prospects. The discussion concludes with their outlook for 2027 and how AI-driven productivity could influence companies across different industries. --------------- 📘 Get your complimentary guide to retirement https://falconwealthadvisors.com/retiring-right-e-book.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=rr_ebook  📩 Question for Jake and Cory? Email Luke → [email protected]   📰 Get Jake's weekly blog https://falconwealthadvisors.com/notes-from-jake.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=notes_from_jake     📱Follow Jake and Cory  https://www.instagram.com/jake_falcon_crpc/  https://www.instagram.com/corybittnerkc/   #stockmarket #fundamentalanalysis #investing #artificialintelligence #uptickspodcast

Should you begin collecting Social Security at 62 because you're concerned about future benefit cuts? In this episode of Upticks, Jake and Cory examine the projected Social Security funding shortfall and what it could mean for people approaching retirement. They discuss the trade-offs between claiming early and delaying benefits, why a future funding issue does not necessarily make early claiming the right decision, and how financial plans can account for uncertainty. The conversation also explores hypothetical benefit reductions, the importance of maintaining spending flexibility, potential changes to Social Security funding, and why predicting what Congress will do is not a substitute for financial preparation. --------------- 📘 Get your complimentary guide to retirement https://falconwealthadvisors.com/retiring-right-e-book.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=rr_ebook   📩 Question for Jake and Cory? Email Luke → [email protected]   📰 Get Jake's weekly blog https://falconwealthadvisors.com/notes-from-jake.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=notes_from_jake   📱Follow Jake and Cory  https://www.instagram.com/jake_falcon_crpc/  https://www.instagram.com/corybittnerkc/   #socialsecurity #retirementincome #financialplanning #retirementplanning #uptickspodcast

The 10-year Treasury yield is above 5%. Does that mean retirees should reduce stock exposure and rely more heavily on bonds? In this episode of Upticks, Jake and Cory discuss why an attractive Treasury yield does not automatically eliminate the need for diversification. They examine liquidity, interest-rate risk, bond ladders, long-term growth, and the different purposes served by stocks, bonds, and cash. The full conversation also explores what households should review in a higher-rate environment, including debt, cash management, borrowing assumptions, home purchases, and whether a primary residence should be evaluated like a traditional investment. The larger takeaway is that higher rates create more options—but each asset and liability still needs to support the complete financial plan. --------------- 📘 Get your complimentary guide to retirement https://falconwealthadvisors.com/retiring-right-e-book.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=rr_ebook 📩 Question for Jake and Cory? Email Luke → [email protected]  📰 Get Jake's weekly blog https://falconwealthadvisors.com/notes-from-jake.html?utm_source=libsyn&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=notes_from_jake  📱Follow Jake and Cory  https://www.instagram.com/jake_falcon_crpc/ https://www.instagram.com/corybittnerkc/  #treasurybonds #retirementincome #interestrates #investing #uptickspodcast